MICHEL THOMAS GERMAN (BUILDER) COURSE, 2 CDs

TRANSCRIPT
This is an approximate transcript of the course, since Michel often changed his mind in
the middle of a sentence to be translated, or adapted his sentences for the students. The
booklet that accompanied Michel's courses was wholly inadequate, so I have written this
transcript. I have found it useful, so maybe other people will, too.
Naturally, it would be foolish to try to learn the language using this transcript, without
buying the recordings.
Note that English is my native language, so I don't guarantee that there are no mistakes.
An asterisk denotes a phrase that is highlighted in the booklet which accompanies the
recordings. Tracks and track times in the recording are shown in brackets. Page numbers
in the booklet are also shown in brackets.
Version 2, Jan 15th 2006
Transcribed by JK
CD 1 (67.28)
(Track 1, 12:52, p7)
Hello
I would like to do it
I will do it
I want to see it
I will see it
("will you" in German is not the same as "do you want". "Will you tell me..." in English
is not the future tense but a polite request.)
Will you tell me where it is?
I cannot find it
I want to have it
I will buy it because I want to have it
(With weil the verb comes at the end of the sentence.)
I want to have that
(If you don't start with the subject, e.g. ich in the sentence above, then you invert, so ich
will becomes will ich.)
I want to have that (lit. that I want to have)
I want to see that (lit. that I want to see)
I cannot do it
I cannot do that today (lit. that I cannot do today)
Today I cannot do it
(p8)
Where can I find it?
I don't know where I can find it
(After wo, we have a weil situation, i.e. the verb goes the end of the sentence.)
Can you tell me where I can find it?
I don't know when he will be here
He will be here soon

*whether
I don't know...
... if he can do it
... when he will do it
... that he can do it
... why he cannot do it today
*It seems to me
The sun is shining
It seems to me...
... that she doesn't want it
... that she doesn't want to do it
She doesn't want to do it
I don't know...
... if she wants to do it
... if she can do it
I want to do it
I won't do it (I will not do it)
I won't do it today
(p9)
*busy
store, business
I am too busy (in order to) to do it today
I will do it...
... but I won't do it today
... because I am too busy
... (in order) to do it today
I have much to do
I have too much to do today
*I don't feel like...
... going there
... going there today
... staying here
I would like to go out
I would like to go away
I don't want to stay here
I don't feel like doing it
(Track 2, 7:10)
*I agree
*to understand
*understood
agreed
I don't agree
I understand you
I don't understand you
I cannot understand you
I (have) understood
I have not understood you
He has not understood me

Do you agree?
(p10)
*What do you think?
*What do you think (lit. believe)?
*It interests me
That interests me very much
(sehr means "very" or "very much".)
That doesn't interest me
*unfortunately
to suffer
Unfortunately it doesn't interest me
*Not at all
I don't know it at all
I will not do it at all
*I don't think...
... that he will be here
... that he will be here this afternoon
... but we will see
(Note the use of man for "one" in German which is much more common than in English.
We often translated it as "you".)
*One will see
*It is not possible to do it that way
It will not be possible to do it that way
I don't believe it
(p11)
*sure
Are you sure?
*surely, certainly
*naturally
naturally I'm sure
*that's all
that's all I need (lit. that's all what I need)
Do you need anything else?
(Note: noch etwas means "anything else". "anything" or "something else" can also be
sonst etwas)
*it is ready
I would like to know...
... when it will be ready
... at what time it will be ready
... because I want to have it today
... because I must have it today
... if it is possible
(Note: wenn means "if".)
(Track 3, 10:54)
*I was
I was busy
I cannot do it because I am busy
*I could

she could
it could
we could, you could
(p12)
I could not do it
... I was very busy
(Note: "we were" and "you were" is wir waren and Sie waren.)
*Where were you?
He was not there
it was not possible to do it
*would be
it would not be possible
*to show
Will you please show me what you have?
(Remember: Wollen Sie? means "Will you...?" and also "Do you want...?".)
I show it to you
I will show it to you
*to find out, enquire
I will find out
I must find out
I must find out
How much does it cost?
it's all right (lit. it is good/fine already)
(Note: gut means "good", schon means "already")
it's all right (lit. it goes already)
I have a question
I would like to ask you
(p13)
(Note that in German you use fragen in the sense of "to ask a question" but bitten to
mean "to ask for" or to request something.)
*to ask
I'm going to ask him to come with us
*to say, tell
Will you please tell him he should call me later?
(Note that spt means "late" but "late" is spter.)
*to arrange, take care of, see to
Will you arrange it/take care of it?
Will you take care of it for me?
Will you get it for me?

