Labeling food in a shared fridge | Learn German in English

Sentence explanations

1. Kann ich diese Suppe in den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank stellen?

   Can I put this soup in the shared fridge?

   Kann ich

   Can I …?

   diese

   this

   Suppe

   soup

   in den

   into the

   gemeinsamen

   shared

   Kühlschrank

   fridge

   stellen

   put/place

   More detail

   Kann ich is a reusable way to ask for permission: “Can I …?” kann is the first-person singular present form of können (“can, be able to”). In this sentence, the following infinitive makes it a permission question rather than a statement about general ability. Example: Kann ich hereinkommen? — “May I come in?” diese means “this” here and points to the soup. It is the feminine singular accusative form of the demonstrative dies-; Suppe is feminine, and it is the object of stellen. The related forms include dieser for masculine nominative and dieses for neuter nominative or accusative. Example: Ich nehme diese Tasche. — “I’ll take this bag.” Suppe means “soup.” Its base form is the noun Suppe; here it has no visible ending because it is a feminine singular accusative noun. Example: Die Suppe ist warm. — “The soup is warm.” in den expresses movement into a place in this sentence. With the two-way preposition in, German uses the accusative for a destination and the dative for a location: in den Kühlschrank stellen means “put into the fridge,” while Die Suppe ist im Kühlschrank means “The soup is in the fridge.” den is the masculine singular accusative form of the definite article. gemeinsamen means “shared” here. Its base form is the adjective gemeinsam. In den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank, the adjective has the weak masculine singular accusative ending -en after the definite article den. Example: Wir benutzen den gemeinsamen Raum. — “We use the shared room.” Kühlschrank means “fridge” or “refrigerator.” It is a masculine noun, which is why the destination phrase uses in den Kühlschrank. Example: Der Kühlschrank ist voll. — “The fridge is full.” stellen means “put” or “place” as an infinitive. It is used after the modal verb kann; the conjugated modal carries the person and tense, while stellen remains at the end in the infinitive. Stellen commonly presents an object as being placed upright or in a standing position; legen is commonly used when an object is laid flat. In this fixed sentence, stellen is the source form for putting the soup into the fridge. Together, Kann ich diese Suppe in den gemeinsamen Kühlschrank stellen? asks permission to put this soup into the shared fridge: “Can I put this soup in the shared fridge?”

2. Beschrifte den Behälter, bevor du ihn dort lässt.

   Label the container before you leave it there.

   Beschrifte

   label

   Behälter

   container

   bevor

   before

   du

   you

   ihn

   it

   dort

   there

   lässt

   leave

   More detail

   Beschrifte is the imperative of beschriften (“to label”): du beschriftest is the present-tense form, while Beschrifte ...! gives a direct instruction to one person. The verb takes the thing being labeled as its object. Behälter means “container.” In den Behälter, the masculine singular noun has the accusative form with den; the definite article identifies a specific container. The noun itself does not change here: der Behälter is nominative, and den Behälter is accusative. bevor introduces a subordinate clause meaning “before.” German normally places the finite verb at the end of this clause. Pattern: bevor + subject + other elements + finite verb. du is the second-person singular subject pronoun, used for the person being addressed. It is the subject of the subordinate clause. ihn is a masculine singular accusative pronoun meaning “him” or, as here, “it” for the masculine noun Behälter. Its form marks it as the object of lässt; it is not the subject. Example: Ich sehe den Behälter und nehme ihn. — “I see the container and take it.” dort means “there,” referring to a place understood from the situation. It specifies where the container is left; the word itself does not identify that place. lässt is the second-person singular present form of lassen. In this sentence, lassen means “leave” or “let remain,” so du lässt ihn dort means “you leave it there.” The present-tense forms are ich lasse, du lässt, and er/sie/es lässt; the vowel change in lässt belongs to the verb, not to ihn or Behälter. The main clause is the imperative Beschrifte den Behälter (“Label the container”). The subordinate clause bevor du ihn dort lässt adds the time condition: the labeling should happen before the addressed person leaves the container there. Together, the utterance means: “Label the container before you leave it there.”

