Discussing rebooking after a possible missed connection | Learn German in English

Sentence explanations

1. Wegen dieser Verspätung könnte ich meinen Anschluss verpassen.

   I might miss my connection because of this delay.

   Wegen

   because of

   dieser

   this

   Verspätung

   delay

   könnte ich

   I might

   meinen

   my

   Anschluss

   connection

   verpassen

   miss

   More detail

   Wegen introduces a cause: “because of.” In careful standard German, it is commonly followed by the genitive. The reusable pattern is wegen + [cause]: wegen des Wetters means “because of the weather.” dieser means “this” here. Together with Verspätung, it is the feminine singular genitive form required after wegen; demonstratives reflect the noun’s gender, number, and case. For example, wegen dieses Problems means “because of this problem,” using the masculine/neuter genitive form dieses. Verspätung means “delay.” Its plural is Verspätungen. Here, it names the delay that provides the cause. könnte ich expresses “I might.” könnte is the first-person singular Konjunktiv II form of können, presenting the outcome as possible rather than stating it as a fact. Because wegen dieser Verspätung is the first sentence constituent, the conjugated verb comes next and the subject follows: könnte ich. A reusable alternative order is Ich könnte ..., for example: Ich könnte morgen kommen. — “I might come tomorrow.” meinen means “my” here. It is the masculine accusative singular form of the possessive determiner mein, because it modifies masculine Anschluss, the object of verpassen. Compare meine Verbindung (“my connection,” feminine nominative or accusative singular) and meinen Zug (“my train,” masculine accusative singular). The ending belongs to mein, not to the noun. Anschluss means “connection,” especially a transport connection that a traveler needs to catch. It is masculine: der Anschluss; its plural is die Anschlüsse. Here, it is the thing that may be missed. Verbindung can also refer to a transport connection or service, but it is feminine: eine Verbindung. verpassen means “to miss” when something expected or needed is not caught or reached in time. It is the infinitive after the modal verb könnte; the modal carries the finite person and tense-related form, while verpassen remains at the end. Example: Ich verpasse den Bus. — “I am missing the bus” or, depending on context, “I miss the bus.” Together, wegen dieser Verspätung gives the cause, könnte ich marks the speaker’s possibility, and meinen Anschluss verpassen describes the possible outcome. The complete meaning is: “Because of this delay, I might miss my connection.”

2. Der Serviceschalter kann andere Verbindungen prüfen, sobald die Verspätung bestätigt ist.

   The service desk can check other routes once the delay is confirmed.

   Serviceschalter

   service desk

   kann

   can

   andere

   other

   Verbindungen

   routes

   prüfen

   check

   sobald

   once

   Verspätung

   delay

   bestätigt

   confirmed

   More detail

   Serviceschalter names the service desk or service counter. The noun is masculine: der Serviceschalter is singular here, and the compound combines Service with Schalter. In German, compound nouns take their grammatical gender from the final component; Schalter is masculine. kann is the third-person singular present form of können (“can; be able to”). It expresses ability or possibility here, with the service desk as the subject. After a modal verb such as können, the other verb normally goes to the end of the main clause in its infinitive form. Example: Der Schalter kann helfen. — “The desk can help.” andere means “other” in the sense of different or additional alternatives. It describes Verbindungen and takes the plural form required by that noun here. Example: Ich suche andere Möglichkeiten. — “I am looking for other possibilities.” Verbindungen is the plural of Verbindung. In this context it means routes or connections, not a physical connection. The form is the object of prüfen; the plural ending -en is visible in Verbindungen. The intended meaning identifies these as alternative routes or connections. prüfen is the infinitive “to check” or “to examine.” With kann, it appears at the end of the main clause: kann andere Verbindungen prüfen. Example: Wir prüfen die Verbindung. — “We are checking the connection.” sobald introduces a subordinate time clause meaning “as soon as” or “once.” It presents the confirmation as the condition after which the checking can occur. A finite verb in a German subordinate clause introduced by sobald normally stands at the end, as in sobald die Verspätung bestätigt ist. Verspätung means “delay.” It is feminine: die Verspätung. Here it is the subject of the subordinate clause, not the object of prüfen. The plural is Verspätungen, but the sentence uses the singular because it refers to the delay being confirmed. bestätigt is the past participle of bestätigen (“to confirm”), used with ist in the resultative/state expression bestätigt ist, “is confirmed.” This differs from wird bestätigt, “is being confirmed” or “is confirmed” as a process/passive event. Example: Die Ankunft ist bestätigt. — “The arrival is confirmed.” Together, Der Serviceschalter kann andere Verbindungen prüfen means “The service desk can check other routes.” The time clause sobald die Verspätung bestätigt ist adds “once the delay is confirmed.” Thus the complete utterance says that the service desk has the ability or option to check alternative routes after confirmation of the delay.

