German phrases (for speaking & writing) (1 Viewer)

[melimoo]

i thought it would be a good idea to put together a compilation of good phrases that we have come across to include in essays, monologues etc
here's some of mine:

es versteht sich von selbst, dass... - it is obvious that

Zugegeben - admittedly

es lässt sich nicht leugnen, dass... - it can't be denied that

das ist ein nicht zu unterschätzendes Problem geworden - it has become a problem not to be underestimated (something along those lines)

etwas ist (teilweise) schuld daran - smthg is (partially) to blame.

etwas ist zum Thema geworden - something has become as issue

Angenommen - assuming

es verlangt eine Umstellung unserer Einstellungen - it demands a change in our attitude

please add

 

[Dreamerish*~]

Nice. Thanks a lot for that, Melimoo.

My german doesn't go very far beyond colloquialisms.

Do you know what type of questions are likely to be asked in the speaking exams? This girl at my school said that she went to a speaking-practice course for French in the holidays, and the first question they asked her was "what time did you wake up this morning" - that's quite different to my teacher, who usually begins with something like "describe your family".

 

[melimoo]

Nice. Thanks a lot for that, Melimoo.

My german doesn't go very far beyond colloquialisms.

Do you know what type of questions are likely to be asked in the speaking exams? This girl at my school said that she went to a speaking-practice course for French in the holidays, and the first question they asked her was "what time did you wake up this morning" - that's quite different to my teacher, who usually begins with something like "describe your family".

do you do extension? most of the ones i posted are probably only useful for ext, otherwise they sound really formal. to start with that question is pretty wierd hey? like asking what you had for breakfast...yeah we normally start off with hobbies or something
but add random phrases to use in the conversations etc too

 

[Dreamerish*~]

do you do extension? most of the ones i posted are probably only useful for ext, otherwise they sound really formal. to start with that question is pretty wierd hey? like asking what you had for breakfast...yeah we normally start off with hobbies or something
but add random phrases to use in the conversations etc too

Yes I do extension. I must admit my ability to write formal texts is doubtable. I'm only capable of producing highly entertaining diary entries, magazine articles and letters to the editor.

 

[Opium]

"es hangt davon ab" - it depends

a very handy phrase I do german continuers btw.

 

[melimoo]

es wird leichter gesagt als getan - its easier said than done

 

[Meldrum]

Ich harbor einen grossen schvuntz...schvuntz being penis...the rest being true.

 

[melimoo]

hahaha - you harbour a big schvuntz

uhhh, ok. hahaha

 

[Peartie]

lol

ich verstehe kein Deutsch...thats a good one sometimes

but serious ones like

Koennen Sie bitte das anderes sagen?
Wie Bitte?
Ich verstehe das (?) Frage nicht...

 

[elisabeth]

-die- Frage

 

[scoby_2000]

es kommt darauf an...

es zu etwas bringen

meiner meinung nach

ewigkeit (nothing to do with this but its my fav. german word at the moment )

 

[Dreamerish*~]

es kommt darauf an...

es zu etwas bringen

meiner meinung nach

ewigkeit (nothing to do with this but its my fav. german word at the moment )

Ewigkeit? Are you serious? That is a mad word.

It used to be in my custom status - "du bist wie die Ewigkeit" from Yvonne Catterfeld's song. Now I'm stuck with Coconuthead.

 

[elsi]

i don't have any great phrases, i just always begin with "es ist meiner Meinung nach..." but my favourite german word would have to be 'Wackelkontakt' I don't even know if it's spelt right! By the way it means 'wobbly-contact', like when you bycycle light keeps on going on and off becasue it's got a woobly-contct with the battery. I Love it!

 

[olga]

Quatsch is pretty cool too... hey does anyone have any hints for me..I'm studing begginners and have my hsc speaking exam in less than two weeks and i suck at speaking..esp past tense. any help would be greatly appreciated. danke!

 

[elisabeth]

Quatsch is pretty cool too... hey does anyone have any hints for me..I'm studing begginners and have my hsc speaking exam in less than two weeks and i suck at speaking..esp past tense. any help would be greatly appreciated. danke!

Do beginners have to have a conversation, or do you have to translate one side of a conversatiopn? My friend does Indonesian and I think she does the latter.

Anyway... practise speaking or thinking in German as often as you can. On the way to school, in the shower, whenever. Also - I can't reccommend this enough - download HEAPS of German music and listen to it. Even if you're not that good to start with, read the lyrics online and you'll find it improves your pronounciation heaps. Also, it's a good way to pick up new vocab.

Um, I don't know what I can say in regards to cramming.... maybe meet/talk to as many German speaking people as you can in the meantime. Where do you live? Are there many people you could practise with in your German class? Get a tutor for some practise... or be nice to BOS people and we'll help you PM me if you have any questions or want help, I love German, I think I want to teach languages someday.

 

[olga]

hey thnx. i live in thornton (half way between maitland and newcastle). my bo n i do germ by correspondance but he's really not into it and won't practice with me...so i don't really have any1 to speak to which sucks. we have like an interview where they say something like wo wohst du? and u have to reply sayin as much vocab and complex sentences as u can...there's 16 q's i think...then 4 'situations' like: you want to re decorate your room, what do u say to your partens? its pretty easy but i dun know much vocab and really suck at past participles....wat level are u doin? how u find it?

 

[elisabeth]

I'm doing continuers and I like it a lot, I'm not sure how the half yearly went, but I was going great before that. Correspondance sucks, I barely get any speaking practise because of it. It would be great to have a 'real' class, but meh... some ideas for how to get more speaking practise:

- any other German/German speaking people at your school?
- any teachers who speak German but might be able to help you occasionally?
- would you feel comfortable meeting/speaking to someone off BOS?
- would your parents go for a tutor for some conversation practise?

Reading and writing can be easily improved on your own, if you have the patience to read up on grammar and add new vocab, but speaking really should be done with someone else. Are any of the above methods good for you?

 

[Akiheart]

Awesome tips! thanks heaps peepoz! I have my Extension german oral tomorrow...any suggestions for last minute revisions?

 

[southie_surfie]

Thanks - there really helpful

 

[Master Larick]

I do beginners so my things might be useless for all you elite german speakers, in speaking:
Ich glaube, wenn man eine fremdsprache lernt, man hat gute berufsmöglichkeiten- I believe when one learnts a foreign language they have good job oppurtunities

Das nimmt viel zeit in Anspruch- that consumes alot of time
Ich möchte mein Deutsche uben und beherrschen- I would like to practice and master my german

Ich möchte die Deutschen Kultur aus erster hand erleben- I would like to experice the German culture first hand.

Unsere Lehrere verlangen und erwarten so viel von uns!- our teachers expect and demand so much from us! (True ay)