Resolving a shelf-label mismatch | Learn German in English

Sentence explanations

1. Die Kasse zeigt diesen Artikel als einen anderen Artikel an.

   The register shows this as a different item.

   Kasse

   register

   zeigt … an

   shows

   diesen

   this

   Artikel

   item

   als

   as

   anderen

   different

   More detail

   Kasse means “register” here. It is a feminine noun: die Kasse; its plural is die Kassen. Example: Die Kasse ist offen. — “The register is open.” zeigt ... an comes from the separable verb anzeigen, “to show” or “to display.” Here, zeigt is the third-person singular present-tense form, and the prefix an appears at the end of the clause: Die Kasse zeigt den Preis an. — “The register displays the price.” The two parts belong together even though they are separated. diesen is the masculine accusative form of the demonstrative determiner dies-, meaning “this.” It agrees with the masculine noun Artikel in diesen Artikel. Compare dieser Artikel in the masculine nominative and diese Artikel with a plural noun. Artikel means “item” here. It is a masculine noun: der Artikel; its plural is die Artikel, with no change in the noun’s form. The same noun can also mean “article” in a text, but “item” is the relevant meaning here. als introduces the classification under which something is displayed: “as.” In the pattern etwas als X anzeigen, the displayed thing is presented as X. Example: Das System zeigt die Datei als Bild an. — “The system displays the file as an image.” anderen is the inflected attributive form of the adjective andere, meaning “different” or “another.” In einen anderen Artikel, it modifies the masculine accusative noun Artikel; after einen, the adjective has the ending -en. The related form anders is used predicatively or adverbially: Das ist anders. — “That is different.” Together, Die Kasse zeigt diesen Artikel identifies what the register displays, while als einen anderen Artikel says how it classifies that item. The separable verb is completed by an at the end, so the whole utterance means: “The register shows this as a different item.”

2. Aber das Preisschild war unter diesem Produkt.

   But the shelf label was under this product.

   Aber

   but

   das Preisschild

   the shelf label

   war

   was

   unter

   under

   diesem

   this

   Produkt

   product

   More detail

   Aber introduces a contrast with something previously mentioned. It is the ordinary German equivalent of “but” and normally connects two contrasting statements. das Preisschild means “the shelf label” here. The compound is Preis (“price”) + Schild (“sign” or “label”); its grammatical gender is neuter, so the definite article is das. The plural is die Preisschilder. war is the simple past form of sein (“to be”) for ich, er, sie, and es; in this sentence it is used with the singular noun das Preisschild. Present: ist; past: war; plural past: waren. Example: Das Schild war dort. — “The sign was there.” unter means “under” in this location expression. With a stationary location, it takes the dative: unter + dative. With movement to a position, it can take the accusative instead: Das Schild fällt unter das Produkt. — “The sign falls under the product.” This sentence describes location, so the following noun phrase is dative. diesem means “this” and is the dative singular form used with the neuter noun Produkt here. The demonstrative forms include dieser (masculine nominative), diese (feminine nominative or plural), and dieses (neuter nominative or accusative); the dative singular forms are diesem for masculine and neuter, and dieser for feminine. The form marks the grammatical case and gender/number of its noun; the word itself does not identify a more specific referent than the supplied context supports. Produkt means “product.” It is a neuter noun: das Produkt; its plural is die Produkte. After the locational unter, it appears as the dative phrase diesem Produkt. Together, unter diesem Produkt means “under this product,” expressing a fixed location. Das Preisschild war unter diesem Produkt means “The shelf label was under this product.” With the contrast marker at the beginning, the complete utterance is: “But the shelf label was under this product.”

3. Ich prüfe das Preisschild, bevor ich an der Kasse etwas ändere.

   I'll check the shelf label before changing anything at the register.

