Fixing a Printing Problem in the Library | Learn German in English

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Use Fixing a Printing Problem in the Library to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Mein Dokument steckt in der Druckerwarteschlange fest, und es kommt nichts heraus.

MYNE doh-koo-MENT shtekt in dehr DROOK-er-vahr-tuh-SHLANG-uh fest, oont ess komt nikhts heh-ROWS. My document is stuck in the printer queue, and nothing is coming out.

Lass uns den Bildschirm prüfen, bevor wir den Druckauftrag noch einmal senden.

LAHSS oonts dehn BILT-shirm PRYOO-fen, buh-FOHR veer dehn DROOK-owf-trahk nokh EYE-nuh-mahl ZEN-den. Let's check the screen before sending the job again.

Ich habe beidseitigen Druck ausgewählt, aber auf dem Display wird ein Fehler angezeigt.

Ikh HAH-buh BYTE-zye-tih-gen DROOK OWS-guh-VAYLT, AH-buh owf dehm dis-PLAY veert eyne FAY-luh AHN-guh-tsaykt. I chose double-sided printing, but the display shows an error.

Es könnte ein Papierstau vorliegen, also lass die Tasten erst einmal in Ruhe.

Ess KURR-tuh eyne pah-PEER-shtow FOHR-lee-gen, AHL-zoh lahss dee TAH-sten airst EYE-nuh-mahl in ROO-uh. There may be a paper jam, so leave the controls alone for now.

Ich möchte den Auftrag nicht noch einmal senden und damit einen weiteren Auftrag in die Warteschlange stellen.

Ikh MURRKH-tuh dehn OWF-trahk nikht nokh EYE-nuh-mahl ZEN-den oont dah-MIT EYE-nen VY-ter-en OWF-trahk in dee VAHR-tuh-SHLANG-uh SHTEL-en. I do not want to resend it and add another job to the queue.

Ich kann den fehlgeschlagenen Auftrag abbrechen, bevor du es noch einmal versuchst.

Ikh kahn dehn FAYL-guh-SHLAH-gen-en OWF-trahk AHP-brekh-en, buh-FOHR doo ess nokh EYE-nuh-mahl fer-ZOOKST. I can cancel the failed job before you try again.

Könntest du den Drucker überprüfen, bevor ich noch etwas sende?

KURR-test doo dehn DROOK-uh oo-buh-PRYOO-fen, buh-FOHR ikh nokh ET-vahs ZEN-duh? Could you check the printer before I send anything else?

Ich sehe nach, aber bitte öffne das Gerät nicht selbst.

Ikh ZAY-uh nahkh, AH-buh BIH-tuh URF-nuh dahss guh-RAYT nikht zelbst. I'll take a look, but please do not open the machine yourself.

Ich warte hier, während du nachsiehst.

Ikh VAHR-tuh heer, VAY-rent doo NAHKH-zeest. I'll wait here while you check it.

Das hilft uns, das Problem zu beheben, ohne weitere Druckaufträge hinzuzufügen.

Dahss hilfft oonts, dahss proh-BLAYM tsoo buh-HAY-ben, OH-nuh VY-ter-uh DROOK-owf-tray-guh HIN-tsoo-tsoo-FYOO-gen. That will help us clear the problem without adding more print jobs.

Word by Word

Mein ‘Mein’ means ‘my’ here and identifies ‘Dokument’ as the speaker’s document. Use this form before a noun when referring to something belonging to or associated with the speaker.

Dokument ‘Dokument’ means ‘document’, the file that the speaker tried to print. It is useful for referring to a written or digital file in an office, school, or library context.

steckt ‘Steckt’ means ‘is stuck’ here: the document cannot move forward in the printer process. The form is used with a subject such as ‘Mein Dokument’ to describe something being caught or unable to proceed.

in ‘In’ means ‘in’ in ‘in der Druckerwarteschlange’, showing where the document is stuck. Use ‘in’ with a place or container when describing something located inside it.

der ‘Der’ means ‘the’ before ‘Druckerwarteschlange’ in this phrase. This article connects the noun to the surrounding location expression; reuse it as part of a complete noun phrase such as ‘in der …’.

