Comparing an Online Listing with an In-Store Check | Learn German in English

Sentence explanations

1. Der Online-Eintrag ist hilfreich.

   The online listing is helpful.

   Online-Eintrag

   online listing

   hilfreich

   helpful

   More detail

   Online-Eintrag is a compound noun meaning an online listing or entry. The noun is der Eintrag (masculine); Online- specifies the type. In this compound, the final element determines the grammatical gender. Here, der marks the noun phrase as masculine singular nominative, the subject of the sentence. The hyphen is part of the observed spelling. hilfreich means helpful or useful. It is the base form of the adjective and appears after ist, a form of sein (“to be”), so it is used predicatively and has no adjective ending. For example: Die Information ist hilfreich. — “The information is helpful.” Together, Der Online-Eintrag ist hilfreich. states that the online listing is helpful: Der Online-Eintrag is the subject, ist links it to the description, and hilfreich gives that description.

2. Aber ich möchte den Rucksack persönlich ausprobieren.

   But I want to try the backpack in person.

   ich möchte

   I want

   Rucksack

   backpack

   persönlich

   in person

   ausprobieren

   try out

   More detail

   ich möchte expresses the speaker’s wish: “I want to.” möchte is the first-person singular Konjunktiv II form of mögen, commonly used to express a present wish or preference; it is followed here by an infinitive. For example: Ich möchte gehen. — “I want to leave.” Rucksack means “backpack.” Its base form is the masculine noun der Rucksack. Here it is the direct object, so the masculine accusative article is den: den Rucksack. The noun itself does not change in this singular form. For example: Ich kaufe den Rucksack. — “I am buying the backpack.” persönlich means “personally” or “in person” in this sentence. It indicates that the speaker wants to try the backpack in person rather than rely only on the online listing. As an adjective, persönlich can also modify a noun, as in meine persönliche Meinung — “my personal opinion.” ausprobieren means “to try out” or “to test.” It is a separable verb: in a finite main clause, the parts separate, as in Ich probiere den Rucksack aus. — “I am trying out the backpack.” After möchte, however, the infinitive remains together and goes to the end: Ich möchte den Rucksack ausprobieren. Together, ich möchte + the object den Rucksack + persönlich + the infinitive ausprobieren gives: “But I want to try the backpack in person.” Aber at the beginning adds the contrast “but” to the preceding statement about the online listing.

3. Im Geschäft kannst du die Träger, den Reißverschluss und das Material genau prüfen.

   In the shop, you can check the straps, zipper, and material closely.

   Im Geschäft

   in the shop

   kannst du

   you can

   die Träger

   the straps

   den Reißverschluss

   the zipper

   das Material

   the material

   genau

   closely

   prüfen

   check

   More detail

   Im Geschäft means “in the shop.” im is the contraction of in dem; here in takes the dative because this is a location, not movement into the shop. Geschäft is neuter: das Geschäft, and the dative form after in is dem Geschäft. kannst du expresses “you can.” kannst is the second-person singular present form of können (“can, be able to”): ich kann, du kannst, er/sie/es kann. The subject is du, and the modal verb is in second position. With können, the main action appears as an infinitive later in the clause. die Träger means “the straps.” This is the plural of der Träger in the intended sense. The plural article is die; in the accusative plural, it remains die. Example: Ich prüfe die Träger. — “I check the straps.” den Reißverschluss means “the zipper.” Reißverschluss is masculine: der Reißverschluss. Because it is the object being checked, it is accusative, giving den Reißverschluss. Example: Sie öffnet den Reißverschluss. — “She opens the zipper.” das Material means “the material.” Material is neuter, with the form das Material in both nominative and accusative singular. Example: Wir prüfen das Material. — “We check the material.” genau is an adverb meaning “closely” or “carefully” here. It describes how the checking is done. It can also mean “exactly” in other contexts, but the intended meaning here is careful inspection. prüfen is the infinitive “to check” or “to inspect.” Its base form is prüfen; with du as an ordinary present-tense verb, it is du prüfst. After the modal kannst, it stays in the infinitive and goes to the end: Du kannst das Material prüfen. — “You can check the material.” The sentence follows the reusable pattern location + modal verb + subject + objects + manner adverb + infinitive: Im Geschäft kannst du die Träger, den Reißverschluss und das Material genau prüfen. The location is the shop, kannst du says that you are able to do the action, the three accusative objects name what is inspected, genau specifies the manner, and prüfen supplies the main action. Together: “In the shop, you can check the straps, zipper, and material closely.”

