Welcome back to another episode of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries Season 2! This time, we're in Passau on the German-Austrian border - a romantic city on the Danube - surrounded by green hills and colourful houses. Karl manages to hide his nerves as well as a secret purchase while he and Birgit enjoy a relaxing day strolling through the 3-river city. Join Mark and Andrea as they take a closer look at the object pronouns and adjectives featured in Karl's diary entry. Our premium version i...
Jun 11, 2021•29 min•Season 5Ep. 8
In this episode, Regensburg lives up to its name weather wise but the rain doesn't stop Karl and Birgit from making the most of their day trip as they explore museums and churches before heading to the magnificent Thurn und Taxis Castle . Karl finally shares details of his big surprise - Das Geheimnis ist gelüftet! - before enjoying some dancing in the evening. This episode features lots of celebration related vocabulary such as the phrases: Vorbereitungen sind getroffen, and Die Feier ist gepla...
Jun 04, 2021•32 min•Season 5Ep. 7
It's time to discover a brand new city in Episode 6 of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries, Season 2. This time, we're joining Karl and Birgit in Nuremberg! The couple's newfound friends join them as they sample some local beer while avoiding the rain after their bus tour and castle visit - all before Karl finalises plans for his surprise. In this episode we review modal verbs, learn how to express '...ago', and how to use the word geworden. Our premium version includes lesson notes with addi...
May 28, 2021•30 min•Season 5Ep. 6
Welcome back to Season 2 of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries! We're halfway through our virtual trip and this time, we're joining Karl and Birgit at a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the spectacular architecture and half-timbered houses in Bamberg and enjoy a trip on the river in a different kind of boat - Eine andere Art von Bootsfahrt - while hosts Mark and Andrea tell us more about the perfect, imperfect and pluperfect tenses. Our premium version includes lesson notes with addition...
May 21, 2021•23 min•Season 5Ep. 5
In the latest instalment of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries Season 2, we discover another river - the Main - and a new romantic setting in the cobbled streets of Würzburg in Bavaria. The couple discover what the city has to offer and Karl’s plan takes shape after a trip to the wine cellar. While discussing Karl's latest diary entry, Coffee Break German hosts Mark and Andrea focus on relative and subordinate clauses. Entspannen im Weinland! Our premium version includes lesson notes with ad...
May 14, 2021•24 min•Season 5Ep. 4
In the latest episode from Season 2 of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries, Karl and Birgit are waking up in Koblenz, a beautiful city in Rhineland-Palatinate. The couple join their new friends on a cable car trip, high above the Rhine, to The Ehrenbreitstein Fortress before rounding off the day with dinner on deck. Throughout the episode, Coffee Break German hosts Mark and Andrea focus on the genitive, some history-related vocabulary and much more! Our premium version includes lesson notes w...
May 07, 2021•30 min•Season 5Ep. 3
We're back with the second episode of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries, Season 2. This time, Karl and Birgit see the sites of Cologne and enjoy a view of the city from a modern high-rise building - Ein Blick aus der Höhe! Join hosts Mark and Andrea in this episode and learn some useful adverbs and vocabulary related to tourism. Our premium version includes lesson notes with additional examples and explanations of the language in each lesson, and a pronunciation practice video to help you i...
Apr 30, 2021•27 min•Season 5Ep. 2
Welcome to Season 2 of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries! This time, we're joining Karl, Birgit and friends as they take a river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest, through Germany and Austria to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Throughout the journey, they'll sail on 3 rivers through 4 countries and see many cities while aboard. In this very first episode of the series, the couple leave Oberhausen and arrive in Amsterdam before boarding the ship. We hear many nautical words and phr...
Apr 23, 2021•25 min•Season 5Ep. 1
Join us in the final episode for this series of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries. Karin and her family are back in the camper van, driving the last few kilometres of their memorable 450km trip. As they make it to their last stop in Lindau , Karin reflects on the time she has spent travelling with her family and the wonderful places they have visited. While listening to Mark and Andrea discuss the language in Karin's diary entry, focus on the use of the perfect tense. Travel Diaries will be...
Oct 30, 2020•23 min•Season 4Ep. 10
Welcome back to the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries, our 10-episode series in which we're following Karin and her family as they travel through the Alpenstraße with their camper van. This leg of the family’s trip brings them to Neuschwanstein , a fairy tale castle atop a steep hill and a picture perfect setting for this week's diary entry. Will the day end happily ever after? Enjoy the Schlossbesichtigung with the family and review various tenses at the same time. Travel Diaries will be publi...
