29 Comments
If those two words "möglichst schnell" are an expression, how was I suppose to know that with the clues? http://www.dict.cc/?s=m%C3%B6glichst+schnell
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Seriously, that's one way to learn on this program. I've learned a lot on Duolingo this way: I didn't know; I got the pink screen of rejection; I lost a heart; I saw the right answer; I studied it and saw how it worked; and the whole process tends to embed it in my memory.
An alternative approach is the conventional textbook approach: first, the material is presented to you; then you're tested on it. Nothing wrong with that, necessarily, but it's obviously not Duolingo's approach.
Agreed, I sometimes I smack the table and pout when I lose a heart, but hey! what have I really lost? Money? No. Power? No. A ticket to the fair? No. It's just a game. And if I have to repeat a lesson--even if some of the lost hearts are from strange Duolingo translation--well, I can use the drill.
I saw the right answer; I studied it and saw how it worked; and the whole process tends to embed it in my memory. Agreed! I view Duo as a "self teaching" aid. Half (if not more) of the stuff I've learned I taught myself by getting it wrong, then looking up words in dictionaries and grammar aids. Duo provides the course structure, you have to dig for the knowledge. The more you dig for the knowledge, the more you will get out of Duo. When I can't find the answer I'm looking for, or if it's a question of usage or idioms, then I rely on the friendly native speakers' help. When they give me an answer though, it doesn't seem to stick as much as it does when I find the answer on my own.
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You're right, Hohenems, and I'm taking your response to heart. I've caught myself starting to ask a question for something I could easily look up--I tackle these lessons with one or two online dictionaries open in other windows. But overall I think I do learn more when I look up the easy stuff and save the trickier bits--idioms, quirks of grammar, and things I just can't be sure of after I've looked it up--for our fabulously helpful German-speaking friends.
Don't forget you can pass your cursor over the words and definitions come up – you can have a go at translating the phrase. As Soglio says though - you're learning through your mistakes and that's usually a better way of learning than just being handed the answer in the first place.
well, to make it short i dont know ;) cant think of it right now. but the correct answer given ( run as fast as possible ) would translate back to renn(e) so schnell wie möglich. its not quite the same. renne möglichst schnell means you are supposed to possibly run fast - which is close to run as fast as possible; but not quite the same. möglichst -> possibly
I was wondering why "Run as quick as you can" was not accepted, but "Run as quickly as you can" is accepted. In Ireland, "Run as quick as you can" would be accepted. Maybe we need grammar lessons!
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Probably because "quick" is the adjective form, "quickly" is the adverb (needed to modify the verb, "run," at least in US English). Two links: http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/quickly http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/quick
Quick is used as an adverb and in this construction is more natural for many native speakers on this side of the Atlantic. You wouldn't write it in a formal tract, but then you wouldn't be writing that phrase in one. http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/quick
Backtoschool, I'm not ignoring your comment, but that would make both of Duo's answers wrong. If they were right, Dave's answer would also be correct.
Yes there is: "Renn(e) um dein Leben!"
For similar questions you can refer to the following trustworthy link.
http://www.linguee.de/deutsch-englisch/uebersetzung/renn+um+dein+leben.html
Is möglichst the superlative of möglich? I kind of see how this sentence works if it is.
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Either something is possible or it's not, so superlatives do not seem to make sense if you are not comparing the probabilities of two events. Anyway, I think it should be möglich -> möglicher -> am möglichsten.
Just question for native speakers: can möglichst be (here and otherwise) translated as preferably?
No, not really "preferably" comes close as it suggests to go rather fast, than slow here in this example,
"möglichst" means in other words: "in deinem besten Vermögen um die Aufgabe zu erfuellen" as this sounds a bit strange the German language has the word "möglichst".
It just means in this context: "to your best ability", "in your ability" but, and this is important!"only as good as really needed/applicable to fulfill the task. It suggest do go faster than normal. (rather fast than too slow to get there in time); that's all. :-)
It doesn't necessary mean: "as fast as...", or "as good as..."
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And to round it off, if someone wants to express: "as fast as possible" in German he/she would use the phrase:
"so schnell wie möglich", "so schnell du kannst"
Also read one of my above comment. Some people have a misconception about the use of "möglichst" including DUO.
"möglichst" is typically used when you discuss a subject and you suggest something and give options to make use of different "known" options without naming them.
Example: To play back your mp3 files, please rather use Miro player, than all the other capable players to achieve best audio performance.
"Um deine mp3 files mit bestem Ergebis abzuspielen, benutze bitte möglichst den MIRO player." (which still gives you options to use other players)
So could it be translated in English with this sense, "Run! If possible (run) fast!"
It doesn't hit it a 100%. Here is the explanation.
If it would give {10} distinct speeds in 'running' the speaker suggest with: "moeglichst" to use the higher speeds rather than the slower running speeds. And the reason for this is, he warns the runner. If he just runs (just to say he is running) but with a speed of {2} for example, he wouldn't reach the bus in time, but at the same time the speaker warns (just by using the magic word "moeglichst", not to run at full speed, because it may exhaust the runner before he even reaches the bus.
So much in is this little word "moeglichst", and believe me this is the correct interpreation. :-)
What is more common in colloquial speach, "Renne möglichst schnell" or "Renne so schnell wie möglich", or are they used somewhat equal?
they are used somewhat equal, but the sentences are not the same.
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Renne so schnell wie möglich. =Run as fast as possible.= Full speed until you reach the aim!, maybe a bit slower than full speed because you will not reach the aim if you collapse earlier. ;) =Renne schnellst möglich.
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Renne möglichst schnell. ~ Try your best to be fast.
it says "as far as possible" in the hint yet doesn't accept it as a translation.
Hints are not sentence-specific - they may or may not be appropriate in the translation of any given sentence.
"As far as possible" works if you have no adjective in the sentence, for example ("Gib ihm möglichst kein Geld" - "Don't give him any money, as far as possible / if possible"), but with an adjective ("möglichst X"), it is "as X as possible".
