Einheit 13: fortgeschrittene Gespräche

📘 Colloquial German for Beginners

🎤 UNIT 13: Advanced Conversations

🗣️ Dialogue 1 – Debating Opinions (Standard German)

Basic Phrases:

• Was hältst du von ...? – What do you think of ...?
• Ich finde ... – I think ...
• Was meinst du? – What do you mean?
• Ich denke ... – I believe ...
• Wie handhabst du das? – How do you handle it?

Anna: Was hältst du von Social Media?

Tom: Ich finde, es hat Vorteile, aber auch Nachteile.

Anna: Was meinst du?

Tom: Ich denke, es verbindet Menschen, aber es kann süchtig machen.

Anna: Stimmt, man muss es bewusst nutzen.

Tom: Wie handhabst du das?

Anna: Ich setze mir Zeitlimits.

📝 Translation

Anna: What do you think of social media?

Tom: I think it has advantages but also disadvantages.

Anna: What do you mean?

Tom: I believe it connects people, but it can be addictive.

Anna: True, you have to use it consciously.

Tom: How do you handle it?

Anna: I set time limits for myself.

🗣️ Dialogue 2 – Casual Debate (Colloquial German)

Basic Phrases:

• Was hältst’n ...? – What do you think of ...?
• Is’ schon cool – It’s pretty cool
• Wie meinst’n das? – What do you mean?
• Macht süchtig – Makes you addicted
• Wie machst’n das? – How do you handle it?

Ben: Hey, was hältst’n von Social Media?

Lisa: Is’ schon cool, aber auch ’n bisschen krass, oder?

Ben: Wie meinst’n das?

Lisa: Na, verbindet halt, aber macht süchtig.

Ben: Jo, muss man schlau nutzen.

Lisa: Wie machst’n das?

Ben: Ich setz mir Limits.

📝 Translation

Ben: Hey, what do you think of social media?

Lisa: It’s pretty cool, but also a bit intense, right?

Ben: What do you mean?

Lisa: Well, it connects people, but it’s addictive.

Ben: Yeah, you gotta use it smartly.

Lisa: How do you handle it?

Ben: I set limits for myself.

🗣️ Dialogue 3 – Opinion Exchange (Bavarian)

Basic Phrases:

• Was hoit’n ...? – What do you think of ...?
• I find’s schee – I think it’s nice
• Wia meinst’n des? – What do you mean?
• Ko süchtig macha – Can make you addicted
• Wia machst’n des? – How do you handle it?

Sepp: Servus, was hoit’n von Social Media?

Maria: I find’s schee, owa a a bissl viel, ned?

Sepp: Wia meinst’n des?

Maria: Na, verbind’t Leit, owa ko süchtig macha.

Sepp: Jo, ma muass’s g’scheit nutzen.

Maria: Wia machst’n des?

Sepp: I setz ma Zeiten.

📝 Translation

Sepp: Hello, what do you think of social media?

Maria: I think it’s nice, but a bit much, right?

Sepp: What do you mean?

Maria: Well, it connects people, but it can be addictive.

Sepp: Yeah, you have to use it wisely.

Maria: How do you handle it?

Sepp: I set time limits for myself.

🗣️ Dialogue 4 – Friendly Debate (Swabian)

Basic Phrases:

• Was hoit’n ...? – What do you think of ...?
• I find’s sche – I think it’s nice
• Wia meinst’n des? – What do you mean?
• Ka süchtig macha – Can make you addicted
• Wia machst’n des? – How do you handle it?

Lena: Grüß di, was hoit’n von Social Media?

Max: I find’s sche, aber au ’n bissle viel, gell?

Lena: Wia meinst’n des?

Max: Na, verbindet Leit, aber ka süchtig macha.

Lena: Jo, ma muss’s g’scheit nutza.

Max: Wia machst’n des?

Lena: I setz mr Zeita.

📝 Translation

Lena: Hello, what do you think of social media?

Max: I think it’s nice, but a bit much, right?

Lena: What do you mean?

Max: Well, it connects people, but it can be addictive.

Lena: Yeah, you have to use it wisely.

Max: How do you handle it?

Lena: I set time limits for myself.

🧠 Vocabulary

Standard: Was hältst du von Social Media?

Colloquial: Was hältst’n von Social Media?

Bavarian: Was hoit’n von Social Media?

Swabian: Was hoit’n von Social Media?

Meaning: What do you think of social media?

Standard: Ich finde, es hat Vorteile.

Colloquial: Is’ schon cool.

Bavarian: I find’s schee.

Swabian: I find’s sche.

Meaning: I think it’s nice/cool.

Standard: Was meinst du?