4. In mehreren Bewertungen werden schwache Reißverschlüsse erwähnt, deshalb möchte ich diesen Teil sorgfältig testen.

   Several reviews mention weak zippers, so I want to test that part carefully.

   mehreren

   several

   Bewertungen

   reviews

   schwache

   weak

   Reißverschlüsse

   zippers

   erwähnt

   mentions

   deshalb

   therefore

   möchte ich

   I want to

   diesen

   that

   Teil

   part

   sorgfältig

   carefully

   testen

   test

   More detail

   mehreren means “several” here and is the dative plural form of mehrere, because in introduces a location or context expressed with the dative in this phrase. Compare mehrere Bewertungen (nominative or accusative plural) with in mehreren Bewertungen (dative plural). Bewertungen is the plural of Bewertung, “review” or “assessment.” The phrase in mehreren Bewertungen therefore means “in several reviews.” The indefinite quantity is supplied by mehreren; the noun itself does not express that number. schwache is the inflected form of the adjective schwach, “weak.” It describes plural Reißverschlüsse here, and its ending reflects the noun phrase’s grammatical case and determiner pattern. Useful comparison forms are schwach (weak), schwächer (weaker), and am schwächsten (weakest). Example: Dieser Reißverschluss ist schwach. — “This zipper is weak.” Reißverschlüsse is the plural of Reißverschluss, “zipper.” The compound is written as one noun in German; its plural changes the ending to -e and also changes the vowel: der Reißverschluss → die Reißverschlüsse. In this sentence it is the subject of the passive clause. erwähnt comes from the verb erwähnen, “to mention.” In werden ... erwähnt, it is the past participle used with werden to form the present passive: the reviews mention weak zippers, presented from the perspective of the zippers being mentioned. Example: Das Problem wird erwähnt. — “The problem is mentioned.” deshalb means “therefore” or “so” and links the review information to the speaker’s decision. It is an adverb, and when it occupies the first position of the next clause, the finite verb follows it directly: Deshalb möchte ich ..., not Deshalb ich möchte .... möchte ich expresses “I would like to” or, in this context, “I want to.” möchte is the first-person singular form used for the speaker’s present wish or intention; it is conventionally taught as the polite/wish form related to mögen. The subject is ich, “I.” Example: Ich möchte das prüfen. — “I want to check that.” diesen is the masculine singular accusative form of the demonstrative determiner dies-, meaning “this” or “that” in the intended context. It agrees with the masculine noun Teil; the accusative form marks that noun phrase as the object of testen. Demonstratives also change with gender, number, and case, so dieser Teil is nominative, while diesen Teil is accusative. Teil means “part” or “section.” diesen Teil is the object being tested. The fixed translation identifies it as “that part”; the demonstrative points to a specific part already relevant in the situation, without changing the noun’s basic meaning. sorgfältig is an adverb meaning “carefully” here. It describes how the testing is carried out and does not inflect. The related adjective is also sorgfältig: eine sorgfältige Prüfung means “a careful inspection,” while sorgfältig testen means “to test carefully.” testen is the infinitive “to test.” It follows the modal-like wish form möchte, so the finite form carries the person and the lexical verb remains in the infinitive: Ich möchte den Teil testen. — “I want to test the part.” Together, In mehreren Bewertungen werden schwache Reißverschlüsse erwähnt says that weak zippers are mentioned in several reviews. deshalb connects that information to the intention möchte ich diesen Teil sorgfältig testen: as a result, the speaker wants to test that part carefully. The complete meaning is: “Several reviews mention weak zippers, so I want to test that part carefully.”

5. Dann versuche, ihn ein paar Mal zu öffnen.

   Then try opening it a few times.

