Explaining damage to a borrowed bag | Learn German in English

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Use Explaining damage to a borrowed bag to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Ich muss dir etwas über die Tasche sagen, die ich mir geliehen habe.

ikh moos deer ET-vahs UE-buh dee TAH-shuh ZAH-ghen, dee ikh meer geh-LEE-hen HAH-buh. I need to tell you something about the bag I borrowed.

Ist während deiner Reise etwas damit passiert?

ist VAIR-rent DYE-ner RY-zuh ET-vahs dah-MIT pah-SEERT? Did something happen to it during your trip?

Der Reißverschluss klemmte, und ein Teil davon hat sich gelöst.

dare RICE-fair-shloos KLEHM-tuh, oont ine tile dah-FON hat zikh geh-LURST. The zipper got stuck, and part of it came loose.

War der Reißverschluss schon beschädigt?

vahr dare RICE-fair-shloos shohn beh-SHED-ikt? Was the zipper already damaged?

Oder ist er kaputtgegangen, während du ihn benutzt hast?

OH-der ist air kah-POOT-guh-GANG-en, VAIR-rent doo een beh-NOOTST hahst? Or did it break while you were using it?

Vorher schien er in Ordnung zu sein, deshalb möchte ich die Verantwortung übernehmen.

for-HAIR sheen air in ORT-noong tsoo zine, DES-halp MERKH-tuh ikh dee fair-ANT-vor-toong UE-ber-NAY-men. It seemed fine before, so I want to take responsibility.

Ich schätze deine Ehrlichkeit. Vielleicht kann man ihn noch reparieren.

ikh SHET-suh DY-er AIR-likh-kite. fee-LYKHt kahn mahn een nokh reh-pah-REE-ren. I appreciate your honesty. It may still be repairable.

Ich kann die Reparatur organisieren oder die Tasche ersetzen, wenn nötig.

ikh kahn dee reh-pah-rah-TOOR or-gah-nee-ZEE-ren OH-der dee TAH-shuh air-SET-sen, venn NUR-tikh. I can arrange the repair or replace the bag if needed.

Bringen wir sie zu einer Reparaturwerkstatt, bevor wir uns entscheiden.

BRING-en veer zee tsoo EYE-ner reh-pah-rah-TOOR-vairk-shtaht, beh-FOR veer oons ent-SHYE-den. Let's take it to a repair shop before deciding.

Es tut mir leid, dass ich dir nicht sofort davon erzählt habe.

ess toot meer lite, dahss ikh deer nikht zoh-FORT dah-FON air-TSAYLT HAH-buh. I'm sorry I didn't tell you as soon as it happened.

Du hast es jetzt angesprochen, und das hilft. Wir werden sehen, was sie sagen.

doo hahst ess yetst AHN-geh-shprokh-en, oont dahss hilft. veer VAIR-den ZAY-en, vahss zee ZAH-ghen. You brought it up now, and that helps. We'll see what they say.

Word by Word

Ich “Ich” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Ich muss dir etwas über die Tasche sagen”. It is used as the subject of the statement.

muss “muss” expresses that the speaker needs to do something: here, needs to tell the other person something. It is followed by the infinitive “sagen” at the end of the clause.

dir “dir” means “to you” and marks the person receiving the information in “Ich muss dir etwas ... sagen”. It commonly appears with “sagen” when identifying whom something is told to.

etwas “etwas” means “something” and refers to an unspecified piece of information. In “dir etwas ... sagen”, it is the thing that is being told.

über “über” means “about” here and introduces the topic “die Tasche”. The pattern “über” followed by a topic is used when saying or talking about something.

die “die” refers back to “die Tasche” and introduces the clause describing which bag is meant. Here it is the relative form in “die ich mir geliehen habe”, not a separate new noun.

