Teach me your language I teach you mine

[satin chic]

You use "en" with countries that are feminine (la France, la Bulgarie, la Suède), "au" with masculine countries (le Portugal, le Maroc) and "aux" with countries that are plural (how do I say this? ) like "les États-Unis, les Pays-Bas". Then there are certain countries were you just say "à" because, being so small, they don't have a definite article (Malte, Chypre, Porto Rico).

So...
"en" for countries with a feminine definite article
"au" for countries with a masculine definite article
"aux" for countries with "les"
"à" for countries without a definite article

 

[tortoisie]

that could be the point, in everyday life nobody would say DIN format A4 but engineers seem to have their own language

Oh, engineers!

What a bunch of drinkers?

 

[tortoisie]

One more question:

…, dass wir dann doch noch auf unsere Reiseziele zu sprechen kamen, und es war nicht schwer zu erkennen, dass sie von mir als Reisendem mit einem Mal ziemlich enttäuscht war.

How would you translate the "dann doch noch"?

Would it be "…, that we then came to speak of the travel destination again und it was not difficult to recognise that she was extremely shocked that I was a traveller for the first time."

Thanks!

 

[Modemoiselle]

maybe "disappointed" instead of "shocked"

 

[satin chic]

One more question:



How would you translate the "dann doch noch"?

Would it be "…, that we then came to speak of the travel destination again und it was not difficult to recognise that she was extremely shocked that I was a traveller for the first time."

Thanks!

"Mit einem Mal" in this context means "plötzlich" which would be translated as "suddenly" (at least that's how I understand the text). Instead of "shocked" I would also use "disappointed", as Modemoiselle suggested. "That we then" is fine, though.

 

[tortoisie]

^ Thank you for your help, Mademoiselle and Satin chic!

It is much clearer now.

What about verbs like wiederholen, umstellen and durchschauen? How do I know it is "Ich wiederhole" (I repeat) and not "Ich hole wieder"?

Would you say it is one of those situations when I have to learn by heart whether a verb is separable or not and it's meaning.

 

[laurette]

^Yeah, you have to know the different meanings. "Ich hole schon wieder ein Glas Wasser" vs. "Ich wiederhole alles was du sagst" "Ich schaue durch das Fenster" vs. "Ich durchschaue dich" I don't know a rule and can't think of one, sorry.

 

[FashionJunkie]

I just started learing Mandarin Chinese. Is there anyone chinese who is willing to help me?

 

[tortoisie]

^^ Thank you, laurette! I'll work on it.

FashionJunkie, I can help you with written Chinese words, but probably not with speaking. Cheers!

 

[FashionJunkie]

FashionJunkie, I can help you with written Chinese words, but probably not with speaking. Cheers!

Thank you so much! That would be great!

 

[tortoisie]

^ Where do you want to start?

 

[tortoisie]

I can't find these words in the dictionary. Could someone tell me whether they are separable or not.

-sich verfangen
-einfangen
-ausdeuten

Thanks!

 

[laurette]

I think these sites might be helpful:
http://conjd.cactus2000.de/showverb.en.php?verb=ausdeuten
http://conjd.cactus2000.de/showverb.en.php?verb=verfangen
http://conjd.cactus2000.de/showverb.en.php?verb=einfangen

 

[Couture_Tribe]

I just started learing Mandarin Chinese. Is there anyone chinese who is willing to help me?

I am willing to help! Native speaker and writer here! PM me at any time if it is urgent.

 

[Miwi]

I can't find this thread about teaching languages, so I decided to post it here.
Can anyone tell me if this is correct? I hope it's seen...German, Relativsätze:

I know there are 2 missing Artikels for der Kellner-Femininum (3.-der Kellner and 4.-den Kellner)

Thanks.

 

[pocodolce]

^^ I think most of them are right. But it'd be better to say:

Maskulin:
-Der Mann, dem ich den Weg zeige, steht vor dem Geschäft.

Feminine:
-Cafe nicht Coffee
-Die Frau, der [refers to die Frau in the dative] der Kellner einen Kaffee bringt, sitzt im Cafe.
-Die Frau, die [refers to die Frau in the accusative] der Kellner sehr gut kennt, sitzt im Cafe.

Neuter:
-Perfekt!

And here is the "Teach me..." thread.

 

[gius]

does anyone know what "auto retrato" means ?
it's italian ...

 

[mundodabolsa]

does anyone know what "auto retrato" means ?
it's italian ...

self-portrait, but this is in portuguese actually. in italian I believe it's autoritratto.

 

[gius]

thanks! no wonder i couldn't translate it in Babelfish.. i was choosing Italian
i asked my Spanish friend too just now, and he knew what it meant

 

[tortoisie]

Thank you, laurette! Great links!

1. Are these correct? I'm particularly interested in whether my prepositions are correct?
-Wie viel Zeit hatte ich im Leben schon mich verbracht, Fern zu sehen?
-Die Leherin hält ihn als einen wunderbaren Student.

2. Is it true that:
-Ich sorge für mich selbst --> I take care of myself.
-Ich sorge um mich --> I worry about me.
Or do I have the reflexive bit wrong?

3. Are these the same:
-Er hat um seine Rechte als Mensch gekämpft.
-Er hat für seine Rechte als Mensch gekämpft

4. I just want to make sure I have the context of these verbs correct. Can:
-fehlschlagen be used for failing to achieve a goal?
-erweitern be used for expansion in market size?

5. Is it true to say "Die Schule halbierte sich" (The school halved in size) or is it better to say "Die Schule redukzierte sich".

Thanks again!