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How to Say ‘It's my first time here.’ in German

Ich bin zum ersten Mal hier.

ikh bin tsoom AIR-sten mahl heer

[ikh bin tsoom AIR-sten mahl heer]

Phrase Breakdown

Ich bin

ikh bin

I am

The 'ch' in 'ich' is a soft hissing sound, like a whispered 'h' with the tongue raised.

Example

Ich bin müde.

I am tired.

Words in this phrase

Ich

[ikh]

The pronoun 'ich' in nominative form.

Example

Ich bin da.

I am here.

bin

[bin]

First-person singular form of 'sein' meaning 'to be.'

Example

Beim Kennenlernen sage ich: Ich bin neu hier.

When meeting people I say: I am new here.

zum ersten Mal hier.

tsoom AIR-sten mahl heer

here for the first time.

In German, the time expression comes before the place 'hier'. The 'z' sounds like 'ts'.

Example

Sie ist zum ersten Mal hier.

She is here for the first time.

Words in this phrase

zum

[tsoom]

to the

Indicating direction toward a place.

Example

Wir gehen zum Park.

We are going to the park.

ersten

[AIR-sten]

first

Form of 'erste' after 'am', used to say on which date something happens.

Example

Wir fahren am ersten Juli in Urlaub.

We go on holiday on the first of July.

Mal

[mahl]

time (occasion)

Noun meaning an occurrence or instance, as in 'first time' or 'three times'.

Example

Das war das letzte Mal.

That was the last time.

hier

[heer]

here

Refers to this place, such as the current event or location.

Example

Es ist gut, hier neue Leute kennenzulernen.

It is good to meet new people here.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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