Colloquial: Wie meinst’n das?

Bavarian: Wia meinst’n des?

Swabian: Wia meinst’n des?

Meaning: What do you mean?

Standard: Ich denke, es verbindet Menschen.

Colloquial: Verbindet halt.

Bavarian: Verbind’t Leit.

Swabian: Verbindet Leit.

Meaning: It connects people.

Standard: Es kann süchtig machen.

Colloquial: Macht süchtig.

Bavarian: Ko süchtig macha.

Swabian: Ka süchtig macha.

Meaning: It can be addictive.

Standard: Wie handhabst du das?

Colloquial: Wie machst’n das?

Bavarian: Wia machst’n des?

Swabian: Wia machst’n des?

Meaning: How do you handle it?

Standard: Zeitlimits

Colloquial: Limits

Bavarian: Zeiten

Swabian: Zeita

Meaning: Time limits

Standard: Meinung

Colloquial: Meinung

Bavarian: Meinung

Swabian: Meinung

Meaning: Opinion

Note: Colloquial German uses relaxed terms like “is’ cool” and “halt.” Bavarian features “schee” and “Leit.” Swabian softens with “sche” and “gell.” Opinion-related terms are consistent, but dialects add regional flavor.

📚 Grammar Focus: Modal Verbs and Subordinate Clauses in Conversations

Modal verbs (“können,” “müssen”) and subordinate clauses (“dass,” “weil”) are key for nuanced conversations in German:

• Standard German: Formal structures (Dialogue 1).
• Colloquial German: Slang and contractions like “is’ cool” (Dialogue 2).
• Bavarian: Regional terms like “schee” and “Leit” (Dialogue 3).
• Swabian: Softer pronunciation with “sche” and “gell” (Dialogue 4).

Expression: Asking for opinions

Standard: Was hältst du von ...?

Colloquial: Was hältst’n ...?

Bavarian: Was hoit’n ...?

Swabian: Was hoit’n ...?

Meaning: What do you think of ...?

Modal Verb: Können

Standard: Es kann süchtig machen.

Colloquial: Macht süchtig.

Bavarian: Ko süchtig macha.

Swabian: Ka süchtig macha.

Meaning: It can be addictive.

Subordinate Clause: Dass

Standard: Ich denke, dass ...

Colloquial: Ich denk, dass ...

Bavarian: I denk, dass ...

Swabian: I denk, dass ...

Meaning: I think that ...

Examples:

Standard:

• “Was hältst du von Social Media?” – Formal.
• “Ich denke, dass es süchtig machen kann.” – Clear.
• “Man muss es bewusst nutzen.” – Polite.

Colloquial:

• “Was hältst’n von Social Media?” – Casual.
• “Verbindet halt, aber macht süchtig.” – Relaxed.
• “Muss man schlau nutzen.” – Lively.

Bavarian:

• “Was hoit’n von Social Media?” – Regional.
• “I denk, dass’s süchtig macha ko.” – Warm.
• “Ma muass’s g’scheit nutzen.” – Sing-song.

Swabian:

• “Was hoit’n von Social Media?” – Soft.
• “I denk, dass’s süchtig macha ka.” – Melodic.
• “Ma muss’s g’scheit nutza.” – Expressive.

✍️ Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blank (Standard German)

Fill in the blank with the correct conversation-related term in Standard German.

• 1. Was ___ du von Social Media?
• 2. Ich finde, es hat ___.
• 3. Was ___ du?
• 4. Ich denke, es ___ Menschen.
• 5. Wie ___ du das?

Solutions:

• 1. Hältst du von Social Media?
• 2. Ich finde, es hat Vorteile.
• 3. Was meinst du?
• 4. Ich denke, es verbindet Menschen.
• 5. Wie handhabst du das?

Exercise 2: Matching Phrases to Dialects

Match the phrase to its dialect.

• 1. Was hältst du von Social Media?
• 2. Was hältst’n von Social Media?
• 3. Was hoit’n von Social Media?
• 4. Was hoit’n von Social Media?

Options:

• A. Standard German
• B. Colloquial German
• C. Bavarian
• D. Swabian

Solutions:

• 1. Was hältst du von Social Media? – A. Standard German
• 2. Was hältst’n von Social Media? – B. Colloquial German
• 3. Was hoit’n von Social Media? – C. Bavarian
• 4. Was hoit’n von Social Media? – D. Swabian

Exercise 3: Sentence Ordering (Colloquial German)

Put the words in order to form a correct sentence in Colloquial German.

• 1. Social Media / hältst’n / was / von / ?
• 2. das / meinst’n / wie / ?
• 3. machst’n / wie / das / ?

