The h you hear at the start in German
You are standing at the main station with a suitcase in your hand, hoping someone can show you the way to the wedding at the top of the hill.
The phrase
Ist das Haus oben auf dem Hügel weit von hier?10 words10 sentences
The ten words
- Haus/haʊ̯s/
housenoun
A building where people live.
- Hand/hant/
handnoun
The part at the end of the arm with five fingers.
- Hilfe/ˈhɪlfə/
helpnoun
Support when you can't manage something alone.
- Hügel/ˈhyːɡəl/
hillnoun
A small, low mountain.
- Hochzeit/ˈhɔxtsaɪ̯t/Also said ˈhoːxtsaɪ̯t.
weddingnoun
The celebration where two people get married.
- Hauptbahnhof/ˈhaʊ̯ptbaːnhoːf/
main stationnoun
The largest train station in a city.
- helfen/ˈhɛlfən/
to helpverb
To do something for someone who can't manage it alone.
- hoffen/ˈhɔfən/
to hopeverb
To wish that something turns out well.
- hören/ˈhøːʁən/
to hearverb
To perceive sounds or noises with your ears.
- hoch/hoːx/
highadjective
Reaching far upward, with a great distance to the ground.
The sentences
Ist das Haus oben auf dem Hügel weit von hier?
Is the house at the top of the hill far from here?
Ich habe nur einen Koffer in der Hand.
I only have one suitcase in my hand.
Entschuldigen Sie, ich brauche kurz Ihre Hilfe.
Excuse me, I need your help for a moment.
Wie komme ich am besten auf den Hügel?
What's the best way to get up the hill?
Ich bin heute zu einer Hochzeit eingeladen.
I'm invited to a wedding today.
Ich bin gerade am Hauptbahnhof angekommen.
I've just arrived at the main station.
Können Sie mir bitte mit dem Koffer helfen?
Could you help me with my suitcase, please?
Wir hoffen, noch pünktlich zur Hochzeit zu kommen.
We hope to get to the wedding on time.
Ich kann Sie leider nicht gut hören.
I'm afraid I can't hear you very well.
Wie hoch ist der Hügel eigentlich?
How high is the hill, actually?
Pronunciation
Hand/hant/
The d at the end sounds like a t.
Hügel/ˈhyːɡəl/
The ü is long, as in müde.
Hochzeit/ˈhɔxtsaɪ̯t/
The o is short here, even though it is long in hoch on its own.
Hauptbahnhof/ˈhaʊ̯ptbaːnhoːf/
The h at the start of -hof in the middle of the word is also clearly breathed.
hoch/hoːx/
The o is long, even though the spelling doesn't show it.
Good to know
- Hauptbahnhof
- Most large German cities have a main station, often shortened to Hbf on signs and displays. Long-distance and regional trains leave from there, and usually the S-Bahn and U-Bahn too.
- Gleis
- Trains leave from numbered platforms shown on the display boards. The platform can change at short notice, so it is worth checking the board just before departure.
- Siezen
- You usually address strangers with Sie, even when asking the way. A short "Entschuldigen Sie" at the start counts as polite.
- Hochzeit
- Many couples marry at the registry office, often on a different date or in a different place from the church ceremony or the party. If you are invited, the invitation usually names the place.
Questions
- What do I say to ask for help with my suitcase in German?
- You can say "Können Sie mir bitte mit dem Koffer helfen?" To get someone's attention first, "Entschuldigen Sie, ich brauche kurz Ihre Hilfe."
- How do I ask the way to the hill in German?
- Say "Wie komme ich am besten auf den Hügel?" You can also ask "Ist das Haus oben auf dem Hügel weit von hier?"
- What does Hauptbahnhof mean?
- It means the largest train station of a city. In the collection the sentence is "Ich bin gerade am Hauptbahnhof angekommen."