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German Essays on My Family: Meine Familie

Learning or Practising German Language? or your tutor asked you to write about your family, or you can say you need to write an essay on My family (Meine Familie) but you have no idea how to do that and where to start?

Well, In this blog post, I have shared some Easy Essays on My Family (Meine Familie) . All the best and keep learning.

Before Start, First we need to discuss some vocabulary related to Family.

The following list includes most of the members of your family tree. Get familiar with these words so you can recognize them:

Read Also: Easy German Essays for Beginners: 8 Examples to Practice Your Language Skills

• der Bruder (dêr brooh -der) ( brother )
• der Cousin (dêr kooh -zen) ( male cousin )
• die Cousine (dee kooh- zeen -e) ( female cousin )
• die Eltern (dee êl -tern) ( parents )
• die Frau (dee frou) ( woman/wife )
• die Geschwister (dee ge- shvis -ter) ( siblings )
• die Großeltern (dee grohs -êl-tern) ( grandparents )
• die Großmutter (dee grohs -moot-er) ( grandmother )
• der Großvater (dêr grohs -fah-ter) ( grandfather )
• der Junge (dêr yoong -e) ( boy )
• die Kinder (dee kin -der) ( children, kids )
• das Mädchen (dâs maid -Hên) ( girl )
• der Mann (dêr mân) ( man/husband )
• die Mutter (dee moot -er) ( mother )
• der Onkel (dêr on -kel) ( uncle )
• die Schwester (dee shvês -ter) ( sister )
• der Sohn (dêr zohn) ( son )
• die Tante (dee tân -te) ( aunt )
• die Tochter (dee toH -ter) ( daughter )
• der Vater (dêr fah -ter) ( father )

Use the following words for the in-laws:

• der Schwager (dêr shvah -ger) ( brother-in-law )
• die Schwägerin (dee shvai -ger-in) ( sister-in-law )
• die Schwiegereltern (dee shvee -ger-êl-tern) ( parents-in-law )
• die Schwiegermutter (dee shvee -ger-moot-er) ( mother-in-law )
• der Schwiegersohn (dêr shvee -ger-zohn) ( son-in-law )
• die Schwiegertochter (dee shvee -ger-toH-ter) ( daughter-in-law )
• der Schwiegervater (dêr shvee -ger-fah-ter) ( father-in-law )

To express the term step-, you use the prefix Stief- with the name of the relative, like in this example: Stiefbruder ( steef- brooh-der) ( step-brother ). The term for a half relative uses the prefix Halb- , so half-sister looks like this: Halbschwester ( hâlp- shvês-ter).

German-speaking children use the following terms to talk about their parents and grandparents:

• die Mama (dee mâ -mâ) ( mom )
• die Mutti (dee moot -ee) ( mommy )
• die Oma (dee oh -mâ) ( grandma )
• der Opa (der oh -pâ) ( grandpa )
• der Papa (dêr pâ -pâ) ( dad )
• der Vati (dêr fâ -tee) ( daddy )

When directly addressing their elders, children leave out the articles dee (dee) ( the ) and der (dêr) ( the ). For example, Mama! Komm her! ( mâ -mâ!! kom hêr!) ( Mom! Come here! )

Read our Complete Vocabulary: Talking about – The Family – in German

Essay One: The Average Family

Meine Familie ist eine kleine Kernfamilie, die zu einer bürgerlichen Familie gehört. Meine Familie besteht aus vier Mitgliedern, einem Vater, einer Mutter, mir und einer kleinen Schwester. Wie andere indische Familien sind wir keine große Familie. Wir leben in Berlin, aber meine Großeltern leben auf dem Land. Zusammen mit meinen Großeltern wird meine Familie eine kleine Familie. Meine Familie ist eine vollständige, positive und glückliche Familie, die mir und meiner Schwester viel Liebe, Wärme und Sicherheit schenkt. Ich fühle mich in meiner Familie so glücklich, dass es auf mich aufpasst und alle meine Bedürfnisse erfüllt. Eine glückliche Familie bietet ihren Mitgliedern die folgenden Vorteile.

Here is what the text is about (this is not a 1-to-1 translation!)

My family is a small nuclear family that belongs to a middle-class family. My family consists of four members, a father, a mother, me and a little sister. Like other Indian families, we are not a big family. We live in Berlin, Germany, but my grandparents live in the countryside. Together with my grandparents, my family becomes a little family together. My family is a complete, positive and happy family, giving me and my sister a lot of love, warmth and security. I feel so happy in my family that it takes care of me and meets all my needs. A happy family offers the following benefits to its members.

Essay Two: The Average Family

If you live with your Mum, Dad, and with your brother or sister. Then use this text to describe your family in your German essay:

Wir sind eine ganz normale Familie. Ich wohne zusammen mit meinen Eltern, meiner kleinen Schwester Lisa und unserer Katze Mick. Meine Großeltern wohnen im gleichen Dorf wie wir. Oma Francis arbeitet noch. Sie ist Krankenschwester. Die Anderen sind schon in Rente. Oma Lydia nimmt sich viel Zeit für mich und geht häufig mit mir Kleider oder Schuhe kaufen. Leider will meine kleine Schwester dann auch immer mit. Mein Vater arbeitet bei einer Bank und fährt am Wochenende gern mit seinem Motorrad. Das findet meine Mutter nicht so gut, da sie meint, dass Motorradfahren so gefährlich ist. Sie sagt, dass ich und meine Schwester auf keinen Fall mitfahren dürfen. Mein Vater versteht das nicht, aber er will sich auch nicht streiten. Nächstes Jahr wollen wir in ein größeres Haus ziehen, weil meine Eltern noch ein Baby bekommen. Ich hoffe, dass wir nicht zu weit weg ziehen, da alle meine Freunde hier in der Nähe wohnen. Meine Tante Clara, die Schwester meiner Mutter, wohnt sogar genau gegenüber. Meine Cousine Barbara kommt deshalb häufig zu Besuch.

We are a very normal family. I live with my parents, my little sister, and our cat Mick. My grandparents live in the same village where we live. Grandma Francis still works. She is a nurse. The others are already retired. Grandma Lydia spends a lot of time with me, and we often go shopping together to look for clothes or shoes. Unfortunately, my little sister wants to come with us as well. My father works in a bank and likes to ride his motorbike on the weekend. My mother does not like that because she thinks it is very dangerous. She says we are never allowed to ride with him on the bike. My father doesn’t understand why, but he doesn’t want to argue with her. Next year, we are going to move into a bigger house because my parents will have another baby. I hope we are not moving too far because all of my friends are here. My aunt Clara even lives opposite to us. Therefore, my cousin Barbara often visits us.

Example Three: A Big Family

If you have a big family, this example may help you with your German essay:

Meine Familie ist sehr groß. Ich habe zwei Schwestern, einen Bruder, drei Tanten, einen Onkel und sechs Cousins. Meine große Schwester hat lange blonde Haare und heißt Laura und eine kleine Schwester heißt Miranda und ist dunkelhaarig. Mein Bruder heißt Fred und trägt eine Brille. Ich verstehe mich gut mit meiner kleinen Schwester und meinem Bruder. Mit meiner großen Schwester streite ich mich oft um den Computer. Mein Vater arbeitet zwar viel, aber am Wochenende hilft er uns immer bei den Hausaufgaben. Meine Mutter backt gerne Torten. Ihre Schokotorten mag ich besonders gerne. In den Ferien besuchen wir häufig meine Großeltern, da sie leider so weit entfernt wohnen. Meine anderen Großeltern, die Eltern meiner Mutter wohnen eine Straße weiter. Das finde ich schön, da wir uns oft sehen können. Außerdem haben sie eine süße Perserkatze, mit der ich immer spiele. Wenn uns meine Cousins besuchen kommen, unternehmen wir meist etwas Besonderes. Letztes Wochenende waren wir alle zusammen im Zoo. Das war lustig, da mein Cousin Ben Angst vor Schlangen hatte. Ich mag meine Familie!

