Day 148: Buy the Flat We Live In?
In their shared flat in Heilbronn, flatmates Lia (A) and Zeynep (B) sit down with their landlord, Sven Kübler (C), who has asked to speak to them.
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
Setzen Sie sich doch, Herr Kübler. Zeynep rechnet schon fest damit, dass Sie die Miete erhöhen.
Do sit down, Mr Kübler. Zeynep's fully expecting you to put the rent up.
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B
Ehrlich gesagt tippe ich eher auf Eigenbedarf. Hat Ihre Tochter nicht gerade in Heilbronn angefangen zu studieren?
To be honest, my money's on you needing the flat for your family. Hasn't your daughter just started university in Heilbronn?
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C
Keine Sorge, meine Tochter wohnt lieber im Wohnheim. Ich verkaufe die Wohnung und wollte sie Ihnen anbieten, bevor ich einen Makler einschalte.
Don't worry, my daughter would rather live in halls. I'm selling the flat, and I wanted to offer it to you before I bring in an estate agent.
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A
Damit hätten wir nie gerechnet. An welchen Preis denken Sie denn, und wie viel Zeit hätten wir, um mit einer Bank zu sprechen?
We'd never have expected that. What sort of price are you thinking of, and how much time would we have to talk to a bank?
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C
320.000 Euro, das ist für Heilbronn fair. Aber warten Sie nicht zu lange: Bis Sie sich entschieden haben, werden die Zinsen womöglich wieder gestiegen sein.
320,000 euros, which is fair for Heilbronn. But don't wait too long: by the time you've made up your minds, interest rates may well have gone up again.
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B
Für mich ist das utopisch, mir fehlt ja schon das Eigenkapital. Aber deine Eltern wollten dir doch sowieso mal beim Wohnungskauf helfen, oder?
For me it's pie in the sky; I haven't even got the deposit. But your parents always meant to help you buy a flat at some point, didn't they?
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A
Schon, es hängt eigentlich nur davon ab, ob sie eine Bürgschaft für den Kredit übernehmen. Moment mal, dann wäre ich ja deine Vermieterin!
True, it really just depends on whether they'll act as guarantors for the loan. Hang on, then I'd be your landlady!
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C
Glauben Sie mir, das ist die Nagelprobe jeder Freundschaft. Ich habe mal an meinen Schwager vermietet, seitdem feiern wir Weihnachten getrennt.
Believe me, that's the acid test of any friendship. I once let a flat to my brother-in-law, and we've spent Christmas apart ever since.
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B
Also, ich hätte nichts dagegen, solange du mir nicht wegen Eigenbedarf kündigst. Und die Miete bleibt, wie sie ist, das will ich schriftlich.
Well, I wouldn't mind, as long as you don't give me notice because you need the flat yourself. And the rent stays as it is: I want that in writing.
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