Day 8 of 16

Day 8: Is It Still My Lego Castle

At bedtime in Würzburg, nine-year-old Oskar (A) asks his father Christian (B) a question about the Lego castle on his shelf.

How to study this lesson 3 steps
  1. Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
  2. 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.
  3. 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

  1. A

    Papa, eine Frage noch, bevor du das Licht ausmachst: Ist mein Legoschloss eigentlich noch dasselbe Schloss?

    Dad, one more question before you turn the light off: is my Lego castle actually still the same castle?

  2. B

    Wie kommst du denn darauf? Das hast du doch zum sechsten Geburtstag von Oma geschenkt bekommen.

    What makes you ask that? Grandma gave it to you for your sixth birthday.

  3. A

    Ja, aber fast alle Steine sind neu. Die Türme sind aus dem Piratenschiff, und die kaputte Zugbrücke hab ich von Opa ersetzt bekommen.

    Yes, but almost all the bricks are new. The towers are made from the pirate ship, and Grandad replaced the broken drawbridge for me.

  4. B

    Ah, das Schiff des Theseus, ein Gedankenexperiment, über das Philosophen seit fast zweitausend Jahren streiten.

    Ah, the Ship of Theseus, a thought experiment philosophers have been arguing about for almost two thousand years.

  5. A

    Und was ist die Antwort? Ist es noch mein Schloss oder ein ganz anderes?

    So what's the answer? Is it still my castle or a completely different one?

  6. B

    Da scheiden sich die Geister. Die einen sagen, es kommt auf die Steine an, die anderen auf den Bauplan und die Geschichte.

    Opinions are divided on that. Some say it's the bricks that matter, others say it's the plan and the history.

  7. A

    Bei Menschen ist das doch genauso, oder? Frau Weigand hat gesagt, dass sich unsere Zellen ständig erneuern.

    It's the same with people, isn't it? Mrs Weigand said our cells are renewing themselves all the time.

  8. B

    Stimmt, bei den meisten. Warum habe ich angesichts deines verschmitzten Grinsens das Gefühl, dass die Frage nicht rein philosophisch gemeint ist?

    True, most of them. Why do I get the feeling, seeing that cheeky grin of yours, that the question isn't purely philosophical?

  9. A

    Weil der Oskar, der am Sonntag versprochen hat, sein Zimmer aufzuräumen, gar nicht mehr existiert. Ich bin ein neuer und hab nichts versprochen.

    Because the Oskar who promised on Sunday to tidy his room doesn't exist any more. I'm a new one, and I didn't promise anything.

  10. B

    Ein findiges Schlupfloch. Hinsichtlich deines Taschengelds hätte es allerdings bedauerliche Folgen: Das wurde nämlich dem alten Oskar versprochen.

    A clever loophole. As regards your pocket money, though, it would have unfortunate consequences: that was promised to the old Oskar, you see.

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