Gym Equipment Etiquette | Learn German in English

About This Lesson

Use Gym Equipment Etiquette to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Mir ist aufgefallen, dass mehrere Geräte lange Zeit mit Handtüchern blockiert wurden.

meer ist OWF-guh-fall-en, dass MAYR-uh-reh guh-RAY-tuh LAHNG-uh tsight mit HAHNT-tewrn bloh-KEERT VOOR-den. I noticed several machines were being reserved with towels for a long time.

Das kann frustrierend sein, besonders wenn das Fitnessstudio voll ist.

dass kann froo-STREE-rent zine, beh-ZON-ders venn dass FIT-ness-SHTOO-dee-oh foll ist. That can be frustrating, especially when the gym is busy.

Ich wollte niemanden direkt zur Rede stellen.

ikh VOL-tuh NEE-mahn-den dee-REKT tsoor RAY-duh SHTELL-en. I did not want to confront anyone directly.

Das Personal kann allgemein daran erinnern, ohne jemanden gezielt herauszugreifen.

dass pehr-soh-NAHL kann ahl-guh-MINE dah-RAHN eh-RIN-ern, OH-nuh YAY-mahn-den guh-TSEELT heh-ROWSS-tsoo-GRY-fen. Staff can give a general reminder without singling anyone out.

Das würde weniger konfrontativ wirken.

dass VUR-duh VAY-nee-ger kon-fron-tah-TEEF VEER-ken. That would feel less aggressive.

Ich kann eine Durchsage machen und den Trainingsbereich häufiger kontrollieren.

ikh kann EYE-nuh DOORKH-zah-guh MAKH-en oont dehn TRAY-ningz-beh-RYKH HOY-fikh-er kon-troh-LEER-en. I can make an announcement and monitor the gym floor more often.

Das sollte den Zugang zu den Geräten verbessern, ohne Spannungen zu erzeugen.

dass ZOLL-tuh dehn TSOO-gahng tsoo dehn guh-RAY-ten beh-FESS-ern, OH-nuh SHPAN-noong-en tsoo ehr-TSOY-gen. That should improve access without creating tension.

Bitte melde es wieder, wenn dasselbe weiterhin passiert.

BIT-tuh MEL-duh ess VEE-der, venn DAHSS-el-buh VY-ter-HINE pah-SEERT. Please report it again if the same thing keeps happening.

Word by Word

Mir “Mir” means “to me” in “Mir ist aufgefallen”, identifying the person who noticed something. This form is used with the expression “Mir ist aufgefallen, dass …” when reporting an observation.

ist “ist” helps form “Mir ist aufgefallen”, meaning that something came to the speaker’s notice. In this pattern, it is followed by “aufgefallen” and the noticed information introduced by “dass”.

aufgefallen “aufgefallen” means “noticed” in “Mir ist aufgefallen, dass …”. Together with “ist”, it reports an observation, and the reusable pattern is “Mir ist aufgefallen, dass …”.

dass “dass” introduces the information that was noticed: “dass mehrere Geräte lange Zeit mit Handtüchern blockiert wurden”. In this construction, the verb comes at the end of the subordinate clause.

mehrere “mehrere” means “several” and describes more than one item in “mehrere Geräte”. It is commonly placed directly before the plural noun it specifies.

Geräte “Geräte” means “machines” or “equipment” in the gym context. It is used here as the subject of “blockiert wurden”, and “Zugang zu den Geräten” later refers to access to this equipment.

lange “lange” means “for a long” in the time expression “lange Zeit”. The complete expression “lange Zeit” describes how long the machines were blocked.

Zeit “Zeit” means “time” in “lange Zeit”, which means “for a long time”. This noun commonly follows a duration word such as “lange” in this expression.

mit “mit” means “with” and describes the towels used to block the machines in “mit Handtüchern”. It commonly introduces the item or means involved in an action.

Handtüchern “Handtüchern” means “towels” in “mit Handtüchern blockiert”. The form appears after “mit” and identifies what was used to reserve the equipment.

blockiert “blockiert” means “blocked” or “reserved” in the context of machines being held with towels. In “Geräte lange Zeit mit Handtüchern blockiert wurden”, it describes the state imposed on the equipment.

wurden “wurden” combines with “blockiert” in “blockiert wurden” to say that the machines were being blocked. In the subordinate clause, this verb form appears at the end.

