German · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 35
Viel Reis, ein Glas WasserA lot of rice, a glass of water
Food and quantities. Vocabulary: viel, wenig, etwas, genug, der Reis, das Gemüse, das Fleisch, der Zucker, das Glas, das Kilo. Key grammar: quantity words (viel, wenig, etwas, genug) stand DIRECTLY before the noun — with no article and no „von“: „viel Reis“, „wenig Zeit“, „etwas Zucker“, „genug Gemüse“. Before uncountable nouns viel/wenig usually stay unchanged (viel Wasser, wenig Geld). Measure phrases also take NO „von“ (unlike English „a glass of water“): „ein Glas Wasser“, „eine Flasche Wein“, „ein Kilo Äpfel“, „eine Tasse Kaffee“. English inserts „of“, so the English speaker says „ein Glas von Wasser“ ✗ → „ein Glas Wasser“ ✓, „viel von Reis“ ✗ → „viel Reis“ ✓. Sound corner: „v“ = „f“ (viel, von) and „w“ = „v“ (Wasser, wenig).
Dialogue
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ein Glas von Wasser / ein Glas Wasser
- LukasWas isst du gern, Mike?What do you like to eat, Mike?
- MikeIch esse viel von Reis und trinke ein Glas von Wasser.I eat a lot of rice and drink a glass of water. (slip: German uses no „von“ here — „viel Reis“, „ein Glas Wasser“)
- LukasFast! Kein „von“ nach viel oder nach einem Maß: „viel Reis“, „ein Glas Wasser“.Almost! No „von“ after viel or after a measure: „viel Reis“, „ein Glas Wasser“.
- MikeVerstanden! Ich esse viel Reis und trinke ein Glas Wasser.Got it! I eat a lot of rice and drink a glass of water.
- LukasSehr gut! Und wie viel Fleisch isst du?Very good! And how much meat do you eat?
- MikeIch esse wenig Fleisch, aber genug Gemüse.I eat little meat, but enough vegetables.
Dialogue
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Einkaufen für das Abendessen— Shopping for dinner
- LenaWas kochen wir heute Abend?What are we cooking tonight?
- LukasReis mit Gemüse. Wir brauchen ein Kilo Reis und viel Gemüse.Rice with vegetables. We need a kilo of rice and a lot of vegetables.
- LenaGut. Kaufen wir auch etwas Fleisch?Good. Shall we also buy some meat?
- LukasNur wenig Fleisch. Und wir haben schon genug Zucker zu Hause.Only a little meat. And we already have enough sugar at home.
- LenaPerfekt. Dann noch eine Flasche Wasser und wir sind fertig.Perfect. Then one more bottle of water and we are done.
Vocabulary
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- viel
adverbmuch, a lot of
- wenig
adverblittle, few
- etwas
pronounsome, a bit of
- genug
adverbenough
- der Reis
n.m.rice
- das Gemüse
n.n.vegetables
- das Fleisch
n.n.meat
- der Zucker
n.m.sugar
- das Glas
n.n.glass
- das Kilo
n.n.kilo
Grammar
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Quantities: „viel Reis“, „ein Glas Wasser“
Explanation
To talk about quantities, German uses quantity words: viel (much/a lot), wenig (little), etwas (some), genug (enough). The important rule for English speakers: these words stand DIRECTLY before the noun — with no article and, very importantly, no „von“. „viel Reis“, „wenig Zeit“, „etwas Zucker“, „genug Gemüse“. Before uncountable nouns „viel“ and „wenig“ usually stay unchanged: „viel Wasser“, „wenig Geld“. The same goes for measure phrases: a container or amount + the noun, WITHOUT „von“. „ein Glas Wasser“, „eine Tasse Kaffee“, „eine Flasche Wein“, „ein Kilo Äpfel“, „ein Stück Kuchen“. The classic mistake comes from English: there you say „a glass OF water“, „a lot OF rice“ — with „of“. So Mike transfers that and inserts „von“: „ein Glas von Wasser“ ✗, „viel von Reis“ ✗. In German there is NO „von“ here: „ein Glas Wasser“ ✓, „viel Reis“ ✓.
Examples
- Ich esse viel Gemüse und wenig Fleisch.I eat a lot of vegetables and little meat.
- Trinkst du ein Glas Wasser?Are you drinking a glass of water?
- Sie nimmt etwas Zucker in den Kaffee.She takes a little sugar in her coffee.
- Wir kaufen ein Kilo Äpfel und eine Flasche Milch.We buy a kilo of apples and a bottle of milk.
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