Skip to content

📝 Lektion 6 Exercises: Auf dem Weg zur Arbeit (On the Way to Work)

🎯 Goal: Expand transport and commuting vocabulary, use Wechselpräpositionen (two-way prepositions) with Dative and Accusative, describe your route to work, and hold dialogues about daily commuting.

💡 Tip: Wechselpräpositionen (in, auf, unter, über, neben, zwischen, vor, hinter, an) take the Accusative for movement (wohin? → where to?) and the Dative for location (wo? → where?). Example: "Ich gehe in die U-Bahn" (movement → Acc.) / "Ich bin in der U-Bahn" (location → Dat.).

Exercise 1: Transport Vocabulary 🖊️

Match the German word with its English meaning:

German Word English Meaning
1. das Auto a. the train
2. der Bus b. the bicycle
3. die U-Bahn c. the car
4. der Zug d. the subway / underground
5. die Straßenbahn e. the bus
6. das Fahrrad f. the tram
7. das Motorrad g. the motorcycle
8. der Roller h. the scooter
9. die S-Bahn i. the suburban / city express train
10. zu Fuß j. on foot
11. die Haltestelle k. the stop (bus/tram)
12. der Bahnhof l. the train station
13. der Fahrplan m. the schedule / timetable
14. die Fahrkarte n. the ticket
15. der Fahrschein o. the ticket (general)

✅ Solution:

1-c, 2-e, 3-d, 4-a, 5-f, 6-b, 7-g, 8-h, 9-i, 10-j, 11-k, 12-l, 13-m, 14-n, 15-o

Exercise 2: Wechselpräpositionen — Which Case? 🔗

Fill in the blank with the correct preposition and case (Accusative or Dative):

Example: - Ich gehe ___ (das Kino). → Ich gehe ins Kino. (Accusative — movement toward) - Ich bin ___ (das Kino). → Ich bin im Kino. (Dative — static location)

Sentences:

  1. Das Buch liegt ___ (der Tisch). (static) →
  2. Ich lege das Buch ___ (der Tisch). (movement) →
  3. Sie geht ___ (die Schule). (movement) →
  4. Er ist ___ (die Schule). (static) →
  5. Wir warten ___ (der Bahnhof). (static) →
  6. Die Kinder springen ___ (das Wasser). (movement) →
  7. Der Hund sitzt ___ (der Stuhl). (static, under the chair) →
  8. Der Hund kriecht ___ (der Stuhl). (movement, under the chair) →
  9. Das Bild hängt ___ (die Wand). (static, on the wall) →
  10. Ich hänge das Bild ___ (die Wand). (movement, onto the wall) →
  11. Der Schlüssel ist ___ (das Regal). (static, on the shelf) →
  12. Ich lege den Schlüssel ___ (das Regal). (movement, onto the shelf) →
  13. Die Katze sitzt ___ (der Tisch). (static, under the table) →
  14. Die Katze läuft ___ (der Tisch). (movement, under the table) →
  15. Wir gehen ___ (der Park). (movement) →

✅ Solution:

  1. Das Buch liegt auf dem Tisch. (Dative)
  2. Ich lege das Buch auf den Tisch. (Accusative)
  3. Sie geht in die Schule. (Accusative)
  4. Er ist in der Schule. (Dative)
  5. Wir warten am Bahnhof / auf dem Bahnhof. (Dative)
  6. Die Kinder springen ins Wasser (in das Wasser). (Accusative)
  7. Der Hund sitzt unter dem Stuhl. (Dative)
  8. Der Hund kriecht unter den Stuhl. (Accusative)
  9. Das Bild hängt an der Wand. (Dative)
  10. Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. (Accusative)
  11. Der Schlüssel ist auf dem Regal / in dem Regal. (Dative)
  12. Ich lege den Schlüssel auf das Regal / in das Regal. (Accusative)
  13. Die Katze sitzt unter dem Tisch. (Dative)
  14. Die Katze läuft unter den Tisch. (Accusative)
  15. Wir gehen in den Park. (Accusative)

Exercise 3: Describe Your Route to Work 🖊️

Complete the sentences to describe your way from home to work. Use the words in the box:

fahren gehen einsteigen umsteigen aussteigen brauchen dauern
die U-Bahn der Bus die Haltestelle der Bahnhof der Fahrplan zu Fuß Minuten

Text:

I (1) __ the house at 7:00 AM. Then I (2) _ to the bus stop. I (3) __ bus 42 (4) _. After 10 minutes I have to (5) __ and (6) _ the subway. The ride (7) __ another 20 minutes. In total, the trip (8) _ me 35 minutes to get to work.

