Talking about a sore throat | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: At home, one adult has a sore throat while another makes warm tea and suggests resting the voice..

EN → DE / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Talking about a sore throat to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Mein Hals tut ein bisschen weh.

mine HAHLS toot ine BISS-hen vay My throat feels a little sore.
B

Versuch, etwas Warmes zu trinken.

fehr-ZOOKH, ET-vahs VAHR-muhs tsoo TRING-kuhn Try drinking something warm.
A

Könntest du mir einen Tee machen?

KURN-test doo meer EYE-nen TAY MAKH-en Could you make me some tea?
B

Ich mache dir jetzt einen.

ikh MAKH-uh deer YETST EYE-nen I'll make some now.
A

Meine Stimme klingt heute komisch.

MY-nuh SHTIM-uh KLINGT HOY-tuh KOH-mish My voice sounds strange today.
B

Versuch, jetzt weniger zu sprechen.

fehr-ZOOKH, YETST VAY-nih-guh tsoo SHPREKH-en Try to speak less for now.
A

Ich ruhe mich aus, nachdem ich ihn getrunken habe.

ikh ROO-uh mikh OWS, NAKH-daym ikh een guh-TRUNK-en HAH-buh I'll rest after I drink it.
B

Das sollte deinem Hals helfen.

dahss ZOHL-tuh DINE-um HAHLS HELF-en That should help your throat.

Word by Word

Mein In “Mein Hals” this means “my” and identifies the throat as belonging to the speaker. It is used before the noun it describes. A speaker can use it when describing a personal symptom, as in “Mein Hals tut ein bisschen weh”.
Hals “Hals” means “throat” here, the body part that feels painful. In “Mein Hals tut ein bisschen weh”, it is the body part being described. This word is useful when explaining throat discomfort at home or to a healthcare professional.
tut In “Mein Hals tut ein bisschen weh”, “tut” helps form the expression for something hurting. Together with “weh”, it describes pain rather than an ordinary action. The same expression can be used when a body part is the subject of the complaint.
ein In “ein bisschen”, “ein” helps express a small amount, so the pain is only slight. It is part of the quantity expression rather than an article before a separate noun. “Ein bisschen” is useful for softening a description or saying that something happens only to a small degree.
bisschen In “ein bisschen weh”, “bisschen” means “a little” or “a bit”. With “ein”, it reduces the intensity of the pain described by “weh”. This expression is useful when reporting a mild symptom.
weh “Weh” contributes the meaning “painful” or “sore” in “Mein Hals tut ein bisschen weh”. It works together with “tut” in the expression for something hurting. This expression is useful for describing pain in a body part.
Versuch “Versuch” means “try” in the suggestion “Versuch, etwas Warmes zu trinken.” It addresses one person directly and introduces an action being recommended. The reusable construction is “Versuch, etwas ... zu ...” for giving simple advice.
etwas In “etwas Warmes”, “etwas” means “something” without specifying exactly what it is. It is followed here by “Warmes”, which describes the unspecified thing. This pattern is useful when suggesting or asking for an unspecified item or action.
Warmes In “etwas Warmes”, “Warmes” means “something warm”. The adjective is capitalized because it is used as a noun after “etwas”. This expression is useful when suggesting a warm drink or another warm thing without naming it.
zu In “zu trinken”, “zu” marks the infinitive used after the recommendation “Versuch”. It connects the suggested action to “Versuch, etwas Warmes zu trinken”. This pattern is useful for telling someone to try doing something.
trinken “Trinken” means “drink” in “etwas Warmes zu trinken”. It names the action being suggested, with “etwas Warmes” as what is consumed. This expression is useful when recommending a drink for someone who feels unwell.
Könntest “Könntest” expresses “could” in the polite request “Könntest du mir einen Tee machen?” It makes the request less direct than a plain command. This construction is useful when asking another person to prepare or do something.
du “Du” means “you” and is the person being asked in “Könntest du mir einen Tee machen?” It identifies the other person as the subject of the requested action. This form is used when speaking directly to one familiar person.
mir “Mir” means “to me” or “for me” in “Könntest du mir einen Tee machen?” It identifies who will receive the tea. The phrase “mir einen Tee machen” is useful when asking someone to prepare something for you.
einen In “einen Tee”, “einen” means “a” and introduces one unspecified tea. Its form is used before “Tee” in this request. “Einen Tee machen” is a useful expression for asking someone to prepare tea.
Tee “Tee” means “tea” in “Könntest du mir einen Tee machen?” It is the drink being requested and later referred to by “einen”. This word is useful when asking for tea in a home or care situation.
machen “Machen” means “make” or “prepare” in “einen Tee machen”. It names the action requested after “Könntest du”. This expression is useful for asking someone to prepare tea.
Ich “Ich” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Ich mache dir jetzt einen.” It is the subject of the response. A speaker uses it when stating what they themselves will do.
mache In “Ich mache dir jetzt einen”, “mache” expresses the speaker’s action of preparing the tea. “Dir” identifies the recipient, and “einen” stands for the tea already mentioned. This sentence is useful when reassuring someone that you will prepare the requested drink.
dir “Dir” means “to you” or “for you” in “Ich mache dir jetzt einen.” It identifies the person for whom the tea is being prepared. The phrase is useful when offering to make something for another person.
jetzt “Jetzt” means “now” and shows that the speaker will make the tea immediately in “Ich mache dir jetzt einen.” It adds the timing of the action. This word is useful when promising to do something without delay.
Meine In “Meine Stimme”, “meine” means “my” and identifies the voice as belonging to the speaker. It appears directly before the noun it describes. This form is useful when reporting a change in one’s own voice.
Stimme “Stimme” means “voice” in “Meine Stimme klingt heute komisch.” It is the sound being described as unusual. This word is useful when explaining that speaking or one’s voice feels different.
klingt In “Meine Stimme klingt heute komisch”, “klingt” means “sounds” and describes how the voice seems to the listener. The subject is “Meine Stimme”, and “komisch” describes the sound. This pattern is useful for describing an unusual voice or other sound.
heute “Heute” means “today” and limits the unusual voice to the current day in “Meine Stimme klingt heute komisch.” It gives the time of the observation. This word is useful when saying that a symptom or change is present today.
komisch In “Meine Stimme klingt heute komisch”, “komisch” means “strange” or “odd” in context. It describes the unusual way the voice sounds. This word is useful when something seems different from normal but is not described more precisely.
weniger “Weniger” means “less” in “jetzt weniger zu sprechen”. It recommends reducing the amount of speaking. This expression is useful when advising someone with a sore throat to use their voice less.
sprechen “Sprechen” means “speak” in “Versuch, jetzt weniger zu sprechen.” It names the activity that should be reduced. This expression is useful when giving advice about limiting speech.
ruhe In “Ich ruhe mich aus”, “ruhe” is the verb part that expresses resting. The complete meaning comes from the reflexive expression “Ich ruhe mich aus”, with “mich” and “aus” completing it. This expression is useful when saying that you will rest.
mich In “Ich ruhe mich aus”, “mich” refers back to the speaker and forms the reflexive expression for resting. It works together with “ruhe” and “aus”, rather than meaning the whole action by itself. This expression is useful when describing your own rest.
aus In “Ich ruhe mich aus”, “aus” is the separated final part of the verb expression for “rest”. It appears at the end of the main clause while “ruhe” appears earlier. This word order is useful to recognize when a separable verb is used in a sentence.
nachdem “Nachdem” means “after” and introduces the event that must happen first in “nachdem ich ihn getrunken habe”. It connects drinking the tea with resting afterward. This conjunction is useful for describing the order of two actions.
ihn In “nachdem ich ihn getrunken habe”, “ihn” means “it” and refers back to the tea. It prevents the speaker from repeating “Tee”. This is useful when referring to a previously mentioned masculine noun as the thing consumed.
getrunken “Getrunken” means “drunk” in “nachdem ich ihn getrunken habe”. It names the completed drinking action inside the clause introduced by “nachdem”. This expression is useful when saying that something has already been consumed before another action.
habe In “nachdem ich ihn getrunken habe”, “habe” helps express the completed action “have drunk”. It appears at the end of the subordinate clause after “nachdem”. This word order is useful for describing an action completed before another one.
Das “Das” means “that” in “Das sollte deinem Hals helfen.” It points back to the preceding advice or situation as the subject of the statement. This form is useful when referring to something just mentioned.
sollte “Sollte” expresses “should” in “Das sollte deinem Hals helfen.” It presents the help as an expected or likely result. This sentence is useful for reassuring someone that a suggested action may improve a symptom.
deinem In “deinem Hals”, “deinem” means “your” and identifies the throat that is expected to receive help. It belongs to the phrase “deinem Hals helfen”. This wording is useful when referring to another person’s body part in a health-related statement.
helfen “Helfen” means “help” in “Das sollte deinem Hals helfen.” It describes the expected benefit for the throat. This expression is useful when saying that a remedy or action may help a person’s symptom.

