Learn how to ask and answer the question, "What do you do?"
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| Jason: Top 25 German Questions You Need to Know - Lesson 4: What do you do? in German (In each lesson of this 25 part series, you'll master a common question for German learners, and then learn how to answer it like a native. You'll learn how these key phrases work by breaking them down into each component. Then through repetition and new vocabulary, you'll expand your understanding of the question, its answers, and any variations.) |
| In this lesson, you'll learn how to respond to the common question What do you do? In German this is |
| Rilana: Was machst du beruflich? |
| The first word in the question is |
| Rilana: was |
| Jason: meaning what in English. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) was |
| Jason: Listen again and repeat. |
| Rilana: was |
| {Pause} |
| Jason: This pattern of first introducing a word at natural speed, providing the translation, breaking it down, and then giving it again at natural speed will be repeated throughout the series. Try to speak aloud as often as possible. The next word in the question is |
| Rilana: machst |
| Jason: meaning do. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) machst |
| Jason: Now repeat. |
| Rilana: machst |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the the first 2 words of the question and repeat. |
| Rilana: was machst |
| {pause} |
| And after that |
| Rilana: du |
| Jason: meaning you. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) du |
| Jason: Now repeat. |
| Rilana: du |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the the first 3 words of the question and repeat. |
| Rilana: was machst du |
| {pause} |
| And next |
| Rilana: beruflich |
| Jason: meaning for work. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) beruflich |
| Jason: Now repeat. |
| Rilana: beruflich |
| {Pause} |
| Listen to the entire question and repeat. |
| Rilana: was machst du beruflich |
| {pause} |
| Jason: (You will hear this common question again and again throughout your studies.) Master the following pattern and responses to the question What do you do?? |
| Rilana: Ich bin Lehrer. |
| Jason: "I'm a teacher.. Again, slowly. Repeat the phrase. |
| Rilana: (Slow) Ich bin Lehrer. |
| {pause} |
| Jason: Let's break it down from the beginning. The first word: |
| Rilana: ich |
| Jason: meaning I. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) ich |
| Jason: Now repeat |
| Rilana: ich |
| {Pause} |
| Jason: And next |
| Rilana: bin |
| meaning am. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) bin |
| Jason:Now repeat. |
| Rilana: bin |
| {Pause} |
| Jason: Next is |
| Rilana: Lehrer |
| meaning teacher. |
| Rilana: (Slow, by syllable) Lehrer |
| Jason:Now repeat. |
| Rilana: Lehrer |
| {Pause} |
| Jason: Listen to the speaker say, I'm a teacher., and then repeat. |
| Rilana: Ich bin Lehrer. |
| {pause} |
| Jason: To use a different phrase, replace teacher with engineer. |
| Rilana: Ingenieur |
| Jason: engineer |
| Rilana: (slow) Ingenieur (regular) Ingenieur |
| Jason: Listen to the phrase again, this time with engineer |
| Rilana: Ich bin Ingenieur. |
| Jason: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace teacher. Say I'm a engineer. |
| {pause} |
| Rilana: Ich bin Ingenieur. |
| Jason: To use a different phrase, replace engineer with translator. |
| Rilana: Übersetzer |
| Jason: translator |
| Rilana: (slow) Übersetzer (regular) Übersetzer |
| Jason: Listen to the phrase again, this time with translator |
| Rilana: Ich bin Übersetzer. |
| Jason: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace the {lang} for engineer. Say I'm a translator. |
| {pause} |
| Rilana: Ich bin Übersetzer. |
| Jason: To make another phrase, replace translator with bank clerk. |
| Rilana: Bankangestellter |
| Jason: bank clerk |
| Rilana: (slow) Bankangestellter (regular) Bankangestellter |
| Jason: Listen to the phrase again, this time with bank clerk |
| Rilana: Ich bin Bankangestellter. |
| Jason: It mostly stays the same. Simply replace the {lang} for translator. Say I'm a bank clerk. |
| {pause} |
| Rilana: Ich bin Bankangestellter. |
| Now it's time for a quiz. Imagine you are visiting Germany and someone asks what you do. You are a teacher. Respond to the question. |
| Rilana: Was machst du beruflich? (five seconds) Ich bin Lehrer. |
| Jason: Imagine you are a engineer Respond to the question. |
| Rilana: Was machst du beruflich? (five seconds) Ich bin Ingenieur. |
| Jason: Imagine you are a translator. . Answer the speaker's question. |
| Rilana: Was machst du beruflich? (five seconds) Ich bin Übersetzer. |
| Jason: Imagine you're bank clerk. Respond to the question. |
| Rilana: Was machst du beruflich? (five seconds) Ich bin Bankangestellter. |
| Jason: You want to learn what that person does. Ask the question |
| (5 seconds) |
| Rilana: Was machst du beruflich? |
| {pause} |
| Jason: Now it's time to answer the question with actual information about yourself. |
| Jason: This is the end of Lesson 4 |
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