LESEN WORTSCHATZ 150 SHORT STORIES

Das Dorf

• Meaning: the village (a small, rural settlement)

• Pronunciation: [dahs Dorf] — both “o” sounds like in “or”

• In context:

  Das Dorf liegt neben einem großen Wald.
  The village is located next to a large forest.

• Memory trick:
  Dorf ≈ dwarf
  Imagine a tiny village inhabited by dwarfs—mini houses, tiny doors—right by a forest. An area with housing and community.

Das Frühstück

🥐 Word: das Frühstück means “the breakfast,” the first meal of the day.
🔊 Pronunciation: [FROY-shtook] — Früh like “Froy” (rhymes with “boy”), Stück like “shtook.”
🧠 Memory Trick: Literally “early piece” (Früh = early, Stück = piece), so breakfast is your early piece of food.
🧾 In context: „Nach dem Frühstück trinkt er Kaffee.“ (“After breakfast, he drinks coffee.”)

Der Geruch

🏷 Word: der Geruch means “the smell” or “scent” (note: it’s masculine, so it uses der).

🔊 Pronunciation: [geh-ROOKH] — the ch at the end is like the German “Bach” or a soft clearing of the throat.

🧠 Memory Trick: Geruch starts like gear — imagine sniffing the greasy gear of a bike and recognizing its unique smell. This odd image makes the word stick!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Karl mag den Geruch von frischem Kaffee am Morgen.“ — “Karl likes the smell of fresh coffee in the morning.”

2. „Der Geruch der Blumen erinnerte sie an ihre Kindheit.“ — “The smell of the flowers reminded her of her childhood.”

Riechen

🏷 Word: riechen – to smell (as in using your nose).

🔊 Pronunciation: [REE-khen] – “rie” like “ree” in “reef,” “chen” like “hen” but softer.

🧠 Memory Trick: It rhymes with “leech-in’” – imagine a leech crawling up your nose, forcing you to smell everything around you. It's a bit gross—but memorable!

🧾 In Context (example sentences):

1. „Ich rieche frische Blumen im Garten.“ – “I smell fresh flowers in the garden.”

2. „Riechst du den Duft von gebackenem Brot?“ – “Do you smell the scent of freshly baked bread?”

Aufstehen

🏷 Word: aufstehen is a verb meaning “to get up” or “to stand up”.

🔊 Pronunciation: [OWF-shtay-en] — “auf” sounds like “owf” (rhymes with “cough”), and “stehen” sounds like “shtay-en” (like "stay" + "en").

🧠 Memory Trick: Think of aufstehen as "off + stay + en"—you push off your bed and stay standing. That action sticks in your mind when you think "aufstehen."

🧾 In Context:

1. „Jeden Morgen um sieben Uhr stehe ich auf.“ — “Every morning at seven o’clock, I get up.”

2. „Steh bitte auf, wir müssen los!“ — “Please stand up, we have to go!”

🖼 Image Prompt: Picture yourself standing on a mountain peak at sunrise—just like the image above—freshly up and ready to start your day.

Sich entschließen

🏷 Word: sich entschließen — a reflexive verb meaning “to decide” or “to make up one’s mind.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [zikh-ent-SHLEE-sen] — “sich” like “sick,” “entschließ” with “ent-SHLEE,” softly ending in “-sen.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Picture yourself weighing options like in the image above, then making a choice. The reflexive “sich” reminds you it’s a decision you make for yourself—just like the person in the picture deciding which path to take!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Karl entschließt sich, eine Fahrradtour zu machen.“ — “Karl decides to go on a bike tour.”

2. „Sie hat sich endlich entschlossen, Deutsch zu lernen.“ — “She has finally decided to learn German.”

Rauschen

🏷 Word: ausrauschen is actually “rauschen”, a verb meaning “to rustle” or “to make a quiet, continuous sound” (like wind or water moving).

🔊 Pronunciation: [RAU-shen] — “rau” rhymes with “now,” “shen” like “shun.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Think of “rausch” sounding like “rush.” Imagine a gentle rush of wind rustling through leaves—soft and calming.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Der Wind rauscht durch die Blätter der Bäume.“ — “The wind rustles through the leaves of the trees.”

2. „Man hörte das Rauschen eines kleinen Bachs.“ — “One could hear the gentle rustling (sound) of a small stream.

   🧾 In Context:

   1. „Der Regen rauscht gegen das Fenster.“ — “The rain rustles against the window.”

   2. „Das Rauschen des Meeres beruhigt mich.“ — “The rustling of the sea calms me.

   ”

Die Blätter

🍃 Word: die Blätter is a plural noun meaning “the leaves” (from trees or plants). The singular form is das Blatt (the leaf), and die Blätter means more than one.

🔊 Pronunciation: [dee BLEH-ter] — “Blät” sounds like “bleh,” and “ter” like “tear” (with a light rolled ‘r’).

🧠 Memory Trick: Think of “Blätter” like “flutter.” Leaves flutter down from the trees in autumn — die Blätter flutter to the ground 🍂.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Der Herbstwind bewegt die bunten Blätter.“ — “The autumn wind moves the colorful leaves.”

2. „Die Blätter fallen leise auf den Boden.“ — “The leaves fall quietly to the ground.”

Tragen

🎒 Word: tragen is a verb meaning “to carry”, “to wear”, or “to bear” (a responsibility).

🔊 Pronunciation: [TˈRAH-ghen] — “tra” like “tra” in “track,” and “gen” like “ghen” with a soft ‘g’.

🧠 Memory Trick: Think of “tragen” like “dragging.” When you carry a heavy load, you're almost dragging it—so "tragen" means to carry!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Karl trägt sein altes Fahrrad aus der Garage.“ — “Karl carries his old bike out of the garage.”

2. „Ich trage heute eine schwere Tasche.“ — “I’m carrying a heavy bag today.”

Freiheit

🕊 Word: die Freiheit is a noun (feminine) meaning “freedom”.

🔊 Pronunciation: [dee FRY-hite] — “Frei” sounds like “fry” and “heit” is “hite” (rhymes with “kite”).

🧠 Memory Trick: Freiheit shares frei (free). Picture a graffiti artist painting “FREIHEIT” in big red letters on a wall — that bold expression of freedom helps fix the word in your mind.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Nach der langen Reise genoss er endlich seine Freiheit.“ — “After the long journey, he finally enjoyed his freedom.”

2. „Freiheit ist ein Menschenrecht.“ — “Freedom is a human right.”

Rasten

🥱 Word: rasten is a verb meaning “to rest” or “to take a break.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [RAH-sten] — “ra” like “rah” in “rah-rah,” and “sten” like “sten” in “Stephen.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Rasten rhymes with “resting” — so when you’re taking a break, you’re rasten. Simple and effective!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Am Nachmittag rastet Karl an einem kleinen Bach.“ — “In the afternoon, Karl rests by a small stream.”

2. „Wir sollten unterwegs kurz rasten und etwas essen.“ — “We should rest briefly on the way and eat something.”

Verklemmen

🏷 Word: verklemmen (reflexive verb) – it means “to get stuck,” “to jam,” or “to seize up.” When something becomes trapped or stuck and can't move, it's verklemmt.

🔊 Pronunciation: [fair-KLEM-men] — stress on the KLEM, with a light ch in the final syllable.

🧠 Memory Trick: Verklemmen sounds like “block ‘em in.” Picture two gears or a bike chain being blocked and stuck — perfectly verklemmt!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Seine Kette hat sich verklemmt.“ — “His chain got jammed.”

2. „Pass auf, dass sich Deine Finger nicht verklemmen.“ — “Be careful not to get your fingers stuck.”

Der Bach

🌊 Word: der Bach is a noun (masculine) meaning “the stream” or “the small creek.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [dɛʁ Bakh] — “Bach” rhymes with “loch” using the throat-clearing ch as in “Bach.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Bach is also the name of a famous composer (Johann Sebastian Bach). Imagine him walking by a little musical stream softly humming one of his compositions beside the water—that stream is der Bach.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Am Nachmittag rastet Karl an einem kleinen Bach.“ — “In the afternoon, Karl rests by a small creek (stream).”

2. „Das Rauschen des Bachs beruhigt mich.“ — “The babbling of the stream calms me.”

Zornig

😡 Word: zornig is an adjective meaning “angry,” “furious,” or “irate.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [ZOR-nig] — “Zor” rhymes with “tor,” and “nig” sounds like the start of “nick.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Zorn means “anger” in German. Imagine someone in a horned Viking helmet shouting “ZORN!”—fierce, fiery, furious—this reinforces zornig as the feeling of fierce anger.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Sie ist zornig, weil ihr Zug verspätet ist.“ — “She is angry because her train is delayed.”

2. „Er wurde zornig, als er die Unordnung sah.“ — “He became furious when he saw the mess.”

Wegen

🏷 Word: wegen is a preposition meaning **“because of,” “due to,” or “on account of.” It’s followed by the genitive case (e.g., wegen des schlechten Wetters) or, informally, by the dative (e.g., wegen dem Regen).

🔊 Pronunciation: [ˈveːɡn̩] — “weh-gen,” with a soft “g” like in “get,” and “n” at the end.

🧠 Memory Trick: wegen sounds like “wagon.” Imagine your wagon won’t move because of a rock stuck under the wheel — it’s stuck wegen (because of) the rock.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Wegen der Verspätung verpasst sie ihren Zug.“ — “She misses her train because of the delay.”

2. „Wir bleiben zu Hause wegen des schlechten Wetters.“ — “We’re staying home because of the bad weather.”

Der Anschlusszug

🛤 Word: der Anschlusszug is a noun (masculine) meaning “connecting train”—a train that arrives so you can catch another.

🔊 Pronunciation: [dehr AHN-shloos-tsook] — stress on “AHN”, and “zug” as “tsook” with a soft z.

🧠 Memory Trick: Imagine you’re “launching” into your next journey—Anschlusszug connects you. “Anschluss” = connection, “Zug” = train.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Wegen der Verspätung verpasst sie ihren Anschlusszug in München.“ — “Because of the delay, she misses her connecting train in Munich.”

