The verb erklären has two very different meanings, as does its noun form die Erklärung. One word having multiple meanings seems to happen more often in German than in English, if only for the fact that the German language has far fewer words than English. With fewer words in a language, it's more likely that a single word will have multiple meanings than in a language with a larger vocabulary!
The most common meaning of erklären is "to explain":
Kann jemand erklären, was ein Binnenhafen ist?
Can someone explain what an inland port is?
Caption 27, Bundesländer und ihre Rezepte: Nordrhein-Westfalen
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Wir erklären euch, wie man in Deutschland Ostern feiert.
We'll explain to you how you celebrate Easter in Germany.
Caption 3, Cettina und Sabine: Ostern
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And the same applies to its noun form, die Erklärung:
Vielleicht gibt's eine einfache Erklärung für seine Angst.
Perhaps there's a simple explanation for his fear.
Caption 62, Großstadtrevier: Von Monstern und Mördern
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Es braucht Erklärungen, um die Brutalität und Banalität des Unrechts zu verstehen.
Explanations are required to grasp the brutality and banality of this injustice.
Caption 19, DDR zum Anfassen: Ganz tief im Westen
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However, the second most common meaning of the verb erklären (and its noun equivalent die Erklärung) is as follows:
Kein Problem mehr für die Bewohner vor Ort, erklären sie stolz.
No problem anymore for the local residents, they declare proudly.
Caption 20, 30 Jahre: Menschen für Menschen
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Ich erkläre hiermit, dass Sinus einem Tierheim übergeben wird.
I hereby declare that Sinus will be handed over to a shelter.
Caption 70, Yabla Gerichtshof: Das verzogene Hündchen
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Note that the noun die Erklärung, when used with the meaning "declaration," is often paired with another noun as the latter half of a compound noun:
Jetzt also die Liebeserklärung an das Meer.
So now, the declaration of love for the sea.
Caption 26, Herbert Grönemeyer: stellt sein neues Album vor
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Eine entsprechende Absichtserklärung zwischen der People's Bank of China und der Deutschen Bundesbank wurde am vergangenen Freitag in Berlin unterzeichnet.
A corresponding declaration of intent between the People's Bank of China and the German Federal Bank was signed last Friday in Berlin.
Captions 3-4, Frankfurt wird Handelszentrum: für die chinesische Währung Yuan
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There are a number of German verbs nouns for "declare," such as the rather obvious deklarieren and the less obvious verkünden. Some nouns using die Erklärung as "to declare," such as die Kriegserklärung, also have words with similar meanings, such as die Kampfansage. Both of these words mean "declaration of war," something we've all seen far too much of in the last several years.
Further Learning
Luckily, in real-world usage, it's usually quite easy to tell by the context in which the words are used if the meaning "to explain" (explanation) or the meaning "to declare" (declaration) is intended. For details of the verb's conjugation, see this video about erklären on Yabla German.
How do we emphasize the urgency of a situation or immediacy of an event? How can we reassure someone that something will be taken care of right away?
The adverb gleich is used a lot and has many possible translations in this context. You might be thinking about it as an adjective meaning "same" or "alike," and we also have a lesson on that topic. But here we are looking at how it is used to define something as happening "in just a minute," "immediately," or "momentarily."
Gut, vielen Dank. Ich mache mich gleich auf den Weg.
Good, many thanks. I'll be on my way immediately.
Caption 14, Berufsleben - Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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Warum hab ich das nicht gleich erkannt?
Why didn't I realize that right away?
Caption 80, Die Pfefferkörner - Endspurt - Part 12
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Ja, Moment, ich habe es gleich.
Yes, one moment, I'll have it momentarily.
Caption 30, Der Merkelpilot - der kleine Mann, der es macht
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There is another way to say that something will happen "any minute now," and it's very similar to how it's said in English:
Aber der Reparaturdienst müsste jede Minute da sein.
But the repair service should be here any minute.
Caption 8, Die Pfefferkörner - Endspurt - Part 18
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Another adverb to know is sofort, which is even more urgent than gleich, and is pretty much always translated as "at once," "right away," or "immediately."