Solutions:

• 1. Was hältst’n von Social Media?
• 2. Wie meinst’n das?
• 3. Wie machst’n das?

Exercise 4: Multiple Choice Vocabulary

Choose the correct vocabulary word to complete the sentence (use the dialect indicated).

• 1. (Standard) Was ___ du von Social Media?
  A. Hältst   B. Machst   C. Gehst
• 2. (Colloquial) Social Media is’ ___!
  A. Krass   B. Cool   C. Schee
• 3. (Bavarian) Verbind’t ___ .
  A. Kumpels   B. Leit   C. Freunde
• 4. (Swabian) I setz mr ___!
  A. Limits   B. Zeita   C. Regeln

Solutions:

• 1. Hältst du von Social Media?
• 2. Social Media is’ cool!
• 3. Verbind’t Leit.
• 4. I setz mr Zeita!

Exercise 5: Fill in the Blank (Mixed Dialects)

Fill in the blank with the correct conversation-related term (use the dialect indicated).

• 1. (Standard) Was ___ du von Social Media?
• 2. (Colloquial) Verbindet ___.
• 3. (Bavarian) I find’s ___.
• 4. (Swabian) Wia ___ des?
• 5. (Standard) Es kann ___ machen.

Solutions:

• 1. Hältst du von Social Media?
• 2. Verbindet halt.
• 3. I find’s schee.
• 4. Wia machst’n des?
• 5. Es kann süchtig machen.

Exercise 6: Translate and Transform (Standard to Colloquial)

Translate the following Standard German sentences into Colloquial German, using slang or informal expressions. Provide a brief explanation of the changes.

• 1. Was hältst du von Social Media?
• 2. Ich denke, es verbindet Menschen.
• 3. Es kann süchtig machen.
• 4. Wie handhabst du das?

Solutions:

• 1. Colloquial: Was hältst’n von Social Media?
  Explanation: “Hältst du” becomes “hältst’n” for a casual tone.
• 2. Colloquial: Verbindet halt.
  Explanation: Simplified to a short phrase with “halt” for informality.
• 3. Colloquial: Macht süchtig.
  Explanation: Drops “es kann” for a direct, slangy vibe.
• 4. Colloquial: Wie machst’n das?
  Explanation: “Handhabst” becomes “machst’n” for relaxed phrasing.

Exercise 7: Create Your Own Dialogue (Mixed Dialects)

Write a short dialogue (4-6 lines) between two people debating a topic (e.g., technology, travel, or work), using one of the following styles: Standard German, Colloquial German, Bavarian, or Swabian. Include at least one opinion-related term (e.g., Meinung, cool, schee) and one phrase from the vocabulary section. Provide the translation into English.

Example:

• Style: Colloquial German
• Person 1: Hey, was hältst’n von Social Media?
• Person 2: Is’ cool, aber macht süchtig!
• Person 1: Wie meinst’n das?
• Person 2: Na, verbindet halt, aber ich setz mir Limits.
• Translation:
• Person 1: Hey, what do you think of social media?
• Person 2: It’s cool, but it’s addictive!
• Person 1: What do you mean?
• Person 2: Well, it connects people, but I set limits.

Exercise 8: Multiple Choice (Dialect Identification)

Identify the dialect of the following sentences.

• 1. Was hoit’n von Social Media?
  A. Standard German   B. Colloquial German   C. Bavarian   D. Swabian
• 2. Was hältst du von Social Media?
  A. Standard German   B. Colloquial German   C. Bavarian   D. Swabian
• 3. Was hältst’n von Social Media?
  A. Standard German   B. Colloquial German   C. Bavarian   D. Swabian
• 4. Was hoit’n von Social Media?
  A. Standard German   B. Colloquial German   C. Bavarian   D. Swabian

Solutions:

• 1. Was hoit’n von Social Media? – C. Bavarian
• 2. Was hältst du von Social Media? – A. Standard German
• 3. Was hältst’n von Social Media? – B. Colloquial German
• 4. Was hoit’n von Social Media? – D. Swabian

Exercise 9: Vocabulary Substitution (Regional Dialects)

Rewrite the following Standard German sentences by substituting key words with their Bavarian or Swabian equivalents.

• 1. Was hältst du von Social Media?
• 2. Ich denke, es verbindet Menschen.
• 3. Es kann süchtig machen.
• 4. Wie handhabst du das?

Solutions:

• 1. Bavarian: Was hoit’n von Social Media?
  Swabian: Was hoit’n von Social Media?
• 2. Bavarian: I denk, dass’s Leit verbind’t.
  Swabian: I denk, dass’s Leit verbindet.
• 3. Bavarian: Ko süchtig macha.
  Swabian: Ka süchtig macha.
• 4. Bavarian: Wia machst’n des?
  Swabian: Wia machst’n des?