2. „Wir müssen schnell den Anschlusszug erreichen.“ — “We have to quickly catch the connecting train.”

Die Stimme

🎙 Word: die Stimme is a noun (feminine) meaning “the voice.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [dee SHTIM-me] — “Stimme” with a sharp “sht” at the beginning.

🧠 Memory Trick: Stimme sounds like “stem”. Imagine your voice’s stem linking you to what you're saying—with each note of speech, your stem (voice) resonates out!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Julia hörte plötzlich eine Stimme aus dem Lautsprecher.“ — “Julia suddenly heard a voice from the loudspeaker.”

2. „Seine Stimme klang zögerlich und leise.“ — “His voice sounded hesitant and quiet.”

Einfahren

🚆 Word: einfahren is a verb meaning “to arrive” or “to pull in” (usually referring to trains or vehicles entering a station or space).

🔊 Pronunciation: [EIN-far-en] — “ein” like “ine” in “mine,” “fahren” like “far-hen.”

🧠 Memory Trick: einfahren literally sounds like “in-fare-in.” Imagine a train saying, “I’m in, I’ve fared well, I’ve arrived!” — it’s pulling into the station.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Ihr Zug sollte vor zwanzig Minuten einfahren.“ — “Her train was supposed to arrive twenty minutes ago.”

2. „Der ICE fährt pünktlich um 15 Uhr in den Bahnhof ein.“ — “The ICE arrives punctually at 3 p.m. into the station.”

Erleichtert sein

😌 Word: erleichtert sein is a phrase with the verb “sein”, meaning “to be relieved.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [eh-RLEY-khtert zine] — “erleichtert” with a soft “ch” (like in “Bach”), and “sein” like “zine.”

🧠 Memory Trick: It starts with “leich,” similar to light—when something is lifted from your shoulders, you feel light and relieved.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Als sie hörte, dass der Zug endlich kommt, ist Julia erleichtert.“ — “When she heard the train is finally coming, Julia is relieved.”

2. „Er war sehr erleichtert, als die Prüfung vorbei war.“ — “He was very relieved when the exam was over.”

Während

🕰 Word: während is a conjunction (and also used as a preposition) meaning “while” or “during”, used when two things happen at the same time.

🔊 Pronunciation: [VEH-rent] — “währ” rhymes with “bear,” and “-end” sounds like “ent.”

🧠 Memory Trick: während sounds like “we're and” — as in, “we’re eating and talking” → während wir essen, reden wir.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Während der Fahrt rauscht der Wind durch seine Haare.“ — “While riding, the wind rustles through his hair.”

2. „Während sie wartet, schaut sie immer wieder auf ihr Handy.“ — “While she waits, she keeps checking her phone.”

Achtung

🚧 Word: Achtung is an interjection/noun meaning “attention!”, “warning!” or “caution!”

🔊 Pronunciation: [ˈAK-toong] — “Acht” like “ahkt” with a hard ch (as in “Bach”), “ung” like “oong.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Achtung sounds like “act‑tune‑g”. Imagine someone shouting “Act! Tune! G!” to grab your attention—a strong signal that something important is coming.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Achtung, Achtung! Der ICE fährt in Kürze ein.“ — “Attention, attention! The ICE will arrive shortly.”

2. „Achtung! Nasse Fahrbahn!“ — “Caution! Wet road surface!”

Immer noch

🕰 Word: immer noch is an adverbial phrase meaning “still” (emphasizes something continuing longer than expected).

🔊 Pronunciation: [IM-mer nohkh] — “immer” as it looks, and “noch” with the German ch (like in “Bach”).

🧠 Memory Trick:
immer noch literally means “always still” — think: even now, after everything, it’s still happening!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Ihr Zug sollte vor zwanzig Minuten einfahren, doch er ist immer noch nicht hier.“ — “Her train was supposed to arrive twenty minutes ago, but it is still not here.”

2. „Die Gäste sind immer noch im Garten.“ — “The guests are still in the garden.”

Vielleicht

🕊 Word: vielleicht is an adverb meaning “maybe,” “perhaps,” or “possibly.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [fee-LYT] — “viel” like “feel,” and “leicht” like “light” without the “gh” sound.

🧠 Memory Trick: vielleicht begins with viel (much), so think, “viel möglich” — lots is possible = maybe.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Vielleicht fliegen wir morgen nach Berlin.“ — “Maybe we'll fly to Berlin tomorrow.”

2. „Er kommt vielleicht später dazu.“ — “He might join later.”

in kurze

🕓 Word: in Kürze is an adverbial phrase meaning “shortly,” “in a little while,” or “before long.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [in KÜR-tsuh] — “Kürze” rhymes with “hurts-uh,” with a sharp German “ü.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Kürze shares a root with kurz (short), so in Kürze literally means “in short”—a quick way to remember that something will happen soon.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Der ICE fährt in Kürze ein.“ — “The ICE will arrive shortly.”

2. „In Kürze startet der Film.“ — “The movie will begin in a little while.”

es ist ratsam

✅ Word: ratsam is an adjective meaning “advisable,” “recommended,” or “wise.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [RAHT-sahm] — “rats” like “rats” in English, “am” like “ahm.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Think of ratsam ≈ “rather sum” — summing up advice that “it’s rather wise to do this.” The hint “rather sum” signals advisability.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Wann eine Kontrolle der Leber ratsam ist.“ — “When a liver check is advisable.”

2. „Es ist ratsam, bei Erkältung viel zu trinken.“ — “It’s advisable to drink plenty when you have a cold.”

empfehlenswert

🌟 Word: empfehlenswert is an adjective meaning “recommended,” “worth recommending,” or “advisable.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [emp-FAYH-lens-vert] — “emp” like in “stamp,” “fehl” as “fayl,” and “wert” like “vert” with a rolled r.

🧠 Memory Trick: Think empfehlenswert ≈ “amp full of endorsement” — picture your audio amp full of people saying “this is recommended!” when something’s worth it.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Dieses Buch ist sehr empfehlenswert.“ — “

   This book is highly recommended.”

2. „Die neue Ausstellung im Museum ist wirklich empfehlenswert.“ — “

   The new exhibition at the museum is really worth recommending.”

gelungen

✅ Word: gelungen is the past participle of the verb gelingen, which is used impersonally to mean “to succeed” or “to turn out well.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [guh-LOONG-en] — “ge-” like “guh,” and “lungen” with a long “oo” as in “moon,” ending with a soft “en.”

🧠 Memory Trick: gelungen sounds like “got long win.” Think: It turned out (got) a long win—something succeeded or went well!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Das Projekt ist gelungen.“ — “The project turned out well.”

2. „Der Kuchen ist dir gut gelungen.“ — “You succeeded with the cake” (i.e., the cake came out well).

Es ist verboten

🛑 Word: verboten is an adjective, often used as a predicate (e.g., Das Rauchen ist verboten), meaning “forbidden,” “prohibited,” or “not allowed.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [fer-BOH-ten] — stress on the second syllable; ver like in “very,” and boten pronounced “BOH-ten.”

🧠 Memory Trick: verboten looks like “forbidden” in English. Simply swap b and t—forbidden → verboten. The meaning stays the same: it’s not allowed!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Rauchen ist hier verboten.“ — “Smoking is forbidden here.”

2. „Betreten verboten!“ — “Entry forbidden!”

Geduld

⌛ Word: die Geduld is a noun (feminine) meaning “patience.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [dee guh-DULT] — “Ge-” sounds like “guh,” and “-duld” rhymes with “weld.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Geduld starts like “get old.” Imagine yourself calmly getting old over time by practicing patience—anything worthwhile takes time!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Bitte haben Sie etwas Geduld.“ — “Please have a little patience.”

2. „Mit Geduld und Übung wirst du besser.“ — “With patience and practice, you will get better.”

rauchen

🚬 Word: rauchen is a verb meaning “to smoke” (referring to tobacco, cigarettes).

🔊 Pronunciation: [RAU-khen] — “rau” rhymes with “how,” and “chen” is pronounced “khen” with the soft ch from German, as in “Bach.”

🧠 Memory Trick: rauchen sounds like “rocking”—imagine rocking back and forth while puffing on a cigarette. That relaxing image helps anchor the meaning.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Er raucht jeden Abend eine Zigarette.“ — “He smokes a cigarette every evening.”

2. „Darf ich hier drinnen rauchen?“ — “Am I allowed to smoke inside here?”

treu

💖 Word: treu is an adjective meaning “loyal,” “faithful,” or “true.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [troy] — rhymes with “toy” but with a trilled r.

🧠 Memory Trick: treu sounds like “true.” Think: a true friend is treu—they stick by you no matter what.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Ein treuer Hund bleibt immer an deiner Seite.“ — “A faithful dog always stays by your side.”

2. „Sie war ihrer besten Freundin gegenüber immer treu.“ — “She was always loyal to her best friend.”

wann benutzen

⏰ Phrase: wann benutzen means “when to use”.
It combines “wann” (when?) with the verb “benutzen” (to use).

🔊 Pronunciation: [vann beh-NOOT-tsen] — “wann” like “van,” and “benutzen” sounds like “beh-noot-tsen.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Think of a clock + tool — you're asking when you should use something → wann benutzen?

🧾 In Context:

1. „Wann benutzen wir den Akkusativ?“ — “When do we use the accusative?”

2. „Kannst du mir sagen, wann ich das Medikament benutzen soll?“ — “Can you tell me when I should use the medication?”

das gegenteil

🔁 Word: das Gegenteil is a noun (neuter) meaning “the opposite”.

🔊 Pronunciation: [das GAY-gen-tile] — “Gegen” like “GAY-gen,” and “teil” rhymes with “tile.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Gegen = “against” and Teil = “part.” So it's literally the against-part → the opposite!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Stark ist das Gegenteil von schwach.“ — “Strong is the opposite of weak.”

