Asking for help with a task | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: In a workplace, one adult asks for help with an unclear task and gets guidance on where to start..

EN → DE / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Asking for help with a task to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Ich brauche Hilfe bei dieser Aufgabe.

ikh BROW-khuh HIL-fuh BYE DEE-zuh OWF-gah-buh. I need help with this task.
B

Welcher Teil ist schwierig?

VEL-khuh TYLE ist SHVEE-rikh? Which part feels difficult?
A

Der erste Teil ist unklar.

dair AIR-stuh TYLE ist oon-KLAHR. The first part is unclear.
B

Ich kann es dir erklären.

ikh kahn ess deer air-KLAIR-en. I can walk you through it.
A

Soll ich mit dieser Datei anfangen?

zohl ikh mit DEE-zuh dah-TYE AHNG-fahng-en? Should I start with this file?
B

Fang dort an und zeig mir dann, was du hast.

FAHNG dort ahn oont TSYKE meer dahn, vahss doo hahst. Start there, then show me what you have.
A

Ich probiere das jetzt.

ikh proh-BEE-ruh dahss yetst. I'll try that now.
B

Danach kann ich deine Arbeit prüfen.

dah-NAHKH kahn ikh DY-nuh AHR-bite PRUU-fen. I can check your work after that.

Word by Word

Ich “Ich” means “I” and identifies the person who needs help. It is used as the subject in “Ich brauche Hilfe”; use it when speaking about yourself.
brauche “brauche” means “need” here: the speaker needs help. It is the form used with “Ich” in “Ich brauche Hilfe”; this pattern can be reused with a needed thing or support.
Hilfe “Hilfe” means “help” in “Ich brauche Hilfe bei dieser Aufgabe.” It names the support the speaker is asking for and is useful when requesting assistance with a task.
bei “bei” connects “Hilfe” with the task that the help concerns, giving “Hilfe bei dieser Aufgabe” as “help with this task.” A reliable pattern is “Hilfe bei” followed by the relevant task or activity.
dieser “dieser” means “this” in “bei dieser Aufgabe,” referring to one specific task. Its form is used with the feminine noun “Aufgabe” after “bei”; reuse the whole pattern when identifying a particular task.
Aufgabe “Aufgabe” means “task” in “bei dieser Aufgabe.” It refers to the work the speaker is trying to do and can be used for a task that needs explanation or help.
Welcher “Welcher” means “which” in the question “Welcher Teil ist schwierig?” It asks the listener to identify one part from the task; here it is used with the masculine noun “Teil.”
Teil “Teil” means “part” in “Welcher Teil.” It identifies one section of the task, especially when asking which section causes difficulty.
ist “ist” means “is” and links “Der erste Teil” with the description “schwierig.” It is the form of “sein” used here with the singular subject “Der erste Teil.”
schwierig “schwierig” means “difficult” in “Der erste Teil ist schwierig.” It describes the part that causes trouble and can be used after “ist” to describe something as difficult.
Der “Der” means “the” and identifies the specific part in “Der erste Teil.” It is used here before the masculine noun “Teil” to refer to the first part already being discussed.
erste “erste” means “first” in “Der erste Teil.” It orders the parts of the task and specifies which one is unclear; use it before a noun when identifying the first item.
unklar “unklar” means “unclear” in “Der erste Teil ist unklar.” It says that the first part is not understood clearly, which is useful when explaining why help is needed.
kann “kann” means “can” in “Ich kann es dir erklären,” expressing the ability or offer to explain it. It is used with the subject “Ich” and places the infinitive “erklären” later in the sentence.
es “es” means “it” in “Ich kann es dir erklären,” referring to the unclear part or task already mentioned. It is the thing being explained and appears before “dir” in this sentence.
dir “dir” means “to you” in “Ich kann es dir erklären,” identifying the person who will receive the explanation. This informal form is used for the person being addressed directly.
erklären “erklären” means “explain” in “Ich kann es dir erklären.” It stays in this form after “kann”; the reusable pattern is “Ich kann es dir erklären” when offering to explain something to someone.
Soll “Soll” asks “Should” in “Soll ich mit dieser Datei anfangen?” The question asks whether starting with the file is the right action; it comes first because this is a question.
mit “mit” means “with” in “mit dieser Datei anfangen,” identifying the file used as the starting point. A reliable pattern is “mit” followed by an item when saying what to start with.
Datei “Datei” means “file” in “mit dieser Datei.” It identifies the digital work item the speaker is considering as a starting point.
anfangen “anfangen” means “start” or “begin” in “Soll ich mit dieser Datei anfangen?” It follows “Soll” in its infinitive form; the pattern “mit ... anfangen” names what to start with.
Fang “Fang” means “start” in the instruction “Fang dort an.” It directly tells one person to begin, and it is the spoken command form used with “du.”
dort “dort” means “there” in “Fang dort an,” pointing to the place or item just identified as the starting point. It can be used with an instruction to indicate where to begin.
an “an” is the separable part of “Fang dort an,” completing the meaning “start.” It appears at the end of this instruction, while “Fang” carries the beginning of the same verb.
und “und” means “and” and joins the two instructions in “Fang dort an und zeig mir dann, was du hast.” It connects the starting action with the next action of showing the work.
zeig “zeig” means “show” in “zeig mir dann, was du hast.” It is a direct instruction to show something to the speaker; the pattern is “zeig mir” followed by what should be shown.
mir “mir” means “to me” in “zeig mir,” identifying the person who should see the work. It marks the recipient of the showing and is useful in requests to show something to the speaker.
dann “dann” means “then” in “zeig mir dann,” showing that the showing should happen after starting there. It is useful for ordering one action after another.
was “was” means “what” in “was du hast,” introducing the thing the listener is asked to show. It begins the embedded part that specifies what should be shown.
du “du” means “you” in “was du hast,” identifying the person whose work or result is being discussed. It is the subject of the clause with “hast” and addresses one person informally.
hast “hast” means “have” in “was du hast,” referring to what the listener has produced or completed so far. It is used with “du” in the reusable pattern “was du hast.”
probiere “probiere” means “try” in “Ich probiere das jetzt,” describing the speaker’s decision to attempt the suggested action. It is the form used with “Ich” and can be followed by the thing being tried.
das “das” means “that” or “it” in “Ich probiere das jetzt,” referring to the suggested way of proceeding. It points back to the action just discussed rather than naming it again.
jetzt “jetzt” means “now” in “Ich probiere das jetzt.” It places the attempt in the present moment and is useful when confirming that an action will begin immediately.
Danach “Danach” means “after that” and refers to the speaker’s attempt mentioned in the previous line. It places checking the work after that action and is useful for linking steps in sequence.
deine “deine” means “your” in “deine Arbeit,” showing that the work belongs to the person being addressed. It comes directly before “Arbeit” and identifies whose work will be checked.
Arbeit “Arbeit” means “work” in “deine Arbeit.” It refers to the result of the task that the other person will check after the attempt.
prüfen “prüfen” means “check” in “Danach kann ich deine Arbeit prüfen.” It stays in the infinitive after “kann”; the pattern “Arbeit prüfen” means to check someone’s work.

