Day 49: The Button on Her Wrist
In her flat in Halle, Christa (B) has just been given an emergency call wristband, and her grandson Oskar (A) reads her the instructions.
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
Hör mal, Oma: „Der am Handgelenk getragene Sender ist wasserdicht und sollte auch beim Duschen nicht abgelegt werden.“
Listen, Grandma: 'The transmitter worn on the wrist is waterproof and should not be taken off, even in the shower.'
-
B
Das Ding hat mir deine Mutter aufgeschwatzt. Dabei komme ich allein noch prima zurecht.
Your mother talked me into this thing. And I'm still managing perfectly well on my own.
-
A
Aber wenn du mal hinfällst und nicht ans Telefon kommst, drückst du einfach den roten Knopf.
But if you ever fall over and can't get to the phone, you just press the red button.
-
B
Den winzigen Knopf da? Den finde ich ja nicht mal mit Brille, geschweige denn nachts ohne.
That tiny button there? I can't even find it with my glasses on, let alone at night without them.
-
A
Hier steht aber: „Der Knopf ist auch im Dunkeln nicht zu übersehen und lässt sich mit geringem Kraftaufwand drücken.“
But it says here: 'The button cannot be missed, even in the dark, and can be pressed with minimal effort.'
-
B
Von wegen geringer Kraftaufwand, da muss man bestimmt richtig fest draufdrücken. Oh, warum piept das denn jetzt?
Minimal effort, my foot, you must have to press really hard. Oh, why's it beeping now?
-
A
Oma, du hast den Notruf ausgelöst! Die Zentrale fragt, ob du gestürzt bist.
Grandma, you've set off the emergency call! The call centre's asking if you've had a fall.
-
B
Nein, nein, alles in bester Ordnung, Verzeihung! Mein Enkel hat mir nur gezeigt, wie leicht sich der Knopf drücken lässt.
No, no, everything's fine, sorry! My grandson was just showing me how easy the button is to press.
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 50: A Skate Park Proposal
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.