Now, the same story in English:

My family is very big. I have got two sisters, one brother, three aunts, one uncle, and six cousins. My older sister has long blond hair, and her name is Laura. My little sister is called Miranda and has dark hair. My brother’s name is Fred and wears glasses. I get along well with my little sister and my brother. But I argue a lot with my older sister about the computer. Although my father works a lot, he always helps us with homework on the weekend. My mother likes to bake cakes. I especially like her chocolate cake. During the holidays, we often visit my grandparents because they live so far from us. My other grandparents, the parents of my mother, live on the street next to ours. I like that because that way we can see each other a lot. In addition to that, they have a cute Persian cat I always play with. When my cousins visit us, we always do something special together. Last weekend, we went to the zoo together. That was fun because my cousin Ben was afraid of the snake. I like my family!

Read Also:  Learn German Numbers (Deutsche Zählen) and Pronunciation 1 to 999999

Essay Four: A Small Family

If you are living with only one parent, check out this text:

Meine Familie ist sehr klein. Ich lebe zusammen mit meiner Mutter und meinem Bruder. Tanten oder Onkel habe ich nicht. Meinen Vater sehe ich nur in den Sommerferien, da er weit weg wohnt. Meine Oma wohnt gleich nebenan. Sie kūmmert sich nachmittags um mich und meinen Bruder, wenn meine Mutter arbeiten muss. Meine Oma ist schon in Rente. Sie hat frūher mal bei der Post gearbeitet. Mein Opa und meine anderen Großeltern sind leider schon gestorben. Mein Bruder heißt Patrick und ist sehr gut in der Schule. Er ist sehr groß und schlank und hat blonde Locken. Meine Freundin findet ihn sūß. Das verstehe ich gar nicht. Ich mag es aber nicht, wenn er laut Musik hört und es gerade meine Lieblingssendung im Fernsehen gibt. Dafūr geht er immer mit unserem Hund Gassi, so dass ich das nicht tun muss. Ich wūnschte, ich hätte noch eine Schwester, die mir helfen könnte, meine Haare zu frisieren, oder mit der ich die Kleider tauschen könnte. Ich hoffe nur, dass meine Mutter nicht noch mal heiratet.

In English:

My family is very small. I live with my mother and my brother. I have no aunts or uncles. I only see my father during the summer holiday because he lives far away. My grandma lives next door. She looks after me and my brother when my mother has to work. My grandma is already retired. She used to work at a post office. My grandpa and my other grandparents are already dead. My brother’s name is Patrick, and he is doing very well at school. He is very tall and slim and has curly blond hair. My friend thinks he is cute. I cannot understand that at all. But I do not like it when he listens to loud music when my favorite tv show is on. On the other hand, he always walks the dog so that I don’t need to do that. I wish I had a sister who would help me style my hair or who I could swap clothes with. I do hope that my mother is not going to marry again.

Read Also: Easy Sentences you need for Introduce yourself in German

Essay Five: Living with Grandparents

Do you live with your grandparents? Then check out this example if it suits you:

Ich wohne bei meinen Großeltern, da meine Eltern gestorben sind, als ich noch ein Baby war. Wir wohnen in einem großen Haus, und ich habe ein riesiges Zimmer mit meinem eigenen Balkon. Im Sommer mache ich dort immer meine Hausaufgaben. Meine Großeltern sind ganz lieb zu mir. Mein Opa hilft mir immer, mein Fahrrad zu reparieren und meine Oma lädt meine Freunde oft zum Essen ein. Ich habe auch noch einen Onkel, der manchmal am Wochenende vorbeikommt und Architekt ist. Momentan arbeitet er jedoch in Japan für drei Monate. Wir passen solange auf seinen Hund auf, und er hat mir versprochen, mir eine Überraschung aus Japan mitzubringen. Eine Frau hat mein Onkel nicht. Meine Oma sagt immer, er sei mit seiner Arbeit verheiratet. Dann gibt es noch Tante Miriam, die eigentlich keine richtige Tante ist, sondern die beste Freundin meiner Oma. Die beiden kennen sich aber schon so lange, dass sie inzwischen auch zur Familie gehört. Tante Miriam hat viele Enkelkinder und manchmal treffen wir uns alle zusammen im Park. Dann machen wir ein großes Picknick und haben ganz viel Spaß.

And here is what the text is about (Remember, this isn’t a 1-to-1 translation!):

I live with my grandparents because my parents died when I was a baby. We live in a big house, and I have a huge room with my own balcony. In the summertime, I do my homework there. My grandparents are very nice to me. My grandpa always helps me repair my bike, and my grandma often invites my friends for dinner. I also have an uncle who comes around for the weekend from time to time, and he is an architect. At the moment, he is working in Japan for three months, and we are looking after his dog. But he promised me to bring a surprise back from Japan. My uncle has no wife. My grandma always says he is married to his job. Then there is aunt Miriam who is not a real aunt actually but the best friend of my grandma. Since they have known each other for such a long time, she became a member of our family. Aunt Miriam has lots of grandchildren, and sometimes we all meet in the park. Then we have a great picnic and much fun!

If you have any doubt or have some suggestions for us, or even if we missed something to mention in My Family (Meine Familie), Let us know by writing in a comment box. Thanks for reading and sharing with your friends.

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Learn to talk about your immediate, extended or chosen family in German

Marie Schmoll

More than 40 million Americans claim German ancestry , so many of them feel a little bit German even if they don’t actually live in a German-speaking country . If that’s you and you want to explain in German that your great-great-grandfather came from Germany, we’ve got you covered.

Learning how to refer to family members in German is a great way to get started on learning the German language . These are usually some of the very first words we learned to say in our mother tongue, too. That’s why they’re so simple and easy to pronounce. After all, little German babies are just as new to the language as you are. If they can manage to say “Mom” and “Dad” in German, so can you!

Family in German

The German word for family is “ Familie ” [faˈmiːli̯ə] and the plural is “ Familien ” [faˈmiːli̯ən]. Luckily it’s very similar to the English word: Fah-me-lee-eh(/en).

Slang words include “ deine Alten ” (your old ones) for someone’s parents, but this expression has a negative connotation. So unless you’re joking with a friend, be polite and stick to the official terms when you encounter the following scenarios:

• When meeting your German friend’s or partner’s family
• When making German smalltalk by asking someone how their family has been
• When meeting someone new and asking them basic questions about their family situation in German

Interested in your family history?

Immediate family members in german.

In German, the immediate family is called the “ Kernfamilie ” (nuclear or core family). Learning how to describe it is important for basic conversations. That’s why we’ll teach you crucial words like “Mother”, “Father”, “Brother”, “Sister”, “Daughter” and “Son” in German.

Extended family in German

Of course, most families are bigger than that. You might want to talk about your third cousins and your great great grandmother in German, too.

Family members by marriage - Step and in-laws

In Germany, like in America, too, the inlaws have a worse image than they deserve. Even though most people actually do get along with their in-laws, one German expression in particular reflects on the bad rep they get: “ Jemanden stiefmütterlich behandeln ” (to treat someone stepmotherly) means “to neglect or ignore someone”.

Other family-related terms in German

Family is based on so much more than biology. Here are some important terms you can use to explain and introduce your chosen family including adoption and marriage.

Talking about family in day to day situations

When you meet someone new, the first thing you probably want to know is their name . Next up, asking about their family is a great way to get to know them a little bit. You might want to ask if they have siblings or children and chat about your own family situation. So we’ll get you started with the basics.

Common conversation

• Question. Hast du Geschwister? (Do you have siblings?)
• Answer. Ja, ich habe einen großen Bruder und zwei kleine Schwestern. (Yes, I have a big brother and two little sisters.)
• Question. Hast du eine große Familie? (Do you have a big family?)
• Answer. Meine Familie besteht aus meinem Papa, meiner Stiefmama, meinem Bruder Bruno und meiner Katze Fräulein Miez . (My family consists of my dad, my stepmom, my brother Bruno and my cat Fräulein Miez).
• Question. Leben deine Eltern in der Nähe? (Do your parents live close by?)
• Answer. Nein, meine Eltern leben beide in Hamburg und ich lebe in Frankfurt. (No, my parents both live in Hamburg and I live in Frankfurt.)

