Speaking quietly in a library | Learn German in English

About This Lesson

Use Speaking quietly in a library to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Könntest du hier bitte etwas leiser sprechen?

KUHNT-test doo heer BIT-tuh ET-vahs LYE-zer SHPREKH-en? Could you speak a little more quietly here?

Ich wusste nicht, dass ich so laut spreche.

ikh VUHS-tuh nikht, dahss ikh zoh lowt SHPREKH-uh. I didn't realize I was speaking so loudly.

Die Leute lernen am nächsten Tisch.

dee LOY-tuh LEHR-nen ahm NAYKH-sten TISH. People are studying at the next table.

Ich werde leiser sprechen.

ikh VAYR-duh LYE-zer SHPREKH-en. I will lower my voice.

So können sich alle besser konzentrieren.

zoh KUR-nun zikh AL-luh BES-er kon-tsen-TREE-ren. It will make it easier for everyone to focus.

Ich kann näher sitzen. Dann müssen wir nicht laut sprechen.

ikh kan NAY-er ZIT-sen. dahn MUHS-un veer nikht lowt SHPREKH-en. I can sit closer so we do not have to talk loudly.

Dann können wir weiterarbeiten und niemanden stören.

dahn KUR-nun veer VY-ter-AR-bye-ten oont NEE-mahn-den SHTUR-en. Then we can keep working without bothering anyone.

Ich werde ab jetzt leiser sprechen.

ikh VAYR-duh ahp YETST LYE-zer SHPREKH-en. I will keep it down from now on.

Word by Word

Könntest “Könntest” makes “Könntest du hier bitte etwas leiser sprechen?” a polite request. It is a form related to können and is used here with the infinitive “sprechen”; use this pattern when asking one person to do something politely.

du “du” means “you” for the one person being addressed in “Könntest du”. It is used for a direct, informal singular request; here one person speaks politely to another person nearby.

hier “hier” means “here” and identifies the place where the person is speaking in “hier bitte etwas leiser sprechen”. It can be used in a request when the location matters, such as in this library.

bitte “bitte” means “please” and softens the request “Könntest du hier bitte etwas leiser sprechen?”. It commonly appears inside polite requests; use it when asking someone nearby to change an action.

etwas “etwas” means “a little” or “somewhat” in “etwas leiser”. It reduces the degree of the requested change and is useful before a describing word when a small change is meant.

leiser “leiser” means “more quietly” or “quieter” in “etwas leiser sprechen”. It is the comparative form related to leise and is used with “sprechen” here to ask for a lower speaking volume; the same pattern is used for a polite request in a quiet place.

sprechen “sprechen” means “to speak” and is the infinitive in “leiser sprechen”. It follows “Könntest” in the request and appears again with “laut” and “leiser”; use it after a modal form when describing what someone can or should do.

Ich “Ich” means “I” and is the speaker’s subject in “Ich wusste nicht”. It is capitalized here because it begins a sentence and is used when someone describes their own knowledge or action.

wusste “wusste” means “knew” or “realized” in “Ich wusste nicht”. It is a past form related to wissen and is used here to say that the speaker was not aware of the loud speaking; “Ich wusste nicht, dass ...” is useful when admitting that something was unknown.

nicht “nicht” means “not” and negates “wusste” in “Ich wusste nicht”. Together, “wusste nicht” says that the speaker did not know something; use it when denying knowledge or awareness.

dass “dass” introduces the information that the speaker did not know in “dass ich so laut spreche”. It connects a statement of knowledge with its content, as in “Ich wusste nicht, dass ...”; the verb comes at the end of this clause.

so “so” means “so” in “so laut spreche” and shows the degree of the speaking volume. It commonly appears before a describing word or adverb to express a degree, especially when someone comments on how strongly something happens.

laut “laut” means “loudly” in “so laut spreche” and describes the volume of speaking. It is used directly with “spreche” here; this pattern is useful when describing or commenting on how loudly someone talks.

spreche “spreche” means “speak” in “ich so laut spreche”. It is a form related to sprechen and appears at the end of the clause introduced by “dass”; use it when the subject is “ich” and the speaker describes their own speaking.

Die “Die” means “the” and introduces the known group in “Die Leute”. It is capitalized because it begins the sentence and is used before the plural noun “Leute”; use this phrase when referring to people already relevant in the situation.

Leute “Leute” means “people” in “Die Leute lernen”. It names the people studying at the nearby table and is used here as the subject of the sentence; use it when referring to people as a group.

lernen “lernen” means “study” in “Die Leute lernen”. It describes what the people are doing at that moment and is used with the plural subject “Die Leute”; this is useful when talking about people studying or learning.

am “am” forms the location phrase “am nächsten Tisch”, meaning “at the next table”. It is the contracted form used here before this location expression; use it to identify where people are situated.

nächsten “nächsten” identifies the table next to the speakers in “am nächsten Tisch”. It modifies “Tisch” inside the location phrase and is useful when directing attention to a nearby or next place.

