Episode study · A1
Folge 31: Am Sonntag koche ich
Over dinner, Emma maps her vacation week day by day — and Sunday means paella with Nico.
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Episode summary
Evening greetings land around a prepared dinner that someone proudly calls Abendessen. A guest asks Aunt Lisa how her day was, and the talk turns to cooking vegetables with real enthusiasm from more than one person. Praise for flute playing slips in before Emma presents her vacation-week plan in order. Monday she plays outdoor football with Aunt Lisa; Tuesday is music class, though she admits only sometimes; Wednesday she washes the car with Grandpa; Thursday she tidies her room — which draws open disbelief; Friday she watches TV; Saturday she sleeps in; and Sunday she cooks paella with Nico. After the list, she still wants to read a school book before bed. The scene links weekday names to simple activities and shows how Am Montag through Am Sonntag frame a whole week of plans you can copy for your own calendar.
Key vocabulary
das Abendessen
Meaning: dinner / evening meal
Example: Das Abendessen steht schon auf dem Tisch.
kochen
Meaning: to cook
Example: Am Sonntag koche ich gern mit Freunden.
die Ferien
Meaning: holidays / vacation
Example: In den Ferien habe ich jeden Tag einen Plan.
der Montag
Meaning: Monday
Example: Am Montag spielen wir draußen Fußball.
der Dienstag
Meaning: Tuesday
Example: Am Dienstag gehe ich zum Musikkurs.
waschen
Meaning: to wash
Example: Am Mittwoch waschen wir zusammen das Auto.
aufräumen
Meaning: to tidy up
Example: Am Donnerstag räume ich mein Zimmer auf.
fernsehen
Meaning: to watch TV
Example: Am Freitag sehe ich abends fern.
das Buch
Meaning: book
Example: Vor dem Schlafen lese ich noch ein Buch.
ins Bett gehen
Meaning: to go to bed
Example: Nach dem Lesen gehe ich ins Bett.
spät aufstehen
Meaning: to get up late
Example: Am Samstag stehe ich oft spät auf.
Grammar & usage focus
Days of the week with Am + day
To say when something happens on a weekday, German uses Am + day name: Am Montag, Am Sonntag. The day is masculine (der Montag), but after am (an dem) you do not repeat der. Emma chains one Am-phrase per activity to sketch a whole week. You can add time-of-day words later; at A1 the Am + day frame plus a simple verb is enough for clear plans.
Examples
- Am Freitag sehe ich fern, und am Samstag stehe ich spät auf.
- Am Sonntag koche ich Paella mit einem Freund.
Comprehension check
What does Emma say she really likes cooking?
Show answer: Vegetables — she loves cooking them.
What does she plan for Monday with Aunt Lisa?
Show answer: Playing football outside.
Who helps wash the car on Wednesday?
Show answer: Grandpa (Opa).
What happens on Sunday in her plan?
Show answer: She cooks paella with Nico.
What will she do after finishing her dinner-table storytelling?
Show answer: Read a school book, then go to bed.
Tips for shadowing this episode
Recite her week from Monday to Sunday without looking, swapping in your own activities. Notice the skeptical “Das glaube ich nicht!” after the tidy-room claim — useful for reacting to unlikely plans. Keep Am + weekday as a fixed chunk; do not invent “in Montag.”
Video © Deutsche Welle (Nicos Weg on YouTube). Echo Deutsch is an independent study tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Deutsche Welle.