Tasche “Tasche” means “bag”, the item that was borrowed and later damaged. It appears in “die Tasche” and can be used with a determiner when referring to a particular bag.

sagen “sagen” means “say” or “tell” and is the action the speaker needs to perform. In “dir etwas ... sagen”, it combines with the person told and the information shared.

mir “mir” marks the speaker as the person who borrowed the bag for themselves in “die ich mir geliehen habe”. With “sich etwas leihen”, this reflexive dative identifies who obtains the item for personal use.

geliehen “geliehen” means “borrowed” in “die ich mir geliehen habe”. Together with “habe”, it forms the completed borrowing event in the relative clause.

habe “habe” is the auxiliary used with “geliehen” in “geliehen habe”, indicating that the borrowing is presented as completed. It belongs to the speaker’s clause beginning with “ich”.

Ist “Ist” begins the yes-or-no question “Ist während deiner Reise etwas damit passiert?” and, with “passiert”, asks whether something happened. Its position at the beginning signals the question.

während “während” means “during” and places the event within the time of “deiner Reise”. It can introduce a time period connected to an event.

deiner “deiner” means “your” and identifies the trip as belonging to the person being addressed. It appears directly before “Reise” in “deiner Reise”.

Reise “Reise” means “trip” or “journey” and names the period during which the problem may have occurred. In “während deiner Reise”, it forms a time expression.

damit “damit” means “with it” here and refers back to the borrowed bag. It lets the speaker refer to an already mentioned thing without repeating the noun.

passiert “passiert” means “happened” in “etwas damit passiert”. Together with “Ist”, it asks whether an event occurred to the bag.

Der “Der” means “the” before “Reißverschluss” and identifies a particular zipper. It introduces the subject of “Der Reißverschluss klemmte”.

Reißverschluss “Reißverschluss” means “zipper”, specifically the part of the bag that became stuck and damaged. It is the subject in “Der Reißverschluss klemmte”.

klemmte “klemmte” means “got stuck” in the description of the zipper’s problem. It describes the zipper failing to move freely in “Der Reißverschluss klemmte”.

und “und” means “and” and joins the report that the zipper stuck with the report that part of it came loose. It connects two related pieces of information.

ein “ein” means “a” and introduces an unspecified part in “ein Teil davon”. It comes before the noun “Teil”.

Teil “Teil” means “part” and identifies the piece of the zipper that came loose. In “ein Teil davon”, it is linked to the previously mentioned zipper by “davon”.

davon “davon” means “of it” and refers to the zipper in “ein Teil davon”. It is useful for identifying a part of something already mentioned.

hat “hat” is the auxiliary in “hat sich gelöst”, presenting the part coming loose as a completed event. It works together with “gelöst” and the reflexive “sich”.

sich “sich” is the reflexive pronoun in “hat sich gelöst”. Together, “sich gelöst” describes something coming loose from its previous position.

gelöst “gelöst” means “came loose” in “hat sich gelöst”. The complete expression “hat sich gelöst” reports that the part separated or loosened.

War “War” asks whether the zipper had already been damaged: “War der Reißverschluss schon beschädigt?” It is the past form used to ask about an earlier condition.

schon “schon” means “already” and asks whether the damage existed before the trip or use. In “schon beschädigt”, it places the condition earlier in time.

beschädigt “beschädigt” means “damaged” and describes the condition being questioned in “War der Reißverschluss schon beschädigt?”. It is used after “war” to describe the zipper’s state.

Oder “Oder” means “or” and introduces an alternative explanation for the zipper’s damage. It connects this question with the preceding question.

er “er” means “it” here and refers to the zipper, whose German noun is masculine. In “ist er kaputtgegangen”, it is the subject of the question.

kaputtgegangen “kaputtgegangen” means “broke” or “stopped working” in “ist er kaputtgegangen”. With “ist”, it describes the zipper becoming unusable.

du “du” means “you” and identifies the person using the zipper in “während du ihn benutzt hast”. It is the subject of that subordinate clause.

ihn “ihn” means “it” and refers to the zipper as the thing being used in “ihn benutzt”. It is the object of “benutzt”.

benutzt “benutzt” means “used” in “ihn benutzt hast”. Together with “hast”, it describes the person’s use of the zipper before or during the damage.

hast “hast” is the auxiliary used with “benutzt” in “ihn benutzt hast”. It belongs to the subject “du” in the clause introduced by “während”.