Grammar Points

Fang ... an

Fang dort an.

FAHNG dort ahn.

Start there.

anfangen is separable: the prefix an moves to the end in this imperative sentence.

mir + Verb

Zeig mir.

TSYKE meer.

Show me.

mir means “to me” and marks the person receiving the action.

German Vocabulary

Aufgabe noun
OWF-gah-buh task

bei dieser Aufgabe

bei prep
BYE with; in the context of

bei dieser Aufgabe

brauchen verb
BROW-khen need brauche

Ich brauche Hilfe bei dieser Aufgabe.

dir pron
deer to you

Ich kann es dir erklären.

erklären verb
air-KLAIR-en explain

Ich kann es dir erklären.

erst adj
AIRST first erste

Der erste Teil ist unklar.

es pron
ess it

Ich kann es dir erklären.

Hilfe noun
HIL-fuh help

Ich brauche Hilfe bei dieser Aufgabe.

schwierig adj
SHVEE-rikh difficult

Welcher Teil ist schwierig?

Teil noun
TYLE part

Welcher Teil ist schwierig?

unklar adj
oon-KLAHR unclear

Der erste Teil ist unklar.

welcher det
VEL-khuh which

Welcher Teil ist schwierig?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I need help with this task.

Show AnswerIch brauche Hilfe bei dieser Aufgabe.

Which part feels difficult?

Show AnswerWelcher Teil ist schwierig?

The first part is unclear.

Show AnswerDer erste Teil ist unklar.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

task

Show AnswerAufgabe

first

Show Answererste

which

Show Answerwelcher

part

Show AnswerTeil