Und Piggeldy fühlte, wie er immer kleiner und kleiner wurde und Frederick immer größer.
And Piggeldy felt that he was becoming smaller and smaller and Frederick bigger and bigger.
Captions 28-29, Piggeldy und Frederick: Sprichwörter
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When we talk about the size, number, or extent of something changing, there are a number of verbs we can use in order to not always just say kleiner werden or größer werden. The German verbs we pick often depend on whether the verb is transitive or intransitive. An intransitive verb doesn't require an object; something is simply happening almost as if on its own. The verbs above, and the verbs in the next examples are intransitive, and you can note that no cause is mentioned that is making the growth happen.
Der Bedarf an Flugreisen wird mit der Zeit immer größer, und die Anzahl der Flugzeuge wird stark zunehmen.
The need for air travel will increase over time, and the number of planes will rise sharply.
Captions 34-35, Die Welt in der Zukunft: Flugzeuge im Jahr 2050
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Der Anteil der Kinder mit Migrationshintergrund in dieser Gruppe wird ansteigen.
the percentage of children with migration backgrounds in this group will rise.
Caption 9, Angela Merkel: beim Nachhaltigkeitsrat
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If you want to describe humans, animals, or objects that are growing in size, wachsen is quite often the appropriate verb to use. It should be noted that the verb for plants growing is wachsen, but this is only intransitive. If you are growing flowers or vegetables, your activity "to grow something" is etwas anbauen or etwas züchten.
„Du malst die blauen Blumen, die im grünen Wald wachsen“, sagte Frederick.
“You paint the blue flowers that grow in the green forest," Frederick said.
Caption 17, Piggeldy und Frederick: Malen
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Now let's look at some examples with transitive verbs, in which something is being done by someone. In these sentences, that which is increasing or rising is an object:
Dies hat uns dazu genötigt, unsere Preise stark anzuheben.
This has made it necessary for us to increase our prices significantly.
Caption 20, Berufsleben: Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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Ziel der Aktion: die Attraktivität der Innenstadt erhöhen.
The aim of the campaign: to increase the attractiveness of the city center
Caption 9, Rheinmain im Blick Stadtmomente: Wiesbaden
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Um die Attraktivität der Elektrofahrzeuge zu steigern, wird es ab Mitte zweitausendfünfzehn zwei Dinge geben.
In order to increase the attractiveness of electric vehicles, there will, starting in the middle of two thousand fifteen, be two things.
Captions 5-6, Rhein-Main-TV: Veränderungen für das Autofahrerjahr 2015
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Further Learning
We'll be back soon with a lesson on verbs that describe decreasing, shrinking, and falling. In the meantime, try to make your own sentences with the verbs above or do a search on Yabla.
In German, the nouns die Lage and die Stelle each have a few different meanings. First of all, die Lage can quite literally mean "the location," and die Stelle can be translated as "the position":
Sehr ruhige Lage, Bauernhöfe in der Nähe...
Very quiet location, farms nearby...
Caption 13, Nicos Weg: Auf Wohnungssuche
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Durch die Lage ist es häufig warm, und Weinreben können gut gedeihen, besonders am Kaiserstuhl.
Due to the location it is often warm and vines can thrive, especially in the Kaiserstuhl.
Caption 24, Bundesländer und ihre Rezepte: Baden-Württemberg
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Als er sich umsah, merkte er allerdings, dass er an einer völlig unerwarteten Stelle gelandet war.
When he looked around, however, he noticed that he had landed in a completely unexpected place.
Captions 30-31, Die Raumsonde: Rosetta Kometenlandung
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Die Lage can also mean "the situation," or "how things stand."
Die Lage wird langsam hoffnungslos.
The situation is slowly becoming hopeless.
Caption 39, Es war einmal... der Mensch: Der Neandertaler
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Ich bin Alina und heute berichte ich über die Corona-Lage in Frankreich.
I'm Alina, and today I'm going to report on the coronavirus situation in France.
Caption 3, Langsam gesprochene Nachrichten: Corona im Nachbarland Frankreich
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The common construction in der Lage sein means to be in a position where something is possible, or simply "to be able to"/"can."
Angenommen, unser Budget lässt es zu, sollten wir am Ende der Woche in der Lage sein, Ihnen die unterzeichneten Verträge zukommen zu lassen.
Assuming that our budget allows it, we should be in the position by the end of the week to send you the signed contracts.
