Day 179: Talk Show on East-West Wages
On a regional TV talk show in Rostock, the host, Richard Grabowski (A), asks Manuela Westphal (B), an economist, and Leana Dittmann (C), a young nurse, whether wages in East and West have caught up since 1990.
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
-
A
Nach 1990 wurde im Osten enorm viel investiert. Frau Westphal, haben die Löhne da mitgehalten?
After 1990, a huge amount was invested in the East. Ms Westphal, have wages kept pace?
-
B
Zwar ist der Abstand kleiner geworden, aber man verdient hier immer noch weniger. Immerhin wurden 2023 die Renten angeglichen.
The gap has got smaller, admittedly, but people here still earn less. At least pensions were brought into line in 2023.
-
A
Frau Dittmann, Sie sind Pflegerin hier in Rostock. Wie sieht das bei Ihnen aus?
Ms Dittmann, you're a nurse here in Rostock. What's it like for you?
-
C
Ich habe meinen Gehaltszettel mitgebracht. Eine Freundin macht in Lübeck denselben Job und bekommt 400 Euro mehr im Monat.
I've brought my pay slip with me. A friend of mine does the same job in Lübeck and gets 400 euros more a month.
-
B
Das dürfte eine Ausnahme sein. In der Pflege wird sowohl im Osten als auch im Westen meist nach Tarif bezahlt.
That's probably an exception. In nursing, most people are paid under collective agreements, in the East as well as in the West.
-
C
Meine Klinik gehört einem privaten Konzern, da gibt es weder Tarif noch Weihnachtsgeld. Und ich bin hier keine Ausnahme.
My hospital belongs to a private group, and there's neither a collective agreement nor a Christmas bonus. And I'm no exception round here.
-
A
Im Publikum wird kräftig applaudiert. Frau Westphal, ist das wirklich eine Ausnahme?
There's loud applause from the audience. Ms Westphal, is this really an exception?
Your progress is saved in this browser only, with no sign-up. The course page and the menu show where you left off. Well done! Next up: Day 180: The January Swim in Schwerin
If this free course has helped you in your German journey, please consider supporting the project. It's a one-person effort, and even small contributions help keep it running and free for everyone.