   prüfe

   check

   Preisschild

   shelf label

   bevor

   before

   an der Kasse

   at the register

   etwas

   something; anything in this context

   ändere

   change

   More detail

   prüfe is the first-person singular present form of prüfen (“to check”): ich prüfe = “I check/I am checking.” German present tense can also express a planned near-future action, which supports “I’ll check” here. Example: Ich prüfe die Rechnung. — “I check the bill.” Preisschild means “price label” or “shelf label” here. It is a compound of Preis (“price”) and Schild (“label/sign”). German compounds are written as one word, and the final part, Schild, determines the noun’s grammatical gender: das Preisschild. Example: Das Preisschild ist gut sichtbar. — “The price label is clearly visible.” bevor means “before” and introduces a subordinate clause. In this sentence, the checking happens before the changing: Ich prüfe ..., bevor ich ... ändere. The finite verb in the clause after bevor goes to the end. This is a subordinating conjunction, not the preposition vor, which is used in different structures. Example: Ich rufe an, bevor ich losfahre. — “I call before I leave.” an der Kasse means “at the register/checkout.” Kasse is feminine, and der here is its dative singular article after the location use of an: an der Kasse. The phrase identifies the place associated with changing something. etwas means “something” here and functions as the object of ändere. In this context, the fixed translation naturally uses “anything” because the action is presented generally: etwas can have that context-dependent English equivalent. Example: Ich möchte etwas kaufen. — “I would like to buy something.” ändere is the first-person singular present form of ändern (“to change”): ich ändere. The ä is part of the verb’s stem in this form; it is not an ending added to the preceding noun. Example: Ich ändere den Plan. — “I change the plan.” Together, Ich prüfe das Preisschild means “I’ll check the shelf label.” The sequence bevor ich an der Kasse etwas ändere adds “before changing anything at the register”: the check comes first, and the change is the later action. Thus the whole utterance means: “I’ll check the shelf label before changing anything at the register.”

4. Es war direkt unter dieser Größe.

   It was directly below this size.

   Es war

   it was

   direkt

   directly

   unter

   below

   dieser

   this

   Größe

   size

   More detail

   Es war is the past form of sein (“to be”): sein → war for the third-person singular in the simple past. Here es is the subject translated as “it”; the supplied sentence does not identify exactly what “it” refers to. Example: Es war dort. — “It was there.” direkt is an adverb meaning “directly” or “right.” It modifies the location expressed by the following words, making the position precise. Example: Der Tisch steht direkt unter dem Fenster. — “The table is directly below the window.” unter means “under” or “below.” With a stationary location, as here, German uses the dative case: unter can take the accusative when movement toward a position is expressed, but the position itself is dative. Compare: Es liegt unter dem Tisch. — “It is under the table.” / Ich stelle es unter den Tisch. — “I put it under the table.” dieser means “this” here and is the feminine singular dative form of the demonstrative determiner dies-. It takes this form because it determines Größe, which is feminine, and because unter expresses a stationary location in the dative here. The forms include diese Größe (nominative or accusative), dieser Größe (dative), and dieser Größe can also be genitive in some contexts; the case must therefore be understood from the construction, not from the form alone. Größe means “size.” It is a feminine noun: die Größe; its plural is die Größen. In this sentence it refers to the size used as the positional reference point. Example: Diese Größe ist nicht verfügbar. — “This size is not available.” Together, Es war direkt unter dieser Größe places the unspecified “it” directly below the indicated size: “It was directly below this size.” The past form war locates that situation in the past, while unter dieser Größe gives the stationary position.

5. Das Preisschild stimmt nicht mit dem Artikel in unserem System überein.

   The label doesn't match the item in our system.

   Preisschild

   price label

   stimmt … überein

   matches

   Artikel

   item

   System

   system

   More detail

   Preisschild means “price label” here. It is a compound noun: Preis + Schild. The noun is neuter: das Preisschild; its plural is die Preisschilder. In the sentence, Das is the neuter definite article referring to this label. stimmt ... überein is the separated form of übereinstimmen, “to match” or “to agree.” With a third-person singular subject, the present-tense form is stimmt; the separable part überein appears at the end of the clause. The comparison is introduced by mit plus the dative: mit etwas übereinstimmen = “to match something.” Example: Die Angaben stimmen überein. — “The details match.” Artikel means “item” in this context. The noun is masculine: der Artikel; after mit, it appears as dative dem Artikel. Although Artikel can also mean “article” in other contexts, the fixed translation identifies the intended meaning here as a store item. System means “system.” It is neuter: das System. In unserem System, the possessive form unserem is dative neuter because in describes a location here: “in our system.” The possessive agrees with System, not with the person speaking. Together, Das Preisschild is the subject, and stimmt ... überein says that it matches. mit dem Artikel identifies what it is compared with, while in unserem System specifies the system associated with that item. The whole utterance therefore means: “The label doesn’t match the item in our system.” The negation is carried by nicht, which reverses the positive relation expressed by stimmt ... überein.

6. Könnten Sie das korrigieren, bevor ich bezahle?

   Could you correct it before I pay?

