MICHEL THOMAS GERMAN (BASIC) COURSE, 8 CDs
TRANSCRIPT
This is an approximate transcript of the course, since Michel often changed his mind in the middle of a sentence to be translated, or adapted his sentences for the students. The booklet that accompanied Michel's courses was wholly inadequate, so I have written this transcript. I have found it useful, so maybe other people will, too.
Naturally, it would be foolish to try to learn the language using this transcript, without buying the recordings.
Note that English is my native language, so I don't guarantee that there are no mistakes. Tracks and track times in the recording are shown in brackets.
Version 2, Jan 15th 2006
Transcribed by JK
CD 1 (62.32)
(1) 4.37
(2) 6.58
good
it is
it is good
what
water
(3) 7.58
to drink
do you want?
what do you want?
what do you want to drink?
to eat
what do you want to eat?
to do
what do you want to do?
to come
do you want to come?
with me
(a second verb, which follows a handle verb, goes the end of the sentence)
do want to come with me?
today
do you want to come with me today?
evening
good evening
today
this evening
do you want to come with me?
what do you want to eat?
do you want to come with me?
(will you = do you want = wollen Sie)
will you come with me tonight?
(4) 5.30
to be
when
here
when do you want to be here?
can you?
can you come with me?
(the first sentence is a request, but the second is a question, so the intonation is raised at the end)
will you please come with me?
do you want to come with me?
yes
no
please
when do you want to come with me?
to see
goodbye
to hear
goodbye (on the phone)
(5) 6.58
when do you want to see it?
can you?
can you see it?
I can
I want
do you want?
you want
if
when do you want?
if you want
we want
to come
you are coming
we are coming
are you coming?
when are you coming?
when do you come?
I come
soon
I'm coming soon
do you want?
I want
can you?
can you come with me?
(6) 4.31
to stay
we are staying
(three ways to express the English present tense)
we are staying here
we are staying here today
we are staying here tonight
you are staying
are you staying?
how
to go
to see
we are going
you are going
are you going?
I am going
(7) 4.58
not
now
not now
I want
I want to see it
but
I want to see it but not now
can you see it?
I can see it
I cannot see it
(ich kann nicht es sehen also possible, but is stronger)
I cannot see you
(8) 8.16
to understand
to stand
we understand
we understand you
good, well
very
very good
(to make a German vowel longer, either double it, or add an h. These two words sound the same: mehr, das Meer)
very good
it is very good
very well
we understand
we don't understand
we don't understand it
we don't understand you
we don't understand you very well
do you understand?
do you understand it?
me
do you understand me?
don't you understand me?
(9) 7.40
can you understand me?
I can
I cannot
I cannot understand you
I'm sorry
I'm sorry, but
I'm sorry, but I cannot understand you
(recording skips here)
to stay
we are staying
we are not staying
we are not staying here
long (in the sense of time)
we cannot stay here long
how
how long
how long can you stay here?
I must
I must see it
I must stay here
but I cannot stay here long
I must go soon
(10) 5.06
me (to me)
me
do you understand me?
to come
to bring
to find
I'm sorry but I cannot find it
white
white wine
I know
I know it
I don't know it
where
I don't know where it is, I cannot find it
(end of recording)
CD 2 (57.22)
(1) 5.03
to bring
to come
to find
to see
to go
to understand
I understand
I understand you very well
I don't understand you very well
I cannot understand you very well
do you understand me?
will you bring it to me?
can you bring it to me today?
to have
we have
we have it
we don't have it
do you have?
do you have it?
why?
why don't you have it?
(2) 7.32
with me
for me
can you come with me?
do you have it for me?
what do you have for me?
it is for me
can you understand me?
why can't you understand me?
what
a little, something
can you bring me something now?
what can you bring me?
why can you not bring it to me now?
(3) 6.08
to have
we have
we have it
we don't have it
why don't you have it for me?
I must
I must have it
unfortunately
unfortunately, I cannot do it now
I'm sorry, but I don't have it for you now
you
you (to)
I cannot bring it to you now
because, for
because I don't have it now
(4) 7.03
what do you have for me?
what can you bring me?
for me
with me
for you
with you
I cannot bring it to you today, because I don't have it
I must have it
to have to
to be able to
we have to
you have to
you have to come with me
(5) 8.50
to give
we give
you give
I am giving
I am giving it to you
but I cannot give it to you today, because I don't have it
when do you want to have it?
when can you have it?
when can you have it for me?
to smoke
forbidden
also
me too
I don't smoke
to need
I need it
I don't need it
I don't need it now
to need
do you need it?
when do you need it?
when do you want to have it?