Druckerwarteschlange ‘Druckerwarteschlange’ means ‘printer queue’, the waiting line for print jobs. The compound combines the printer context with the idea of a queue and is useful when discussing pending documents.

fest ‘Fest’ adds the idea of being firmly stuck in the sentence about the document. It is useful for describing something that cannot move, continue, or come free.

und ‘Und’ means ‘and’ and links the statement about the document with the statement that nothing comes out. Use it to join related words, phrases, or clauses.

es ‘Es’ means ‘it’ in ‘es kommt nichts heraus’, referring to what should be coming out of the printer. Here it helps introduce the situation while ‘nichts’ specifies that no output appears.

kommt ‘Kommt’ means ‘comes’ and describes movement toward the outside together with ‘heraus’. In this dialogue it refers to printed material leaving the printer; use it with a destination or direction when describing movement.

nichts ‘Nichts’ means ‘nothing’, so the sentence says that no printed material is coming out. Use it when saying that no thing or amount is present or available.

heraus ‘Heraus’ means ‘out’ and adds outward direction to ‘kommt’. In this context it describes printed material leaving the printer; it can also be used with movement verbs when something comes out of a place.

Lass ‘Lass’ means ‘let’s’ at the beginning of ‘Lass uns den Bildschirm prüfen’, inviting the other person to do the check together. Use ‘Lass uns’ followed by an infinitive to make a suggestion to act together.

uns ‘Uns’ means ‘us’ in ‘Lass uns’, referring to the speaker and the other person together. The reusable pattern is ‘Lass uns’ plus an infinitive for a shared suggestion.

den ‘Den’ means ‘the’ before ‘Bildschirm’ in ‘den Bildschirm prüfen’. It is part of the object noun phrase and is reused before a specific masculine object in comparable sentences.

Bildschirm ‘Bildschirm’ means ‘screen’, specifically the screen that should be checked for information about the print job. Use it when referring to a computer, printer, or other device screen.

prüfen ‘Prüfen’ means ‘to check’ or ‘to examine’ the screen. It is the infinitive after ‘Lass uns’ and can be reused for checking a device, detail, or result.

bevor ‘Bevor’ means ‘before’ and introduces the action that must happen first. In ‘bevor wir den Druckauftrag noch einmal senden’, the verb ‘senden’ comes at the end of the clause; use ‘bevor’ to order two actions in time.

wir ‘Wir’ means ‘we’ in the clause introduced by ‘bevor’, referring to both people. Use it as the subject when describing an action performed by the speaker together with others.

Druckauftrag ‘Druckauftrag’ means ‘print job’, the request sent to the printer. It is useful for discussing a specific printing task that can be sent, cancelled, or placed in a queue.

noch ‘Noch’ contributes the meaning ‘again’ in the exact expression ‘noch einmal’. Together with ‘einmal’, it shows that the print job would be sent one more time; use this expression when repeating an action.

einmal ‘Einmal’ means ‘one time’ in the expression ‘noch einmal’, which means ‘again’ here. The expression is useful when asking or describing that an action should happen one more time.

senden ‘Senden’ means ‘to send’ the print job. It is the infinitive after ‘Lass uns’ and can be reused with an object such as a document, message, or job.

Ich ‘Ich’ means ‘I’, identifying the person speaking. Use it as the subject when describing your own action, choice, request, or intention.

habe ‘Habe’ means ‘have’ as the auxiliary in ‘Ich habe beidseitigen Druck ausgewählt’. It works with ‘ausgewählt’ to describe a completed choice; reuse ‘Ich habe’ with a completed action when reporting what you did.

beidseitigen ‘Beidseitigen’ means ‘double-sided’ and describes the selected type of printing in ‘beidseitigen Druck’. Use it before a noun when specifying that both sides are involved.