Kein Problem, Frau Schmidt. Ich werde es Ihnen sofort schicken.
No problem, Ms. Schmidt. I will send it to you immediately.
Caption 67, Berufsleben - das Vorstellungsgespräch
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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 - Part 2
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In more formal contexts, you may hear unverzüglich ("without delay") and umgehend.
Er muss unverzüglich Waffenstillstandsverhandlungen mit Eisenhower und Montgomery aufnehmen.
He must immediately begin armistice negotiations with Eisenhower and Montgomery.
Caption 81, Die Stunde der Offiziere - Dokudrama über den 20. Juli 1944
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Oder noch besser, komm umgehend ins Kontor.
Or better yet, come to the office immediately.
Caption 65, Die Pfefferkörner - Alles auf Anfang
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Although unmittelbar is also translated as "immediate," it is often related to space rather than time:
Wir sind, äh, hab ich schon gesagt,
We are, uh — as I've already said —
in unmittelbarer Nähe, äh, von Saarbrücken.
in the immediate vicinity, uh, of Saarbrücken.
Captions 37-38, Nachbarn - Andrea aus Forbach
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Daher ordne ich an, dass Sie unmittelbar wieder die Ehe schließen.
Therefore I order you to remarry immediately.
Captions 34-35, Yabla Gerichtshof - Probleme des Zusammenlebens
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For urgency, there is the word dringend, which like many German words functions as both an adjective and an adverb depending on how it's integrated in the sentence:
Ich brauche dich hier dringend im Innendienst.
I need you urgently here in the office.
Caption 63, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
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Further Learning
You will find many examples of these words used on Yabla German. In particular, keep an eye on how the translation of gleich changes depending on the context.
One of the most common mistakes that native German speakers make when translating the preposition seit to English is to always render it as "since," but in contexts where the English word is meant to be used to indicate the passing of a period of time, it should usually be translated as "for." The mistake seems to be common with Europeans speaking English, as I hear it regularly on the streets and in cafés and restaurants in Berlin, where so many Europeans are speaking English as a lingua franca.
Yes, I have been going there since (correct: for) many years.
We've been wanting to visit Paris since (correct: for) at least a decade.
I have lived in Berlin since (correct: for) 16 years.
It's easy to see how this mistake is made, as the German sentence uses the word seit and as it's actually correct to use "since" if a specific year is used in the same sentences:
Yes, I have been going there since 2018.
We've been wanting to visit Paris since at least 2012.
I have lived in Berlin since 2006.
Here are some examples of seit used on Yabla German with the correct English translations "for" and "since." Note the way that the context of each sentence changes which English word is used.
„Mir ist so“, maulte Piggeldy, „als tue ich das schon seit Tagen!“
"For me it's like," muttered Piggeldy, "as if I have already been doing this for days!"
Caption 11, Piggeldy und Frederick - Wanderdüne
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Seit Montag wird das Lied im Radio gespielt.
The song has been playing on the radio since Monday.
Caption 33, Liza - Ein Lied für Opel
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Sie schreibt ihr Referat, an dem sie schon seit zwei Wochen arbeitet.
She is writing her paper that she has been working on for two weeks.
Caption 15, Deutschkurs in Blaubeuren - Relativsätze mit Präpositionen
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Seit vergangener Woche hat die Kranich-Airline nun ihren ersten gebrandeten A dreihundertachtzig in Betrieb.
Since last week, the crane airline has now had its first branded A three hundred and eighty at work.
Caption 9, Rund um den Flughafen - Der neue Airbus A-380
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Na ja, ich krieg' ja seit Monaten keine Wochenendzeitungen mehr.
Oh well, I haven't been getting a weekend newspaper for months.
Caption 8, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
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OK, ihr seid jetzt seit April in Deutschland, ja?
OK, you have been in Germany now since April, right?
Caption 1, Deutschkurs in Blaubeuren - Relativsätze mit Präpositionen
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Ich spiel' jetzt schon seit zehn Jahren Handball.
I've been playing handball for ten years now.
