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Today we'll continue with the second part of separable verbs and related prepositions, taking a look at how the same words with different meanings can sometimes occur in German sentences.
Separable verbs often start with prefixes that are identical to prepositions. Here is a partial list of separable verbs that start with prefixes that on their own are prepositions, followed by examples of one of the verbs and the preposition:
Preposition: aus (from, out, of)
Separable verbs: ausbilden (to educate, to train); ausbrechen (to break out); ausdrucken (to print); ausdrücken (to express); ausflippen (to lose control); ausgeben (to hand out); ausgehen (to go out, ausgehen von to assume); auslachen (to laugh at); ausmachen (to turn off, to put out); ausnutzen (to take advantage); ausschließen (to lock out, to exclude); aussprechen (to pronounce); aussterben (to die out, to go extinct); austauschen (to exchange).
Ich gehe heut Nacht aus...
I'm going out tonight...
Caption 5, Beatrice Egli - Mein Herz
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Ihr müsst schon aus Mitleid in den Film alle gehen.
You all have to go see the film just out of pity.
Caption 39, Mario Barth und Paul Panzer - Männersache
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In the first instance above, the separable verb ausgehen is used, but although the verb gehen appears in the second example, the word aus here is a preposition, not part of a separable verb. Using aus as part of the separable verb ausgehen and additionally as a preposition could look like this:
Aus Angst vor einer Erkältung gehe ich im Winter nicht mehr so oft aus.
For fear of catching a cold, I don't go out as often in winter.
Preposition: mit (with, along)
Separable verbs: mitbekommen (to understand, to notice); mitfahren (to ride along); mitfühlen (to sympathize); mitmachen (to participate); mitnehmen (to take along); mitspielen (to play along); mitteilen (to inform, to share knowledge);
Peppa, fährst du beim Rennen auch mit?
Peppa, are you going to ride along in the race as well?
Caption 26, Peppa Wutz - Sport
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Dürfen wir denn dann mit Ihnen mit Ihrem Auto und Blaulicht fahren?
May we drive with you in your car with blue lights then?
-Ja?
-Yes?
Caption 36, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
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In the first example above, the separable verb mitfahren means "to ride along." But in the second instance, the standard verb fahren is used twice with the preposition mit, which in this context translates as "with" and "in." We can also alter this sentence using the separable verb mitfahren:
Fahren wir mit Ihnen mit Ihrem Auto und Blaulicht mit?
Are we riding along with you in your car with blue lights?
Further Learning
See if you can come up with some other sentences that contain a separable verb and a preposition that is identical to the verb's prefix and have your teacher check your work. You can also look for more examples of separable verbs used with prepositions that are identical to their prefixes on Yabla German.
For our beginners, we are devoting this week's newsletter to expressing probability, or the likelihood that something will occur or be the case. There is a range of adverbs that can help you express this in German.
When something is certain, common adverbs used are definitiv, sicher, or bestimmt. "Definitely" is also among the common translations of the phrase auf jeden Fall.
Für Kerber steht fest,
For Kerber it is certain
dass sie die Abstiegsrunde im April definitiv spielen wird.
that she will definitely play at the relegation round in April.
Caption 19, Angelique Kerber - Fotoshooting mit Porsche
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Na ja, es wird sicher kein Problem sein,
Well, it will certainly not be a problem
den Internetbetreiber zu zwingen, den Film zu löschen.
to compel the internet provider to delete the movie.
Captions 6-7, Die Pfefferkörner - Gerüchteküche
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Die Kündigung hat bestimmt andere Gründe.
The layoff surely has other reasons.
Caption 30, Berufsleben - Probleme mit Mitarbeitern
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Oh, wow! Dann wirst du ihn auf jeden Fall wiedersehen, oder?
Oh, wow! Then you will definitely see him again, right?
Caption 47, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Die Verabredung
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The best translation of "likely" and "unlikely" or "probable" and "improbable" in German is wahrscheinlich and unwahrscheinlich.
Wahrscheinlich brauchen wir noch ein bisschen Nachhaltigkeitsunterstützung.
We likely still need a little bit of support with sustainability.
Caption 77, Angela Merkel - beim Nachhaltigkeitsrat
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Dass der Winter noch mal in voller Wucht zu uns zurückkommt,
That winter will return to us in full force
ist im Moment aber ohnehin eher unwahrscheinlich.
is, momentarily, however, without a doubt rather improbable.
Captions 41-42, Rheinmain im Blick - Frühling im Zoo
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Like wahrscheinlich, the word wohl as an adverb also signifies that something is likely or probable. Eventuell, vielleicht and möglicherweise are used when something is possible but can't be guaranteed.
Und das wird wohl auch erst mal so bleiben.
And it will first also likely stay like that.
Caption 19, Andreas Bourani - Startet durch
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Es kann sein, dass wir eventuell etwas Milch brauchen.
It could be that we'll maybe need some milk.
Caption 12, Sallys Tortenwelt und Kochwelt - Apfelkuchen mit Marzipan und Mandelsplittern
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Vielleicht wird's morgen für mich regnen.
Maybe it will rain for me tomorrow.
Caption 15, Andreas Bourani - Eisberg
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Das Kartengerät ist möglicherweise schon seit Wochen angezapft.
The card reader was possibly tapped for weeks.
Caption 44, Großstadtrevier - Neben der Spur
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Just as auf jeden Fall means definitely, auf keinen Fall means that something definitely will not occur, by no means.
Na, du wirst auf gar keinen Fall arbeiten.
Well, you won't work in any case.
Caption 45, Küss mich, Frosch - Für immer Frosch?
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Further Learning
Create your own sentences in which you describe how likely certain events are to happen, from the definite or most likely to the most improbable. If you need more guidance, you can find many more examples of these adverbs in use on Yabla German.
It is pretty unusual in English to have the same word with a completely different meaning occur twice in the same sentence. But as you will learn today, in German it is a fairly commonplace occurence.