Captions 56-58, Berufsleben: Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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Seelöwen sind nämlich in der Lage, im Wasser zu schlafen.
Because sea lions are able to sleep in the water.
Captions 70-71, Evolution: Die Küsten
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The noun die Stelle also has the very common meaning of "the position," as in "the job."
Eine Frau, die ein zweijähriges Kind hat, bewirbt sich in Deutschland um eine Stelle.
A woman who has a two-year-old child applies for a job in Germany.
Caption 37, Bundesrepublik Deutschland: Einbürgerungstest
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With die Stelle, there are two common phrases to know. While an dieser Stelle is quite easily translated as "at this point," an deiner/Ihrer/ihrer/seiner Stelle is used to reflect on someone else's position and subsequent actions. It is perhaps not so different from "If I were you..." in English.
Und das hätte ich an deiner Stelle auch gesagt.
And I would've said that too in your position.
Caption 33, AnnenMayKantereit: Es geht mir gut
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And finally, when something occurs auf der Stelle, this means that it happens "immediately" or "then and there."
Auf der Stelle fielen die Besenstiele zu Boden und die Teppiche gehorchten.
Immediately, the broomsticks fell to the floor and the rugs obeyed.
Caption 76, Märchen: Sagenhaft Der Zauberlehrling
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Further Learning
There are many examples of die Lage and die Stelle in use on Yabla German, just do a quick search!
In German, there are many ways to accept or reject an offer or a situation, or talk about doing so. First, there is die Zusage and die Absage, and the verb forms zusagen and absagen. The noun die Zusage is essentially a positive answer, a confirmation (another noun is die Bestätigung), or can even refer to an acceptance letter. You may remember that absagen often means "to cancel" rather than "to reject" or "to decline." Have a look at the Yabla examples below:
Ich muss den Leuten, mit denen ich gesprochen habe, noch heute eine Zusage geben, sonst ist das Angebot weg.
I have to give the people I've spoken with a positive answer today or the offer is gone.
Captions 27-28, Nicos Weg: Ein Praktikum beim Film
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Aber ich kann Ihnen heute noch nicht zusagen.
But I can't give you a confirmation today.
Caption 34, Die Pfefferkörner: Alles auf Anfang
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Es ist bestimmt eine Zusage.
It's probably an acceptance letter.
Caption 20, Nicos Weg: Das hört sich gut an!
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... die radikale Absage an Putin, an die Gasimporte.
... the radical rejection of Putin, of the gas imports.
Caption 3, Umweltbewusstes Wohnen: Zu Besuch in einem Wiener Passivhaus
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Am liebsten würd ich ihn absagen.
I'd actually prefer to cancel it.
Caption 10, Nicos Weg: Freizeitstress
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Ich will wissen, warum du unser Treffen abgesagt hast.
I want to know why you canceled our meeting.
Caption 15, Nicos Weg: Der Umzug
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Among the other verbs that can be used in the context of accepting something are annehmen and hinnehmen. The verb akzeptieren can be used in the sense of "to come to terms with something" in German, and hinnehmen may have a negative connotation as well.
Die Partner sollten dieses Angebot annehmen und die Chance nutzen...
The partners should accept this offer and use the opportunity...
Caption 63, Angela Merkel: Gemeinsame Pressekonferenz mit Barack Obama
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Wir würden einen kleinen Verlust hinnehmen.
We would accept a small loss.
Caption 43, Berufsleben: Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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Und das ist schwierig zu akzeptieren, dass andre auch vom Grundgesetz profitieren.
And it's difficult to accept that others also benefit from the constitution.
Caption 4, Böhmermann: Wie geht man als Satiriker mit Rechtspopulismus um?
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There are then the verbs ablehnen, zurückweisen, and verweigern for expressing rejection or refusal, or declining an offer.
Früher bedeutete dies, dass man einen Heiratsantrag abgelehnt hat.
It used to mean that you rejected a marriage proposal.
Caption 18, Eva erklärt: Sprichwörter
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Darf die Müllabfuhr wegen falscher Mülltrennung den Abtransport verweigern?
Is the garbage collection service allowed to refuse transport due to incorrect trash separation?
Caption 75, Richter Alexander Hold Wer hat recht bei falscher Mülltrennung?
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Further Learning
You will find many examples of these words in use on Yabla German, so do a quick search to get a better understanding of how they are implemented in sentences. Most of the verbs mentioned above have a related noun (like die Hinnahme and die Ablehnung), so you can also look these up and memorize their articles.