Caption 7, Jenny und Alena - Handball
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Also, die Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie gibt es seit dem Jahr zweitausend-und-acht.
Well, the sustainability strategy has been there since the year two thousand eight.
Caption 37, Rheinmain im Blick - Nachhaltigkeit
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A general rule of thumb is to translate seit as "since" if it refers to a specific date such as a year, month, or day of the week. If it is referring to a length of time, such as "many years," then seit is usually translated as "for."
Further Learning
Compare other contexts in which seit is used on Yabla German and study some other uses of the word in which the preposition seit can also be translated as "because."
Every language has certain words that are used often in everyday life, to the extent that they may seem to shape the language and the culture. One such word in German, with a myriad of implementations, would have to be the verb schaffen.
The verb schaffen can mean "to do," "to manage," "to achieve," "to cope with," or "to successfully complete something," to "make it" or "make it work."
Oh, aber das schaffst du doch auch alleine!
Oh, but you'll manage it alone after all!
Caption 64, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
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However, it can also mean "to create," "to make," or "to bring something into being."
Es ging eigentlich darum, Wohnraum zu schaffen in der Stadt.
It was actually about, creating living spaces in the city.
Caption 20, Umweltbewusstes Wohnen - Architekturpreis Green Building
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There is one thing to watch out for with the verb schaffen, and this is that the two meanings are reflected with two different participles when it is used in the past tense. Here we see the past participle for the first definition:
Juhu, dann haben wir's geschafft!
Yahoo, then we've done it!
Caption 41, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Weil oder obwohl?
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Damit hat man also den ersten Schritt im Bewerbungsverfahren geschafft.
With that, you have succeeded with the first step in the application process.
Caption 42, Eva erklärt - Bewerbungen
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Whereas geschafft would refer to something being successfully done or achieved, geschaffen refers to creation:
Hier, mitten im Zentrum von Berlin,
Here, in the center of Berlin,
[gefahren auf einem speziellen Kurs]
[driving on a special course]
haben sich BMX-Fahrer und Mountainbiker ihr Eldorado geschaffen.
BMX riders and mountain bikers have created their El Dorado.
Captions 4-5, Pumptrack - Rad fahren, ohne zu treten
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Mit Höckern und Bänken
With stools and benches,
sollen Verschnaufmöglichkeiten für Senioren geschaffen werden.
possibilities [places] for seniors to rest and catch their breath will be created.
Captions 44-45, Bespielbare Stadt - Griesheim
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Further Learning
Here is a list of the conjugations of schaffen, including the preterite schaffte and schuf. See which of these conjugations you can find in use on Yabla German!
The German letters V and W can cause some confusion for native English speakers, since the German W is pronounced like the English V, and the German V is pronounced like the English F! One easy way to keep them straight is the fact that not only are they next to each other in the alphabet, but they also form the abbreviation of the auto manufacturer Volkswagen, or VW — pronounced "fau vay" in German. Practice saying VW to yourself, emphasizing the F sound in "fau" and the V sound in "vay."
Ein Ford oder ein VW oder was?
A Ford or a VW or what?
Caption 42, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Weil oder obwohl?
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The word "Volkswagen" itself has both letters V and W in it, so practice pronouncing it properly to keep the pronunciation of the letters straight: folks vah gen.
It's worth noting that in many loanwords like Vase, vage, Universität, Verb and the like, the pronunciation of the German V is the same as the English V!
The German letters B and D at the beginning of a word are pronounced like the hard versions of the letters in English, as in "blue," and "dark." But when these letters are at the end of a German word, they soften up considerably.
Das Grab, der Stein, die Blumen.
The grave, the stone, the flowers.
Caption 18, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
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The letter B in Grab should not sound like a hard English B, but rather like a soft P: "grap."
Keiner kam auf die Idee, das mit der Hand zu machen.
The idea of doing it by hand didn't occur to anyone.
Caption 22, Erfinder - Nie erfundene Erfindungen
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The letter D in Hand should not sound like the hard English D, but like a soft T: "hant."
Further Learning
Make a list of German words ending in the letters B and D, and find examples of them being pronounced by native speakers in a real world context on Yabla German.
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