An easy follow-up question is to ask their sibling’s age (or their puppy’s!). Remember pets absolutely are a part of the family. So don’t forget to incorporate them in the conversation. If you need help remembering what to call your pet in German, refer to our fun guides on animals and birds in German .

• Question. Ist deine Schwester älter oder jünger als du? (Is your sister older or younger than you?)
• Answer. Meine Schwester ist zwei Jahre jünger als ich . (My sister is two years younger than me.)
• Question. Wie alt sind deine Geschwister? (How old are your siblings?)
• Answer. Mein kleiner Bruder ist erst 10. Er geht noch zur Schule. Mein anderer Bruder studiert . (My little brother is only 10. He is still in school. My other brother is in college).
• Question. Wie alt sind deine Haustiere? (How old are your pets?)
• Answer. Mein Welpe ist erst ein Jahr alt, und mein Papagei ist zwei. (My puppy is only one year old, and my parrot is two.)

Describing your family in German

Do you have your mom’s eyes but your dad’s ears? There are many things you can say about your family, all of them great for smalltalk.

• Meine Mutter und mein Vater haben braune Augen, wie ich, aber meine Schwester hat blaue Augen. (My mother and father have brown eyes, like me, but my sister has blue eyes.)
• Ich hab die schwarzen Locken von meinem Vater. Meine Mutter hat rote Haare. (I got my curly black hair from my dad. My mother has red hair.)
• Ich bin mit einem Zwilling verheiratet. (I’m married to a twin.)
• Ich bin adoptiert. (I’m adopted.)
• Ich telefoniere einmal im Monat mit meinen Eltern. (I call my parents once a month.)
• Ich bin ein Katzenmensch, aber mein Freund ist eher ein Hundemensch . (I’m a cat person but my boyfriend is more of a dog person.)

Family-related German idioms

There are some fun idioms and sayings about family members in German. To raise someone literally means “to pull someone tall” ( großziehen ), which, as so many other quirky German expressions , creates a wonderful picture - like you could just grab the child by the head and the feet and start pulling them until they’re tall.

Also, having custody over a child is “the right to worry about them” ( Sorgerecht ) and the big toe is called the “Big uncle” in German ( Großer Onkel ).

Videos to learn how to talk about family in German

Kinderlieder - die hai-familie.

Have you always wanted to listen to the Baby Shark Song in German? Absolutely not?

Well, give it a try anyway because you know how effectively it will get stuck in your head. So when the lyrics are in German, you have no other choice but to learn them, including all the important family related words like “Mama”, “Papa”, “Oma” and “Opa”.

Cultural considerations when it comes to family in German

Marriages are at a record low in Germany - the lowest since World War I.

At the same time, birth rates have been increasing and people still form partnerships and live together. They just tend to not get married.

Maybe Germans are busy enough with the draining bureaucracies of everyday life and don’t want to make their lives even more complicated by adding the paperwork that comes with getting married to their list.

So they stay in committed relationships without getting married, which is how the beautifully long German word “ Lebensabschnittsgefährte ” came to be. A commonly used term, it literally translates to “life section companion” and refers to your current partner.

You may not want to use the word as a pet name, since it’s less romantic than “love of my life” and certainly longer than “bae” but if you think about it, it’s still a positive term.

It entails the idea that even if you may not spend your entire life with one person, they’re your companion for a specific time of your life and that’s very nice to have and acknowledge.

This is a very realistic, down-to-earth view on partnership - you might say a very German one.

Family structures hold societies together and they’re just as important in Germany as they are everywhere else. Yet, sometimes family matters can be a bit of a headache. So try to take an uncomplicated German approach to all things family:

If a relationship ever doesn’t work out, just thank your Lebensabschnittsgefährten that they were there for you during a special time in your life. Then remember that other mothers have pretty sons or daughters, too - and when it comes to raising kids, throw out all the parenting books. Just pull them until they’re tall enough to manage on their own.

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How to Speak About the Family in German

• History & Culture
• Pronunciation & Conversation

Learning how to ask about someone's name or inquire about the family in German is a great way to get to know people. Even if you just want to learn to make small talk, these kinds of questions will come up in most conversations. It's important to remember that rules for addressing people in German tend to be stricter than in many other cultures, so learning the proper rules will help prevent you from being unintentionally rude. Below are some common questions and answers in German and English. 

Die Familie  •  The Family Continued

YOU: du - Sie

As you study the vocabulary for this lesson, pay attention to the difference between asking a formal ( Sie ) and a familiar ( du / ihr ) question. German-speakers tend to be much more formal than English-speakers. While Americans, in particular, may use first names with people they have just met or only know casually, German-speakers do not.

When a German-speaker is asked his or her name, the reply will be the last or family name, not the first name. The more formal question,  Wie ist Ihr Name? , as well as the standard  Wie heißen Sie? , should be understood as "what is your LAST name?"

Naturally, within the family and among good friends, the familiar "you" pronouns  du  and  ihr  are used, and people are on a first-name basis. But when in doubt, you should always err on the side of being too formal, rather than too familiar. 

For more about this important cultural difference, see this article:  You and thou,  Sie und du . The article includes a self-scoring quiz on the use of  Sie und du .

Kleine Familien

Families in German-speaking countries tend to be small, with only one or two children (or no children). The birthrate in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland is lower than in many modern industrialized nations, with fewer births than deaths, i.e., less than zero population growth.

• Everything you need to Know About German Names
• How to Use German Personal Pronouns
• Beginner German: Hear and Learn Words for Family Members
• How to Address Someone in German Properly
• Learning German "Give and Take" - "Geben, Nehmen"
• German for Beginners: Occupations (Beruf)
• Top German Mistakes Made by Beginners
• German Verbs with Prepositions 1 - German Lesson
• Capitalization in German
• German for Beginners: Study Tips
• Formal and Informal German Greetings
• How to Say Thank You and You're Welcome in German
• Translating the Terms for "People" in German
• Doch ...and Other Tricky German Words
• Which Countries Speak German?
• Kinderreime - Nursery Rhymes in German and English

Learn to Say “Father” in German and More

Imagine that you’re traveling to good old Germany , and you want the real experience (not just staying in a hotel or hostel like everyone else). Well, this is fair enough, and we definitely encourage going for the full Germany experience. But first, you’ll need to know some basic family terms, like how to say “father” in German.

Why is it so important to know the words for family members in German? Imagine the following situation:

You arrive at your freshly booked Airbnb, and your host welcomes you with a nice dinner. But there’s one hitch: you find yourself eating with his parents, some friends, his cousin, and his grandmother, too. Your host starts to introduce everyone, pointing to each person as he states their name:

Ich möchte dich meinen Eltern vorstellen. Das sind mein Papa und meine Mutter. Und dort sitzt meine Großmutter und mein Cousin.

Despite your host’s best efforts to familiarize you with his family, you actually find yourself more confused about who’s who. Oh no!

While learning things like family member terms in German first-hand is always a great idea, you may be more comfortable studying up on this before your trip. After all, when it comes to family in German, words like the one in our example are going to come up all the time, so you should prepare using German lessons about family like this one!

GermanPod101 has prepared a guide just for you, covering vocabulary terms for any family member you may find yourself introduced to! Going through this guide, you can work on your language skills beforehand, so that you can make the most of your first-hand learning experiences in Germany. So let’s get started!

Table of Contents

• Family in German – Die Familie
• List of Closest Family Members + Basic Sentence Patterns
• More Family and Endearment Terms
• How to Talk about Family
• Cultural Insights in a German Family
• How GermanPod101 Can Help You Learn about Family in German

1. Family in German – Die Familie

Familie is the German word for “family.” As you can see, the word is more similar to English than you thought. Might this be because German families aren’t so different from those in the U.S. or other countries? Let’s take a look.

