MICHEL THOMAS GERMAN (BASIC) COURSE, 8 CDs
TRANSCRIPT

This is an approximate transcript of the course, since Michel often changed his mind in the middle of a sentence to be translated, or adapted his sentences for the students. The booklet that accompanied Michel's courses was wholly inadequate, so I have written this transcript. I have found it useful, so maybe other people will, too. 

Naturally, it would be foolish to try to learn the language using this transcript, without buying the recordings.

Note that English is my native language, so I don't guarantee that there are no mistakes. Tracks and track times in the recording are shown in brackets. 

Version 2, Jan 15th 2006
Transcribed by JK

CD 1 (62.32)
(1)  4.37
(2) 6.58
good 
it is 
it is good 
what 
water 
(3)  7.58
to drink 
do you want? 
what do you want? 
what do you want to drink? 
to eat 
what do you want to eat? 
to do 
what do you want to do? 
to come 
do you want to come? 
with me 
(a second verb, which follows a handle verb, goes the end of the sentence)
do want to come with me? 
today 
do you want to come with me today? 
evening 
good evening 
today
this evening 
do you want to come with me? 
what do you want to eat? 
do you want to come with me?
(will you = do you want = wollen Sie)
will you come with me tonight? 
(4) 5.30
to be 
when 
here 
when do you want to be here? 
can you? 
can you come with me? 
(the first sentence is a request, but the second is a question, so the intonation is raised at the end)
will you please come with me? 
do you want to come with me? 
yes 
no 
please 
when do you want to come with me?
to see 
goodbye 
to hear 
goodbye (on the phone) 
(5) 6.58
when do you want to see it? 
can you?
can you see it? 
I can 
I want 
do you want? 
you want 
if 
when do you want? 
if you want 
we want 
to come
you are coming 
we are coming 
are you coming? 
when are you coming? 
when do you come? 
I come 
soon 
I'm coming soon 
do you want?
I want
can you?
can you come with me? 
(6) 4.31
to stay 
we are staying 
(three ways to express the English present tense)
we are staying here 
we are staying here today 
we are staying here tonight 
you are staying 
are you staying? 
how 
to go 
to see
we are going 
you are going 
are you going? 
I am going 
(7) 4.58
not 
now 
not now 
I want
I want to see it 
but 
I want to see it but not now 
can you see it? 
I can see it 
I cannot see it 
(ich kann nicht es sehen also possible, but is stronger)
I cannot see you 
(8) 8.16
to understand 
to stand 
we understand 
we understand you 
good, well 
very 
very good 
(to make a German vowel longer, either double it, or add an h. These two words sound the same: mehr, das Meer)
very good 
it is very good 
very well 
we understand 
we don't understand 
we don't understand it 
we don't understand you 
we don't understand you very well 
do you understand? 
do you understand it? 
me 
do you understand me? 
don't you understand me? 
(9) 7.40
can you understand me? 
I can
I cannot 
I cannot understand you 
I'm sorry 
I'm sorry, but 
I'm sorry, but I cannot understand you 
(recording skips here)
to stay 
we are staying 
we are not staying 
we are not staying here 
long (in the sense of time) 
we cannot stay here long 
how 
how long 
how long can you stay here? 
I must 
I must see it 
I must stay here 
but I cannot stay here long 
I must go soon 
(10) 5.06
me (to me) 
me 
do you understand me? 
to come
to bring 
to find 
I'm sorry but I cannot find it 
white 
white wine 
I know 
I know it 
I don't know it 
where 
I don't know where it is, I cannot find it 

(end of recording)

