{"id":6389,"date":"2015-06-13T13:25:21","date_gmt":"2015-06-13T13:25:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/?p=6389"},"modified":"2017-11-21T13:30:40","modified_gmt":"2017-11-21T13:30:40","slug":"german-phrases-when-words-fail-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/german-phrases-when-words-fail-you\/","title":{"rendered":"What To Say In German When Words Fail You"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Photo: leedman on flickr.com under CC BY-SA 2.0<\/p><\/div>\n

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A little while ago I wrote a post about words and phrases that\u2019ll make your German sound more natural and \u2018real\u2019 (you can read that post here<\/a>). One thing that many language learners get frustrated with is not sounding natural enough, and often that is because of the rather scripted nature of the things they learn to begin with (Hallo, wie geht es dir? \u2013 Mir geht es gut, danke. Und dir? \u2013 Ja, sehr gut, danke. \u2013 Tsch\u00fc\u00df). <\/em>As this is not spontaneous (you\u2019re unlikely to just say \u2018bye\u2019 after someone tells you how they are!), it can become boring very quickly. However, you can\u2019t expect to be fluent straight away- but the more you talk and write in German, the quicker you\u2019ll get there!<\/p>\n

While you\u2019re learning, if you want to keep conversation going without the long pauses and silences, or without resorting back into your native language, then here are a few phrases that will keep you going in German – even when you haven\u2019t a clue what to say next!<\/p>\n

Looking for a word in German (example word: rabbit)<\/u><\/p>\n

Wie kann ich \u201arabbit\u2018 (auf Deutsch) sagen? \u2013 How can I say \u201arabbit\u2018 (in German)?<\/p>\n

Wie sagt man \u201arabbit\u2018 (auf Deutsch)? \u2013 How does one say \u201arabbit\u2018 (in German)?<\/p>\n

Was ist \u201arabbit\u2018 auf Deutsch? \u2013 What is \u201arabbit\u2018 in German?<\/p>\n

Was ist das deutsche Wort f\u00fcr \u201arabbit\u2018? \u2013 What is the German word for \u201arabbit\u2018?<\/p>\n

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Asking what a certain German word means (example word: Hase)<\/u><\/p>\n

Was bedeutet bitte \u2018Hase\u2019? \u2013 What does \u2018Hase\u2019 mean, please?<\/p>\n

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When you\u2019re confused<\/u><\/p>\n

Ich bin verwirrt \u2013 I\u2019m confused<\/p>\n

Ich habe mich geirrt – I’ve gone wrong\/made a mistake<\/p>\n


\nApologising for lack of words (not that you should be apologising, but it happens!)<\/u><\/p>\n

Verzeihung \u2013 Sorry\/forgive me<\/p>\n

Es tut mir leid \u2013 I\u2019m sorry (lit: \u201aIt does me sorrow\u2018)<\/p>\n

Ich spreche nur ein bisschen Deutsch. \u2013 I only speak a little German.<\/p>\n

Mein Deutsch ist nicht besonders gut. \u2013 My German is not especially good.<\/p>\n

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Asking someone to repeat what they said<\/u><\/p>\n

K\u00f6nnen Sie das bitte nochmal sagen? (formal: to a stranger\/superior) \u2013 Can you please say that again?<\/p>\n

Kannst du das bitte nochmal sagen? (informal: to a friend\/relative) \u2013 Can you please say that again?<\/p>\n

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When your mind goes completely blank<\/u><\/p>\n

Ich wei\u00df nicht, welches Wort ich sagen will. \u2013 I don\u2019t know which word it is I\u2019m trying to say.<\/p>\n

Ich kann mich nicht richtig ausdr\u00fccken. \u2013 I can\u2019t express myself properly.<\/p>\n

Ich habe das nicht verstanden. \u2013 I didn\u2019t understand that.<\/p>\n

Ich kann heute nicht auf Englisch denken\/sprechen, geschweige denn Deutsch! \u2013 I can\u2019t even think\/speak in English today, let alone German!<\/p>\n

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The great thing about using these phrases is that they’re all things you’d say in your native tongue should you be having ‘one of those days’, so it’s perfectly natural to use them in German, too. Even though you’re stuck for words, by using them in German you’ll still feel good for having communicated your lack of words in German<\/em>. That’s impressive in itself! So don’t fret – use these phrases, and your confidence in your language ability will soon grow!<\/p>\n

If there are any other phrases you\u2019re after, let me know in the comments!<\/p>\n

Bis sp\u00e4ter<\/p>\n

Constanze x<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

A little while ago I wrote a post about words and phrases that\u2019ll make your German sound more natural and \u2018real\u2019 (you can read that post here). One thing that many language learners get frustrated with is not sounding natural enough, and often that is because of the rather scripted nature of the things…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":119,"featured_media":7450,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[53,257644,95131,376023,499,34672,2391],"class_list":["post-6389","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","tag-conversation","tag-fluency","tag-german-language","tag-language","tag-language-learning","tag-language-learning-tips","tag-phrases"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t