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Lesson 200 of 240

New here? This is lesson 200 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Giving advice in German

The long meeting is over, and Jule looks wrecked. For once Priya is the one with advice, not the one asking for it.

You'll learn six friendly ways to tell someone to ease up, ask first, or sleep on it.

These lines stay soft: they are tips a friend can take or leave, not orders.

Jule uses du with Priya, so every line here does too.

By the end of this lesson

Give friendly advice someone can take or leave.

  • Du solltest dich ein bisschen schonen.You should take it a bit easier.
  • An deiner Stelle würde ich erst mal nachfragen.If I were you, I'd ask first.
  • Warum versuchst du's nicht einfach?Why don't you just give it a try?
  • Ich würde dir raten, noch eine Nacht drüber zu schlafen.I'd sleep on it if I were you.
  • Mach dir nicht so viel Druck.Don't put so much pressure on yourself.
  • Das musst du nicht sofort entscheiden.You don't have to decide right now.

Scene — the loft after the meeting

Evening at the co-working loft by the canal. The meeting has just ended, and laptops are still open on the long desks.

Jule looks wrecked. Priya sits across from her, ready to talk, for once the one with advice.

Jule looks worn out at the long desk while Priya sits across from her in the quiet loft after the meeting.

Learn — friendly advice

Six lines for soft advice: take it easier, ask first, give it a try, sleep on it, and wait.

None of them is an order. A friend can take the tip or leave it.

  1. Priya gently advises Jule to take things a bit easier.

    Du solltest dich ein bisschen schonen.

    You should take it a bit easier.

    When to use it: Say this when a friend looks worn out and needs rest.

    With a friend, solltest is a soft should, not a must.

    Say it: Schonen starts with sch, like the sh in ship.

  2. Priya suggests that Jule ask Jonas first, before taking on the demo alone.

    An deiner Stelle würde ich erst mal nachfragen.

    If I were you, I'd ask first.

    When to use it: Use this to say what you would do in their place.

    After An deiner Stelle, the verb würde comes second.

    Say it: Würde has a round ü in the first syllable.

  3. Priya encourages Jule to give asking Jonas a try as Jule considers what might happen.

    Warum versuchst du's nicht einfach?

    Why don't you just give it a try?

    When to use it: Nudge a friend to try something without pushing them.

    This question gives a friend a nudge, not an order.

    Say it: Versuchst has the ach-sound of ch after u.

  4. Priya thoughtfully recommends that Jule sleep on the decision.

    Ich würde dir raten, noch eine Nacht drüber zu schlafen.

    I'd sleep on it if I were you.

    When to use it: Tell a friend to wait overnight before they decide.

    Würde plus raten is a soft tip, not an order.

  5. Priya reassures Jule that she does not have to decide right now.

    Mach dir nicht so viel Druck.

    Don't put so much pressure on yourself.

    When to use it: Say this when a friend is pushing themselves too hard.

    This short warning is for a friend, not for a stranger.

  6. Priya holds up a gentle pause gesture while Jule considers her next step.

    Das musst du nicht sofort entscheiden.

    You don't have to decide right now.

    When to use it: Use this when a friend feels they must choose at once.

    Musst du nicht tells a friend they are free to wait.

Story — sleep on it

Jule is wrecked after the meeting. Watch Priya give her advice she can take or leave.

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

  1. The loft is quiet. Chairs are still pulled back from the meeting.
  2. PriyaDu siehst müde aus.You look tired.
  3. JulePuh, das Meeting war echt endlos. Was soll ich jetzt tun?Phew, the meeting was really endless. What should I do now?
  4. PriyaDu solltest dich ein bisschen schonen.You should take it a bit easier.
  5. Jule rubs her eyes. Her laptop is still open on the desk.
  6. JuleJonas will die Demo erst morgen.Jonas only wants the demo tomorrow.
  7. PriyaMach dir nicht so viel Druck.Don't put so much pressure on yourself.
  8. JuleAber die Tests laufen noch.But the tests are still running.
  9. PriyaAn deiner Stelle würde ich erst mal nachfragen.If I were you, I'd ask first.
  10. JuleNachfragen bei Jonas, oder?Ask Jonas, you mean?
  11. PriyaWarum versuchst du's nicht einfach?Why don't you just give it a try?
  12. JuleUnd wenn er das nicht hören will?And if he doesn't want to hear that?
  13. PriyaIch würde dir raten, noch eine Nacht drüber zu schlafen.I'd sleep on it if I were you.
  14. JuleEine ganze Nacht?A whole night?
  15. PriyaDas musst du nicht sofort entscheiden.You don't have to decide right now.
  16. JuleNa ja. Vielleicht hast du recht.Well. Maybe you're right.
  17. PriyaLass dir Zeit.Take your time.
  18. JuleGut. Dann schreibe ich ihm morgen.Okay. Then I'll write to him tomorrow.

Practice — take it or leave it

Eleven short rounds mix listening, matching, gaps, and building the advice lines.

A few older lines come back, so you can spot tiredness and slow a friend down.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    An deiner Stelle würde ich erst mal nachfragen.Drop the English here
    Ich würde dir raten, noch eine Nacht drüber zu schlafen.Drop the English here
    Mach dir nicht so viel Druck.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    Your friend is putting too much pressure on herself over a work deadline.

  4. Pick the reply

    Jule says:

    Ich will das heute Abend noch entscheiden.

    I still want to decide that this evening.

    And you reply with:

  5. Build the line

    If I were you, I'd ask first.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Fill the gap

    You don't have to decide right now.

    Das musst du nicht ____ entscheiden.

  7. What does it mean?

    Warum versuchst du's nicht einfach?

  8. Swap the word

    Your friend wants to decide tonight. Tell them you'd sleep on it.

    Ich würde dir raten, noch eine ____ drüber zu schlafen.

  9. True or false?

    This line is Priya telling Jule what she should do.

  10. What do you say?

    Your friend looks exhausted after a long meeting. Comment on how she looks.

  11. Fill the gap

    Take your time.

    Lass dir ____.

Say it — advise a friend

Now you're Priya at the loft after the meeting. 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. JuleIch bin total fertig nach dem Meeting.I'm completely wrecked after the meeting.
  2. Priya (you)Tell her she should take it a bit easier.

    Du solltest dich ein bisschen schonen.

    You should take it a bit easier.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Du solltest dich ein bisschen schonen.You should take it a bit easier.
An deiner Stelle würde ich erst mal nachfragen.If I were you, I'd ask first.
Warum versuchst du's nicht einfach?Why don't you just give it a try?
Ich würde dir raten, noch eine Nacht drüber zu schlafen.I'd sleep on it if I were you.
Mach dir nicht so viel Druck.Don't put so much pressure on yourself.
Das musst du nicht sofort entscheiden.You don't have to decide right now.
Next: lesson 201Asking for a recommendation

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps these soft tips ready for a tired friend.

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