Starting with a Short Sentence | Learn German in English

About This Lesson

Use Starting with a Short Sentence to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Einfache Wörter sind für mich leichter.

EYN-fakh-uh VUR-ter zint fyur mikh LYKHT-er. Simple words are easier for me.

Wir können mit einem kurzen Satz anfangen.

Veer KUR-nun mit EYE-num KOORTS-en ZATS AHN-fahng-en. We can start with a short sentence.

Das hilft mir beim Verstehen.

Dahs hilft meer byme fer-SHTAY-en. That helps me understand.

Lies diese Zeile nach mir vor.

LEES DEE-zuh TSY-luh nahkh meer fohr. Read this line after me.

Ich bin bereit, es zu versuchen.

Ikh bin buh-RYTE, ess tsoo fer-TSOO-khen. I am ready to try.

Nimm dir Zeit und sag es deutlich.

Nimm deer TSYTE oont zahk ess DOYT-likh. Take your time and say it clearly.

Word by Word

Einfache “Einfache” means “simple” here and describes “Wörter”. Its ending matches the noun phrase “Einfache Wörter”; use it before a noun when describing something as simple.

Wörter “Wörter” means “words”, referring to the individual words that are easier for the speaker. Use it for words as language units, especially in a phrase such as “Einfache Wörter”.

sind “sind” means “are” and links “Einfache Wörter” with the description “leichter”. It is used when stating what something is like or how it compares.

für “für” means “for” in the phrase “für mich”, showing who finds the words easier. It commonly introduces the person or thing something is intended for or relevant to.

mich “mich” means “me” in “für mich”, identifying the person for whom the words are easier. After “für”, this form is used for the speaker as the object of the preposition.

leichter “leichter” means “easier” here, describing the words as easier for the speaker. It is useful when comparing the difficulty of one thing with another.

Wir “Wir” means “we” and refers to the speaker and the other person together. Use it as the subject when a group including the speaker does something.

können “können” means “can” and expresses the possibility of starting with a short sentence. It is followed here by the infinitive “anfangen”; this pattern is useful for saying what someone can do.

mit “mit” means “with” and introduces the starting point in “mit einem kurzen Satz”. It commonly appears before an activity, tool, person, or thing used as a starting point.

einem “einem” means “a” in “mit einem kurzen Satz”, referring to one short sentence as the starting point. After “mit”, this form is used with the noun phrase that follows.

kurzen “kurzen” means “short” and describes “Satz”. Its ending fits the phrase “mit einem kurzen Satz”; use the adjective before a noun when specifying its length.

Satz “Satz” means “sentence”, the short sentence used for the first practice. It is a common word for a sentence in speaking, reading, or writing.

anfangen “anfangen” means “to start” in “mit einem kurzen Satz anfangen”. With “können”, it stays as the final infinitive; the reusable pattern is “mit ... anfangen” for starting with something.

Das “Das” means “that” and refers to the suggested practice of starting with a short sentence. It can point back to an idea or action already mentioned.

hilft “hilft” means “helps” and says that the previous idea helps the speaker understand. It is used with the person helped in “mir” and can be followed by an activity that becomes easier.

mir “mir” means “me” as the person who benefits from the help. In “Das hilft mir”, it identifies who is helped; this is a common pattern with “hilft”.

beim “beim” means “when doing” or “during” in “beim Verstehen”. It introduces an activity in which the help is useful and is followed here by the noun-like form “Verstehen”.

Verstehen “Verstehen” means “understanding” here and names the activity that becomes easier. In “beim Verstehen”, it refers to understanding what is heard or read.

Lies “Lies” means “read” as a direct instruction to one person. It is used here to ask someone to read “diese Zeile” aloud after the speaker.

diese “diese” means “this” and points to the particular line being indicated. It comes directly before the noun in “diese Zeile” to identify which line to read.

Zeile “Zeile” means “line”, specifically the line that the learner should read. It can refer to one line of written text, such as a line in a lesson.

nach “nach” contributes the meaning “after” in the instruction to read the line after the speaker. In the expression “nach mir vorlesen”, it shows that the learner follows the speaker’s reading.

vor “vor” is the separated part of the reading expression in “Lies diese Zeile nach mir vor.” Together with “nach” and the reading verb, it expresses reading the line after the speaker, aloud. Keep the components together when reusing this instruction.

Ich “Ich” means “I” and identifies the speaker as the person who is ready. Use it as the subject when talking about your own state or action.

bin “bin” means “am” in “Ich bin bereit”. It links the speaker with a current state or description, such as being ready.

bereit “bereit” means “ready” and says that the speaker is prepared to try. The pattern “bereit, es zu versuchen” expresses readiness to do something.

es “es” means “it” and refers to the practice or action the speaker is ready to try. In “es zu versuchen”, it is the thing being attempted.

zu “zu” marks the infinitive expression “zu versuchen” after “bereit”. The pattern “bereit, es zu versuchen” is used to say that someone is ready to try something.

versuchen “versuchen” means “try” in “es zu versuchen”, referring to attempting the practice. With “zu”, it forms the action that follows “bereit”.

Nimm “Nimm” means “take” in the instruction “Nimm dir Zeit”. Here the expression tells the learner to allow enough time rather than hurry. It is used as a direct instruction to one person.

dir “dir” means “yourself” in “Nimm dir Zeit”, showing whose time is being allowed. This expression is used when telling someone to give themselves enough time for an activity.

Zeit “Zeit” means “time” in the expression “Nimm dir Zeit”. The full expression is used to encourage someone not to hurry while speaking, reading, or doing another task.

und “und” means “and” and joins the instruction to take time with the instruction to say it clearly. It connects two related actions or requests.

sag “sag” means “say” in the direct instruction “sag es deutlich”. It tells one person to produce the words aloud; the object “es” identifies what should be said.

deutlich “deutlich” means “clearly” and describes how the learner should say it. It is useful after a speaking verb when asking someone to make their words easy to hear or understand.

Grammar Points

Imperativ: Lies, Nimm, sag

Lies diese Zeile. Nimm dir Zeit und sag es deutlich.

LEES DEE-zuh TSY-luh. Nimm deer TSYTE oont zahk ess DOYT-likh.

Read this line. Take your time and say it clearly.

German uses special imperative forms for informal commands: lesen → Lies, nehmen → Nimm, sagen → sag.

Dativpronomen: mir, dir

Das hilft mir. Nimm dir Zeit.

Dahs hilft meer. Nimm deer TSYTE.

That helps me. Take your time.

mir and dir are dative forms for “me” and “you”; mich is the accusative form of “me”.

German Vocabulary

anfangen verb

AHN-fahng-en to start

diese det

DEE-zuh this

einfach adj

EYN-fakh simple Einfache

helfen verb

HELP-en to help hilft

kurz adj

koorts short kurzen

leicht adj

LYKHT easy leichter

lesen verb

LAY-zen to read Lies

mit prep

mit with

Satz noun

ZATS sentence

sein verb

zeyn to be sind

Verstehen noun

fer-SHTAY-en understanding

Wort noun

VORT word Wörter

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Simple words are easier for me.

Show Answer

Einfache Wörter sind für mich leichter.

That helps me understand.

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Das hilft mir beim Verstehen.

Read this line after me.

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Lies diese Zeile nach mir vor.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

easy

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leichter

to be

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sind

sentence

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Satz

short

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kurzen