Druck ‘Druck’ means ‘printing’ in ‘beidseitigen Druck’, naming the printing option the speaker selected. It is useful in compounds and phrases about printing settings or processes.

ausgewählt ‘Ausgewählt’ means ‘selected’, referring to the double-sided printing option chosen by the speaker. Together with ‘habe’, it reports that selection as already completed; reuse it for a chosen setting or option.

aber ‘Aber’ means ‘but’ and contrasts the speaker’s selected option with the error shown on the display. Use it to connect two statements when the second one limits or contrasts with the first.

auf ‘Auf’ means ‘on’ in ‘auf dem Display’, identifying the surface where the error appears. Use ‘auf’ with a surface or screen when something is shown there.

dem ‘Dem’ means ‘the’ in ‘auf dem Display’. It forms the noun phrase after ‘auf’ and is reused as part of a location expression referring to a specific display or surface.

Display ‘Display’ means ‘display’, the screen showing the printer’s message. Use it when referring to the visible information panel of a printer or other device.

wird ‘Wird’ is used with ‘angezeigt’ to say that an error is being shown on the display. This combination focuses on what appears on the screen rather than on who displays it; reuse it when describing information shown by a device.

ein ‘Ein’ means ‘an’ or ‘a’ before ‘Fehler’, introducing one error that appears on the display. Use it before a singular noun when referring to one non-specific item.

Fehler ‘Fehler’ means ‘error’, the problem reported by the display. It is useful for describing an incorrect result, fault, or error message in a technical situation.

angezeigt ‘Angezeigt’ means ‘shown’ or ‘displayed’, referring to the error visible on the display. Together with ‘wird’, it describes information presented by a device; reuse it for a message or value shown on a screen.

könnte ‘Könnte’ means ‘could’ or ‘may’ and expresses a possibility: a paper jam may be present. Use it when suggesting a possible explanation without presenting it as certain.

Papierstau ‘Papierstau’ means ‘paper jam’, a condition that can stop the printer from working. It is useful when identifying a printing problem caused by paper being caught inside the machine.

vorliegen ‘Vorliegen’ means ‘be present’ or ‘exist’ in the suggestion that a paper jam may be present. It is useful for stating that a particular condition or problem exists.

also ‘Also’ means ‘so’ and introduces the practical consequence of the possible paper jam: leave the controls alone. Use it to connect a reason or observation with a resulting action.

die ‘Die’ means ‘the’ before ‘Tasten’ in ‘die Tasten’. It introduces the specific buttons or controls that should not be touched; reuse it before a known plural noun phrase.

Tasten ‘Tasten’ means ‘buttons’ or ‘keys’, referring to the printer controls. In this situation the buttons should be left untouched while the staff checks the problem.

erst ‘Erst’ contributes the meaning ‘for now’ in the exact expression ‘erst einmal’. It limits the instruction temporarily; use ‘erst einmal’ when recommending what should happen at the present stage.

in Ruhe ‘In Ruhe’ means ‘left alone’ or ‘undisturbed’ in the instruction about the printer controls. In this construction, ‘in’ and ‘Ruhe’ together express not interfering with something for the moment; use the phrase when asking someone not to disturb or touch something.

möchte ‘Möchte’ means ‘would like’ or ‘want’ and expresses the speaker’s intention not to resend the job. Use it with an infinitive to state a polite desire or preference.

Auftrag ‘Auftrag’ means ‘job’ or ‘assignment’; here it refers to the print job. It is useful for naming a task or request that can be sent, cancelled, or placed in a queue.

nicht ‘Nicht’ means ‘not’ and negates the speaker’s wish to resend the print job. Use it to deny or reject an action, statement, or preference.

damit ‘Damit’ means ‘thereby’ in this sentence, linking the act of resending with the result of putting another job into the queue. Use it to describe a consequence caused by the action just mentioned.

einen ‘Einen’ means ‘a’ or ‘an’ before ‘weiteren Auftrag’, introducing an additional print job. It is part of the complete object phrase and is reused before a non-specific singular object in comparable constructions.

weiteren ‘Weiteren’ means ‘another’ or ‘additional’ and describes the extra job that would enter the queue. Use it before a noun when referring to something added to an existing number or amount.