Grammar Points

Mir tut der Hals weh.

Mir tut der Hals weh.

meer toot dair HAHLS vay

My throat hurts.

German uses mir (to me) with wehtun, not a direct equivalent of English “my throat hurts.”

sich ausruhen → ruhe mich ... aus

Ich ruhe mich aus.

ikh ROO-uh mikh OWS

I rest.

Ausruhen is a separable reflexive verb: the prefix aus moves to the end, and mich refers back to the subject.

German Vocabulary

der Hals noun
dair HAHLS throat Hals

Mein Hals tut ein bisschen weh.

der Tee noun
dair TAY tea einen Tee

Könntest du mir einen Tee machen?

die Stimme noun
dee SHTIM-uh voice Stimme

Meine Stimme klingt heute komisch.

ein bisschen adv
ine BISS-hen a little

Mein Hals tut ein bisschen weh.

etwas pron
ET-vahs something

Versuch, etwas Warmes zu trinken.

jetzt adv
YETST now

Ich mache dir jetzt einen.

machen verb
MAKH-en to make

Könntest du mir einen Tee machen?

mir pron
meer to me

Könntest du mir einen Tee machen?

trinken verb
TRINGK-en to drink

Versuch, etwas Warmes zu trinken.

versuchen verb
fehr-ZOOKH-en to try Versuch

Versuch, etwas Warmes zu trinken.

warm adj
VAHRM warm Warmes

Versuch, etwas Warmes zu trinken.

wehtun verb
vay-TOOT to hurt tut ... weh

Mein Hals tut ein bisschen weh.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

My throat feels a little sore.

Show AnswerMein Hals tut ein bisschen weh.

Try drinking something warm.

Show AnswerVersuch, etwas Warmes zu trinken.

Could you make me some tea?

Show AnswerKönntest du mir einen Tee machen?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

something

Show Answeretwas

to drink

Show Answertrinken

throat

Show AnswerHals

warm

Show AnswerWarmes