I can bring it to you today
(6) 3.38
I want to have it
will (future tense)
we will have it
you will have it
when will you have it for me?
I will have it for you today
I will have it today
I will see it tonight
I will bring it to you
(7) 4.11
when can you bring it to me?
when do you want to bring it to me?
when will you bring it to me?
when can you bring it to me, because I need it today
when do you need it?
when do you want to have it?
I want to have it today, because I need it today
(8) 3.10
at what time?
at what time do you want to have it?
to be
at what time can you be here tonight?
at what time do you want to be here?
at what time can you be here today?
at what time will you be here?
(9) 7.39
to come
to arrive
tomorrow
at what time will you arrive tomorrow?
at what time can you be here tomorrow?
to stay
how long
how long can you stay here today?
how long will you stay here?
to wait
will you please do it for me?
when will you do it for me?
will you please stay here with me?
how long will you stay?
(10) 4.08
to say
will you tell me?
when will you tell me?
where
will you tell me where it is because I cannot find it
I know
I don't know
I'm sorry but I don't know where it is, I cannot find it
(end of recording)
CD 3 (56.51)
(1) 4.37
to go
we go
we don't go
you are going
where
where (to)
where are you going?
where do you want to go?
to go (to)
where do you want to go (to)?
there
(to) there
I want to go there
but I cannot go there today
(2) 1.49
I am
busy
business, store
I am busy
I am very busy now
I am very busy today
(3) 2.54
I will be very busy
I am very busy now
(4) 7.01
to go
we are going
you are going
where are you going?
to stay
we are staying
how long
how long are we staying?
how long can we stay here today?
how long will we stay here today?
how long do you want to stay here?
how long can you stay here?
how long do you stay here?
how long are you staying here?
do you stay here?
are you staying here?
(commands like bleiben Sie “stay!” have the same word order as the question bleiben Sie?)
come!
come here!
(her or hierher)
are you coming?
bring it!
bring it to me today!
are you bringing it to me today?
do you bring it to me?
bring it to me!
(5) 4.39
to wait
we are waiting
we don't wait
we are not waiting
why are you waiting?
why do you wait?
wait please!
will you please wait
to wait for
to wait for me
will you wait for me?
will you please wait for me here tomorrow?
(6) 4.47
wait for me!
are you waiting for me?
will you please wait for me?
can you wait for me?
will you wait for me?
do you want to wait for me?
where do you want to wait for me?
where will you wait for me?
(7) 6.36
to come
we are coming
you are coming
are you coming?
come!
to stay
we are staying
you are staying
they
they (for clarity)
how long are we staying here?
I am staying
I am not staying here
I'm coming with you
wait!
will you please wait?
I am going to wait for you
I am going to stay here
to buy
merchant, businessman
I'm going to buy it
I will buy it
(8) 7.20
expensive, dear
we won't buy it because it's very expensive
we are going to buy it because we want to have it
(can use present tense to express the future)
I will see you tomorrow
I will go with you tomorrow
we will
you will
I will
he will
she will
it will
he will buy it
soon
he will be here soon
she will be here soon
(9) 7.35
ready
it is ready
already
(schon used more frequently in German than in English)
it is already ready
he is here already
I have it already
beautiful
it is very beautiful
she is very beautiful
it is ready already
everything
everything is ready already
everything will be ready for you soon
everything is going to be ready for you soon
(10) 9.33
to stay
I am staying
he is staying
she is staying
it is staying
everything is staying here
all of them, everybody, they all
everyone is staying here
my friend
my friend is not staying
my friends
my friends are not staying here
we are staying here
we are all staying here
he is coming soon
he is bringing it to me
we will bring it to you tomorrow
he is going to bring it to you tomorrow
when will you bring it to me?
will you please bring it to me
will you please bring it to me tomorrow
when will you bring it to me?
when are you going to bring it to me?