*worries
*without worries
I worry a lot (lit. I make me many worries)
It worries me (lit. It makes me many worries)
Don't worry!
*May I?
May I see it?
*to try
*to seek, search, look for
I'm looking for it
I must look for it
(p14)
*everywhere, overall
over everything
I'm looking for it everywhere...
... but I cannot find it
... because I cannot find it
*to try on
I would like to try it on
May I try it on?
May I ask you to wait here a few minutes?
I would like to ask you to come with me
Will you please come with me?
*to forget
I will not forget...
... to do it
... to give it to him
*really
I really cannot do it now
I really don't feel like doing it now
I don't know if I can do it now
... but I will try...
... to do it now
(Track 4, 6:42, p15)
*It's not worth it
It's not worth...
... going there
... doing it now
*why not
We can go there if you want
*Will you come with me?
*Will you come along?
Yes, certainly
*very gladly

I like doing it (lit. I do it gladly)

I like to see it (lit. I see it gladly)
I will gladly go there with you
That is very nice of you
*I like that
I don't like that
(Note: ich mag "I like" comes from the verb mgen "to like".)
*I like it (lit. It pleases me)
I don't like it (lit. It doesn't please me)
I like doing it
I like to do it that way
I don't like to do it that way
I don't like that at all
(Note: gar nicht means the same as berhaupt nicht)
(p16)
*I don't know at all
*I don't know anything
I don't understand at all
I don't understand anything at all
(Note the difference between nicht "not" and says nichts "nothing".)
*It is a very good idea
That is a (very) good idea
*You are right (lit. you have right)
You are entirely/quite right
You are not right
*I am pleased
the pleasure
I am pleased
I am very pleased...
... to see you
I will be very pleased...
... to see you
(Track 5, 7:53)
*I am sorry
I am very sorry that you cannot come with me
*Too bad! Pity!
It's a pity...
... that you cannot come with me
It will be very interesting
(p17)
*wonderful
*great
*magnificent
I find it very interesting
*It looks very good

*She is very charming

*She is very beautiful
beautiful weather
very beautiful weather today
*pretty
a pretty girl
*It is very funny
*bad
not bad
not bad at all
*ridiculous
to laugh
*odd
*crazy
He is crazy
*the back
*back
to come back
I will go back
to be back
When will you be back?
He will be back soon
(p18)
He will come back soon
I will take it back
I will take it away
*to push
*I cannot stand it
*to hold
to bear, stand, hold out
*to bear
*to carry
I cannot bear it
*to keep
I'm keeping it
(Note: aushalten - aus is a detachable (separable) prefix, for example, ich halte es aus.
behalten - be is not a detachable prefix, for example, ich behalte es. If the stress falls on
the prefix, then it breaks off and is separable.)
*Stop!
(Track 6, 10:02)
*I can't do it
*I can't do it (lit. I can it not)
Could you tell me?
Could you come with me?
(Note: knnen means "can" but knnten means "could".)
*I must, we must, you must
I must do it
You must wait

You must wait for me

(p19)
*I want to do it
We want to do it
What do you want to do?
Will you tell me what you want to do?
*I wanted
I wanted to do it
I didn't want
I didn't want to do it
*I like to do it
I will gladly do it for you...
... but I don't feel like doing it now
... because it's too late
... because I'm very tired
I like to eat here
I like to eat it
I would very much like to see it
I think...
... that I will leave soon
... that I will leave on Monday
(Note: fahren means "to go" but not on foot. If you are walking use gehen.)
*Monday
*Tuesday
*Wednesday
*Thursday
*Friday
(p20)
*Saturday
*Sunday
*the week
*I will travel...
*...first to France...
*...and then to Germany
I will travel to Berlin
I'm travelling to Munich
When will you leave?
I still don't know when I will leave
How long will you stay in Berlin?
How long are you staying in Berlin?
(Note: in German you can use the Present Tense to express the future.)
*I hope...
*...I will stay a few weeks...

...in Germany
*several
several days
I will stay several days
I will stay a few days
I will stay there are a few days
(Track 7, 4:34)
I feel like...
...going to the cinema this evening...
...to see an interesting film
(p21)
*the sight
*the face
*the view
*the intention
I intend to do it (lit. I have the intention to do it)
I don't intend to do it now
I have no intention to do it
I have the intention...
...to leave next week
*to travel
the trip
Have a good trip!
to take a trip
that is not my intention
*intentionally, on purpose, deliberately
He will do it deliberately
(Track 8, 7:17)
*Shall I?
*Shall we?
Shall I open the window?
(Note: "open" (adjective) is offen but "to open" is ffnen.)
*to open
*to close
*to turn on
(p22)
Will you open the window?
Will you close the door?
Shall I wait for you?
Shall I close the window?
Shall I go with you?
Shall I come with you?
Shall I call you later?
What shall we do?
What are we doing now?
What shall we tell him?
*It is clear
*to make it clear, explain