CD 2 (57.22)
(1) 5.03
to bring
to come
to find
to see
to go
to understand
I understand
I understand you very well 
I don't understand you very well 
I cannot understand you very well 
do you understand me? 
will you bring it to me? 
can you bring it to me today? 
to have 
we have 
we have it 
we don't have it 
do you have? 
do you have it? 
why? 
why don't you have it? 
(2) 7.32
with me 
for me 
can you come with me? 
do you have it for me? 
what do you have for me? 
it is for me 
can you understand me? 
why can't you understand me? 
what
a little, something 
can you bring me something now? 
what can you bring me? 
why can you not bring it to me now? 
(3) 6.08
to have
we have
we have it
we don't have it
why don't you have it for me? 
I must
I must have it 
unfortunately 
unfortunately, I cannot do it now 
I'm sorry, but I don't have it for you now 
you 
you (to) 
I cannot bring it to you now 
because, for 
because I don't have it now 
(4) 7.03
what do you have for me? 
what can you bring me?
for me
with me
for you 
with you 
I cannot bring it to you today, because I don't have it 
I must have it 
to have to 
to be able to 
we have to 
you have to 
you have to come with me 
(5) 8.50
to give 
we give
you give
I am giving 
I am giving it to you 
but I cannot give it to you today, because I don't have it 
when do you want to have it? 
when can you have it? 
when can you have it for me? 
to smoke 
forbidden 
also 
me too 
I don't smoke 
to need 
I need it 
I don't need it 
I don't need it now 
to need
do you need it? 
when do you need it? 
when do you want to have it? 
I can bring it to you today 
(6) 3.38
I want to have it 
will (future tense) 
we will have it 
you will have it 
when will you have it for me? 
I will have it for you today 
I will have it today 
I will see it tonight 
I will bring it to you 

(7) 4.11
when can you bring it to me? 
when do you want to bring it to me? 
when will you bring it to me? 
when can you bring it to me, because I need it today 
when do you need it? 
when do you want to have it? 
I want to have it today, because I need it today 
(8) 3.10
at what time? 
at what time do you want to have it? 
to be 
at what time can you be here tonight? 
at what time do you want to be here? 
at what time can you be here today? 
at what time will you be here? 
(9) 7.39
to come
to arrive 
tomorrow 
at what time will you arrive tomorrow? 
at what time can you be here tomorrow? 
to stay
how long 
how long can you stay here today? 
how long will you stay here? 
to wait 
will you please do it for me? 
when will you do it for me? 
will you please stay here with me? 
how long will you stay? 
(10) 4.08
to say 
will you tell me? 
when will you tell me? 
where 
will you tell me where it is because I cannot find it 
I know
I don't know 
I'm sorry but I don't know where it is, I cannot find it 

(end of recording)

CD 3 (56.51)
(1) 4.37
to go
we go
we don't go
you are going
where
where (to) 
where are you going? 
where do you want to go? 
to go (to) 
where do you want to go (to)? 
there 
(to) there 
I want to go there 
but I cannot go there today 
(2) 1.49
I am 
busy 
business, store 
I am busy 
I am very busy now 
I am very busy today 
(3) 2.54
I will be very busy 
I am very busy now 
(4) 7.01
to go
we are going
you are going
where are you going? 
to stay 
we are staying
how long
how long are we staying? 
how long can we stay here today? 
how long will we stay here today? 
how long do you want to stay here? 
how long can you stay here? 
how long do you stay here? 
how long are you staying here?
do you stay here?
are you staying here?
(commands like bleiben Sie “stay!”  have the same word order as the question bleiben Sie?)
come! 
come here! 
(her or hierher)
are you coming?
bring it! 
bring it to me today! 
are you bringing it to me today? 
do you bring it to me? 
bring it to me! 
(5) 4.39
to wait
we are waiting
we don't wait
we are not waiting
why are you waiting? 
why do you wait?
wait please! 
will you please wait 
to wait for 
to wait for me 
will you wait for me? 
will you please wait for me here tomorrow? 
(6) 4.47
wait for me! 
are you waiting for me? 
will you please wait for me? 
can you wait for me? 
will you wait for me? 
do you want to wait for me? 
where do you want to wait for me? 
where will you wait for me? 
(7) 6.36
to come 
we are coming
you are coming
are you coming?
come!
to stay
we are staying
you are staying
they 
they (for clarity) 
how long are we staying here? 
I am staying
I am not staying here
I'm coming with you 
wait! 
will you please wait? 
I am going to wait for you 
I am going to stay here 
to buy 
merchant, businessman 
I'm going to buy it 
I will buy it 
(8) 7.20
expensive, dear 
we won't buy it because it's very expensive 
we are going to buy it because we want to have it 
(can use present tense to express the future)
I will see you tomorrow 
I will go with you tomorrow 
we will
you will
I will
he will 
she will 
it will 
he will buy it 
soon
he will be here soon 
she will be here soon 
(9) 7.35
ready 
it is ready 
already 
(schon used more frequently in German than in English)
it is already ready 
he is here already 
I have it already 
beautiful 
it is very beautiful 
she is very beautiful 
it is ready already 
everything 
everything is ready already 
everything will be ready for you soon 
everything is going to be ready for you soon 
(10) 9.33
to stay
I am staying
he is staying 
she is staying 
it is staying 
everything is staying here 
all of them, everybody, they all 
everyone is staying here 
my friend 
my friend is not staying 
my friends 
my friends are not staying here 
we are staying here
we are all staying here 
he is coming soon 
he is bringing it to me 
we will bring it to you tomorrow 
he is going to bring it to you tomorrow
when will you bring it to me? 
will you please bring it to me 
will you please bring it to me tomorrow
when will you bring it to me? 
when are you going to bring it to me?

