LëtzQuizSaatzbau · Level 9 of 9
Giving your opinion and adding nuance
Pattern Starter + opinion + example + nuance + conclusion.
Majo, menger Meenung no ass de Bus praktesch, mee et hänkt vum Wieder of. Well, in my opinion the bus is practical, but it depends on the weather.
You already know how to build sentences. This level makes your answers flow: a few small words in the right place (majo, vläicht, ongeféier, eigentlech, emol) make you sound much more natural. Two or three of them in an answer are enough, so don't squeeze ten into every sentence.
| Word | English |
|---|---|
| vläicht | maybe, perhaps |
| bestëmmt | definitely, surely |
| sécher | surely, no doubt |
| warscheinlech | probably |
| ongeféier | about, roughly |
| méi oder manner | more or less |
| bal | almost |
| normalerweis | normally, usually |
| heiansdo | sometimes |
| op alle Fall | in any case, anyway |
| natierlech | of course |
| genee | exactly |
- Vläicht ginn ech muer an d'Stad.Maybe I'll go into town tomorrow.
- Et dauert ongeféier zwanzeg Minutten.It takes about twenty minutes.
- Normalerweis fueren ech mam Bus.I usually take the bus.
- Heiansdo ginn ech schwammen.Sometimes I go swimming.
- Ech kommen op alle Fall.I'm coming in any case.
vläicht · ongeféier · normalerweis · heiansdo · op alle Fall are the most useful. Learn one full sentence with each.
Starting an answer. A good opening gives you time to think and makes your answer sound spontaneous. The verb still comes second after these starters, because Majo, and Also, sit outside the sentence.
| Starter | Use |
|---|---|
| Majo, … | Well… / So… (start without sounding abrupt) |
| Also, … | So… (launch into an explanation) |
| Ma jo, … | Well yes… / Oh well… |
| Tjo, … | Well… (hesitation or mild resignation) |
| Nujee, … | Well… / Oh well… |
- Majo, ech mengen, datt dat eng gutt Iddi ass.Well, I think it's a good idea.
- Also, fir mech ass Sport ganz wichteg.So, for me, sport is very important.
- Majo, loosst mech emol iwwerleeën …Well, let me think for a moment …
- Dat ass eng gutt Fro.That's a good question.
- Ech weess et net genee, mee …I don't know exactly, but …
Giving your opinion. After datt the verb goes to the end. After Menger Meenung no and Éierlech gesot the verb comes next (position 2).
| Expression | English |
|---|---|
| Ech mengen, datt … | I think that … |
| Menger Meenung no … | In my opinion … |
| Fir mech … | For me … |
| Ech géif soen, datt … | I would say that … |
| Ech fannen, datt … | I find that … |
| Éierlech gesot … | Honestly … |
| Souwäit ech weess … | As far as I know … |
- Menger Meenung no ass Lëtzebuerg eng flott Plaz fir ze liewen.In my opinion, Luxembourg is a nice place to live.
- Ech géif soen, datt den ëffentlechen Transport ganz praktesch ass.I would say that public transport is very practical.
- Éierlech gesot, ginn ech net esou gär an de Fitness.Honestly, I don't really like going to the gym.
Adding nuance. These words soften an idea so it doesn't sound too blunt.
| Expression | English |
|---|---|
| eigentlech | actually, to be honest, by the way |
| am Fong | basically |
| u sech | in itself, in principle |
| Ech sinn net ganz sécher, mee … | I'm not entirely sure, but … |
| Et kann een net genee soen. | You can't say exactly. |
- Eigentlech wollt ech haut doheem bleiwen.Actually, I wanted to stay at home today.
- Am Fong ass et eng gutt Iddi.Basically, it's a good idea.
- U sech ass de Restaurant gutt, mee en ass ze deier.In itself the restaurant is good, but it's too expensive.
eigentlech can mean "actually", but it also softens a question or changes the topic a little: Wou wunns du eigentlech? (By the way, where do you live?)
