German: umsteigen ... (Specific Languages) Language Learning Forum

German: umsteigen ...
Tags: Meaning of words \| German
Share with: Delicious Digg reddit Facebook StumbleUpon
Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages

11 messages over 2 pages: 1 2

Bao
Diglot
Senior Member
Germany
tinyurl.com/pe4kqe5
Joined 5768 days ago
2256 posts - 4046 votes

Speaks: German*, English
Studies: French, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin

Message 9 of 11

19 October 2012 at 10:42am | IP Logged

Spinchäeb Ape wrote:

I didn't typically hear that expression over the PA. It was usually when getting directions from en employee of the Deutsche Bundesbahn, something like, "... und dann in Heidelberg gleich umsteigen."

I would interpret that as 'Heidelberg is one of the next stations so you should be alert and get ready to change trains quickly'.
It's like
'dann an der Post vorbei und die nächste Strasse rechts abbiegen'
vs.
'dann an der Post vorbei und gleich die nächste Strasse rechts abbiegen'
-> the second sentence conveys a nuance that you should see the next street already when you're at the post station, and a sense of urgency.
'dann an der Post vorbei und die nächste Strasse gleich rechts abbiegen' might also imply that you have several options and you really should take a right turn immediately, because everything else is going to be a hassle.

Edited by Bao on 19 October 2012 at 11:46pm
2 persons have voted this message useful

Spinchäeb Ape
Diglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 4472 days ago
146 posts - 180 votes

Speaks: English*, German

Message 10 of 11

20 October 2012 at 12:29am | IP Logged

Josquin wrote:

This seems to be your individual experience. "Gleich umsteigen" doesn't convey the meaning that the train is standing on the same platform. I go by train regularly and I have never heard it being used in this way.

That's how I always understood it and Deutsche Bundesbahn employees used that expression a lot. The next train was always right there. I'm not a native speaker, so I guess it's possible I misunderstood, but I don't think so. They used the term a lot, and I traveled by train about every other weekend. Maybe it's gone out of use. I lived in Germany over 20 years ago. Is there anyone here who's a native speaker who knows?
1 person has voted this message useful

Bao
Diglot
Senior Member
Germany
tinyurl.com/pe4kqe5
Joined 5768 days ago
2256 posts - 4046 votes

Speaks: German*, English
Studies: French, Spanish, Japanese, Mandarin

Message 11 of 11

20 October 2012 at 12:37pm | IP Logged

Spinchäeb Ape wrote:

Maybe it's gone out of use. I lived in Germany over 20 years ago.

Nowadays it's called 'Direktanschluss' or 'Direktumstieg' officially, and people usually say 'direkt gegenüber' or 'am gleichen Bahnsteig gegenüber'. I only started using the Bahn independently about twelve years ago though, so they may very well have changed it.

1 person has voted this message useful

This discussion contains 11 messages over 2 pages: << Prev 1 2

If you wish to post a reply to this topic you must first login. If you are not already registered you must first register

Printable version

You cannot post new topics in this forum - You cannot reply to topics in this forum - You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum - You cannot create polls in this forum - You cannot vote in polls in this forum

This page was generated in 0.5156 seconds.