CD 4 (56.38)

(1) 6.29
I would like 
I would like to do it 
I would like to see it 
I would like to see you 
I would like to have it 
us 
he would like to come with us 
I can
he can 
she can 
it can 
it can be 
possible 
it is not possible 
like that, that way 
it's not possible like that 
it is not possible
it is not possible that way
impossible 
entirely 
it is entirely impossible 
(2) 4.29
gladly, with pleasure 
(gern be used with practically any verb)
I like to do it 
I like to see it 
I like to go there 
I will go there with you gladly 
will you come with me 
very gladly (answer) 
thanks 
thanks very much 
best thanks 
I would like 
(3) 4.23
I would like to have it 
to know 
we know
you know
do you know? 
I know 
he knows 
you know 
they know
I don't know where it is 
to say, tell 
will you tell me 
can you tell me? 
will you tell me where it is 
because I cannot find it 
(4) 6.43
busy
I'm very busy
tired 
I am tired 
the house 
at home 
to home 
to go home 
I am going home 
I am going to stay home 
I am very tired and I'm going home now and I will stay home tonight 
I'm going to stay home tonight because I'm tired 
because I am very tired 
(5) 6.56
because 
(the verb goes to the end of the clause after weil)
because I am very tired 
I understand
we understand
you understand
we don't understand
I understand you very well 
I don't understand you very well 
he understands 
she understands 
she understands me very well 
can you understand me? 
I don't understand
I don't understand it 
I cannot understand it 
I understand you 
I do not understand you 
I cannot understand you 
(6) 8.00
to say, tell
I don't know what you are saying 
because I don't understand you 
because I cannot understand you
I don't know what you're saying because I can't understand you 
(7) 6.29
because I cannot understand 
I'm going to stay home because I'm very tired 
I am very busy
I cannot do it because I am very busy today 
I cannot do it today because I'm very busy 
because I'm going to be very busy today 
because I cannot come with you tonight 
(8) 2.29
I cannot tell you 
I cannot tell it to you 
I cannot tell it you now 
because I don't know it 
(9) 7.36
to cost 
it costs 
I want to know how much it costs 
I would like to know how much it costs 
will you tell me how much it costs 
because I need it 
and because I want to have it 
because I must have it 
when can you bring it to me? 
I want to know at what time I can have it today 
(this is wrong, because the weil inversion applies to many other words)
at what time can I have it? 
when
when can I have it? 
will you tell me at what time I can have it 
will you tell me at what time I can have it 
(10) 3.04
I'm sorry but I cannot tell you now why I have to do it today 
why I must have it today 