When you look over the demographics of Germany , you can clearly see that we are a dying nation. This means that every year, more people die than are being born, and our average age is getting older and older from year to year. (This is, of course, not exclusive to Germany, and is also happening in other first-world countries.)

I want to give you a short example of the above statistics using my family history. My grandmother was one of six children in her family at the end of the Second World War, and this was considered a normal-sized family. Now, my mom and dad are both one of three children. And today, there’s just me and my sister. From each of my uncles and aunties, I have between zero and three cousins.

Do you see what I mean? German families have become much smaller over the last seventy-eighty years. Today, people tend to think first about their lives and careers, and secondly about kids and family.

Families are the most important reference point for a child until the end of his or her time in college. But for many people, the end of college also represents a diminishing significance for their parents’ home. Keep in mind that I don’t want to say German kids don’t love their parents. Of course they do.

The family is, and will always be, important in Germany, so learn about it and adapt to it!

2. List of Closest Family Members + Basic Sentence Patterns

1- General Terms for German Immediate Family

We created an overview of the most important family in German vocabulary words, such as your siblings, parents, and grandparents. The German is on the left, and the English equivalent is on the right.

To help you out with some basic words and the pronunciation for family member terms, we created a free lesson in our free-of-charge course. With enough practice, you’ll be able to talk about your parents and siblings in German like it’s nothing!

2- Talking about Family Members

There are usually three situations when talking about family:

• You’re trying to talk about your family
• You’re talking about someone else’s family members
• You’re asking someone about their family

That means you need to describe who’s family you’re talking or inquiring about. This is done with possessives.

Similar to “my,” “yours,” “his” in English, in Germany we use meine, deine , and seine . To prepare you for the upcoming challenges associated with each of the situations outlined above, we’ve provided you with some basic questions and answers.

Take a close look at how we used the possessive pronouns. They always have to be adapted to the person you’re talking about.

3. More Family and Endearment Terms

1- German Extended Family

Everybody has family members outside of their immediate family. Below, we give you some family member terms that you’ll face every day while living with a German family. We won’t go into too much detail, as the half-sister of your siblings’ aunt isn’t really interesting anymore.

This doesn’t seem too hard to understand, does it? With all of the terms we’ve gone over so far, you’re almost ready to talk about your family in various contexts. There are some more things we’ll cover in the next chapters, but what we have so far are the closest family members.

2- Endearment Terms

Families are cute, and you can always hear little grandsons or granddaughters calling their grandparents “granny” or “grandpa.” Those are just a couple examples of so-called endearment terms , and of course we have them in Germany as well.

We’ll show you two quick ways to create endearment terms, and give you some examples. Before we go on, we want to let you know that this doesn’t work with all family members the same way.

1. Adding an i

The first way to create endearment terms in Germany is to cut the last letter(s) of the term, and replace it with the letter i . It’s no mistake that we mentioned it can be the last letter or letters . When the term ends with a vowel, you replace only the last letter. In any other case, you need to replace the last two letters.

Here are some examples:

Mama -> Mami “mother” -> “mom/mommy”

Mutter -> Mutti “mother” -> “mom”

Papa -> Papi “father” -> “daddy”

Vater -> Vati “father” -> “dad”

Opa -> Opi “grandmother” -> “granny”

Oma -> Omi “grandfather” -> “grandpa”

But there are also examples where it doesn’t work, such as:

Onkel -> Onki Tante -> Tanti Großmutter -> Großmutti (theoretically this works, but you’re never going to use this)

2. Adding chen to the end of the word

This might be the better-known form for any German learner. This one is a bit trickier and has some special rules. The basic rule is that you just add chen after each term. But be aware that when doing this, in some cases, if the word ends with a vowel, you have to cut this vowel before adding the chen . Or, if the word has a vowel in-between, you change it to ü , ö , or ä (instead of u, o, a).

Good examples are:

Großmutter -> Großmütterchen (grandmother -> grandma) Onkel -> Onkelchen Tante -> Tantchen (aunt -> auntie) Cousine -> Cousinchen

As you can see, sometimes there’s not even a proper English translation for the endearment term you can create in German. The good thing about this way of creating endearment terms is that you can use it with almost everything, and you’re not limited to people or family members. Take a look at these examples:

Bierchen from the word Bier (beer) Tischchen from the word Tisch (table) Tässchen from the word Tasse (cup)

4. How to Talk about Family

It’s quite easy to introduce your family to another person in German. Let’s imagine ourselves sitting around a large table, where all the family is eating together, and a friend of yours arrives for the first time. You both stand in front of the table.

5. Cultural Insights in a German Family

The family is, for most Germans, one of the fundamental aspects of their lives. The family is an important part of every German . Children usually grow up close to their grandparents (who sometimes take care of their grandchildren when the parents are at work). Further, trust is a big thing for German families. But even with this strong bond, Germans are moving out of their parents’ home quite early to study, work, and become financially independent.

We’ve already mentioned that most German families are fairly small compared to those in other countries. Family size strongly depends on where you live, though. For instance, in the countryside, it’s normal for multiple generations to live on a big farm together, or even more than one family from one generation.

So it can be possible to find houses with up to ten people in the more rural areas, but even there, everybody has their own space and flat. You can live there with your parents, your grandparents, and maybe even your uncle’s family.

In the city, the situation is typically different, and families don’t live together. Everybody has their own flat or house, and don’t see each other in daily life.

Traditionally, the man is the head of the family. But let’s face it: this isn’t really how it works anymore. Women enjoy the same rights as men , and all decisions are made as a couple, or even among the entire family including children.

In the old days, it was common for people to get married after living together for a while. Now, you can find couples that stay together their whole lives and never get married. But trends are now coming back to the traditional way.

For some more information about German culture , we’ve prepared another lesson for you.

6. How GermanPod101 Can Help You Learn about Family in German

We hope that you got some helpful insight from our article about families in Germany, such as how to talk about family members. You now know a little bit about the typical family situation in Germany today, and how people are organizing their daily lives.

You should be able to talk about your immediate and extended family, introduce them to others, and talk to someone about them.

If you want to really boost your German skills, then we recommend our private teacher program which focuses on your personal goals based on your current level.

But we won’t leave you without making a quick gift to you. We have free-of-charge courses on GermanPod101.com for learners of every level:

• Intermediate

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24 German Essay Phrases, Plus Tips on How to Write an Essay in German

We need to talk about your German essays.

Essay writing is a skill that you can learn in any language.

All you need is to brush up your vocabulary and follow a few simple strategies, and you’ll be well on your way to writing your first masterpiece.

This post will provide you with a list of useful German words and phrases to include in your next essay, plus the different types of German essays, a few writing strategies and even a sample essay at the end. 

German Essay Phrases

General explaining, ordering facts and ideas, demonstrating contrast, expressing your opinion, summarizing and concluding, what are german essays like, the different types of german essays, how to write an essay in german in 4 steps, 1. write down a list of words , 2. do your research, 3. make an outline using transition words, 4. write directly in german, an example of a german essay, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Let’s start with the words and phrases themselves. As you’ll see, they’re grouped according to how and when you’ll use them. Let’s start off with some that will help you explain your arguments.

1. Weil (Because)

Daniel muss lernen, weil er morgen einen Test hat.

(Daniel has to study because he has a test tomorrow.)

2. Da (Because)

Daniel muss lernen, da er morgen einen Test hat.

3. Denn (Because)

Daniel muss lernen, denn er hat morgen einen Test.

(Daniel has to study because tomorrow he has a test.)

A quick note: Weil, da and denn are generally interchangeable. Keep in mind though that denn requires a different word order.

4. Damit (In order to; So that)

Lisa lernt viel, damit sie den Test besteht.

(Lisa is studying a lot in order to pass the test.)

5. Um (To; In order to)

Lisa lernt viel, um den Test zu bestehen.

