About This Lesson
Use Giving a task update to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Wie läuft die Aufgabe?
vee LOYFT dee OWF-gah-buh? How is the task going?
B
Das meiste davon ist fertig.
dahs MY-stuh dah-FOHN ist FER-tikh. Most of it is done.
A
Was muss noch geprüft werden?
vahs moos NOKH geh-PROOFT VAIR-den? What needs checking?
B
Ich muss die Zahlen prüfen.
ikh moos dee TSAH-len PROO-fen. I need to check the numbers.
A
Sind wir im Zeitplan?
zint veer im TSYTE-plahn? Are we on schedule?
B
Wir können heute Nachmittag fertig werden.
veer KURN-en HOY-tuh NAKH-mit-tahk FER-tikh VAIR-den. We can finish this afternoon.
A
Sollen wir das Team informieren?
ZOLL-en veer dahs TEEM in-for-MEER-en? Should we update the team?
B
Lass uns sie informieren, nachdem wir mit diesem Teil fertig sind.
lahs oons zee in-for-MEER-en, nahkh-DAIME veer mit DEE-zem TYLE FER-tikh zint. Let's update them after we finish this part.Word by Word
Wie
In “Wie läuft die Aufgabe?” this asks how the task is progressing. It is used at the beginning of a question about a situation or process. A common reuse pattern is “Wie läuft …?” when asking for a progress update.
läuft
In “Wie läuft die Aufgabe?” this means is going or progressing. It is the present form of laufen used with die Aufgabe. Use “Wie läuft …?” to ask how a task, process, or situation is progressing.
die
In “die Aufgabe” this is the definite article meaning the. It accompanies Aufgabe in the subject of “Wie läuft die Aufgabe?”. A common reuse pattern is die plus a noun when referring to a specific feminine noun.
Aufgabe
In “die Aufgabe” this means task. It names the work whose progress is being discussed. Use Aufgabe for a piece of work that someone has to complete.
Das
In “Das meiste davon” this is part of the expression meaning most of it. It works together with meiste rather than expressing the whole meaning by itself. A common reuse pattern is “Das meiste …” when referring to the largest part of something.
meiste
In “Das meiste davon” this identifies the largest part and contributes the meaning most. Together with Das and davon, the phrase means most of it. Use “das meiste davon” when saying that nearly the whole amount or part is involved.
davon
In “Das meiste davon” this means of it and refers back to the task. It specifies that most of the task is finished. A common reuse pattern is davon after a quantity expression when referring back to something already mentioned.
ist
In “ist fertig” this means is and links the subject to its state of completion. It is the form of sein used with the singular subject Das meiste. Use sein plus fertig to say that something is complete.
fertig
In “Das meiste davon ist fertig” this means done or finished. With ist, it describes the completed state of most of the task. A common reuse pattern is “etwas ist fertig” for something that is complete.
Was
In “Was muss noch geprüft werden?” this means what and asks which thing requires checking. It introduces a question about the remaining work. A common reuse pattern is “Was muss …?” when asking what needs to happen.
muss
In “Was muss noch geprüft werden?” this expresses must or needs to. It shows that checking is required and is followed by “geprüft werden”. A common reuse pattern is muss followed by an action that is required.
noch
In “noch geprüft werden” this means still or yet and shows that the checking remains to be done. It highlights unfinished work. Use noch with an action or state that continues or remains.
geprüft
In “geprüft werden” this means checked. Together with werden, it describes something receiving the checking rather than someone naming the checker. geprüfen is the citation-form relationship for this exact participle form, and “geprüft werden” is a reusable way to say be checked.
werden
In “geprüft werden” this helps form the meaning be checked. Here it works with geprüft to describe the action that still has to happen. A common reuse pattern is a required action followed by “geprüft werden” when something must receive a check.
Ich
In “Ich muss die Zahlen prüfen” this means I and identifies the person responsible for checking. It is the subject of the statement. A common reuse pattern is “Ich muss …” when stating a personal obligation.
Zahlen
In “die Zahlen prüfen” this means numbers. It names the information that needs to be checked. Zahlen is the plural form related to Zahl, and it commonly follows prüfen when numerical information is being checked.
prüfen
In “die Zahlen prüfen” this means to check or examine. It appears after muss and names the required action. A reusable pattern is “Ich muss … prüfen”, keeping the thing being checked after muss and before prüfen.
