One of the very first verbs you'll learn when studying German is sprechen ("to speak"). While watching videos on Yabla, however, you may have noticed that there are many verbs that consist of sprechen and a prefix.
Some separable verbs include the words for "to say out loud" and "to repeat out loud":
Ich spreche vor und du kannst sie nachsprechen.
I'll say them out loud, and you can repeat them.
Caption 35, Deutsch mit Eylin: Umlaute
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The verb aussprechen can mean "to express" or "to pronounce" depending on the context.
Und lassen Sie mich auch hier Dank aussprechen an Menschen, denen zu selten gedankt wird.
And let me at this point also express gratitude to people who are too rarely thanked.
Captions 1-2, Coronavirus: Fernsehansprache von Angela Merkel
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Das deutsche „Z“ wird immer so ausgesprochen.
The German "Z" is always pronounced like this.
Caption 21, Deutsch mit Eylin: S und Z
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The verb ansprechen means "to address." Like in English, you can address a person or address a topic:
Ich war mir nicht sicher, wie ich es ansprechen sollte.
I was not sure how to address it.
Caption 11, Die Wohngemeinschaft: Probleme
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Sie ist sofort abgehauen, als Frau Lenz die Sache angesprochen hat.
She immediately took off when Ms. Lenz raised the matter.
Caption 65, Die Pfefferkörner: Endspurt
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There are also some inseparable verbs that you have likely already encountered. For a topic that's being discussed, you can use sprechen über or the verb besprechen.
Um die Einzelheiten zu besprechen.
To talk about the specific details.
Caption 11, Berufsleben: Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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Dieses Thema haben wir schon in einem anderen Video besprochen.
We already spoke about this theme in another video.
Caption 3, Eva erklärt: die Steigerung von Adjektiven und Adverbien
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And though it's a bit different, let's include the verb versprechen ("to promise") as well:
Na gut, aber ihr müsst versprechen, dass ihr wach bleibt. -Versprochen.
All right, but you have to promise that you will stay awake. -Promised.
Caption 25, Peppa Wutz: Sterne - Zahnfee - Übernachtungsparty
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Further Learning
You can find many examples of these verbs conjugated on Yabla German. Stay tuned for a follow-up lesson in a few weeks!
Even without a prefix, the verb lösen has quite a few different meanings. Compare the following sentences:
Schon geringste Bewegungen lösen Sediment von den Decken.
Even the slightest movements loosen sediment from the ceilings.
Caption 18, Alpenseen: Kühle Schönheiten
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Ich bin froh, dass die beiden einen Weg gefunden haben, ihre Probleme zu lösen.
I'm glad they found a way to solve their problems.
Caption 54, Die Wohngemeinschaft: Probleme
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...sodass ich mich von allem anderen lösen kann.
...so that I can free myself from everything else.
Caption 48, Sons of Sounds: Open-Air in Karlsruhe
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Also, wir lösen die Bremse, geben Gas, der Schubpropeller schiebt uns.
So, we release the brake, give it gas, the thrust propeller pushes us.
Caption 44, Ultraleicht-Flieger: Der Gyrocopter
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Now let's take a look at the various prefix versions, starting with auslösen, which can mean "to trigger," "to spark," or "to provoke."
Eine wenig schmeichelhafte Stern-Titelstory über Bushido löste Debatten über kriminelle Clans aus.
A hardly flattering Stern cover story about Bushido sparked debates about criminal clans.
Captions 17-18, Jahresrückblick 2013: Deutsche Promis
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Wir haben die erste Stufe bereits ausgelöst.
We have already initiated the first level.
Caption 44, Die Stunde der Offiziere: Dokudrama über den 20. Juli 1944
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The verb auflösen, on the other hand, can mean "to dissolve," "to dissipate," "to disappear," or "to disperse."
Die muss aufgelöst werden im bisschen lauwarmen Wasser.
It has to be dissolved in a bit of lukewarm water.
Caption 16, Bundesländer und ihre Rezepte: Bayern
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Matteo kann sich auch nich' in Luft auflösen.
Matteo can't just disappear into thin air.