(Lisa is studying a lot to pass the test.)

6. Im Grunde (Basically; Fundamentally)

Im Grunde ist Deutsch keine schwierige Sprache.

(Fundamentally, German is not a difficult language.)

7. Eigentlich (Actually)

Eigentlich ist Deutsch nicht so schwierig, wie es scheint.

(Actually, German is not as difficult as it seems.)

8. Ein Beispiel anführen  (To give an example)

Ich möchte ein Beispiel anführen .

(I would like to give an example.)

9. Dieses Beispiel zeigt, dass… (This example shows that…)

Dieses Beispiel zeigt, dass das Lernen einer Fremdsprache beim Reisen viele Vorteile hat.

(This example shows that studying a foreign language has many advantages when traveling.)

10. Erstens… zweitens… (Firstly… secondly…)

Erstens kann man sich auf Reisen besser verständigen und zweitens lernt man viele neue Leute kennen.

(Firstly, you can communicate better while traveling, and secondly, you meet many new people.)

11. Das Wichtigste ist…  (T he most important thing is…)

Das Wichtigste ist , die Angst vor der Sprache zu verlieren.

(The most important thing is to lose your fear of the language.)

12. Außer dem (Furthermore)

Außerdem kann man beim Reisen seine Sprachkenntnisse verbessern.

(Furthermore, you can improve your language knowledge while traveling.)

13. Nicht nur… sondern auch…  (Not only… but also…)

Nicht nur im Unterricht, sondern auch im Alltag kann man viel Deutsch lernen.

(Not only in class, but also in everyday life you can learn a lot of German.)

14. Obwohl (Even though)

Obwohl Anna viel lernt, hat sie Probleme mit der deutschen Grammatik.

(Even though Anna studies a lot, she has problems with German grammar.)

15. Allerdings (However)

Anna lernt gerne Deutsch, allerdings hat sie Probleme mit der Grammatik.

(Anna enjoys studying German; however, she has problems with the grammar.)

16. Trotz   (Despite)

Trotz ihrer Probleme mit der Grammatik lernt Anna gerne Deutsch.

(Despite her problems with German grammar, Anna enjoys studying German.)

17. Im Vergleich zu (In comparison to)

Im Vergleich zu Russisch ist Deutsch eine einfache Sprache.

In comparison to Russian, German is an easy language.

18. Im Gegensatz zu (In contrast to; Unlike)

Im Gegensatz zu Anna lernt Paul gerne neue Vokabeln.

Unlike Anna, Paul enjoys learning new vocabulary.

19. Meiner Meinung nach (In my opinion)

Meiner Meinung nach sollte jeder eine Fremdsprache lernen.

(In my opinion, everybody should study a foreign language.)

20. Ich bin der Ansicht, dass…  (I believe that…)

Ich bin der Ansicht, dass jeder eine Fremdsprache lernen sollte.

(I believe that everybody should study a foreign language.)

21. Ich finde es schade, dass…  (I think it’s a pity that…)

Ich finde es schade, dass die Schulen keine anderen Fremdsprachen unterrichten.

(I think it’s a pity that schools don’t teach other foreign languages.)

22. Alles in Allem (Overall)

Alles in allem ist Deutsch nicht so schwierig, wie es scheint.

(Overall, German isn’t as difficult as it seems.)

23. Im Großen und Ganzen (Overall)

Im Großen und Ganzen ist Deutsch keine schwierige Sprache.

(Overall, German isn’t a difficult language.)

24. Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, dass…  (In summary, it can be said that…)

Zusammenfassend kann man sagen, dass Sprachen beim Reisen sehr hilfreich sein können.

(In summary, it can be said that languages can be very helpful when traveling.)

Ok, let’s get a little deeper into the actual essays themselves. How do they compare to the essays that you’re probably used to writing?

• They have a similar structure to English essays. Remember how English essays have a beginning, middle and end? Good news: German essays contain those same parts. When you’re writing a German essay, you’ll want to include an opening paragraph with your argument, three supporting paragraphs that further your argument and a conclusion. German and English are often surprisingly similar, and essay structure is no exception.
• German essays are more to the point. Although German essays and English essays are structured similarly, German essays—just like German speakers—tend to be more blunt and to the point. You won’t need to dance around your conclusions or obfuscate in German: just say what you mean.
• German punctuation is different. Germans have different rules for punctuation than English speakers. For example, Germans introduce a direct quote with a colon instead of a comma. They use quotes instead of italics for the names of books, movies and newspapers. And they set off relative clauses beginning with dass (that) with a comma, unlike in American English. Understanding these differences between English and German punctuation will ensure you don’t give yourself away as a non-native speaker through punctuation marks alone!

Before you get started on your essay, make sure you know what type of essay you’re going to write. If it’s a school essay, be sure to read and understand the instructions.

Here are a few notes about the most common kinds of essays in German.

• An Erzählung  is a narrative essay that tells a story. Your teacher might give you some keywords or pictures and ask you to create a story around it. An Erlebniserzählung (“experience story”) is about a personal experience and can be written in the first person.
• An Erörterung is an argumentative essay, a writing piece meant to persuade someone to think the way you do. This writing genre requires you to investigate your topic well and provide evidence to prove your point.
• In a Nacherzählung you summarize and recount a book, a film or an article you have read, from an objective perspective. Depending on the essay instructions, you might be asked for your personal opinion in the conclusion.

Are you ready to start writing? Use these four strategies to wow your teachers and write the perfect German essay.

You should look at any new activity as an opportunity to learn and master new vocabulary . Instead of using the same words that you use in your everyday German speech, use this essay as an opportunity to introduce new words into your German lexicon.

Besides, incorporating academic words that help you craft and shape your argument can make your essay sound more professional and polished. So before you start writing, write down a list of the German words you’d like to incorporate in your essay.

As with everything else, you should look at the research portion of the essay-writing process as an opportunity to learn more about Germany—this time, about German culture, history , politics or travel .

Chances are if you’re writing your essay for a language-learning class, you’ll be assigned a topic pertaining to one of these aspects of German life, so use this as a chance to learn more about Deutschland.

For example, Deutsche Welle offers information and resources about German history. Other newspapers such as Berliner Zeitung and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung offer another perspective on politics and daily life in Germany.

There’s nothing clunkier than an essay that doesn’t flow naturally from one point to the next. Besides, thinking about how your arguments and points interact with each other will help you organize your essay and make sure you get your point across. (Do they support each other? Counter each other? How exactly do they function to further your argument?)

Examples of transition words:

• Vorher (prior)
• zur gleichen Zeit (at the same time)
• dann (then)
• trotzdem (nevertheless)
• noch (still)

Writing an essay in English and then translating it into German often results in stilted, poorly formed sentences and unnatural constructions.

For example, remember that German word order is different from English. If you write “He didn’t read the book,” a one-to-one literal translation would be Er hat gelesen nicht das Buch . But the correct translation is actually  Er hat nicht das Buch gelesen. In this example, translating word for word leads to errors.

There’s another, less tangible reason why it’s not a good idea to write in English and translate to German. Sure, you could just remember that you need to change the word order when translating into German. But isn’t it better to adapt your brain so that German word order seems fluid and natural?

Learning to think and write off-the-cuff in German is an essential step towards fluency, and devising sentences in German, instead of sentences in translation, will help you learn to do that.

One good way to learn to think in a language is to hear it spoken in natural contexts. You can hear German spoken naturally in German language TV shows , movies and YouTube videos .

Listening to German spoken at a natural speed and native accent will help get you thinking in the language in real time. This will help get you to the point where you can come up with your own sentences in German, rather than thinking in English sentences first and then translating them in your head before you speak or write. That will greatly improve your speed and fluency when writing in German.

So, simply start writing the essay in German. Look up any words you’re not sure of and double-check any grammatical constructions that you’re not familiar with. After you finish writing, ask a German-speaking friend to look over the essay to make sure it sounds natural.

