German course

Lesson 190 of 240

New here? This is lesson 190 of a free 240-lesson German course.

Start hereHow this works

What's unclear in German

Priya walks Jonas through a new Pfand flow in the recycling app. He nods, then stops. The bottle-deposit step is still fuzzy.

You'll ask which part is unclear, check whether anything feels unsure, and see if your answer helped.

If it didn't, offer another way, try a clearer line, or go through it from the start.

Jonas wants plans in plain words. Keep the questions short, and stay on du at the loft.

By the end of this lesson

Ask which part is unclear and whether the answer helps.

  • Was genau ist unklar?Which part isn't clear?
  • Gibt es etwas, bei dem du dir unsicher bist?Is there anything you're unsure about?
  • Beantwortet das deine Frage?Does that answer your question?
  • Soll ich es anders erklären?Want me to explain it another way?
  • Ich versuche, das klarer zu sagen.I'll try to put that more clearly.
  • Wollen wir das nochmal von vorn durchgehen?Shall we go through it from the start?

Scene — the loft screen

Tuesday at the canal loft. Priya has a laptop open to the Pfand screen. Jonas sits with his coffee mug and a blank look.

He asked for the flow in plain words. She starts, then he loses the thread at the bottle-return step.

Priya and Jonas pause over the bottle-return step at the laptop in the canal loft.

Learn — which part isn't clear

Six lines help you find the unclear bit, check if your answer helped, and offer a clearer pass.

You'll also get a way to start the whole thing again.

  1. Priya turns from the laptop to ask which part of the bottle-return flow is unclear.

    Was genau ist unklar?

    Which part isn't clear?

    When to use it: Ask this when someone is lost and you need the exact bit.

    The verb is second: Was genau ist unklar?

  2. Jonas points out that he is unsure about what happens after the bottle is scanned.

    Gibt es etwas, bei dem du dir unsicher bist?

    Is there anything you're unsure about?

    When to use it: Use this when they look unsure but have not named the bit.

    After bei, dem points back to that thing.

  3. After explaining the deposit amount and return machine, Priya checks whether her answer helped Jonas.

    Beantwortet das deine Frage?

    Does that answer your question?

    When to use it: Ask this after you explain, to check that it helped.

    The verb comes first in a yes-no question like this.

  4. Priya turns toward Jonas with an open hand, offering to explain the flow another way.

    Soll ich es anders erklären?

    Want me to explain it another way?

    When to use it: Offer this when the first explanation still did not land.

    The verb comes first here to offer a next step.

    Say it: Erklären has a long ä in the stressed syllable.

  5. Priya uses two plain bottles to lay out a clearer version of the return steps.

    Ich versuche, das klarer zu sagen.

    I'll try to put that more clearly.

    When to use it: Say this right before you rephrase a point that was unclear.

    The verb stays second, so versuche comes right after ich.

    Say it: In klarer, the final -er is weak and reduced.

  6. Priya slides the laptop to the middle of the table and invites Jonas to start the flow from the beginning.

    Wollen wir das nochmal von vorn durchgehen?

    Shall we go through it from the start?

    When to use it: Offer this when you both need to start the whole point again.

    The verb comes first here to suggest doing it together.

    Say it: Durchgehen stresses durch, the first part of the compound.

Story — he loses the Pfand step

Watch Priya lose Jonas at the Pfand step, then find the unclear bit and try again.

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

  1. Priya turns the laptop. Jonas stares at the Pfand screen.
  2. JonasAlso, beim Pfand. Ich komme nicht mit.So, with the Pfand. I can't follow.
  3. PriyaGibt es etwas, bei dem du dir unsicher bist?Is there anything you're unsure about?
  4. JonasJa. Der Schritt nach dem Scan.Yes. The step after the scan.
  5. PriyaWas genau ist unklar?Which part isn't clear?
  6. JonasWas passiert dann mit der Flasche?What happens with the bottle then?
  7. She points at a bottle on the mock screen. Jonas leans in.
  8. PriyaDie App zeigt den Scan und den Pfandbetrag. Zurück bekommst du das Pfand am Automaten.The app shows the scan and the deposit amount. You get the deposit back at the machine.
  9. PriyaBeantwortet das deine Frage?Does that answer your question?
  10. JonasFast. Warum scannt man die Flasche vorher?Almost. Why do you scan the bottle first?
  11. PriyaSoll ich es anders erklären?Want me to explain it another way?
  12. JonasJa, bitte. Einfacher.Yes, please. Simpler.
  13. PriyaIch versuche, das klarer zu sagen.I'll try to put that more clearly.
  14. She starts again, slower. His coffee still sits untouched.
  15. PriyaDu scannst zuerst. Dann siehst du den Pfandbetrag auf dem Handy.You scan first. Then you see the deposit amount on your phone.
  16. JonasUnd der Automat?And the machine?
  17. PriyaDer nimmt die Flasche. Die App macht das nicht.It takes the bottle. The app doesn't do that.
  18. PriyaIst das verständlich?Does that make sense?
  19. JonasFast. Der Anfang war noch wirr.Almost. The start was still muddled.
  20. PriyaWollen wir das nochmal von vorn durchgehen?Shall we go through it from the start?
  21. JonasJa. Kurz, von vorn.Yes. Short, from the start.
  22. She walks the flow from the first tap. This time he nods.
  23. JonasIch hab's verstanden.I've got it.

Practice — check and rephrase

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

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Was genau ist unklar?Drop the English here
    Beantwortet das deine Frage?Drop the English here
    Soll ich es anders erklären?Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. Fill the gap

    Is there anything you're unsure about?

    Gibt es etwas, bei dem du dir ____ bist?

  4. What does it mean?

    Beantwortet das deine Frage?

  5. What do you say?

    You already know which bit is unclear. Offer a different explanation.

  6. Build the line

    I'll try to put that more clearly.

    , .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Swap the word

    The start is still muddled. Offer to go through the whole point again.

    Wollen wir das ____ von vorn durchgehen?

  8. What do you say?

    You just rephrased the Pfand step. Check that it makes sense.

  9. True or false?

    This line means the speaker cannot follow.

  10. What does it mean?

    Ich hab's verstanden.

Say it — ask it back

Now you're Priya at the loft with Jonas. 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. JonasIch komme nicht mit.I can't follow.
  2. Priya (you)Check whether anything still feels unsure.

    Gibt es etwas, bei dem du dir unsicher bist?

    Is there anything you're unsure about?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Was genau ist unklar?Which part isn't clear?
Gibt es etwas, bei dem du dir unsicher bist?Is there anything you're unsure about?
Beantwortet das deine Frage?Does that answer your question?
Soll ich es anders erklären?Want me to explain it another way?
Ich versuche, das klarer zu sagen.I'll try to put that more clearly.
Wollen wir das nochmal von vorn durchgehen?Shall we go through it from the start?
Next: lesson 191Thinking out loud

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