Vorher “Vorher” means “before” or “earlier” and refers to the time before the zipper problem. In “Vorher schien er in Ordnung zu sein”, it introduces the earlier condition.

schien “schien” means “seemed” and presents the earlier condition as the speaker’s impression rather than a definite claim. It is used with “in Ordnung zu sein”.

in “in” is part of the expression “in Ordnung”, which means being fine or in good condition here. The expression describes the zipper’s earlier state.

Ordnung “Ordnung” contributes the meaning “order” to the expression “in Ordnung”, which here means “fine” or “okay”. It describes the zipper as apparently functioning properly.

zu “zu” marks the infinitive phrase “zu sein” after “schien”. It links the idea of seeming with the condition being described.

sein “sein” means “be” in “in Ordnung zu sein”, describing the zipper’s earlier condition. The phrase means that it seemed to be fine.

deshalb “deshalb” means “therefore” or “that is why” and connects the earlier observation with the speaker’s decision to accept responsibility. It introduces the reason-result link before “möchte”.

möchte “möchte” expresses a polite intention or wish: the speaker wants to take responsibility. It is followed by the infinitive phrase “die Verantwortung übernehmen”.

Verantwortung “Verantwortung” means “responsibility” in “die Verantwortung übernehmen”. The phrase refers to accepting responsibility for the damage.

übernehmen “übernehmen” means “take on” or “assume” in “die Verantwortung übernehmen”. This is a common combination for accepting responsibility for something.

schätze “schätze” means “appreciate” or “value” in “Ich schätze deine Ehrlichkeit”. It expresses a positive response to the other person’s honesty.

deine “deine” means “your” and identifies the honesty as belonging to the person being addressed. It appears directly before “Ehrlichkeit”.

Ehrlichkeit “Ehrlichkeit” means “honesty”, the quality that the speaker appreciates. In “Ich schätze deine Ehrlichkeit”, it is what is being valued.

Vielleicht “Vielleicht” means “perhaps” or “maybe” and signals that repair is possible but not certain. In “Vielleicht kann man ihn noch reparieren”, it softens the statement.

kann “kann” expresses possibility in “kann man ihn noch reparieren”: the zipper may be repairable. It is followed by the infinitive “reparieren”.

man “man” refers generally to people rather than to one named person in “kann man ihn noch reparieren”. It presents the repair as something that can be done without naming who will do it.

noch “noch” means “still” and shows that repair may remain possible despite the damage. It appears before “reparieren” in the repair possibility statement.

reparieren “reparieren” means “repair” and names the possible action for the zipper. It follows “kann” in “kann man ihn noch reparieren”.

Reparatur “Reparatur” means “repair” as a process or service in “die Reparatur organisieren”. It names the work that the speaker can arrange.

organisieren “organisieren” means “arrange” or “organize” in “die Reparatur organisieren”. It describes taking practical steps to have the repair carried out.

ersetzen “ersetzen” means “replace” and refers to replacing the bag if repair is not suitable. It is coordinated with “organisieren” after “kann”.

wenn “wenn” introduces the condition “wenn nötig”, meaning “if necessary”. It connects a possible replacement with the condition that it is needed.

nötig “nötig” means “necessary” or “needed” in “wenn nötig”. The phrase leaves the specific action understood from the preceding discussion.

Bringen “Bringen” means “bring” or “take” in “Bringen wir sie zu einer Reparaturwerkstatt”. With “wir”, it forms a suggestion to take the bag somewhere.

wir “wir” means “we” and identifies the two speakers as the people who will take the bag. It is the subject of “Bringen wir ...” and “werden sehen”.

sie “sie” means “it” here and refers to the feminine noun “Tasche”. In “Bringen wir sie”, it is the object being taken to the repair shop.

einer “einer” means “a” in “zu einer Reparaturwerkstatt” and introduces the repair shop as the destination. It appears before the feminine noun “Reparaturwerkstatt”.

