Day 5: Moving In, Terms and Conditions
In Freiburg, Merle (A) and her boyfriend Jakob (B) sit down like two lawyers to decide which of their flats to keep when they move in together: hers in Wiehre, or his with the balcony.
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
Deine ab Januar erhöhte Kaltmiete gegen meine 870 Euro: Rein rechnerisch ist die Verhandlung vorbei, bevor sie angefangen hat.
Your rent, which goes up in January, against my 870 euros: on paper, this negotiation is over before it's even started.
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B
Rein rechnerisch, ja. Aber du unterschlägst den nach Süden ausgerichteten Balkon, auf dem wir im Sommer frühstücken könnten.
On paper, yes. But you're leaving out the south-facing balcony where we could have breakfast in summer.
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A
Den seit deinem Einzug nie genutzten Balkon, meinst du? Da stehen nur dein Rennrad und drei vertrocknete Tomatenpflanzen.
The balcony you've never used since you moved in, you mean? There's nothing on it but your road bike and three dried-up tomato plants.
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B
Das ist ein Zwischenlager, kein Mangel an Wertschätzung. Und wo, bitte schön, soll bei dir meine Plattensammlung hin?
That's temporary storage, not a lack of appreciation. And where exactly is my record collection supposed to go at your place?
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A
Die von dir heiß und innig geliebte Plattensammlung käme in den Keller. Der ist trocken, ich hab extra nachgemessen.
Your dearly beloved record collection would go in the cellar. It's dry: I even went and measured the humidity.
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B
Dann kann ich sie ja gleich auf dem Flohmarkt verramschen. Eine Wand im Wohnzimmer, darunter mache ich es nicht.
Then I might as well flog them at the flea market. One wall in the living room, and not an inch less.
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A
Zugeständnis Nummer eins: die Wand hinter dem Sofa. Dafür kündigst du fristgerecht zum Jahresende, und die Tomaten bekommen ein würdiges Begräbnis.
Concession number one: the wall behind the sofa. In return you give notice in time for the end of the year, and the tomatoes get a decent burial.
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B
Du verhandelst härter als meine Vermieterin. Einverstanden, aber für den verlorenen Balkon will ich eine Entschädigung.
You drive a harder bargain than my landlady. Agreed, but I want compensation for the lost balcony.
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A
Die steckt in meiner letzten Bedingung: Die erste Platte in der neuen Wohnung suchst du aus, und ich höre sie mir ganz an, ohne aufs Handy zu schauen.
It's built into my final condition: you choose the first record in the new flat, and I listen to the whole thing without looking at my phone.
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B
Das ist unfair, dagegen kann ich ja schlecht Einspruch erheben. Wo muss ich unterschreiben?
That's unfair: I can hardly object to that. Where do I sign?
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