German A2.25 Listening Practice: Say What You Are Trying To Do
German A2 listening practice with audio, transcript, key phrases, and a speaking challenge for say what you are trying to do.
Podcast listening is in beta while creation and discussion tools are refined. This published chapter includes its complete segmented audio and transcript.
Level
A2.25
Audio
Segmented audio
Transcript
14 segments
What to notice while you listen
What you'll understand
State an attempt to complete one familiar action.
Use versuchen with the selected complement das zu verstehen and keep zu directly before the infinitive.
New pattern
the bounded complement pattern versuchen plus zu-infinitive
Practice aloud after listening
Ich versuche, das zu verstehen.
I am trying to understand that.
A short German listening chapter with transcript.
Say that you are trying to understand something with one controlled complement frame.
Read while you listen.
1. Hanna · Teacher
Welcome to today's episode! I'm Hanna, and today we're practicing how to say what you are trying to do using the verb 'versuchen' in German.
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2. Lukas · Student
Hi everyone, I'm Lukas! I know 'versuchen' means to try, but I always forget where to put 'zu'.
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3. Hanna · Teacher
Don't worry, Lukas! Let me host and guide us through this pattern. Let me play a short scene between Felix and Clara.
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4. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Clara, liest du noch das Formular?
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5. Clara · Native Speaker 2
Ja, ich versuche, das zu verstehen.
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6. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Ist die Sprache darin sehr schwer?
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7. Clara · Native Speaker 2
Ein bisschen, aber ich versuche, die Sätze zu lesen.
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8. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Gut, sag mir Bescheid, wenn du Hilfe brauchst!
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9. Hanna · Teacher
Let's look at Clara's sentence: 'Ich versuche, das zu verstehen.' It means 'I am trying to understand that.' Notice how 'versuchen' triggers a complement structure where 'zu' stands directly before the infinitive 'verstehen'.
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10. Lukas · Student
Does 'zu' always go right before the infinitive at the end of the clause?
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11. Hanna · Teacher
Yes, exactly. Any objects, like 'das' or 'die Sätze', come first, and 'zu' sits directly in front of the final infinitive verb.
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12. Hanna · Teacher
Now look at her next sentence: 'Ich versuche, die Sätze zu lesen.' This means 'I am trying to read the sentences.' Here, 'die Sätze' is the accusative object, followed by 'zu lesen'.
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13. Lukas · Student
So if I want to try doing something, I put 'versuche' early in the sentence and end with 'zu' plus the infinitive?
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14. Hanna · Teacher
That's spot on! Keep practicing this pattern, and you'll speak with confidence in no time.
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