Separable verbs often start with prefixes that are identical to prepositions. Here is a partial list of separable verbs that start with prefixes that on their own are prepositions, followed by examples of one of the verbs and the preposition:
Preposition: ab (from, off, starting, beginning, away)
Separable verbs: abbrennen (to burn down); abgeben (to turn in, to hand over); abkürzen (to shorten); abnehmen (to lose weight, to take something off); abschließen (to finish, to lock something)
Nimm mal die Brille ab! Er hat ganz rote Augen.
Take off the glasses! He has really red eyes.
Caption 31, Pastewka - Cantz fährt betrunken Auto
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Ab nächster Woche geht das Fitnessprogramm wieder los.
Beginning next week, the fitness program will get going again.
Caption 36, Claudia Schiffer - Nach der Babypause
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Using the verb abnehmen and the preposition ab, you can construct a sentence such as the one below. Can you tell from the sentence structure which ab is part of the verb and which is the preposition?
Ab diesem Zeitpunkt nehme ich die Sonnenbrille ab.
From this moment on, I'm taking off my sunglasses.
Preposition: an (at, upon, on, to, towards)
Separable verbs: anerkennen (to recognize); andeuten (to hint at, to suggest); angeben (to indicate, to state, to brag); anklagen (to accuse); anschauen (to watch); anstellen (to hire, to employ); anweisen (to instruct); anwenden (to use); sich anziehen (to dress)
Dieser gibt an, wie die Hühner gehalten werden.
This indicates how the chickens are kept.
Caption 11, Bioeier - Wie funktioniert der Erzeugercode?
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Behindert werden an dieser Stelle weder der Verkehr noch die Fußgänger.
Neither the traffic nor the pedestrians are impeded at this point.
Caption 29, Richter Alexander Hold - Richtig parken
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Er gibt an dieser Stelle an, was er getan hat.
At this point, he states what he has done.
Preposition: auf (onto, upon, on, to, at, up)
Separable verbs: aufatmen (to breathe a sigh of relief); aufbleiben (to stay up, to stay open); aufführen (to perform); aufklären (to inform, enlighten, clear up); auflockern (to liven up); aufnehmen (to record, to take a picture); aufpassen (to look out, to take care); aufräumen (to clean up); aufschlagen (to open up); aufwachsen (to grow up)
Achtung, Luise, pass auf!
Attention, Luise, watch out!
Caption 59, Bretten - Das Peter-und-Paul-Fest
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Sie waren die Schnellsten auf dem Acker.
They were the fastest on the field.
Caption 18, Barfuß unter Schafen - Schäferwettrennen
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The verb aufpassen generally means "to watch out" for something, but combined with the preposition auf and a person, it means "to take care":
Pass auf dich auf, hm?
Take care of yourself, hm?
Caption 16, Lilly unter den Linden - Kapitel 4: Die Grenze
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Further Learning
See if you can come up with some other sentences that contain a separable verb and a preposition that is identical to the verb's prefix and have your teacher check your work. You can also look for more examples of separable verbs used with the same prefixes as prepositions on Yabla German.
Just as you should generally memorize the article (der, die, or das) along with each German noun that you learn, it is a good idea to pay attention to which preposition follows any given verb. This may sometimes match the English preposition — for example, Danke für das Essen and "Thank you for the food." However, there are many examples in which the preposition will not be what you would expect based on your knowledge of English. Here are some common examples:
The verb warten ("to wait") is followed by the preposition auf rather than the preposition für. The verb vorbereiten ("to prepare") may be followed by für when it refers to preparing something for a person, such as a meal. However, it is followed by auf in the context of preparing for an event.
Jetzt warte ich auf den nächsten Gang.
Now I am waiting for the next course.
Caption 28, Abendessen - mit Marko
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Ja, und bis dahin werde ich mich auf das Studium vorbereiten.
Yes, and until then I'll be preparing myself for my studies.
Caption 24, Konstantin - ein Freiwilliger in Israel
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In English, we say "I'm interested in politics." In German, the preposition für is used with the reflexive verb sich interessieren.
Also, ich interessiere mich grade sehr für das Thema Bachelorarbeit.
Well, I'm very interested in the topic of my Bachelor's thesis at the moment.
Caption 49, Geoökologie - Cettina interviewt Sarah
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While you congratulate someone on something in English, the German verb gratulieren requires the preposition zu and the dative case.
Einer der Träume ist sicher
One of the dreams is certainly
Frauen und Herren bei Weltmeisterschaften zum WM-Titel zu gratulieren.
to congratulate the women and the men at the World Championships on the World Championship title.
Captions 51-52, Frauenfußball-WM - Der Bundespräsident am Ball
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In English we have sympathy for someone, whereas in German the preposition mit is used.
Der Jäger hatte Mitleid mit ihr und Schneewittchen lief in den Wald hinein.
The Hunter had sympathy for her and Snow White ran into the forest.
Caption 32, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Schneewittchen
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In another instance where the preposition is not what you would necessarily expect, the German verb for "to participate in" is an etwas teilnehmen.
Ab welchem Alter darf man in Deutschland an der Wahl zum Deutschen Bundestag teilnehmen?
Starting at what age are you allowed to participate in parliamentary elections in Germany?
Caption 14, Bundesrepublik Deutschland - Einbürgerungstest
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Further Learning
We will be back with more verb/preposition false friends from time to time and point out common examples to be aware of. In the meantime, you can look at this previous newsletter, which also mentioned this tricky topic. However, the best way to get used to these inconsistencies is by watching videos on Yabla German! As you do, you will take note of phrases that employ a given verb with its correct preposition, which you can then implement when you speak.
In the English language, I can't think of any way of calling somebody a pig (das Schwein) without it sounding pretty insulting. It's also usually the case in German that labeling someone a Schwein is meant to express disdain or to be purposefully offensive:
Du bist so ein Schwein geworden. Und wir waren mal Freunde?
You have become such a pig. And we were once friends?
