Catching up after missed classes | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: After missed classes, two classmates decide which assignment to handle first and arrange focused practice after class..

EN → DE / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Catching up after missed classes to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Ich habe vor Kurzem einige Unterrichtsstunden verpasst und fühle mich im Rückstand.

ikh HAH-buh fohr KOORTS-um EYE-nih-guh oon-ter-RIKHTS-shtoon-den fer-PAST oont FYOO-luh mikh im RUEK-shtahnt. I missed some classes recently and feel behind.
B

Du kannst den Rückstand aufholen.

doo KAHNST den RUEK-shtahnt OWF-hoh-len. You can catch up.
B

Aber wenn du alles auf einmal lernen willst, wird es schwieriger.

AH-ber ven doo AH-les OWF EYE-nuh-MAHL LER-nen vilst, veert es SHVEE-ree-guh. But trying to learn everything at once will make it harder.
A

Könntest du mir sagen, welche Aufgabe ich zuerst machen sollte?

KURN-test doo meer ZAH-gen, VEL-khuh OWF-gah-buh ikh tsoo-AIRST MAKH-en ZOL-tuh? Could you tell me which assignment I should handle first?
B

Die mündliche Zusammenfassung ist bald fällig, und das Arbeitsblatt kann bis später warten.

dee MYUENT-lih-khuh tsoo-ZAH-men-fas-soong ist bahlt FEH-likh, oont dahs AHR-byts-blatt kahn bis SHPAY-ter VAHR-ten. The speaking summary is due soon, and the worksheet can wait until later.
A

Dann sollte ich mit der Sprechaufgabe anfangen.

dan ZOL-tuh ikh mit dair SHPREKH-owf-gah-buh AHN-fang-en. Then I should start with the speaking task.
B

Fang damit an und bitte den Lehrer um Notizen zu den Unterrichtsstunden, die du verpasst hast.

fang dah-MIT ahn oont BIT-tuh den LAY-rer oom noh-TEE-tsen tsoo den oon-ter-RIKHTS-shtoon-den, dee doo fer-PAST hahst. Start there, and ask the teacher for notes from the classes you missed.
A

Ich fühle mich weniger sicher, weil die anderen zusammen geübt haben.

ikh FYOO-luh mikh VAY-nih-guh ZIKH-er, vyle dee AHN-dair-en tsoo-ZAH-men guh-YOOPT HAH-ben. I feel less confident because the others practiced together.
B

Wir können die Aufgabe nach dem Unterricht gemeinsam durchgehen.

veer KURN-en dee OWF-gah-buh nahkh daym OON-ter-rikht guh-MINE-zahm DOORKH-gay-en. We can run through the task after class.
B

Damit du weißt, was dich erwartet.

dah-MIT doo VICE, vahs dikh er-VAHR-tet. So you know what to expect.
A

Dann würde sich der nächste Schritt leichter bewältigen lassen.

dan VUER-duh zikh dair NEX-stuh shrit LAIKH-ter beh-VEL-ti-gen LAHS-en. That would make the next step feel more manageable.
B

Eine konzentrierte Übungseinheit ist besser, als die Arbeit zu vermeiden.

EYE-nuh kon-tsen-TREE-ruh-tuh YOO-boongs-EYE-n-hite ist BES-er, ahls dee AHR-bite tsoo fer-MY-den. One focused practice session is better than avoiding the work.