(end of recording)
CD 4 (56.38)
(1) 6.29
I would like
I would like to do it
I would like to see it
I would like to see you
I would like to have it
us
he would like to come with us
I can
he can
she can
it can
it can be
possible
it is not possible
like that, that way
it's not possible like that
it is not possible
it is not possible that way
impossible
entirely
it is entirely impossible
(2) 4.29
gladly, with pleasure
(gern be used with practically any verb)
I like to do it
I like to see it
I like to go there
I will go there with you gladly
will you come with me
very gladly (answer)
thanks
thanks very much
best thanks
I would like
(3) 4.23
I would like to have it
to know
we know
you know
do you know?
I know
he knows
you know
they know
I don't know where it is
to say, tell
will you tell me
can you tell me?
will you tell me where it is
because I cannot find it
(4) 6.43
busy
I'm very busy
tired
I am tired
the house
at home
to home
to go home
I am going home
I am going to stay home
I am very tired and I'm going home now and I will stay home tonight
I'm going to stay home tonight because I'm tired
because I am very tired
(5) 6.56
because
(the verb goes to the end of the clause after weil)
because I am very tired
I understand
we understand
you understand
we don't understand
I understand you very well
I don't understand you very well
he understands
she understands
she understands me very well
can you understand me?
I don't understand
I don't understand it
I cannot understand it
I understand you
I do not understand you
I cannot understand you
(6) 8.00
to say, tell
I don't know what you are saying
because I don't understand you
because I cannot understand you
I don't know what you're saying because I can't understand you
(7) 6.29
because I cannot understand
I'm going to stay home because I'm very tired
I am very busy
I cannot do it because I am very busy today
I cannot do it today because I'm very busy because I'm going to be very busy today
because I cannot come with you tonight
(8) 2.29
I cannot tell you
I cannot tell it to you
I cannot tell it you now
because I don't know it
(9) 7.36
to cost
it costs
I want to know how much it costs
I would like to know how much it costs
will you tell me how much it costs
because I need it
and because I want to have it
because I must have it
when can you bring it to me?
I want to know at what time I can have it today
(this is wrong, because the weil inversion applies to many other words)
at what time can I have it?
when
when can I have it?
will you tell me at what time I can have it
will you tell me at what time I can have it
(10) 3.04
I'm sorry but I cannot tell you now why I have to do it today
why I must have it today
(end of recording)
CD 5 (56.25)
(1) 7.53
to go
we are going
you are dying
where are you going?
to ask
question
I have a question
why are you asking?
why do you ask?
I want to know
I would like to know where it is
there
(to) there
I want to go there
it is there
I would like to go there
for me
not
nothing
I have nothing
to understand
I understand
I don't understand
I don't understand anything
I don't have it
I don't have anything now
I would like
I would like to have it
I would like to see it
I would like to go there
(2) 5.59
it is going very well
how's it going
how's it going for you
I'm fine
it is going very well
everything is going very well
better
much
(much) thanks
I'm going much better today
everything is going much better today
(3) 10.39
to feel
I feel it
I don't feel it
I cannot feel it
I feel fine, I feel myself fine
(for reflexive verbs, myself = me = mich, ourselves = us = uns)
I feel very well today
I don't feel very well
I feel
we feel fine
himself, herself, itself, yourself
he feels good
to feel
do you feel it?
how do you feel?
to wash
I am washing it
I am washing
to hurry
I am hurrying
I must hurry
we must hurry
he must hurry
(4) 4.16
one
(man is much more common in german than english. It also means "all of us")
one must hurry
we must hurry
you must hurry
I will hurry
I am going to hurry
we are going to hurry
we will hurry
will you please hurry
can you hurry?
(5) 6.56
shall, should
you shall hurry up, you should hurry up
I shall hurry up
why don't you hurry
hurry up!
to interest
interested
I am interested
it interests me very much
I interest myself very much
he is interested
(6) 5.37
that
that interests me very much
that doesn't interest me
interesting
joy
to enjoy, have joy
I am very pleased
I enjoy myself
it pleases me
time
newspaper
I don't have the time
I have no time now
(7) 2.23
possible
possibility
I have no possibility
(after noun or adjective, a verb is preceded by zu)
I have no time to do it
it is not possible to do it
(8) 3.36
opportunity
I would like to have the opportunity to see it
(9) 3.34
always
I don't always have the opportunity to see it
often
I don't often have the opportunity to see it
it is not possible
it is not possible to go there today
(10) 5.32
important
it is very important to do it
so
it is not so important
it is not so important to do it today
necessary
it is not necessary to do it now
late
(end of recording)
CD 6 (57.33)
(1) 5.09
late
it is very late
later
something
somewhat, a little
a little later
to call
to call (phone)
will you call me later
can you call me later?