Caption 17, Die Pfefferkörner - Eigentor
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Und damit kann das Ziel
And with this, the objective
des Attentats doch noch erreicht werden.
of the assassination attempt can still be reached.
Wenn das Schwein wenigstens tot wäre.
If the swine was at least dead.
Captions 27-28, Die Stunde der Offiziere - Dokudrama über den 20. Juli 1944
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Du Schwein! Raus hier, du Lügner!
You pig! Out of here, you liar!
Caption 31, Filmwettbewerb "filmreif" - Mama mach die Augen auf
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Unser Chef ist ein mieses Schwein.
Our boss is a mean pig.
Caption 41, Weihnachtsfilm - Ein Sack voll Geld
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In German, however there is at least one slang context where Schwein is used together with the adjective arm ("poor") to express sympathy for somebody's situation:
Der Mann ist obdachlos.
The man is homeless.
-Das arme Schwein! Vielleicht sollten wir ihm eine Spende geben.
-The poor swine! Maybe we should give him a donation.
In English, this is the equivalent of saying "poor bastard," or the rather old-fashioned "poor devil." It's still common in British English to hear the similarly inclined "poor sod." None of these words are very nice, but they're used nevertheless to express sympathy!
Schwein haben is also used as an expression for having had good luck:
Und permanent stand ich mit einem Bein
And I stood permanently on one leg
im Knast, doch meistens hatt ich großes Schwein.
in jail, but mostly I was very lucky.
Captions 23-24, Frank Zander - Tu doch meine Asche in die Eieruhr
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If you didn't know this expression, you might wonder about him having had "a large pig" in prison!
Another nice idiomatic use of Schwein is when you don't know anybody at a place or event:
Hier kenne ich kein Schwein.
I don't know anyone here.
In this context, kein Schwein essentially means "no one" or "nobody":
Kein Schwein war da.
Nobody was there.
Wenn man sagt: „Kein Schwein war da“,
When you say, "No pig was there,"
dann möchte man ausdrücken,
then you would like to express
dass man zu einer bestimmten Zeit an einem bestimmten Ort war
that you were at a certain time at a certain place
und dort überraschenderweise niemanden angetroffen hat.
and, surprisingly, met no one there.
Captions 42-46, Eva erklärt - Sprichwörter
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Further Learning
Go to Yabla German and see some other uses of das Schwein in a real-world context.
Most of you hopefully know the German verb schlafen (to sleep), but are you familiar with the verb verschlafen? It's probably one of the most common reasons for people arriving to work late:
Ich bin zu spät gekommen, weil ich verschlafen habe.
I arrived too late because I overslept.
Wo steckt eigentlich Nicki? -Verschlafen?
Where is Nicki hiding, actually? -Overslept?
Caption 41, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
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Verschlafen is also common as an adjective and adverb and has a slightly different meaning:
Das Kleinste ist erst Ende März geboren und noch sehr verschlafen.
The smallest was only born at the end of March and is still very sleepy.
Caption 30, Rhein-Main-TV - Tierbabys im Opel-Zoo
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Aber noch blinzelt die Leitkuh etwas verschlafen in die Morgensonne.
But the lead cow still blinks a bit sleepily in the morning sun.
Caption 19, Die letzten Paradiese - Die Schönheit der Alpen 1
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But the most unexpected meaning of verschlafen is in its slang use with a direct object:
Ich bin ganz ehrlich, ich hab ihn verschlafen, weil ich einkaufen war.
I'll be totally honest: I missed it because I was shopping.
Caption 18, Die Pfefferkörner - Alles auf Anfang
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This could be alternately translated as "overlooked" or "forgot." So if you ever hear somebody say that they "overslept" something, you'll know that they are using a slang idiom that means that they overlooked it — nothing really to do with sleep!
Further Learning
See if you can guess—if you don't already know—the meanings of ausschlafen, durchschlafen, einschlafen, entschlafen, weiterschlafen, and überschlafen. Then go find some examples of these words used in a real-world context on Yabla German. All this talk about sleep is making me sleepy, so with that I wish you all a good night, ich gehe jetzt schlafen!
The verb "to earn" in German is verdienen, and it is the verb we use when talking about earning money or making a living.
Die Schwestern im Kloster
The sisters in the cloister
verdienen damit einen großen Teil ihres Lebensunterhalts.
earn a large portion of their livelihood with that.
Caption 39, Hostien für den Papst - Abtei Sankt Gertrud in Alexanderdorf
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But, like in English, you can also "earn" things other than money, such as a break or success.
Das fühlt sich natürlich toll an,
Of course that feels great,
weil sich das auch so anfühlt, als hätte man sich das...
because it also feels as if we have...
verdient, weil man sich's erarbeitet hat.
earned it because we have worked for it.
Captions 15-16, Culcha Candela - zieht Bilanz
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Wenn man hier so viel ackert,
When you slog away here so much,
dann hat man mal eine Auszeit verdient.
you have at some point earned a break.
Caption 21, Großstadtrevier - Neben der Spur
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There are times when either the verb "to deserve" or "to earn" can be used in English, and in German verdienen is used in both cases. It is used for positive outcomes and negative circumstances alike. Note, however, that the tense may change in the translation.
Na und? Der hat auch seine Strafe verdient.
So what? He also deserves his punishment.
Caption 35, Großstadtrevier - Von Monstern und Mördern
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Also, ich finde, du hast den Preis echt verdient.
Well, I think you really deserved the prize.
Caption 91, Free Birds - Interview mit Nora Tschirner & Rick Kavanian
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Weil ich glaube, dass ein Typ wie Sie eine zweite Chance verdient hat.
Because I think a guy like you deserves a second chance.
Caption 35, Großstadtrevier - St. Pauli rettet HSV
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Further Learning
On Yabla German you can find the verb verdienen used to express both "to earn" and "to deserve." Pay attention to the tenses, which will not always align in English and German.
