Waiting in line | Learn German in English

Sentence explanations

1. Ist das hier die Schlange für den Schalter?

   Is this line for the counter?

   Ist das

   Is this…?

   hier

   here

   die Schlange

   the line / queue

   für

   for

   den Schalter

   the counter / service window

   More detail

   Ist das puts the verb ist before das, forming a yes/no question. ist is the third-person singular present form of sein (“to be”); the base form is sein. Here das means “this” and points to the line being identified. A reusable pattern is Ist das ...? — “Is that/this ...?” hier means “here” and locates the thing in the speaker’s current place. It is an adverb, so it does not change for gender or number. For example: Ist das hier der Eingang? — “Is this the entrance here?” die Schlange means “the line” or “queue” in this context. Schlange is a feminine noun, so its definite article is die in the singular nominative form used here. The same noun can literally mean “snake” in another context; the surrounding idea of waiting and the fixed translation establish the queue meaning here. für introduces what something is intended for or associated with and requires the accusative case. Here it connects the line with the service counter: “for the counter.” For example: Das ist für den Eingang. — “That is for the entrance.” den Schalter means “the counter” or “service window.” Schalter is a masculine noun. After für, masculine singular der changes to accusative den, giving für den Schalter. In this sentence, the intended meaning is a place where service is provided; Schalter can have other meanings in different contexts, including “switch.” Together, Ist das hier asks whether the thing located here is die Schlange; für den Schalter identifies which counter or service window the queue is for. The whole utterance therefore means: “Is this line for the counter?” The following context, Hier beginnt die Schlange (“This is where the line starts”), is consistent with Schlange meaning a queue.

2. Hier beginnt die Schlange.

   This is where it starts.

   Hier

   here

   beginnt

   starts; begins

   Schlange

   line; queue

   More detail

   Hier means “here” and points to the relevant place. In this utterance, it identifies the place where the line starts; it does not itself mean “line.” A reusable example is Hier ist der Eingang. — “The entrance is here.” beginnt comes from beginnen, “to begin” or “to start.” It is the present-tense form for er/sie/es: er beginnt — “he begins,” sie beginnt — “she begins,” or “it begins.” The form here describes where the queue starts. A reusable example is Der Film beginnt um acht. — “The film starts at eight.” Schlange is a feminine noun. In this context it means “line” or “queue,” not “snake”; the surrounding reference to a line for the counter supports the queue meaning. Its plural is Schlangen, but the singular noun appears here. die is the definite article used with this feminine singular subject in the nominative case: die Schlange — “the line.” The article marks a definite noun; it does not by itself express a numerical count. Together, Hier beginnt die Schlange. means “This is where it starts.” More literally, it says “Here the line begins.” The sentence locates the starting point of the queue, with hier as the location, beginnt as the verb, and die Schlange as the subject.

3. Brauche ich eine Nummer?

   Do I need a ticket?

   Brauche

   need

   Nummer

   ticket

   More detail

   Brauche is the first-person singular present form of brauchen, “to need”: ich brauche = “I need.” In a yes/no question, German commonly places the finite verb first: Brauche ich ...? = “Do I need ...?” The verb form shows the subject ich; it is not an imperative. Nummer means “number” in its ordinary sense, but here the fixed translation and the surrounding context establish the intended meaning “ticket”: a numbered ticket taken for the queue. The noun is feminine, so the indefinite article is eine: eine Nummer. The article marks an unspecified item; it does not by itself state a numerical quantity. Together, Brauche ich (“do I need”) and eine Nummer (“a ticket”) form the yes/no question Brauche ich eine Nummer? — “Do I need a ticket?”

4. Nehmen Sie eine Nummer aus dieser Box.

   Take one from this box.

   Nehmen

   take

   Sie

   you (formal)

   eine

   a

   Nummer

   number; ticket

   aus

   from; out of

   dieser

   this

   Box

   box

   More detail

   Nehmen is the imperative form of nehmen (“to take”) used with formal Sie. In a direct instruction, Nehmen Sie ... means “Take ...”. The verb is placed before the subject in this command pattern, unlike the usual statement order. Sie is the formal second-person pronoun, written with a capital letter. It addresses one or more people politely; the form itself does not identify whether the addressee is singular or plural. Compare the informal singular form du in a different register. eine is the indefinite article here. It agrees with Nummer: Nummer is feminine, and after nehmen it is the direct object, so the feminine accusative form is still eine. An indefinite article does not by itself establish a numerical count; the intended selection of one item is supplied by the utterance’s meaning. Nummer usually means “number”. In this situation, the fixed translation supports taking one item identified as a number; in a service or queue context, the same noun can refer to a numbered ticket. Example: Ich habe eine Nummer. — “I have a number/ticket.” aus means “from” or “out of” when something is taken from inside a place or container. It is a preposition that takes the dative case. This differs from von, which more generally means “from” a person, place, or source and does not specifically express removal from inside a container. dieser means “this” and is the dative feminine form of the demonstrative dies-. It agrees grammatically with Box, not with the person being addressed. The demonstrative indicates the particular box intended in the situation; the supplied sentence does not establish any further description of it. Box means “box”. It is a feminine noun in German: die Box. After aus, its article or demonstrative appears in the dative, giving aus dieser Box (“from this box”). Together, Nehmen Sie forms a formal instruction, eine Nummer is the item to be taken, and aus dieser Box identifies its source. The complete meaning is: “Take one from this box.”

