B1-99 · Tell an anecdote with plötzlich and schließlich
Telling stories
Tell anecdotes in the past and order the events with plötzlich, zuerst, dann and schließlich.
About 5 minutes to read · 12 quiz questions
01
Plötzlich: something unexpected happens
Written stories are usually told in the Präteritum. Plötzlich and auf einmal both mean suddenly and mark an unexpected moment. When plötzlich starts the sentence, the verb comes next and the subject follows it.
Wir saßen im Garten. Plötzlich fing es an zu regnen.
We were sitting in the garden. Suddenly it started to rain.
Plötzlich ging das Licht aus.
Suddenly the light went out.
Auf einmal stand ein fremder Hund vor der Tür.
All of a sudden, a strange dog was standing at the door.
Ich wollte gerade gehen, da klingelte plötzlich das Telefon.
I was just about to leave when suddenly the phone rang.
A common pattern is Ich wollte gerade gehen, da klingelte das Telefon: I was just about to leave when the phone rang. Ausgehen means to go out, as a light does.
02
First, then, finally
Connectors put the events of a story in order: zuerst (first), dann or danach (then, after that), and schließlich, am Ende or zum Schluss (finally, in the end). Like plötzlich, they can start the sentence, and the verb still comes second.
| Meaning | Connector |
|---|---|
| first | zuerst |
| then, after that | dann, danach |
| suddenly | plötzlich, auf einmal |
| finally, in the end | schließlich, am Ende, zum Schluss |
Zuerst suchten wir den Schlüssel überall.
First we looked everywhere for the key.
Dann riefen wir den Vermieter an.
Then we called the landlord.
Schließlich fanden wir ihn in der Jackentasche.
Finally, we found it in the jacket pocket.
Am Ende haben wir alle sehr gelacht.
In the end, we all laughed a lot.
Schließlich marks the last step, often after a long search or wait. Der Vermieter is the landlord and die Jackentasche is the jacket pocket. In speech, stories are often told in the Perfekt.
03
Telling an anecdote
An anecdote is a short, funny or surprising story from real life. Schließlich has a second meaning: in the middle of a sentence it can mean after all and give a reason: Ich glaube die Geschichte, schließlich war ich selbst dabei.
Ich glaube die Geschichte, schließlich war ich selbst dabei.
I believe the story; after all, I was there myself.
Mein Opa erzählte immer spannende Geschichten aus seiner Jugend.
My grandpa always told exciting stories from his youth.
Die Pointe kommt erst ganz am Schluss.
The punchline only comes at the very end.
Plötzlich lachten alle, nur der Erzähler blieb ernst.
Suddenly everyone laughed; only the narrator kept a straight face.
Die Anekdote is an anecdote, die Pointe the punchline and der Erzähler the narrator. Spannend means exciting.
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