2. „Das Gegenteil von Wahrheit ist Lüge.“ — “The opposite of truth is a lie.”

stark

💪 Word: stark (adjective) means “strong.” When inflected as starke (feminine or plural form), it still means strong but matches the gender/number of the noun.

🔊 Pronunciation: [shtark] — “st” like “sht,” “ark” with a rolling r.

🧠 Memory Trick: stark sounds like “stark” in English, which can mean bold or strong, too. Imagine a superhero named “Stark” (Tony Stark/Iron Man) — powerful and strong!

🧾 In Context:

1. „Meine Muskeln sind stark nach dem Training.“ — “My muscles are strong after training.”

2. „Starke Winde bliesen über das Meer.“ — “Strong winds blew across the sea.”

zurzeit

🕒 Word: zurzeit is an adverb meaning “currently,” “at the moment,” or “right now.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [tsur-tSITE] — “zur” like “tsur” (similar to “sir” with a ts), and “zeit” as “zite” (rhymes with “site”).

🧠 Memory Trick: zurzeit literally means "to the time." Imagine checking a clock and saying, “At this precise time, this is what’s happening”—that’s zurzeit.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Der Arzt fragt: ‚Wie schwer sind Sie zurzeit?‘“ — “The doctor asks: ‘How much do you weigh at the moment?’”

2. „Zurzeit lerne ich Deutsch täglich.“ — “At the moment, I’m learning German every day.

wie schwer sind sie ?

🧍‍♂ Phrase: Wie schwer sind Sie? is a formal question meaning “How much do you weigh?” or literally “How heavy are you?”

🔊 Pronunciation: [vee shvair zint zee] — wie = “vee,” schwer = “shvair,” with a soft r, and Sie like “zee.”

🧠 Memory Trick: schwer = “heavy.” Think of it as “How heavy are you, formally?” — like something a nurse or doctor might ask you during a checkup.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Wie schwer sind Sie? Ich muss es für den Medikamentenplan wissen.“ — “How much do you weigh? I need it for the medication plan.”

2. „Der Arzt fragt: ‚Wie schwer sind Sie zurzeit?‘“ — “The doctor asks: ‘What is your current weight?’”

auszug

📘 Word: der Auszug is a noun (masculine) meaning “extract,” “excerpt,” or “move-out” (depending on context).

🔊 Pronunciation: [dehr OUS-tsook] — “Aus” like “house” without the “h,” and “zug” like “tsook” (as in “train”).

🧠 Memory Trick: Think of Auszug as “out-zoom.” It’s an excerpt—the part you zoom out from the full picture/text, capturing a snippet.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Hier ist ein Auszug aus dem Buch, den Sie lesen sollen.“ — “Here is an extract from the book for you to read.”

2. „Beim Auszug aus der Wohnung übergab sie alle Schlüssel dem Vermieter.“ — “When moving out of the apartment, she handed all keys to the landlord.”

was fuhrt sie zu mir ?

🧭 Phrase: Was führt Sie zu mir? is a formal question meaning “What brings you to me?” or “What leads you to me?”
It’s commonly used by doctors, consultants, or professionals during an initial meeting.

🔊 Pronunciation: [vas fyoort zee tsoo meer] — “führt” has the German ü (like “few-rt”).

🧠 Memory Trick: Think of führen as “to lead” → Was führt Sie zu mir? = What led you here? Imagine a guide bringing someone to your door.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Was führt Sie zu mir?“ fragte der Arzt freundlich. — “What brings you to me?” asked the doctor kindly.

2. „Was führt Sie heute in meine Praxis?“ — “What brings you to my practice today?”

Vergleishen

🛠 Word: vergleichen is a verb meaning “to compare.”
🔊 Pronunciation: [fer-GLY-khen] — “ver” like “fair,” “gleichen” like “gly-chen.”
🧠 Memory Trick: Vergleichen starts like “very light”—imagine placing two items side by side on a scale to see which is “very light” or heavier—you’re comparing them.
🧾 In Context:

1. „Ich vergleiche die Preise beider Fahrräder.“ — “I compare the prices of both bikes.”

   2. „Sie verglich ihren Text mit dem Original.“ — “She compared her text with the original.”

Stimmt

👍 Word: stimmt is a verb (3rd person singular of stimmen) meaning “is correct”, “agrees,” or used as “right!” in conversation.

🔊 Pronunciation: [SHTIMT] — sharp "sht" sound at the start, rhymes perfectly with English "stint."

🧠 Memory Trick: Stimmt sounds like “stamped.” Imagine stamping something as correct—a mental checkmark that says “Yes, that’s right!”

🧾 In Context:

1. „Genau, das stimmt!“ — “Exactly, that’s right!”

2. „Stimmt, der Zug kommt um drei Uhr an.“ — “That’s correct, the train arrives at three o’clock.”

in kurze

🕓 Word: in Kürze is an adverbial phrase meaning “shortly,” “in a little while,” or “before long.”

🔊 Pronunciation: [in KÜR-tsuh] — “Kürze” rhymes with “hurts-uh,” with a sharp German “ü.”

🧠 Memory Trick: Kürze shares a root with kurz (short), so in Kürze literally means “in short”—a quick way to remember that something will happen soon.

🧾 In Context:

1. „Der ICE fährt in Kürze ein.“ — “The ICE will arrive shortly.”

2. „In Kürze startet der Film.“ — “The movie will begin in a little while.”

Beim frisör

🕓 Word:
beim Friseur is a prepositional phrase meaning “at the hairdresser’s” or “at the barber’s.” It’s a contraction of bei dem Friseur.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[bym fri-ZUR] — “beim” rhymes with “lime,” and “Friseur” sounds like “free-ZUR” with a French flair.

🧠 Memory Trick:
"bei" = at, and "Friseur" = hairdresser. Imagine: You’re by the person who styles your hair → beim Friseur. Also, Friseur looks fancy and French — just like a stylish salon.

🧾 In Context:
„Lena ist heute beim Friseur.“ — Lena is at the hairdresser today.
„Ich war gestern beim Friseur und habe mir die Haare schneiden lassen.“ — I was at the hairdresser yesterday and had my hair cut.

Schneiden

🕓 Word:
schneiden is a verb meaning “to cut” — used for hair, paper, vegetables, or anything you slice or trim.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[SHNY-den] — “schnei” sounds like “shy,” and “den” like “den” in “denim.”

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think of “schneiden” as “shy scissors” 🥷✂ — quietly cutting things. Also, the “schnei” part is shared with Schnee (snow) → imagine cutting snowflakes from paper.

🧾 In Context:
„Die Friseuse schneidet Lenas Haare.“ — The hairdresser is cutting Lena’s hair.
„Vorsicht, das Messer schneidet sehr gut!“ — Careful, the knife cuts very well!

Raten

🕓 Word:
raten is a verb meaning “to advise” or “to guess”, depending on context.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[RAH-ten] — like “rat” with an -en ending, stress on the first syllable.

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think: A rat gives you advice — “Don't go that way, there's a trap!”
Also: In games, when you guess, you’re “raten” the answer — the same word!

🧾 In Context:
„Der Arzt hat mir geraten, mehr Wasser zu trinken.“ — The doctor advised me to drink more water.
„Kannst du raten, was ich dir gekauft habe?“ — Can you guess what I bought for you?

Breiten

🕓 Word:
breiten is a declined form of the adjective breit, meaning “broad” or “wide.”
It appears as “breiten” in cases like:

• accusative masculine (einen breiten Weg)

• dative masculine/neuter (mit dem breiten Fluss)

• plural forms with certain articles (die breiten Straßen)

🔊 Pronunciation:
[BRY-ten] — rhymes with “brighten” without the “gh,” stress on BREI.

🧠 Memory Trick:
breit = broad → imagine a bright spotlight shining on a broad highway.
“Breiten” sounds like “brighten” — to widen or open something up.

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Er geht jeden Tag über einen breiten Weg zur Arbeit.
   He walks to work every day on a wide path.
   (accusative masculine – “einen breiten Weg”)

2. Die breiten Schultern des Sportlers sind beeindruckend.
   The athlete’s broad shoulders are impressive.
   (nominative plural – “die breiten Schultern”)

3. Mit dem breiten Fluss im Hintergrund sieht das Foto schön aus.
   With the wide river in the background, the photo looks beautiful.
   (dative masculine – “dem breiten Fluss”)

4. Sie liebt breite Straßen, weil sie gerne viel Platz hat.
   She loves wide streets because she likes having a lot of space.
   (nominative plural – “breite Straßen”)

Aussehen

🕓 Word:
aussehen is a separable verb meaning “to look,” “to appear,” or “to seem” (in terms of physical appearance or impression).

🔊 Pronunciation:
[OWS-zey-en] — “aus” sounds like “house” without the h, and “sehen” like “ZAY-en”.

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think: aus = out, sehen = to see → “to see outwards” → how something looks on the outside.

Visual: Imagine someone looking in the mirror and asking, “How do I aussehen today?” 👀

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Du siehst heute müde aus.
   You look tired today.
   (present tense, 2nd person singular)

2. Wie sieht das neue Kleid aus?
   What does the new dress look like?
   (question form, 3rd person singular)

3. Sie hat gestern fantastisch ausgesehen.
   She looked fantastic yesterday.
   (perfect tense: “hat ausgesehen”)

4. Nach dem Regen sieht der Garten wunderschön aus.
   After the rain, the garden looks beautiful.
   (present tense, 3rd person singular)

überlegen

🕓 Word:
überlegen is a verb meaning “to consider,” “to reflect,” or “to think over.” It’s commonly used when making a decision or weighing options.
It can also be reflexive: sich etwas überlegen = to think something over.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[ü-ber-LEY-gen] — “ü” like in French lune, “legen” sounds like LAY-gen.

🧠 Memory Trick:
über = over, legen = to lay/place → You “lay thoughts over” something to reflect on it 🧠
Visual: Imagine spreading your thoughts like cards on a table to examine them.