3. Ich würde jetzt lieber einen Plan machen, als später in Eile zu geraten.

   I would rather make a plan now than rush later.

   Ich würde

   I would

   lieber

   rather

   jetzt

   now

   Plan

   plan

   machen

   make

   später

   later

   Eile

   hurry

   geraten

   get into

   More detail

   Ich würde introduces a first-person conditional or hypothetical statement. würde is the Konjunktiv II form of werden; in this construction it combines with an infinitive later in the clause: Ich würde ... machen = “I would ... make/do.” The form agrees with the subject: ich würde, while the following lexical verb stays in the infinitive. lieber expresses preference: “rather.” It is the comparative form related to gern (“gladly” / “with pleasure”): gern → lieber → am liebsten. Here it marks the preferred option, not a comparison of objects or people. jetzt means “now” and places the preferred action in the present time. Example: Wir entscheiden jetzt. — “We are deciding now.” Plan means “plan.” In the full phrase, einen Plan is the accusative form of the masculine noun der Plan, because it is the direct object of machen: der Plan → einen Plan in the indefinite accusative. The article marks the noun’s grammatical case here; it does not by itself assert a numerical count. machen means “make” or “do.” It is the infinitive selected by würde: Ich würde einen Plan machen = “I would make a plan.” The verb is also used in many other combinations, such as eine Pause machen (“take a break”), so its exact English translation depends on its object. später means “later,” setting the contrasted action at a later time. Example: Wir sprechen später. — “We’ll talk later.” Eile means “haste” or “a hurry.” In in Eile, it appears in a fixed manner/state expression meaning “in a hurry.” The noun is feminine: die Eile; after in in this expression it appears without an article. geraten is the infinitive of geraten in the expression in Eile geraten, literally “get into haste” and naturally “end up in a hurry” or “become rushed.” The preceding zu belongs to the infinitive construction: zu geraten. The verb geraten can have other meanings in other contexts, but here it describes entering a state or situation. Together, Ich würde lieber ... machen presents the speaker’s preferred course of action. einen Plan machen is the preferred action, jetzt gives its timing, and als später in Eile zu geraten introduces the alternative with als: “rather than getting rushed later.” The complete meaning is: “I would rather make a plan now than rush later.”

4. Dann vergleichen wir die Möglichkeiten, aber denk daran, dass sie sich ändern können.

   Then let us compare the options, but keep in mind they may change.

