Day 4: Who Gets Grandma's Wedding China
In Kassel, Andreas (A) and his adult daughter Clara (B) are clearing out the flat of her late grandmother and have reached the display cabinet with the old lady's wedding china.
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
Clara, sei vernünftig: Das von Oma höchstens einmal im Jahr benutzte Hochzeitsservice bringt auf Kleinanzeigen locker zweihundert Euro.
Be sensible, Clara: the wedding china Grandma used once a year at most will easily fetch two hundred euros on the classifieds.
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B
Papa, das ist ein Andenken, keine Ware. Ich nehme jede Tasse, auch die mit dem angeschlagenen Henkel.
Dad, it's a keepsake, not merchandise. I'm taking every cup, even the one with the chipped handle.
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A
In deine Einzimmerwohnung in Marburg? Wo willst du denn Goldrandgeschirr für zwölf Personen hinstellen, zwischen Fahrrad und Wäscheständer?
Into your studio flat in Marburg? Where are you going to put gold-rimmed china for twelve, between the bike and the clothes horse?
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B
Besser als bei irgendwem, der es für zwanzig Euro abholt. Moment, unter der Zuckerdose liegt ein Zettel von Oma.
Better than with some stranger who picks it up for twenty euros. Hang on, there's a note from Grandma under the sugar bowl.
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A
Lies vor. Bestimmt soll alles in der Familie bleiben, und ich stehe als Banause da.
Read it out. I bet it's all meant to stay in the family, and I end up looking like a philistine.
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B
„Man nehme es nur zu Weihnachten und spüle es von Hand. Es bleibe in der Familie, es sei denn, ihr streitet euch darum: Dann bekommt es die Nachbarin von unten.“
'To be used only at Christmas and washed by hand. It is to stay in the family, unless you quarrel over it, in which case it goes to the neighbour downstairs.'
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A
Die von unten? Mit der hat Oma vierzig Jahre Krieg um den Waschkeller geführt!
Her downstairs? Grandma waged war on her over the laundry room for forty years!
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B
Genau darauf hat Oma gesetzt. Also kein Streit: Das Service bleibt bei dir, und ich komme jedes Jahr zu Weihnachten.
That's exactly what Grandma was counting on. So no quarrelling: the china stays with you, and I come every year for Christmas.
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A
Ich als Hüter des heiligen Goldrands, na wunderbar. Aber die von dir so heiß geliebten Tassen spülst du von Hand.
Me, keeper of the sacred gold rim, how wonderful. But you can wash the cups you love so dearly by hand yourself.
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