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Lesson 143 of 240

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Phone, charger and Wi-Fi in German

Priya's phone dies at the co-working loft by the canal. Jule looks over from the next desk before the screen goes fully black.

You'll tell a friend the battery is dead, borrow a charger for a minute, and ask Jonas for the Wi-Fi password.

When the loft network crawls, you'll say the internet is slow, report no signal, and turn on a hotspot.

By the end of this lesson

Ask for a charger, ask for the Wi-Fi, and fix common phone trouble.

  • Mein Akku ist leer.My battery is dead.
  • Kann ich dein Ladegerät kurz haben?Can I borrow your charger for a minute?
  • Wie ist das WLAN-Passwort?What's the Wi-Fi password?
  • Das Internet ist sehr langsam.The internet is really slow.
  • Ich habe keinen Empfang.I've got no signal.
  • Ich mache einen Hotspot an.I'll turn on a hotspot.

Scene — the loft desks

The co-working loft by the canal is busy. Priya sits at a long desk with her laptop. Jule is at the next seat, headphones around her neck.

Jonas stands by the plants with a coffee mug. Priya's phone screen fades, then goes black.

Priya and Jule work at the long desk while Jonas stands by the plants with his coffee mug.

Learn — charger and Wi-Fi

These six lines cover a dead battery, a borrowed charger, the Wi-Fi password, slow internet, no signal, and a hotspot.

You'll also hear the little prefix that sits at the end when you switch a hotspot on.

  1. Priya holds her phone after its screen has gone black.

    Mein Akku ist leer.

    My battery is dead.

    When to use it: Say this when your phone battery has run out.

    Learn der Akku with the noun; Mein Akku names your empty battery.

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

  2. Priya turns to ask Jule for a charger while Jule reaches toward her bag.

    Kann ich dein Ladegerät kurz haben?

    Can I borrow your charger for a minute?

    When to use it: Ask a friend when you need their charger for a minute.

    Dein is the du-form; use it with Jule at the loft, not with strangers.

    Say it: Gerät has ä, a bit like the e in bed.

  3. Priya asks Jonas for the Wi-Fi password beside the loft windows.

    Wie ist das WLAN-Passwort?

    What's the Wi-Fi password?

    When to use it: Ask this at work or in a café when you need the Wi-Fi.

    Keep das with WLAN-Passwort; learn the article with the noun.

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

  4. Priya waits at her laptop as a web page loads slowly, with Jule seated nearby.

    Das Internet ist sehr langsam.

    The internet is really slow.

    When to use it: Say this when pages load slowly on Wi-Fi or mobile data.

    The verb ist stays in second place in this main clause.

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

  5. Priya checks her phone near the window as its reception returns, while Jonas stands nearby.

    Ich habe keinen Empfang.

    I've got no signal.

    When to use it: Say this when your phone has no mobile signal.

    Keinen is the accusative form that goes with Empfang after habe.

  6. Priya turns on a hotspot at her phone as Jonas thanks her from beside the plants.

    Ich mache einen Hotspot an.

    I'll turn on a hotspot.

    When to use it: Say this when you share your phone data as Wi-Fi.

    The prefix an from anmachen sits at the end of this clause.

    Say it: Mache has the ch sound from ach, not the sound in ich.

Story — the screen goes black

Watch Priya's phone die first at the loft desk. She asks Jule for a charger, then Jonas for the password.

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

  1. Priya's screen goes black. Jule looks over from the next laptop.
  2. PriyaOh nein!Oh no!
  3. JuleWas ist los?What's wrong?
  4. PriyaMein Akku ist leer.My battery is dead.
  5. PriyaKann ich dein Ladegerät kurz haben?Can I borrow your charger for a minute?
  6. JuleNatürlich.Of course.
  7. A minute later the phone lights up, but there are no bars.
  8. PriyaIch habe keinen Empfang.I've got no signal.
  9. She walks to Jonas by the window, where the plants are.
  10. PriyaDarf ich kurz stören?May I interrupt for a moment?
  11. JonasJa, klar. Sag mal.Yes, sure. Go ahead.
  12. PriyaWie ist das WLAN-Passwort?What's the Wi-Fi password?
  13. JonasIch schicke es dir.I'll send it to you.
  14. She joins the network. The page barely moves.
  15. PriyaDas Internet ist sehr langsam.The internet is really slow.
  16. She glances at her phone. The signal bars are back now.
  17. PriyaIch mache einen Hotspot an.I'll turn on a hotspot.
  18. JonasDanke, Priya.Thanks, Priya.

Practice — battery, password, hotspot

Eleven short tasks wait here. You'll listen, fill a gap, build a line, and swap a word.

They stay small, so you can check the charger lines fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    Your phone is dead. Ask Jule to borrow her charger for a minute.

  3. What does it mean?

    Wie ist das WLAN-Passwort?

  4. Fill the gap

    I've got no signal.

    Ich habe ____ Empfang.

  5. Pick the reply

    Jonas says:

    Die Seite lädt und lädt.

    The page keeps loading.

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    I'll turn on a hotspot.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    Your phone has just died. Tell Jule the battery is empty.

    Mein Akku ist ____.

  8. Find the mistake

  9. What do you say?

    The screen goes black. React in one short shocked line, before you explain.

  10. Pick the reply

    Jule says:

    Soll ich dir das Ladegerät geben?

    Should I give you the charger?

    And you reply with:

  11. What do you say?

    Jonas is talking at his desk. You need a second of his time before you ask anything.

Say it — say it at the loft

Now you're Priya at the loft with a dead phone. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. JuleWas ist los?What's wrong?
  2. Priya (you)Tell her your battery is dead.

    Mein Akku ist leer.

    My battery is dead.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Mein Akku ist leer.My battery is dead.
Kann ich dein Ladegerät kurz haben?Can I borrow your charger for a minute?
Wie ist das WLAN-Passwort?What's the Wi-Fi password?
Das Internet ist sehr langsam.The internet is really slow.
Ich habe keinen Empfang.I've got no signal.
Ich mache einen Hotspot an.I'll turn on a hotspot.
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