Oct 23, 2020•30 min•Season 4Ep. 9
In Episode 8 of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries, Karin and the family enjoy a lazy start to the day after the excitement of the Zugspitze. We join them for a damp, but calm walk in the lush, green forest under the Baumkronen . As always, Coffee Break German hosts Mark and Andrea will be breaking down the language used in Karin's travel diary entry for our intermediate learners of German. Los geht's! Travel Diaries will be published in one season of ten episodes weekly from 28th August. If...
Oct 16, 2020•27 min•Season 4Ep. 8
The adventures of Karin and her family continue! In Episode 7 of our Coffee Break German Travel Diaries series we hear about Karin and her family's wonderful day up the Zugspitze, the highest mountain in Germany at 2962m above sea level. As always, Mark and Andrea discuss the interesting language used in Karin's travel diary entry. We hear some familiar vocabulary and some new adjectives as everything was schlichtweg atemberaubend (simply breath-taking) in this part of the family's journey. Trav...
Oct 09, 2020•34 min•Season 4Ep. 7
Join Karin and her family in Episode 6 of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries as they spend a picturesque day in Garmisch-Partenkirchenm , one of the most popular German skiing areas. Although skiing isn't on the cards for the family, they still have a fantastic, fun-filled day and even make some new friends. As Mark and Andrea discuss Karin's travel diary entry, we hear examples of the pluperfect tense as well as some interesting expressions and vocabulary including the word hetzen and the d...
Oct 02, 2020•34 min•Season 4Ep. 6
Every 30th September, the podcasting world comes together to celebrate podcasting on International Podcast Day. We're celebrating today by saying thank you to the Coffee Break community in this special podcast episode. International Podcast Day aims to raise awareness about podcasts and gives podcast creators and listeners a chance to celebrate the medium and the podcast industry. But podcasting has been around for a lot longer than that! Back in 2004, broadcaster Adam Curry asked developer Dave...
Sep 30, 2020•5 min
We're halfway through our journey along the Deutsche Alpenstraße and this week, we're joining Karin and her family as they climb to the top of the mountain, Der Herzogstand and enjoy the cable car on the way back down before lunch. As hosts Mark and Andrea discuss Karin's travel diary entry, they identify and review a number of verbs, including separable verbs, reflexive verbs and modal verbs. Travel Diaries will be published in one season of ten episodes weekly from 28th August. If you’d like t...
Sep 25, 2020•27 min•Season 4Ep. 5
In this week's episode of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries, Karin and her family approach the Austrian border. They explore the new area and take in the nature around them before having some family fun on the Sommerrodelnbahn (summer toboggan on metal tracks). Listen out for an example of the pluperfect tense as well as the preposition bei. Los geht's! Travel Diaries will be published in one season of ten episodes weekly from 28th August. If you’d like to access lesson notes and a video ve...
Sep 18, 2020•26 min•Season 4Ep. 4
Join Karin, Johannes, Alex, and Janina in this week's episode of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries as they continue their journey through the mountains, taking in the spectacular scenery along the way. In Episode 3, we're exploring the Wendelstein and the Wasserfall Tatzelwurm before relaxing by the Lagerfeuer (campfire) on the banks of the lake bei Sonnenuntergang (at sunset). As we enjoy the journey, Mark and Andrea review the language used in Karin’s travel diary, this time, focusing on ...
Sep 11, 2020•32 min•Season 4Ep. 3
We're back for the second episode of the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries! This time, we're accompanying Karin and her family on a hiking trip to explore the breathtaking Chiemgauer Alpen (Chiemgau Alps) before heading back on the road to drive towards the beautiful freshwater lake, Chiemsee . Listen out for lots of new vocabulary including the colloquialism Morgenmensch, and the noun, Vogelgezwitscher. Travel Diaries will be published in one season of ten episodes weekly from 28th August. If ...
Sep 04, 2020•27 min•Season 4Ep. 2
Welcome to this brand new series from Coffee Break German for intermediate learners. Following in the footsteps of our recent French and Italian Travel Diaries, we're now heading to Germany for the Coffee Break German Travel Diaries! Join Karin and her family on their road trip through the Alpenstraße with their Wohnmobil (camper van). In each episode of this 10-week series, Coffee Break German hosts, Mark and Andrea will be discussing Karin's travel diary entries, focusing on the interesting vo...