Sind
In “Sind wir im Zeitplan?” this means are and forms a question about the current schedule status. It is used with wir in the question. A common reuse pattern is “Sind wir …?” when checking a shared situation or condition.
wir
In “Sind wir im Zeitplan?” this means we and refers to the people sharing responsibility for the task. The same word appears as “Wir” at the start of “Wir können heute Nachmittag fertig werden.” Use wir when speaking about yourself together with one or more other people.
im
In “im Zeitplan” this means in the and is the contracted form of in dem. The phrase “im Zeitplan” means on schedule in this dialogue. A common reuse pattern is im followed by a noun for being within a particular state, place, or framework.
Zeitplan
In “im Zeitplan” this means schedule. It names the planned timing against which the task is being evaluated. Use Zeitplan when discussing whether work is progressing according to an agreed timetable.
können
In “Wir können heute Nachmittag fertig werden” this means can and expresses ability or possibility. It is followed by the time expression heute Nachmittag and the action “fertig werden”. A common reuse pattern is “Wir können …” when stating what a group is able or expected to accomplish.
heute
In “heute Nachmittag” this means today. It places the expected completion on the current day. Use heute before a time expression to specify that it is happening on the current day.
Nachmittag
In “heute Nachmittag” this means afternoon. Together with heute, it identifies when the speakers can finish. A common reuse pattern is heute plus a part of the day when arranging or describing timing.
Sollen
In “Sollen wir das Team informieren?” this asks whether we should inform the team. It presents a suggestion or asks for a decision about the next action. A common reuse pattern is “Sollen wir …?” when proposing a joint action.
Team
In “das Team informieren” this means team. It identifies the group that should receive the task update. Use Team with informieren when communicating work information to a group.
informieren
In “das Team informieren” this means inform or update. It names the action of giving the team the relevant information. It is used after Sollen and also after “Lass uns” in the dialogue, so “das Team informieren” is a reusable work-related pattern.
Lass
In “Lass uns sie informieren” this means let and starts an invitation to act together. It combines with uns and an infinitive to suggest a joint action. A common reuse pattern is “Lass uns …” when proposing that the speaker and listener do something together.
uns
In “Lass uns sie informieren” this means us and refers to the speaker and listener as the people who will act. It completes the invitation begun by Lass. Use “Lass uns …” with uns before an infinitive for a shared suggestion.
sie
In “Lass uns sie informieren” this means them and refers to the team. It identifies who will receive the information. A common reuse pattern is an object pronoun before informieren when referring to people who should be informed.
nachdem
In “nachdem wir mit diesem Teil fertig sind” this means after and connects the update with a completed earlier action. It introduces the condition that the speakers must finish this part first. A common reuse pattern is nachdem followed by a clause describing what happens first.
mit
In “mit diesem Teil fertig sind” this means with and links the speakers to the part they are finishing. The whole phrase says that they are finished with this part. A common pattern is “mit etwas fertig sein” when saying that work on something is complete.
diesem
In “mit diesem Teil” this means this and identifies the particular part being finished. Its form appears after mit in this expression. Use “mit diesem …” to point to a specific item connected with the current task.
Teil
In “mit diesem Teil fertig sind” this means part. It identifies the portion of the task that must be completed before the team is informed. Use Teil when referring to one section or portion of a larger task.
Grammar Points
nachdem + Nebensatz mit Verb am Ende
Nachdem die Aufgabe fertig ist, informieren wir das Team.
nahkh-DAIME dee OWF-gah-buh FER-tikh ist, in-for-MEER-en veer dahs TEEM.After the task is finished, we inform the team.
Nach „nachdem“ steht das konjugierte Verb im Nebensatz am Ende: „fertig ist“.
die meisten davon
Die meisten davon sind fertig.
dee MY-sten dah-FOHN zint FER-tikh.Most of them are finished.
„Die meisten“ bedeutet „most“, und „davon“ verweist auf zuvor genannte Dinge.
German Vocabulary
Aufgabe
noun
OWF-gah-buh
task
davon
adv
dah-FOHN
of it; of that
fertig
adj
FER-tikh
finished; done
heute Nachmittag
phrase
HOY-tuh NAKH-mit-tahk
this afternoon
laufen
verb
LOW-fen
to go; to run
läuft
meiste
pron
MY-stuh
most
noch
adv
NOKH
still; yet
prüfen
verb
PROO-fen
to check
Team
noun
TEEM
team
werden
verb
VAIR-den
to become; to get
Zahlen
noun
TSAH-len
numbers
Zeitplan
noun
TSYTE-plahn
schedule
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
How is the task going?
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Wie läuft die Aufgabe?Most of it is done.
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Das meiste davon ist fertig.What needs checking?
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Was muss noch geprüft werden?Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to check
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prüfennumbers
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Zahlentask
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Aufgabemost