   Dann

   then

   vergleichen

   compare

   Möglichkeiten

   options; possibilities

   denk daran

   keep that in mind

   ändern

   change

   können

   may; can

   More detail

   Dann means “then” here. It places the comparison in sequence with something already established; it does not itself mark a particular tense. vergleichen means “compare.” In vergleichen wir, it is the present-tense first-person plural form with wir. This word order can make the statement a suggestion: “let us compare.” The infinitive is also vergleichen, so this form has no separate visible ending. Example: Wir vergleichen die Preise. — “We compare the prices.” Möglichkeiten means “options” here. It is the plural of the feminine noun Möglichkeit, meaning “possibility” and, in a choice context, “option.” The umlaut and plural ending belong to this noun’s plural form. It is the object being compared. Example: Es gibt mehrere Möglichkeiten. — “There are several options.” denk daran is a compact reminder construction meaning “keep that in mind.” Denk is the singular informal imperative of denken (“to think”). Other imperative forms include Denkt daran when addressing several people informally and Denken Sie daran in the formal form. Daran is a pronominal adverb meaning roughly “about that/to that”; here it points to the fact introduced by dass. ändern means “change.” Here it occurs in the reflexive construction sich ändern, meaning “to change” or “to undergo a change.” Ändern is the infinitive because it follows the modal verb können; sich belongs to this construction. Example: Die Bedingungen können sich ändern. — “The conditions may change.” können expresses possibility here: “may.” It is the finite present-tense form for a plural subject, and it happens to look identical to the infinitive können (“to be able to”). In sie sich ändern können, the finite modal is at the end of the dass clause, while ändern remains an infinitive. The sie refers to the options in the fixed translation, so those options may change. Example: Der Preis kann sich ändern. — “The price may change.” Together, Dann vergleichen wir die Möglichkeiten means “Then let us compare the options.” Aber introduces the contrast, and denk daran, dass sie sich ändern können adds the reminder “but keep in mind that they may change.” The complete utterance means: “Then let us compare the options, but keep in mind they may change.”

5. Kannst du prüfen, ob hier eine flexible Umbuchung möglich ist?

   Can you check whether flexible rebooking is available here?

   Kannst du

   Can you

   prüfen

   check

   ob

   whether

   hier

   here

   flexible

   flexible

   Umbuchung

   rebooking

   möglich

   possible; available

   More detail

   Kannst du combines können (“can, be able to”) with du (“you”). Kannst is the second-person singular present form of können; du is the informal singular “you.” In a direct yes/no question, the conjugated verb comes first: Kannst du ...? The following prüfen is the infinitive because können is a modal verb. For example, Kannst du warten? means “Can you wait?” prüfen means “to check” or “to verify.” Its base form is prüfen; after a modal verb, it remains an infinitive: Du kannst das prüfen (“You can check that”). This verb focuses on finding out whether something is the case, not on approving it. ob introduces an indirect yes/no question and means “whether” here. The clause after ob asks for a check whose answer could be yes or no. In German, the conjugated verb goes to the end of an ob-clause: ob ... möglich ist (“whether ... is possible”). This differs from a direct question such as Ist das möglich? (“Is that possible?”). hier means “here.” It can indicate a physical place, but it can also refer to the current organization, system, or situation; this sentence does not require a more specific interpretation. flexible describes Umbuchung as flexible. The noun phrase eine flexible Umbuchung is feminine singular and nominative: it is the subject of ist. After the feminine singular indefinite article eine in this nominative phrase, the adjective has the ending -e: flexible. The base form is flexibel; another form is ein flexibler Tarif (“a flexible fare”), where the adjective ending reflects that noun phrase. Umbuchung means “rebooking” or “changing an existing booking.” It is a feminine noun: die Umbuchung. The related verb umbuchen means “to rebook” or “to change a booking,” but the observed form Umbuchung is the noun naming the change itself. For example, Die Umbuchung kostet nichts means “The rebooking costs nothing.” möglich means “possible” and, in this service context, naturally “available.” It is a predicate adjective in eine flexible Umbuchung möglich ist; it is not inflected there. Its opposite is unmöglich (“impossible”). For example, Eine Änderung ist möglich means “A change is possible.” Together, ob hier eine flexible Umbuchung möglich ist means “whether flexible rebooking is available here.” The complete question uses Kannst du prüfen to ask the listener to check that matter: Kannst du prüfen, ob hier eine flexible Umbuchung möglich ist? — “Can you check whether flexible rebooking is available here?”

6. Ich kann fragen, aber der Betreiber muss sie genehmigen.

   I can ask, but the operator has to approve it.