Caption 14, Die Pfefferkörner: Alles auf Anfang
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The verb ablösen can mean "to detach," but also "to relieve," as in taking over from someone when doing shift work. In the following sentence, however, this is actually better translated as "we took turns."
Hier für das Wallnau-Projekt haben wir uns immer abgelöst mit'm Filmen.
For the Wallnau project here, we always took turns filming.
Caption 26, Die Insel Fehmarn: Wasservogelreservat Wallnau
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Lastly, the non-separable verb erlösen means "to release," "to redeem," or "to free."
Und dann kamst du und hast mich erlöst, mein Engel.
And then you came and released me, my angel.
Caption 1, Küss mich, Frosch Die Zeiten haben sich geändert - Part 2
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Further Learning
You will find many examples with lösen, auslösen, auflösen, ablösen, and erlösen on Yabla. Here is a longer list of related verbs that you can learn as well.
In German, the verb verstehen is used in a wide variety of contexts, from hearing what someone says to understanding a fact or the nature of a particular situation or circumstances.
Habt ihr es verstanden? -Ja.
Have you understood it? -Yes.
Caption 26, Deutschkurs in Blaubeuren - Relativsätze mit Präpositionen
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Wenn du ein Wort im Untertitel nicht verstehst,
If you don't understand a word in the subtitle,
dann kannst du es anklicken.
then you can click on it.
Captions 27-28, German Intro - Jenny
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Trotzdem kann ich verstehen,
Nevertheless, I can understand
dass es nicht fair für sie ist, alles bezahlen zu müssen.
that it is not fair for her to have to pay for everything.
Caption 40, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Probleme
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Das kann ich gut verstehen, ich habe selbst zwei Kinder.
I can understand that well, I have two children myself.
Caption 25, Berufsleben - Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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When you are expressing a deeper level of comprehension, for example being able to follow why something happened the way it did, reconstruct a line of thought, relate to something, or grasp connections, there are additional verbs you can use.
Zwar ist das Wort „Nachhaltigkeit“ in aller Munde,
Indeed, the word "sustainability" is in all mouths (on everyone's lips),
Kinder können das aber kaum nachvollziehen.
but children are hardly able to understand it.
Captions 4-5, Schüler lernen Nachhaltigkeit - Bildungsinitiative gestartet
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Und das müssen wir wirklich alle begreifen.
And that's what we all really need to understand:
Im Moment ist nur Abstand Ausdruck von Fürsorge.
At the moment, distance is the only way to express care.
Captions 41-42, Coronavirus - Fernsehansprache von Angela Merkel
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Da begriffen die drei Brüder, dass alles nur ein Trick gewesen war.
Then the three brothers realized that it had all just been a trick.
Caption 85, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Die drei Brüder
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One verb that you may encounter is kapieren. In English, we use "to get" to mean "to understand" and this is a similar slang expression.
Und es wäre schön, wenn du es endlich mal kapieren würdest.
And it would be nice if you would finally understand that.
Caption 48, Oskar - Gehen, wenn es am schönsten ist - Der Panther
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Mann, du kapierst es einfach nicht. Ich war das nicht!
Man, you just don't get it. It wasn't me!
Caption 31, Die Pfefferkörner - Alles auf Anfang
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Further Learning
You can find many examples on Yabla German, but also consider the first four above. Which of these could be replaced with a verb other than verstehen?
Many of us are spending much more time at home than usual right now, and are therefore acutely aware of how much work it takes to keep a household running. For those of you who might be looking for a way to procrastinate, let's look at how to talk about household chores in German.
Die Hausarbeit is the German word for "chore." You may know this word already, as it refers to a written work that students complete in order to get credits for a class (similar to a "term paper"). In this case, however, it is related to der Haushalt ("the household"), and is literally translated as "housework."
Ich sauge nicht so oft, ich hasse Hausarbeit.
I don't vacuum very often, I hate housework.
Caption 14, Nicos Weg - A1 Folge 47: Haushaltsarbeit
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Two important verbs to know are putzen, which means "to clean," and aufräumen, which means "to tidy up" or "to pick up." The command "Clean up your room!" is expressed with aufräumen, not putzen.
