Learn how to ask and answer the question, "What are you doing?"
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| Jason: Top 25 German Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 18: What are you doing? in German (In each lesson of this 25 part series, you'll master a common question for German learners, and then learn how to answer it like a native. You'll learn how these key phrases work by breaking them down into each component. Then through repetition and new vocabulary, you'll expand your understanding of the question, its answers, and any variations.) |
| In this lesson, you'll learn how to respond to the common question What are you doing? In German this is |
| Rilana: Was machst du gerade? |
| The first word in the question is |
| Rilana: was |
| Jason: meaning what in English. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) was |
| Jason: Listen again and repeat. |
| Rilana: was |
| {Pause} |
| Jason: This pattern of first introducing a word at natural speed, providing the translation, breaking it down, and then giving it again at natural speed will be repeated throughout the series. Try to speak aloud as often as possible. The next word in the question is |
| Rilana: machst |
| Jason: meaning do. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) machst |
| Jason: Now repeat. |
| Rilana: machst |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the the first 2 words of the question and repeat. |
| Rilana: was machst |
| {pause} |
| And after that |
| Rilana: du |
| Jason: meaning you. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) du |
| Jason: Now repeat. |
| Rilana: du |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the the first 3 words of the question and repeat. |
| Rilana: was machst du |
| {pause} |
| And after that |
| Rilana: gerade |
| Jason: meaning currently. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) gerade |
| Jason: Now repeat. |
| Rilana: gerade |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the entire question and repeat. |
| Rilana: was machst du gerade |
| {pause} |
| Jason: (You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies.) Master the following pattern and responses to the question What are you doing?? |
| Rilana: Ich lese gerade ein Buch. |
| Jason: "I'm reading a book.. Again, slowly. Repeat the phrase. |
| Rilana: (Slow) Ich lese gerade ein Buch. |
| {pause} |
| In German, the gerund form [-ing] is expressed by using the word [gerade] (at the moment) together with the verb. |
| Jason: Let's break it down from the beginning. The first word: |
| Rilana: ich |
| Jason: meaning I. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) ich |
| Jason: Now repeat |
| Rilana: ich |
| {Pause} |
| Jason: And next |
| Rilana: lese |
| meaning read. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) lese |
| Jason:Now repeat. |
| Rilana: lese |
| {Pause} |
| Jason: And after that |
| Rilana: gerade |
| meaning currently. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) gerade |
| Jason:Now repeat. |
| Rilana: gerade |
| {Pause} |
| Jason: And after that |
| Rilana: ein |
| meaning a. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) ein |
| Jason:Now repeat. |
| Rilana: ein |
| {Pause} |
| Jason: And next |
| Rilana: Buch |
| meaning book. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) Buch |
| Jason:Now repeat. |
| Rilana: Buch |
| {Pause} |
| Jason: Listen to the speaker say, I'm reading a book., and then repeat. |
| Rilana: Ich lese gerade ein Buch. |
| {pause} |
| Jason: To expand on the pattern, replace reading a book with playing a video game. |
| Rilana: spiele gerade ein Videospiel |
| Jason: playing a video game |
| Rilana: (slow) spiele gerade ein Videospiel (regular) spiele gerade ein Videospiel |
| Jason: Listen to the phrase again, this time with playing a video game |
| Rilana: Ich spiele gerade ein Videospiel. |
| Jason: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace reading a book. Say I'm playing a video game. |
| {pause} |
| Rilana: Ich spiele gerade ein Videospiel. |
| Jason: To expand on the pattern, replace playing a video game with baking a cake. |
| Rilana: backe gerade einen Kuchen |
| Jason: baking a cake |
| Rilana: (slow) backe gerade einen Kuchen (regular) backe gerade einen Kuchen |
| Jason: Listen to the phrase again, this time with baking a cake |
| Rilana: Ich backe gerade einen Kuchen. |
| Jason: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace the {lang} for playing a video game. Say I'm baking a cake. |
| {pause} |
| Rilana: Ich backe gerade einen Kuchen. |
| Jason: To expand on the pattern, replace baking a cake with talking on the phone. |
| Rilana: telefoniere gerade |
| Jason: talking on the phone |
| Rilana: (slow) telefoniere gerade (regular) telefoniere gerade |
| Jason: Listen to the phrase again, this time with talking on the phone |
| Rilana: Ich telefoniere gerade. |
| Jason: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace the German for baking a cake. Say I'm talking on the phone. |
| {pause} |
| Rilana: Ich telefoniere gerade. |
| Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you are visiting Germany and someone asks you what you're doing. You are reading a book. Respond to the question. |
| Rilana: Was machst du gerade? (five seconds) Ich lese gerade ein Buch. |
| Jason: Now imagine you are playing a video game Respond to the question. |
| Rilana: Was machst du gerade? (five seconds) Ich spiele gerade ein Videospiel. |
| Jason: Imagine you are baking a cake. . Answer the speaker's question. |
| Rilana: Was machst du gerade? (five seconds) Ich backe gerade einen Kuchen. |
| Jason: Imagine you're talking on the phone. Respond to the question. |
| Rilana: Was machst du gerade? (five seconds) Ich telefoniere gerade. |
| Jason: You want to ask someone what they are is doing. Ask the question |
| (5 seconds) |
| Rilana: Was machst du gerade? |
| {pause} |
| Jason: This is the end of Lesson 18 |
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