Das “Das” refers to the situation just described in “Das kann frustrierend sein” and “Das würde weniger konfrontativ wirken”. It is used at the start of a sentence to comment on a preceding situation.

kann “kann” expresses that something can be or can feel a certain way in “Das kann frustrierend sein”. It is followed by the infinitive “sein” at the end of the clause.

frustrierend “frustrierend” means “frustrating” in “Das kann frustrierend sein”. It describes the effect of the crowded gym and is used after “sein”.

sein “sein” means “be” in “Das kann frustrierend sein”. It follows the modal verb “kann” and completes the description of the situation.

besonders “besonders” means “especially” and emphasizes the condition “wenn das Fitnessstudio voll ist”. It is useful for highlighting one circumstance as particularly relevant.

wenn “wenn” introduces the condition “wenn das Fitnessstudio voll ist”, meaning “when” or “if the gym is busy”. It begins a subordinate clause in which “ist” comes at the end.

Fitnessstudio “Fitnessstudio” means “gym” or “fitness facility”. In “wenn das Fitnessstudio voll ist”, it is the place described as busy or full.

voll “voll” means “full” and here describes a gym with many people, so it corresponds to “busy”. It is used after “ist” in “das Fitnessstudio voll ist”.

Ich “Ich” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Ich wollte niemanden direkt zur Rede stellen”. It is placed at the beginning of this statement about the speaker’s intention.

wollte “wollte” expresses the speaker’s intention in “Ich wollte niemanden direkt zur Rede stellen”. It is followed by the person affected and the infinitive phrase “zur Rede stellen”.

niemanden “niemanden” means “no one” in “Ich wollte niemanden direkt zur Rede stellen”. It is the person whom the speaker did not want to confront, and it functions as the object of “stellen” in the expression.

direkt “direkt” means “directly” and describes how the speaker did not want to confront anyone. It can be placed before the action it modifies, as in “jemanden direkt zur Rede stellen”.

zur Rede stellen “zur Rede stellen” is the complete expression for confronting someone directly or demanding an explanation. In it, “zur” and “Rede” form the phrase “zur Rede”, while “stellen” completes the expression; a reusable pattern is “jemanden zur Rede stellen”.

Personal “Personal” means “staff” in “Das Personal kann allgemein daran erinnern”. It refers collectively to the people working at the gym and can be used as the subject of an action.

allgemein “allgemein” means “generally” and describes a reminder aimed at everyone rather than a particular person. It modifies “daran erinnern” in “allgemein daran erinnern”.

daran “daran” refers back to the rule or issue being remembered in “daran erinnern”. The reusable construction is “jemanden daran erinnern, dass …” or “an etwas erinnern”.

erinnern “erinnern” means “remind” in “daran erinnern”, where staff remind members about appropriate equipment use. The pattern “jemanden daran erinnern, dass …” keeps the person and the point of the reminder explicit.

ohne “ohne” means “without” and introduces the action that is avoided in “ohne jemanden gezielt herauszugreifen”. It is followed here by an infinitive construction.

jemanden “jemanden” means “someone” in “ohne jemanden gezielt herauszugreifen”. It identifies the person who would otherwise be singled out and is the object of “herauszugreifen”.

gezielt “gezielt” means “selectively” or “deliberately” in “jemanden gezielt herausgreifen”. It emphasizes that one particular person would be chosen rather than addressing the whole gym.

herauszugreifen “herauszugreifen” means “to single out” in “jemanden gezielt herauszugreifen”. Together with “ohne”, it expresses avoiding the act of selecting one person, and the object slot can be reused in “jemanden herausgreifen”.

würde “würde” expresses a hypothetical result in “Das würde weniger konfrontativ wirken”. It combines with the infinitive “wirken”, which appears at the end of the clause.

weniger “weniger” means “less” and reduces the degree of “konfrontativ” in “weniger konfrontativ”. It is placed directly before the quality being compared.

konfrontativ “konfrontativ” means “confrontational” in “weniger konfrontativ wirken”. It describes how the general announcement would come across to gym members.

wirken “wirken” means “seem” or “come across” in “weniger konfrontativ wirken”. It is used after “würde” to describe the impression created by an action or message.

eine “eine” means “a” or “an” in “eine Durchsage”. It introduces one non-specific announcement before the noun “Durchsage”.

Durchsage “Durchsage” means “announcement”, specifically a public announcement in the gym. The common pattern “eine Durchsage machen” describes giving such an announcement.

machen “machen” means “make” or, in this context, “give” in “eine Durchsage machen”. The reusable expression is “eine Durchsage machen”, with the announcement as its object.

und “und” means “and” and joins the two actions “eine Durchsage machen” and “den Trainingsbereich häufiger kontrollieren”. It links actions that the staff member can carry out.

den “den” means “the” in “den Trainingsbereich kontrollieren”. It introduces the specific area being monitored in this sentence.

