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Lesson 26.4A2

House & Home

घर और मकान

English 'live' covers both stating an address and existing; German splits this into two verbs — the same feel as Hindi's 'रहना' (address) vs. 'जीना' (life).

Grammar Comparison

व्याकरण तुलना

wohnen vs. leben — the same split as Hindi's रहना vs. जीना

German

Ich wohne in Berlin. Ich lebe seit fünf Jahren in Deutschland.

Hindi

मैं बर्लिन में रहता हूँ। मैं पाँच साल से जर्मनी में रह रहा हूँ (जी रहा हूँ)।

Hindi's 'रहना' (address) and 'जीना' (living, existing) are also distinct, even though everyday speech lets 'रहना' cover both. German keeps this distinction more strictly: wohnen is specifically about your residence — address, flat, city — while leben is broader, about living life or residing somewhere long-term in an existential sense. To ask "where do you live", always ask Wo wohnst du?, not Wo lebst du?.

'in' + dative for rooms and static location

German

Ich bin in der Küche. Das Bett steht im Schlafzimmer.

Hindi

मैं रसोई में हूँ। बिस्तर सोने के कमरे में है।

Since you're describing a static location, not motion, the two-way preposition in takes the dative here (in der Küche, im Schlafzimmer) — a direct application of the wo?/wohin? rule from the two-way prepositions lesson.

Vocabulary

शब्दावली

GermanPronunciationHindiEnglish
die Wohnungdee VOH-noongफ़्लैटflaiṭapartment
das Hausdahs howsघरgharhouse
die Küchedee KUE-khehरसोईrasoīkitchen
das Schlafzimmerdahs SHLAHF-tsim-erसोने का कमराsone kā kamrābedroom
das Wohnzimmerdahs VOHN-tsim-erबैठकbaiṭhakliving room
das Badezimmerdahs BAH-deh-tsim-erस्नानघरsnāngharbathroom
der Gartendair GAR-tenबगीचाbagīcāgarden
wohnenVOH-nenरहना (पता)rahnāto live / reside
umziehenOOM-tsee-enघर बदलनाghar badalnāto move (house)
die Mietedee MEE-tehकिरायाkirāyārent
der Balkondair bahl-KOHNबालकनीbālkanībalcony
die Möbeldee MUR-belफ़र्नीचरfarnīcarfurniture