(end of recording)

CD 5 (56.25)
(1) 7.53
to go
we are going
you are dying
where are you going? 
to ask 
question 
I have a question 
why are you asking? 
why do you ask? 
I want to know 
I would like to know where it is 
there
(to) there
I want to go there 
it is there 
I would like to go there 
for me
not
nothing 
I have nothing 
to understand
I understand
I don't understand
I don't understand anything
I don't have it 
I don't have anything now 
I would like
I would like to have it 
I would like to see it 
I would like to go there 
(2) 5.59
it is going very well 
how's it going 
how's it going for you 
I'm fine 
it is going very well 
everything is going very well 
better 
much 
(much) thanks 
I'm going much better today 
everything is going much better today 
(3) 10.39
to feel 
I feel it 
I don't feel it 
I cannot feel it 
I feel fine, I feel myself fine 
(for reflexive verbs, myself = me = mich, ourselves = us = uns)
I feel very well today 
I don't feel very well 
I feel
we feel fine 
himself, herself, itself, yourself 
he feels good 
to feel
do you feel it? 
how do you feel? 
to wash 
I am washing it 
I am washing 
to hurry 
I am hurrying 
I must hurry 
we must hurry 
he must hurry 
(4) 4.16
one 
(man is much more common in german than english. It also means "all of us")
one must hurry 
we must hurry 
you must hurry 
I will hurry 
I am going to hurry 
we are going to hurry 
we will hurry
will you please hurry 
can you hurry? 
(5) 6.56
shall, should 
you shall hurry up, you should hurry up 
I shall hurry up 
why don't you hurry 
hurry up! 
to interest 
interested 
I am interested
it interests me very much 
I interest myself very much 
he is interested 
(6) 5.37
that 
that interests me very much 
that doesn't interest me 
interesting 
joy 
to enjoy, have joy 
I am very pleased 
I enjoy myself 
it pleases me 
time 
newspaper 
I don't have the time 
I have no time now 
(7) 2.23
possible
possibility 
I have no possibility 
(after noun or adjective, a verb is preceded by zu)
I have no time to do it 
it is not possible to do it 
(8) 3.36
opportunity 
I would like to have the opportunity to see it 
(9) 3.34
always 
I don't always have the opportunity to see it 
often 
I don't often have the opportunity to see it 
it is not possible 
it is not possible to go there today 
(10) 5.32
important 
it is very important to do it 
so 
it is not so important 
it is not so important to do it today 
necessary 
it is not necessary to do it now 
late 

(end of recording)

CD 6 (57.33)
(1) 5.09
late
it is very late 
later 
something
somewhat, a little 
a little later 
to call 
to call (phone) 
will you call me later 
can you call me later? 
too 
towards 
(gehen means to go on foot. by any other means is fahren)
to go 
I'm going to Berlin 
Germany 
German 
I'm going to Germany 
(2) 5.30
to speak 
do you speak English? 
you speak German very well 
in German (language) 
how to say it in German? 
one doesn't say it like that 
one says it 
does one say? 
does one say it like that? 
does one say it like that in German? 
how does one say it in German? 
(3) 9.24
it is too late 
it is too late to do it now 
I'm going to do it later 
it won't be possible to do it now 
I will do it later today 
he will be here soon 
it will be very important 
it will be very important to do it 
but I don't have the time to do it now 
I will not have the time to do it today 
(4) 5.10
would 
I would do it 
he wouldn't do it 
we wouldn't do it 
we won't do it 
we would not do it 
it will not be possible that way 
I will 
I would
he will
it will
it would
it couldn't be possible 
(5) 4.48
to buy
I would buy it 
I won't buy it 
it wouldn't be possible to do it 
because he is very busy today 
because I cannot do it today 
I won't do it today 
because I won't do it today 
because I wouldn't do it today 
because I wouldn't have the time to do it today 
(6) 9.01
when will he be here? 
ready
when will it be ready? 
I would like to know, when it will be ready 
it would be ready today 
it can be ready today 
it is going to be ready today 
because it will be ready today 
because it cannot be ready today 
I want to know at what time it is going to be ready 
I would like to know at what time it will be ready 
I would like to know why it cannot be ready today 
(7) 4.06
if 
if you want 
we want
we want it
we don't want it
we don't want to do it today 
I want
he wants
I would like to know when you want to do it 
I would like to know at what time you can do it 
I will wait here if you want 
I will wait here for you if you want 
(8) 2.52
if, whether 
to try 
(9) 4.36
I don't know if I can do it but I will try 
I don't know if it is possible to do it that way, but I will try 
but I don't know if it will be possible to do it that way 
but I am going to try 
(10) 6.57
(for "i have been waiting since", in german you use present tense ich warte and "since" seit)
since 
ten minutes 
I have been waiting for ten minutes 
to live, reside 
ten years 
I have been living here for ten years 
how long have you been living here? 
how long have you been here? 
I have been doing that a long time already 
to work 
the work 
he is working 
he has been working here for a long time 
three days 
we have been here for three days 

