📕 Lesson 19: Unterwegs — On the Road / Travel
Travel broadens the mind! Learn how to talk about your trips and vacations in German using the perfect tense (Perfekt).
🎬 Lesson Video
1. 🗣️ Reisen und Urlaub — Travel and Vacation
| Deutsch | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| verreisen | [fɛɐˈʁaɪzən] | to travel / go on a trip |
| der Urlaub | [deːɐ ˈʊʁlaʊp] | vacation / holiday |
| die Reise | [diː ˈʁaɪzə] | the trip / journey |
| die Ankunft | [diː ˈankʊnft] | arrival |
| die Abfahrt | [diː ˈapfaːɐt] | departure |
| das Reiseziel | [daːs ˈʁaɪzəˌtsiːl] | travel destination |
| das Hotel | [daːs hoˈtɛl] | hotel |
| die Jugendherberge | [diː ˈjuːɡəntˌhɛʁbɛʁɡə] | youth hostel |
| die Unterkunft | [diː ˈʊntɐkʊnft] | accommodation |
| der Koffer | [deːɐ ˈkɔfɐ] | suitcase |
| der Rucksack | [deːɐ ˈʁʊkzak] | backpack |
| der Flughafen | [deːɐ ˈfluːkˌhaːfən] | airport |
| der Bahnhof | [deːɐ ˈbaːnhoːf] | train station |
| die Fahrkarte | [diː ˈfaːɐˌkaʁtə] | ticket |
| die Reservierung | [diː ʁezɛʁˈviːʁʊŋ] | reservation |
| einchecken | [ˈaɪntʃɛkən] | to check in |
| auschecken | [ˈaʊstʃɛkən] | to check out |
| der Ausflug | [deːɐ ˈaʊsfluːk] | excursion / day trip |
💡 Tip: In German, "Urlaub" means annual leave / vacation, while "Ferien" means school holidays. An important distinction!
2. 📖 Vocabulary: Around Travel
| Deutsch | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| buchen | [ˈbuːxən] | to book |
| stornieren | [ʃtɔʁˈniːʁən] | to cancel (a booking) |
| der Reisepass | [deːɐ ˈʁaɪzəˌpas] | passport |
| das Visum | [daːs ˈviːzʊm] | visa |
| der Flug | [deːɐ fluːk] | flight |
| die Bordkarte | [diː ˈbɔʁtˌkaʁtə] | boarding pass |
| das Gepäck | [daːs ɡəˈpɛk] | luggage |
| der Koffer wiegen | [deːɐ ˈkɔfɐ ˈviːɡən] | to weigh the suitcase |
| der Mietwagen | [deːɐ ˈmiːtˌvaːɡən] | rental car |
| die Verspätung | [diː fɛɐˈʃpɛːtʊŋ] | delay |
| die Besichtigung | [diː bəˈzɪçtɪɡʊŋ] | sightseeing |
| der Strand | [deːɐ ʃtʁant] | beach |
| die Berge | [diː ˈbɛʁɡə] | mountains |
| der Campingplatz | [deːɐ ˈkampɪŋˌplats] | campsite |
| die Reiseapotheke | [diː ˈʁaɪzəʔapoˌteːkə] | travel first-aid kit |
| der Reiseführer | [deːɐ ˈʁaɪzəˌfyːʁɐ] | travel guide / guidebook |
3. 📝 Grammar: Perfekt Tense (Travel)
Forming the Perfect Tense
haben + Partizip II or sein + Partizip II
| Verb | Perfekt | Example |
|---|---|---|
| reisen (sein) | ist gereist | He travelled to Berlin. |
| fahren (sein) | ist gefahren | We drove to the sea. |
| fliegen (sein) | ist geflogen | She flew to Turkey. |
| bleiben (sein) | ist geblieben | I stayed for a week. |
| ankommen (sein) | ist angekommen | The train arrived on time. |
| buchen (haben) | hat gebucht | He booked a hotel. |
| packen (haben) | hat gepackt | I packed my suitcase. |
| bezahlen (haben) | hat bezahlt | We paid for the trip. |
| sehen (haben) | hat gesehen | I saw many sights. |
| erleben (haben) | hat erlebt | She experienced great things. |
Movement Verbs Take "sein"
sein + Perfekt = verbs of movement and state change
Examples: fahren, fliegen, reisen, kommen, gehen, laufen, schwimmen, wandern, ankommen, abfahren
haben + Perfekt = all other verbs
Examples: buchen, packen, bezahlen, sehen, essen, trinken, fotografieren
Typical Travel Verbs in Perfekt
| Present | Perfekt | English |
|---|---|---|
| ich fahre ans Meer | ich bin ans Meer gefahren | I went to the sea |
| wir buchen ein Hotel | wir haben ein Hotel gebucht | we booked a hotel |
| das Flugzeug landet | das Flugzeug ist gelandet | the plane landed |
| sie besichtigt die Altstadt | sie hat die Altstadt besichtigt | she visited the old town |
| wir machen einen Ausflug | wir haben einen Ausflug gemacht | we went on an excursion |
⚠️ Attention: The difference between ist gefahren and hat gefahren: - ist gefahren = travelled/went (by vehicle) — the subject moved themselves - hat gefahren = drove (someone/something else) — rare usage
4. 💬 Dialogue: Vacation Experiences
Lisa: Hi Mark! You look well-rested. Were you on vacation?
Mark: Yes, I went to Italy for a week.
Lisa: How great! Did you fly or drive?
Mark: I travelled by train. The journey was very nice.
Lisa: And what did you do?
Mark: I visited Rome, took many photos, and ate Italian food.
Lisa: Did you book a hotel?
Mark: No, I stayed at a youth hostel. It was cheaper.
Lisa: How long did you stay?
Mark: A week. I came back last week.
Lisa: That sounds like a great vacation!
Mark: Yes, I brought back wonderful memories!
5. ✏️ Exercises
Exercise 1: Perfekt — Convert to Perfect Tense
| Present | Perfekt |
|---|---|
| I travel to Spain. | Ich _ nach Spanien ___. |
| We drive to the sea. | Wir _ ans Meer ___. |
| She books a hotel. | Sie _ ein Hotel ___. |
| He packs his suitcase. | Er _ seinen Koffer ___. |
| The train arrives on time. | Der Zug _ pünktlich ___. |
| I see many museums. | Ich _ viele Museen ___. |
| We eat well. | Wir _ gut ___. |
| She photographs the city. | Sie _ die Stadt ___. |
Exercise 2: Vocabulary
Complete the sentences!
- At the airport I show my _ (passport) and the ___ (boarding pass).
- We booked a hotel with _____ (sea view).
- The train had 30 minutes _____ (delay).
- I packed my _____ (backpack).
- For the USA you need a _____ (visa).
- We go _____ (sightseeing) in the old town.
Exercise 3: Questions About Vacation
Answer the questions in Perfekt!
| Question | My Answer |
|---|---|
| Where did you travel? | Ich _____ |
| How did you travel? | Ich _____ |
| Where did you stay? | Ich _____ |
| What did you eat? | Ich _____ |
| What did you visit? | Ich _____ |
💡 Homework: Write a paragraph (40-50 words) about a vacation you took using the Perfect tense (Perfekt) with at least 5 verbs.