3. Soll ich auch das Datum darauf schreiben?

   Should I write the date on it too?

   Soll ich

   Should I…?

   auch

   too; as well

   Datum

   date

   darauf

   on it

   schreiben

   write

   More detail

   Soll ich forms a yes/no question with the modal verb sollen (“should; be expected to”) and the subject ich (“I”). Here, soll asks whether the speaker is expected, advised, or requested to do the action; it does not itself mean “write.” In a main-clause question, the finite verb comes first, followed by the subject: Soll ich ...? Compare the statement Ich soll ... (“I am supposed to ...”). auch means “too/as well” and adds the date to something else connected with the action. Its exact position can vary with emphasis, but here it comes before the noun phrase das Datum. Datum is the noun “date.” Its plural is Daten, which can also mean “data” in other contexts, so the surrounding context matters. In the fixed sentence, the article is neuter singular: das Datum. darauf means “on it” here. It is a da-compound made from da- (“that/it”) and auf (“on”), used here for the inanimate item or surface receiving the writing. In the supplied exchange, “it” is the item being labeled. The form darauf is not the same as the separate adverb dort (“there”); it specifically expresses the relation “on it.” schreiben is the infinitive “to write.” Its useful forms include schreiben (infinitive), ich schreibe (present), schrieb (past), and hat geschrieben (perfect). After the finite modal soll, the lexical verb remains in the infinitive and goes to the end: Soll ich ... schreiben? Example: Soll ich deinen Namen auf den Behälter schreiben? — “Should I write your name on the container?” Together, Soll ich asks whether the speaker should perform the action, auch das Datum adds the date, darauf specifies the surface or item receiving the writing, and schreiben names the action at the end. The whole utterance therefore means: “Should I write the date on it too?”

4. So wissen die Leute, wie lange es schon im Kühlschrank ist.

   That helps people know how long it has been inside.

   So

   that way

   wissen

   know

   Leute

   people

   wie lange

   how long

   es

   it

   schon

   already

   im

   in the

   Kühlschrank

   refrigerator

   ist

   is

   More detail

   So means “that way” here: it points to a method or action already understood and introduces its result. It is an adverb, not part of the verb wissen. wissen means “to know” facts or information. The form here is the present-tense form for a plural subject: die Leute wissen. Useful forms are ich weiß, du weißt, er/sie weiß, and wir/sie wissen. A short example: Wir wissen das. — “We know that.” Leute means “people” and is a plural noun. Its singular counterpart is die Person (“the person”), but Leute itself refers to people as a group. The plural article die and the plural verb form wissen fit this subject. wie lange asks about duration: “how long.” It introduces the embedded question that supplies what the people know. Compare wie lange? (“how long?”) with wie oft? (“how often?”): the first asks about duration, while the second asks about frequency. es is a third-person singular pronoun with the neuter form. In this utterance, it corresponds to “it” in the fixed translation—the item whose time in the refrigerator is being considered. The specific identity of that item is not stated in this sentence. German also uses es in other grammatical roles, so its form alone does not identify a particular object. schon means “already” or, in a duration expression, “by now.” With wie lange, it emphasizes that the period has continued up to the relevant present point. For example: Wie lange ist es schon hier? — “How long has it been here already?” im is the contraction of in dem, meaning “in the” here. The uncontracted form is possible in some contexts, but im is the normal compact form before the noun phrase in this sentence. in can take either dative or accusative: the dative expresses a location, while the accusative commonly expresses movement into a place. Here the meaning is location. Kühlschrank means “refrigerator” or “fridge.” It is masculine: der Kühlschrank; after locational in, the phrase is dative, giving in dem Kühlschrank, contracted to im Kühlschrank. A useful example is Das Essen ist im Kühlschrank. — “The food is in the refrigerator.” ist is the present-tense third-person singular form of sein, “to be.” Its subject here is es, so the matching form is es ist. The relevant present-tense contrast is ich bin, du bist, er/sie/es ist, and wir/sie sind. Together, So presents the result of the understood method; wissen die Leute says that people know; and wie lange es schon im Kühlschrank ist specifies the information they know: the duration up to now of the item’s being in the refrigerator. The German embedded question places its finite verb, ist, at the end. Thus the fixed utterance means that this helps people know how long it has been inside, with “inside” understood from im Kühlschrank.