Additional questions to answer in writing:

  1. How do you get to work / school?
  2. How long does the trip take?
  3. Which means of transport do you use?
  4. Do you have to change / transfer?
  5. When do you have to leave?

✅ Solution:

  1. leave
  2. walk / go
  3. get on
  4. transfer / change
  5. get in / board
  6. get off / alight
  7. takes / lasts
  8. takes

Model Answer (9-13):

  1. I go to work by bus and subway.
  2. The trip takes about 35 minutes.
  3. I use the bus and the U-Bahn (subway).
  4. Yes, I have to transfer once.
  5. I have to leave at 7:00 AM so that I arrive at the office at 8:00 AM on time.

Exercise 4: Commuting Dialogue 💬

Use the words in the box to complete the dialogue:

der Verkehr zu spät Verspätung pünktlich normalerweise Wecker
stehe … auf verpasst fällt … aus warte losfahren Stau

Dialogue:

Anna: Good morning, Tom! You look tired. What's wrong? Tom: Morning, Anna! Everything went wrong today. First, my (1) __ didn't ring. Anna: Oh no! And then? Tom: I (2) _ way too late. Then I (3) __ the bus. Anna: And the subway? Tom: The U7 is (4) _ today because of construction work — it's (5) __. Anna: That's why I was also stuck in (6) _ today! Next time I'll (7) __ ten minutes earlier. Tom: Good idea. But my commute is just too long. Anna: How long does it (8) _ you? Tom: I (9) _____ 10 minutes for the bus, then ride 25 minutes and still have to walk 15 minutes. Anna: That's really long! Hopefully you'll have better luck tomorrow. Tom: Thanks! See you tomorrow, Anna!

✅ Solution:

  1. alarm clock (Wecker)
  2. left (losgefahren)
  3. missed (verpasst)
  4. canceled (fällt aus)
  5. canceled (aus)
  6. traffic jam (Stau)
  7. leave (fahre … los)
  8. take (braucht)
  9. wait (warte)

Corrected Dialogue:

Anna: Good morning, Tom! You look tired. What's wrong? Tom: Morning, Anna! Everything went wrong today. First, my (1) alarm clock didn't ring. Anna: Oh no! And then? Tom: I (2) left way too late. Then I (3) missed the bus. Anna: And the subway? Tom: The U7 is (4) canceled today because of construction work — it's (5) out of service. Anna: That's why I was also stuck in (6) traffic today! Next time I'll (7) leave ten minutes earlier. Tom: Good idea. But my commute is just too long. Anna: How long does it (8) take you? Tom: I (9) wait 10 minutes for the bus, then ride 25 minutes and still have to walk 15 minutes. Anna: That's really long! Hopefully you'll have better luck tomorrow. Tom: Thanks! See you tomorrow, Anna!

Exercise 5: Write About Your Way to Work ✍️

Write a paragraph of 8-10 sentences describing your daily commute to work or school. Use the questions as a guide:

  1. When do you get up?
  2. When do you leave the house?
  3. Which means of transport do you use?
  4. How long does each stage take?
  5. Do you have to transfer?
  6. Are you usually on time?
  7. What do you do during the ride?

Model Answer:

I get up at 6:30 AM. I leave the house at 7:15 AM. First I walk to the bus stop, which is five minutes away. Then I get on bus number 34. After 15 minutes I get off at the main train station. There I have to transfer. I take the S-Bahn line 5. The S-Bahn runs for 20 minutes to the "Stadtmitte" station. From there I walk another ten minutes. In total my commute takes about 50 minutes. During the ride I listen to music or read a book. I am usually on time, but in bad weather there are often delays. I would prefer to ride my bike, but the way is too far.

✅ Solution: (The sample answer above serves as the model — students should write their own version based on their personal experience.)