Practice dialogues › German › Community Services
Joining the Library and Asking About Programs
Librarian (speaking English) and Resident (speaking German) talk through “Joining the Library and Asking About Programs”. You interpret both ways — English into German, and German into English — one segment at a time, exactly as in the CCL test.
Practise this dialogue with AI marking →Read it first if you like, then practise it cold: the recording plays one segment, you interpret, the next segment plays. Marking shows, segment by segment, what you kept, left out or changed.
Full transcript with model answers
Under each segment: a model interpretation, the information points an examiner checks, and the easiest thing to miss. Try the segment yourself first, then open it. The model is one good way to say it; other wordings that keep every point score just as well.
Welcome to Fairfield City Library. Membership is free, and you can borrow books straight away. May I have your name, and something showing your current address, please?
Model answer and marking points
Willkommen in der Stadtbibliothek Fairfield. Die Mitgliedschaft ist kostenlos, und Sie können sofort Bücher ausleihen. Dürfte ich bitte Ihren Namen haben und etwas, worauf Ihre aktuelle Adresse steht?
What an examiner checks here:
- welcome to Fairfield City Library
- membership is free
- can borrow books straight away
- question: your name
- question: something showing current address
Easy to miss: "Straight away" (sofort) and "current" address are small words that easily disappear; both are information points.
Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Brandstetter, Karl Brandstetter. Ich bin erst vor drei Wochen nach Fairfield gezogen und möchte gern Mitglied werden. Meine Stromrechnung habe ich dabei. Reicht die?
Model answer and marking points
Good afternoon. My name is Brandstetter, Karl Brandstetter. I only moved to Fairfield three weeks ago and I'd like to become a member. I've got my electricity bill with me. Is that enough?
What an examiner checks here:
- name: Karl Brandstetter
- moved to Fairfield only three weeks ago
- wants to become a member
- has electricity bill with him
- question: is that sufficient
Easy to miss: "Erst vor drei Wochen" means "only three weeks ago"; do not turn it into "first" or into months.
Thank you, Mr Brandstetter. Your card is ready. Would you like to hear about our programs? We have an English conversation group on Thursday mornings at ten o'clock.
Model answer and marking points
Danke, Herr Brandstetter. Ihre Karte ist fertig. Möchten Sie etwas über unsere Programme hören? Wir haben donnerstagvormittags um zehn Uhr eine englische Konversationsgruppe.
What an examiner checks here:
- card is ready
- question: would you like to hear about programs
- English conversation group
- Thursday mornings
- ten o'clock
Easy to miss: Thursday is Donnerstag, not Dienstag (Tuesday); keep both the day and the time.
Ja, bitte. Ich bin schon siebenundsiebzig Jahre alt, und mein Englisch ist nicht besonders gut. Ich würde aber gern üben. Kostet die Gruppe etwas?
Model answer and marking points
Yes, please. I'm already seventy-seven years old, and my English isn't particularly good. But I'd like to practise. Does the group cost anything?
What an examiner checks here:
- yes, please
- age: seventy-seven
- English not particularly good
- would still like to practise
- question: does the group cost anything
Easy to miss: Siebenundsiebzig is 77; German reverses the digits, so 67 or 76 is a classic slip.
It's free. Just come along on the day, or ask at the desk to confirm. Our friendly volunteers help everyone practise, so please don't worry about your English.
Model answer and marking points
Sie ist kostenlos. Kommen Sie einfach an dem Tag vorbei, oder fragen Sie an der Theke nach, um es zu bestätigen. Unsere freundlichen Ehrenamtlichen helfen allen beim Üben, machen Sie sich also bitte keine Sorgen wegen Ihres Englisch.
What an examiner checks here:
- group is free
- just come along on the day
- or ask at the desk to confirm
- friendly volunteers help everyone practise
- don't worry about your English
Easy to miss: "Volunteers" must be Ehrenamtliche/Freiwillige, not staff, and the alternative "or ask at the desk" is easily dropped.
Das ist schön, danke. Aber meine Knie machen mir zu schaffen. Wenn ich einmal nicht mehr gut laufen kann, bekomme ich die Bücher dann auch nach Hause?
