Day 123: The Care Level Application
Over coffee in Wismar, Marianne (A), a retired woman, helps her old friend Ute (B) with the application for a care level for Ute's husband.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- 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.
- 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
-
A
So, Ute, jetzt aber zur Sache. Hast du den Antrag auf einen Pflegegrad für Gerd schon gestellt?
Right, Ute, down to business. Have you applied for a care level for Gerd yet?
-
B
Das Formular liegt seit Wochen in der Schublade. Gerd sträubt sich, er will keine fremde Hilfe in Anspruch nehmen.
The form's been sitting in the drawer for weeks. Gerd's digging his heels in: he doesn't want to accept any outside help.
-
A
Das hat mein Alfred auch gesagt, bis er im Bad gestürzt ist. Ruf heute noch die Pflegekasse an, dann zahlt sie ab diesem Monat.
My Alfred said that too, until he fell in the bathroom. Ring the care insurance today, and then they'll pay from this month.
-
B
Und dann kommt ein Gutachter ins Haus, Gerd reißt sich eine Stunde lang zusammen, und wir gehen leer aus.
And then an assessor comes to the house, Gerd pulls himself together for an hour, and we come away with nothing.
-
A
Genau deshalb führst du ab heute ein Pflegetagebuch und notierst jeden Handgriff, sei es beim Waschen, beim Anziehen oder nachts.
That's exactly why you're keeping a care diary from today and noting down every single thing you do, be it washing, dressing or at night.
-
B
Aber das ist doch selbstverständlich: Ich helfe ihm beim Anziehen, gebe ihm seine Tabletten, und nachts stehe ich halt zwei-, dreimal auf.
But that's only natural: I help him get dressed, give him his tablets, and at night I get up two or three times, that's all.
-
A
Jede Nacht, seit Monaten? Genau das muss ins Tagebuch, es sei denn, du willst weitermachen, bis du selbst zusammenklappst.
Every night, for months? That's exactly what has to go in the diary, unless you want to carry on until you collapse yourself.
-
B
Na gut, ich rufe gleich an, bevor mich der Mut verlässt. Und wenn Gerd schimpft, war das alles deine Idee.
All right, I'll ring straight away, before I lose my nerve. And if Gerd grumbles, it was all your idea.
-
A
Sag das ruhig. Er hat mich ohnehin seit fünfzig Jahren im Verdacht, dich zu allem Möglichen anzustiften.
Go ahead and tell him. He's suspected me of putting you up to all sorts of things for fifty years anyway.
Your progress is saved in this browser only, with no sign-up. The course page and the menu show where you left off. Well done! Next up: Day 124: A Lake Where the Steelworks Stood
If this free course has helped you in your German journey, please consider supporting the project. It's a one-person effort, and even small contributions help keep it running and free for everyone.