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich überlege, was ich essen soll.
   I’m thinking about what I should eat.
   (present tense, 1st person)

2. Hast du dir das gut überlegt?
   Have you thought it through properly?
   (perfect tense, reflexive)

3. Sie überlegt, ob sie die Stelle annimmt.
   She’s considering whether to accept the job.
   (present tense, 3rd person)

4. Wir müssen uns eine neue Strategie überlegen.
   We need to come up with (think through) a new strategy.
   (reflexive with “uns” = ourselves)

Der gedanke

🕓 Word:
der Gedanke is a masculine noun meaning “thought,” “idea,” or “notion.”
It refers to something you think or imagine — a concept or reflection in your mind.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[geh-DAN-keh] — "Gedanke" sounds like geh-DUNK-eh, with stress on the second syllable.

🧠 Memory Trick:
denken = to think → Gedanke = a thing you think.
Visual: Imagine each Gedanke as a glowing lightbulb above your head 💡💭

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Der Gedanke an Urlaub macht mich glücklich.
   The thought of vacation makes me happy.

2. Plötzlich kam mir ein seltsamer Gedanke.
   Suddenly, a strange thought came to me.

3. Ich kann diesen Gedanken nicht loswerden.
   I can’t get rid of this thought.
   (Genitive/plural: Gedanken)

4. Das ist ein interessanter Gedanke, den du da hast.
   That’s an interesting thought you have there.

Sehr genau

🕓 Phrase:
sehr genau is an adjective phrase meaning “very precise,” “very accurate,” or “very thorough.”
It describes someone or something that pays close attention to detail or does things carefully and exactly.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[zehr geh-NOW] — “sehr” rhymes with “bear”, and “genau” sounds like “geh-NOW”, with emphasis on “NOW”.

🧠 Memory Trick:
genau = exact → Imagine someone measuring with a ruler down to the millimeter and saying:
“Ich bin sehr genau!”
Also: “genau” is often used like “exactly!” in German — so sehr genau = very exactly

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Der Arzt war beim Untersuchen sehr genau.
   The doctor was very thorough during the examination.

2. Sie hat die Hausaufgaben sehr genau gemacht.
   She did the homework very precisely.

3. Bitte lesen Sie die Anweisungen sehr genau.
   Please read the instructions very carefully.

4. Er arbeitet langsam, aber sehr genau.
   He works slowly but very precisely.

hervorragend

🕓 Word:
hervorragend is an adjective meaning “excellent,” “outstanding,” or “superb.”
It’s used to describe people, performances, work, or qualities that are above average or impressive.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[hair-FOR-rah-gent] — “her” like “hair”, stress on FOR, soft g at the end like gentle.

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think of “her-vor-ragend” as "sticking out" — literally, it comes from “hervorragen” = to project or stand out.
Visual: A golden trophy rising above all others = hervorragend! 🏆

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Das war eine hervorragende Präsentation.
   That was an outstanding presentation.

2. Er spricht hervorragend Deutsch.
   He speaks excellent German.

3. Die Qualität des Essens war hervorragend.
   The quality of the food was superb.

4. Sie hat die Prüfung mit hervorragendem Ergebnis bestanden.
   She passed the exam with an excellent result.

Zugeparkt

🕓 Word:
zugeparkt is the past participle of the separable verb zuparken, meaning “to block in (with a car)” — when someone parks so close that another car can’t get out.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[TSOO-guh-parked] — “zu” like “zoo”, “ge” is soft, and “parkt” like “parked” in English.

🧠 Memory Trick:
zu = closed + parken = to park → So: “parked in so tightly that you're closed in.”
Visual: Picture your car boxed in with no room to move — you’ve been zugeparkt 😠🚗🚙🚗

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Jemand hat mich zugeparkt – ich komme nicht raus!
   Someone parked me in – I can't get out!

2. Das Auto war direkt vor meiner Einfahrt zugeparkt.
   The car was parked right in front of my driveway.

3. Wir mussten die Polizei rufen, weil das Taxi uns zugeparkt hatte.
   We had to call the police because the taxi had blocked us in.

4. Ich konnte nicht losfahren, weil mein Auto zugeparkt war.
   I couldn’t drive off because my car was blocked in.

Wegzufahren

🕓 Word:
wegzufahren is the infinitive form of the separable verb wegfahren, meaning “to drive away” or “to leave (by vehicle)”.
weg = away, fahren = to drive/go → wegfahren = to drive away / go away (by vehicle)
wegzufahren is used after modal or auxiliary verbs (like versuchen, planen, hoffen).

🔊 Pronunciation:
[VEK-tsu-far-en] — “weg” like wreck, “zu” like zoo, “fahren” like FAH-ren.

🧠 Memory Trick:
weg = away, fahren = to drive → Picture someone jumping into a car and yelling “Let’s wegfahren!” 🚗💨
When you see “wegzu...” it usually means "in order to get away."

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich habe versucht, wegzufahren, aber ich war zugeparkt.
   I tried to drive away, but I was blocked in.

2. Sie plant, am Wochenende wegzufahren.
   She’s planning to go away this weekend.

3. Er hofft, morgen früh wegzufahren.
   He hopes to drive off early tomorrow.

4. Wir haben keine Möglichkeit, wegzufahren – das Auto ist kaputt.
   We have no way to leave — the car is broken.

Rucksack

🕓 Word:
der Rucksack is a masculine noun meaning “backpack” or “rucksack.”
It refers to a bag carried on the back, commonly used by students, travelers, or hikers.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[ROOK-zack] — “Ruck” like rook, “sack” like sack in English, but with a strong final k sound.

🧠 Memory Trick:
Break it down: “Rücken” = back and “Sack” = sack/bag → a sack for your back = Rucksack 🎒
Visual: Imagine a giant sack stuck to someone’s back like a turtle shell = Rucksack!

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich habe meinen Rucksack in der Schule vergessen.
   I forgot my backpack at school.

2. Sein Rucksack ist sehr schwer – er trägt viele Bücher.
   His backpack is very heavy – he’s carrying lots of books.

3. Sie packt ihren Rucksack für die Reise.
   She’s packing her backpack for the trip.

4. Mit einem Rucksack auf dem Rücken fühlt er sich wie ein Abenteurer.
   With a backpack on his back, he feels like an adventurer.

Hosentasche

🕓 Word:
die Hosentasche is a feminine noun meaning “pants pocket” or “trouser pocket.”
It refers to the pocket that’s part of your pants or jeans — usually on the front or back.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[HOH-zen-tah-shuh] — “Hosen” like HOE-zen (plural of “hose” = pants), “Tasche” like TAH-shuh.

🧠 Memory Trick:
Hose = pants, Tasche = pocket → Hosentasche = pocket in your pants 👖
Visual: Imagine someone pulling snacks, coins, or a phone from their Hosentasche — it’s the magic space in every pair of pants.

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich habe mein Handy in der Hosentasche.
   I have my phone in my pants pocket.

2. Er steckte die Hände in die Hosentaschen.
   He put his hands in his pockets.

3. Die Schlüssel sind aus der Hosentasche gefallen.
   The keys fell out of the pants pocket.

4. Sie trägt ein Taschentuch in ihrer rechten Hosentasche.
   She carries a tissue in her right pants pocket.

Verwirrt

🕓 Word:
verwirrt is an adjective (and also the past participle of verwirren) meaning “confused,” “puzzled,” or “disoriented.”

🔊 Pronunciation:
[fer-VEERT] — “ver” like fair, “wirrt” rhymes with beard (but with a soft German r).

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think: “verwirrt” sounds like someone saying “Where? Where?!” because they’re so confused.
Also, the “wirr” in the middle is related to wirr = tangled/messy → your thoughts are tangled = verwirrt.

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Sie war völlig verwirrt nach dem Gespräch.
   She was completely confused after the conversation.

2. Ich bin ein bisschen verwirrt – kannst du das nochmal erklären?
   I'm a bit confused – can you explain that again?

3. Der Hund schaute verwirrt in alle Richtungen.
   The dog looked around in all directions, confused.

4. Seine Antwort hat mich verwirrt.
   His answer confused me.
   (Here, “verwirrt” is used as a participle)

Der Abschleppdienst

🕓 Word:
der Abschleppdienst is a masculine noun meaning “towing service” or “tow truck service.”
It refers to the service that removes illegally parked or broken-down vehicles.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[AHP-shlep-deenst] — “ab” like up, “schlepp” like shlep, “dienst” rhymes with beast.

🧠 Memory Trick:
ab = off, schleppen = to drag/haul, Dienst = service
→ So: Abschleppdienst = “off-haul service” = a service that drags cars away 🚗🪝

Visual: Imagine your car getting hooked and schlepped away while you shout “Wait, no!”

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Mein Auto wurde vom Abschleppdienst abgeholt.
   My car was picked up by the towing service.

2. Wir mussten den Abschleppdienst rufen, weil das Auto nicht mehr startete.
   We had to call the towing service because the car wouldn’t start.

3. Der Abschleppdienst kam innerhalb von 30 Minuten.
   The tow truck arrived within 30 minutes.

4. Achtung! Hier arbeitet der Abschleppdienst – falsch geparkte Autos werden entfernt.
   Warning! The towing service is active here – illegally parked cars will be removed.

mitnehmen vs mitbringen

🕓 Words:
mitnehmen and mitbringen are both separable verbs involving carrying or transporting something, but they differ in direction and perspective.

