Modern German Grammar: A Practical Guide, Second Edition

93.4 Enquiring after need

 See also 113.1 (p. 404) for hopes and 90.3 (p. 326) on ‘Turning one’s attention to somebody’.

Note the following for polite inquiries where a positive answer is often expected:

NOTE Do not use voll instead of satt as that either means you have had too much to drink or implies

that you didn’t enjoy what you have been eating.

 See 67.1–4b (pp. 201–5) for thanking somebody; 112.2 (p. 401) for satisfying needs and

demands; 112.4 (p. 403) for saying that something is sufficient; and 112.5 (p. 403) for

saying you have had enough to eat.

94 Expressing objections and complaints

94.1 Putting somebody right in a polite way

Germans may sound less apologetic than many British speakers when they put

somebody right about something. Although they can therefore sound rude to the

faint-hearted Briton abroad, this is merely a cultural phenomenon and not meant to

give offence. If you have reason to complain, do so in a straightforward manner or

you won’t be understood.

The most common polite introduction is:

Entschuldigen Sie bitte,...

Excuse me...

This can be followed by:

... , aber ich sehe, dass hier etwas nicht stimmt.
... but I can see that something is not right here.

Question Reply

Darf ich euch heute Abend zum

Essen einladen? (For this

construction see 19.7.)

Es tut uns Leid, aber heute passt es uns

leider nicht.

May I invite you to dinner tonight? I’m sorry, unfortunately it isn’t

convenient tonight.

Ja, gerne.

Yes, thank you.

Möchten Sie noch ein Glas Wein? Ja, gern./Nein, danke.

Would you like another glass of wine? Yes, please (Thank you)./No, thank

you.

Noch Käse? Danke, ich bin schon ganz satt.

More cheese? No, thank you, I am already quite full.

94

Expressing objections/complaints