MICHEL THOMAS GERMAN (BASIC) COURSE, 8 CDs
TRANSCRIPT
This is an approximate transcript of the course, since Michel often changed his mind in the middle of a sentence to be translated, or adapted his sentences for the students. The booklet that accompanied Michel's courses was wholly inadequate, so I have written this transcript. I have found it useful, so maybe other people will, too.
Naturally, it would be foolish to try to learn the language using this transcript, without buying the recordings.
Note that English is my native language, so I don't guarantee that there are no mistakes. Tracks and track times in the recording are shown in brackets.
Version 2, Jan 15th 2006
Transcribed by JK
CD 1 (62.32)
(1) 4.37
(2) 6.58
good
it is
it is good
what
water
(3) 7.58
to drink
do you want?
what do you want?
what do you want to drink?
to eat
what do you want to eat?
to do
what do you want to do?
to come
do you want to come?
with me
(a second verb, which follows a handle verb, goes the end of the sentence)
do want to come with me?
today
do you want to come with me today?
evening
good evening
this evening
do you want to come with me?
(will you = do you want = wollen Sie)
will you come with me tonight?
(4) 5.30
to be
when
here
when do you want to be here?
can you?
can you come with me?
(the first sentence is a request, but the second is a question, so the intonation is raised at the end)
will you please come with me?
yes
no
please
when do you want to come with me?
to see
goodbye
to hear
goodbye (on the phone)
(5) 6.58
when do you want to see it?
can you see it?
I can
I want
you want
if
when do you want?
if you want
we want
you are coming
we are coming
are you coming?
when are you coming?
when do you come?
I come
soon
I'm coming soon
(6) 4.31
to stay
we are staying
(three ways to express the English present tense)
we are staying here
we are staying here today
we are staying here tonight
you are staying
are you staying?
how
to go
we are going
you are going
are you going?
I am going
(7) 4.58
not
now
not now
I want to see it
but
I want to see it but not now
I can see it
I cannot see it
(ich kann nicht es sehen also possible, but is stronger)
I cannot see you
(8) 8.16
to understand
to stand
we understand
we understand you
good, well
very
very good
(to make a German vowel longer, either double it, or add an h. These two words sound the same: mehr, das Meer)
it is very good
very well
we don't understand
we don't understand it
we don't understand you
we don't understand you very well
do you understand?
do you understand it?
me
do you understand me?
don't you understand me?
(9) 7.40
can you understand me?
I cannot
I cannot understand you
I'm sorry
I'm sorry, but
I'm sorry, but I cannot understand you
(recording skips here)
we are not staying
we are not staying here
long (in the sense of time)
we cannot stay here long
how long
how long can you stay here?
I must
I must see it
I must stay here
but I cannot stay here long
I must go soon
(10) 5.06
me (to me)
to bring
to find
I'm sorry but I cannot find it
white
white wine
I know
I know it
I don't know it
where
I don't know where it is, I cannot find it
(end of recording)CD 2 (57.22)
(1) 5.03
I understand
I understand you very well
I don't understand you very well
I cannot understand you very well
will you bring it to me?
can you bring it to me today?
to have
we have
we have it
we don't have it
do you have?
do you have it?
why?
why don't you have it?
(2) 7.32
for me
do you have it for me?
what do you have for me?
it is for me
why can't you understand me?
a little, something
can you bring me something now?
what can you bring me?
why can you not bring it to me now?
(3) 6.08
why don't you have it for me?
I must have it
unfortunately
unfortunately, I cannot do it now
I'm sorry, but I don't have it for you now
you
you (to)
I cannot bring it to you now
because, for
because I don't have it now
(4) 7.03
for you
with you
I cannot bring it to you today, because I don't have it
to have to
to be able to
we have to
you have to
you have to come with me
(5) 8.50
to give
we give
you give
I am giving
I am giving it to you
but I cannot give it to you today, because I don't have it
when do you want to have it?
when can you have it?
when can you have it for me?
to smoke
forbidden
also
me too
I don't smoke
to need
I need it
I don't need it
I don't need it now
do you need it?
when do you need it?
I can bring it to you today
(6) 3.38
I want to have it
will (future tense)
we will have it
you will have it
when will you have it for me?
I will have it for you today
I will have it today
I will see it tonight
I will bring it to you
(7) 4.11
when can you bring it to me?
when do you want to bring it to me?
when will you bring it to me?
when can you bring it to me, because I need it today
I want to have it today, because I need it today
(8) 3.10
at what time?
at what time do you want to have it?
at what time can you be here tonight?
at what time do you want to be here?
at what time can you be here today?
at what time will you be here?
(9) 7.39
to arrive
tomorrow
at what time will you arrive tomorrow?
at what time can you be here tomorrow?
how long can you stay here today?
how long will you stay here?
to wait
will you please do it for me?
when will you do it for me?
will you please stay here with me?
how long will you stay?
(10) 4.08
to say
will you tell me?
when will you tell me?
will you tell me where it is because I cannot find it
I don't know
I'm sorry but I don't know where it is, I cannot find it
(end of recording)CD 3 (56.51)
we go
we don't go
where (to)
where are you going?
where do you want to go?
to go (to)
where do you want to go (to)?
there
(to) there
I want to go there
but I cannot go there today
(2) 1.49
I am
busy
business, store
I am busy
I am very busy now
I am very busy today
(3) 2.54
I will be very busy
...
wree