You may know the German phrase Halt die Ohren steif, which is the equivalent of "Keep your chin up." These are tough times, and even if we generally are able to do this, it's sometimes hard not to complain about our current circumstances or the things we might be missing out on.
The most common verb for "to complain" in German is the reflexive verb sich beschweren. You can see in the second example below that it is used with the preposition über and the accusative.
Was ist los?
What is going on?
-Ach, nichts. Passt schon. Ich will mich nicht beschweren.
-Oh, nothing. It's OK. I don't want to complain.
Caption 29, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Probleme
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Ich habe mich bei ihm über meinen Nachbarn beschwert.
I complained to him about my neighbor.
Caption 30, Nicos Weg - A2 Folge 14: Nachbarschaft
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You may also see the verbs klagen and reklamieren. The verb klagen is also used in a legal context and means to file a lawsuit against someone.The verb reklamieren is particularly used for customer complaints (die Reklamationen), for example if an item is defective.
Wenn Kinder über Kopf- oder Bauchschmerzen klagen,
If children complain about head- or stomachaches,
nicht mehr zur Schule gehen wollen und sich zurückziehen,
no longer want to go to school and withdraw,
dann sollten Eltern hellhörig werden.
then parents should listen up.
Captions 28-30, Mobbing in der Schule - Mehr als Streit
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Vielleicht reklamiert sie was.
Maybe she's issuing a complaint.
Caption 12, Großstadtrevier - Nicht mit mir
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A common slang term for "to complain" is meckern. This verb actually means to bleat like a goat, but is used to express whining or grumbling.
Und daran gibt es nichts zu meckern.
And there's nothing to complain about there.
Caption 25, Die letzten Paradiese - Die Schönheit der Alpen
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Von uns Westberlinern wird gesagt, dass wir nur meckern,
People say about us West Berliners that all we do is complain,
aber die meckern ja nur noch mehr.
but they just complain even more.
Captions 51-52, Heute-Show - 30 Jahre Mauerfall: So feiern die Deutschen ihre Einheit
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Further Learning
Practice using the verb sich beschweren in various tenses, and don't forget to alter the reflexive pronoun. You can search for the infinitive sich beschweren and the participle beschwert on Yabla German to find further examples.
The three words above make a nice tongue twister or Zungenbrecher — literally "tongue breaker" in German — though certainly not as difficult as the classic Fischers Fritz fischt frische Fische, frische Fische fischt Fischers Fritz. Best try the latter only if you have a first aid kit around! But I doubt all of us are completely clear on the meanings of the aforementioned "B" words. Let's start with the easiest ones.
Bleibe is the first person singular present tense of the verb bleiben:
Also, "ich bleibe", das ist Präsens, ja.
Well, "I am staying", that is present tense, yes.
Caption 5, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Vorbereitung auf den Test
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Ich bleibe einfach hier in Deutschland und werde eine Fahrradtour machen.
I will just stay here in Germany and will do a bike tour.
Caption 50, Jenny - Reiseziele
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Nein, ich komme nicht mit. Ich bleibe hier in Deutschland.
No, I'm not coming with you. I'm staying here in Germany.
Caption 6, Nicos Weg - A2 Folge 17: Unterwegs
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The verb bleiben is very appropriate this summer, as most of us will be doing our best to enjoy staycations.
The adjective beliebt — most often written as beliebte with the suffix -e when following a definite article in the nominative case — can be translated as "beloved," "favored," or "popular," depending upon the context:
Saint-Tropez am Baggersee,
Saint-Tropez on the artificial lake,
so besangen schon die Rodgau Monotones
as the Rodgau Monotones already sang
vor über 30 Jahren das beliebte
over 30 years ago about the beloved
Badeparadies der Stadt Rodgau.
swimming paradise of the city of Rodgau.
Captions 2-4, Rhein-Main-TV - Badesee Rodgau
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Besonders beliebt ist bei den Berlinern der Wannsee.
The Wannsee is especially popular with the residents of Berlin.
Caption 3, Berlin - Wannsee
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Lastly, we come to the least commonly used of the three B words: beileibe. This adverb is similar in meaning to bestimmt ("definitely") or wirklich ("really"), but is used almost exclusively in the negation beileibe nicht.
Das wird vielleicht was kosten,
It may cost something,
aber beileibe nicht so viel wie der Verlust des gesamten Projekts.
but by no means as much as the loss of the whole project.
Captions 45-46, Marga Engel schlägt zurück - Rache
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Depending upon the context, beileibe nicht can also be translated as "on no account" or "certainly not."
Further Learning
Search for variations of the above three words on Yabla German and practice writing some sentences of your own in German that include these words. For some learning fun, go to the Zungenbrecher page on Wikipedia and, after translating a couple, see how fast you can say them without breaking your tongue!
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.
This week we're doing the last part of this German Preposition Cases series. Let's take a look at those tricky dual-case prepositions that require either the accusative case or the dative case for nouns, pronouns, and adjectives.
The German dual-case prepositions are an, auf, hinter, in, neben, unter, vor, zwischen, and über. As a general rule, if the preposition suggests motion or movement from one place to another, it takes the accusative case. If there is no motion or movement suggested, it takes the dative case. Please take a moment to review the dative and accusative cases in the previous lessons.
The nominative pronoun ich becomes mir in the dative case and mich in the accusative case. Note in the following how "because of me" suggests no movement and uses the dative pronoun, whereas "send to me" suggests the motion of sending something and thus takes the accusative pronoun.
Er fragt sich: „Liegt es nur an mir, dass es jetzt schneit?“
He asks himself, "Is it just because of me that it's snowing now?"
Caption 10, Jan Wittmer - Weihnachtslied
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Wenn Sie sie einfach direkt an mich schicken würden...
If you'll just send them directly to me...
Caption 31, Berufsleben - das Vorstellungsgespräch
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The German feminine of the definite article "the" is die. In the next captions, there is no movement when discussing a scale of numbers, so the nominative die becomes the dative der. Apparently, viewing something conveys some motion in that you are actively looking at something, thus a "view of a bridge" uses the accusative die.