Now that we’ve explored strategies and phrases for writing top-notch German essays, let’s take a look at an example.

World War I doesn’t get as much coverage in the States as World War II (where it was more directly involved). But for Europe, World War I was a devastating example of the dangers of modern technological warfare and the horrors of violence.

Let’s take a look at an example opening paragraph and outline of an essay about the effect of World War I on German government and life.

Opening paragraph:

Der Erste Weltkrieg war ein totaler Krieg, der Deutschland völlig veränderte. Dieser Krieg hat 1914 angefangen, und 1918, als der Krieg zu Ende kam, waren die deutsche Gesellschaft, Regierung und Kultur nicht mehr erkennbar. Am Anfang hat der Erste Weltkrieg altväterliche Ideen und Systeme verstärkt. Am Ende hat dieser Krieg dagegen diese altväterlichen Dinge zerstört.

(The First World War was a total war that completely changed Germany. This war began in 1914 and in 1918, when the war came to an end, German society, government and culture were no longer recognizable. At the beginning, the First World War strengthened old-fashioned ideas and systems. However, by the end, this war destroyed these old-fashioned things.)

Notice that this opening paragraph is not very different at all from the first paragraph of an English essay. You can use the same structure you’ve always used to write your German essay, leaving you free to focus on grammar and vocabulary.

Notice also the use of phrases such as Am Anfang (at the beginning) and Dagegen (however). Words like these can help you make a point and counterpoint in your opening paragraph (or anywhere in your essay, for that matter).

I. Am Anfang (at the beginning):

– Dieser Krieg hat Deutschland vereint . (This war united Germany.) – Menschen hatten ein patriotisches Gefühl. (People had a patriotic feeling.) – Menschen dachten, dass der Krieg bald zu Ende kommen würde. (People thought that the war would soon come to an end.)

Notice that these points employ words like dachten (thought). Written German often relies on Präteritum , a form of the past tense that’s rarely used in spoken Deutsch. It’s often called “literary past tense” for this reason. Check out this guide to the Präteritum to include this tense in your essay.

II. Andrerseits (on the other hand):

– Bald gab es kein Essen mehr . (Soon there was no more food.) – Menschen wurden krank und desillusioniert . (People became sick and disillusioned.) – Es gab Proteste und Unruhen. (There was protest and unrest.)

Like in an English essay, your second and third paragraphs can include supporting points or counterpoints that contribute to the overall theme of your piece. The word Andrerseits (on the other hand) is an ideal transition word to show that you’re moving into another section of your essay.

Also notice that this essay will rely on vocabulary words that the average language learner might not have come across in his or her learning. After all, who learns the words for “disillusioned” and “unrest” in their intermediate German class? But don’t be daunted by the fact that your essay might include eclectic vocabulary. Instead, use this as an opportunity for more learning.

III. zum Schluss (in conclusion):

– Der Kaiser hat abgedankt . (The Emperor abdicated.) – Eine Republik wurde geboren. (A Republic was born.) – Die alten Werte waren weg. (The old values were gone.)

Once again, abgedankt (abdicated) is an example of the literary past tense (and an example of a word that you probably haven’t come across in your previous German studies!)

IV. Schließlich (finally)

– Der Erste Weltkrieg hat Deutschland verändert . (The First World War completely changed Germany.)

Again, like in an English essay, you should use this paragraph to summarize your main point.

Feeling a bit more confident about your next German essay now?

Just make a great essay plan, write down some new words and phrases that you want to include and off you go!

By sprinkling these bits of flair into your German essays, you’re sure to make your writing better and more effective.

Enjoy writing!

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German Texts for Beginners

German texts for beginners to practice reading and comprehension in German language. Understanding written German is both demanding and critical. Here is one simple and enjoyable way to see how you are doing.

Experienced German teachers prepared easy articles and simple conversations in German for beginners (level A1 and A2) and intermediates (level B1 and B2) to evaluate your comprehension and leave you feeling challenged and satisfied. Just click, read, and then answer the multiple-choice questions of the associated test. Your answers get evaluated immediately, and you are ready to move on to the next exercise. It's easy, enjoyable and free.

As an added convenience, you can download and print a pdf version of all texts and exercises.

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Easy German Reading on Family Tree: Die Familie von Stefanie

Subject: Languages

Age range: Infinity - -Infinity

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

19 May 2023

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This German resource serves as a great review for students on basic family vocabulary

It includes 4 parts:

A family tree and a written paragraph to show how everyone in the family is related to each other. Eight reading comprehension questions based on the reading. Six sentences to review general family vocabulary. An assignment to create their own family tree for homework or in class.

Level: Beginner Includes key.

This handout can be used by children teenagers and adults alike who are new to the German language.

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A bundle is a package of resources grouped together to teach a particular topic, or a series of lessons, in one place.

German Family Bundle: Die Familie: TOP 4 Resources at 30% off!

This German Bundle includes my Top 4 Resources based around the family at 30% off! 1. The Schneider Family (cognates reading) 2. Reading: My family 3. Reading: Stefanie's Family 4. Worksheet Level: Beginner All readings include a glossary of new vocabulary, a reading comprehension section and an answer key.

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Essays on “hobbies” in German

• by Deutsch mit Leo
• 13 minute read

How to write an essay “My hobbies” in German or just talk about different hobbies in German, what words you may need and what basic rules you should keep in mind – in our today’s article, which will be useful not only for schoolchildren and students, but also for those who learn German as an adult .

Four things to keep in mind!

1.  Since we are writing about what has already happened, we will use the past tense or the perfect past ( Präteritum or Perfekt  – when to use what  ).  Präteritum , and this is the second form of the verb, is correct in writing and emphasizes the descriptive character.  Perfect , on the other hand , is used more in colloquial speech, and in writing it conveys the shade of a story or conversation.

2.  There is also an important grammatical feature worth remembering:  wenn and als temporary conjunctions  – “ when “.  Wenn  tells us about “when” that happens regularly, several times, every time.  Als  tells about a one-time event in the past.

3.  The essay format involves writing a related text, expressing opinions and wishes, as well as a touch of sincerity, so when you start writing, stock up on a set of cliché expressions and introductory words, a la “  Ich hoffe, dass…  “, “  Ich denke, …  “,”  Hoffentlich “, etc.

4.  It is also necessary to remember the grammatical difference between the questions “  where?  ” and “  Where?  “. “Where?” – WO?  – requires after itself strictly Dativ, and  “Where?” – WOHIN?  – supplemented in  Akkusativ .

Having discussed the main points of writing an essay, let’s move on to the necessary vocabulary.

The most basic:

• aufführen  —  to perform
• sammeln  —  to collect
• schreiben  —  to write
• konkurrieren  —  to compete
• spielen  — to play
• singen   — to sing
• Ski laufen  — to ski
• bowlen   — to bowl
• tanzen   — to dance
• fischen  — to fish
• zeichnen  — to draw
• mahlen   — to paint
• reisen  — to travel
• kochen  — to cook
• einkaufen  — to shop
• nähen  — to sew
• zocken   — to gamble
• campen gehen  — to camp
• fotografieren  — to photograph

Popular German hobbies

There are many popular German hobbies that people enjoy. Some of these hobbies include playing sports, hiking, biking, and spending time outdoors. Germany is a country with a rich culture and history, so it is no surprise that its citizens enjoy spending time doing things that are both fun and educational.

Playing sports is a popular German hobby. Football (soccer) is the most popular sport in the country, followed by basketball, handball, and volleyball. Germans love to watch and play sports, and many of them are very good at it.

Hiking is another popular German hobby. The country has a large number of forests and mountains, so there are plenty of places to explore. Germans often hike with friends or family, and it is a great way to get some exercise and fresh air.

Biking is also a popular German hobby. Germany has a large network of bike paths, and many people use bikes as their primary form of transportation. Biking is a great way to see the country and get some exercise.

Spending time outdoors is a popular German hobby. Germany has a temperate climate, so there are many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. Germans often spend time in parks, forests, and mountains.