   Dann

   then

   versuche

   try

   ihn

   it

   ein paar Mal

   a few times

   öffnen

   open

   More detail

   Dann means “then” here: it places the action after something already established. Example: Dann gehen wir. — “Then we’ll go.” versuche is the informal singular imperative of versuchen (“to try”). The ending -e is a possible written or careful imperative form; colloquial German also commonly uses Versuch!. In this sentence, versuche asks one person to make an attempt. Example: Versuche es noch einmal. — “Try it once more.” ihn is the accusative singular masculine pronoun, meaning “him” or “it” when the referent is grammatically masculine. Here the fixed translation and the preceding context support “it,” referring to the masculine Teil (“part”) being tested. Compare the object forms: ihn for a masculine referent, sie for a feminine or plural referent, and es for a neuter singular referent. Example: Ich sehe ihn. — “I see him/it.” ein paar Mal means “a few times.” Mal is the noun “time” in the sense of an occurrence, and ein paar expresses a small, non-exact number here. Example: Lies den Satz ein paar Mal. — “Read the sentence a few times.” öffnen is the infinitive “to open.” After versuchen, German commonly uses zu plus an infinitive: versuchen, etwas zu öffnen means “try to open something.” In this sentence, zu appears directly before the infinitive as zu öffnen. Example: Sie versucht, die Tür zu öffnen. — “She is trying to open the door.” Together, versuche, ihn ... zu öffnen forms the request “try to open it”; ein paar Mal specifies that the attempt should be repeated a small number of times, and Dann places this request after the preceding step. The whole utterance means: “Then try opening it a few times.”

6. Frag vor deiner Entscheidung nach der Umtauschregelung.

   Ask about the exchange policy before you decide.

   Frag … nach

   ask about

   vor

   before

   Entscheidung

   decision

   Umtauschregelung

   exchange policy

   More detail

   Frag … nach is the separable verb nachfragen in the informal singular imperative. Here it means “ask about” something: Du fragst nach der Regelung = “You ask about the policy.” In the imperative, the verb appears as Frag at the beginning and the particle nach at the end of this clause. The subject du is understood and is not stated. Example: Frag bitte nach. — “Please ask about it.” vor means “before” here. With a noun phrase, it forms a time expression: vor der Entscheidung = “before the decision.” The following noun phrase is in the dative after this temporal use of vor; the feminine article is der rather than the nominative die. deiner Entscheidung means “your decision.” Entscheidung is a feminine noun: die Entscheidung; in this sentence, deiner marks informal singular “your” and agrees with the feminine noun in the required case. The possessive form does not itself say who is being addressed beyond the informal singular form. Example: Vor deiner Reise prüfst du die Adresse. — “Before your trip, you check the address.” Umtauschregelung means “exchange policy” or “exchange regulations.” It is a compound noun, written as one word, referring here to the rules for exchanging the relevant item. It is feminine: die Umtauschregelung; after nach in the sense “ask about,” the phrase is nach der Umtauschregelung. Example: Ich frage nach der Umtauschregelung. — “I ask about the exchange policy.” Together, Frag nach der Umtauschregelung means “Ask about the exchange policy.” Adding vor deiner Entscheidung places that request in time: “before you decide.” The complete utterance is therefore: “Ask about the exchange policy before you decide.”

7. Der hier fühlt sich stabiler an, obwohl die Website die Farbauswahl klarer zeigt.

   The one here feels stronger, though the website shows the color options more clearly.

