Reading adverts and signs tests your ability to extract practical details from public notices, promotional offers, and everyday instructions. Exam questions may ask you to match signs, identify prohibited actions, or find details such as prices and opening times.
Public Signs and Places
Signs often use short phrases and symbols. Look for the main noun, which always starts with a capital letter. Long compound nouns become simple when broken into parts: Fahrkarten (tickets) + Automat (machine) means ticket machine.
| German Sign | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| Eingang / Ausgang | Entrance / Exit |
| Bahnhof / Bushaltestelle | Train station / Bus stop |
| U-Bahn / Fahrradweg | Underground / Cycle path |
| Apotheke / Tierarzt | Pharmacy / Vet's |
| Buchhandlung / Konditorei | Bookshop / Cake shop |
| Kinokasse / Kunstgalerie | Cinema box office / Art gallery |
| Turnhalle / Tennisplatz | Gym / Tennis court |
| Jugendherberge / Schulhof | Youth hostel / Schoolyard |
| Damentoiletten / Herrenmode | Ladies' toilets / Menswear |
Direction signs use links (left), rechts (right), or geradeaus (straight ahead).
Rules, Warnings, and Prohibitions
Notices in public places frequently state rules or restrictions. Always scan for negative words first, as they reverse the meaning.
- verboten: Forbidden or banned. Identify the banned item or activity: Rauchen ist hier verboten means smoking is forbidden here.
- Common banned activities include Rauchen (smoking), Klettern (climbing), Skaten (skating), Schwimmen (swimming), Parken (parking), and Radfahren (cycling).
- The suffix -verbot also signals a ban, such as Rauchverbot (smoking ban) or Halteverbot (no stopping).
- Nicht means not; kein means no or not a: Hunde nicht erlaubt (dogs not allowed) or Kein Zutritt (no entry).
- Achtung! and Vorsicht! signal caution or danger, while Ruhe bitte! asks for quiet.
Adverts, Special Offers, and Value
Commercial adverts promote goods, services, and events using concise promotional terms.
| German Term | English Meaning |
|---|---|
| Angebot / Sonderangebot | Offer / Special offer |
| Reduziert / Rabatt | Reduced / Discount |
| Kostenlos / Gratis | Free of charge |
| Eintritt frei | Free admission |
| Ausverkauf | Clearance sale |
| Nur heute / Ab sofort | Today only / From now on |
| Pro Person / Pro Stück | Per person / Per item |
Günstig means affordable or good value; billig means cheap or inexpensive. Von 18 € auf 14 € reduziert means reduced from €18 to €14, where the figure after auf is the new price.
Opening Hours, Dates, and Conditions
Notices for venues display operating hours, visitor categories, and age conditions.
- Öffnungszeiten: Opening hours. Venues are either geöffnet (open) or geschlossen (closed).
- Days of the week appear in full or abbreviated (Mo, Di, Mi, Do, Fr, Sa, So). Notices often state täglich (daily) or montags geschlossen (closed on Mondays).
- Ticket categories list Erwachsene (adults), Jugendliche (youths), Schüler (pupils), and Kinder (children).
- Age conditions are strict: ab 14 Jahren means 14 and over; unter 12 Jahren excludes age 12; bis 12 Jahre includes age 12.
Prices use a decimal comma, so €6,50 is €6.50. Times use the 24-hour clock, so 18 Uhr is 6:00 pm.
Key terms
- verboten
- Forbidden, banned, or not permitted by a rule or sign.
- Eintritt frei
- Free entry or admission without paying a fee.
- Öffnungszeiten
- The official opening hours or operational times of a business or venue.
- Sonderangebot
- A special offer or promotional discount on a product or service.
- günstig
- Affordable, reasonably priced, or good value for money.
- geschlossen
- Closed, shut, or not in service.
- ab
- From or onwards, used for starting times, starting dates, and minimum age limits.
Check yourself
What is the English meaning of the sign 'Apotheke'?
Pharmacy (or chemist).
What does 'Eintritt frei' mean on a concert poster?
Free admission (free entry).
Where can you find a real German museum notice, and which details should you identify?
Use the museum’s official German website; identify the notice’s purpose, opening days and admission prices.
Which activity is banned by a sign that reads 'Klettern verboten!'?
Climbing.
What time is '19 Uhr' on a cinema schedule?
7:00 pm (or 19:00).