They also enjoy activities such as swimming, fishing, and camping. Germany is a country with a rich culture and history, so it is no surprise that its citizens enjoy spending time doing things that are both fun and educational. Playing sports, hiking, biking, and spending time outdoors are all popular German hobbies.

Example essays:

• Wandern – hiking.
• Tennis spielen – playing tennis.
• Gärtnerei – Gardening.
• Reisen – travelling

1. Wandern – hiking.

Mein Hobby ist das Wandern. Ich liebe die Natur und die frische Luft. Wandern ist eine großartige Möglichkeit, sich zu bewegen und die schöne Umgebung zu genießen.

Ich wandere normalerweise am Wochenende. Meistens treffe ich mich mit Freunden oder meiner Familie und wir gehen gemeinsam wandern. Manchmal mache ich aber auch alleine eine Wanderung. Das ist besonders dann schön, wenn ich in der Natur Ruhe finden möchte.

Für das Wandern braucht man nicht viel. Bequeme Schuhe und Kleidung sind natürlich wichtig, aber ansonsten benötigt man keine besonderen Ausrüstungsgegenstände.

Ich finde das Wandern ist ein sehr schönes Hobby, weil man dabei die Natur genießen und sich gleichzeitig gut bewegen kann. Es ist auch ein sehr geselliges Hobby, da man es gemeinsam mit anderen Leuten machen kann.

Translation

My hobby is hiking. I love nature and the fresh air. Hiking is a great way to get exercise and enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

I usually go hiking at the weekend. I usually meet up with friends or family and we go hiking together. But sometimes I also go on a hike by myself. This is especially nice when I want to find peace in nature.

You don’t need much for hiking. Comfortable shoes and clothes are important, of course, but apart from that you don’t need any special equipment.

I think hiking is a very nice hobby because you can enjoy nature and get good exercise at the same time. It is also a very sociable hobby because you can do it together with other people.

2. Tennis spielen – playing tennis.

Mein Hobby ist Tennis. Ich spiele Tennis, weil ich es gerne mache und weil ich gesund bleiben möchte. Tennis ist ein guter Sport für die Gesundheit. Man muss sich nicht nur körperlich, sondern auch mental anstrengen.

Ich spiele Tennis, seit ich ein kleines Kind bin. Meine Eltern haben mich zum Tennisspielen mitgenommen. Sie sind sehr stolz auf mich, weil ich Tennis so gut spiele.

Ich spiele Tennis jeden Tag. Ich stehe um sechs Uhr auf und gehe zum Tennisplatz. Dort treffe ich meine Freunde und wir spielen zusammen.

Wir spielen immer bis zum Mittag. Dann gehen wir nach Hause und essen zusammen.

Tennis ist ein sehr teurer Sport. Man braucht einen Tennisplatz, einen Ball und einen Schläger. Manchmal muss man auch einen Trainer bezahlen.

Tennis ist ein sehr sozialer Sport. Man trifft viele Menschen und lernt sie kennen. Man kann auch mit anderen Menschen Freundschaften schließen.

Translation:

My hobby is tennis. I play tennis because I like doing it and because I want to stay healthy. Tennis is a good sport for your health. You have to make an effort not only physically but also mentally.

I’ve been playing tennis since I was a little kid. My parents took me to play tennis. They are very proud of me because I play tennis so well.

I play tennis every day. I get up at six o’clock and go to the tennis court. There I meet my friends and we play together. We always play until noon. Then we go home and have dinner together.

Tennis is a very expensive sport. You need a tennis court, a ball and a racket. Sometimes you also have to pay a coach.

Tennis is a very social sport. You meet a lot of people and get to know them. You can also make friends with other people.

3. Gärtnerei – Gardening

Der kleine Garten vor meinem Haus ist das Ergebnis meines Lieblingshobbys, der Gärtnerei. Gartenarbeit ist mein Lieblingshobby. Ich denke, es ist das beste aller Hobbys, dem man mit viel Vergnügen und Nutzen für die Gesundheit nachgehen kann. Ich habe einen kleineren Garten angelegt, der Spaß macht und der Gesundheit zugute kommt. Ich habe einen kleinen Garten vor meinem Haus angelegt. Wenn ich in meinem kleinen Garten sitze, ist das eine große Freude. Süße duftende Blumen in verschiedenen Farben versüßen mir das Gemüt. Er hilft mir in vieler Hinsicht. Bei der Arbeit im Garten verbringe ich nicht nur meine Zeit sinnvoller, sondern verbessere auch meine Gesundheit, denn ich treibe unwillkürlich Sport. Es bringt mich der Natur näher und ich fühle mich verloren in der Schönheit der Blüten und Blumen um mich herum.

Der Garten vor meinem Haus ist wahrlich klein, aber trotzdem bin ich stolz auf das Ergebnis meiner eigenen harten Arbeit. Es gibt kleinere Blumenbeete, in denen ich saisonale Blumen anpflanze. Wenn die Pflanzen blühen, fühle ich einen Schauer der Freude und bin stolz auf meine kreative Arbeit. Wann immer einer meiner Freunde mich etwas über die Aussaat und Pflege von Pflanzen fragt, gebe ich ihm mit Freude Informationen. Ich gebe ihm mit freudigen Gefühlen Auskunft.

Umgeben von den Blumenbeeten gibt es eine kleinere Rasenfläche mit weichem, samtgrünem Gras. Ich mag diesen Rasen sehr und bin stolz darauf, dass er gepflegt, ordentlich und sauber ist. Abends sitzen wir auf dieser Wiese und plaudern und diskutieren über verschiedene Dinge. Am Rande der Wiese habe ich Obstbäume gepflanzt. Einige der Obstbäume tragen Früchte, aber die meisten sind noch jung. Wenn einer meiner Freunde kommt, biete ich ihm voller Stolz die Früchte aus meinem eigenen Garten an. Die Trauben, Guaven und Granatäpfel aus meinem Garten sind sehr süß und saftig. Letztes Jahr habe ich einen Mangobaum gepflanzt, der zur Überraschung meiner Freunde, Verwandten und sogar meiner selbst dieses Jahr Früchte getragen hat. Wenn heutzutage ein Besucher in mein Haus kommt, zeige ich ihm voller Stolz den kaum zwei Meter hohen Baum, der die Früchte trägt. Dieser kleine Garten ist ein Ort, an dem ich Frieden und Glück finde.

The small garden in front of my house is the result of my favourite hobby, gardening. Gardening is my favourite hobby. I think it is the best of all hobbies to pursue with a lot of pleasure and health benefits. I have started a smaller garden which is fun and beneficial to health. I have created a small garden in front of my house. When I sit in my small garden, it is a great joy. Sweet smelling flowers in different colours sweeten my mind. It helps me in many ways. When I work in the garden, I not only spend my time more wisely, but also improve my health because I involuntarily exercise. It brings me closer to nature and I feel lost in the beauty of the blossoms and flowers around me.

The garden in front of my house is truly small, but nevertheless I am proud of the result of my own hard work. There are smaller flower beds where I plant seasonal flowers. When the plants bloom, I feel a shiver of joy and am proud of my creative work. Whenever one of my friends asks me something about sowing and caring for plants, I give him information with joy. I give him information with joyful feelings.

Surrounded by the flower beds, there is a smaller lawn with soft, velvety green grass. I like this lawn very much and am proud that it is well-kept, neat and clean. In the evenings we sit on this lawn and chat and discuss various things. At the edge of the meadow I have planted fruit trees. Some of the fruit trees bear fruit, but most of them are still young. When one of my friends comes, I proudly offer him the fruits from my own garden. The grapes, guavas and pomegranates from my garden are very sweet and juicy. Last year I planted a mango tree which has borne fruit this year to the surprise of my friends, relatives and even myself. These days, when a visitor comes to my house, I proudly show him the tree that is barely two metres high and bears the fruit. This little garden is a place where I find peace and happiness.

