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Lesson 168 of 240

New here? This is lesson 168 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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When that happens in German

Priya is in the loft with Jonas. The recycling app stalls on big photos, and the U-Bahn signal makes it worse.

Anton was at a spare desk, then he wandered off, Milchkaffee still unfinished.

Today you set up a typical case: say you, suppose you are on the road, and name when it happens.

Jonas wants the usual situation, not a long list of examples.

By the end of this lesson

Set up a typical case and say when it happens.

  • Sagen wir, du ___.Say you ___
  • Ein typisches Beispiel ist, wenn ___.A typical case is when ___
  • Nehmen wir mal an, du bist unterwegs.Suppose you're on the road
  • Das passiert oft bei großen Dateien.That often happens with large files
  • Das Gleiche passiert auch beim Speichern.The same thing happens when you save, too
  • Das sieht man, wenn das Netz schwach ist.You see this when the signal is weak

Scene — the loft

The co-working loft by the canal. Priya and Jonas sit at a long desk with laptops. A blank whiteboard is behind them.

Anton had a spare chair and an unfinished Milchkaffee. His coat is still on the chair. He is already gone.

Priya and Jonas work at the long desk while an empty chair holds a coat beside an unfinished milky coffee.

Learn — the typical case

Six lines help you set up a typical case: say you, a typical case is when, and suppose you are on the road.

Then you name when it happens, with large files, when you save, or when the signal is weak.

  1. Jonas leans toward Priya with open palms as they consider how to describe a typical case.

    Sagen wir, du ___.

    Say you ___

    When to use it: Use this to start a typical case with a colleague.

    Sagen wir sets up the case; du is the form Jonas gets at the loft.

  2. Priya points toward her laptop as she offers uploading a large photo as an example.

    Ein typisches Beispiel ist, wenn ___.

    A typical case is when ___

    When to use it: Use this to name a typical case with when.

    After wenn, the verb comes last in that clause.

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

  3. Jonas gestures toward the loft windows as Priya considers the idea of being on the road.

    Nehmen wir mal an, du bist unterwegs.

    Suppose you're on the road

    When to use it: Use this to ask someone to imagine being on the road.

    The prefix an sits at the end of the first clause.

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

  4. Priya pauses over her laptop as she describes a typical case of sitting on the U-Bahn.

    Das passiert oft bei großen Dateien.

    That often happens with large files

    When to use it: Use this when the usual stall involves large files.

    Bei takes the dative; großen Dateien is plural here.

    Say it: The ö in großen is rounded, not a plain o.

  5. Jonas presses a key on his laptop while considering how the same issue can happen during saving.

    Das Gleiche passiert auch beim Speichern.

    The same thing happens when you save, too

    When to use it: Use this to say the same stall happens when you save, too.

    Beim plus a noun names the moment it happens.

    Say it: Gleiche uses the soft ch, as in ich.

  6. Priya holds up her blank phone by the loft windows as she demonstrates a weak signal.

    Das sieht man, wenn das Netz schwach ist.

    You see this when the signal is weak

    When to use it: Use this when a weak signal is the typical case.

    Man here means people in general, not one man.

    Say it: Schwach starts with sch.

Story — he has wandered off

Priya walks Jonas through the usual case: big photos, a weak U-Bahn signal, and the same stall when you save.

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

  1. Jonas looks at Priya's laptop. Anton's coat is still on the spare chair.
  2. JonasLäuft dein Projekt gut?Is your project going well?
  3. PriyaJa, aber die App hängt manchmal.Yes, but the app sometimes stalls.
  4. JonasWie können wir einen typischen Fall beschreiben?How can we describe a typical case?
  5. PriyaSagen wir, du lädst ein großes Foto hoch.Say you upload a large photo.
  6. JonasNehmen wir mal an, du bist unterwegs.Suppose you're on the road.
  7. PriyaJa, genau. Dann bist du vielleicht in der U-Bahn.Yes, exactly. Then maybe you're on the U-Bahn.
  8. JonasUnd wann ist das typisch?And when is that typical?
  9. PriyaEin typisches Beispiel ist, wenn du in der U-Bahn sitzt.A typical case is when you sit in the U-Bahn.
  10. JonasWie oft passiert das?How often does that happen?
  11. PriyaDas passiert oft bei großen Dateien.That often happens with large files.
  12. JonasUnd wenn das Netz schwach ist?And when the signal is weak?
  13. PriyaDas sieht man, wenn das Netz schwach ist.You see this when the signal is weak.
  14. JonasAuch beim Speichern?When saving, too?
  15. PriyaDas Gleiche passiert auch beim Speichern.The same thing happens when you save, too.
  16. She glances at the empty chair. The Milchkaffee is still unfinished.
  17. JonasWie bei unserer App.Like with our app.

Practice — when that happens

Eleven short tasks wait here. You will listen, fill a gap, swap a word, match a meaning, and build a line.

Stay with the typical case, not a long list.

0 of 12 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You want Jonas to picture the usual case. Start with say you.

  3. Fill the gap

    That often happens with large files

    Das passiert oft bei großen ____.

  4. What does it mean?

    Das sieht man, wenn das Netz schwach ist.

  5. Swap the word

    The stall is not only on upload. Say the same case when you save.

    Das Gleiche passiert auch beim ____.

  6. Pick the reply

    Jonas says:

    Und wann ist das typisch?

    And when is that typical?

    And you reply with:

  7. Build the line

    Like with our app

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  8. What do you say?

    Name the typical case with when: you are sitting on the U-Bahn.

  9. What do you say?

    Ask how often the app problem happens.

  10. True or false?

    This line names a typical case with when.

  11. Match the pairs

    German

    Das passiert oft bei großen Dateien.Drop the English here
    Das Gleiche passiert auch beim Speichern.Drop the English here
    Wie bei unserer App.Drop the English here

    English

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

  12. What did you hear?

Say it — say the usual case

Now you are Priya at the loft. Jonas wants the typical case, not a pile of examples.

When it is your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line. Tap play first if you want to hear it.

  1. JonasWie können wir einen typischen Fall beschreiben?How can we describe a typical case?
  2. Priya (you)Start a typical case: say you upload a large photo.

    Sagen wir, du ___.

    Say you ___

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Sagen wir, du ___.Say you ___
Ein typisches Beispiel ist, wenn ___.A typical case is when ___
Nehmen wir mal an, du bist unterwegs.Suppose you're on the road
Das passiert oft bei großen Dateien.That often happens with large files
Das Gleiche passiert auch beim Speichern.The same thing happens when you save, too
Das sieht man, wenn das Netz schwach ist.You see this when the signal is weak
Next: lesson 169On the one hand

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

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

A quick round with the Yak Cards keeps the typical case ready for the loft.

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