25 Comments
You can read the sentence as "You are learning , (= while/ and) I am playing." So the comma stands for while or and.
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.
586
For "ich spiele" I translated "I am acting." Would this not be correct? Is it necessarily "I am playing"?
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)
May be as in english there is play and act, in german there are also 2 words, but i don't know it.
Hm I don't know but a Schauspieler is an actor so there's some merit to that translation I think.
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?
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.
"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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
- 1156
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.
