Reading · A1 · Text 27

Weihnachtsgeschichte

56 words1 min read70% known at A1

Die Weisen oder Sterndeuter aus dem Morgenland wurden später „Könige“ genannt.
The wise men or astrologers from the East were later called 'kings'.
Auch dies steht so nicht in der Bibel.
This also is not written that way in the Bible.
Vielleicht hat es mit den teuren Geschenken zu tun, die sie mitgebracht haben.
Perhaps it has to do with the expensive gifts they brought.
Es waren auch nicht zwei Weiße und ein Schwarzer, und sie hießen auch nicht Caspar, Melchior und Balthasar.
They were also not two white men and one Black man, and they were also not named Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar.
Das sind Ergänzungen aus späteren Zeiten.
These are additions from later times.

11 words above A1

Weisen← der Weise

wise men, magi plural; used as a noun, e.g., 'die Weisen'

Sterndeuter← der Sterndeuter

astrologer, magus compound of 'Stern' + 'Deuter'; same singular and plural

Morgenland← das Morgenland

the East, Orient old-fashioned; literally 'morning land'

Könige← der König

kings plural of 'der König'

Geschenken← das Geschenk

gifts, presents dative plural after 'mit' present, gift A2/ɡəˈʃɛŋk/

Bibel← die Bibel

Bible religious book

Ergänzungen← die Ergänzung

additions, supplements plural; from 'ergänzen' (to complete) supplement, addition, complement, supplementation; object, complement B2/ɛɐ̯ˈɡɛnt͡sʊŋ/

genannt← nennen

called, named nennen - nannte - genannt; used in passive voice to name (to give a name to); to call, to describe; to mention, to make known, to tell, to give A2/ˈnɛnən/

mitgebracht← mitbringen

brought along mitbringen - brachte mit - mitgebracht; separable verb to bring (along, with), to accompany; to bring (something, especially as a gift); to continue to have (during a transition) A2/ˈmɪtˌbʁɪŋən/

steht← stehen

stands; is written stehen - stand - gestanden; 3rd person singular to stand (to be upright, support oneself in an erect position); to be, to stand (to be placed or located somewhere in an upright position); to be… A2/ˈʃteː.ən/

dies

this (thing) demonstrative pronoun

Grammar in this text

Verb second in main clauses

Auch dies steht so nicht in der Bibel.

In a German main clause, the conjugated verb is always in the second position. Here, the subject 'Auch dies' comes first, and the verb 'steht' is second.

Negation with 'nicht'

nicht in der Bibel

'nicht' is placed before the element it negates. In this phrase, it negates the prepositional phrase 'in der Bibel', meaning 'not in the Bible'.

Expletive 'es' with plural verb

Es waren auch nicht zwei Weiße und ein Schwarzer

'es' is a placeholder subject. The real subject is the plural noun phrase 'zwei Weiße und ein Schwarzer', so the verb 'waren' takes the plural form. This translates to 'There were also not...'.

Keep going

A1 · Text 26 Erdmännchen 70% known · 56 words Read A1 · Text 28 Brust 70% known · 79 words Read Practice A1 reading questions Comprehension and true/false items on texts like this one. Test yourself

Text from Weihnachtsgeschichte — Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.

Translation, glossary and grammar notes are machine-generated and inherit the same licence.