Exercise 10: Comprehension and Writing (Reading-Based)

Based on the reading passages (Text 1: Standard German and Text 2: Colloquial German), answer the following questions in complete sentences using either Standard German or Colloquial German. Then, write a short 3-4 sentence paragraph in the same style describing a similar scene (e.g., someone debating a topic).

• 1. What is the setting of each reading passage?
• 2. Who is discussing opinions?
• 3. What topic is discussed in each passage?

Example Response (Colloquial German):

• 1. Text 1 is im Büro, Text 2 is in ’nem Café.
• 2. In Text 1 quatscht Anna über Social Media, in Text 2 ’n Typ.
• 3. In Text 1 und Text 2 geht’s um Social Media.
• Paragraph: Im Café is voll entspannt! ’n Typ fragt, was hältst’n von Reisen? Dann quatschen sie über Fernweh und Kosten.

📖 Reading Passages

Text 1: A Debate at Work (Standard German)

Es ist ein geschäftiger Tag im Büro. Anna spricht mit ihrem Kollegen Tom. „Was hältst du von Social Media?“ fragt Anna. „Ich finde, es hat Vorteile, aber auch Nachteile,“ sagt Tom. „Was meinst du?“ fragt Anna. „Es verbindet Menschen, aber es kann süchtig machen,“ antwortet Tom. Beide diskutieren lebhaft weiter.

📝 Translation

It’s a busy day at the office. Anna talks to her colleague Tom. “What do you think of social media?” Anna asks. “I think it has advantages but also disadvantages,” Tom says. “What do you mean?” Anna asks. “It connects people, but it can be addictive,” Tom replies. Both continue to debate lively.

📘 Glossary

Term: Geschäftiger Tag

Meaning: Busy day

Term: Büro

Meaning: Office

Term: Kollegen

Meaning: Colleague

Term: Was hältst du von Social Media

Meaning: What do you think of social media

Term: Vorteile

Meaning: Advantages

Term: Nachteile

Meaning: Disadvantages

Term: Was meinst du

Meaning: What do you mean

Term: Verbindet Menschen

Meaning: Connects people

Term: Süchtig machen

Meaning: Be addictive

Term: Diskutieren lebhaft

Meaning: Debate lively

🧩 Comprehension Questions

• What is the setting of the passage?
• Who is discussing social media?
• What topic is discussed?
• What are the pros and cons mentioned?
• How is the discussion described?

Solutions

• The setting is an office on a busy day.
• Anna and Tom are discussing social media.
• The topic is social media.
• Pros: It connects people; Cons: It can be addictive.
• The discussion is described as lively.

Text 2: A Casual Chat About Tech (Colloquial German)

Is’ ’n chilliger Abend im Café. ’n Typ quatscht mit seinen Kumpels. „Was hältst’n von Social Media?“ fragt er. „Is’ schon cool, aber auch ’n bissel krass,“ sagt ein Kumpel. „Wie meinst’n das?“ fragt der Typ. „Na, verbindet halt, aber macht süchtig,“ grinst ein Kumpel. Alle plaudern weiter.

📝 Translation

It’s a chill evening in the café. A guy chats with his buddies. “What do you think of social media?” he asks. “It’s pretty cool, but also a bit intense,” a buddy says. “What do you mean?” the guy asks. “Well, it connects people, but it’s addictive,” a buddy grins. Everyone keeps chatting.

📘 Glossary

Term: Chilliger Abend

Meaning: Chill evening

Term: Café

Meaning: Café

Term: Typ

Meaning: Guy

Term: Quatscht

Meaning: Chats

Term: Kumpels

Meaning: Buddies

Term: Was hältst’n von Social Media

Meaning: What do you think of social media

Term: Is’ schon cool

Meaning: It’s pretty cool

Term: Bissel krass

Meaning: A bit intense

Term: Wie meinst’n das

Meaning: What do you mean

Term: Verbindet halt

Meaning: Connects people

Term: Macht süchtig

Meaning: Is addictive

Term: Grinst

Meaning: Grins

Term: Plaudern

Meaning: Chat

🧪 Comprehension Questions

• What is the setting of the passage?
• Who is discussing social media?
• What topic is discussed?
• What are the pros and cons mentioned?
• How is the discussion described?

Solutions

• The setting is a café on a chill evening.
• A guy and his buddies are discussing social media.
• The topic is social media.
• Pros: It’s cool and connects people; Cons: It’s intense and addictive.
• The discussion is described as chatty.