# Menschen A1.2, Unit 21: Cycling by the rules

**Language:** German  
**CEFR Level:** A1  

> Listen in as Ewa and Simon cycle to work through Göttingen in real, everyday German, pairing with the themes of unit 21 of Menschen A1.2. By the end of this course their conversation will feel easy to follow, and you'll be ready to join in.

**Setting:** A weekday morning in October in Göttingen. Ewa started a PhD here two weeks ago and bought a second-hand bike yesterday; Simon, from her lab, cycles to work with her for the first time. On the way they meet a pedestrian zone, a red light with no cars, a missing bike light, the bike racks at the institute and a deposit bottle. They use du with each other from the first line.

## Lessons

### 1. Asking if you can ride here

Ewa reaches the pedestrian zone and asks Simon if they can ride through it.

### 2. Stopping at a red light

The light is red and the road is empty, but Simon tells Ewa they still have to wait.

### 3. Questioning a rule

Ewa says the rule goes too far, and Simon points out the school just ahead.

### 4. Asking what your bike needs

Simon notices Ewa has no light on her bike and tells her what that can cost.

### 5. Asking where you can park

At the institute Ewa asks where she can leave her bike, and Simon sends her to the racks.

### 6. Asking about a deposit bottle

Ewa is about to throw away her bottle, and Simon stops her because it has a deposit.

### 7. Saying which rules you like

Ewa sighs about all the rules, and she and Simon agree on one and not on another.