Auf der Skala eins bis zehn: Bei dir bin ich zehn
On a scale of one to ten: With you I am ten
Captions 16-17, 2raumwohnung - Liebe mit Musik am Laufen halten
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Das ist die Draufsicht auf die Brücke.
That is the view of the bridge.
Caption 40, 48 h in Innsbruck - Sehenswürdigkeiten & Tipps
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Back to the nominative personal pronoun "I," which in dative becomes mir and in accusative becomes mich. As you'll notice, the passive phrase "is situated" gets the dative case, and the active phrase "to get it behind me" receives the accusative case:
Hinter mir befindet sich die ehemalige amerikanische Botschaft.
The former American Embassy is situated behind me.
Caption 3, Berlin - der alte amerikanische Sektor
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Ja, ich wollte es einfach hinter mich bringen.
Yes, I just wanted to get it behind me.
Caption 9, Die Wohngemeinschaft - Probleme
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Hopefully these examples will help give you an idea of when to use the dative (no motion, passive) or accusative (motion, active) cases with the above dual-case prepositions.
Further Learning
We just went through the dative and accusative cases for the dual-case prepositions an, auf, and hinter. Try looking on Yabla German for dative and accusative examples of the remaining dual-case prepositions in, neben, unter, vor, zwischen, and über. It will help you find them if you look for specific accusative and dative definite articles or pronouns when you do the search!
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?
This week we're continuing the German Preposition Cases series. Let's examine the prepositions that always require the genitive case for nouns, pronouns, and adjectives.
Let's start out by taking a look at the genitive case for nouns as follows for the definite article "the," with the nominative case followed by the dative case:
der => des
die => der
das => des
die (plural) => der
And for the indefinite article:
ein (masculine) => eines
eine => einer
ein (neuter) => eines
Remember too that if there is no definite or indefinite article, the adjective must still take the case appropriate for its gender with the preposition. And while accusative and dative prepositions aren’t (with some exceptions) usually accompanied by altered nouns, masculine and neuter singular nouns preceded by genitive prepositions get the suffix “-s” or “-es.” Generally plural nouns don't change.
The common German prepositions that require the genitive case are anstatt or statt, auβerhalb, innerhalb, trotz, während, and wegen. The preposition statt, which is not to be confused with the separable verb stattfinden, takes the genitive case. Here, the plural die Runden becomes the genitive der Runden:
... heizte Vettel statt der geplanten drei insgesamt sechs Runden über den Asphalt.
... instead of the planned three laps, Vettel sped six laps over the asphalt.
Caption 46, Formel-1-Autorennen - Sebastian Vettels Homerun
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Here, the singular feminine noun die Wertung becomes the genitive der Wertung:
... und er fährt hier außerhalb der Wertung mit.
... and he's riding here without being scored.
Caption 35, Trial-Meisterschaft - in Bensheim
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Note that if a masculine or neuter proper noun is used, such as the continent das Asien, the proper noun has "-s" added as a suffix:
Bislang gibt es außerhalb Asiens überhaupt noch keine vergleichbare Drehscheibe.
Until now, outside of Asia, there hasn't been a comparable [yuan trading] hub at all.
Caption 40, Frankfurt wird Handelszentrum - für die chinesische Währung Yuan
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In the following, the masculine nominative ein Dom becomes the genitive eines Doms:
Wir haben vier Segmente innerhalb eines Doms.
We have four segments inside a dome.
Caption 52, Bildverarbeitung - Sirius Advanced Cybernetics
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It's also often possible to use außerhalb or innerhalb as dative prepositions by pairing them with von for the dative case: außerhalb von and innerhalb von.
Here, the nominative die Perücke, with the adjective goldene Perücke, becomes the genitive goldener Perücke. It is important to note that if no definite or indefinite article is present, the adjective takes the genitive ending:
Trotz goldener Perücke hat der einst vornehme Herr wohl schon bessere Zeiten gesehen!
Despite the gold wig, the once distinguished gentlemen has indeed seen better times!
Caption 3, Architektur - Karlsruher Brunnen
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In this next caption, the neuter nominative das Training becomes the genitive des Trainings:
Und wie ist das passiert? Während des Trainings?
And how did it happen? During the training?
Caption 33, Jenny und Alena - Handball
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And in the last of our genitive case examples, the masculine nominative der Getriebeschaden becomes the genitive des Getriebeschadens:
... wegen eines Getriebeschadens zurück in die Boxengasse.
... go back into the pit lane due to transmission damage.
Caption 43, Formel-1-Autorennen - Sebastian Vettels Homerun
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You may have noticed that the personal pronouns were not listed at the top of this lesson. That's because personal pronouns aren't generally used in formal German, however the usually genitive prepositions anstatt or statt, trotz, während and wegen are sometimes used with personal pronouns informally — but with the dative case!
Thus the singular and plural personal pronouns "I," "you," "he," "she," , "it," "we," and "they" take the dative case with the above genitive prepositions:
ich => mir
du => dir
Sie (formal "you") => Ihnen
er => ihm
sie => ihr
es => ihm
ihr => euch
wir => uns
sie => ihnen
Sie (formal "you" plural) => Ihnen
Probably the most commonly-heard example is, instead of saying "because of me" as meinetwegen, you'll often hear:
Und ihr seid auch da. Etwa wegen mir?
And you are here too. Somehow because of me?
Caption 2, Otto Waalkes - Hier kommt Otto!
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Remember too that meinetwegen also has a slang usage meaning "I don't have anything against it". We'll cover the informal usage of dative personal pronouns with usually genitive prepositions in another lesson!
Further Learning
To recap, the common German prepositions that require the genitive case of definite and indefinite articles and nouns are anstatt or statt, auβerhalb, innerhalb, trotz, während, and wegen. Go to Yabla German to look for more examples of prepositions whose nouns, pronouns, and adjectives formally take the genitive case. Also review Part II in this series about prepositions that require the dative case.