Trainingsbereich “Trainingsbereich” means “training area” or “gym floor”. In “den Trainingsbereich häufiger kontrollieren”, it is the area staff will check more often.

häufiger “häufiger” means “more often” and describes the increased frequency of checking the training area. It modifies “kontrollieren” in “häufiger kontrollieren”.

kontrollieren “kontrollieren” means “monitor” or “check” in “den Trainingsbereich kontrollieren”. The pattern places the area being checked directly after the verb.

sollte “sollte” expresses an expected or intended result in “Das sollte den Zugang zu den Geräten verbessern”. It is followed by the infinitive “verbessern” and presents the improvement as a likely outcome.

Zugang “Zugang” means “access” in “den Zugang zu den Geräten verbessern”. The expression focuses on how easily people can use the equipment.

zu “zu” links “Zugang” with the equipment that people need access to in “Zugang zu den Geräten”. This is a common pattern for naming what access is connected with.

Geräten “Geräten” means “machines” or “equipment” in “zu den Geräten”. It identifies the equipment whose access should improve.

verbessern “verbessern” means “improve” in “den Zugang zu den Geräten verbessern”. The thing being improved comes before the verb in the infinitive construction: “den Zugang … verbessern”.

Spannungen “Spannungen” means “tensions” in “ohne Spannungen zu erzeugen”. It refers to interpersonal conflict that the general approach is intended to avoid.

erzeugen “erzeugen” means “create” or “cause” in “Spannungen zu erzeugen”. The reusable pattern is “Spannungen erzeugen”, with the result or effect as the object.

Bitte “Bitte” means “please” at the beginning of “Bitte melde es wieder”. It makes the following instruction a polite request.

melde “melde” is used here to ask the addressee to report the issue again: “Bitte melde es wieder”. The pattern keeps the thing being reported after the verb, as in “melde es”.

es “es” means “it” and refers to the equipment problem already being discussed in “Bitte melde es wieder”. It is the object of “melde”.

wieder “wieder” means “again” in “melde es wieder”. It asks the listener to report the same issue another time if it continues.

dasselbe “dasselbe” means “the same thing” in “wenn dasselbe weiterhin passiert”. It refers to the same equipment-reservation problem mentioned earlier.

weiterhin “weiterhin” means “still” or “continuing” in “dasselbe weiterhin passiert”. It shows that the situation has not stopped and is occurring again over time.

passiert “passiert” means “happens” in “wenn dasselbe weiterhin passiert”. It describes the problem occurring, and because it is in the subordinate clause after “wenn”, it appears at the end.

Grammar Points

werden + Partizip II

Geräte wurden blockiert.

guh-RAY-tuh VOOR-den bloh-KEERT.

Equipment was blocked.

The passive uses werden plus the past participle; wurden is the past-tense form of werden.

häufiger

Spannungen passieren häufiger im Fitnessstudio.

SHPAN-noong-en pah-SEER-en HOY-fikh-er im FIT-ness-SHTOO-dee-oh.

Tensions happen more often in the gym.

häufiger is the comparative adverb meaning “more often.”

German Vocabulary

auffallen verb

OWF-fall-en to notice ist aufgefallen

Mir ist aufgefallen

blockieren verb

bloh-KEER-en to block blockiert wurden

daran erinnern phrase

dah-RAHN eh-RIN-ern to remind

daran erinnern

Fitnessstudio noun

FIT-ness-SHTOO-dee-oh gym

frustrierend adj

froo-STREE-rent frustrating

Gerät noun

guh-RAYT piece of equipment Geräte

gezielt herausgreifen phrase

guh-TSEELT heh-ROWSS-tsoo-GRY-fen to single someone out

jemanden gezielt herauszugreifen

Handtuch noun

HAHNT-tooch towel Handtüchern

jemanden zur Rede stellen phrase

YAY-mahn-den tsoor RAY-duh SHTELL-en to confront someone

Ich wollte niemanden direkt zur Rede stellen

konfrontativ adj

kon-fron-tah-TEEF confrontational

Personal noun

pehr-soh-NAHL staff

voll adj

foll full or busy

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

That would feel less aggressive.

Show Answer

Das würde weniger konfrontativ wirken.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

towel

Show Answer

Handtüchern

piece of equipment

Show Answer

Geräte

staff

Show Answer

Personal

frustrating

Show Answer

frustrierend