German B1.4 Listening Practice: Turn Known Object Forms Back To The Subject
German B1 listening practice with audio, transcript, key phrases, and a speaking challenge for turn known object forms back to the subject.
Podcast listening is in beta while creation and discussion tools are refined. This published chapter includes its complete segmented audio and transcript.
Level
B1.4
Audio
Segmented audio
Transcript
21 segments
What to notice while you listen
What you'll understand
Use a small practiced set of everyday accusative reflexive verbs.
Use known accusative forms mich and dich reflexively, add sich for third person, and learn each new selected verb together with its explicitly introduced governed complement.
New pattern
accusative reflexive use of mich, dich, and sich plus the bounded lexical packages sich erinnern an plus accusative, sich freuen auf plus accusative, and sich beeilen; die Reise, plural die Reisen, is introduced with this set
Practice aloud after listening
Ich erinnere mich an den Termin, und ich freue mich auf die Reise.
I remember the appointment, and I am looking forward to the trip.
A short German listening chapter with transcript.
Reuse familiar object forms when the subject and object refer to the same person, but learn each verb together with its required complement.
Read while you listen.
1. Hanna · Teacher
Welcome to today's German lesson! Today, we are focusing on reflexive verbs where the action turns back to the subject, like 'sich beeilen', 'sich erinnern an', and 'sich freuen auf'. Let's listen to Felix and Clara.
Audio ready
2. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Ich beeile mich schon, Clara!
Audio ready
3. Clara · Native Speaker 2
Erinnerst du dich an unseren Termin um zwei Uhr?
Audio ready
4. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Ja, ich erinnere mich an den Termin.
Audio ready
5. Clara · Native Speaker 2
Und freust du dich auf die Reise morgen?
Audio ready
6. Felix · Native Speaker 1
Ich erinnere mich an den Termin, und ich freue mich auf die Reise.
Audio ready
7. Hanna · Teacher
In the first sentence, Felix said: 'Ich beeile mich schon, Clara!' This means 'I'm already hurrying, Clara!' The verb 'sich beeilen' means 'to hurry' and uses 'mich' for 'ich'.
Audio ready
8. Lukas · Student
So 'sich beeilen' doesn't need an extra preposition like 'with' or 'to'?
Audio ready
9. Hanna · Teacher
That's right, Lukas! 'Sich beeilen' takes no governed prepositional complement, so you simply say 'Ich beeile mich' or 'Sie beeilt sich'.
Audio ready
10. Hanna · Teacher
Next, Clara asked: 'Erinnerst du dich an unseren Termin um zwei Uhr?' which means 'Do you remember our appointment at two o'clock?' Note that 'der Termin' means appointment, and its plural is 'die Termine'.
Audio ready
11. Lukas · Student
Why does she use the preposition 'an' with 'sich erinnern'?
Audio ready
12. Hanna · Teacher
In German, 'sich erinnern an' specifically pairs with 'an' followed by the accusative case to mean 'to remember something'.
Audio ready
13. Hanna · Teacher
Felix then replied: 'Ja, ich erinnere mich an den Termin.' Meaning 'Yes, I remember the appointment.'
Audio ready
14. Lukas · Student
Why did 'der Termin' turn into 'den Termin' here?
Audio ready
15. Hanna · Teacher
Because 'an' takes the accusative case with 'sich erinnern', changing the masculine article 'der' to 'den'.
Audio ready
16. Hanna · Teacher
After that, Clara asked: 'Und freust du dich auf die Reise morgen?' which means 'And are you looking forward to the trip tomorrow?' The noun 'die Reise' means trip, with the plural 'die Reisen'.
Audio ready
17. Lukas · Student
Does 'sich freuen auf' always express anticipation for something in the future?
Audio ready
18. Hanna · Teacher
Exactly! 'Sich freuen auf' plus the accusative case is used when looking forward to an upcoming event.
Audio ready
19. Hanna · Teacher
Finally, Felix said: 'Ich erinnere mich an den Termin, und ich freue mich auf die Reise.' This translates to 'I remember the appointment, and I am looking forward to the trip.'
Audio ready
20. Lukas · Student
So both 'sich erinnern an' and 'sich freuen auf' govern accusative objects?
Audio ready
21. Hanna · Teacher
Yes, both prepositions require the accusative case in these standard patterns. Great job today!
Audio ready