Word by Word

Ich Ich is the German pronoun for I; here it refers to the speaker. The same word appears as lowercase ich inside sentences, while Ich is capitalized at the beginning of a sentence.
habe habe is the form of haben used with Ich in the opening statement. Together with verpasst, it describes the classes the speaker missed.
vor vor means ago in vor Kurzem, locating the event in the recent past. The reusable time expression vor Kurzem means recently.
Kurzem Kurzem completes vor Kurzem, the expression meaning recently. Here it helps place verpasst in recent time.
einige einige means some or several and modifies Unterrichtsstunden. It indicates that the speaker missed an unspecified number of classes.
Unterrichtsstunden Unterrichtsstunden names the class periods or lessons that were missed. Here it refers specifically to the classes the speaker did not attend.
verpasst verpasst means missed and describes the classes the speaker did not attend. It occurs with habe in the statement about those missed classes.
und und means and and connects the statement about missed classes with the statement about feeling behind. It joins two related parts of the speaker’s situation.
fühle fühle means feel in fühle mich im Rückstand. With mich, it expresses the speaker’s personal state.
mich mich refers back to the speaker as the person experiencing the feeling in fühle mich. The combination fühle mich means I feel.
im im is the contracted form of in dem in im Rückstand. Here it is part of the expression im Rückstand, meaning behind.
Rückstand Rückstand in im Rückstand refers to a state of being behind. The phrase describes the speaker’s learning situation after missing classes.
Du Du means you when one person is addressed informally. The dialogue also uses the lowercase form du inside sentences to address the classmate directly.
kannst kannst means can or are able to for du. Here it expresses the classmate’s ability to catch up.
den den is the article introducing Rückstand in den Rückstand. It is part of the expression den Rückstand aufholen.
aufholen aufholen means catch up, here in den Rückstand aufholen. It is used for reducing a learning gap after falling behind.
Aber Aber means but and introduces a limitation to the encouragement that the learner can catch up. It contrasts catching up with trying to learn everything at once.
wenn wenn means if here and introduces the condition involving learning everything at once. It connects that condition with the result that things become harder.
alles alles means everything and refers to the complete amount of material the learner is considering. In auf einmal lernen, it gives lernen a very broad scope.
auf auf in auf einmal is part of the time expression meaning at once or all at once. Here it does not describe a physical location.
einmal einmal in auf einmal helps form the expression at once or all at once. Together, the phrase emphasizes doing the learning in one go.
lernen lernen means learn and names the activity the learner wants to undertake. After willst, it appears in its infinitive form.
willst willst means want to for du. It expresses the learner’s intention to learn everything at once.
wird wird signals that the situation will become harder in wird es schwieriger. It is the form used with es here.
es es means it in wird es schwieriger. It refers to the overall situation or attempt rather than to a separately named object.
schwieriger schwieriger means harder or more difficult in wird es schwieriger. It compares the resulting difficulty with a lower expected level of difficulty.
Könntest Könntest expresses could in a polite request. At the beginning of Könntest du mir sagen, it softens the request for information.
mir mir means to me in Könntest du mir sagen. It marks the person who should receive the information.
sagen sagen means tell or say, here in a request for information. It is used with mir for the person being told.
welche welche means which and selects the assignment to be handled first. It appears before Aufgabe in welche Aufgabe.
Aufgabe Aufgabe means assignment or task. Here it refers to the piece of schoolwork that must be prioritized.
zuerst zuerst means first and specifies the order in which the assignments should be handled. It identifies the starting priority.
machen machen means do here and refers to carrying out Aufgabe. It names the action the learner should perform first.
sollte sollte means should and presents a recommendation about what the learner ought to do. Here it applies to the assignment that comes first.
Die Die is the article before mündliche Zusammenfassung at the beginning of the sentence. The same word also appears as lowercase die in die du verpasst hast, where it introduces the clause describing the missed classes.
mündliche mündliche describes Zusammenfassung as spoken or oral. It identifies the summary connected with speaking rather than the worksheet mentioned afterward.
Zusammenfassung Zusammenfassung means summary. Here it refers to the spoken summary that has an upcoming deadline.
ist ist means is in ist bald fällig. It links the speaking summary with its current deadline status.
bald bald means soon and places the deadline in the near future. In ist bald fällig, it emphasizes that the summary is due shortly.
fällig fällig means due in ist bald fällig. It indicates that the speaking summary is expected soon.
das das is the article before Arbeitsblatt in das Arbeitsblatt. It introduces the worksheet that can be dealt with later.
Arbeitsblatt Arbeitsblatt means worksheet. Here it refers to the assignment that does not need immediate attention.
kann kann means can or may in das Arbeitsblatt kann ... warten. It expresses that waiting is possible or acceptable for the worksheet.
bis bis means until or up to in bis später. It sets the point up to which the worksheet can wait.
später später means later in bis später. It identifies a later time when the worksheet can be handled.
warten warten means wait. In the statement about the worksheet, it indicates that the work does not need to be done immediately.
Dann Dann means then and connects the decision about priority with the learner’s next action. It signals that starting with the speaking task follows from the previous information.
mit mit means with in mit der Sprechaufgabe. It links anfangen to the task chosen as the starting point.
der der is the article in mit der Sprechaufgabe. It accompanies Sprechaufgabe after mit.
Sprechaufgabe Sprechaufgabe means speaking task. Here it names the task the learner should begin with.
anfangen anfangen means start or begin. The pattern mit der Sprechaufgabe anfangen identifies what the learner starts with.
Fang Fang is the direct-address command used to tell du to start. It appears with damit and the separated particle an in Fang damit an.
damit damit refers to the speaking task in Fang damit an. It lets the speaker refer to that task without repeating its name.
an an is the separated particle of anfangen in Fang damit an. Together with Fang, it completes the command to start.
bitte bitte means ask in bitte den Lehrer um Notizen. Here it is a command telling the classmate to request notes.
Lehrer Lehrer means teacher. Here it names the person from whom the learner should request notes.
um um is used in bitte den Lehrer um Notizen to introduce what is being requested. It links the request to Notizen.
Notizen Notizen means notes. Here it refers to notes about the classes the learner missed.
zu zu means about or regarding in Notizen zu den Unterrichtsstunden. It links the notes to the classes they concern.
hast hast means have in die du verpasst hast. It is the auxiliary used with verpasst in the clause about the classes the learner missed.
weniger weniger means less in weniger sicher. It reduces the degree of the learner’s confidence.
sicher sicher means confident or sure in fühle mich weniger sicher. It describes how confident the learner feels after missing the group practice.
weil weil means because and introduces the reason for feeling less confident. It connects that feeling with the fact that the others practiced together.
anderen anderen means others and refers to the other classmates in weil die anderen zusammen geübt haben. It distinguishes them from the speaker.
zusammen zusammen means together. It shows that the other classmates practiced jointly.
geübt geübt means practiced and describes the practice done by the other classmates. It appears with haben in the clause about their shared practice.
haben haben means have in zusammen geübt haben. It supports geübt in the statement about what the other classmates did.
Wir Wir means we and includes the speaker and the learner being addressed. Here it presents the two classmates as working together.
können können means can or are able to. With durchgehen, it expresses the possibility of reviewing the task together.
nach nach means after in nach dem Unterricht. It establishes the time when the joint review can happen.
dem dem is the article in nach dem Unterricht. It accompanies Unterricht after nach.
Unterricht Unterricht means class or instruction. The expression nach dem Unterricht means after class.
gemeinsam gemeinsam means together or jointly. It emphasizes that both classmates will take part in the review.
durchgehen durchgehen means go through or review. Here it refers to reviewing the task carefully after class.
was was means what in was dich erwartet. It introduces the thing or experience that the learner will encounter.
dich dich means you in was dich erwartet. It refers directly to the learner as the person who will encounter what comes next.
erwartet erwartet means awaits or is ahead in was dich erwartet. It describes what the learner will encounter in the next step.
würde würde expresses would in würde sich ... lassen. It presents the suggested result as hypothetical.
sich sich belongs to the construction sich ... bewältigen lassen. Here it refers back to der nächste Schritt as the thing that can be managed.
nächste nächste means next and modifies Schritt. It identifies the stage of the work that follows the current one.
Schritt Schritt means step. Here it refers to the next manageable stage in catching up.
leichter leichter means easier or more easily in leichter bewältigen lassen. It says that the next step would be easier to manage.
bewältigen bewältigen means manage or cope with. Here it describes dealing with the next step of the work.
lassen lassen in sich ... bewältigen lassen forms the construction meaning can be managed. It presents the next step as something that can be dealt with.
Eine Eine introduces one focused practice session in Eine konzentrierte Übungseinheit. It presents a single session as the option being evaluated.
konzentrierte konzentrierte describes Übungseinheit as focused or concentrated. It emphasizes that the practice session has a clear focus.
Übungseinheit Übungseinheit means practice session. Here it refers to one organized period of focused practice.
besser besser means better in besser als. It evaluates a focused practice session more positively than avoiding the work.
als als means than and links the two options being compared in besser als. Here it introduces avoiding the work as the less useful option.
Arbeit Arbeit means work in die Arbeit zu vermeiden. Here it refers to the work the learner needs to complete.
vermeiden vermeiden means avoid. In die Arbeit zu vermeiden, it names the action being judged less useful than one focused practice session.

