Cleaning coffee from documents | Learn German in English

About This Lesson

Use Cleaning coffee from documents to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Ich habe Kaffee auf diese Dokumente verschüttet.

ikh HAH-buh kah-FAY owf DEE-zuh doh-koo-MEN-tuh fer-SHUE-tet I spilled coffee on these documents.

Bring sie von der Tasse weg, bevor sich der Fleck ausbreitet.

bring zee fon dair TAH-suh vek, beh-FOHR zikh dair flehk OWS-bry-tet Move them away from the cup before the stain spreads.

Die oberste Seite ist schon ganz durchnässt.

dee OH-bur-stuh ZY-tuh ist shohn gahnts DOORKH-nest The top page is already soaked.

Lass die Seite flach trocknen, bevor du sie anfasst.

lahss dee ZY-tuh flahkh TROK-nen, beh-FOHR doo zee AHN-fahst Let it dry flat before you handle it.

Soll ich eine saubere Kopie dieser Seite ausdrucken?

zohl ikh EYE-nuh ZOW-buh-ruh koh-PEE DEE-zur ZY-tuh OWS-drook-en Should I print a clean copy of that page?

Das wäre sicherer, weil der Text verlaufen kann.

dahss VAIR-uh ZIKH-uh-rur, vyle dair tehkst fer-LOW-fen kahn That would be safer because the text may blur.

Ich werde die trockenen Seiten trennen, während diese hier trocknet.

ikh VAIR-duh dee TROK-nun-en ZY-ten TREN-en, VAIR-ent DEE-zuh heer TROK-net I will separate the dry pages while this one dries.

Stell die Getränke nächstes Mal auf einen anderen Tisch.

shtel dee geh-TRENG-kuh NEKH-stes mahl owf EYE-nen AHN-duh-run tish Keep the drinks on another table next time.

Word by Word

Ich Ich is the subject form meaning I in Ich habe Kaffee auf diese Dokumente verschüttet. It is used before the verb when the speaker describes their own action.

habe Habe means have here as the helping verb in Ich habe ... verschüttet, describing a completed action. Its citation form is haben; Ich habe + a completed-action form is a common reusable pattern.

Kaffee Kaffee means coffee, the liquid that was spilled onto the documents. It is used as the object of the spilling action and can name a drink being handled or spilled.

auf Auf means onto or on here, showing where the coffee ended up in auf diese Dokumente. With a surface or destination, auf can describe placing or spilling something there.

diese Diese means these in diese Dokumente and points to the documents nearby. It is used directly before a plural noun to identify specific items.

Dokumente Dokumente means documents, the papers affected by the spilled coffee. Its singular citation form is Dokument; the plural form is used when referring to more than one paper.

verschüttet Verschüttet means spilled in Ich habe Kaffee ... verschüttet. Its citation form is verschütten, and the form verschüttet is used with habe to describe the completed spilling of a liquid.

Bring Bring means move or bring in the command Bring sie von der Tasse weg. Its citation form is bringen; this imperative form addresses one person and is useful for giving a direct instruction to move something.

sie Sie means them here and refers to the documents in Bring sie von der Tasse weg. It is placed after the command as the object being moved.

von Von means from in von der Tasse weg, identifying the cup as the place the documents should be moved away from. A reusable pattern is von plus the source or starting point.

der Der means the in der Tasse and belongs with Tasse in the phrase von der Tasse weg. It is used before this specific noun in the expression showing what the documents should move away from.

Tasse Tasse means cup, specifically the cup near the documents. Its citation form is Tasse, and von der Tasse identifies it as the source of the danger.

weg Weg means away and completes the movement instruction Bring sie von der Tasse weg. It commonly appears at the end of a command or movement expression to show separation from a place or object.

bevor Bevor means before and introduces the condition that must be met before the documents are moved. It introduces a clause such as bevor sich der Fleck ausbreitet, with the finite verb at the end.

sich Sich is part of the reflexive expression sich ... ausbreitet, describing the stain spreading. It connects the spreading action back to the stain itself in this clause.

