Talking about a headache at home | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: At home, one adult has a slight headache while another offers water and a quiet place to rest..

EN → DE / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Talking about a headache at home to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Ich habe leichte Kopfschmerzen.

ikh HAH-buh LIGHT-uh KOPF-shmehr-tsun I have a slight headache.
B

Setz dich eine Minute hin und schone deine Augen.

ZEHTS dikh EYE-nuh mee-NOO-tuh hin oont SHOH-nuh DYE-nuh OW-gun Sit down for a minute and rest your eyes.
A

Kannst du mir etwas Wasser bringen?

kahnst doo meer ET-vahs VAH-ser BRING-un Could you bring me some water?
B

Hier, trink es langsam in kleinen Schlucken.

heer, trink ess LAHNG-zahm in KLY-nun SHLOO-kun Here, sip it slowly.
A

Ich fühle mich auch ein bisschen müde.

ikh FEW-luh mikh owkh ine BIS-khun MYOO-duh I feel a little tired too.
B

Du kannst dich in diesem ruhigen Zimmer hinlegen.

doo kahnst dikh in DEE-zum ROO-ih-gun TSIM-er HIN-lay-gun You can lie down in this quiet room.
A

Ich hoffe, ich fühle mich bald besser.

ikh HOFF-uh, ikh FEW-luh mikh bahlt BES-er I hope I feel better soon.
B

Bleib hier und ruf mich an, wenn du etwas brauchst.

blybe heer oont roof mikh ahn, ven doo ET-vahs browkhst Stay here, and call me if you need anything.

