Day 112 of 135

Day 112: Who Was Really Driving?

In Karlsruhe, Carlotta (A), a young lawyer, coaches her brother Matteo (B) for his hearing at the district court over a speeding fine.

How to study this lesson 3 steps
  1. Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
  2. Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense. Point at (or tap) a German word to see what it means.
  3. Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native German, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.

Dialogue

Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.

Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day · point at a word to see its meaning

  1. A

    Also, Generalprobe: Ich bin die Richterin. Herr Kienzle, Sie haben Einspruch eingelegt, und zwar hinsichtlich der Messung, nicht hinsichtlich der Fahrereigenschaft, richtig?

    Right, dress rehearsal: I'm the judge. Mr Kienzle, you have lodged an objection, specifically regarding the measurement, not regarding whether you were the driver, correct?

  2. B

    Richtig, Frau Richterin. Vierundzwanzig zu schnell in der Oststadt, das glaubt doch kein Mensch, die Anlage war garantiert nicht geeicht.

    Correct, Your Honour. Twenty-four over in the Oststadt, nobody believes that, the camera was definitely not calibrated.

  3. A

    „Garantiert nicht“ ist kein Beweisantrag. Bei einem standardisierten Messverfahren brauchst du konkrete Zweifel, etwa bezüglich des Eichscheins, sonst bist du in zehn Minuten wieder draußen.

    'Definitely not' isn't a motion to take evidence. With a standardised measuring procedure you need specific doubts, say regarding the calibration certificate, or you'll be back outside in ten minutes.

  4. B

    Dann zweifle ich eben am Eichschein, klingt doch gut. Zeig mal das Foto aus der Akte, da erkennt man sowieso kaum was.

    Then I'll just doubt the calibration certificate, sounds good, doesn't it? Show me the photo from the file, you can hardly make anything out on it anyway.

  5. A

    Zuerst gleicht der Richter das Messfoto mit dir ab, im Zweifel mittels eines anthropologischen Gutachtens. Moment mal: Seit wann trägst du einen KSC-Schal?

    First the judge compares the camera photo with you, if in doubt by means of an anthropological expert report. Hang on: since when do you wear a Karlsruher SC scarf?

  6. B

    Das war, äh, ein kalter Abend. Da nimmt man halt, was im Auto so rumliegt.

    It was, er, a cold evening. You just grab whatever's lying around in the car.

  7. A

    Du bist seit der Grundschule VfB-Fan, du würdest eher erfrieren. Und der Fahrer trägt Vollbart, bei dir wächst nur Flaum. Das ist Lenny aus deiner WG, oder?

    You've been a VfB Stuttgart fan since primary school, you'd sooner freeze to death. And the driver has a full beard, whereas all you can grow is fluff. That's Lenny, your flatmate, isn't it?

  8. B

    Lenny ist noch in der Probezeit. Bei über zwanzig zu viel gibt's ein Aufbauseminar und zwei Jahre Probezeit obendrauf, und das Seminar allein kostet ein paar Hundert Euro.

    Lenny's still on probation with his licence. More than twenty over means a remedial course and two more years of probation, and the course alone costs a few hundred euros.

  9. A

    Und deshalb willst du vor Gericht behaupten, du seist gefahren? Angesichts unserer Verwandtschaft erspare ich dir den Vortrag über Ehrlichkeit: Du sagst gar nichts.

    And that's why you want to claim in court that you were driving? In view of our being related, I'll spare you the lecture on honesty: you say nothing at all.

  10. B

    Gar nichts? Dann glaubt der Richter erst recht, dass ich es war, und Lenny fliegt trotzdem auf.

    Nothing at all? Then the judge will be all the more sure it was me, and Lenny will still be found out.

  11. A

    Schweigen ist dein gutes Recht, und ohne Vollbart bist du nicht der Fahrer: Freispruch. Gegen Lenny ist bis dahin alles verjährt, es sei denn, du fährst ihn persönlich zur Bußgeldstelle, mit Tempo fünfzig.

    Staying silent is your right, and without a full beard you're not the driver: acquittal. By then anything against Lenny will be time-barred, unless you drive him to the fines office yourself, at fifty.

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