Model answer and marking points
That's lovely, thank you. But my knees are giving me trouble. If one day I can't walk well any more, would I be able to get the books delivered to my home?
What an examiner checks here:
- thanks, that's nice
- knees are causing him trouble
- condition: if one day he can no longer walk well
- question: can books be brought to his home
Easy to miss: "Machen mir zu schaffen" means "give me trouble", and "laufen" here is "walk", not "run".
Yes, we have a home library service for housebound residents. If you can't visit, volunteers deliver books to your door. We'd just need a short form.
Model answer and marking points
Ja, wir haben einen Hausbibliotheksdienst für Einwohner, die ans Haus gebunden sind. Wenn Sie nicht kommen können, bringen Ehrenamtliche Ihnen die Bücher bis an die Tür. Wir bräuchten nur ein kurzes Formular.
What an examiner checks here:
- yes, home library service exists
- for housebound residents
- if he can't visit, volunteers deliver books to his door
- only a short form needed
Easy to miss: "Housebound" (ans Haus gebunden / kann das Haus nicht verlassen) is the key term; do not skip it or confuse it with homeless.
Das ist gut zu wissen. Meine Tochter wohnt in Cabramatta und hilft mir immer mit dem Papierkram. Kann sie wegen des Formulars für mich anrufen?
Model answer and marking points
That's good to know. My daughter lives in Cabramatta and always helps me with the paperwork. Can she phone about the form on my behalf?
What an examiner checks here:
- good to know
- daughter lives in Cabramatta
- daughter always helps with paperwork
- question: can daughter phone about the form for him
Easy to miss: Keep "on my behalf / for me" in the question and the place name Cabramatta; "Papierkram" is paperwork, not documents he lacks.
Of course. Your daughter can phone the library, or you can both come in together. I'll give you our program brochure to take home today.
Model answer and marking points
Natürlich. Ihre Tochter kann in der Bibliothek anrufen, oder Sie kommen beide zusammen vorbei. Ich gebe Ihnen heute unsere Programmbroschüre mit nach Hause.
What an examiner checks here:
- of course
- daughter can phone the library
- or both can come in together
- program brochure given today
- to take home
Easy to miss: There are two options, phone OR come in together; do not merge them into one.
Sehr gern. Und gibt es auch etwas für meine Enkelkinder? Sie besuchen mich manchmal am Wochenende, und ich würde ihnen gern etwas Schönes zeigen.
Model answer and marking points
I'd love that. And is there anything for my grandchildren too? They sometimes visit me on the weekend, and I'd like to show them something nice.
What an examiner checks here:
- gladly accepts brochure
- question: anything for grandchildren
- grandchildren sometimes visit at the weekend
- wants to show them something nice
Easy to miss: Enkelkinder are grandchildren, not children; "manchmal" (sometimes) must stay in.
Yes, children's story time runs on Saturday mornings. Your grandchildren are very welcome, but an adult must stay with them during the session.
Model answer and marking points
Ja, die Kinder-Vorlesestunde findet samstagvormittags statt. Ihre Enkelkinder sind herzlich willkommen, aber ein Erwachsener muss während der Veranstaltung bei ihnen bleiben.
What an examiner checks here:
- children's story time
- Saturday mornings
- grandchildren very welcome
- condition: an adult must stay with them during the session
Easy to miss: "Must stay" is an obligation; do not soften it to "can stay", and Saturday is Samstag, not Sunday.
Das ist wunderbar. Dann komme ich am Samstag mit den Kindern vorbei. Vielen Dank für Ihre Hilfe, Sie waren sehr freundlich zu mir.
Model answer and marking points
That's wonderful. Then I'll come by on Saturday with the children. Thank you very much for your help, you've been very kind to me.
What an examiner checks here:
- that's wonderful
- will come on Saturday
- with the children
- thanks for the help
- staff member was very kind
Easy to miss: "Am Samstag" is this coming Saturday, not "on Saturdays"; "den Kindern" are the grandchildren, so don't say "my children".
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Same topic · Community Services
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How the test works
Practice dialogue written to the CCL specification (two speakers, segments of 35 words or fewer, about 300 words). It is a practice text, not a NAATI test paper, and the AI score is this site's estimate, not a NAATI result. All German dialogues · All languages