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Lesson 224 of 240

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A polite complaint in German

Priya is near Görlitzer Bahnhof with a paper bag that is not her order.

A clerk is still holding the receipt, and Anton has taken a seat by the window as if this stop was always the plan.

You will open a complaint, name the mismatch, and ask for a fix without sounding angry.

Stay on Sie with shop staff. Keep the tone firm and kind, then ask how to solve it now.

By the end of this lesson

Complain at a shop and ask for a fix.

  • Entschuldigung, ich muss etwas ansprechen.Excuse me, I need to raise something.
  • Das entspricht nicht dem, was ich bestellt habe.This isn't what I ordered.
  • Könnten Sie das bitte für mich regeln?Could you please sort this out for me?
  • Mir geht es nicht ums Beschweren, nur um Klärung.I'm not trying to complain; I just want to clear this up.
  • Ich hätte gern, dass das korrigiert wird.I'd like this to be put right.
  • Wie können wir das jetzt lösen?How can we fix this now?

Scene — the wrong bag

Afternoon on the pavement near Görlitzer Bahnhof. A clerk holds out a paper bag as if the order is done.

Priya checks the bag. Anton has already sat down on two chairs by the window, and he watches as if he placed the complaint himself.

The clerk holds out a paper bag while Priya checks it and Anton sits on two chairs by the bakery window.

Learn — a polite complaint

Six lines take you from opening a complaint to asking for a fix.

You stay polite with Sie, name the mismatch, and ask the staff to put it right.

  1. Priya lifts a hand toward the bag to get the clerk's attention.

    Entschuldigung, ich muss etwas ansprechen.

    Excuse me, I need to raise something.

    When to use it: Use this to open a complaint before you name what went wrong.

    In a main clause the verb comes second, so muss follows ich.

  2. Priya looks into the open bag and checks the contents against what she expected.

    Das entspricht nicht dem, was ich bestellt habe.

    This isn't what I ordered.

    When to use it: Say this when the bag in your hand is not the order you placed.

    Name the mismatch first, then add what you actually ordered.

  3. Priya holds the bag out toward the clerk and asks for the order to be sorted out.

    Könnten Sie das bitte für mich regeln?

    Could you please sort this out for me?

    When to use it: Ask shop staff to fix the problem, and keep Sie with them.

    A clerk you have just met gets Sie. Use du with friends; Renate switches to du with regular customers.

    Say it: Könnten starts with a rounded ö, not a plain o.

  4. Priya opens her hands calmly while Anton watches from the two chairs.

    Mir geht es nicht ums Beschweren, nur um Klärung.

    I'm not trying to complain; I just want to clear this up.

    When to use it: Say this when you want a fix, not a fight about complaining.

    This line rules out moaning and asks only for a clear fix.

  5. Priya offers the bag back to the clerk so the order can be put right.

    Ich hätte gern, dass das korrigiert wird.

    I'd like this to be put right.

    When to use it: Name the outcome you want after you have explained the mismatch.

    After dass, the verb comes last, so wird sits at the end.

    Say it: hätte uses a short ä, not a long ah.

  6. From inside the window, Priya faces the clerk with open hands as Anton watches from the chairs.

    Wie können wir das jetzt lösen?

    How can we fix this now?

    When to use it: Ask this to move from the problem to a joint fix right now.

    In this question können comes second, right after Wie.

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

Story — near the U1

Watch Priya stop a clerk near the U1 after the wrong bag lands in her hand.

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

  1. The clerk holds out the bag. A train rattles past on the viaduct.
  2. PriyaGuten Tag.Good afternoon.
  3. ClerkGuten Tag. Die Tüte ist fertig.Good afternoon. The bag is ready.
  4. Priya looks inside. The receipt and the bag do not match.
  5. PriyaEntschuldigung, ich muss etwas ansprechen.Excuse me, I need to raise something.
  6. ClerkJa, gerne. Was gibt es?Yes, of course. What's the matter?
  7. PriyaDas entspricht nicht dem, was ich bestellt habe.This isn't what I ordered.
  8. ClerkAch so. Ich hatte die Bestellung so notiert.Ah. I had written the order down that way.
  9. PriyaKönnten Sie das bitte für mich regeln?Could you please sort this out for me?
  10. ClerkGeht es um eine Beschwerde?Is this about a complaint?
  11. PriyaMir geht es nicht ums Beschweren, nur um Klärung.I'm not trying to complain; I just want to clear this up.
  12. ClerkVerstehe. Wie soll es weitergehen?I see. How should we go on?
  13. PriyaIch hätte gern, dass das korrigiert wird.I'd like this to be put right.
  14. Anton leans forward from the two chairs and looks at the receipt.
  15. AntonDas stand nicht auf dem Zettel.That wasn't on the tag.
  16. PriyaWie können wir das jetzt lösen?How can we fix this now?
  17. ClerkIch tausche die Tüte sofort um.I'll swap the bag right away.
  18. AntonGenau so. Dann sind wir einen Schritt weiter.Exactly so. Then we're a step further.
  19. ClerkHier ist die richtige Tüte. Entschuldigung.Here is the right bag. Sorry.

Practice — name it and fix it

You'll hear the complaint, pick the next line, fill a gap, and build a request.

The round stays short, so you can reuse the lines at a real counter.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Entschuldigung, ich muss etwas ansprechen.Drop the English here
    Das entspricht nicht dem, was ich bestellt habe.Drop the English here
    Könnten Sie das bitte für mich regeln?Drop the English here
    Ich hätte gern, dass das korrigiert wird.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    The clerk has given you a bag. You need to raise a problem before you name it.

  4. Fill the gap

    I'm not trying to complain; I just want to clear this up.

    Mir ____ es nicht ums Beschweren, nur um Klärung.

  5. What does it mean?

    Das entspricht nicht dem, was ich bestellt habe.

  6. Build the line

    I'd like this to be put right.

    , .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Clerk says:

    Verstehe. Wie soll es weitergehen?

    I see. How should we go on?

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    The bag is wrong. Tell the clerk this is not what you ordered.

    Das entspricht nicht dem, was ich ____ habe.

  9. Find the mistake

  10. What do you say?

    It is afternoon. Greet the clerk as you reach the counter.

  11. True or false?

    Use this line to tell a clerk the bag is wrong.

Say it — at the counter

Now you're Priya at the counter with the wrong bag. 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. ClerkGuten Tag. Hier ist Ihre Tüte.Good afternoon. Here is your bag.
  2. Priya (you)Start the complaint. You need to raise something.

    Entschuldigung, ich muss etwas ansprechen.

    Excuse me, I need to raise something.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Entschuldigung, ich muss etwas ansprechen.Excuse me, I need to raise something.
Das entspricht nicht dem, was ich bestellt habe.This isn't what I ordered.
Könnten Sie das bitte für mich regeln?Could you please sort this out for me?
Mir geht es nicht ums Beschweren, nur um Klärung.I'm not trying to complain; I just want to clear this up.
Ich hätte gern, dass das korrigiert wird.I'd like this to be put right.
Wie können wir das jetzt lösen?How can we fix this now?
Next: lesson 225The repair argument

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Need these complaint lines on the go? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A short Yak Cards round keeps your polite complaint ready for the next wrong bag.

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