5. Welches Fach ist für persönliche Lebensmittel?

   Which shelf is for personal food?

   Welches

   which

   Fach

   shelf; compartment

   ist für

   is for

   persönliche

   personal

   Lebensmittel

   food; foodstuffs

   More detail

   Welches asks “which” and is the form used with a singular neuter noun in this question. It agrees with Fach, not with the thing stored on the shelf. Compare the common forms: welcher with masculine singular, welche with feminine singular or plural, and welches with neuter singular. Fach means a shelf compartment or section. Here the fixed translation identifies it as a shelf. The noun is neuter: das Fach; its plural is die Fächer, with an umlaut and the ending -er. Example: Das Fach ist leer. — “The shelf compartment is empty.” ist für combines sein (“to be”) with für (“for”). It expresses the intended use or assignment: something is designated for a person or purpose. ist is the third-person singular present form of sein; the subject here is the singular Fach. The preposition für takes the accusative case, which is relevant to the following noun phrase. persönliche means “personal” here, in the sense of belonging to or being reserved for an individual rather than being shared. Its -e ending marks a plural adjective form in this article-less noun phrase: persönliche Lebensmittel. In the plural, the adjective does not show grammatical gender. Example: Das sind persönliche Sachen. — “Those are personal belongings.” Lebensmittel means “food” or “foodstuffs.” The form is identical in the singular and plural: das Lebensmittel / die Lebensmittel; the surrounding grammar can show the number. Here persönliche has the plural ending, so the phrase is grammatically plural, even though the English translation uses the mass-like word “food.” Example: Lebensmittel gehören ins Fach. — “Food belongs in the compartment.” Together, Welches Fach asks which shelf compartment is meant, and ist für persönliche Lebensmittel specifies its intended use. The complete meaning is: “Which shelf is for personal food?”

6. Benutz das oberste Fach, getrennt von den gemeinsamen Sachen.

   Use the top shelf, away from the shared items.

   Benutz

   use

   oberste

   topmost

   Fach

   shelf; compartment

   getrennt von

   separate from

   gemeinsamen

   shared; common

   Sachen

   things; items

   More detail

   Benutz is the informal singular imperative of benutzen (“to use”). It addresses one person directly and has no written subject: Benutz das Fach! means “Use the compartment!” The imperative for formal Sie is different: Benutzen Sie .... oberste means “topmost” here. It is the superlative form related to oben (“above/up”): ober = “upper,” oberste = “topmost.” In das oberste Fach, the adjective has the ending -e because it accompanies the neuter singular noun Fach with the definite article das. Example: Das oberste Regal ist leer. — “The topmost shelf is empty.” Fach is a neuter noun, das Fach; here it means a shelf or compartment for storing something. Its plural is Fächer. The most suitable meaning depends on the object and storage arrangement; in this sentence, the translation supports “shelf.” getrennt von expresses being separate from something. getrennt is related to trennen (“to separate”), and von requires the dative case. Example: Die Bücher stehen getrennt von den Lebensmitteln. — “The books are kept separately from the food.” gemeinsamen means “shared” here. It is the adjective gemeinsam (“shared; common”), describing something used or belonging jointly rather than personally. In von den gemeinsamen Sachen, gemeinsamen has the -en ending because it modifies the plural dative noun phrase after von. Sachen is the plural of Sache, “thing” or “item.” Here it refers to the shared items. The singular is eine Sache; the plural form is Sachen. Example: Bitte räum die Sachen weg. — “Please put the things away.” Together, Benutz das oberste Fach means “Use the top shelf,” and getrennt von den gemeinsamen Sachen specifies that it should be separate from the shared items. The complete utterance is therefore: “Use the top shelf, away from the shared items.”