Reparaturwerkstatt “Reparaturwerkstatt” means “repair shop” and names the place where the bag or zipper can be examined. It follows “zu einer” as the destination.

bevor “bevor” means “before” and places the visit to the repair shop before the decision. It introduces the subordinate clause “bevor wir uns entscheiden”.

uns “uns” is the reflexive pronoun used with “entscheiden” in “wir uns entscheiden”. Together, “uns entscheiden” means “decide” as the speakers make a decision themselves.

entscheiden “entscheiden” means “decide” in “bevor wir uns entscheiden”. It appears at the end of the subordinate clause introduced by “bevor”.

Es tut mir leid “Es tut mir leid” is the complete expression for “I’m sorry”. In it, “Es” functions as the formal subject, “tut” belongs to the fixed expression, “mir” marks the person who feels sorry, and “leid” contributes the regretful meaning; the dialogue continues with “dass” to state what is regretted.

dass “dass” means “that” and introduces the content of the apology in “dass ich dir nicht sofort davon erzählt habe”. It places the finite verb at the end of the subordinate clause.

nicht “nicht” means “not” and negates the speaker’s telling the other person immediately. In the clause, it appears before “sofort davon erzählt habe”.

sofort “sofort” means “immediately” and describes when the speaker should have told the other person. It modifies the telling in “nicht sofort davon erzählt habe”.

erzählt “erzählt” means “told” in “davon erzählt habe”. Together with “habe”, it presents the telling as a completed action, while “davon” identifies what was told about.

es “es” means “it” and refers to the matter that has now been mentioned in “Du hast es jetzt angesprochen”. It is the object of “angesprochen”.

jetzt “jetzt” means “now” and contrasts the current mention with the fact that it was not reported immediately. It modifies “angesprochen”.

angesprochen “angesprochen” means “brought up” or “mentioned” in “Du hast es jetzt angesprochen”. It describes directly raising the issue in conversation.

das “das” means “that” and refers to the fact that the issue was brought up. In “das hilft”, it is the subject of “hilft”.

hilft “hilft” means “helps” and says that mentioning the issue is useful. It describes the effect of “das”, referring to the preceding action.

werden “werden” is the future auxiliary in “Wir werden sehen”. It presents seeing what happens as something the speakers will do later.

sehen “sehen” means “see” in “Wir werden sehen, was sie sagen”. With “werden”, it expresses that the speakers will find out the result.

was “was” means “what” and introduces the indirect question “was sie sagen”. It asks for the content of what the relevant people will say.

Grammar Points

Deshalb + Verb + Subjekt

Deshalb helfen wir sofort.

DES-halp HELF-en veer zoh-FORT.

That is why we help immediately.

deshalb steht am Satzanfang; das Verb folgt direkt, vor dem Subjekt.

während + Genitiv

Während der Reparatur helfen wir sofort.

VAIR-rent dare reh-pah-rah-TOOR HELF-en veer zoh-FORT.

During the repair, we help immediately.

während kann eine Zeitangabe einleiten; danach steht hier der Genitiv: der Reparatur.

German Vocabulary

Ehrlichkeit noun

AIR-likh-kite honesty

deine Ehrlichkeit

klemmen verb

KLEHM-en to get stuck klemmte

Der Reißverschluss klemmte

leihen verb

LYE-en to borrow or lend geliehen

die Tasche, die ich mir geliehen habe

passieren verb

pah-SEER-en to happen passiert

etwas damit passiert

Reise noun

RY-zuh trip

während deiner Reise

Reißverschluss noun

RICE-fair-shloos zipper

Der Reißverschluss

Reparatur noun

reh-pah-rah-TOOR repair

die Reparatur

Reparaturwerkstatt noun

reh-pah-rah-TOOR-vairk-shtaht repair shop

zu einer Reparaturwerkstatt

sich lösen verb

zikh LUR-zen to come loose sich gelöst

hat sich gelöst

Tasche noun

TAH-shuh bag

die Tasche

Teil noun

tile part

ein Teil davon

Verantwortung noun

fair-ANT-vor-toong responsibility

die Verantwortung übernehmen

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Was the zipper already damaged?

Show Answer

War der Reißverschluss schon beschädigt?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

trip

Show Answer

Reise

bag

Show Answer

Tasche

honesty

Show Answer

Ehrlichkeit

repair

Show Answer

Reparatur