🔊 Pronunciation:
mitnehmen – [MIT-ney-men]
mitbringen – [MIT-bring-en]

🧠 Memory Trick:
mitnehmen = to take with you from here to somewhere else → "nehmen" = take
mitbringen = to bring with you to the speaker’s location → "bringen" = bring

🔁 Think:

• You nehmen something away

• You bringen something to someone

🧾 In Context (4 examples to compare):

1. Ich nehme mein Buch mit in den Urlaub.
   I’m taking my book with me on vacation.
   (→ mitnehmen: from home to somewhere else)

2. Ich bringe dir das Buch morgen mit.
   I’ll bring you the book tomorrow.
   (→ mitbringen: to you, where you are)

3. Er hat sein Handy zur Schule mitgenommen.
   He took his phone with him to school.
   (→ mitnehmen: general carrying away)

4. Sie hat einen Kuchen zur Party mitgebracht.
   She brought a cake to the party.
   (→ mitbringen: toward a destination/event)

✅ Summary:

• mitnehmen = to take away with you (focus on departure)

• mitbringen = to bring something to someone/place (focus on arrival)

Dünnes

🕓 Word: dünnes

dünnes is the declined form of "dünn" (thin), here describing a thin sheet of paper.

🔊 Pronunciation: [DÜN-nes] — "dünn" sounds like "dune" with a German ü (like French lune), and "es" like ness.

🧠 Memory Trick:
dünn = thin → Think of a thin dune of paper flying in the wind.

🧾 In Context:

1. Sie hat ein dünnes Papier. — She has a thin piece of paper.

2. Das Eis ist sehr dünn. — The ice is very thin.

3. Er trägt eine dünne Jacke im Winter. — He’s wearing a thin jacket in winter.

4. Diese Suppe ist zu dünn. — This soup is too watery.

Holen

🕓 Word:
holen is a regular verb meaning “to get,” “to fetch,” or “to pick up.”
Used when you go somewhere to retrieve something or someone.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[HOH-len] — rhymes with “stolen” without the s, with a clear German h at the start.

🧠 Memory Trick:
holen = to fetch → Imagine a dog running to holen a stick 🐶
Visual: You say “Ich hol’s gleich!” (I’ll get it right away!) as you rush off to grab something.

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich hole einen Stuhl aus dem Keller.
   I’m getting a chair from the basement.

2. Kannst du bitte die Pizza holen?
   Can you please pick up the pizza?

3. Sie holt ihre Kinder von der Schule ab.
   She picks up her kids from school.
   (Here: “abholen” = to pick up)

4. Wir müssen noch Getränke holen.
   We still need to get drinks.

Holen vs abholen

🕓 Holen

Definition: To go and fetch something or someone — general action, no emphasis on origin.
It’s often used when the context doesn’t require mentioning a specific pickup location.

🔊 Pronunciation: [HOH-len]

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think: holen = fetch like telling your dog to fetch a stick 🐶
→ It focuses on the act of getting, not where from.

🧾 Examples:

1. Ich hole einen Stuhl.
   I’m getting a chair.

2. Sie holt Wasser aus der Küche.
   She’s getting water from the kitchen.

3. Er holt Hilfe.
   He’s going to get help.

4. Ich gehe schnell Brot holen.
   I’ll quickly go get some bread.

🕓 Abholen (separable verb: ab·holen)

Definition: To pick someone or something up from a specific place.
Emphasis is on coming from somewhere to bring it to you (or the speaker’s context).

🔊 Pronunciation: [AHP-hoh-len]

🧠 Memory Trick:
ab = from / off, so abholen = fetch from a place
Imagine a mom saying: “Ich muss dich vom Kindergarten abholen!” (I have to pick you up from daycare) 🏫

🧾 Examples:

1. Ich hole dich vom Bahnhof ab.
   I’m picking you up from the train station.

2. Sie holt ihr Paket bei der Post ab.
   She’s picking up her package at the post office.

3. Kannst du mich um 18 Uhr abholen?
   Can you pick me up at 6 p.m.?

4. Wir holen unsere Freunde vom Flughafen ab.
   We’re picking up our friends from the airport.

🔄 Side-by-Side Comparison:

Sentence	With holen	With abholen
1	Ich hole das Paket. (I’m getting the package.)	Ich hole das Paket bei der Post ab. (I’m picking up the package at the post office.)
2	Er holt den Ball. (He fetches the ball.)	Er holt seinen Sohn von der Schule ab. (He picks up his son from school.)
3	Ich hole Essen. (I’m getting food.)	Ich hole das Essen beim Restaurant ab. (I’m picking up the food from the restaurant.)

✅ Summary:

• Use holen when you're just getting or fetching something in general.

• Use abholen when you're retrieving it from somewhere, like a school, station, post office, or friend’s house.

Das Lager

🕓 Word:
das Lager is a neuter noun meaning “storage,” “warehouse,” “stockroom,” or “camp,” depending on context.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[LAH-ger] — "Lah" like la la la, and "ger" like bear but with a soft German g.

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think: lager = large storage
Visual: A big room full of boxes 📦 = Lager
Also, in English, we use lager as a type of beer that's stored → same origin: it’s “stored” for fermentation 🍺

🧾 In Context (4 uses in different contexts):

1. Die Bananen sind im Lager.
   The bananas are in the storage room.
   (supermarket/retail context)

2. Ich arbeite in einem Lager für Möbel.
   I work in a furniture warehouse.

3. Sie schlafen in einem Zeltlager.
   They’re sleeping in a tent camp.
   (Here: Lager = camp)

4. Das Material liegt seit Wochen im Lager.
   The material has been sitting in storage for weeks.

Birnen

🕓 Word:
die Birne (plural: die Birnen) is a feminine noun meaning “pear” — the sweet, green or yellow fruit.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[BIR-nuh] — “Bir” like beer, and “ne” like nuh, with a soft final -e.

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think: Birne = pear, and bir sounds like beer —
Imagine a pear floating in a glass of beer-ne 😄🍐🍺
Also, in German slang, Birne can mean “head”, like "use your Birne!"

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich kaufe Birnen im Supermarkt.
   I’m buying pears at the supermarket.

2. Bananen mag ich lieber als Birnen.
   I prefer bananas over pears.

3. Eine reife Birne schmeckt süß und saftig.
   A ripe pear tastes sweet and juicy.

4. Denk doch mal nach – benutz deine Birne!
   Think for a second – use your head!
   (Slang: Birne = head)

In die Reihe stellen

🕓 Phrase:
(sich) in die Reihe stellen means “to stand in line” or “to get in line.”
It literally translates to “place oneself into the row.”

🔊 Pronunciation:
[in dee RY-eh shtel-len] —

• Reihe sounds like RY-eh (like “rye” with a soft ending)

• stellen like SHTELL-en

🧠 Memory Trick:
Reihe = row, stellen = to place/put →
Imagine placing yourself into the row of people at the bakery 🥐🧍‍♀🧍‍♂🧍

Visual: You walk up and think, “Ich stelle mich in die Reihe,” right behind someone holding fresh bread 🍞

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Bitte stellen Sie sich in die Reihe.
   Please get in line.

2. Die Schüler stellen sich ordentlich in die Reihe.
   The students line up neatly.

3. Ich habe mich früh in die Reihe gestellt, um Tickets zu bekommen.
   I got in line early to get tickets.

4. Wer nicht in der Reihe steht, wird nicht bedient.
   Those who aren’t in line won’t be served.

Vorgehen

🕓 Word:
vorgehen is a separable verb meaning “to proceed,” “to go ahead,” or “to act” — depending on context.
It can also mean “to step forward” or “to handle something”.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[FOR-gehn] — “vor” like for, “gehen” like GAY-en

🧠 Memory Trick:
vor = forward / ahead, gehen = to go →
vorgehen = to go forward / take the next step
Visual: You’re in line and someone says, “Sie dürfen vorgehen” → “You may go ahead” 🚶‍♂

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Möchten Sie vorgehen?
   Would you like to go ahead?
   (e.g., in a queue)

2. Wir müssen vorsichtig vorgehen.
   We must proceed carefully.

3. Die Polizei ging gegen den Verdächtigen vor.
   The police took action against the suspect.

4. Ich frage mich, wie ich in dieser Situation vorgehen soll.
   I wonder how I should proceed in this situation.

Umtauschen

🕓 Word:
umtauschen is a separable verb meaning “to exchange,” “to swap,” or “to return (a product)” — often used when you return something to a store for a different item or a refund.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[OOM-tow-shen] —

• “um” like oom in room,

• “tauschen” like t-OW-shen (rhymes with “caution” but with a sharper sh)

🧠 Memory Trick:
tauschen = to trade/exchange
um = around/change → Umtauschen = to trade around
Visual: You bought a shirt, but it’s too small — you go back to the store to umtauschen it 👕

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich möchte das T-Shirt umtauschen.
   I’d like to exchange this T-shirt.

2. Kann man das noch umtauschen, obwohl es reduziert war?
   Can this still be exchanged even though it was discounted?

3. Sie hat das Geschenk gegen etwas anderes umgetauscht.
   She exchanged the gift for something else.

4. Wir tauschen die kaputte Lampe um.
   We’re returning the broken lamp for another.

Deshalb

🕓 Word:
deshalb is an adverb meaning “therefore,” “that’s why,” or “because of that.”
It connects a reason with a result, like a cause-effect bridge.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[DES-halp] — "des" like desk without the "k", and "halb" like help with a soft b

🧠 Memory Trick:
deshalb = "that’s why" →
Think: “des” = of that, “halb” = half a reason 😄
Visual: A person pointing at rain 🌧 and saying, “Deshalb nehme ich meinen Regenschirm!” ☂

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Es regnet, deshalb bleibe ich zu Hause.
   It’s raining, that’s why I’m staying home.

2. Ich war krank, deshalb bin ich nicht gekommen.
   I was sick, therefore I didn’t come.

3. Sie hat gut gelernt, deshalb hat sie die Prüfung bestanden.
   She studied well, that’s why she passed the exam.

4. Er war müde, deshalb ist er früh ins Bett gegangen.
   He was tired, so he went to bed early.

Verboten

🕓 Word:
verboten is the past participle of the verb verbieten and is used as an adjective meaning “forbidden” or “not allowed.”

🔊 Pronunciation:
[fer-BOH-ten] — “ver” like fair, “boten” like boat-en, with emphasis on the middle.

🧠 Memory Trick:
verbieten = to forbid → verboten = forbidden
Visual: A red warning sign 🚫 saying “VERBOTEN!” — like classic strict German signs in public places.