Ich finde schon, dass du häufiger putzen könntest
I do think you could clean more often
oder zumindest deine eigenen Sachen aufräumen könntest.
or at least pick up your own things.
Captions 24-25, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Probleme
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There is always so much to do! Here's a long list of chores, courtesy of Yabla's own Eva:
Ich muss die Küche aufräumen, den Abwasch machen,
I have to tidy up the kitchen, do the dishes,
das Bad putzen, Staub saugen und Staub wischen.
clean the bathroom, vacuum and dust.
Captions 5-6, Hausputz - mit Eva
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Hallo, heute will ich meine Wäsche waschen.
Hello, today I want to do my laundry.
Caption 1, Wäsche waschen - mit Eva
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A big topic in any German household is die Mülltrennung, which literally translates as "the separation of garbage" and refers to recycling.
In Heidelberg wird der Müll in verschiedene Gruppen getrennt.
In Heidelberg, the garbage is separated into different groups.
Caption 14, Mülltrennung - in Heidelberg
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Wischen, fegen, Müll wegbringen. Drei Monate lang.
Mop, sweep, take out the garbage. For three months.
Caption 5, Großstadtrevier - Schatten der Vergangenheit
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Not all household tasks feel like chores, however. After all, for those who appreciate it, cooking can also be a real joy!
Kochen Sie eigentlich auch zu Hause selbst?
Do you actually cook at home yourself?
Caption 22, Ball des Weines - Franz Beckenbauer
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Further Learning
Watch the videos Hausputz - mit Eva or Nicos Weg - A1 Folge 47: Haushaltsarbeit in their entirety on Yabla German to learn even more useful phrases. To get the latest news from Germany and also work on your listening comprehension, you can listen to the first minute and a half of today's report from Deutsche Welle's Langsam gesprochene Nachrichten.
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!
This week, let's look at ways that disbelief and frustration are expressed in German. Some of the expressions below are similar to English expressions, while others have a much harsher meaning than their literal translations. Take a look!
Das kann nicht sein (literally "that cannot be") can be used to express disbelief. More accurate translations in this case would be "No way!" or "That's not possible."
Aber das kann nicht sein. Wo ist Yara?
But that's not possible. Where is Yara?
Caption 14, Nicos Weg - Folge 44: Vorm Fahrradladen
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In English, we also express disbelief with "You can't be serious." This has a few different translations in German that we have covered in a previous newsletter.
Das meinst du nicht im Ernst.
You can't be serious.
Caption 17, Mama arbeitet wieder - Kapitel 2: Kompromisse zu finden ist nicht einfach
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The phrase Das gibt's doch gar nicht may literally translate as "that doesn't exist," but it has a similar meaning to Das kann nicht sein. Germans may use this and the expressions above when something both surprises and upsets them.
Was ist das denn? Das gibt's doch gar nicht.
What is that then? That just can't be.
Caption 27, Fußball - Prominente beim Benefizspiel
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The phrase Was soll das? is an expression that has a meaning similar to "What's the meaning of this?"
Was soll das? Du störst uns, Pettersson.
What's the meaning of this? You are bothering us, Pettersson.
Caption 15, Pettersson und Findus - Eine Geburtstagstorte für die Katze - Part 1
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Now on to expressions of annoyance. Jemanden ärgern can be translated as "to annoy someone," as can jemanden nerven. In the sentence below with the adjectives ärgerlich and bescheuert, the words ja and doch are used for emphasis.
Allerdings nervt es mich auch, dass ich die Einzige bin, die für das Essen bezahlt.
However, it also annoys me that I'm the only one who pays for the food.
Caption 34, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Probleme
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Das ist ja wirklich ärgerlich!
This is really aggravating!
Caption 6, Pettersson und Findus - Eine Geburtstagstorte für die Katze - Part 3
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Ach, ist doch bescheuert.
Oh, that's stupid.
Caption 63, Die Pfefferkörner - Eigentor
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Further Learning
Search for more examples of these phrases on Yabla German so that you can hear the right intonation.
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