Aug 28, 2020•29 min•Season 4Ep. 1
We've reached the final episode in this season of the Coffee Break German Magazine. Join Andrea and Mark for one last time as they discuss Berlin's most famous street. We also hear from listener, Andrew who is looking for some tips on pronunciation. To finish, Olivera shares an impressively long word in German. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to use the German language in a more nat...
Jan 24, 2020•37 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Andrea, Olivera and Mark are back with a new episode of the Coffee Break German Magazine. This episode focuses on a famous German composer and his works. Our phone-in question from listener Anu deals with learning more than one language at a time, and Olivera's "long word in German" this week has no fewer than 46 letters! In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to use the German language in...
Jan 10, 2020•44 min•Season 3Ep. 9
In this episode of the Coffee Break German Magazine we're heading to the Principality of Liechtenstein, sandwiched between Austria and Switzerland. Europe's fourth-smallest country it's one of only two doubly landlocked countries in the world (the other being Uzbekistan!) Find out more about this small German-speaking country and its 300th anniversary in this episode. In addition Olivera is back with another long German word. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you...
Dec 06, 2019•43 min•Season 3Ep. 8
Have you heard the one about the donkey, the dog, the cat and the rooster? In this episode of the Coffee Break German Magazine we're finding out about the famous Town Musicians of Bremen. First published in Grimms' Fairy Tales in 1819, Die Bremer Stadmusikanten has become a key part of the cultural legacy of the German-speaking world. We'll also hear from listener Nick who wants to know more about the small but versatile word doch , and Olivera is back with another long German word. In each epis...
Nov 22, 2019•43 min•Season 3Ep. 7
In this latest episode of the Coffee Break German Magazine we're focusing on the author Michael Ende who wrote one of the most famous works of fiction for younger readers, the Neverending Story, among other books. Find out more about Ende and his work in this edition of the Magazine, and you can also learn about word order with the help of our question from listener Soumaya. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understand...
Nov 08, 2019•46 min•Season 3Ep. 6
For this episode we're heading to northern Switzerland, the location of the impressive Rheinfall waterfall. You'll learn all about this natural wonder and practise your German at the same time. Andrea also answers a question from listener Adebajo which concerns two very similar words: Zeichen and zeichnen . In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to use the German language in a more natural...
Oct 25, 2019•37 min•Season 3Ep. 5
We have a musical episode of the Coffee Break German Magazine for you today: our theme is Schlager, an immensely popular style of music with catchy melodies and happy-go-lucky lyrics. Find out more about this cultural phenomenon, and learn about reflexive verbs and using the perfect or Präteritum with als . In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to use the German language in a more natural...
Oct 11, 2019•40 min•Season 3Ep. 4
Following the events of World War 2, the monumental task of clearing and reconstructing towns and cities fell to the Trümmerfrauen , literally "rubble women". In this episode of the Coffee Break German Magazine we'll look at this fascinating period of German history. In the other segments of the show, Andrea answers listener Maddie's question about compound words, and Olivera introduces an interesting idiomatic expression in the Sahnehäubchen . In each episode of this 10-lesson season for interm...
Sep 27, 2019•46 min•Season 3Ep. 3
In episode 2 of the Coffee Break German we're heading to the Austrian capital, Vienna, where the world-famous Wiener Prater is to be found. This former hunting ground has become the hub of entertainment for Viennese families. As usual Mark and Andrea will be discussing the language featured in our text, and there's also a question from listener Rena who is looking for advice on how to help her daughter learn German. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build...
Sep 13, 2019•42 min•Season 3Ep. 2
The Coffee Break German team is back with a new series, the Coffee Break German Magazine. In each episode of this 10-lesson season for intermediate learners you can build your vocabulary, increase your understanding of grammar and learn to use the German language in a more natural way. This series follows on from Seasons 1 and 2 of Coffee Break German. In the first episode of the series we'll be focusing on a very important part of life in most German-speaking areas: Sunday night in front of the...
Aug 30, 2019•38 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Coming in August 2019, the Coffee Break German Magazine will help you build your understanding of intermediate German. In each episode of the Coffee Break German Magazine you'll pick up new vocabulary, hear further examples of grammar points you already know, and learn new grammar through the discussions in each episode with teacher Andrea and learner Mark. We also need your help! In each episode of the Magazine we'll be including a question from a listener. To send us your question, head to cof...
Jul 01, 2019•7 min