   Ich kann

   I can

   fragen

   ask

   aber

   but

   der Betreiber

   the operator

   muss

   has to

   sie

   it

   genehmigen

   approve

   More detail

   Ich kann means “I can” here. kann is the present-tense form of können for ich; können expresses ability or possibility. In a main clause, the conjugated modal verb is in the second position, while the other verb goes to the end: Ich kann warten = “I can wait.” fragen means “ask” here. It is the infinitive of fragen, and it remains at the end of this modal-verb clause. With können, the pattern is subject + können + ... + infinitive: Wir können fragen = “We can ask.” aber means “but.” It links the ability in the first clause with a contrasting requirement in the second clause. der Betreiber means “the operator.” Betreiber is a masculine noun, so its basic singular form takes der in the nominative: der Betreiber. The plural is die Betreiber; the plural article does not identify grammatical gender. The noun refers to the operator responsible for the relevant service or system in this sentence. muss means “has to” here. It is the present-tense form of the modal verb müssen for er, sie, or es; the subject here is the singular masculine noun der Betreiber. Müssen expresses obligation or necessity. In this main-clause modal construction, the infinitive goes to the end: Der Betreiber muss warten = “The operator has to wait.” sie means “it” here, according to the fixed translation. This form is an accusative singular pronoun in this use, functioning as the object of genehmigen. Its grammatical form is feminine singular, and the supplied translation identifies the intended object as singular without naming the noun it replaces. German pronouns match relevant grammatical features of the noun they replace. genehmigen means “approve” here. It is an infinitive after the modal verb muss: muss ... genehmigen = “has to approve ...”. The verb is regular in its basic present-tense pattern, for example Der Betreiber genehmigt es = “The operator approves it.” Together, Ich kann fragen says “I can ask.” aber introduces the contrast, and der Betreiber muss sie genehmigen says “the operator has to approve it.” The modal verbs show the roles of the infinitives: kann expresses the speaker’s ability to ask, while muss expresses the operator’s obligation to approve the object. The complete meaning is: “I can ask, but the operator has to approve it.”

7. Bitte suche nach Verbindungen mit genügend Zeit zwischen den Umstiegen.

   Please look for routes with enough time between transfers.

   Bitte

   please

   suche

   look for

   Verbindungen

   routes; connections

   genügend

   enough; sufficient

   Zeit

   time

   zwischen

   between

   Umstiegen

   transfers

   More detail

   Bitte softens the request as “please.” Here it accompanies the imperative; it does not itself identify a quantity or add a separate action. suche is the informal singular imperative of suchen, “to look for/search.” German commonly uses the pattern nach etwas suchen: Ich suche nach einer Verbindung. — “I am looking for a connection.” The form suche addresses one person informally; a formal request would use a different form, such as Suchen Sie .... Verbindungen is the plural of die Verbindung. In this sentence, supported by the translation, it means travel routes or connections. Verbindung can also mean a connection in other contexts, so the travel sense comes from the surrounding request. With nach, the noun phrase is in the dative: nach Verbindungen. genügend means “enough” or “sufficient.” It describes the amount of Zeit here and is used before the noun without an ending in this form: genügend Zeit. A related alternative is ausreichend Zeit, also meaning “sufficient time.” Zeit is the feminine noun die Zeit, “time.” In genügend Zeit, it refers to enough available time, not to a specific numerical amount. For example, Wir haben genügend Zeit. means “We have enough time.” zwischen means “between.” German uses the dative with zwischen when the phrase describes a fixed position or interval, as here; plural number alone is not what determines the case. Thus the phrase here is zwischen den Umstiegen. Umstiegen is the dative plural of der Umstieg, “transfer” or “change.” The singular is der Umstieg; the plural is die Umstiege, and the dative plural adds -n: den Umstiegen. In this phrase, den and the ending on Umstiegen mark the plural dative form. Together, Bitte suche nach gives the polite request “please look for,” and Verbindungen supplies what should be found. mit genügend Zeit describes routes that include enough time, while zwischen den Umstiegen specifies where that time is needed: between the transfers. The complete meaning is therefore “Please look for routes with enough time between transfers.”

8. Die werde ich zuerst berücksichtigen.

   I will put those first.