Fleck Fleck means stain, referring to the coffee mark on the documents. Its citation form is Fleck, and der Fleck identifies the particular mark that may spread.

ausbreitet Ausbreitet means spreads in bevor sich der Fleck ausbreitet. Its citation form is ausbreiten; this form describes one stain spreading in the subordinate clause.

Die Die means the in Die oberste Seite and introduces the particular page being discussed. It appears before Seite as the definite article for this specific page.

oberste Oberste means topmost in Die oberste Seite, identifying the page at the top of the stack. Its citation form is oberst; the form oberste is used before the noun it describes.

Seite Seite means page here, referring to the top paper in the documents. Its citation form is Seite, and it is the subject of the description Die oberste Seite ist ... .

ist Ist means is in Die oberste Seite ist schon ganz durchnässt and describes the page’s current state. Its citation form is sein; ist is used with Seite to state what condition it is in.

schon Schon means already, showing that the page is soaked at this point in the situation. It is useful before a state or event to emphasize that it has happened by now.

ganz Ganz means completely here and strengthens durchnässt, so the page is completely soaked. It can be placed before a describing word to express a high or complete degree.

durchnässt Durchnässt means soaked through and describes the condition of the top page. Its citation form is durchnässen; the form here functions as a description after ist.

Lass Lass means let or allow in Lass die Seite flach trocknen. Its citation form is lassen; this imperative tells one person to allow the page to dry in the stated way.

flach Flach means flat and explains how the page should dry in flach trocknen. It is used with trocknen to describe the position or manner that helps protect the page.

trocknen Trocknen means dry in Lass die Seite flach trocknen, where the page is allowed to become dry. Its citation form is trocknen; after Lass, this infinitive names the action that should take place.

du Du means you and is the subject of the clause before du sie anfasst. It addresses one person directly and is placed before the verb in this clause.

anfasst Anfasst means touches or handles in bevor du sie anfasst, referring to handling the wet page. Its citation form is anfassen; this form is used with du in the subordinate clause.

Soll Soll means should in Soll ich eine saubere Kopie ... ausdrucken?, asking whether the speaker ought to print a replacement. Its citation form is sollen; Soll ich + an infinitive is a reusable way to ask for advice or permission.

eine Eine means a in eine saubere Kopie and introduces one clean copy. It is used before the singular noun Kopie when the speaker proposes printing one copy.

saubere Saubere means clean in eine saubere Kopie, describing a replacement copy without the coffee damage. Its citation form is sauber; saubere is the form used before Kopie.

Kopie Kopie means copy, specifically a clean replacement of the damaged page. Its citation form is Kopie, and eine saubere Kopie names the proposed printed item.

dieser Dieser means of this in Kopie dieser Seite and identifies the page being copied. Its citation form is dieser; this form appears in the phrase Kopie dieser Seite to link the copy to that page.

ausdrucken Ausdrucken means print out in Soll ich ... ausdrucken? Its citation form is ausdrucken; after Soll ich, the infinitive names the proposed action and remains at the end of the question.

Das Das means that in Das wäre sicherer and refers to the proposed action of printing a clean copy. It can begin a short evaluation of an idea or choice.

wäre Wäre means would be in Das wäre sicherer, presenting the proposed copy as a safer option. Its citation form is sein; Das wäre + a description is useful for giving a cautious evaluation.

sicherer Sicherer means safer and compares the proposed clean copy with handling the damaged page. Its citation form is sicher; this comparative form is useful when recommending the option with less risk.

weil Weil means because and introduces the reason for saying the copy would be safer. It introduces a reason clause such as weil der Text verlaufen kann, with the finite verb at the end.

Text Text means text, referring to the writing on the wet page. Its citation form is Text, and der Text is the subject of the warning about possible damage.

verlaufen Verlaufen means blur or run here, as wet writing may spread and become unclear. Its citation form is verlaufen; with text or ink, it describes damage caused by moisture.

kann Kann means can or may and expresses the possibility that the text will run. Its citation form is können; kann is used with an infinitive such as verlaufen, which appears at the end of the clause.

werde Werde means will in Ich werde die trockenen Seiten trennen, stating the speaker’s planned action. Its citation form is werden; Ich werde + an infinitive is a reusable way to describe a future intention.

trockenen Trockenen means dry in die trockenen Seiten and describes the pages that are no longer wet. Its citation form is trocken; trockenen is the form used before the plural noun Seiten.