   Könnten Sie

   could you

   das

   it

   korrigieren

   correct

   bevor

   before

   ich

   I

   bezahle

   pay

   More detail

   Könnten Sie combines the formal address pronoun Sie with könnten, the second-person formal form of können in the Konjunktiv II. In this request, it corresponds to a polite “could you.” Sie is capitalized for formal “you”; its verb form is grammatically third-person plural, even when addressing one person. Example: Könnten Sie das wiederholen? — “Could you repeat that?” das is an accusative neuter pronoun meaning “it” here. It stands for the thing being corrected, without repeating its noun. The form das can also be a neuter article or demonstrative in other structures, so its role must be read from the sentence. Example: Ich sehe das. — “I see it.” korrigieren is the infinitive “to correct.” It remains in the infinitive after the modal verb könnten; the modal carries the person and tense/mood marking. Example: Sie können den Fehler korrigieren. — “You can correct the error.” bevor introduces a subordinate clause meaning “before.” In a German subordinate clause introduced by bevor, the conjugated verb normally goes to the end. Example: Rufen Sie mich an, bevor Sie beginnen. — “Call me before you begin.” ich is the first-person singular pronoun “I.” It is the subject of the subordinate clause and identifies the person who will perform the action in that clause. Example: Ich komme später. — “I am coming later.” bezahle is the first-person singular present form of bezahlen, “to pay.” The present tense can refer to a scheduled or imminent action when the time is clear. Because this is a bevor clause, the conjugated verb appears at the end: bevor ich bezahle. Together, Könnten Sie das korrigieren asks politely whether the addressee can correct the relevant item. bevor ich bezahle specifies that this should happen before the speaker pays. The complete meaning is: “Could you correct it before I pay?”

7. Ich brauche die Zustimmung eines Vorgesetzten für die Korrektur.

   I need a supervisor to approve the correction.

   brauche

   need

   Zustimmung

   approval; consent

   Vorgesetzten

   supervisor

   Korrektur

   correction

   More detail

   brauche is the first-person singular present form of brauchen (“to need”): ich brauche = “I need.” The verb takes the thing needed as its direct object. Example: Ich brauche Zeit. — “I need time.” Zustimmung means “approval” or “consent.” In this sentence, die Zustimmung is the needed thing. Zustimmung is a feminine noun; the definite article is die, which has the same form in the feminine nominative and accusative. Here the phrase is the accusative object of brauche. Vorgesetzten means “supervisor” here. Its base form is Vorgesetzter; Vorgesetzten is the genitive singular form after eines, expressing whose approval it is: “a supervisor’s approval.” The masculine indefinite article also shows the genitive form: eines Vorgesetzten. Example: Die Entscheidung eines Vorgesetzten ist wichtig. — “A supervisor’s decision is important.” Korrektur means “correction.” In für die Korrektur, the preposition für requires the accusative case. Because Korrektur is feminine, its definite article is die in this phrase; the noun itself has no visible case change. Together, Ich brauche die Zustimmung eines Vorgesetzten für die Korrektur. means “I need a supervisor to approve the correction.” More literally, it says “I need the approval of a supervisor for the correction.” The structure is Ich brauche + the needed thing die Zustimmung + the genitive owner or source eines Vorgesetzten + the purpose or matter introduced by für die Korrektur.

8. Ich kann warten, während Sie das prüfen.

   I can wait while you check.

   Ich kann

   I can

   warten

   wait

   während Sie

   while you

   das

   it / that

   prüfen

   check

   More detail

   Ich kann combines the subject pronoun Ich (“I”) with kann, the first-person singular present form of können (“can; be able to”). können is a modal verb, so the other verb appears as an infinitive at the end of its clause. Here it expresses the speaker’s ability or willingness as translated by “I can,” without adding a separate future meaning. warten means “to wait.” It is the infinitive selected by kann; the pattern is Ich kann + infinitive, for example: Ich kann helfen. — “I can help.” während Sie introduces the time relation “while you …”. während is a subordinating conjunction, so the conjugated verb of this clause comes at the end. Sie is the formal second-person pronoun; in this sentence the fixed translation supports “you,” but it does not by itself specify whether that formal you refers to one person or more than one. Compare the informal singular form du in a different context. das is the accusative pronoun meaning “it” or “that” here. It is the object of prüfen and refers to the matter being checked; the supplied sentence does not uniquely identify that matter. In German, the form das can also be a neuter article or demonstrative, but here it stands independently as the object pronoun. prüfen means “to check” or “to examine.” Its base form is the infinitive prüfen; in the subordinate clause introduced by während, it remains at the end: während Sie das prüfen — “while you check it.” The verb agrees with Sie in the clause, although the form prüfen is also used with several other present-tense subjects, so the pronoun supplies the relevant person and number information here. Together, Ich kann warten says “I can wait.” The subordinate clause während Sie das prüfen adds the simultaneous activity “while you check it.” The complete utterance therefore means: “I can wait while you check it.”

