German Oral - Useful phrases

I saw there is a French version, so thought there might as well be a German version. If anyone has any useful phrases to add, feel free (ie. phrases to say while you're thinking of answers, good starts of sentences etc etc). I'll add some tomorrow when I find my notes. Also, has anyone been given the report from the examiners after last year's exams? I got given one for French and found it really useful as it tells you common mistakes, what would make the exams sound better etc, but didn't get given one for German.

Reply 1

wilkinson42

One that my german teacher seems to use as an example all the time....

Ich glaube, dass es ein umstrittenes Thema ist.

Reply 2

generalebriety

ähm
also
gut
im Großen und Ganzen
im Allgemeinen
sagen wir...
nehmen wir an...
lassen Sie mich kurz überlegen / darüber nachdenken
das ist schon eine schwierige Frage
daran hatte ich bisher nie gedacht
es kommt darauf an
in vielen / den meisten Fällen würde ich sagen / behaupten, dass...
ich stimme Ihnen zum Teil / in großem/kleinem Maße / absolut / gar nicht zu
damit bin ich zum Teil (usw.) einverstanden
da gibt es ja/doch keine einfache Lösung / Antwort
letzten Endes
auf die Dauer

Reply 3

friendsfanatic

If you want to sound surprised - like when they ask you those really moral questions (like "Can the death pentaly ever be justified?")...

you could say something like:
Oh my! [sigh etc.] Ja mei! [österr./bayer.]
Oh my God! (OMG) Oh mein Gott! (OMG)
Oh my gosh! Mensch!
Dear God!/Good heavens! Du lieber Gott!
Good heavens! Gütiger Himmel!

Reply 4

belli

generalebriety

at the risk of sounding veery stupid and probably incapable of doign german, could you translate all of those scentences into english please

Reply 5

generalebriety

belli

at the risk of sounding veery stupid and probably incapable of doign german, could you translate all of those scentences into english please

Sure.

ähm - err...
also - well...
gut - ok, well
im Großen und Ganzen - at large
im Allgemeinen - generally
sagen wir... - let's say...
nehmen wir an... - let's assume...
lassen Sie mich kurz überlegen / darüber nachdenken - let me think about that for a second
das ist schon eine schwierige Frage - that is indeed a difficult question
daran hatte ich bisher nie gedacht - I'd never thought of that until now
es kommt darauf an - it depends
in vielen / den meisten Fällen würde ich sagen / behaupten, dass... - in many/most cases I would say/claim that...
ich stimme Ihnen zum Teil / in großem/kleinem Maße / absolut / gar nicht zu - I agree with you partly / to a large/small extent / completely / not at all
damit bin ich zum Teil (usw.) einverstanden - I agree with that partly (etc.)
da gibt es ja/doch keine einfache Lösung / Antwort - there is no simple solution/answer*
letzten Endes - in the end
auf die Dauer - in the long run

* adding "ja" to this would make it sound like "there is indeed no simple answer"; adding "doch" makes it sound more in the region of "there's no simple answer, though".

Reply 6

belli

thanks generalebriety- i looked up ahm but cudnt find it well got my oral in 2 hours so hopefulyl these will coem in useful, thanks alot.

Reply 7

person 34

What we alwasy say in class when we know ******* all:

"Schwer zu sagen"

With a thoughtful look on your face.

Reply 8

generalebriety

belli

thanks generalebriety- i looked up ahm but cudnt find it well got my oral in 2 hours so hopefulyl these will coem in useful, thanks alot.

Not surprised. :wink:

Good luck.

Reply 9

hell_o

thanks generalebriety! Ok, here's my input:

zuallererst = first and foremost
zum Abschluss = in conclusion
ausserdem = moreover
uebrigens = incidentally, by the way
und dazu kommt noch, dass = and, what is more,...
weiter = " " " "
natuerlich = of course, naturally
es stimmt, dass = it's true that...
unter anderem = among other things
deswegen/deshalb = that is why
dadurch = in that way, because of that
soweit ich weiss = so far as i know
vor allem = above all, notably
keineswegs = not at all, not in the least
um so mehr, als = all the more, considering
ich habe den Eindruck, dass = my impression is that...
es kommt darauf an, was... = it depends on what...
das hat damit nichts zu tun = that has nothing to do with it
immerhin = all the same
das mag wohl sein = that may well be
wohl, aber... = " " " "
na schoen, aber... = that's all very well, but...
das stimmt auf keinen Fall = that's absolutely untrue
trotzdem/dennoch = nevertheless, despite this
freilich = admittedly
daran gibt es keinen Zweifel = there can be no doubt about that
im Grunde = basically
ich bin davon ueberzeugt, dass... = i'm convinced that...
ehrlich gesagt = to be honest with you
sozusagen = so to speak
was...betrifft = as far as...is concerned
als je zuvor = than ever before

Reply 10

WastingMyThyme

I learnt weswegen last night, meaning why. Just seemed like a useful alternative to saying warum all the time (when not in the interrogative form.)

Reply 11

brown

iDave

I learnt weswegen last night, meaning why. Just seemed like a useful alternative to saying warum all the time (when not in the interrogative form.)

There's also wieso and weshalb. :wink:

Reply 12

WastingMyThyme

brown

There's also wieso and weshalb. :wink:

Awesome, thanks.

Reply 13

Pawafallz

erm
ok then
good
overall
altogether
let's say
for example
let me think for a while
that is a difficult question
I have never thought about this/that
It depends upon
in most cases I would say
I agree with you partially/ mostly/ a bit/ completely/ not at all
So that I am understood partially etc.
There is no easy solution for it
Last end?
Whilst waiting?

Reply 14

Pawafallz

erm
ok then
good
overall
all in all
let's say
just take/ for example
let me think for a moment
that is a hard question
I have never thought about that
it depends on
In most cases I would say
I agree with you partly/ mostly/ a little bit/ completely/ not at all
so that I am understood partially etc.
there is no easy answer to that!
Last end? (Don't know what it means) closest I could get!
of the wait? 60% sure
Hope it helps :smile:

Original post by belli

at the risk of sounding veery stupid and probably incapable of doign german, could you translate all of those scentences into english please

Reply 15

ASDFSFA

umsoGoodon the wholein generalwe say...Let's assume...Let me briefly think / think about itthat is a difficult questionI had never thought of that beforeit depends onin many / most cases I would say / assert that ...I agree with you partially / in large / small / absolutely / not at allI agree with that in part (etc.)there is yes / no easy solution / answerultimatelyon the durationIn the respective order

Reply 16

TheBakedBean

Meiner Meinung nach - The way I see it
In der Wirklichkeit - In reality
Es lohnt sich - It‘s worth it
Eigentlich - Actually / For the most part
Insgesamt - Overall
Aus meiner Sicht - From my point of view
Aus anderer Sicht - From another point of view
Im Vergleichen zu - Compared to
Im Gegensatz zu - Contrary to

(edited 5 years ago)