I will explain it to you

*I knew
I knew that he was not able to do it
I knew that he would not be able to do it
It was clear to me...
...that everything would be ready
...that everything could be ready
I knew that he would be able to repair it
(Remember: when "could" in English is clearly in the past, i.e. "was able", then in
German you must use konnte or konnten. If "could" in English means "would be able to"
all it is not clearly in the past, then you must use knnte or knnten.)
(p23)
He will repair it
I knew that he would repair it
I know that he could never do it like that
*although, even though
I couldn't do it although I wanted to do it
*What do you have?
What do you have to eat?
What do you have to drink?
*there is...
*What is there?
What's new?
What is there to eat?
What is there to drink?
(end of recording)

CD 2 (58.11)
(Track 1, 9:39, p25)
*the first time
the second time, the third time
*sometimes
I go there sometimes but not very often
How often do you go there?
*usually
I don't usually do it
I don't go there very often
*seldom, rarely
I go there very seldom
I do it very rarely
*comfortable
It is very comfortable here
*agreeable
*I would rather be here
I would rather stay here
I would rather do it later
I would much rather be here
I would much rather stay here
*I'm reading a book
*I'm just reading a book that I find very interesting
(p26)
(Note: gerade means "just" and also "straight". geradeaus means "straight ahead".)
I would like to speak with Mr Smith
He is not there
Is he in?
Do you know...
...when he will be in?
...at what time he will be in?
Will you please tell him...
...he should call me?
...that I will call him later?
I will call him tomorrow
*tomorrow morning
(Note that you use morgen frh (lit. tomorrow early) to mean "tomorrow morning"
because morgen means "tomorrow" and "morning". You can also use morgen
Vormittag.)
I will call him tomorrow morning
I will call him tomorrow morning (first thing / early in the morning)
*to arrive
I will arrive next week

I don't know yet

I will arrive next week
I will arrive a few days
I will arrive next month
(p27)
*the day after tomorrow
He will arrive the day after tomorrow
He will arrive in two days
We will arrive next month
We will leave next month
(Track 2, 6:08)
*month
January, February, March, April, May
in the month of May
June, July, August, September, October, November, December
I will stay here a few days
I will stay here a few days
I will stay here several days
*How does one say?
one says
How does one say that in German?
I would like to know how one says that in German
*to belong
*to hear
I hear it
I like to hear it (very much)
It belongs to me
It doesn't belong to me
It belongs to you
That doesn't belong to me
(p28)
Can you tell me where I can find a good restaurant?
Where can I find a good German restaurant?
*How far is it from here?
It is not far from here
It is not very far
*near
It is quite near
It is very near
You can go on foot
No, I'm taking a taxi
I need a car

I would like to rent a car

Where can I rent a car?
I need a car for two weeks
How much is it...
*...per day?
*daily
weekly
per week
monthly
per month
(Track 3, 9:00)
*it is heavy / it is difficult
*it is very complicated to find it
(p29)
*it is easy / it is light
*simple
It is quite simple
You can do it easily
*the thing
That is a good thing
*really
the deed
It is really true
*the truth
That is the truth
It is true
It was true
*likely
*unlikely
*incredible, unbelievable
I don't believe that
It's not worth...
...going there
...buying it
...seeing it
*I'll take a bath
I'm taking a bath
*I am very tired
the quiet
Silence please!
quiet
It is very quiet here
(p30)
*to rest
I'm going to take a rest
I must take a rest...
...for I am very tired
...because I am very tired

I don't have time to do it

I have no time
*enough
I will not have enough time to do it
*to bring
Will you bring it to me?
Can you bring it to me today?
*long
We will not stay long here
How long will you stay here?
*straight ahead
Go straight ahead! (if you are on foot)
Go straight ahead! (if you are in a vehicle)
always straight ahead
Continue going!
Will you continue going?
*to the left
*to the right
It is on the left side
It is on the right side
(p31)
It is on the other side
It is on this side
*the corner
at the corner / on the corner
at the next corner
(Track 4, 6:47)
*fast, quickly
Not so fast!
You are going too fast
*as... as...
as fast as possible
as soon as possible
Will you please send it to me as soon as possible?
Will you please tell him he should send it to me as soon as possible?
*It is terrible, horrible
*I am afraid
I am afraid to do it
*It is awful
*to get, obtain
I don't know where I can get it
I will get it but I don't know how

