German course

Lesson 74 of 240

New here? This is lesson 74 of a free 240-lesson German course.

Start hereHow this works

Asking your teacher in German

Tuesday evening at the Volkshochschule. Priya raises a hand, then asks if she may ask a question.

The teacher tells her she can just ask. The board is full, and one word will not sit still.

By the end, you'll ask a teacher to explain, repeat, or give an example. You'll also ask how to pronounce a word and how to leave for the toilet.

By the end of this lesson

Ask the teacher to repeat, explain, or answer a question.

  • Darf ich eine Frage stellen?May I ask a question?
  • Können Sie das bitte erklären?Can you explain that, please?
  • Können Sie das bitte noch einmal sagen?Can you say that once more, please?
  • Wie spricht man ___ aus?How do you pronounce ___?
  • Können Sie ein Beispiel geben?Can you give an example?
  • Kann ich bitte auf die Toilette gehen?May I go to the toilet, please?

Scene — Tuesday class

Tuesday evening at the Volkshochschule. Priya steps in and waits by the door with her notebook open.

The classroom is bright and a little too warm. The teacher looks up from the board, then nods toward a chair.

Priya waits by the classroom door with her notebook open as Schulze turns from the board and nods toward a chair.

Learn — ask the teacher

Six classroom lines help you ask for what you need without stopping the lesson for long.

Ask a question, request an explanation or example, or hear a word again.

  1. Priya sits at her desk with one hand raised while Schulze remains near the board.

    Darf ich eine Frage stellen?

    May I ask a question?

    When to use it: Ask this before you put a question to a teacher.

    Eine Frage takes eine; Frage is the thing you ask.

    Say it: Frage puts the stress on the first syllable.

  2. From beside Schulze, Priya leans forward with a small questioning gesture.

    Können Sie das bitte erklären?

    Can you explain that, please?

    When to use it: Ask a teacher to explain something you did not follow.

    A teacher gets Sie, not du.

    Say it: Erklären has ä in the second syllable.

  3. Priya tilts her head and listens attentively, waiting for Schulze to repeat the example.

    Können Sie das bitte noch einmal sagen?

    Can you say that once more, please?

    When to use it: Ask a teacher to say the same thing one more time.

    Learn noch einmal as one piece for once more.

  4. Priya points to the clean page of her notebook and looks up toward Schulze for an example.

    Wie spricht man ___ aus?

    How do you pronounce ___?

    When to use it: Ask how to say a German word out loud.

    The prefix aus waits at the end of the clause.

    Say it: The ch in spricht is the soft ich sound.

  5. Priya opens both hands toward Schulze while he gestures calmly beside the board.

    Können Sie ein Beispiel geben?

    Can you give an example?

    When to use it: Ask a teacher to show you one example.

    Ein Beispiel is the thing the teacher gives.

    Say it: Beispiel puts the stress on the first syllable.

  6. Priya half rises from her chair and turns toward the classroom door with her notebook partly closed.

    Kann ich bitte auf die Toilette gehen?

    May I go to the toilet, please?

    When to use it: Ask a teacher if you may leave for the toilet.

    Bitte keeps the request polite in class.

Story — a raised hand

Priya tries to ask without stopping the whole class. The teacher would rather she just speak.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Priya still stands by the door. The teacher looks up from the board.
  2. TeacherGuten Abend.Good evening.
  3. PriyaGuten Abend.Good evening.
  4. TeacherSetzen Sie sich.Please sit down.
  5. Priya sits near the window. A long word sits on the board. She raises a hand.
  6. PriyaDarf ich eine Frage stellen?May I ask a question?
  7. TeacherFragen Sie einfach.Just ask.
  8. PriyaKönnen Sie das bitte erklären?Can you explain that, please?
  9. TeacherErklären heißt, etwas klar machen.Explain means to make something clear.
  10. PriyaKönnen Sie ein Beispiel geben?Can you give an example?
  11. TeacherZum Beispiel: Ich erkläre das Wort.For example: I explain the word.
  12. PriyaKönnen Sie das bitte noch einmal sagen?Can you say that once more, please?
  13. TeacherZum Beispiel: Ich erkläre das Wort.For example: I explain the word.
  14. PriyaWie spricht man erklären aus?How do you pronounce erklären?
  15. TeacherErklären.Explain.
  16. Priya glances at the door and closes her notebook a little.
  17. PriyaKann ich bitte auf die Toilette gehen?May I go to the toilet, please?
  18. TeacherJa, klar.Yes, of course.

Practice — explain or repeat

Ten quick tasks mix listening, building, and picking the right classroom request.

Stay with Sie: this is your teacher, not a friend at the bakery.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You did not follow the point on the board. Ask the teacher to explain it.

  3. Pick the reply

    Teacher says:

    Heute üben wir ein neues Verb.

    Today we are practising a new verb.

    And you reply with:

  4. Build the line

    Can you give an example?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  5. Fill the gap

    May I go to the toilet, please?

    Kann ich bitte auf die ____ gehen?

  6. What does it mean?

    Wie spricht man ___ aus?

  7. Match the pairs

    German

    Können Sie das bitte erklären?Drop the English here
    Können Sie das bitte noch einmal sagen?Drop the English here
    Können Sie ein Beispiel geben?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its German, or tap one and then the other.

  8. Swap the word

    You missed a word and need the same line once more.

    Können Sie das bitte noch ____ sagen?

  9. Find the mistake

  10. Which one doesn’t belong?

Say it — your turn to ask

Now you're Priya in Tuesday evening class. Take your turn to ask the teacher clearly and politely.

Tap the microphone to record your line. Tap ▶ first if you want to hear it; your recording stays on your device.

  1. TeacherGuten Abend.Good evening.
  2. Priya (you)Ask politely if you may put a question.

    Darf ich eine Frage stellen?

    May I ask a question?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Darf ich eine Frage stellen?May I ask a question?
Können Sie das bitte erklären?Can you explain that, please?
Können Sie das bitte noch einmal sagen?Can you say that once more, please?
Wie spricht man ___ aus?How do you pronounce ___?
Können Sie ein Beispiel geben?Can you give an example?
Kann ich bitte auf die Toilette gehen?May I go to the toilet, please?
Next: lesson 75What we're doing in class

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want these classroom asks handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A few minutes with the Yak Cards keeps these classroom asks ready for Tuesday.

Open Yak Cards