9. Wir korrigieren das an der Kasse und aktualisieren das Preisschild.

   We'll fix it at the register and update the shelf label.

   Wir

   we

   korrigieren

   fix; correct

   das

   it

   an der Kasse

   at the register

   Kasse

   register; checkout

   aktualisieren

   update

   das

   the

   Preisschild

   shelf label

   More detail

   Wir means “we”: the speaker includes themself and at least one other participant. German personal pronouns include wir (we), ihr (you, plural), and sie (they; also formal “you” in a different capitalization/context). Here Wir is the subject of both coordinated actions. korrigieren means “to correct” or “to fix.” It is the infinitive/base form; after the subject wir, the present-tense form is also wir korrigieren. Example: Wir korrigieren den Fehler. — “We correct the mistake.” The first das is a neuter singular accusative pronoun meaning “it.” It is the object of korrigieren; the fixed translation supports the intended meaning “fix it.” The pronoun’s grammatical form is das, while its specific real-world referent is not identified here. an der Kasse means “at the register.” an can describe a position at or by a place; with this stationary location, der Kasse is dative. Kasse is a feminine noun: die Kasse (nominative), der Kasse (dative). Example: Wir treffen uns an der Kasse. — “We’ll meet at the register.” Kasse means “register” or “checkout,” depending on the setting. In this sentence, the fixed translation selects the register meaning. The separate noun entry highlights the reusable word, while an der Kasse shows its form in this location phrase. aktualisieren means “to update.” It is another infinitive/base form and, like korrigieren, has the present-tense form wir aktualisieren with wir. Example: Wir aktualisieren die Liste. — “We update the list.” The second das is not the pronoun “it” here. It is the neuter singular definite article “the,” introducing Preisschild: das Preisschild. German definite articles vary with grammatical gender, number, and case; das is used here because Preisschild is neuter and functions as the accusative object of aktualisieren. Preisschild means “price label.” It is a neuter compound noun: das Preisschild; its plural is die Preisschilder. The fixed translation uses “shelf label” for the intended store context, but the word itself specifically refers to a label showing a price. Example: Das Preisschild ist neu. — “The price label is new.” Together, Wir korrigieren das an der Kasse means “We’ll fix it at the register.” The coordinated und then links a second action: aktualisieren das Preisschild, “update the price label.” The present-tense forms can describe a planned or imminent action in context, so the complete utterance is: “We’ll fix it at the register and update the shelf label.”

10. Ich würde das lieber jetzt klären, als später wiederzukommen.

    I'd rather settle it now than come back later.

    Ich würde

    I would

    das

    it

    lieber

    rather

    jetzt

    now

    klären

    settle; clarify

    als

    than

    später

    later

    wiederzukommen

    come back

    More detail

    Ich würde combines ich (“I”) with würde, the subjunctive II form of werden used here to build a conditional or softened preference. With a full infinitive later in the clause, the reusable pattern is Ich würde ... + infinitive: “I would ...”. The form würde is not the main action by itself here; klären supplies that action. das is a neuter accusative demonstrative pronoun used here as “it,” referring to the matter being discussed. Its grammatical form marks the object of klären; the fixed translation supports the intended object meaning without identifying a more specific noun. lieber means “rather” in this preference pattern. Here it is the comparative form associated with gern (“gladly”): gern = gladly, lieber = rather, am liebsten = most preferably. It is not the ordinary adjective lieb (“kind” or “dear”) in this use. Ich würde lieber warten. means “I would rather wait.” jetzt means “now” and places the preferred action at the present time. It can be reused with many verbs, for example: Wir beginnen jetzt. — “We are starting now.” klären is the infinitive meaning “clarify” or, for a matter such as this, “settle.” Its base form is klären; the form remains an infinitive because it follows würde. In the sentence, it is the action applied to das: “settle it.” als introduces the alternative in a comparison: lieber A als B means “rather A than B.” Here it connects the preferred action with the less-preferred alternative. This als is “than,” not the subordinating conjunction used in some time clauses. später means “later.” It is the comparative form of spät (“late”) and refers to a later time: spät = late, später = later, am spätesten = latest. For example, Wir sprechen später. means “We’ll talk later.” wiederzukommen means “to come back” or “to return.” It is the zu-infinitive of the separable verb wiederkommen: wiederkommen becomes wiederzukommen when zu is inserted into this infinitive. The phrase später wiederzukommen therefore means “to come back later.” Together, Ich würde ... lieber ... als ... gives the reusable preference pattern “I would rather ... than ...”. The first option is das jetzt klären, “settle it now,” and the alternative is später wiederzukommen, “come back later.” Thus the complete meaning is: “I’d rather settle it now than come back later.”