Organising your answer. Words like Duerno, Ausserdeem, Dofir take the first place, so the verb comes right after them.
| Expression | English |
|---|---|
| Fir d'éischt … | First … |
| Duerno … / Dunn … | Then … / Afterwards … |
| Ausserdeem … | Besides … / In addition … |
| Zum Beispill … | For example … |
| Allerdéngs … / Mee … | However … / But … |
| Dofir … | That's why … |
| Am Allgemengen … | In general … |
| Zum Schluss … / Schlussendlech … | Finally … |
| Alles an allem … | All in all … |
- Fir d'éischt ginn ech schaffen. Duerno maachen ech Sport. Zum Schluss ginn ech heem a raschten.First, I go to work. Then I do some sport. Finally, I go home and relax.
- Am Allgemenge fueren ech mam Bus. Heiansdo huelen ech awer den Auto, zum Beispill wann et vill reent.In general, I take the bus. Sometimes I take the car, though, for example when it rains a lot.
1. Start with Majo, Also or Menger Meenung no. 2. Give the main idea in one simple sentence. 3. Add an example with zum Beispill. 4. Add nuance with awer, allerdéngs, vläicht or et hänkt dovun of. 5. Finish with alles an allem or zum Schluss.
Saying "it depends": ofhänke vun. The verb splits (hänkt … of) and vun takes the dative: vum (masculine and neuter), vun der (feminine), vu + plural. With a whole clause, use dovun: Et hänkt dovun of, ob / wéini / wou …
- Et hänkt vum Wieder of.It depends on the weather.
- Et hänkt vun der Situatioun of.It depends on the situation.
- Et hänkt dovun of, ob ech Zäit hunn.It depends on whether I have time.
- Wouvun hänkt et of?What does it depend on?
- Jee nodeems.It depends.
Small spoken words. emol softens a request, awer makes a reaction stronger, dach encourages. Start with emol and awer.
- Kanns du mir emol hëllefen?Can you give me a hand for a moment?
- Komm dach mat!Oh come on, come along!
- Dat ass awer flott!That's really nice!
- Esou ass dat eben.That's just the way it is.
| Short reaction | English |
|---|---|
| Jo, genee. | Yes, exactly. |
| Dat stëmmt. | That's right. |
| Dat stëmmt net. | That's not true. |
| Kloer! | Of course! |
| Bestëmmt! | Definitely! |
| Dat mengen ech och. | That's what I think too. |
| Ech weess et net genee. | I don't know exactly. |
| Dat ass schued. | That's a shame. |
| Kee Problem. | No problem. |
| Dat ass mir egal. | I don't mind. |
| Mol kucken. | We'll see. |
Model answers for the Sproochentest.
- Majo, ech géif soen, datt ech normalerweis mam Bus op d'Aarbecht fueren. Et dauert ongeféier zwanzeg Minutten. Heiansdo huelen ech awer den Auto. Dat hänkt vum Wieder of. Am Fong ass de Bus awer méi praktesch a méi bëlleg.Well, I'd say I usually take the bus to work. It takes about twenty minutes. Sometimes I take the car, though. That depends on the weather. Basically, the bus is more practical and cheaper.
- Also, de Weekend maachen ech normalerweis eppes mat menger Famill. Heiansdo gi mir an d'Stad oder mir gi spadséieren. Wann et reent, bleiwe mir éischter doheem a kucken e Film. Alles an allem ass de Weekend fir mech ganz wichteg.So, at the weekend I usually do something with my family. Sometimes we go into town or go for a walk. If it rains, we tend to stay at home and watch a film. All in all, the weekend is very important to me.
- Menger Meenung no ass de Restaurant u sech gutt. D'Iessen ass lecker an de Service ass normalerweis séier. Allerdéngs ass et e bëssen deier. Ech géif trotzdeem nach eng Kéier dohinner goen.In my opinion, the restaurant is good in itself. The food is delicious and the service is usually quick. However, it's a bit expensive. I'd still go back.
- Majo, ech weess et nach net genee. Vläicht ginn ech am August an d'Vakanz, mee dat hänkt dovun of, wéini ech Congé kréien. Op alle Fall géif ech gär un d'Mier fueren.Well, I don't know exactly yet. Maybe I'll go on holiday in August, but that depends on when I get time off. In any case, I'd like to go to the seaside.
Pick three expressions from this level. Say each one aloud three times, make a personal sentence with each, then use all three in a 30-second answer: Majo, normalerweis …, mee heiansdo … Dat hänkt dovun of … Alles an allem … The next day, keep two and add a new one.