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Rauchen ist hier verboten.
   Smoking is forbidden here.

2. Das Betreten des Rasens ist verboten.
   Walking on the grass is not allowed.

3. Handys sind im Unterricht verboten.
   Phones are not allowed during class.

4. Es ist verboten, hier zu parken.
   It’s forbidden to park here.

Aufpassen

🕓 Word:
aufpassen is a separable verb meaning “to pay attention,” “to watch out,” or “to take care (of someone/something).”
It can be used both for being alert and for babysitting or supervising.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[OWF-pah-sen] — auf like “off,” passen like “PAH-sen” (rhymes with lesson).

🧠 Memory Trick:
auf = up / on, passen = to fit/match
→ aufpassen = to keep your attention “on” something 🧠👀
Visual: You’re walking and someone yells, “Aufpassen!” just before you trip 😮

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Pass auf, da kommt ein Auto!
   Watch out, a car is coming!

2. Kannst du kurz auf mein Kind aufpassen?
   Can you watch my child for a moment?

3. Im Unterricht musst du besser aufpassen.
   You need to pay better attention in class.

4. Ich habe nicht aufgepasst und einen Fehler gemacht.
   I wasn’t paying attention and made a mistake.

Gefährlich

🕓 Word:
gefährlich is an adjective meaning “dangerous” or “hazardous.”
It describes anything that involves risk, harm, or threat.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[guh-FAIR-likh] —

• “ge” like guh,

• “fähr” rhymes with fair,

• “lich” like lish (soft German ch)

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think: “gefährlich = fair-ly dangerous” 😅
Also: Gefahr = danger → Add -lich (like “-ous” in English) → gefährlich = dangerous

Visual: A sign with ⚠ GEFAHR! and a snake 🐍 — definitely gefährlich.

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Das ist ein gefährlicher Hund.
   That is a dangerous dog.

2. Diese Straße ist bei Schnee sehr gefährlich.
   This road is very dangerous when it snows.

3. Es ist gefährlich, ohne Helm Fahrrad zu fahren.
   It’s dangerous to ride a bike without a helmet.

4. Er liebt gefährliche Abenteuer.
   He loves dangerous adventures.

Eilig

🕓 Word:
eilig is an adjective/adverb meaning “in a hurry,” “urgent,” or “hurried.”
It’s often used to describe someone doing something quickly or being in a rush.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[EYE-likh] —
“ei” like eye,
“lich” like lickh (soft German ch)

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think: eilig = eye-leak!
You’re in such a hurry, your eyes are “leaking” from the rush! 😅
Also sounds a bit like "urgent energy" → eilig = rushed energy

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich habe es eilig.
   I’m in a hurry.

2. Warum gehst du so eilig?
   Why are you walking so fast/in such a rush?

3. Er hatte einen eiligen Termin.
   He had an urgent appointment.

4. Bitte nicht so eilig, ich komme kaum mit!
   Please not so fast, I can hardly keep up!

Der stau

🕓 Word:
der Stau is a masculine noun meaning “traffic jam” or “congestion.”
It’s used when vehicles are stuck and not moving — especially on highways or in cities.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[shtow] — rhymes with cow, but starts with a sharp sht sound.

🧠 Memory Trick:
Stau = stuck → both start with st
Visual: Cars 🚗🚙🚛 sitting in a long, unmoving line, honking and sweating = Stau!
Bonus: "Stau" comes from stauen = to block or back up.

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Wir stehen seit einer Stunde im Stau.
   We've been stuck in a traffic jam for an hour.

2. Auf der Autobahn gibt es einen Stau wegen eines Unfalls.
   There’s a traffic jam on the highway due to an accident.

3. Ich komme zu spät – ich war im Stau.
   I’m late – I was in traffic.

4. Der Stau erstreckt sich über zehn Kilometer.
   The traffic jam stretches over ten kilometers.

Verschiedene

🕓 Word:
verschiedene is an indefinite adjective meaning “different,” “various,” or “several.”
It’s used to describe a variety of items, not just one type or instance.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[fer-SHEE-deh-neh] — stress on the “SHEE”

🧠 Memory Trick:
verschieden = different / varied
→ Think: “She did a lot of different (verschiedene) things today.”
Also, "vers" in English (like "versatile") = multiple → verschiedene = multiple types

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Wir haben verschiedene Meinungen.
   We have different opinions.

2. Ich habe verschiedene Bücher gelesen.
   I read several (different) books.

3. Die Schüler kommen aus verschiedenen Ländern.
   The students come from various countries.

4. Sie trägt jeden Tag verschiedene Outfits.
   She wears different outfits every day.

flüssig

🕓 Word:
flüssig is an adjective meaning “fluent” (when talking about language), or “liquid” (when talking about a substance).

🔊 Pronunciation:
[FLÜS-sig] —

• “flü” like flew with rounded lips (ü),

• “ssig” like sick

🧠 Memory Trick:
flüssig looks like fluid → both mean flowing

• Language that flows = fluent

• Substance that flows = liquid

Visual: Words flowing like water when someone speaks flüssig Deutsch 🗣💧

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich möchte flüssig Deutsch sprechen.
   I want to speak German fluently.

2. Milch ist eine flüssige Substanz.
   Milk is a liquid substance.

3. Sie spricht flüssig drei Sprachen.
   She speaks three languages fluently.

4. Das Metall wird bei hoher Temperatur flüssig.
   The metal becomes liquid at high temperature.

Weihnachtsbaum

📘 German Word:
Weihnachtsbaum (noun, masculine: der Weihnachtsbaum)

🇬🇧 Meaning in English:
“Christmas tree” — a decorated evergreen tree traditionally displayed during the Christmas season, usually in homes, town squares, or public places.
Example: Der Weihnachtsbaum steht im Wohnzimmer. → The Christmas tree is in the living room.

🧠 Memory Trick:
Break it down: Weihnacht = Christmas, Baum = tree → Weihnachtsbaum = Christmas tree.
Visual tip: Imagine a white night (sounds like Weihnacht) filled with lights, and at the center is a glowing tree (Baum) — the Weihnachtsbaum.

📝 Examples in context:

1. Wir schmücken jedes Jahr unseren Weihnachtsbaum. → We decorate our Christmas tree every year. (family tradition)

2. Der Weihnachtsbaum auf dem Marktplatz ist riesig. → The Christmas tree in the town square is huge. (public event)

3. Unter dem Weihnachtsbaum lagen viele Geschenke. → There were many gifts under the Christmas tree. (holiday imagery)

4. Ich habe meinen ersten Weihnachtsbaum in Deutschland gekauft. → I bought my first Christmas tree in Germany. (personal experience/cultural integration)

Riechen

🕓 Word:
riechen is a verb meaning “to smell” — to perceive odors through the nose or to emit a scent. It can refer to pleasant or unpleasant smells.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[REE-chen]
“rie” like “ree” in reel
“chen” like the soft German ich + “en”

🧠 Memory Trick:
riechen looks like “reek” — both involve smell.
If something riecht gut, it smells nice. If it riecht schlecht, it reeks.
Visual: Imagine a big cartoon nose sniffing the air — sometimes flowers, sometimes trash 👃🌸🗑

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich rieche frisches Brot vom Bäcker. – I smell fresh bread from the bakery.

2. Dieses Parfüm riecht sehr angenehm. – This perfume smells very pleasant.

3. Hier riecht es nach Rauch – ist alles in Ordnung? – It smells like smoke here — is everything okay?

4. Der Müll riecht schrecklich. – The garbage smells terrible.

Schmücken

🕓 Word:
Schmücken is a verb meaning “to decorate” — to make something look nicer or festive by adding ornaments, lights, or beautiful details. Common with holidays, events, and celebrations.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[SHMÜK-ken]
“schm” like “shm” in shmear
“ü” like a tight “oo” with rounded lips
“cken” like “ken” in chicken

🧠 Memory Trick:
schmücken sounds like “shiny + make” → to make something shiny.
Visual: Imagine decorating a Christmas tree with lights and ornaments — you're “schmücking” it! 🎄✨

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Wir schmücken den Weihnachtsbaum mit Lichtern und Kugeln. – We decorate the Christmas tree with lights and ornaments.

2. Sie schmückt ihr Zimmer jedes Jahr zu Weihnachten. – She decorates her room every year for Christmas.

3. Der Saal wurde festlich geschmückt. – The hall was festively decorated.

4. Kinder schmücken gerne ihre Geburtstagsfeier mit Luftballons. – Children love decorating their birthday party with balloons.

Wickeln

🕓 Word:
wickeln is a verb meaning “to wrap” or “to swaddle.” It’s often used when wrapping something around something else — like wrapping a gift, swaddling a baby, or putting on a bandage.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[VIK-keln]
“wi” like vi in victory
“ck” is a hard k sound
“eln” sounds like eln in kernel

🧠 Memory Trick:
wickeln sounds like “wiggle in” → you wiggle something in a wrap.
Visual: Picture wrapping a baby in a soft blanket so snug they can’t wiggle anymore 👶🍼

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Die Mutter wickelt ihr Baby nach dem Baden. – The mother wraps her baby after the bath.

2. Ich habe das Geschenk schön in buntes Papier gewickelt. – I wrapped the gift nicely in colorful paper.

3. Der Arzt hat den Verband um den Arm gewickelt. – The doctor wrapped the bandage around the arm.

4. Sie wickelte den Schal zweimal um ihren Hals. – She wrapped the scarf twice around her neck.

Das Plätzchen

🕓 Word:
das Plätzchen is a neuter noun meaning “cookie” or “biscuit,” especially a small, sweet baked treat — often homemade and traditionally associated with Christmas in German-speaking countries.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[PLÄTS-chen]
“plätz” like plets with a sharp "ts" sound
“chen” is the soft German ch (like in ich) + “en” — very light

🧠 Memory Trick:
Plätzchen is a diminutive of Platz (place), so think of it as a little place on your plate for something sweet.
Visual: A plate with tiny, delicious cookies all lined up — each one saving its own “Plätzchen” 💫🍪

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Oma hat frische Plätzchen für Weihnachten gebacken. – Grandma baked fresh cookies for Christmas.

