Handling a broken umbrella in the rain | Learn German in English

About This Lesson

Use Handling a broken umbrella in the rain to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Mein Regenschirm ist im starken Wind kaputtgegangen.

mine RAY-gen-sheerm ist im SHTAR-ken vint ka-POOT-guh-GAHN-gen My umbrella broke in the strong wind.

Komm unter das Dach, bevor du ganz nass wirst.

KOM OON-ter dahs dahkh, beh-FOHR doo gahnts nahs virst Come under the shelter before you get soaked.

Der Regen ist stärker, als er aussah.

dayr RAY-gen ist SHTAIR-ker, ahls air OWS-zah The rain is heavier than it looked.

Du kannst dir meinen Ersatzschirm ausleihen.

doo kahnts deer MY-nen air-ZAHTS-sheerm OWS-lye-en You can borrow my extra umbrella.

Bist du sicher, dass du ihn nicht brauchst?

bist doo ZIKH-er, dahs doo een nikht browkhst Are you sure you don't need it?

Ich habe einen Regenmantel, also komme ich klar.

ikh HAH-buh EYE-nen RAY-gen-mahn-tel, AHL-zoh KOM-uh ikh klahr I have a raincoat, so I can manage.

Ich kann ihn morgen zurückbringen.

ikh kahn een MOR-gen tsoo-ROOK-bring-en I can bring it back tomorrow.

Bleib auf dem Heimweg einfach trocken.

blype owf daym HIME-vayk EYE-nfakh TROK-en Just stay dry on your way home.

Word by Word

Mein “Mein” means “my” here and shows that the umbrella belongs to the speaker. It appears before the noun in “Mein Regenschirm”; use the same possessive pattern when identifying something as yours.

Regenschirm “Regenschirm” means “umbrella,” specifically the object that broke in the dialogue. It is a compound noun referring to protection from rain, so it is useful when describing rain-related problems or objects.

ist “Ist” means “is” here and helps form the completed event “ist ... kaputtgegangen.” It links the subject to what happened to it, as in a statement about something that has stopped working.

im “Im” means “in the” in “im starken Wind.” It is the contracted form of “in dem” and commonly appears before a noun in expressions describing a situation or location.

starken “Starken” means “strong” or “intense” here and describes the wind. In “im starken Wind,” the adjective comes before the noun; use this position when describing a noun in a similar phrase.

Wind “Wind” means “wind,” the force that caused the umbrella to break. It is useful for explaining outdoor conditions, especially when describing weather or its effects.

kaputtgegangen “Kaputtgegangen” means “broken” or “stopped working” here, describing what happened to the umbrella. It is used with “ist” in this completed-event expression and can describe an object that no longer works.

Komm “Komm” means “come” here and is a direct instruction to move toward the shelter. It is used when informally telling one person to come somewhere.

unter “Unter” means “under” in “unter das Dach,” indicating the sheltered place to which the person should come. It commonly introduces the position or destination beneath something.

das “Das” means “the” in “das Dach” and identifies the specific roof or shelter being offered. It is placed directly before the noun it determines.

Dach “Dach” literally means “roof,” but here it refers to the roofed shelter where the person can stay out of the rain. It is useful when directing someone to a covered place.

bevor “Bevor” means “before” and introduces the condition that should happen first: getting under the roof before becoming soaked. It introduces a time clause, with the verb at the end in “bevor du ganz nass wirst.”

du “Du” means “you” here, referring to the one person being addressed informally. It is used for direct conversation with one person and is the subject of “du ... wirst.”

ganz “Ganz” means “completely” here and strengthens “nass,” giving the sense of being completely soaked. It commonly comes before an adjective when emphasizing its degree.

nass “Nass” means “wet” here, describing the condition the person may reach in the rain. It is used with “wirst” in “ganz nass wirst” to express becoming wet.

wirst “Wirst” means “get” or “become” here, as in becoming completely wet. It combines with an adjective such as “nass” to describe a change of condition.

Der “Der” means “the” in “Der Regen” and identifies the rain being discussed. It stands before the noun at the beginning of the sentence.

Regen “Regen” means “rain,” the weather being compared with how it first appeared. It is useful for describing outdoor conditions and their intensity.

stärker “Stärker” means “stronger” or “more intense” here, describing the rain as heavier than expected. It is used in the comparison “stärker, als er aussah,” so it commonly appears with “als” when comparing intensity.

als “Als” means “than” in the comparison “stärker, als er aussah.” It introduces the second part of a comparison and is useful after a comparative form such as “stärker.”

er “Er” means “it” here and refers back to the masculine noun “Regen.” In “als er aussah,” it is the subject of the clause describing how the rain appeared.

aussah “Aussah” means “looked” or “appeared” here, referring to how the rain seemed earlier. It is the past form of “aussehen” and appears at the end of the clause introduced by “als.”

kannst “Kannst” means “can” here and introduces an offer that the other person may borrow the umbrella. It is followed by the infinitive “ausleihen,” a common pattern for expressing ability or permission.

dir “Dir” means “for yourself” or “to you” here in the borrowing expression. It identifies the person who will borrow the umbrella, as in a pattern meaning that someone borrows something for themselves.

meinen “Meinen” means “my” here and identifies the spare umbrella as belonging to the speaker. It appears directly before “Ersatzschirm” as part of the object being offered.

