Home Furniture and Living Spaces
Learning Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
- Name common furniture and household items in German
- Describe rooms and furniture arrangements
- Ask about prices and negotiate when shopping
- Use prepositions to describe item locations
- Master essential verbs related to furniture and home setup
1. Furniture and Home Items (Möbel und Haushaltsgegenstände)
- Living Room
- Bedroom
- Dining Room
German (with article) | English | Plural Form |
---|---|---|
das Sofa | sofa | die Sofas |
der Sessel | armchair | die Sessel |
der Tisch | table | die Tische |
der Fernseher | television | die Fernseher |
das Regal | shelf/bookcase | die Regale |
der Teppich | carpet | die Teppiche |
die Lampe | lamp | die Lampen |
das Bild | picture | die Bilder |
German (with article) | English | Plural Form |
---|---|---|
das Bett | bed | die Betten |
der Schrank | wardrobe | die Schränke |
die Kommode | dresser | die Kommoden |
der Spiegel | mirror | die Spiegel |
das Kissen | pillow | die Kissen |
die Decke | blanket | die Decken |
der Nachttisch | nightstand | die Nachttische |
die Matratze | mattress | die Matratzen |
German (with article) | English | Plural Form |
---|---|---|
der Esstisch | dining table | die Esstische |
der Stuhl | chair | die Stühle |
die Vitrine | display cabinet | die Vitrinen |
das Geschirr | dishes | die Geschirre |
die Vase | vase | die Vasen |
der Vorhang | curtain | die Vorhänge |
das Besteck | cutlery | die Bestecke |
die Tischdecke | tablecloth | die Tischdecken |
When learning furniture vocabulary, always memorize the article (der/die/das) along with the noun.
2. Essential Verbs and Actions
Infinitive | Present (ich) | English | Example |
---|---|---|---|
stellen | stelle | to place (vertical) | Ich stelle die Lampe auf den Tisch. |
legen | lege | to place (horizontal) | Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. |
hängen | hänge | to hang | Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. |
sitzen | sitze | to sit | Ich sitze auf dem Sofa. |
liegen | liege | to lie | Das Kissen liegt auf dem Bett. |
kosten | kostet | to cost | Der Tisch kostet 100 Euro. |
einrichten | richte ein | to furnish | Ich richte meine Wohnung ein. |
aufbauen | baue auf | to assemble | Ich baue den Schrank auf. |
3. Prepositions and Location
When describing furniture placement, use these prepositions with the correct case:
Dative (location - where something is)
- auf dem Tisch (on the table)
- in dem/im Zimmer (in the room)
- neben dem Bett (next to the bed)
- zwischen den Stühlen (between the chairs)
- unter dem Tisch (under the table)
Accusative (direction - where something is being moved to)
- auf den Tisch (onto the table)
- in das/ins Zimmer (into the room)
- neben das Bett (next to the bed)
- zwischen die Stühle (between the chairs)
- unter den Tisch (under the table)
Use accusative case when describing movement/direction (Wohin? - Where to?) and dative for location (Wo? - Where?).
4. Shopping Dialogue and Prices 🛍️
Essential Shopping Phrases
Shopping Conversation 🗣️
5. Describing Your Home 🏠
Common Patterns (Häufige Sätze)
Example Room Description
Mein Wohnzimmer ist groß und hell.
My living room is big and bright.
In der Mitte steht ein brauner Tisch.
In the middle there is a brown table.
6. Interactive Exercises 🎮
Exercise 1: Article Practice
Choose the correct article
Exercise 2: Price Learning Game 💶
7. Homework Tasks
- Draw your room and label all furniture items in German
- Write a short description of your ideal living room (5-6 sentences)
- Create a shopping dialogue for buying furniture
- Practice writing prices in German words
- Create flashcards for new furniture vocabulary
Additional Resources
- IKEA Germany Website - Practice with real furniture descriptions
- German Furniture Vocabulary Quizlet
- Room Description Audio Examples
Cultural Note
Germans often use specific measurements when discussing furniture and room sizes. Measurements are typically in meters and centimeters, and prices are in Euros and Cents. Being precise with measurements and prices is an important part of German furniture shopping culture.
Remember to practice regularly! Viel Erfolg beim Lernen! (Good luck with learning!)