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Lesson 198 of 240

New here? This is lesson 198 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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How I'm feeling in German

The long meeting is over. Priya finds Jule outside the loft, then they walk to the bakery bench on Fliederstraße.

She says she is worn out and under stress. Later she unwinds on the bench, then grins at Anton's full cup.

By the end, you'll name your mood and say what caused it, in the first person.

Keep the speaker as ich. These lines describe how you feel, not how someone else feels.

By the end of this lesson

Name your mood and say what caused it.

  • Ich stehe im Moment ziemlich unter Stress.I'm under quite a lot of stress at the moment.
  • Heute bin ich echt schlecht gelaunt.I'm in a really bad mood today.
  • Seit dem Meeting bin ich völlig platt.I've been wiped out since the meeting.
  • Wenn ich daran denke, muss ich grinsen.I can't help smiling when I think of it.
  • Hier kann ich endlich mal runterkommen.This is where I can finally unwind.
  • Ich bin langsam am Ende meiner Kräfte.I can barely keep this up.

Scene — the bakery bench

Priya leaves the loft after a long meeting. Jule is waiting on the pavement with Keks.

They walk to the wooden bench outside Bäckerei Krause. Anton is already at his corner table, Milchkaffee still full.

Priya arrives on the pavement where Jule is waiting beside the wooden bench outside the bakery.

Learn — mood and cause

Six lines name a mood and a cause: stress, a bad mood, being wiped out, a grin, unwinding, and running on empty.

You keep ich as the speaker.

  1. Priya pauses beside the bench, visibly weighed down by the day.

    Ich stehe im Moment ziemlich unter Stress.

    I'm under quite a lot of stress at the moment.

    When to use it: Say this when work or a busy stretch has you tense.

    The verb stehe comes second, right after Ich.

    Say it: Stress puts the weight on the first syllable.

  2. Jule gestures toward the bench as Priya turns to sit down.

    Heute bin ich echt schlecht gelaunt.

    I'm in a really bad mood today.

    When to use it: Use this on a day when your mood is sour.

    The verb bin comes second, even after Heute.

    Say it: Schlecht starts with the German sch sound.

  3. Priya sits slumped on the wooden bench, struggling to keep going.

    Seit dem Meeting bin ich völlig platt.

    I've been wiped out since the meeting.

    When to use it: Say this after a meeting that left you wiped out.

    The verb bin stays second after Seit dem Meeting.

    Say it: Völlig has an ö in the first syllable.

  4. Priya begins to relax on the bench while Jule sits beside her.

    Wenn ich daran denke, muss ich grinsen.

    I can't help smiling when I think of it.

    When to use it: Use this when a thought makes you smile.

    After wenn, the verb denke comes last in that clause.

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

  5. Anton sits at his corner table with his milky coffee still full.

    Hier kann ich endlich mal runterkommen.

    This is where I can finally unwind.

    When to use it: Say this in a place where you can finally unwind.

    Kann stays second in this main clause.

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

  6. Priya smiles as she thinks about the still-full coffee at the corner table.

    Ich bin langsam am Ende meiner Kräfte.

    I can barely keep this up.

    When to use it: Say this when you can barely keep going.

    The verb bin stays second after Ich.

    Say it: Kräfte has an ä in the first syllable.

Story — after the meeting

Priya tells Jule how the meeting left her. Then they sit on the bakery bench, and Anton is still not drinking.

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

  1. The loft door shuts. Jule waits on the pavement with Keks.
  2. JuleWie geht's?How are you?
  3. PriyaIch stehe im Moment ziemlich unter Stress.I'm under quite a lot of stress at the moment.
  4. JuleDu siehst müde aus.You look tired.
  5. PriyaSeit dem Meeting bin ich völlig platt.I've been wiped out since the meeting.
  6. JuleKomm, wir setzen uns draußen hin.Come on, let's sit down outside.
  7. PriyaIch bin langsam am Ende meiner Kräfte.I can barely keep this up.
  8. They reach the wooden bench outside Bäckerei Krause.
  9. JuleSetz dich.Have a seat.
  10. PriyaHeute bin ich echt schlecht gelaunt.I'm in a really bad mood today.
  11. JuleNach so einem Meeting, klar.After a meeting like that, of course.
  12. PriyaHier kann ich endlich mal runterkommen.This is where I can finally unwind.
  13. Anton sits at the corner table. His Milchkaffee is still full.
  14. AntonNa, ihr zwei.Hey, you two.
  15. JuleHallo. Guck mal, sein Milchkaffee ist noch voll.Hi. Look, his Milchkaffee is still full.
  16. PriyaWenn ich daran denke, muss ich grinsen.I can't help smiling when I think of it.

Practice — how you feel

Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay on mood and cause, always with ich.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You meet a close friend. Ask how they are, the short way.

  3. Fill the gap

    I'm in a really bad mood today.

    ____ bin ich echt schlecht gelaunt.

  4. What does it mean?

    Hier kann ich endlich mal runterkommen.

  5. Pick the reply

    Jule says:

    Wie geht's?

    How are you?

    And you reply with:

  6. Build the line

    I can't help smiling when I think of it.

    , .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    You can barely keep this up after the long day.

    Ich bin langsam am Ende meiner ____.

  8. What do you say?

    A friend looks worn out. Tell them they look tired.

  9. Find the mistake

  10. True or false?

    This line means you can't help smiling when you think of something.

Say it — say how you feel

Now you're Priya after the long meeting. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

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

  1. JuleWie geht's?How are you?
  2. Priya (you)Tell her work has you tense lately.

    Ich stehe im Moment ziemlich unter Stress.

    I'm under quite a lot of stress at the moment.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Ich stehe im Moment ziemlich unter Stress.I'm under quite a lot of stress at the moment.
Heute bin ich echt schlecht gelaunt.I'm in a really bad mood today.
Seit dem Meeting bin ich völlig platt.I've been wiped out since the meeting.
Wenn ich daran denke, muss ich grinsen.I can't help smiling when I think of it.
Hier kann ich endlich mal runterkommen.This is where I can finally unwind.
Ich bin langsam am Ende meiner Kräfte.I can barely keep this up.
Next: lesson 199Online shopping and returns

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these mood lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A short round with the Yak Cards keeps these mood lines ready after a long day.

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