too
towards
(gehen means to go on foot. by any other means is fahren)
to go
I'm going to Berlin
Germany
German
I'm going to Germany
(2) 5.30
to speak
do you speak English?
you speak German very well
in German (language)
how to say it in German?
one doesn't say it like that
one says it
does one say?
does one say it like that?
does one say it like that in German?
how does one say it in German?
(3) 9.24
it is too late
it is too late to do it now
I'm going to do it later
it won't be possible to do it now
I will do it later today
he will be here soon
it will be very important
it will be very important to do it
but I don't have the time to do it now
I will not have the time to do it today
(4) 5.10
would
I would do it
he wouldn't do it
we wouldn't do it
we won't do it
we would not do it
it will not be possible that way
I will
I would
he will
it will
it would
it couldn't be possible
(5) 4.48
to buy
I would buy it
I won't buy it
it wouldn't be possible to do it
because he is very busy today
because I cannot do it today
I won't do it today
because I won't do it today
because I wouldn't do it today
because I wouldn't have the time to do it today
(6) 9.01
when will he be here?
ready
when will it be ready?
I would like to know, when it will be ready
it would be ready today
it can be ready today
it is going to be ready today
because it will be ready today
because it cannot be ready today
I want to know at what time it is going to be ready
I would like to know at what time it will be ready
I would like to know why it cannot be ready today
(7) 4.06
if
if you want
we want
we want it
we don't want it
we don't want to do it today
I want
he wants
I would like to know when you want to do it
I would like to know at what time you can do it
I will wait here if you want
I will wait here for you if you want
(8) 2.52
if, whether
to try
(9) 4.36I don't know if I can do it but I will try
I don't know if it is possible to do it that way, but I will try
but I don't know if it will be possible to do it that way
but I am going to try
(10) 6.57
(for "i have been waiting since", in german you use present tense ich warte and "since" seit)
since
ten minutes
I have been waiting for ten minutes
to live, reside
ten years
I have been living here for ten years
how long have you been living here?
how long have you been here?
I have been doing that a long time already
to work
the work
he is working
he has been working here for a long time
three days
we have been here for three days
(end of recording)
CD 7 (58.17)
(1) 8.38
I can do it
we can
you can
they can
can you?
it can be ready today
it cannot be possible that way
I will buy it tomorrow if I have the time
can you tell me if you can do it?
I would like to know when you will do it
to understand
I don't understand you
I can't understand you
he doesn't understand
he can't understand
(2) 5.41
(in english, "could" appears in two tenses - subjunctive and past)
could (past tense)
I could
he could
you could
("i didn't find it" can be expressed as "i couldn't find it")
I didn't find it
I couldn't understand you
yesterday
last night
he didn't go there with us
(3) 4.25
was
were
I was there last night
but it wasn't ready
we were there
where were you?
it was not possible to do it
I had
we had
I didn't have the time to do it, because I was very busy
I didn't find it
(4) 8.20
could (meaning "would be able", present tense)
could you come with me?
could you tell me?
could you wait now?
can you wait here?
without
without you
I couldn't do it without you I couldn't do it without you yesterday
I couldn't understand you
(5) 10.12
must
I must go now
we must buy it
you have to wait for me
I had to (past tense of "must")
you had to
I had to stay here
he had to wait for me
he wants to buy it
he cannot buy it because it's very expensive
he cannot buy it because it's too expensive
he doesn't want to have it
he will have it
he will do it because he wants to do it
do you want to do it?
we don't want to do it
why don't you want to do it now?
he doesn't want to do it
he won't do it
he's not going to do it
we want
you want
do you want, will you please
will you do it please
will you tell me
he doesn't want to do it
(6) 5.31
wanted
I wanted
he wanted
he wanted to buy it because he wanted to have it
I didn't want to stay here
shall, should
we shall stay here, we should stay here
you should tell me
it should be ready
(should present and past tenses are the same, so "I should" and "I was supposed to" are sollen)
was supposed to
he should wait for me, he was supposed to wait for me
but he could not wait
(dürfen "may be allowed to" more common in german than english)
may be allowed to
one is not allowed to
may I see it?
to try on
may I try it on?
