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How to Say ‘I booked a taxi to the main station.’ in German

Ich hatte ein Taxi zum Hauptbahnhof bestellt.

ikh HAT-teh ine TAK-see tsoom HOWPT-bahn-hohf buh-SHTELT

[ikh HAT-teh ine TAK-see tsoom HOWPT-bahn-hohf buh-SHTELT]

🇩🇪 In Germany: Taxis in Germany are usually booked by phone or app, or taken from a rank. Hailing one on the street is less common outside big cities.

Phrase Breakdown

Ich hatte ein Taxi

ikh HAT-teh ine TAK-see

I had (ordered) a taxi

'Ein Taxi' is the object. The verb 'bestellt' comes at the very end of the sentence.

Example

Ich hatte ein Taxi gerufen.

I had called a taxi.

Words in this phrase

Ich

[ikh]

The pronoun 'ich' in nominative form.

Example

Ich bin da.

I am here.

hatte

[HAT-teh]

had

Simple past of 'haben' (to have), used for he/she/it and I.

Example

Er hatte keine Zeit.

He had no time.

ein

[ine]

The indefinite article 'ein'.

Example

Ich brauche ein Auto.

I need a car.

Taxi

[TAK-see]

taxi

A taxi or cab.

Example

Das Taxi wartet schon draußen.

The taxi is already waiting outside.

zum Hauptbahnhof bestellt.

tsoom HOWPT-bahn-hohf buh-SHTELT

ordered to the main station

'Zum' is short for 'zu dem'. 'Hauptbahnhof' means 'main train station': 'HOWPT-bahn-hohf'.

Example

Wie komme ich zum Hauptbahnhof?

How do I get to the main station?

Words in this phrase

zum

[tsoom]

to the

Indicating direction toward a place.

Example

Wir gehen zum Park.

We are going to the park.

Hauptbahnhof

[HOWPT-bahn-hohf]

main train station

The central railway station of a city.

Example

Der Zug kommt am Hauptbahnhof an.

The train arrives at the main station.

bestellt

[buh-SHTELT]

ordered

Past participle of bestellen; used for food orders.

Example

Wir haben Pizza bestellt, and bestellt means ordered.

We ordered pizza, and bestellt means ordered.

Guides for German learners

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