2. Möchtest du ein Plätzchen zum Kaffee? – Would you like a cookie with your coffee?

3. Die Kinder haben bunte Plätzchen mit Zuckerguss verziert. – The children decorated colorful cookies with icing.

4. In der Keksdose sind noch ein paar Plätzchen übrig. – There are still a few cookies left in the cookie tin

Das Geheimnis

🕓 Word:
das Geheimnis is a neuter noun meaning “secret” — something hidden, unknown, or intentionally kept confidential. It can refer to private information, mysteries, or hidden truths.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[geh-HIME-nis]
“ge” like geh in get
“heim” rhymes with time
“nis” like niss in business

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think: “Ge-heim” = going home → secrets are often kept “at home” or inside.
Visual: A person whispering into someone’s ear, then saying “Pssst… das ist ein Geheimnis!” 🤫🔒

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Kannst du ein Geheimnis für dich behalten? – Can you keep a secret to yourself?

2. Sie haben mir nie das Geheimnis ihres Erfolgs verraten. – They never revealed the secret of their success to me.

3. Jedes alte Schloss hat sein eigenes Geheimnis. – Every old castle has its own secret.

4. Das bleibt unser kleines Geheimnis. – That stays our little secret.

Muss ich den Zug wechseln?

🕓 Phrase:
Muss ich den Zug wechseln? means “Do I have to change trains?” — a common question when navigating public transportation in German-speaking countries.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[mooss ish den tsook VECH-seln]
muss like mooss (short “oo”)
Zug rhymes with book (but with a "ts" sound: tsook)
wechseln: “wech” like vek in vector, “seln” like zen

🧠 Memory Trick:
wechseln = to change or switch → sounds a bit like "switch-len"
Visual: Picture standing at a train station platform holding your suitcase and asking a conductor, “Muss ich den Zug wechseln?” 🚆🔁🚆

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Muss ich in Frankfurt den Zug wechseln? – Do I have to change trains in Frankfurt?

2. Wenn du nach Berlin willst, musst du einmal den Zug wechseln. – If you want to go to Berlin, you need to change trains once.

3. Ich habe den Anschluss verpasst, weil ich den Zug wechseln musste. – I missed the connection because I had to change trains.

4. Du kannst ohne Umstieg fahren – du musst den Zug nicht wechseln. – You can travel without transferring – you don’t have to change trains.

Der Schaffner

🕓 Word:
der Schaffner is a masculine noun meaning “conductor” or “ticket inspector” — the person responsible for checking tickets and helping passengers on a train, tram, or bus in German-speaking countries.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[SHAFF-ner]
“Schaff” like shuff in shuffle
“ner” like ner in nerd, but softer

🧠 Memory Trick:
Schaffner comes from “schaffen” (to manage/do) — he “manages” passengers and tickets.
Visual: Picture a friendly conductor walking down the aisle saying, “Fahrkarten bitte!” with a little punch tool in hand 🚆🎟

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Der Schaffner hat meine Fahrkarte kontrolliert. – The conductor checked my ticket.

2. Fragen Sie den Schaffner, ob der Zug Verspätung hat. – Ask the conductor if the train is delayed.

3. Der Schaffner hilft einem älteren Mann beim Aussteigen. – The conductor helps an elderly man get off the train.

4. Ich habe den Schaffner nach dem richtigen Gleis gefragt. – I asked the conductor about the correct platform.

Nachschauen

🕓 Word:
nachschauen is a separable verb meaning “to check”, “to look up”, or “to take a look” — often used when checking something visually or confirming information.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[NAKH-shau-en]
“nach” like nahkh (with a rough German ch)
“schau” rhymes with cow
“en” like un in button

🧠 Memory Trick:
nach = after/toward, schauen = to look → so you look toward something to check it
Visual: Imagine someone squinting at their phone or peeking around a corner to nachschauen what’s going on 👀📱

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich muss im Fahrplan nachschauen, wann der nächste Zug kommt. – I need to check the schedule to see when the next train comes.

2. Kannst du bitte im Internet nachschauen? – Can you check it online, please?

3. Der Arzt wollte noch einmal in der Akte nachschauen. – The doctor wanted to check the file again.

4. Warte hier, ich gehe kurz nachschauen. – Wait here, I’ll go take a quick look.

erreichen

🕓 Word:
erreichen is a verb meaning “to reach”, “to achieve”, or “to get in touch with”, depending on context. It can refer to physically reaching a place, achieving a goal, or contacting someone.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[er-RIGH-shen]
“er” like air
“reich” rhymes with bike (with a harsh German ch)
“en” like un in button

🧠 Memory Trick:
erreichen sounds like “arrive at” → you reach your destination or goal
Visual: Imagine climbing a mountain, raising your arms at the top — Ziel erreicht! 🏔🎯

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich habe den Zug gerade noch erreicht. – I just barely caught the train.

2. Sie möchte ihr Ziel bis Ende des Jahres erreichen. – She wants to reach her goal by the end of the year.

3. Er ist telefonisch nicht zu erreichen. – He can’t be reached by phone.

4. Wann kann ich dich am besten erreichen? – When’s the best time to reach you?

Ankommen

🕓 Word:
ankommen is a separable verb meaning “to arrive” — used when reaching a destination, whether physically (like arriving at a place) or metaphorically (like an idea arriving emotionally).

🔊 Pronunciation:
[AN-kom-men]
“an” like un in under
“kommen” like kom-men (same as “to come”)

🧠 Memory Trick:
kommen = to come, and an = to
So ankommen = to come to a place → you arrive!
Visual: A train pulling into a station right on time — Der Zug kommt an! 🚆🕰

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Wann kommt der nächste Bus an? – When does the next bus arrive?

2. Ich bin gestern spät in Berlin angekommen. – I arrived late in Berlin yesterday.

3. Die Lieferung ist heute Vormittag angekommen. – The delivery arrived this morning.

4. Seine Idee ist bei den Zuhörern gut angekommen. – His idea was well received by the audience.

lächeln

🕓 Word:
lächeln is a verb meaning “to smile” — used when someone smiles gently or kindly, often as a sign of friendliness, joy, or politeness.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[LEH-kheln]
“lä” like le in let but with rounded lips (ä)
“cheln” — soft ch (like in ich) + eln

🧠 Memory Trick:
lächeln sounds like “little laugh” → and what’s a little laugh? A smile 😊
Visual: Picture someone smiling softly at a baby or in a peaceful moment — not laughing, just lächeln

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Das Baby hat mich angelächelt. – The baby smiled at me.

2. Sie lächelte, obwohl sie nervös war. – She smiled even though she was nervous.

3. Man sollte öfter lächeln – das macht sympathisch. – One should smile more often – it makes you likeable.

4. Er konnte nicht aufhören zu lächeln, als er die Nachricht hörte. – He couldn’t stop smiling when he heard the news.

Halten

🕓 Word:
halten is a verb meaning “to hold”, “to stop”, or “to keep”, depending on the context. It’s a versatile verb used in physical, emotional, and abstract situations.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[HAL-ten]
“hal” like hall
“ten” like ten in English

🧠 Memory Trick:
halten looks like halt → when you halt, you hold still or stop something.
Visual: Imagine holding a box in your hands, standing still — someone says, “Bitte halten!” 🛑📦

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Kannst du bitte meine Tasche halten? – Can you please hold my bag?

2. Der Zug hält nicht an diesem Bahnhof. – The train doesn’t stop at this station.

3. Sie hält ihre Versprechen immer. – She always keeps her promises.

4. Ich kann das nicht mehr lange halten. – I can’t hold this much longer.

Verkleiden

🕓 Word:
verkleiden is a verb meaning “to dress up”, “to disguise”, or “to put on a costume” — often used during Carnival, Halloween, or roleplay situations.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[fer-KLY-den]
“ver” like fair
“kleid” like clide (from Kleid, meaning “dress”)
“en” like un in button

🧠 Memory Trick:
Kleid = dress → verkleiden = to put on a (different) dress or outfit
Visual: A kid putting on a pirate hat, cape, and fake mustache — verkleidet als Pirat! 🏴‍☠🎭

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Zu Karneval verkleiden sich viele Kinder als Tiere. – At Carnival, many children dress up as animals.

2. Ich habe mich als Arzt verkleidet. – I dressed up as a doctor.

3. Sie verkleidete sich, um nicht erkannt zu werden. – She disguised herself to avoid being recognized.

4. Wir haben uns für die Motto-Party verkleidet. – We dressed up for the themed party.

Bunte

🕓 Word:
bunte is an adjective meaning “colorful” — used to describe something that has many colors or is bright and varied in appearance. It's the inflected form of bunt depending on the noun it describes.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[BOON-teh]
“bun” rhymes with moon
“te” like teh in tennis (soft “eh” sound)

🧠 Memory Trick:
bunt looks like "a bunch" → a bunch of colors
Visual: A child’s drawing full of rainbows, stars, and squiggles — so bunt it makes you smile 🎨🌈

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Ich mag bunte Kleidung. – I like colorful clothes.

2. Die Straße war mit bunten Lichtern geschmückt. – The street was decorated with colorful lights.

3. Kinder lieben bunte Bilderbücher. – Children love colorful picture books.

4. Zu Ostern gibt es viele bunte Eier. – At Easter, there are lots of colorful eggs.

Das Gelächter

🕓 Word:
das Gelächter is a neuter noun meaning “laughter”, especially loud or collective laughter from a group of people. It refers to the sound of people laughing, often in response to something funny.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[geh-LECH-ter]
“ge” like geh in get
“läch” like lekh (with a soft German “ch” like in ich)
“ter” like ter in better

🧠 Memory Trick:
Gelächter comes from lachen (to laugh)
Visual: A classroom erupts in laughter after a joke — the echo of laughter bouncing off the walls is Gelächter 😂📣

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Nach dem Witz brach lautes Gelächter aus. – After the joke, loud laughter broke out.