(7) 10.12
I don't feel like it
I don't feel like doing it
I'm very pleased to do it
I am very pleased to see you
it will give me very much pleasure to see you
I would do it
he wouldn't do it
because it would not be possible to do it
it was not possible to do it
(waren wären, wäre "would be". "would be" is also würde sein. wären also means "were", as in "if I were...")
it wouldn't be possible
(8) 5.18
let
(lassen also used when you want to have something done)
to repair
to have repaired
I will repair it
I will get it repaired, have it fixed
I have to get it fixed
to wash
I will get it washed
clean
to clean
will you clean it
will you get it cleaned
I have to get cleaned
(end of recording)
CD 8 (60.03)
(1) 6.21
to go
away
way
to go away
I will go away soon
but I wouldn't go away without you
out
to go out
I want to go out tonight
we would like to go out tonight
exit (walking)
entrance (walking)
exit (e.g. on road)
entrance (e.g. on road)
to depart
to go away
to go far away
to go through
to walk through
to walk through there
(2) 5.39
I understand
I am going away
(non-separable verb prefixes are not stressed. Separable prefixes are stressed)
again
I'm going to do it again
never again
I will never do it again
to fetch, get
to go get
I will fetch it
I'm going to fetch you
I fetch it
to fetch again
to repeat
I repeat
(3) 4.20
to get something
I'm getting it
to arrive
I'm arriving
I'm arriving tomorrow
tomorrow morning
early
I'm going out this evening
midday
morning
tomorrow morning
we are going to Frankfurt
after
afternoon
this afternoon
tomorrow afternoon
(4) 3.52
day after tomorrow
over
to drive someone over, run over
I want to go there
I go there
to here (opposite of hin)
come here!
come (towards) here!
in (towards here)
to come right in
Will you come in?
(5) 4.27
out (towards)
(only the short form is in common use. compare ausgehen and herausgehen)
get out!
on top of it
get over there
to put (in kying position)
to lie
to put (in standing position)
to put on
to put in
to put in, to put into (e.g. a drawer)
to put on (to) top
to take
to take (out e.g. drawer)
(6) 2.40
to put on top, over (it)
to put underneath
under the table
I put it over
to put it over one's mind, i.e. think it over
I'll think it over
I'm thinking it over
to come over the top of
to come under
come under!
to come in
(7) 9.17
to pull
the pulling, train
to pull on, dress
I'm going to get dressed
the suit (pulling-on)
I'm getting dressed
I must get dressed
he is getting dressed
to pull out, to move out (a house)
the pulling-out, Exodus
the pulling-in
to change once place, move (to a new house)
process of moving
to pull through
pulling-through, moving-through
to lock
key
to lock with a key
to lock up
to close the door
to lock the door
to close
to open
window
I am opening the window
I am closing the door
castle, lock
to lock in
I will lock it in
I will lock it inside
I will unlock it
locked
the door is locked
everything is locked today
he is locked in
(8) 7.38
to catch
to start, to catch on
we will start soon
we are starting soon
when you starting?
when do we start?
to call
to call (phone)
will you call me later?
I am going to call you later
I will call you later
in order to...
I am calling you later in order to ask you if you can come with us tonight
I'm going to see you
to hope
(the conjuction "that" is daß, which is not optional in German, and behaves like weil)
I hope I can do it
I hope he will arrive tomorrow
(9) 8.17
to think
to believe, have an opinion
I think he is going to be here soon
I hope that you can come with us tonight
easy
heavy
it is very easy
it is very interesting
comfortable
it is very comfortable here
nice
he is very nice
(a better word for "nice" is sympathisch)
comfortable, pleasing, conducive
it is nice here, there is a good ambience here
(noun genders)
(10) 7.32
(-chen -lein are diminutive endings, which are always neuter)
I want a glass of wine
I would like to have a glass of red wine
I must have a glass of white wine
excuse me
may I ask you...
... where I can find it
(end of recording)