Day 29: A Loan from Grandma's Bank
In her garden in Ulm, eight-year-old Anton (A) asks his grandmother Hannelore (B) to lend him the money for a new bike light and a helmet before the summer.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense. Point at (or tap) a German word to see what it means.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native German, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day · point at a word to see its meaning
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A
Oma, leihst du mir sechzig Euro? Ich brauche vor den Sommerferien ein neues Fahrradlicht und einen Helm.
Grandma, will you lend me sixty euros? I need a new bike light and a helmet before the summer holidays.
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B
Sechzig Euro, soso. Da stünde zunächst eine Prüfung der Kreditwürdigkeit des jungen Herrn an, denn die Oma-Bank verleiht nichts ohne Sicherheiten.
Sixty euros, well, well. First a credit check on the young gentleman would be due, because Grandma's Bank lends nothing without security.
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A
Was sind denn Sicherheiten? Ich mähe dir einfach jeden Samstag den Rasen, bis alles zurückgezahlt ist.
What's security? I'll just mow your lawn every Saturday until it's all paid back.
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B
Der von dir angebotene Rasendienst wird angenommen: sechsmal Mähen zu je zehn Euro, und für die Zinsen ein siebtes Mal.
The lawn service you've offered is accepted: six mowings at ten euros each, and a seventh for the interest.
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A
Ein siebtes Mal? Aber dann zahle ich ja mehr zurück, als ich überhaupt kriege!
A seventh time? But then I'm paying back more than I'm even getting!
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B
So verdienen Banken nun mal ihr Geld, mein Lieber. Und ohne einen von beiden Seiten unterschriebenen Vertrag hülfe dir auch kein Dackelblick.
That's how banks make their money, my dear. And without a contract signed by both parties, not even puppy-dog eyes would help you.
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A
Moment, Oma, du schuldest mir aber noch was! Zu Ostern hast du dir zehn Euro aus meinem Sparschwein geliehen.
Hang on, Grandma, you still owe me something! At Easter you borrowed ten euros from my piggy bank.
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B
Ach, die in höchster Kleingeldnot entliehenen zehn Euro. Wenn das rauskommt, ist der gute Ruf der Oma-Bank dahin.
Ah, the ten euros borrowed in a dire shortage of small change. If that gets out, the good name of Grandma's Bank is gone.
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A
Zehn Euro plus Zinsen, das macht schon mal zwei Samstage weniger. Und den Vertrag unterschreibst du zuerst, Oma.
Ten euros plus interest, that's two fewer Saturdays of mowing for a start. And you sign the contract first, Grandma.
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B
Zwei Samstage für zehn Euro, das ist ja Wucher! Von wem du das bloß hast, frage ich mich.
Two Saturdays for ten euros, that's daylight robbery! I do wonder who you get that from.
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