Grammar Points

Trennbare Verben: anfangen → fängt ... an

Wir fangen später an.

veer FANG-en SHPAY-ter AHN.

We start later.

Bei trennbaren Verben steht der Präfix im Hauptsatz am Ende: anfangen → fängt ... an.

Komparativ: schwierig → schwieriger

Der nächste Schritt ist schwieriger.

dair NEX-stuh shrit ist SHVEE-ree-guh.

The next step is more difficult.

Der Komparativ vergleicht zwei Stufen. Bei vielen Adjektiven steht -er: schwierig → schwieriger.

German Vocabulary

auf einmal adv
OWF EYE-nuh-MAHL all at once
Aufgabe noun
OWF-gah-buh assignment; task
aufholen verb
OWF-hoh-len to catch up
fällig adj
FEH-likh due
mündlich adj
MYUENT-likh oral; spoken mündliche
Rückstand noun
RUEK-shtahnt backlog; being behind
schwierig adj
SHVEE-ree-ikh difficult schwieriger
Unterrichtsstunde noun
oon-ter-RIKHTS-shtoon-duh class lesson Unterrichtsstunden
verpassen verb
fer-PAHS-en to miss verpasst
vor Kurzem adv
fohr KOORTS-um recently
zuerst adv
tsoo-AIRST first
Zusammenfassung noun
tsoo-ZAH-men-fas-soong summary

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

You can catch up.

Show AnswerDu kannst den Rückstand aufholen.

So you know what to expect.

Show AnswerDamit du weißt, was dich erwartet.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

backlog; being behind

Show AnswerRückstand

first

Show Answerzuerst

assignment; task

Show AnswerAufgabe

to catch up

Show Answeraufholen