Seiten Seiten means pages, referring to the pages that can be separated because they are dry. Its citation form is Seite; the plural form is used for more than one page.

trennen Trennen means separate in Ich werde die trockenen Seiten trennen. Its citation form is trennen; after werde, this infinitive names the planned action applied to the pages.

während Während means while and introduces an action happening at the same time as separating the dry pages. It introduces the clause während diese hier trocknet, with the finite verb at the end.

hier Hier means here in diese hier and points to the particular page nearby. Together with a demonstrative, it helps identify one visible item in the current situation.

trocknet Trocknet means dries in während diese hier trocknet, describing what the wet page is doing during the other action. Its citation form is trocknen; this form is used with the singular subject diese hier.

Stell Stell means place or put in the command Stell die Getränke auf einen anderen Tisch. Its citation form is stellen; this imperative tells one person where to put something.

Getränke Getränke means drinks, the items that should be moved away from the documents. Its citation form is Getränk; the plural form is used because there is more than one drink.

nächstes Nächstes means next in nächstes Mal, referring to the next occasion. Its citation form is nächst; the form nächstes belongs with Mal in this time expression.

Mal Mal means time or occasion in nächstes Mal, meaning next time. It is commonly used with a word such as nächstes to refer to a future occasion.

einen Einen means a or an in einen anderen Tisch and introduces one alternative table. It is used before Tisch as part of the destination phrase in the command.

anderen Anderen means another or different in einen anderen Tisch, distinguishing this table from the current one. Its citation form is ander; the form anderen appears before Tisch in this phrase.

Tisch Tisch means table, specifically the alternative place for the drinks. Its citation form is Tisch, and auf einen anderen Tisch gives the destination after Stell.

Grammar Points

Nebensatz mit bevor: Das konjugierte Verb steht am Ende.

Stell das Getränk auf den Tisch, bevor du die Dokumente anfasst.

shtel dahss geh-TRENGK owf dehn tish, beh-FOHR doo dee doh-koo-MEN-tuh AHN-fahst

Put the drink on the table before you touch the documents.

Nach „bevor“ steht das konjugierte Verb am Ende des Nebensatzes: „du ... anfasst“.

German Vocabulary

bringen verb

BRING-en to move; to bring Bring

Bring sie von der Tasse weg, bevor sich der Fleck ausbreitet.

Dokument noun

doh-koo-MENT document Dokumente

Ich habe Kaffee auf diese Dokumente verschüttet.

durchnässt adj

DOORKH-nest soaked; completely wet

Die oberste Seite ist schon ganz durchnässt.

Fleck noun

flehk stain; spot

Bring sie von der Tasse weg, bevor sich der Fleck ausbreitet.

Kaffee noun

kah-FAY coffee

Ich habe Kaffee auf diese Dokumente verschüttet.

oberste adj

OH-bur-stuh topmost; highest

Die oberste Seite ist schon ganz durchnässt.

Seite noun

ZY-tuh page; side

Die oberste Seite ist schon ganz durchnässt.

sich ausbreiten verb

zikh OWS-bry-ten to spread ausbreitet

Bring sie von der Tasse weg, bevor sich der Fleck ausbreitet.

Tasse noun

TAH-suh cup

Bring sie von der Tasse weg, bevor sich der Fleck ausbreitet.

trocknen verb

TROK-nen to dry

Lass die Seite flach trocknen, bevor du sie anfasst.

verschütten verb

fer-SHUE-ten to spill verschüttet

Ich habe Kaffee auf diese Dokumente verschüttet.

weg adv

vek away

Bring sie von der Tasse weg, bevor sich der Fleck ausbreitet.

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

document

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Dokumente

topmost; highest

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oberste

coffee

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Kaffee

to move; to bring

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Bring