There are several ways to express "anyway" in German, depending on the function that the word is supposed to have. There are four main words to know, but you'd be surprised at which words can take on a similar meaning.
Let's start with examples in which "anyway" has a confirming function, which can be expressed with eh, sowieso, or ohnehin. In the following sentences, there is a match in what is going on, or something may already be the case.
Ist das aber kalt! und schwimmen kann ich sowieso nicht.
Is that ever cold! and I can't swim anyway.
Captions 35-36, Piggeldy und Frederick - Der Himmel
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Ich hab ja auch eh nichts mehr zu verlieren.
I have nothing left to lose anyway.
Caption 11, Das Lügenbüro - Die Bewerbung
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...aber da ich ohnehin lieber ein Marmeladenbrot essen möchte,
...but since I'd rather have a slice of bread with marmalade anyway,
werd' ich jetzt rübergehen zum Brot und mir eine Scheibe Brot schneiden.
I am going go over to the bread and cut myself a slice of bread.
Captions 5-6, Jenny beim Frühstück - Teil 2
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However, eh and sowieso can't always be used. For sentences in which "anyway" has a contradictory meaning (and could potentially be replaced with "despite that" or "nevertheless"), trotzdem is the word you're looking for.
Die Hühner legten aber trotzdem weiter Eier
But the chickens kept laying eggs anyway,
und sogar mehr als sonst.
and even more than usual.
Captions 17-18, Cettina und Sabine - Ostern
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Hätte ich voll Angst vor, aber würde ich trotzdem machen.
I would be totally afraid of it, but I would do it anyway.
Caption 51, Free Birds - Interview mit Nora Tschirner & Rick Kavanian
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There is then also a conversational "anyway," which various words in German provide in particular contexts. As you will notice right away, these words are not always or even usually translated as "anyway," but the equivalent phrase uses it to express the intended meaning.
Gut. Und wo befindet sich Bayern überhaupt?
Good. And where is Bavaria located anyway?
Caption 10, Bundesländer und ihre Rezepte - Bayern
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Wer braucht schon Hollywood?
Who needs Hollywood anyway?
Caption 1, Berlinale - Schauspieler Jürgen Vogel
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Wie alt ist er denn?
How old is he anyway?
Caption 8, Ein Herz für Tiere - Tierschutzhof und Border Collie
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Na, jedenfalls, arbeiten wir mit sechs Kameras.
Well, anyway, we'll be working with six cameras.
Caption 34, Otto Waalkes - Hier kommt Otto!
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Na ja, wie auch immer, also, wie Sie das mit der Kerze hingekriegt haben, das war... fantastisch.
Well, anyway, so, however you did that with the candle, that was... fantastic.
Caption 13, Weihnachtsmann gesucht - Bist du verliebt?
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Further Learning
You can find many examples of sowieso, eh, ohnehin, and trotzdem being used on Yabla German. When you see one, consider why the chosen word is being used. When you find yourself using the word "anyway," you can consider which German word would fit the particular meaning you are conveying.
This week we're going to continue to go through cases used with German prepositions. If you are an advanced German speaker, this will be nothing new for you, but will hopefully be helpful for beginners as a learning tool and for intermediate German speakers as a refresher. Nouns, pronouns, and adjectives that are modified by prepositions take either the accusative, dative, or genitive case, but to make things slightly confusing, some prepositions require either the accusative or dative case, depending upon the context. In Part II today, let's examine the prepositions that always require the dative case for nouns, pronouns, and adjectives.
Let's start out by taking a look at the dative case for nouns as follows for the definite article "the," with the nominative case followed by the dative case:
der => dem
die => der
das => dem
And for the indefinite article:
ein (masculine) => einem
eine => einer
ein (neuter) => einem
And for the singular and plural personal pronouns "I," "you," "he," "she," , "it," "we," and "they":
ich => mir
du => dir
Sie (formal "you") => Ihnen
er => ihm
sie => ihr
es => ihm
ihr => euch
wir => uns
sie => ihnen
Sie (formal "you" plural) => Ihnen
Remember too that if there is no definite or indefinite article, the adjective must still take the case appropriate for its gender with the preposition.
The common German prepositions that require the dative case of nouns and pronouns are aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, and zu. Here are some examples from Yabla German. The article in the feminine noun die Mode becomes der in the dative case.
Die gute alte Kaffeemaschine
The good old coffee machine
ist dabei etwas aus der Mode geraten.
has to some extent gone out of style in the process.
Caption 12, Eva zeigt uns - wie man Kaffee kocht
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Here, the nominative pronoun ich becomes mir in the dative case:
In diesem Haus wohnen außer mir
In this house live, other than me,
noch mehrere Familien in Mietwohnungen.
several other families in rental apartments.
Captions 5-6, Zu Besuch bei Jenny - Am Hauseingang
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Here, the indefinite feminine article eine (for die Flasche) becomes einer in the dative case, and the neuter ein (for das Glas) becomes the dative einem:
Ob es sich bei einer Flasche oder einem Glas um eine Mehrweg- oder Pfandflasche handelt...
With a bottle or a jar, whether it happens to be returnable or a bottle with a deposit...
Caption 48, Eva erklärt - Mülltrennung
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The dative preposition gegenüber is a bit unusual, in that when it is used on its own, it falls after the item it modifies:
Dem Clubhaus gegenüber liegt ein feiner Sandstrand.
Across from the clubhouse lies a fine sandy beach.
Caption 31, Golf - in Wien
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You can see this above in the correct word order dem Clubhaus gegenüber (not gegenüber dem Clubhaus!). If you wanted to place gegenüber before das Clubhaus, however, you must add the dative preposition von to the mix. So it would also be acceptable to formulate the sentence above as Gegenüber von dem Clubhaus liegt ein feiner Sandstrand. This would be translated exactly the same into English.
Here, the nominative pronoun ihr becomes euch in the dative case:
Jasmin und ich werden heute mit euch üben.