Warteschlange ‘Warteschlange’ means ‘queue’, the line in which the print jobs wait. It is useful for talking about tasks or requests waiting to be processed.

stellen ‘Stellen’ means ‘put’ or ‘place’ in ‘in die Warteschlange stellen’, where it describes adding a job to the queue. Use this construction when saying that something is placed into a queue or ordered line.

kann ‘Kann’ means ‘can’ and expresses the staff member’s ability to cancel the failed job. Use ‘kann’ with an infinitive to state that someone is able to perform an action.

fehlgeschlagenen ‘Fehlgeschlagenen’ means ‘failed’ and describes the print job that did not complete successfully. In ‘den fehlgeschlagenen Auftrag’, it identifies which job can be cancelled.

abbrechen ‘Abbrechen’ means ‘cancel’ or ‘stop’, referring to ending the failed print job. It is useful for stopping a process, request, or job before it continues.

du ‘Du’ means ‘you’, addressing the other person directly. It is used here as the subject of the action in ‘bevor du es noch einmal versuchst’.

versuchst ‘Versuchst’ means ‘try’ in ‘du es noch einmal versuchst’, referring to trying to send the job again. Use it with ‘du’ when describing an action the other person attempts.

Könntest ‘Könntest’ means ‘could you’ and makes the request to check the printer polite. The reusable pattern is ‘Könntest du’ followed by an infinitive when asking someone to do something.

Drucker ‘Drucker’ means ‘printer’, the machine that should be inspected. Use it when referring to the device that produces printed documents.

überprüfen ‘Überprüfen’ means ‘check’ or ‘inspect’ the printer carefully. It is an infinitive after ‘Könntest du’ and can be reused when asking someone to examine a device or situation.

etwas ‘Etwas’ means ‘anything’ in ‘bevor ich noch etwas sende’, referring to any additional item the speaker might send. Use it for an unspecified thing, especially when the exact item is not named.

sende ‘Sende’ means ‘send’ and describes the speaker sending another item or job. It is used with ‘ich’ as the subject; reuse it when talking about sending a document, message, or request.

sehe ‘Sehe’ means ‘look’ in the expression ‘Ich sehe nach’, where the speaker offers to check the printer. Use it with ‘nach’ when saying that you will look into or inspect something.

nach ‘Nach’ is the separable part used with ‘sehe’ in ‘sehe nach’, giving the phrase the meaning ‘check’ or ‘look into’. Use this expression when offering to inspect a problem or situation.

bitte ‘Bitte’ means ‘please’ and makes the instruction not to open the device polite. Use it before a request or instruction when asking someone to do or not do something.

öffne ‘Öffne’ means ‘open’ and gives the direct instruction not to open the device. In ‘bitte öffne das Gerät nicht selbst’, it is used with ‘nicht’ to forbid the action.

das ‘Das’ means ‘the’ before ‘Gerät’ in ‘das Gerät’, and ‘Das’ means ‘that’ at the start of ‘Das hilft uns’. The form therefore introduces the specific device in one sentence and refers back to the situation in the other.

Gerät ‘Gerät’ means ‘device’ or ‘machine’, referring to the printer as a machine that should not be opened by the patron. Use it for technical equipment or an electronic device.

selbst ‘Selbst’ means ‘yourself’ here and emphasizes that the listener should not open the machine personally. Use it to stress that the addressed person should or should not perform an action alone.

warte ‘Warte’ means ‘wait’ and describes the speaker remaining in place while the printer is checked. Use it with a place, time, or condition when saying that someone will wait.

hier ‘Hier’ means ‘here’, identifying the place where the speaker will wait. Use it to point to the speaker’s current location.

während ‘Während’ means ‘while’ and introduces the simultaneous action of the staff member checking the printer. In ‘während du nachsiehst’, it connects two actions happening at the same time.

nachsiehst ‘Nachsiehst’ means ‘check’ or ‘look into’ in the clause about checking the printer. It is the form used with ‘du’ in ‘während du nachsiehst’; use it when describing the other person investigating a problem.

hilft ‘Hilft’ means ‘helps’ in ‘Das hilft uns’, saying that the careful procedure benefits both people. Use it with a person or group to describe an action that makes a task easier.