4. Reisen – travelling

Reisen ist eine der wenigen Aktivitäten, die eine Art Reset-Knopf in unserem Leben darstellen. Man geht für ein paar Tage oder Wochen weg und kommt frisch und bereit zurück, sich den Anforderungen des Lebens zu stellen. Für viele Menschen ist das Reisen eher eine Frage der Bequemlichkeit als eine Freizeitbeschäftigung. Sie reisen nur dann, wenn sie ein Geschäft haben, um das sie sich kümmern müssen. Reisen ist auch nichts für Eskapisten, wie viele Menschen zu glauben pflegen. Ich verwende das Wort “Eskapisten” nicht im literarischen Sinne des Wortes, sondern im Sinne von Menschen, die vor ihren Problemen davonlaufen. Reisen ist ein Hobby wie jedes andere.

Die meisten Menschen verstehen nicht, dass das Fortbewegen von einem Ort zum anderen mit unterhaltsamen Aktivitäten wie Filme schauen, Schwimmen, Tanzen oder Zeichnen gleichzusetzen ist. Obwohl es mehr Herausforderungen als andere Hobbys mit sich bringt, ist es abenteuerlicher und bringt denjenigen, die es lieben, das gleiche Maß an Zufriedenheit oder mehr.

Reisen war schon immer Teil unserer Familientradition. Meine Eltern haben uns von klein auf beigebracht, wie wichtig es ist, mindestens einmal im Jahr in den Urlaub zu fahren. Obwohl sie sich wünschten, wir könnten jedes Jahr viele Reisen machen, waren wir finanziell nicht gut gestellt, und meine Eltern mussten mit dem Wenigen, das sie hatten, kreativ umgehen und manchmal das ganze Jahr für eine einzige Reise sparen. Wir hätten Kreditkarten benutzen können, aber das hätte uns nur noch mehr in finanzielle Nöte gestürzt. Mein Vater war sehr streng, wenn es um Finanzen ging, und er warnte uns davor, Schulden zu machen, um Luxusgüter zu kaufen. Wenn wir etwas wollten, mussten wir kreative und legale Wege finden, um das Geld dafür zu verdienen.

Obwohl wir nicht viel hatten, war Geld für ihn nie eine Ausrede. Meine Eltern fanden kreative Wege, um mit dem Budget auszukommen. So fuhren wir zum Beispiel mit dem Auto zu unserem Zielort, anstatt zu fliegen, und wir nahmen die hausgemachten Mahlzeiten meiner Mutter mit. Wir haben nur selten Kreditkarten benutzt, und wenn, dann ging es um Leben und Tod. Die meisten unserer Urlaube fanden daher in den Dezemberferien statt. Das waren die schönsten Tage in meinem Leben. Es waren auch die Tage, an denen unsere Familienbande gestärkt wurden. Wir stritten und zankten uns, aber am Ende kamen wir immer wieder zusammen und fanden eine Lösung.

Auf diesen Reisen lernten wir mehr über das Leben als in den Jahren, die wir zu Hause verbrachten. Was ich gerade gesagt habe, mag für jemanden, der nicht viel reist, weit hergeholt erscheinen, wenn man die Kürze der Ferien bedenkt, aber die Realität ist, dass Ferien nie wie geplant verlaufen. Der Urlaub ist weit entfernt von der normalen Lebensroutine, die darin besteht, morgens aufzuwachen, zur Arbeit/Schule zu gehen und abends wieder nach Hause zu kommen. Ein Urlaub ist mit vielen Risiken verbunden. Man ist in einem fremden Land mit neuen Menschen und einer neuen Kultur. Sie müssen mit den wenigen Mitteln, die Ihnen zur Verfügung stehen, arbeiten, um die Reise so unterhaltsam wie möglich zu gestalten, aber mit einem gewissen Maß an Einschränkungen, damit Ihre Familie nicht gestrandet ist.

Das Schöne am Reisen ist, dass man nie ganz aus ihm herauswachsen kann. Ich fahre auch als Erwachsener noch in den Urlaub, auch wenn meine Gründe vielleicht etwas anders sind als die meiner Eltern. Abgesehen von dem offensichtlichen Grund, dass ich mich amüsieren und vom Alltagsstress ablenken will, setzt der Urlaub in mir die “kreativen Säfte” frei. Als Schriftstellerin neige ich dazu, mich ausgebrannt zu fühlen, wenn ich zu lange in der gleichen Umgebung lebe. Manchmal brauche ich einen Tapetenwechsel, damit meine künstlerische Arbeit das Licht der Welt erblicken kann. In der Welt der Literatur ist bekannt, dass die meisten der besten Schriftsteller ihre besten Ideen in fremden Ländern hatten.

Ich mache gelegentlich nur deshalb Urlaub, um andere Kulturen kennen zu lernen und mit anderen Menschen in Kontakt zu kommen, um Ideen für meine literarische Arbeit zu bekommen. Außerdem lernt man seine Heimat umso mehr zu schätzen, wenn man sie nicht mehr kennt. Das Gefühl, das man nach einem Urlaub hat, wenn man sich auf der Couch niederlässt und einfach nur entspannt, ist unbezahlbar. Wenn man reist, lernt man die Menschen und ihre Kulturen schätzen, und vor allem lernt man sein Leben und das Wenige, das man hat, zu schätzen.

Travelling is one of the few activities that is a kind of reset button in our lives. You go away for a few days or weeks and come back fresh and ready to face the demands of life. For many people, travel is more about convenience than leisure. They only travel when they have a business to attend to. Travelling is also not for escapists, as many people tend to believe. I use the word “escapists” not in the literary sense of the word, but in the sense of people who run away from their problems. Travelling is a hobby like any other.

Most people don’t understand that moving from one place to another equates to enjoyable activities like watching movies, swimming, dancing or drawing. Although it brings more challenges than other hobbies, it is more adventurous and brings the same level of satisfaction or more to those who love it.

Travelling has always been part of our family tradition. My parents taught us from a young age the importance of going on holiday at least once a year. Although they wished we could take many trips each year, we were not well off financially and my parents had to be creative with what little they had, sometimes saving all year for a single trip. We could have used credit cards, but that would only have put us in more financial hardship. My father was very strict when it came to finances and he warned us not to go into debt to buy luxuries. If we wanted something, we had to find creative and legal ways to earn the money for it.

Although we didn’t have much, money was never an excuse for him. My parents found creative ways to get by on a budget. For example, we drove to our destination by car instead of flying, and we took my mother’s home-cooked meals with us. We rarely used credit cards, and when we did, it was a matter of life and death. Most of our holidays therefore took place during the December holidays. Those were the best days of my life. They were also the days when our family bonds were strengthened. We argued and bickered, but in the end we always came back together and found a solution.

We learned more about life on those trips than in the years we spent at home. What I just said may seem far-fetched to someone who doesn’t travel much, considering the shortness of holidays, but the reality is that holidays never go as planned. Holidays are a far cry from the normal routine of life, which is to wake up in the morning, go to work/school and come back home in the evening. A holiday comes with many risks. You are in a foreign country with new people and a new culture. You have to work with the few resources you have to make the trip as fun as possible, but with a certain amount of restrictions so that your family is not stranded.

The beauty of travel is that you can never quite outgrow it. I still go on holiday as an adult, although my reasons may be a little different to those of my parents. Apart from the obvious reason that I want to have fun and distract myself from the stresses of everyday life, holidays release the “creative juices” in me. As a writer, I tend to feel burnt out when I live in the same environment for too long. Sometimes I need a change of scenery so that my artistic work can see the light of day. In the world of literature, it is well known that most of the best writers had their best ideas in foreign countries.

I occasionally go on holiday just to get to know other cultures and come into contact with other people, to get ideas for my literary work. Besides, you learn to appreciate your home country all the more when you don’t know it anymore. The feeling you get after a holiday when you settle down on the couch and just relax is priceless. When you travel, you learn to appreciate the people and their cultures, and most of all, you learn to appreciate your life and the little you have.

More essays to come.

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