2. Sein Kommentar sorgte für viel Gelächter im Raum. – His comment caused a lot of laughter in the room.

3. Das Gelächter der Kinder war ansteckend. – The children’s laughter was contagious.

4. Plötzlich hörte man Gelächter aus dem Nebenzimmer. – Suddenly, you could hear laughter from the next room.

Die Stimmung

🕓 Word:
die Stimmung is a feminine noun meaning “mood”, “atmosphere”, or “vibe” — used to describe the emotional tone of a person, a place, or a situation.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[SHTIM-moong]
“Stimm” like shtim (rhymes with him)
“ung” like oong in song (but with a soft “ng”)

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think of Stimme = voice → Stimmung is the emotional voice or tone of the moment
Visual: At a party, lights are glowing, music is playing, everyone’s smiling — die Stimmung ist super! 🎶😊

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Die Stimmung auf der Feier war sehr fröhlich. – The mood at the party was very cheerful.

2. Wegen des schlechten Wetters war die Stimmung gedrückt. – Because of the bad weather, the mood was gloomy.

3. Im Klassenzimmer herrschte eine angespannte Stimmung. – There was a tense atmosphere in the classroom.

4. Mit Musik kann man die Stimmung verbessern. – You can improve the mood with music.

Das Ehepaar

🕓 Word:
das Ehepaar is a neuter noun meaning “married couple” — referring to two people who are married to each other, usually a husband and wife or any legally married partners.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[EH-eh-par]
“Ehe” like eh-eh (both short and soft “e” sounds)
“paar” like par in partner (rhymes with “car”)

🧠 Memory Trick:
Ehe = marriage, Paar = pair → Ehepaar = a pair in marriage
Visual: Two wedding rings tied together in a bow 💍❤ — ein Ehepaar für immer

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Das ältere Ehepaar spaziert jeden Abend im Park. – The elderly couple walks in the park every evening.

2. Das Ehepaar lebt seit über 30 Jahren zusammen. – The married couple has lived together for over 30 years.

3. Ein junges Ehepaar hat das Haus nebenan gekauft. – A young married couple bought the house next door.

4. Das Ehepaar feiert heute seine Silberhochzeit. – The couple is celebrating their silver wedding anniversary today.

erschöpft

🕓 Word:
erschöpft is an adjective meaning “exhausted”, “worn out”, or “drained” — used to describe someone who is extremely tired, physically or mentally.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[er-SHÖPFT]
“er” like air
“schöpft” like shöpt, with “ö” like the eu in French bleu and a strong final -ft

🧠 Memory Trick:
schöpfen means “to draw” (like water from a well) → if you’ve drawn out all your energy, you’re erschöpft
Visual: Someone collapsing on a couch after a long day, eyes half open — completely erschöpft 🛋😴

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Nach der Arbeit war ich total erschöpft. – I was completely exhausted after work.

2. Sie sah erschöpft aus, aber glücklich. – She looked exhausted, but happy.

3. Nach dem Marathon fühlten sich alle erschöpft. – After the marathon, everyone felt drained.

4. Ich bin zu erschöpft, um noch etwas zu machen. – I’m too exhausted to do anything else.

Merkwürdig

🕓 Word:
merkwürdig is an adjective meaning “strange”, “odd”, or “peculiar” — used when something is unusual, suspicious, or simply makes you raise an eyebrow.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[MERK-vür-dig]
“merk” like merk in Merkel
“würdig” like vür-dig, with “ü” pronounced like u in French lune

🧠 Memory Trick:
Break it down: merk-würdig → worthy of noting
If something is worth noticing, it’s probably odd or suspicious
Visual: A cat wearing sunglasses and riding a skateboard — definitely merkwürdig 🐱😎🛹

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Er hat sich heute wirklich merkwürdig verhalten. – He behaved really strangely today.

2. Das ist eine merkwürdige Geschichte. – That’s a strange story.

3. Ich finde es merkwürdig, dass sie noch nicht angerufen hat. – I find it odd that she hasn’t called yet.

4. Das Wetter ist in letzter Zeit ziemlich merkwürdig. – The weather has been quite strange lately.

Gemütlich

🕓 Word:
gemütlich is an adjective meaning “cozy”, “comfortable”, or “relaxed” — often used to describe places, situations, or moods that feel warm, pleasant, and welcoming.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[geh-MÜT-likh]
“ge” like geh in get
“müt” with ü like in French lune
“lich” like the German ich

🧠 Memory Trick:
Think of gemütlich as a mix of good mood + soft lighting + warm tea.
Visual: A small café with soft lights, comfy chairs, and calm music — everything feels gemütlich ☕🕯🛋

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Das Wohnzimmer ist sehr gemütlich. – The living room is very cozy.

2. Wir hatten einen gemütlichen Abend mit Freunden. – We had a relaxed evening with friends.

3. Dein Pulli sieht warm und gemütlich aus. – Your sweater looks warm and comfy.

4. Es war ein kleines, gemütliches Café. – It was a small, cozy café.

Beruhigen

🕓 Word:
beruhigen is a verb meaning “to calm down”, “to soothe”, or “to reassure” — used when helping someone feel less worried, angry, scared, or upset.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[beh-ROO-hee-gen]
“be” like beh in begin
“ruh” like roo
“igen” like ee-gen in vegan

🧠 Memory Trick:
ruhi looks like ruhig (which means calm) → beruhigen = to make someone calm
Visual: Someone gently talking to a crying child until they stop crying — they’re beruhigt 👶💬🤗

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Die Mutter beruhigt ihr Baby mit einem Lied. – The mother calms her baby with a song.

2. Bitte beruhige dich, es ist alles in Ordnung. – Please calm down, everything is okay.

3. Der Arzt hat den Patienten beruhigt. – The doctor reassured the patient.

4. Ich war nervös, aber mein Freund hat mich beruhigt. – I was nervous, but my friend calmed me down.

Selbstbewusst

🕓 Word:
selbstbewusst is an adjective meaning “self-confident” or “self-assured” — used to describe someone who believes in themselves, speaks clearly, and acts with confidence.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[ZELBST-be-voost]
“selbst” like zelpst (with a clear "s")
“be” like beh in begin
“wusst” like voost (as in boost)

🧠 Memory Trick:
selbst = self
bewusst = aware
→ selbstbewusst = aware of yourself → confident!
Visual: Imagine someone standing tall, speaking clearly in front of a group — totally selbstbewusst 🎤💪

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Sie spricht sehr selbstbewusst vor der Klasse. – She speaks very confidently in front of the class.

2. Ein selbstbewusster Mensch glaubt an sich selbst. – A confident person believes in themselves.

3. Er war nicht arrogant, nur selbstbewusst. – He wasn’t arrogant, just confident.

4. Ich möchte in Vorstellungsgesprächen selbstbewusster sein. – I want to be more confident in job interviews.

Großartig

🕓 Word:
großartig is an adjective meaning “great”, “fantastic”, or “magnificent” — used to describe something very impressive, excellent, or wonderful.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[GROHS-ar-tikh]
“groß” like gross (but with a long "o" and sharp "s")
“artig” like ar-tikh, with the soft German -ig ending (like ich)

🧠 Memory Trick:
groß = big
artig = well-behaved or excellent
→ großartig = big and excellent → something truly amazing!
Visual: You see a breathtaking concert or win a prize and shout: “Das war großartig!” 🌟🎉

🧾 In Context (4 examples):

1. Der Film war einfach großartig. – The movie was simply fantastic.

2. Du hast großartige Arbeit geleistet. – You did a great job.

3. Wir hatten einen großartigen Tag am Strand. – We had a wonderful day at the beach.

4. Das Konzert gestern Abend war großartig! – The concert last night was amazing!

toll

🕓 Word:
toll means great, awesome, or cool — very common in casual spoken German.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[toll]

🧠 Memory Trick:
Short and friendly → Like saying “Nice!” or “Cool!”
Visual: Someone shows you a gift and you smile: “Toll!” 🎁😄

🧾 In Context:

1. Das Essen war toll. – The food was great.

2. Ich finde deinen Pulli toll! – I love your sweater!

3. Der Ausflug war toll. – The trip was awesome.

4. Deine Idee ist toll. – Your idea is great.

🎯 Use Difference:
Much more casual than großartig. Use it with friends, children, or in everyday conversation. Not typically used in writing or formal praise.

Fantastisch

🕓 Word:
fantastisch means fantastic or amazing — strong and enthusiastic praise, often emotional or dreamy.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[fan-TAS-tish]

🧠 Memory Trick:
Sounds like "fantasy" → Think dream vacation or incredible experience
Visual: Watching fireworks and shouting: “Fantastisch!” 🎆✨

🧾 In Context:

1. Der Urlaub war fantastisch. – The vacation was fantastic.

2. Du siehst fantastisch aus! – You look fantastic!

3. Das war ein fantastischer Film. – That was an amazing movie.

4. Die Aussicht war einfach fantastisch. – The view was simply amazing.

🎯 Use Difference:
Very expressive and emotional. Slightly stronger and more enthusiastic than großartig. Common in both spoken and written German.

wunderbar

🕓 Word:
wunderbar means wonderful or lovely — expresses warmth, peace, or gratitude.

🔊 Pronunciation:
[VOON-der-bar]

🧠 Memory Trick:
Wunder = wonder → full of wonder = wunderbar
Visual: Hugging your grandma at a family dinner — “Es ist wunderbar hier.” 👵💖

🧾 In Context:

1. Wir hatten einen wunderbaren Abend. – We had a wonderful evening.

2. Das war ein wunderbarer Moment. – That was a beautiful moment.

3. Dein Geschenk ist wunderbar. – Your gift is wonderful.

4. Ich fühle mich heute wunderbar. – I feel wonderful today.

🎯 Use Difference:
Softer and more emotional. Often used to describe feelings, relationships, or peaceful settings. Common in both spoken and written German.