Ersatzschirm “Ersatzschirm” means “spare umbrella” or “replacement umbrella.” It names the extra umbrella available for someone who has lost the use of their own.

ausleihen “Ausleihen” means “borrow” here, specifically borrowing the speaker’s spare umbrella. It is the infinitive after “kannst” and is used in the pattern of borrowing something for oneself.

Bist “Bist” means “are” here and begins the question asking whether the other person is sure. It is used with “du” in a direct question about someone’s state or certainty.

sicher “Sicher” means “sure” or “certain” here. In “Bist du sicher,” it asks for confirmation and is useful when checking whether someone really agrees or has made a definite decision.

dass “Dass” means “that” and introduces the statement being checked: whether the other person does not need the umbrella. It begins a subordinate clause, with “brauchst” at the end.

ihn “Ihn” means “it” here and refers to the masculine noun “Ersatzschirm.” It is the object of “brauchst” in the question about needing the spare umbrella.

nicht “Nicht” means “not” and negates the idea that the person needs the umbrella. It is placed before “brauchst” in the subordinate clause “dass du ihn nicht brauchst.”

brauchst “Brauchst” means “need” here, asking whether the other person needs the umbrella. It follows the object “ihn” in the subordinate clause and is used when checking someone’s need for something.

Ich “Ich” means “I” and identifies the speaker who has a raincoat and can manage. It is used as the subject when describing the speaker’s own possessions or actions.

habe “Habe” means “have” here and states that the speaker possesses a raincoat. It commonly comes before a noun when saying what someone has available.

einen “Einen” means “a” here and introduces the raincoat as one item the speaker has. It appears directly before “Regenmantel” as part of the noun phrase.

Regenmantel “Regenmantel” means “raincoat,” the clothing that protects the speaker from the rain. It is useful when explaining why an umbrella is not necessary.

also “Also” means “so” or “therefore” here and connects having a raincoat with being able to manage. It is useful for introducing a conclusion that follows from the previous statement.

komme “Komme” is the verb form used in “komme ich klar,” where it contributes to the expression meaning “I can manage.” Keep it together with “klar” when using this expression to say that a person can cope.

klar “Klar” means “fine” or “managing” as part of “komme ich klar.” In this expression, it completes the meaning of managing a situation, so it should be used with the verb rather than treated as the whole idea by itself.

kann “Kann” means “can” here and expresses the speaker’s ability to bring the umbrella back. It is followed by the infinitive “zurückbringen,” a common pattern for saying what someone is able to do.

morgen “Morgen” means “tomorrow” and gives the time when the umbrella can be returned. It is useful for arranging or promising an action on the following day.

zurückbringen “Zurückbringen” means “bring back” here, referring to returning the borrowed umbrella. It is the infinitive after “kann” and is used for saying that an item will be returned to its owner or place.

Bleib “Bleib” means “stay” here and gives friendly advice to remain dry on the way home. It is an informal instruction to one person and is completed by the condition “trocken.”

auf “Auf” means “on” in “auf dem Heimweg,” referring to the route taken while going home. It is commonly used with expressions for being on a path, route, or journey.

dem “Dem” means “the” in the expression “auf dem Heimweg.” It appears before the noun as part of the phrase describing the route home.

Heimweg “Heimweg” means “way home” or “journey home.” In “auf dem Heimweg,” it identifies the route or period during which the speaker hopes the person stays dry.

einfach “Einfach” means “just” or “simply” here and makes the instruction sound straightforward and reassuring. It is useful for softening a simple piece of advice or presenting it as an easy thing to do.

trocken “Trocken” means “dry” here and describes the condition the person should maintain on the way home. It follows “Bleib” to express remaining in that condition.

Grammar Points

bevor + Verb am Ende

Bevor Regen stärker wird

beh-FOHR RAY-gen SHTAIR-ker virt

Before the rain gets heavier

After bevor, the conjugated verb moves to the end of the subordinate clause.

klarkommen: komme ... klar

komme ... klar

KOM-uh ... klahr

to manage; to cope

The prefix klar separates from komme in a main clause.

German Vocabulary

bevor conj

beh-FOHR before

Komm unter das Dach, bevor du ganz nass wirst.

Dach noun

dahkh shelter; roof

Komm unter das Dach, bevor du ganz nass wirst.

kaputtgehen verb

ka-POOT-gay-en to break kaputtgegangen

Mein Regenschirm ist im starken Wind kaputtgegangen.

kommen verb

KOM-en to come Komm

Komm unter das Dach, bevor du ganz nass wirst.

nass adj

nahs wet

Komm unter das Dach, bevor du ganz nass wirst.

Regen noun

RAY-gen rain

Der Regen ist stärker, als er aussah.

Regenschirm noun

RAY-gen-sheerm umbrella

Mein Regenschirm ist im starken Wind kaputtgegangen.

stark adj

SHTARK strong starken

Mein Regenschirm ist im starken Wind kaputtgegangen.

stärker adj

SHTAIR-ker stronger; heavier

Der Regen ist stärker, als er aussah.

unter prep

OON-ter under

Komm unter das Dach, bevor du ganz nass wirst.

werden verb

VAIR-den to become; to get wirst

bevor du ganz nass wirst

Wind noun

vint wind

Mein Regenschirm ist im starken Wind kaputtgegangen.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

You can borrow my extra umbrella.

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Du kannst dir meinen Ersatzschirm ausleihen.

I can bring it back tomorrow.

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Ich kann ihn morgen zurückbringen.

Just stay dry on your way home.

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Bleib auf dem Heimweg einfach trocken.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to come

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Komm

wet

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nass

wind

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Wind

shelter; roof

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Dach