German A2.25 Listening Practice: Say What You Are Trying To Do
Listen to a A2 German dialogue about say what you are trying to do, with audio, transcript, and grammar notes for language learning.
Podcast listening pages are in beta while chapter audio, transcripts, and discussion flows are still being completed.
Level
A2.25
Audio
Segmented audio
Transcript
14 segments
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.
Audio ready
2. Lukas · Student
Hi everyone, I'm Lukas! I know 'versuchen' means to try, but I always forget where to put 'zu'.
Audio ready
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.
Audio ready
4. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Clara, liest du noch das Formular?
Audio ready
5. Clara · Native Speaker 2
Ja, ich versuche, das zu verstehen.
Audio ready
6. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Ist die Sprache darin sehr schwer?
Audio ready
7. Clara · Native Speaker 2
Ein bisschen, aber ich versuche, die Sätze zu lesen.
Audio ready
8. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Gut, sag mir Bescheid, wenn du Hilfe brauchst!
Audio ready
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'.
Audio ready
10. Lukas · Student
Does 'zu' always go right before the infinitive at the end of the clause?
Audio ready
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.
Audio ready
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'.
Audio ready
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?
Audio ready
14. Hanna · Teacher
That's spot on! Keep practicing this pattern, and you'll speak with confidence in no time.
Audio ready