Word by Word

Ich “Ich” means “I” and is the person experiencing the headache in “Ich habe leichte Kopfschmerzen.” It commonly comes first when stating what you have or feel.
habe “habe” means “have” in “Ich habe leichte Kopfschmerzen.” The pattern “Ich habe + noun” is useful for stating a symptom or condition.
leichte “leichte” means “slight” or “mild” in “leichte Kopfschmerzen.” It is the form of “leicht” used here to describe “Kopfschmerzen.”
Kopfschmerzen “Kopfschmerzen” means “headache” in “Ich habe leichte Kopfschmerzen.” Use “Ich habe Kopfschmerzen” to tell someone that your head hurts.
Setz “Setz” tells one person to sit in “Setz dich eine Minute hin.” It is the informal command form related to “sich setzen,” and it is used with “dich” and “hin” in this sentence.
dich “dich” refers to the person being told to sit in “Setz dich eine Minute hin.” With “Setz,” the pattern “Setz dich ... hin” tells someone to sit down.
eine “eine” means “a” in “eine Minute,” referring to one minute of time. The reusable phrase “eine Minute” is used to request or describe a short amount of time.
Minute “Minute” means “minute” in “eine Minute.” It is used with a number or quantity word to express a short duration, as in “eine Minute.”
hin “hin” helps express the downward movement in “Setz dich eine Minute hin,” meaning “sit down.” Here it works together with “Setz dich” rather than carrying the full meaning by itself.
und “und” means “and” and links the two requests in “Setz dich eine Minute hin und schone deine Augen.” It is useful for joining two actions in one instruction.
schone “schone” tells the person to rest or spare their eyes in “schone deine Augen.” It is an informal command related to “schonen,” and it is used with the object “deine Augen.”
deine “deine” means “your” in “deine Augen,” identifying the eyes that belong to the person being addressed. The pattern “deine + noun” is used when speaking informally to one person.
Augen “Augen” means “eyes” in “schone deine Augen.” The phrase “deine Augen schonen” is used when advising someone to reduce eye strain or rest their eyes.
Kannst “Kannst” means “can” or, in this request, “could” in “Kannst du mir etwas Wasser bringen?” It is used at the beginning of an informal question asking whether someone can do something.
du “du” means “you” in “Kannst du mir etwas Wasser bringen?” It refers to one person addressed informally and follows “Kannst” in this question pattern.
mir “mir” means “to me” in “Kannst du mir etwas Wasser bringen?” It identifies the person who should receive the water, and it commonly appears with verbs such as “bringen.”
etwas “etwas” means “some” in “etwas Wasser,” referring to an unspecified amount of water. The pattern “etwas + uncounted substance” is useful when requesting a small or unspecified quantity.
Wasser “Wasser” means “water” in “etwas Wasser.” It is the thing being requested and brought in “Kannst du mir etwas Wasser bringen?”
bringen “bringen” means “bring” in “Kannst du mir etwas Wasser bringen?” It remains in this form after “Kannst,” and the pattern “jemandem etwas bringen” means to bring something to someone.
Hier “Hier” means “here” in “Hier, trink es langsam in kleinen Schlucken.” It draws attention to what is being offered or indicated at the current place.
trink “trink” tells one person to drink in “trink es langsam in kleinen Schlucken.” It is an informal command related to “trinken,” used here with “es” for the water.
es “es” means “it” in “trink es langsam in kleinen Schlucken,” referring to the water already mentioned. It can stand for a thing that has just been offered or discussed.
langsam “langsam” means “slowly” in “trink es langsam in kleinen Schlucken.” It describes how the drinking should happen and can be placed after the object in this sentence.
in “in” means “in” in the expression “in kleinen Schlucken,” describing the manner of drinking. The pattern “in kleinen Schlucken trinken” means to drink in small sips.
kleinen “kleinen” means “small” in “in kleinen Schlucken.” It describes “Schlucken” within the expression “in kleinen Schlucken,” which gives the drinker a specific way to drink.
Schlucken “Schlucken” means “sips” in “in kleinen Schlucken.” The full expression “in kleinen Schlucken” is useful when telling someone to drink gradually.
fühle “fühle” means “feel” in “Ich fühle mich auch ein bisschen müde.” It is used with “mich” to describe the speaker’s own physical or emotional state.
mich “mich” refers back to the speaker in “Ich fühle mich auch ein bisschen müde.” The pattern “Ich fühle mich + adjective” is used to describe how you feel.
auch “auch” means “also” or “too” in “Ich fühle mich auch ein bisschen müde.” It adds tiredness as another symptom or condition alongside the headache.
ein “ein” contributes to the expression “ein bisschen,” meaning “a little.” Together with “bisschen,” it softens the statement about feeling tired.
bisschen “bisschen” means “bit” in “ein bisschen müde,” so the speaker feels a little tired. The reusable pattern “ein bisschen + adjective” expresses a small degree of a condition.
müde “müde” means “tired” in “Ich fühle mich auch ein bisschen müde.” It is used after “fühle mich” to describe the speaker’s current state.
diesem “diesem” means “this” in “diesem ruhigen Zimmer,” pointing to the particular quiet room being offered. It appears directly before the describing word and noun in this phrase.
ruhigen “ruhigen” means “quiet” in “diesem ruhigen Zimmer.” It describes the room as a suitable place for resting.
Zimmer “Zimmer” means “room” in “diesem ruhigen Zimmer.” It identifies the quiet place where the person is invited to lie down.
hinlegen “hinlegen” means “lie down” in “Du kannst dich in diesem ruhigen Zimmer hinlegen.” It is used with “dich” here, and after “kannst” it stays in this form at the end of the sentence.
hoffe “hoffe” means “hope” in “Ich hoffe, ich fühle mich bald besser.” It introduces a wish about the speaker’s future condition, followed here by “ich fühle mich bald besser.”
bald “bald” means “soon” in “ich fühle mich bald besser.” It places the hoped-for improvement in the near future.
besser “besser” means “better” in “ich fühle mich bald besser.” The pattern “sich besser fühlen” is used when someone’s condition improves.
Bleib “Bleib” tells one person to stay in “Bleib hier.” It is an informal command related to “bleiben,” used here with the place word “hier.”
ruf “ruf” tells one person to call in “ruf mich an.” It is an informal command related to “rufen,” and its full meaning here is completed by the separable part “an.”
an “an” completes the call expression in “ruf mich an,” meaning “call me.” It follows the object in this command, so the reusable pattern is “jemanden anrufen” or, in this sentence, “ruf mich an.”
wenn “wenn” means “if” in “wenn du etwas brauchst,” introducing the condition for calling. The pattern “ruf mich an, wenn ...” is useful when offering help if a need arises.

Grammar Points

Trennbare Verben im Imperativ: Verb + ... + Präfix

Setz dich hin.

ZEHTS dikh hin

Sit down.

Bei trennbaren Verben steht das Präfix im Imperativ am Satzende: hinsetzen → Setz dich hin.

Reflexive Verben mit Akkusativpronomen

Ich fühle mich auch müde.

ikh FEWL-uh mikh owkh MYOO-duh

I also feel tired.

Bei sich fühlen steht das Reflexivpronomen für die Person: ich fühle mich, du fühlst dich.

German Vocabulary

Auge noun
OW-guh eye Augen
bringen verb
BRING-un bring
etwas pron
ET-vahs some or anything
hier adv
heer here
Kopfschmerzen noun
KOPF-shmehr-tsun headache
leicht adj
LIGHT slight leichte
Minute noun
mee-NOO-tuh minute
mir pron
meer to me
schonen verb
SHOH-nun rest or spare schone
sich hinsetzen verb
zikh HIN-zet-sun sit down Setz dich hin
trinken verb
TRINK-un drink or sip trink
Wasser noun
VAH-ser water

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I have a slight headache.

Show AnswerIch habe leichte Kopfschmerzen.

Could you bring me some water?

Show AnswerKannst du mir etwas Wasser bringen?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

water

Show AnswerWasser

minute

Show AnswerMinute

slight

Show Answerleichte

eye

Show AnswerAugen