   Der hier

   the one here

   fühlt sich … an

   feels

   stabiler

   stronger; more stable

   die Website

   the website

   die Farbauswahl

   the color options

   klarer

   more clearly

   zeigt

   shows

   More detail

   Der hier means “the one here.” Der is a masculine singular demonstrative pronoun used independently; its grammatical form indicates a masculine singular referent, while hier locates it. The exact item is not identified in the supplied sentence. This differs from dieser (“this one”), which more directly presents something as demonstratively selected. fühlt sich ... an is the separable-verb pattern sich anfühlen (“to feel / seem”). In this sentence, the subject Der hier comes before the reflexive pronoun sich, and the prefix an moves to the end: Das fühlt sich gut an. — “That feels good.” The form fühlt is third-person singular present, matching Der hier; sich ... an belongs to the verb and should not be treated as two independent meanings here. stabiler is the comparative form of the adjective stabil: stabil → stabiler (“stable” → “more stable”). Here it describes how the item feels, with the translation’s “stronger” conveying the intended comparison. A comparison is implied, but the comparison partner is not named in the sentence. The ending -er belongs to stabil, not to the nearby pronoun. obwohl introduces a contrast: “although” or “though.” It begins the subordinate clause obwohl die Website die Farbauswahl klarer zeigt. In that clause, the finite verb zeigt comes at the end. die Website means “the website.” Website is a feminine noun, and die is its definite article in the form used here. The noun is the subject of the subordinate clause, so it is the thing doing the showing. Example: Die Website zeigt die Preise. — “The website shows the prices.” die Farbauswahl means “the color options” here. It is a compound noun: Farbe (“color”) + Auswahl (“selection”), written as one noun in German. The compound refers to the available color selection, which can naturally be translated as “color options.” The feminine article die belongs to the whole noun Farbauswahl; the compound’s gender follows its final component, Auswahl. klarer is the comparative of klar (“clear”): klar → klarer (“clear” → “clearer”). Here it functions adverbially and describes the manner of zeigt: the website shows the options “more clearly.” German uses the same comparative form for an adjective and its adverbial use in this context; the role is understood from what it modifies. This is separate from stabiler, which compares the felt quality of the item. zeigt is the third-person singular present form of zeigen (“to show”): ich zeige, du zeigst, sie/er/es zeigt. Its subject here is die Website, and its object is die Farbauswahl. Example: Die Anzeige zeigt den Weg. — “The display shows the way.” Together, Der hier fühlt sich stabiler an says that the one located here feels more stable or stronger. obwohl die Website die Farbauswahl klarer zeigt adds the contrasting point that the website shows the color options more clearly. The whole utterance means: “The one here feels stronger, though the website shows the color options more clearly.”

8. Nutze die Website für die Auswahl.

   Use the website for the options.

   Nutze

   use

   Website

   website

   Auswahl

   selection; options

   More detail

   Nutze is the singular informal imperative of nutzen (“to use”), addressed to one person. The formal command is Nutzen Sie, while the informal command to more than one person is Nutzt. Example: Nutze diese Chance. — “Use this opportunity.” Website is a feminine noun: die Website. In die Website, the article form is also die in the accusative singular, which is the case used for the direct object of nutze; the noun itself does not show a visible case change here. für die Auswahl means “for the selection” or, in this context, “for the options.” für takes the accusative case, and die Auswahl is a feminine noun meaning a selection or range of options. Example: Wir nutzen die App für die Auswahl. — “We use the app for selecting the options.” Together, Nutze die Website gives the command “Use the website,” and für die Auswahl specifies its purpose: “for the options.” The complete utterance is therefore “Use the website for the options.”

9. Nutze den Besuch im Geschäft, um die Qualität zu beurteilen.

   Use the shop visit to judge the quality.

   Nutze

   use

   Besuch

   visit

   Geschäft

   shop

   um … zu

   in order to

   Qualität

   quality

   beurteilen

   judge

   More detail

   Nutze is the informal singular imperative of nutzen (“to use”). It addresses one person directly. The formal imperative is Nutzen Sie; do not use that form when addressing someone informally. den Besuch means “the visit” here. Besuch is a masculine noun, so the definite article is den in the accusative case after nutze: Nutze den Besuch (“Use the visit”). Its plural is Besuche. im Geschäft means “in the shop/store.” im is the contraction of in dem. Geschäft is a neuter noun; its plural is Geschäfte. In this sentence, im Geschäft specifies which visit is meant: the visit in the shop. um ... zu introduces a purpose: “in order to ...”. The infinitive clause has the same understood subject as the main clause, so the person being told to use the visit is also the person who is to judge the quality. A reusable pattern is Ich lerne, um die Prüfung zu bestehen — “I study in order to pass the exam.” die Qualität means “the quality.” Qualität is a feminine noun, and die has the same form in the nominative and accusative singular. Here it is the object of beurteilen. beurteilen is the infinitive “to judge” or “to assess.” After um, the infinitive appears with zu: um ... zu beurteilen. Example: Wir beurteilen den Service. — “We assess the service.” Together, Nutze den Besuch im Geschäft gives the instruction “Use the visit to the shop,” and um die Qualität zu beurteilen states its purpose, “in order to judge the quality.” The complete utterance therefore means: “Use the shop visit to judge the quality.”

10. So kann ich sie besser vergleichen.

    That gives me a clearer way to compare them.

