"She reads a newspaper to you."
Translation:Sie liest dir eine Zeitung vor.
47 Comments
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One of the DL's correct solutions is: Sie liest Dir eine Zeitung vor.
Why is Dir capitalized here?
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It's an old standard in German; it used to be considered respectful if you capitalise Du/Ihr/Dich/Euch ,,, like it's done with the formal Sie.. But nowadays this is outdated, and not recommended
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Its incorrect to capitalise the "Dir" here. You would only do that when writing letters/emails.
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Also why is that word order used? I wrote "Sie liest eine Zeitung dir vor" which was wrong (same words different order).
A previous phrase said "Ich lese ein Buch für ihn vor" which is closer to my answer this time - i.e. not "ich lese für ihn ein Buch vor"
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I do not understand the 'vor' preposition at the end, why can't it be only "Sie liest dir eine Zeitung." as in "she reads you a newspaper"?
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Can you actually leave the 'to' out in english? 'jemandem eine Zeitung lesen' doesn't work in german, because the verb is 'vorlesen', which translates 'to read sth. to someone', according to the dictionary. 'vorlesen' is only nominative though, when conjugated the prefix moves in some cases, usually behind the object which is read to someone. Also, have a look at the first chart (click to unfold): http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/vorlesen#Conjugation
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actually you could leave the to out in English. nothing wrong with She reads you a newspaper.
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Quoting from a comment by Lexht in this same thread (different comment):
"The verb is vorlesen, with a separable prefix. The "vor" has to go to the end."
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Lucky you, because "to read to" means actually "vorlesen." and your version strictly spoken is: "She reads a newspaper for you" (that means instead) Which would mean she reads the newspaper for you, because you can't read or have no time, and maybe later she tells in her words what she read/understood, like giving you a summary. The owl must have had a good day to wave that through.
Edit: I am under the impression that DUO starts to accept versions from people who reported issues, and unfortunately some are not correct. If that's true, it is not an improvement.
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I put "vor dich" at the end, which is wrong, but DL stated that "Sie liest eine Zeitung für dich" was the answer it wanted.
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Please read my comment above again.
It is right to translate:
"She reads a newspaper to you." with:
"Sie liest euch eine Zeitung vor."
but it is wrong to translate it with: "Sie liest eine Zeitung für dich"
Please report it, because it teaches you and other students the wrong thing.
Explanation in my above post.
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Maybe you could compare it with bringing something forward. You offer up what you read by reading it out loud to someone.
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Hello. While we're on the topic of separable verbs, would someone be so kind as to explain the rules for where to put the separated part? I'm guessing it's always just at the end of the phrase like in English. Thanks in advance. = )
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@Lull0000 : As far as I know it's like you said, just at the end.
Found this, read all three pages: German Verb Prefixes, Separable and Inseparable Verb Prefixes : http://german.about.com/library/verbs/blverb_pre01.htm
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The correct word order is "Sie liest dich eine Zeitung vor", but I agree that it should be an option. Reported.
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So it would be "Sie liest dir eine Zeitung"? Or "Sie liest dir eine Zeitung vor"?
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"Sie liest dir eine Zeitung vor" because the verb is vorlesen: to read to (someone (dat)).
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Person/thing you are reading to is always dative, because it is the indirect object of the action. The verb doesn't have to have an indirect object. "Sie liest eine Zeitung vor" means "She is reading a newspaper aloud." So, sorry, the verb is "to read out/aloud" and the dative is used for the indirect object of the verb.
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I asked because some verbs in german are automatically dative. Thank you for the help!
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What in the world... Last time I was told the Dir answer was wrong so when I had to redo the lesson I didn't pick it, and guess what? I get told I'm wrong! Stop toying with my heart, Duo. :'(
It's the old form of writing pronouns. Normally nowadays "dir" is no longer capitalized.
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... is what i thought too. However, I stand corrected:
http://www.duden.de/sprachwissen/sprachratgeber/gross-oder-kleinschreibung-von--em-sie-sie--em-
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This pretty much sums it up:
http://www.duden.de/sprachwissen/sprachratgeber/gross-oder-kleinschreibung-von--em-sie-sie--em-
Groß- oder Kleinschreibung von sie/Sie Die Formen des Anredepronomens Sie schreibt man immer und überall groß und auch die Formen des entsprechenden Possessivpronomens, d. h. auch in der wörtlichen Rede im Prosatext: Welche Schlussfolgerungen ziehen Sie daraus? Solche, die ich Ihnen nicht auf die Nase binden will (Willi Achten: Die florentinische Krankheit).
Immer und überall groß, das kann man sich ziemlich leicht merken. Dennoch gibt es bisweilen Unsicherheiten bezüglich der Groß- oder Kleinschreibung von sie/Sie und Konsorten und die ergeben sich meist daraus, dass die höfliche Anrede mit Sie leicht mit der dritten Person Plural sie verwechselt wird. So muss man schon scharf nachdenken, wer genau in folgenden Beispielen versorgt wird respektive wer es ist, der etwas braucht:
a) Sehr geehrter Herr Dr. Mürr, wir garantieren eben nicht nur den Netzbetreibern, sondern auch Ihnen, dass wir ihre Kunden [= die der Netzbetreiber] mit allem versorgen, was sie [= die Kunden der Netzbetreiber oder die Netzbetreiber] brauchen.
b) Sehr geehrter Herr Dr. Mürr, wir garantieren eben nicht nur den Netzbetreibern, sondern auch Ihnen, dass wir Ihre Kunden [= die des Dr. Mürr] mit allem versorgen, was sie [= die Kunden der Netzbetreiber oder die Netzbetreiber] brauchen.
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I wonder would Sie liest eine Zeitung dir vor be acceptable [duo did not approve]
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For a translation from English to German.
"She reads a newspaper to you." translates to: "Sie liest dir eine Zeitung vor."
(your word order is most likely the reason for disapproval)
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This construction {word order} works only when it is clear through the context what you are reading back and you drop the object like in:
(the context gives you "Bettgeschichte"
Than you can say: "Er las sie dir vor"
{Where "sie" is the "Bettgeschichte"}
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I think maybe vorlesen has to take the dative pronoun because of the vor. Vor is accusative if there is movement or a specific location, but otherwise dative, therefore in this sentence it must take dir as the dative form of you.
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After reading all the comments, i must have found another way to get it wrong.
Why cann't the answer be:
Sie liest eine zeitung zu Ihnen
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I wrote 2 questions ago this exact sentence in englisch and got it wrong. It isn't that important. Just wanna understand. Thx
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Hm, you got it marked wrong because it is. Prepositions with "lesen" are:
vor - lesen,
ab -lesen,
vor sich hin - lesen,
adverbiale contructions:
kreuz- lesen,
still - lesen, {stilles Lesen}
laut - lesen,
schnell/langsam - lesen ,
vertehendes - Lesen
Dialog - lesen,
<pre> ***
</pre>
The only way "zu" is used with lesen, is in: "Ich habe keine Lust zu(m) Lesen."
Which is not related to our example.