I don't know where

What must one do in order to get it?
(p32)
(Remember: versuchen means "to try", suchen means "to look for" and besuchen means
"to visit".)
Will you please try to get it for me?
*I am not used to it
I don't have the habit to do it
I cannot get used to it
*in spite of it, anyway
I will do it anyway
That interests me very much
It is very interesting
That is very interesting for me
It would interest me very much...
...to know
...why one cannot do it that way
(Track 5, 6:29)
*the electricity / the light...
*the telephone...
*the heating...
...doesn't work
Nothing works here!
It doesn't work well
It doesn't go
Will you repair it?
(p33)
(Note: use lassen to express the idea of "having something done", i.e. not doing it
yourself.)
*to let, leave
Will you get it repaired?
I will get it repaired
I will repair it
I must get it repaired
Can you get it repaired?
Could you get it repaired?
*to clean, clean up
Will you clean it up?
Will you get it cleaned up?
I will get it made

Can you get it made?

*to wash
I will get it washed
Will you please get it washed?
Will you get my shirts washed?
Will you wash my car?
Will you please get my car washed?
I must get my car repaired
*Will you bring me breakfast?
Will you bring breakfast into the room?
(p34)
Will you have my breakfast brought into my room?
*to bring up
Will you bring it up?
Will you bring it down?
Will you bring it in?
Will you bring it out?
Will you bring it over?
Will you bring the suitcase up?
Will you have the suitcase brought up?
Will you bring down the suitcase?
Will you have the suitcase brought down?
Will you wake me (up) tomorrow morning at eight o'clock?
Will you have me woken up tomorrow morning?
Will you wait please?
Will you have him wait?
to come down
I'm coming down right away
Will you have him wait?
Will you tell him he should wait?
*to wish
(Track 6, 8:34)
I wish you good luck
All the best!
Have a good time!
I wish you a good time
(p35)
*to last
How long does it last? / How long does it take?
How long will it last?
I cannot wait for it is taking too long

I would rather stay here

I would gladly stay here
I would much rather stay here
I like to stay here
*if you want
I will buy it for you if you want
as you like
It's all the same to me
*I am happy
*It doesn't matter
to continue doing
Will you continue doing it?
to continue going
thank you very much
I thank you
*It bores me (very much)
to bore
I'm getting bored
*everything is all right
It seems that everything is all right
Everything will be all right
(p36)
*maybe, perhaps
Not now, perhaps a little later
(Note: ein bisschen and ein wenig both mean "a little".)
*at least
I will see it at least
At least I will be able to see it
*especially
Especially if you can tell me what it is
*to think
*to think it over
to lay
I'm going to think it over
I'm thinking it over
I must think it over
(Track 7, 5:06)
It's going well
Everything is going (much) better
It goes much better like that
*to feel
I feel it
I feel well

(Note that when you are referring to yourself fhlen becomes reflexive see you need to
add mich. This also applies when talking about somebody else, so "he feels well" would
be er fhlt sich gut.)
(p37)
I feel better today
*better than
better than yesterday
I feel much better than yesterday
*to work
the work
I have much work
I must work
I'm working, I work
I work much better when I'm alone
I'm alone here
I'm entirely alone
(Note: the comparative of adjectives is formed by adding -er to the adjective, e.g.
interessant > interessanter. Some have irregular forms, e.g. gut > besser.)
This wine is better
It is the best wine
*It is over there
It is up there
It is down there
I don't need anything
I don't need it anymore
I don't need anything more
*It surprises / astonishes me (very much)
(p38)
It doesn't surprise me
I am astonished
*to surprise
surprised
I am surprised
It surprises me
I am really very surprised
(Track 8, 6:26)
*many people
There are too many people here
*fast
*slowly
more slowly
early
Can you come a little earlier?
*It is very clean
*dirty
the dirt
One has to have it cleaned
It is perfect

*anytime
anyplace
anybody
someone
anyhow
*everywhere
I'm looking for it everywhere but I can't find it
(p39)
Will you bring it to me?
Will you give it to me?
Will you show it to me?
May I see it?
Unfortunately it is not possible to do it that way
*until
I will stay here until this evening
*goodbye (lit. until seeing you again)
I will go there again
I will do it again like that
I will not see it again
I will never see it again
*enough
it suffices, it is enough
never again
something like that
I don't want to hear something like that again
I don't ever want to hear something like that again
(Note: if you can see the person you are saying goodbye to, you use auf Wiedersehen. If
you are on the phone, you use auf Wiederhren "until hearing you again".)
*goodbye (on the phone)
*again
See you soon
(p40)
Pardon?
Have a good trip!
Good luck!
I wish you good luck
All the best!
Many thanks for everything
(end of recording)