📘 Colloquial German for Beginners
🎤 UNIT 13: Advanced Conversations
🗣️ Dialogue 1 – Debating Opinions (Standard German)
Note: No video available. Use text-to-speech buttons.
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)
Note: No video available. Use text-to-speech buttons.
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)
Note: No video available. Use text-to-speech buttons.
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)
Note: No video available. Use text-to-speech buttons.
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
Opinion and Expression
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: Modal Verbs and Subordinate Clauses
Modal Verbs
Explanation: Modal verbs like “können” and “müssen” express possibility and necessity in conversations.
Verb: Können
Standard: Es kann süchtig machen.
Colloquial: Macht süchtig.
Bavarian: Ko süchtig macha.
Swabian: Ka süchtig macha.
Meaning: It can be addictive.
Verb: Müssen
Standard: Man muss es bewusst nutzen.
Colloquial: Muss man schlau nutzen.
Bavarian: Ma muass’s g’scheit nutzen.
Swabian: Ma muss’s g’scheit nutza.
Meaning: You have to use it wisely.
Subordinate Clauses
Explanation: Subordinate clauses with “dass” or “weil” are used to explain reasons or opinions.
Standard: Ich denke, dass es süchtig machen kann.
Colloquial: Ich denk, dass es süchtig macht.
Bavarian: I denk, dass’s süchtig macha ko.
Swabian: I denk, dass’s süchtig macha ka.
Meaning: I think that it can be addictive.
Question Formation
Explanation: Questions about opinions use specific structures in German.
Standard: Was hältst du von ...?
Colloquial: Was hältst’n ...?
Bavarian: Was hoit’n ...?
Swabian: Was hoit’n ...?
Meaning: What do you think of ...?
Standard: Was meinst du?
Colloquial: Wie meinst’n das?
Bavarian: Wia meinst’n des?
Swabian: Wia meinst’n des?
Meaning: What do you mean?
🧩 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?
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?
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 / ?
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?
- 2. (Colloquial) Social Media is’ ___!
- 3. (Bavarian) Verbind’t ___ .
- 4. (Swabian) I setz mr ___!
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.
Exercise 6: Translate and Transform (Standard to Colloquial)
Translate the following Standard German sentences into Colloquial German, using slang or informal expressions.
- 1. Was hältst du von Social Media?
- 2. Ich denke, es verbindet Menschen.
- 3. Es kann süchtig machen.
- 4. Wie handhabst du das?
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.
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?
- 2. Was hältst du von Social Media?
- 3. Was hältst’n von Social Media?
- 4. Was hoit’n von Social Media?
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?
Exercise 10: Comprehension and Writing (Reading-Based)
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.
- 1. What is the setting of each reading passage?
- 2. Who is discussing opinions?
- 3. What topic is discussed in each passage?
📖 Reading
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
Geschäftiger Tag: Busy day
Büro: Office
Kollegen: Colleague
Was hältst du von Social Media: What do you think of social media
Vorteile: Advantages
Nachteile: Disadvantages
Was meinst du: What do you mean
Verbindet Menschen: Connects people
Süchtig machen: Be addictive
Diskutieren lebhaft: Debate lively
🧩 Questions
- 1. What is the setting of the passage?
- 2. Who is discussing social media?
- 3. What topic is discussed?
- 4. What are the pros and cons mentioned?
- 5. How is the discussion described?
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
Chilliger Abend: Chill evening
Café: Café
Typ: Guy
Quatscht: Chats
Kumpels: Buddies
Was hältst’n von Social Media: What do you think of social media
Is’ schon cool: It’s pretty cool
Bissel krass: A bit intense
Wie meinst’n das: What do you mean
Verbindet halt: Connects people
Macht süchtig: Is addictive
Grinst: Grins
Plaudern: Chat
🧩 Questions
- 1. What is the setting of the passage?
- 2. Who is discussing social media?
- 3. What topic is discussed?
- 4. What are the pros and cons mentioned?
- 5. How is the discussion described?
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