Jasmin and I will practice with you today.
Caption 2, Diane erklärt - Fragewörter
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And here, the masculine indefinite article ein (for der Monat) becomes the dative einem:
Erst nach einem Monat bleibt das Küken fast den ganzen Tag alleine.
Only after a month, the chick stays alone almost all day.
Caption 30, Alpenseen - Kühle Schönheiten
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The feminine definite article die (for die Römerzeit) becomes the dative der:
... seit der Römerzeit ein befestigter Alpenübergang.
... since Roman times a fortified Alpine crossing.
Caption 23, Die letzten Paradiese - Die Schönheit der Alpen 2
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With the preposition von, the nominative pronoun er becomes the dative pronoun ihm:
Es ist genau das, was seine Anhänger von ihm hören wollen.
It is exactly what his supporters want to hear from him.
Caption 25, Tagesschau - Amtseinführung von Donald Trump
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And finishing up our A to Z of dative pronouns, the nominative pronoun du becomes dir in the dative:
Sorry, das läuft auf meinem alten Laptop nicht. Da müssen wir zu dir.
Sorry, this doesn't run on my old laptop. We'll have to go to your place.
Caption 35, Die Pfefferkörner - Gerüchteküche
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Further Learning
To recap, the common German prepositions that require the dative case of nouns and pronouns are aus, außer, bei, gegenüber, mit, nach, seit, von, and zu. Go to Yabla German to look for more examples of prepositions whose nouns, pronouns, and adjectives take only the dative case. Also review Part I in this series about prepositions that require the accusative case.
We have "to see," "to watch," and "to look" in English, but there are even more verbs in German, and the meanings are often prefix-dependent. In German, the three verbs/verb roots are sehen, schauen, and gucken / kucken. Gucken or (more commonplace) kucken is slang and is more popular in northern Germany, whereas schauen is slang in southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. To gain an understanding of how these verbs are used, it's best to look at various examples and see how added prefixes affect the meaning.
Below, you can see examples of these three verbs without any prefixes.
Die anderen Tiere sind im Winter leider nicht draußen zu sehen.
The other animals are unfortunately not to be seen outside in the winter.
Caption 20, Berlin - Domäne Dahlem
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Wo sehen Sie sich selbst in zehn Jahren?
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
Caption 55, Berufsleben - das Vorstellungsgespräch
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Hast du schon im Schrank geschaut? -Ja.
Have you already looked in the closet? -Yes.
Caption 4, Nicos Weg - Vorm Fahrradladen
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Ich bin runter und habe geguckt, war aber nichts.
I went down and looked, but there was nothing.
Caption 28, Rheinmain im Blick - Erdbeben in Südhessen
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Based on these examples, you might come to the conclusion that sehen is always translated as "to see" and schauen and kucken are translated as "to look." However, this is simply not the case. It is instead the prefixes that reliably determine the translations. As you see below, sich etwas anschauen and sich etwas ansehen both mean "to (take/have a) look at something," as does sich etwas ankucken.
Und einen Brauch wollen wir uns heute ansehen.
And we want to take a look at one of these customs today.
Caption 6, Eva erklärt - den Adventskalender
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Zuerst schauen wir uns einige Farben an.
First, we will look at some colors.
Caption 6, Eva erklärt - Farben
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Der Arzt schaut sich den Fuß jetzt erst mal an.
First, the doctor will take a look at your foot.
Caption 5, Nicos Weg - Beim Arzt
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Kuckt euch diese alte Kamera an.
Look at this old camera.
Caption 21, Drei Leute - beim Kofferpacken
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The phrases mal sehen, mal schauen, and mal kucken are essentially synonyms and can mean either "let's have a look at" or "let's see," depending on the context.
Mal schauen, wie weit die Cannelloni sind.
Let's see how far along the cannelloni are.
Caption 41, Cannelloni - mit Jenny
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Mal kucken, was die anderen Jugendlichen hier im Jugendforum so treiben.
Let's see what the other young people here in the Youth Forum are up to.
Caption 10, Rheinman in Blick - Nachhaltigkeit
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Aussehen and ausschauen both refer to a person's appearance. Note: It is not possible to say auskucken in this context!
Du siehst gut aus.
You look good.
Caption 3, Weihnachtsmann gesucht - Bist du verliebt?
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Also, er hat mich gefragt: „Wie möchtest denn...
Well, he asked me: "How would you then like...
Herr Otto, wie möchtest denn ausschauen?“
Mr. Otto, how would you like to look then?"
Caption 9, Otto Waalkes - Friseur
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The verb "to watch" is most often translated as zusehen or zuschauen.
Auf den Besuchertribünen kann jeder den Abgeordneten bei der Arbeit zusehen.
On the visitors' stands, everyone can watch the representatives at work.
Caption 23, Berlin - Hauptstadt des vereinten Deutschland
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Vielen Dank fürs Zuschauen.
Thank you for watching.
Caption 27, Eva - zeigt uns Kleidungsstücke
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When it comes to watching television or a film, there are various expressions involving all three verbs.
Am Freitag sehe ich fern.
On Friday, I will watch television.
Caption 17, Nicos Weg - Am Sonntag koche ich
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Wir haben viel zusammen gekocht und Filme gekuckt.
We often cooked together and watched films.
Caption 32, Fine - sucht eine Wohnung
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Wenn du den Fernseher anmachst, was schaust du?
When you turn on the television, what do you watch?
Caption 36, Peyman Amin - Der Modelmacher
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Further Learning
There are many, many examples of these verbs (sehen, sich etwas ansehen, zusehen, aussehen, and the slang versions) used in context on Yabla German. When you notice an incongruity between the two languages or an exception, make sure to take note of it.
This week we're going to go through the cases used with German prepositions. If you are an advanced German speaker, this will be nothing new for you, but will hopefully be helpful for beginners as a learning tool and for intermediate German speakers as a refresher. Nouns, pronouns, and adjectives that come after prepositions take either the accusative, dative, or genitive case, but to make things slightly confusing, some prepositions require either the accusative or dative case, depending upon the context. Let's take a look in Part I today at the prepositions that require only the accusative case for the nouns, pronouns, and adjectives.