Problem ‘Problem’ means ‘problem’, referring to the printing fault that needs to be resolved. It is useful for naming a difficulty that someone can check, explain, or fix.

zu ‘Zu’ marks the infinitive in ‘das Problem zu beheben’, meaning ‘to fix the problem’. Use ‘zu’ before an infinitive when it follows a suitable verb or construction such as ‘helfen, … zu’.

beheben ‘Beheben’ means ‘fix’ or ‘resolve’, referring to removing the printing problem. In ‘das Problem zu beheben’, it is used as an infinitive after ‘zu’; reuse it with a problem, fault, or difficulty.

ohne ‘Ohne’ means ‘without’ and introduces an action that will not happen: adding more print jobs. In ‘ohne weitere Druckaufträge hinzuzufügen’, it describes solving the problem without causing that extra result.

weitere ‘Weitere’ means ‘more’ or ‘additional’ and describes print jobs beyond the one already in the queue. Use it before a plural noun when referring to extra items of the same type.

Druckaufträge ‘Druckaufträge’ means ‘print jobs’, referring to additional requests that could be added to the printer queue. The plural is useful when discussing more than one printing task.

hinzuzufügen ‘Hinzuzufügen’ means ‘to add’, specifically adding further print jobs to the queue. It is the infinitive used after ‘ohne’; reuse it when describing adding an item to an existing group, list, or process.

Grammar Points

Trennbare Verben im Hauptsatz: Verbteil steht am Satzende

Der Druckauftrag steckt in der Druckerwarteschlange fest.

dehr DROOK-owf-trahk shtekt in dehr DROOK-er-vahr-tuh-SHLANG-uh fest.

The print job is stuck in the printer queue.

Bei trennbaren Verben steht der Präfixteil im Hauptsatz am Ende: steckt ... fest.

ohne ... zu + Infinitiv

Sie wartet, ohne den Papierstau zu beheben.

zee VAHR-tet, OH-nuh dehn pah-PEER-shtow tsoo buh-HAY-ben.

She waits without fixing the paper jam.

ohne ... zu beschreibt, dass eine Handlung nicht ausgeführt wird.

German Vocabulary

auswählen verb

OWS-vay-len to select ausgewählt

Ich habe beidseitigen Druck ausgewählt.

beidseitig adj

BYTE-zye-tikh double-sided beidseitigen

Ich habe beidseitigen Druck ausgewählt.

Bildschirm noun

BILT-shirm screen

Lass uns den Bildschirm prüfen.

Dokument noun

doh-koo-MENT document

Mein Dokument steckt in der Druckerwarteschlange fest.

Druck noun

DROOK printing

Ich habe beidseitigen Druck ausgewählt.

Druckauftrag noun

DROOK-owf-trahk print job

Bevor wir den Druckauftrag noch einmal senden.

Druckerwarteschlange noun

DROOK-er-vahr-tuh-SHLANG-uh printer queue

Mein Dokument steckt in der Druckerwarteschlange fest.

feststecken verb

FEST-shteh-ken to be stuck steckt ... fest

Mein Dokument steckt in der Druckerwarteschlange fest.

herauskommen verb

heh-ROWS-kom-en to come out kommt ... heraus

Es kommt nichts heraus.

noch einmal phrase

nokh EYE-nuh-mahl again

Bevor wir den Druckauftrag noch einmal senden.

prüfen verb

PRYOO-fen to check

Lass uns den Bildschirm prüfen.

senden verb

ZEN-den to send

Bevor wir den Druckauftrag noch einmal senden.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I'll wait here while you check it.

Show Answer

Ich warte hier, während du nachsiehst.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

document

Show Answer

Dokument

print job

Show Answer

Druckauftrag

screen

Show Answer

Bildschirm

to check

Show Answer

prüfen