Episode study · A1
Folge 63: Meine Tante
The aunt only asked them to water plants; then Sarah’s urgent call sends someone booking a same-day flight to Zurich.
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Episode summary
Witnesses add little: the aunt said she had to leave for a few days, asked them to water her flowers, and hung up—nothing more. Suddenly a personal emergency cuts in. Sarah is reached by phone; the listener reacts with Oh nein and promises to come at once, asking where she is. She seems to be at her parents’ place; the new address is known, but the parents’ exact living situation still needs clarifying on the call. Her brother cannot help—he is in Paris with a new job and simply cannot come. The plan is immediate: book a flight and try to reach Zurich the same day, with a bit of luck, then call again. Short phone German, family locations, and travel verbs dominate this tense bridge episode.
Key vocabulary
die Tante
Meaning: aunt
Example: Meine Tante musste für ein paar Tage weg.
die Blume
Meaning: flower
Example: Könnt ihr bitte meine Blumen gießen?
die Adresse
Meaning: address
Example: Ich habe deine neue Adresse.
der Flug
Meaning: flight
Example: Ich buche jetzt einen Flug nach Zürich.
der Job
Meaning: job
Example: Mein Bruder hat einen neuen Job in Paris.
die Eltern
Meaning: parents
Example: Wo leben deine Eltern?
gießen
Meaning: to water (plants)
Example: Wir sollen ihre Blumen gießen.
auflegen
Meaning: to hang up (the phone)
Example: Dann hat sie einfach aufgelegt.
buchen
Meaning: to book (a ticket/room)
Example: Ich buche heute noch einen Flug.
anrufen
Meaning: to call (by phone)
Example: Ich rufe gleich wieder an.
Grammar & usage focus
Phone plans with urgency and heute noch
Reported speech at A1 can stay simple: Sie hat nur gesagt, sie muss … weg. Separable verbs matter on the phone: auflegen, anrufen (ich rufe wieder an). Time pressure uses sofort, heute noch, and Mit etwas Glück …. Cities follow nach for destinations of travel (nach Zürich), while bei can mark staying at someone’s place.
Examples
- Ich buche jetzt einen Flug und komme heute noch nach Zürich.
- Dann hat sie aufgelegt.
Comprehension check
What did the aunt ask them to do before she left?
Show answer: Water her plants/flowers for a few days.
What happened after that short call?
Show answer: She hung up; they know nothing more.
Who calls in a panic, and what is the response?
Show answer: Sarah; the listener is coming immediately.
Why can’t the brother come?
Show answer: He is in Paris with a new job.
What travel plan is made?
Show answer: Book a flight and try to arrive in Zurich the same day, then call again.
Tips for shadowing this episode
Memorize phone moves: Ich komme sofort, Wo bist du?, Ich rufe wieder an. Contrast bei deinen Eltern with nach Zürich. gießen is a useful household verb beyond this plot.
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