   Die

   those

   werde ich

   I will

   zuerst

   first

   berücksichtigen

   take into account

   More detail

   Die means “those” here and functions as a demonstrative pronoun: it stands for the intended plural object rather than naming it again. In German, die can also be the feminine singular form, so the form alone does not establish whether the omitted object is feminine singular or plural; the fixed translation supports the plural reading here. As an independently useful pattern, demonstrative pronouns include dieser/diese/dieses (“this one/these”) and their forms change with grammatical case, gender, and number. werde ich contains werde, the first-person singular present form of werden, plus the subject pronoun ich (“I”). Here werden is the future auxiliary: ich werde ... = “I will ...”. The lexical verb remains in the infinitive at the end: Ich werde das berücksichtigen. = “I will take that into account.” In a German main clause, the finite verb is in the second position; placing the object first gives the same core pattern as the fixed sentence: Das werde ich berücksichtigen. = “I will take that into account.” zuerst is an adverb meaning “first” or “before the other relevant things.” It can modify the ordering of an action without changing the tense: Ich prüfe das zuerst. = “I will check that first.” berücksichtigen is the infinitive and base form of the verb meaning “to take into account” or “to consider.” Its present-tense forms include ich berücksichtige (“I take into account”) and sie berücksichtigen (“they take into account”); after the future auxiliary, the unchanged infinitive is required: werde ... berücksichtigen. This verb is not the same as beachten, although both can sometimes translate as “pay attention to”; berücksichtigen emphasizes including something in a decision or choice. Together, Die werde ich zuerst berücksichtigen. has the structure object + werde ich + ordering adverb + infinitive. The fronted object is “those,” werde ich ... berücksichtigen means “I will take ... into account,” and zuerst places that action first. The complete meaning is: “I will put those first.”

9. Damit wir nicht zum nächsten Zug rennen müssen.

   So we are not running for the next train.

   Damit

   so that

   wir

   we

   nicht

   not

   zum

   to the

   nächsten

   next

   Zug

   train

   rennen

   run

   müssen

   have to

   More detail

   Damit introduces a purpose clause: “so that” or “in order that.” It connects this clause to an intended outcome. In a subordinate clause introduced by damit, the finite verb goes to the end. wir means “we.” It is the first-person plural subject, so the clause describes an action by the speaker together with at least one other person. nicht supplies negation. Here it negates the need expressed by müssen: nicht ... müssen means “not have to ...” or “not need to ...”. This is different from nicht dürfen, which means “must not” or “not be allowed to.” zum is the contraction of zu dem, meaning “to the” here. zu commonly marks movement toward a destination or goal, and dem is the masculine/neuter dative form of the definite article. The contraction is fixed in ordinary usage: zu dem Zug → zum Zug. nächsten is the inflected form of the adjective nächst-, “next.” In zum nächsten Zug, it modifies the masculine noun Zug in the dative singular. The definite article is contained in zum (zu dem), so the adjective has the ending -en: der nächste Zug, but mit dem nächsten Zug and zum nächsten Zug. Zug is a masculine noun meaning “train” in this context. The phrase zum nächsten Zug means “to the next train,” with zu marking the destination or goal. Zug can have other meanings in other contexts, but “train” is the meaning fixed by the translation here. rennen is the infinitive “to run.” It follows the modal verb müssen and therefore remains in the infinitive. For example, Wir müssen zur Tür rennen. means “We have to run to the door.” müssen is the present-tense form of the modal verb müssen for wir; the infinitive and the first-person plural present form are both müssen. With another subject, the form changes: ich muss, but wir müssen. In this sentence, nicht ... müssen expresses that running is not necessary. Together, damit wir nicht zum nächsten Zug rennen müssen means “so that we do not have to run to the next train.” The purpose marker damit introduces the clause, wir identifies the subject, nicht negates the necessity, zum nächsten Zug gives the destination, and the modal construction places rennen before the finite verb müssen at the end. The complete utterance therefore means: “So we are not running for the next train.”