In German, you will see the adverb erst, along with its synonym zuerst, used to express "first" or "at first" and establish temporal order.
Dazu müssen wir die Äpfel erst schälen.
For this, we first have to peel the apples.
Caption 21, Apfelpfannkuchen - mit Alina und Sabine
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Zuerst möchte ich euch das Wahrzeichen der Stadt vorstellen.
First, I would like to show you the town's landmark.
Caption 9, Jenny zeigt uns - den Speyerer Dom
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Ich muss sagen, ich hatte erst richtig viel Angst da oben im Flugzeug.
I must say, I was at first really afraid up there in the airplane.
Caption 13, Abenteuer und Sport - Fallschirmspringen
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However, erst is also used as an adverb to express that something didn't occur or will not occur until a particular moment. There isn't a precise English translation for this, but usually a phrase with "only" or "not until" is used.
Also werden wir uns erst nächste Woche Montag entscheiden.
So, we won't decide until Monday of next week.
Caption 67, Berufsleben - das Vorstellungsgespräch
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Ich bin gerade erst vor kurzem Veganerin geworden.
I've only just recently become a vegan.
Caption 28, Buchtipp - Aufregen für Fortgeschrittene
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Als Erstes and erstens generally are used when a series of steps is mentioned or at least implied. When erstens is used, zweitens (and possibly drittens) will generally follow, and als Erstes implies that there is a step that comes als Nächstes.
Als Erstes suche ich mir einen Koffer aus.
First, I'm going to pick out a suitcase.
Caption 3, Christiane - fährt in den Urlaub
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Wo eine Parkscheibe vorgeschrieben ist,
Where a parking disk is required,
darf man erstens nur so lange parken, wie es auf dem Zusatzschild angegeben ist,
you should, first of all, only park as long as indicated on the additional sign,
und zweitens nur, wenn man die Parkscheibe auf die nächste volle halbe Stunde nach der Ankunft einstellt.
and secondly, only if you set the parking disk for the next full half hour after arrival.
Captions 18-20, Richter Alexander Hold - Richtig parken
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The adverb erst mal can be translated as "first," "first of all," "to begin with," or even "for now."
Aber jetzt gehen wir erst mal zu deiner Tante.
But first let's go to your aunt's now.
Caption 22, Nicos Weg - A1 Folge 23: Ich habe kein…
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Aber ich brauche erst mal nichts.
But I don't need anything for now.
Caption 47, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Besuch
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One false friend to keep in mind is the adverb zunächst. Unlike als Nächstes, this word has nothing to do with "next" and actually also means "first" or "initially."
Wenn man sich sehr schlecht fühlt,
If you feel very badly,
geht man in der Regel zunächst einmal zum Arzt.
you generally first go to the doctor.
Caption 5, Eva erklärt - Gesundheit
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Ja, ich habe zunächst auf Werbemuster von Christina Hoffmann gewartet.
Yes, I was initially waiting for advertising samples from Christina Hoffmann.
Caption 16, Berufsleben - Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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Further Learning
You can find many examples of all of these adverbs on Yabla German. When you see one, take note of where it is positioned in the phrase and consider whether any of the other adverbs above could also be used.
Whether we are referring to our stuff on a nearby chair or a serious matter that needs to be discussed, there are several words in German that can be helpful. Most of them can be used in a number of contexts, but there are a few things to be aware of.
Sachen is a very versatile word, and can be used to refer to physical items but also matters and topics. Of course, das Thema is a more common word for "the topic."
Und ja, ich räume meine Sachen nicht immer sofort weg.
And yes, I don't always clean up my stuff away right away.
Caption 29, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Probleme
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Hier gibt es viele verschiedene Sachen für die Familie und für die Kinder zu sehen.
Here there are many different things for the family and for the children to see.
Caption 8, Berlin - Domäne Dahlem
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Fazit: In Sachen Hamburger hat die Hauptstadt auf jeden Fall mehr zu bieten.
Conclusion: When it comes to hamburgers, the capital city definitely has more to offer.
Caption 25, Berlin - Die beste Auswahl an Hamburgern
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Der Gegenstand is used to refer to a physical object or item, but also a topic of conversation or debate. And, of course, there is also the word das Objekt. In shopping, der Artikel ("the item") and die Ware are more likely to be used.
Auch hier handelt es sich um einen runden Gegenstand.
Also here it is about a round object.