5. Wann bin ich dran?

   When is my turn?

   Wann

   when

   bin ich dran

   be my turn

   More detail

   Wann means “when” and asks about the time or point at which something happens. It is a question word, not a statement about a particular time. Example: Wann beginnt der Film? — “When does the film begin?” bin ich dran is the reusable German pattern sein + subject + dran for asking or stating whose turn it is. Here, bin is the first-person singular form of sein (“to be”), used with ich (“I”). Dran is an adverb meaning “next” or “in one’s turn” in this expression. The related statement form is Ich bin dran. — “It’s my turn.” For another person, the form of sein changes: Du bist dran. — “It’s your turn.” Together, Wann + bin ich dran literally asks “When am I next/in turn?” and naturally means “When is my turn?” In the supplied queue context, the question concerns the speaker’s place in the sequence. Dran is common in everyday speech; a more formal wording can use an der Reihe, as in Wann bin ich an der Reihe?

6. Sie sind nach dieser Person dran.

   You're after that person.

   Sie sind

   you are

   nach

   after

   dieser

   that

   Person

   person

   dran

   next; due

   More detail

   Sie sind means “you are” here. Sie is the formal singular “you” or the plural “you”; sind is the present-tense form of sein (“to be”) used with Sie and also with sie meaning “they.” The fixed translation identifies the intended reading as “you,” not “they.” nach means “after” in an order or sequence. In this use, it places one person after another: A kommt nach B = “A comes after B.” dieser means “that” here and belongs with Person. Because nach takes the dative in this meaning and Person is feminine, the form is dieser; the full dative phrase is nach dieser Person. The form dieser can have other grammatical roles in other contexts, so its form is determined here by the feminine dative noun phrase, not by “after” alone. Person means “person.” Its useful basic form is singular die Person; the plural is die Personen. Here it identifies the person after whom you are scheduled in the sequence. dran is a colloquial form used in the expression dran sein, meaning “to be next” or “to be due.” A more explicit related expression is an der Reihe sein, “to be one’s turn.” Example: Jetzt bist du dran. — “Now it’s your turn.” Together, Sie sind ... dran says that it is your turn at that point, and nach dieser Person specifies that your turn comes after the indicated person: “You’re after that person.”

7. Ich warte hier.

   I will wait here.

   Ich

   I

   warte

   wait

   hier

   here

   More detail

   Ich is the first-person singular pronoun, meaning “I.” It refers to the speaker. A useful contrast is du (“you,” singular informal), which refers to the person addressed. warte comes from the verb warten, “to wait.” It is the present-tense form for ich: ich warte. The ending -e marks first-person singular here. For example, Ich warte draußen. means “I am waiting outside.” hier means “here,” referring to the speaker’s location. It is an adverb, so it does not change for person or number. For example, Ich bin hier. means “I am here.” Together, Ich warte hier. means “I will wait here.” German uses the present tense in this utterance; with the surrounding situation, it expresses the speaker’s intended future action. The sentence therefore combines the speaker (Ich), the action (warte), and the location (hier).

8. Die Person vor Ihnen ist fast fertig.

   The person ahead is almost finished.

   Person

   person

   vor Ihnen

   ahead of you

   ist

   is

   fast

   almost

   fertig

   finished

   More detail

   Person means “person” here. It is a feminine noun in German: die Person; the noun itself stays Person in the singular, while the article changes with grammatical case. Example: Die Person wartet. — “The person is waiting.” vor Ihnen means “ahead of you” in this sentence. vor can express a position in front of or ahead of something or someone. Ihnen is the formal “you” form, and it can also refer to more than one person; this form is used after vor in this construction. Example: Der Bus vor Ihnen ist voll. — “The bus ahead of you is full.” ist is the present-tense form of sein (“to be”) for a singular third-person subject: er/sie/es ist. The subject here is Die Person, so the singular form is required. Example: Die Tür ist offen. — “The door is open.” fast means “almost” or “nearly.” It modifies the following description by showing that it is close to being true, but not complete yet. Example: Ich bin fast fertig. — “I am almost finished.” fertig means “finished” or “done.” In ist fertig, it describes the person’s state rather than an action. fertig is also the base form of the adjective; it does not take an ending here because it follows ist as a predicate adjective. Example: Das Essen ist fertig. — “The food is ready.” Together, Die Person vor Ihnen identifies “the person ahead of you,” and ist fast fertig says that this person is nearly finished. The complete meaning is: “The person ahead is almost finished.”