(end of recording)

CD 7 (58.17)
(1) 8.38
I can do it
we can
you can
they can
can you?
it can be ready today 
it cannot be possible that way 
I will buy it tomorrow if I have the time 
can you tell me if you can do it? 
I would like to know when you will do it 
to understand
I don't understand you 
I can't understand you 
he doesn't understand 
he can't understand 
(2) 5.41
(in english, "could" appears in two tenses - subjunctive and past)
could (past tense) 
I could 
he could 
you could 
("i didn't find it" can be expressed as "i couldn't find it")
I didn't find it 
I couldn't understand you 
yesterday 
last night 
he didn't go there with us 
(3) 4.25
was 
were 
I was there last night 
but it wasn't ready 
we were there 
where were you?
it was not possible to do it 
I had 
we had 
I didn't have the time to do it, because I was very busy 
I didn't find it 
(4) 8.20
could (meaning "would be able", present tense) 
could you come with me? 
could you tell me? 
could you wait now? 
can you wait here? 
without 
without you 
I couldn't do it without you 
I couldn't do it without you yesterday 
I couldn't understand you 
(5) 10.12
must 
I must go now 
we must buy it 
you have to wait for me 
I had to (past tense of "must") 
you had to 
I had to stay here 
he had to wait for me 
he wants to buy it 
he cannot buy it because it's very expensive 
he cannot buy it because it's too expensive 
he doesn't want to have it 
he will have it 
he will do it because he wants to do it 
do you want to do it? 
we don't want to do it 
why don't you want to do it now? 
he doesn't want to do it 
he won't do it 
he's not going to do it 
we want
you want
do you want, will you please
will you do it please 
will you tell me 
he doesn't want to do it 
(6) 5.31
wanted 
I wanted 
he wanted 
he wanted to buy it because he wanted to have it 
I didn't want to stay here 
shall, should
we shall stay here, we should stay here 
you should tell me 
it should be ready 
(should present and past tenses are the same, so "I should" and "I was supposed to" are sollen)
was supposed to 
he should wait for me, he was supposed to wait for me 
but he could not wait 
(dürfen "may be allowed to" more common in german than english)
may be allowed to 
one is not allowed to 
may I see it? 
to try on 
may I try it on? 
(7) 10.12
I don't feel like it 
I don't feel like doing it 
I'm very pleased to do it 
I am very pleased to see you 
it will give me very much pleasure to see you 
I would do it 
he wouldn't do it 
because it would not be possible to do it 
it was not possible to do it 
(waren wären, wäre "would be". "would be" is also würde sein. wären also means "were", as in "if I were...")
it wouldn't be possible 
(8) 5.18
let 
(lassen also used when you want to have something done)
to repair 
to have repaired 
I will repair it 
I will get it repaired, have it fixed 
I have to get it fixed 
to wash
I will get it washed 
clean 
to clean 
will you clean it 
will you get it cleaned 
I have to get cleaned 