Caption 34, Eva zeigt uns - Formen
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Slang terms for "stuff" or "odds and ends" are der Kram and das Zeug.
So viele Spinnweben und so viel Kram
So many cobwebs and so much stuff
Caption 11, Silbermond - Leichtes Gepäck
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Diese Box wird für Bücher, dieser Karton wird für das Zeug aus der Küche sein.
This box will be for books, this carton will be for stuff from the kitchen.
Caption 14, Drei Leute - beim Kofferpacken
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The word das Ding is, of course, also commonly used, and not just for objects.
Wir testen die Dinger jetzt schon seit Monaten.
We've been testing the things for months already.
Caption 30, Die Stunde der Offiziere - Dokudrama über den 20. Juli 1944
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Ich habe entschieden, die Dinge selbst in die Hände [sic, Hand] zu nehmen.
I have decided to take matters into my own hands.
Caption 6, Berufsleben - Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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The plural forms die Dinger and die Dinge are both used. Generally, die Dinger refers to multiple things of the same kind, whereas die Dinge refers to multiple things of different kinds.
Further Learning
Das Thema, die Sache, das Objekt, der Artikel, die Ware, der Gegenstand, der Kram, das Zeug, and das Ding: Yabla German has many examples of all of these words, as they are commonly used. Go through them and make sure you know which are only used for non-physical ideas, topics, and matters, which are exclusively for physical objects, and which are applicable in both contexts. Making a venn diagram may be a good strategy!
In both English and German, there are tenses and there are moods. We use the indicative mood to state facts, the imperative mood to give commands, and the subjunctive mood to reflect wishes or actions in unreal situations ("I wish I were taller" or "I would travel around the world."). Take a look at this past newsletter for information on the formation of the subjunctive (Konjunktiv) in German. The subjunctive is a key part of conditional sentences that describe levels of possibility, from events that are very likely to missed opportunities in the past.
Type 1 conditional sentences refer to cause-and-effect links, and events that are quite certain under particular circumstances. Because German sentences often use the present tense to imply the future, the basic structure is wenn or falls (see this newsletter) followed by the present tense, like in English, but then it can be followed by either the present tense or future constructed with werden.
Wenn es so weitergeht, werden bis 2050 drei Viertel aller Alpengletscher verschwunden sein... mit gewaltigen Folgen.
If it continues this way, by 2050, three quarters of all the alpine glaciers will have disappeared ... with enormous consequences.
Captions 33-34, Alpenseen - Kühle Schönheiten - Part 7
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Type 2 conditional sentences refer to events that are less possible or likely, often hypothetical. Its structure in German is Wenn + Konjunktiv II + Konjunktiv II.
Wenn immer Sommer wäre, würde ich jeden Tag grillen.
If it were always summer, I would grill every day.
Caption 29, Konjugation - Das Verb „grillen“
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Wenn ich viel Geld hätte, würde ich nie wieder arbeiten gehen.
If I had a lot of money, I would never go to work again.
Caption 23, Konjugation - Das Verb „gehen“
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Ich denke, wenn ich weniger arbeiten würde, könnte ich mich mehr konzentrieren.
I think that if I worked less I could concentrate better.
Captions 34-35, Berufsleben - Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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Type 3 conditional sentences are used to talk about possibilities or events that never came to be. Here is where the structure gets a bit complicated. In its full form, the construction is Wenn + participle + Konjunktiv II + Konjunktiv II + participle.
Wenn wir eine Chance gehabt hätten, dann wären wir vorher gegangen, ja.
If we had had a chance, then we would've left before, yes.
Caption 34, Die Klasse - Berlin '61
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Ja, wenn Jannik fit gewesen wäre, dann wäre er nie runtergekracht.
Yes, if Jannik had been healthy, then he wouldn't have ever gone crashing down.
Caption 59, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
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It is worth mentioning that you may often see "mixed types" of the conditional, in which a missed opportunity in the past (expressed using the participle) is portrayed as still affecting the present. Take a look at the following sentence:
Also, wenn wir den Vertrag letzte Woche unterzeichnet hätten, wären wir in der Lage, mit unserer ursprünglichen Vereinbarung fortzufahren?
So, if we had signed the contract last week, we would be in a position to proceed with our original agreement?
Captions 36-37, Berufsleben - Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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Further Learning
For more information on the different types of conditional sentences, take a look at this helpful website. Whenever you see key words like hätte, wäre, or würde on Yabla German, note the subjunctive mood and try to identify which type of conditional sentence it might be related to.
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