Tisch “Tisch” means “table” in “am nächsten Tisch”. It identifies the place where the people are studying; use it with a location phrase when describing where someone is sitting or working.

werde “werde” means “will” in “Ich werde leiser sprechen”. It is a form related to werden and is used with the infinitive “sprechen” to express the speaker’s intention; use this pattern when promising a future change in behavior.

können “können” means “can” in “So können sich alle besser konzentrieren”. It expresses what everyone will be able to do as a result of the quieter volume and is used with the infinitive “konzentrieren”; this pattern is useful when explaining a possible benefit.

sich “sich” belongs to the expression “sich konzentrieren”, which means to focus. It refers back to “alle” in “So können sich alle besser konzentrieren”; use this reflexive form with the verb when describing people focusing.

alle “alle” means “everyone” or “all the people” in “So können sich alle besser konzentrieren”. It includes the people affected by the noise and is used here as the subject of the result; use it when referring to a whole group without naming each person.

besser “besser” means “better” or “more easily” in “besser konzentrieren”. It shows that quieter speaking improves everyone’s ability to focus; use it when comparing the result after a helpful change with the earlier situation.

konzentrieren “konzentrieren” means “focus” in the expression “sich konzentrieren”. It is the infinitive used after “können” and describes the activity that becomes easier; use it with “sich” when talking about focusing on study or work.

kann “kann” means “can” in “Ich kann näher sitzen”. It is a form related to können and expresses the speaker’s ability or available option; use it with an infinitive when proposing something you are able to do.

näher “näher” means “closer” in “näher sitzen”. It describes moving to a position closer to the other person and is the comparative form related to nah; use it with “sitzen” when suggesting a closer seating position.

sitzen “sitzen” means “sit” in “Ich kann näher sitzen”. It is the infinitive after “kann” and describes the proposed change of position; use it after a modal form when talking about where someone can sit.

Dann “Dann” means “then” or “in that case” in “Dann müssen wir nicht laut sprechen”. It introduces the consequence of sitting closer; use it to connect a proposed action with what will follow.

müssen “müssen” means “have to” in “müssen wir nicht laut sprechen”. With “nicht”, the phrase says that the speakers do not have to speak loudly; use this pattern when explaining that a necessity is removed.

wir “wir” means “we” and refers to both speakers in “Dann müssen wir”. It is the subject of the shared plan and appears after the verb because “Dann” comes first; use it when describing an action that the speaker and another person will do together.

weiterarbeiten “weiterarbeiten” means “continue working” in “wir weiterarbeiten”. It describes carrying on with work after adjusting the speaking volume and is used as an infinitive after “können”; use it when an activity continues without stopping.

und “und” means “and” and joins “weiterarbeiten” with “niemanden stören”. It connects two related actions or results in the sentence; use it when presenting both continuing work and avoiding disturbance.

niemanden “niemanden” means “no one” and is the person affected in “niemanden stören”. It is the object of “stören” here, expressing that no person nearby should be disturbed; use this phrase when assuring someone that an action will not bother people.

stören “stören” means “bother” or “disturb” in “niemanden stören”. It is the infinitive used with “können” and takes “niemanden” as its object; use it in a library or another quiet place when talking about interrupting someone’s concentration.

ab “ab” means “from” in the time expression “ab jetzt”. It marks the point when a new behavior begins; use it with a time expression when making a commitment that starts at a stated moment.

jetzt “jetzt” means “now” in “ab jetzt”. Together, “ab jetzt” means “from now on” and shows that the speaker will speak more quietly starting at this moment; use it when announcing an immediate change in behavior.

Grammar Points

wissen, dass + Verb am Ende

Ich wusste, dass die Leute leiser sprechen.

ikh VUHS-tuh, dahss dee LOY-tuh LYE-zer SHPREKH-en.

I knew that the people were speaking more quietly.

Nach „dass“ steht das konjugierte Verb am Ende des Nebensatzes.

sich konzentrieren

Alle konzentrieren sich besser.

AL-luh kon-tsen-TREE-ren zikh BES-er.

Everyone concentrates better.

„sich konzentrieren“ ist ein reflexives Verb; das Reflexivpronomen steht hier bei „alle“ als „sich“.

German Vocabulary

dass conj

dahss that

Ich wusste nicht, dass ich so laut spreche.

etwas pron

ET-vahs a little; somewhat

Könntest du hier bitte etwas leiser sprechen?

hier adv

heer here

Könntest du hier bitte etwas leiser sprechen?

laut adv

lowt loud; loudly

Ich wusste nicht, dass ich so laut spreche.

leise adj

LYE-zuh quiet; quietly leiser

Könntest du hier bitte etwas leiser sprechen?

lernen verb

LEHR-nen to study; to learn

Die Leute lernen am nächsten Tisch.

Leute noun

LOY-tuh people

Die Leute lernen am nächsten Tisch.

nächste adj

NAYKH-stuh next nächsten

Die Leute lernen am nächsten Tisch.

so adv

zoh that way; so

So können sich alle besser konzentrieren.

sprechen verb

SHPREKH-en to speak

Könntest du hier bitte etwas leiser sprechen?

Tisch noun

TISH table

Die Leute lernen am nächsten Tisch.

wissen verb

VISS-en to know wusste

Ich wusste nicht, dass ich so laut spreche.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

People are studying at the next table.

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Die Leute lernen am nächsten Tisch.

I will lower my voice.

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Ich werde leiser sprechen.

It will make it easier for everyone to focus.

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So können sich alle besser konzentrieren.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

loud; loudly

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laut

that

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dass

here

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hier

to know

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wusste