7. Ich lasse es dort und nehme es bald mit nach Hause.

   I'll keep it there and take it home soon.

   lasse

   leave; keep

   es

   it

   dort

   there

   nehme … mit

   take along

   bald

   soon

   nach Hause

   homeward; home

   More detail

   lasse means “leave” or “keep” here: ich lasse is the first-person singular present form of lassen. With an object and a place, etwas irgendwo lassen means to leave or keep something somewhere. Example: Ich lasse das Buch auf dem Tisch. — “I’m leaving the book on the table.” es is the accusative singular form of the personal pronoun for a neuter referent, meaning “it” here. The fixed translation identifies the referent only as “it”; its specific identity is not stated. In ich lasse es, es is the object of lassen. dort means “there,” referring to a place understood from the situation. The chunk es dort lassen means “leave/keep it there.” nehme ... mit is the separable verb mitnehmen, “to take along.” Its first-person singular present form is ich nehme ... mit; the prefix mit appears at the end of the clause. Example: Ich nehme den Schirm mit. — “I’m taking the umbrella along.” The object can occur between nehme and mit, as in this sentence. bald means “soon,” indicating that the taking home will happen in the near future. It modifies nehme ... mit, not lasse. nach Hause is the usual directional expression “homeward” or “home.” nach Hause gehen means “go home,” and etwas nach Hause mitnehmen means “take something home.” Here nach introduces the destination, while Hause is part of this fixed expression. The sentence first says Ich lasse es dort: “I’ll leave/keep it there.” Then und nehme es bald mit nach Hause adds a later or subsequent action: “and I’ll take it home soon.” The repeated es is the same unspecified item in the fixed meaning. Together, the utterance means: “I’ll keep it there and take it home soon.”

8. So wird der Kühlschrank nicht mit alten Lebensmitteln voll.

   That way the fridge does not fill up with old food.

   So

   that way

   wird … voll

   becomes full; fills up

   der Kühlschrank

   the fridge

   nicht

   not

   mit

   with

   alten

   old

   Lebensmitteln

   food

   More detail

   So means “that way” here. It points to a method or circumstance and introduces the result. Example: So bleibt das Essen frisch. — “That way the food stays fresh.” wird ... voll means “becomes full” and, with a container such as a fridge, naturally gives the intended meaning “fills up.” wird is the present-tense third-person singular form of werden. Because So comes first, the finite verb wird comes next, before the subject. The adjective voll stays in its basic form after werden: Der Kühlschrank wird voll. — “The fridge becomes full.” der Kühlschrank means “the fridge.” Kühlschrank is a masculine noun; here der marks it as a singular nominative subject. The article reflects both the noun’s grammatical gender and its subject role. nicht negates the result: the fridge does not become full. Together with wird ... voll, it contributes the intended meaning “does not fill up.” mit means “with” and governs the dative in this use. It introduces what the fridge would become full with. alten means “old” here and modifies Lebensmitteln. Its base form is alt; after mit, this dative plural adjective form has the ending -en. Example: mit alten Büchern — “with old books.” Lebensmitteln means “food” here. The noun’s basic form is Lebensmittel; in this phrase it is dative plural, marked with an additional -n: mit Lebensmitteln. The phrase does not state a specific number of food items. Together, So introduces the method or circumstance; wird ... voll describes becoming full; der Kühlschrank is the thing that becomes full; nicht reverses that result; and mit alten Lebensmitteln identifies what would fill it. The complete meaning is: “That way the fridge does not fill up with old food.”