Germans take sorting their rubbish seriously, and your neighbours will notice if the wrong things land in the wrong bin. Learn the bins, the Pfand system and how to describe things with relative clauses.
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| German | Meaning |
|---|---|
| der Müll | rubbish |
| die Mülltrennung | waste separation |
| die Mülltonne, -n | bin |
| der Restmüll | general waste |
| die Biotonne, -n | organic waste bin |
| die Papiertonne, -n | paper bin |
| die Pappe | cardboard |
| der Gelbe Sack, die Gelben Säcke | yellow bag (for packaging) |
| die Verpackung, -en | packaging |
| der Joghurtbecher, - | yoghurt pot |
| die Dose, -n | tin, can |
| das Pfand | deposit |
| die Pfandflasche, -n | deposit bottle |
| der Automat, -en | machine |
| der Bon, -s | receipt, voucher |
| der Glascontainer, - | bottle bank |
| Weißglas / Grünglas / Braunglas | clear / green / brown glass |
| die Essensreste (Pl.) | food leftovers |
| die Umwelt | environment |
| umweltfreundlich | environmentally friendly |
| werfen (wirft) | to throw |
| gehören in (+ Akk.) | to belong in |
| der Sperrmüll | bulky waste |
| die Batterie, -n | battery |
A relative clause gives more information about a noun: der Container, der an der Ecke steht (the bottle bank that is on the corner). The relative pronoun looks like the definite article: der, die, das, and die in the plural. It has the same gender and number as the noun it refers to. In the nominative, the relative pronoun is the subject of the relative clause. The relative clause is a subordinate clause: the verb goes to the end, and there is always a comma before it.
| Noun | Relative pronoun | Example |
|---|---|---|
| der Container (m) | der | der Container, der an der Ecke steht |
| die Tonne (f) | die | die Tonne, die blau ist |
| das Glas (n) | das | das Glas, das grün ist |
| die Flaschen (pl) | die | die Flaschen, die Pfand haben |
Start with two sentences that share a noun: Der Automat steht im Supermarkt. Der Automat gibt einen Bon. Replace the second noun with the relative pronoun, send the verb to the end, and put the clause right after the noun: Der Automat, der einen Bon gibt, steht im Supermarkt. If the relative clause is in the middle, it has a comma at both ends. At the end of the sentence it only needs one: Kennst du die Nachbarin, die im Erdgeschoss wohnt?
Colours and rules differ between cities, but this is a common system. Blue bin (Papiertonne): paper, newspapers, flattened cardboard. Yellow bag or bin: packaging made of plastic, metal or drink cartons – empty, but no need to wash it. Brown bin (Biotonne): fruit and vegetable peel, food leftovers, coffee grounds, garden waste. Grey or black bin (Restmüll): everything else, such as nappies, vacuum cleaner bags and broken crockery. Glass goes to the bottle bank, sorted by colour; blue glass goes with the green glass.
Tap the words in the right order.
A new flatmate from India has just moved in. Write a message (60–80 words) explaining the bins in your building and the Pfand system. Use at least two relative clauses.
Hallo Rohit, willkommen in der WG! Hier eine kurze Erklärung zum Müll: Die Tonne, die blau ist, ist für Papier und Pappe. Plastik und Dosen kommen in den Gelben Sack, der in der Küche hängt. Essensreste gehören in die Biotonne im Hof. Glas bringen wir zum Container, der an der Bushaltestelle steht. Die Flaschen, die Pfand haben, bringst du einfach in den Supermarkt zurück. Bis später! Farhan
Rubbish rules are set locally, so check your city's waste calendar (Abfallkalender) or app for collection days and details – some cities use a yellow bin instead of yellow bags, or a Wertstofftonne for packaging and other recyclables. Your landlord or the house rules usually explain the system in your building. Large items like old furniture are collected separately as Sperrmüll, often by appointment.
The Pfand system is easy once you know it. Single-use bottles and cans with the deposit logo usually carry 25 cents, and reusable bottles carry a smaller deposit; you get it back at the machine in most supermarkets, as a receipt you can use at the till. Old batteries and small electrical items can be returned in many shops. At bottle banks, look at the sign for the allowed times: throwing glass at night or on Sundays is generally not allowed because of the noise.
Related: German recycling system · German supermarket guide · German A2 lessons