    So

    this way

    kann ich

    I can

    sie

    them

    besser

    better

    vergleichen

    compare

    More detail

    So means “in this way” here. It points to the method just described: using the shop visit to assess quality. It is an adverb, not the demonstrative “this” before a noun. A reusable pattern is So + clause: “That way, …” or “This makes it possible to …” kann ich combines kann, the first-person singular present form of können (“can, be able to”), with ich (“I”). The modal verb is conjugated for the subject, while the other verb stays in the infinitive and moves to the end. Compare: Ich kann vergleichen. — “I can compare.” The form kann is for ich and er/sie/es; plural subjects use können, as in Wir können vergleichen. sie means “them” in this sentence. The fixed translation identifies it as a plural object of comparison, without specifying the items further. In German, sie can have several grammatical roles, but here its object role is shown by the intended meaning and by its position with vergleichen; the context does not require naming a particular referent. besser is the comparative form of gut (“good”): gut → besser → am besten (“good” → “better” → “best”). Here it describes comparing more clearly or effectively, rather than asserting that the items themselves are better. A useful example is Mit diesen Informationen kann ich besser entscheiden. — “With this information, I can make a better decision.” vergleichen means “to compare.” It is the infinitive used after the modal kann; the full pattern is kann + object + besser + infinitive. The verb commonly appears with two things being compared, for example Ich vergleiche zwei Angebote. — “I compare two offers.” Together, So kann ich sie besser vergleichen means “That gives me a clearer way to compare them.” So links the ability to the method previously mentioned, kann ich expresses the speaker’s ability, sie supplies the plural object, and besser vergleichen says that the comparison can be made more effectively. The sentence is neutral and reusable in contexts where a method or source of information improves a comparison.

11. Wähle den, der zuverlässig wirkt und trotzdem den Stil hat, den du möchtest.

    Choose the one that feels reliable and still has the style you want.

    Wähle

    choose

    den

    the one

    der

    that/who

    zuverlässig

    reliable

    wirkt

    seems

    trotzdem

    still

    Stil

    style

    hat

    has

    den

    that/which

    du

    you

    möchtest

    want

    More detail

    Wähle is the singular informal imperative of wählen (“to choose”), addressing one person with du. Example: Wähle ein Buch. — “Choose a book.” The first den is a masculine accusative singular pronoun meaning “the one.” Its accusative form marks it as the object of wähle; the sentence does not identify the item's concrete noun or referent. der begins a relative clause. It is masculine nominative singular because it is the subject of wirkt; its grammatical gender matches the antecedent represented by den, while its nominative case comes from its role in this clause. German relative pronouns take their case from their role inside the relative clause, not from the role of the antecedent in the main clause. zuverlässig means “reliable.” With wirkt, it is a predicative adjective in its uninflected form and describes how the item comes across. unzuverlässig means “unreliable.” wirkt is the third-person singular present form of wirken (“to seem” or “to have an effect”). With an adjective such as zuverlässig, it means “seems reliable” or “comes across as reliable,” rather than stating reliability as an absolute fact. Example: Das wirkt teuer. — “That seems expensive.” trotzdem means “still” or “nevertheless.” Here it links the impression of reliability with the additional point that the item has the desired style. Stil means “style.” It is a masculine noun. Example: Ich mag diesen Stil. — “I like this style.” hat is the third-person singular present form of haben (“to have”). Its subject is the item represented by the first den; here, hat says that this item has a particular style. The second den is a masculine accusative singular relative pronoun. It refers to Stil and is the object of möchtest, giving “the style that you want.” This is a different grammatical use from the first den, even though the written form is the same. du is the informal singular “you” and is the subject of möchtest. möchtest is the second-person singular form used with du for “want” or “would like.” It is the Konjunktiv II form associated with mögen, but in this use it is learned as the common expression of a wish or desired option, not as an ordinary present-tense form of mögen. Example: Du möchtest diesen Stil. — “You want this style.” The structure is Wähle den, der ... wirkt und trotzdem den Stil hat, den du möchtest. The imperative asks the listener to choose one item. The first relative clause identifies it by how reliable it seems; und trotzdem adds that it also has the style the listener wants. The final relative clause specifies which style. Together, the utterance means: “Choose the one that feels reliable and still has the style you want.”