The aa, ee and oo sounds in German

1. 1
   See/zeː/

   lakenoun

   A large body of water inland.
2. 2
   Boot/boːt/

   boatnoun

   A small vehicle for the water.
3. 3
   Tee/teː/iAlso said tiː.

   teanoun

   A hot drink made from leaves and water.
4. 4
   Kaffee/ˈkafe/

   coffeenoun

   A dark hot drink made from ground beans.
5. 5
   Beere/ˈbeːʁə/

   berrynoun

   A small, round, sweet fruit.
6. 6
   Teelöffel/ˈteːlœfəl/

   teaspoonnoun

   A small spoon for stirring.
7. 7
   Allee/aˈleː/

   avenuenoun

   A street with trees on both sides.
8. 8
   Idee/iˈdeː/

   ideanoun

   A new thought.
9. 9
   leer/leːɐ̯/

   emptyadjective

   With nothing inside.
10. 10
    Paar/paːɐ̯/

    couplenoun

    Two people who belong together.

The sentences

1. Können wir bitte einen Tisch mit Blick auf den See haben?

   Could we have a table with a view of the lake, please?

2. Kann man hier am See ein Boot mieten?

   Can you rent a boat here on the lake?

3. Ich hätte gern einen schwarzen Tee mit Milch, bitte.

   I'd like a black tea with milk, please.

4. Mein Partner nimmt einen großen Kaffee mit Milch.

   My partner will have a large coffee with milk.

5. Welche Beere ist in diesem Kuchen?

   Which berry is in this cake?

6. Könnten Sie mir bitte noch einen Teelöffel bringen?

   Could you bring me a teaspoon, please?

7. Wir sind durch die schöne Allee zum See gekommen.

   We came to the lake along the lovely tree-lined avenue.

8. Das Café am See war eine sehr gute Idee.

   The café by the lake was a very good idea.

9. Meine Tasse ist leer, ich hätte gern noch einen Tee.

   My cup is empty, I'd like another tea.

10. Das Paar neben uns hat den Kuchen empfohlen.

    The couple next to us recommended the cake.

Pronunciation

• See/zeː/

  The S at the start sounds soft and buzzing, as in „Sonne“.

• Boot/boːt/

  The oo is a long o as in „Ohr“, not a u as in English.

• Kaffee/ˈkafe/

  The stress falls on the first syllable, and the a in it is short.

• Teelöffel/ˈteːlœfəl/

  The ö is short, as in „können“.

• Allee/aˈleː/

  The stress is on the second syllable, „lee“.

• Idee/iˈdeː/

  The stress is on the second syllable, „dee“.

• leer/leːɐ̯/

  The r at the end is not rolled, it sounds almost like a short a.

Good to know

Trinkgeld

Service is included in the price, but many guests round up anyway. Around 5 to 10 % is usual, and you say the amount when you pay.

Zusammen oder getrennt

At the end, the staff often ask whether you're paying together or separately. Paying separately at the table is normal.

Kaffee und Kuchen

On Sunday afternoons, coffee and cake are a fixed habit for many people. Many cafés then have a cake counter where you choose.

Selbst platzieren

In many cafés you pick a free table yourself, without waiting for anyone. The staff then come to your table.

Questions

What do I say to ask for a table with a view of the lake in German?

You can say „Können wir bitte einen Tisch mit Blick auf den See haben?“ It asks politely for a table looking out over the lake.

How do I order tea with milk in German?

Say „Ich hätte gern einen schwarzen Tee mit Milch, bitte.“ It asks politely for a black tea with milk.

What do I say when I need a teaspoon?

Say „Könnten Sie mir bitte noch einen Teelöffel bringen?“ A Teelöffel is a small spoon for stirring.