(end of recording)

CD 8 (60.03)
(1) 6.21
to go
away 
way 
to go away 
I will go away soon 
but I wouldn't go away without you 
out 
to go out 
I want to go out tonight 
we would like to go out tonight 
exit (walking) 
entrance (walking) 
exit (e.g. on road) 
entrance (e.g. on road) 
to depart 
to go away 
to go far away 
to go through 
to walk through 
to walk through there 
(2) 5.39
I understand 
I am going away 
(non-separable verb prefixes are not stressed. Separable prefixes are stressed)
again 
I'm going to do it again 
never again 
I will never do it again 
to fetch, get 
to go get 
I will fetch it 
I'm going to fetch you 
I fetch it 
to fetch again 
to repeat 
I repeat 
(3) 4.20
to get something 
I'm getting it 
to arrive 
I'm arriving 
I'm arriving tomorrow 
tomorrow morning 
early 
I'm going out this evening 
midday 
morning 
tomorrow morning 
we are going to Frankfurt 
after 
afternoon 
this afternoon 
tomorrow afternoon 
(4) 3.52
day after tomorrow 
over 
to drive someone over, run over 
I want to go there 
I go there 
to here (opposite of hin) 
come here! 
come (towards) here! 
in (towards here) 
to come right in 
Will you come in? 
(5) 4.27
out (towards) 
(only the short form is in common use. compare ausgehen and herausgehen)
get out! 
on top of it 
get over there 
to put (in kying position) 
to lie 
to put (in standing position) 
to put on 
to put in 
to put in, to put into (e.g. a drawer) 
to put on (to) top 
to take 
to take (out e.g. drawer) 
(6) 2.40
to put on top, over (it) 
to put underneath 
under the table 
I put it over 
to put it over one's mind, i.e. think it over 
I'll think it over 
I'm thinking it over 
to come over the top of 
to come under 
come under! 
to come in 
(7) 9.17
to pull 
the pulling, train 
to pull on, dress 
I'm going to get dressed 
the suit (pulling-on) 
I'm getting dressed 
I must get dressed 
he is getting dressed 
to pull out, to move out (a house) 
the pulling-out, Exodus 
the pulling-in 
to change once place, move (to a new house) 
process of moving 
to pull through 
pulling-through, moving-through 
to lock 
key 
to lock with a key 
to lock up 
to close the door 
to lock the door 
to close 
to open 
window 
I am opening the window 
I am closing the door 
castle, lock 
to lock in 
I will lock it in 
I will lock it inside 
I will unlock it 
locked 
the door is locked 
everything is locked today 
he is locked in 
(8) 7.38
to catch 
to start, to catch on 
we will start soon 
we are starting soon 
when you starting? 
when do we start? 
to call
to call (phone)
will you call me later? 
I am going to call you later 
I will call you later 
in order to... 
I am calling you later in order to ask you if you can come with us tonight 
I'm going to see you 
to hope 
(the conjuction "that" is daß, which is not optional in German, and behaves like weil)
I hope I can do it 
I hope he will arrive tomorrow 
(9) 8.17
to think 
to believe, have an opinion 
I think he is going to be here soon 
I hope that you can come with us tonight 
easy 
heavy 
it is very easy 
it is very interesting 
comfortable 
it is very comfortable here 
nice 
he is very nice 
(a better word for "nice" is sympathisch)
comfortable, pleasing, conducive 
it is nice here, there is a good ambience here 
(noun genders)
(10) 7.32
(-chen -lein are diminutive endings, which are always neuter)
I want a glass of wine 
I would like to have a glass of red wine 
I must have a glass of white wine 
excuse me 
may I ask you... 
... where I can find it 

(end of recording)