For a basic start, let's look at the accusative case for nouns as follows for the definite article "the," with the nominative case followed by the accusative case:
der => den
die => die
das => das
And for the indefinite article:
ein (masculine) => einen
eine => eine
ein (neuter) => ein
And for the personal pronouns "you," "him," "her," and "they":
du => dich
Sie (formal "you") => Sie
er => ihn
sie => sie
uns => uns
Remember too, that if there is no definite or indefinite article, the adjective must still take the case appropriate for its gender with the preposition.
The common German prepositions that require the accusative case of nouns and pronouns are für, um, durch, gegen, entlang, bis, ohne, and wider. The BBC website Bitesize cleverly suggests a good way of remembering them: in that order, the first letter of each word combined makes the phrase "fudge bow." If you can remember that phrase, with very few overlaps into dative and genitive prepositions, you'll be able to know if the preposition you are about to use requires the accusative case!
Here are some examples from Yabla German:
Ich wollte dir gerne ein paar Sachen für den Umzug mitbringen.
I wanted to bring you a few things for the move.
Caption 5, Nicos Weg - Freizeitstress
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Wenn es um mich geht, ist es reflexiv.
If it's about me, it is reflexive.
Caption 54, Deutschkurs in Tübingen - Akkusativ - Action
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Der schwebt also durch den Raum.
So it floats through the space.
Caption 36, Das 1. Newtonsche Gesetz - erklärt am Beispiel des Dodomobils
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Ich habe echt nichts gegen dich gesagt.
I've really said nothing against you.
Caption 7, Die Pfefferkörner - Gerüchteküche
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Streute sie die Krümel von ihrem einzigen Stück Brot den Weg entlang.
She scattered the crumbs from her single piece of bread along the way.
Caption 48, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Hänsel und Gretel
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Note that the preposition entlang usually appears after the noun when used in the dative case. There is also a genitive use of entlang, but more on that in a later lesson!
Das war's von Rhein-Main-Szene. Bis nächste Woche. Ciao, ciao.
That's it from Rhein-Main-Szene. Till next week. Ciao, ciao [Italian: Bye, bye].
Caption 64, Frida Gold - Interview - Part 2
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Don't forget that bis ("till" or "until") is more commonly seen as a conjunction than as a preposition.
Wie sollte sie es nur ohne ihn aushalten?
Just how was she supposed to make it without him?
Caption 70, Märchen - Sagenhaft - Die Weiber von Weinsberg
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Wer wider besseres Wissen vortäuscht...
Whoever pretends despite better knowledge...
Caption 41, Großstadtrevier - Schatten der Vergangenheit
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Further Learning
Go to Yabla German to look for more examples of prepositions whose nouns, pronouns, and adjectives take only the accusative case. And don't forget the key phrase "fudge bow" for remembering them, as ridiculous as it sounds! A chocolate violin, anyone? Sounds sweet...
In addition to adverbs of indefinite frequency, such as oft or häufig, and adverbs of definite frequency, such as täglich or morgens, there are also expressions for talking about how often something occurs. In English, we often say that something happens "once a month" or "every other week." How do we express this in German?
You likely know the phrase jeden Tag, or "every day." But do you know how to say "every other day"?
Dazu gehört auch, dass den Jungvögeln jeden zweiten Tag ein Tisch mit Knochen gedeckt wird.
This also means that every other day, a table is set with bones for the young birds.
Caption 29, Die letzten Paradiese - Die Schönheit der Alpen 1
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You can say jede zweite Woche for "every other week," but generally something happening at particular intervals will be expressed with alle and not jede zweite. Take a look:
Die Bergbahn fährt alle zwanzig Minuten hoch zum Königstuhl
The mountain railway goes up to the Königstuhl every twenty minutes
und alle zehn Minuten zurück runter in die Innenstadt.
and back down to the city center every ten minutes.
Captions 12-13, Jenny zeigt uns - Das Heidelberger Schloss
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Bei warmen Temperaturen gebären sie
In warm temperatures, they give birth to
alle acht bis zehn Tage dreißig bis vierzig Jungtiere.
thirty to forty young every eight to ten days.
Caption 14, Abenteuer Nordsee - Unter Riesenhaien und Tintenfischen
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Wir finden hier alle vier Wochen eine Schildkröte.
We find a turtle here every four weeks.
Caption 42, Ausgrabungen - Auf den Spuren der Dinosaurier
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Das Projekt „Lunch Beat“ besteht in Hamburg seit dem vergangenen Sommer
The project "Lunch Beat" has existed in Hamburg since last summer
und findet in unregelmäßigen Abständen alle zwei bis drei Monate statt.
and takes place at irregular intervals every two to three months.
Captions 9-10, Lunch Beat - Tanzen in der Mittagspause
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To more specifically state that something happens "once" in a particular time interval, we can use the word einmal in + dative.
Das tue ich für gewöhnlich einmal in der Woche.
I typically do it once a week.
Caption 2, Wäsche waschen - mit Eva
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Einmal in der Woche trainiert Astrid Bittner-Utsch Frauen und Männer,
Once a week, Astrid Bittner-Utsch trains women and men
die ihrem Traumberuf ein Stück näher kommen wollen.
who want to get a little bit closer to their dream profession.
Captions 9-10, Auf dem Laufsteg - Modelcollege in Wiesbaden
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Leon, wieso? -Einmal im Jahr gibt es diese Mathe-Olympiade.
Leon, why? -Once a year, the Math Olympics take place.
Caption 20, Die Pfefferkörner - Gerüchteküche
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Further Learning
Based on what you see above, how do you express "once a month"? What about "every five days" or "every five years"? Can you find another way to say "every other day"? For more practice, you can go to Yabla German to look for more examples, or translate some basic sentences about your current routine into German.
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