"Du lernst, ich spiele."

Translation: You are learning, I am playing.

[slackermac]

Sounds good to me! I'll go ahead and play some video games while you learn.

[myminifarm]

Ugghhh. Story of my life. Brother plays while I do his homework

[bjreichstein]

In English you would use a ";" is this not the case in German?

[Blck_Bamboo]

You can read the sentence as "You are learning , (= while/ and) I am playing."
So the comma stands for while or and.

[rbotros]

A semicolon would be grammatically correct, but its usage is on the decline. A comma is in its place is completely intelligible. The former is more formal, the latter is colloquial.

[Angelina931500]

Can it be..
You learn, i play?

[brandonwv]

For "ich spiele" I translated "I am acting." Would this not be correct? Is it necessarily "I am playing"?

[Alenonderon]

No, just because they share the word in english does not mean they share the word in german. The word for theatrical acting is wirken. (I believe)

[spalac24]

May be as in english there is play and act, in german there are also 2 words, but i don't know it.

[jacek.nl]

It got stuck!

[FacebookManson]

Should it be "You are learning, and I am playing." or, better yet, "You are learning. I am playing." Typically shouldn't be allowed to combine two independent clauses with a comma in English, no?

[FandomFreak7]

You're right. In English, the comma would ideally be replaced with a semicolon or with a fullstop to change sentences, but that might not be how German works.

[ishygddt]

"Ich lerne" can be more accurately translated to "I study." Both essentially the same act.. But translating it literally is quite awkward, to say the least.

[kmramna]

Take a look at this site. This is very helpful. http://www.vocabulix.com/conjugation/German-Verbs.html. Type any word 'lese' and click 'search.' And the click 'Show All' for 'Present.' You will find what to use and when.

[mrsthursday]

You used the you form "lernt" instead of the you form "lernst". I've been practising too long this sentence gave me the giggles. You see?

[kmramna]

Take a look at this site. This is very helpful. http://www.vocabulix.com/conjugation/German-Verbs.html. Type any word 'lese' and click 'search.' And the click 'Show All' for 'Present.' You will find what to use and when.

[Sepharess]

I'm doing both!

[kmramna]

Take a look at this site. This is very helpful. http://www.vocabulix.com/conjugation/German-Verbs.html. Type any word 'lese' and click 'search.' And the click 'Show All' for 'Present.' You will find what to use and when.

[Scintilla72]

I like to think of this one as describing a difference in attitude: it might be all work to you, but to me it's fun.

[MohamedAtef16]

and that's my motto

[PapaSmurf88]

Scientific Progress Goes Boink

[bryanos.au]

I translated "Du lernst" as You learn. Why is this incorrect.

[Pranav983416]

I also have same doubt

[celso548017]

She does not pronounce the "S"

[PaulaJolly]

I would never have gotten Du from the way he said it at regular speed.