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Everyday

From A2 to Real Conversations

Move beyond short answers: tell a story, explain a view and keep a conversation going.

A2 → B12 chapters 10 steps85 min

View learning path

What you'll be able to do

Tell a short story with a beginning, change and result.
Give an opinion with a reason and example.
Ask follow-up questions and repair misunderstandings.
Link ideas with examples, contrasts and sequence markers.
Sustain a longer exchange even when the other person changes direction.

Your learning path

01

Build longer turns

0/5 complete

02

Respond, repair and keep going

0/5 complete

Practice pack · Klaro original draft

Step 9 of 10 · Practice pack · ~12 min study

Your 30 useful phrases and practice pack

Choose five entries, change a detail, then use them in a short exchange.

Practice pack · Klaro original draft

Original phrase pack — 30 entries

Choose five entries, change a detail, then use them in a short exchange.

30 entries · 3 questions

Phrase pack · Klaro original draft

Original phrase pack — 30 entries

Choose five entries, change a detail, then use them in a short exchange.

Longer turns and storytelling

#	German	Natural English meaning	Use and register
1	Zunächst einmal …	First of all…	neutral; begin a longer turn
2	Es war so: …	What happened was…	neutral; introduce a story
3	Zuerst dachte ich …	At first, I thought…	neutral; set up a contrast
4	Dann ist etwas Unerwartetes passiert.	Then something unexpected happened.	neutral; advance a story
5	Am Ende hat es geklappt.	In the end, it worked out.	neutral; finish a story
6	Der Hauptgrund ist …	The main reason is…	neutral; justify an opinion
7	Zum Beispiel …	For example…	neutral; make an abstract point concrete
8	Andererseits …	On the other hand…	neutral; introduce another perspective
9	Was ich meine, ist …	What I mean is…	neutral; rephrase your own point
10	Ich sage es mal anders.	Let me put it another way.	neutral; repair your explanation
11	Wie ist das passiert?	How did that happen?	neutral; ask a follow-up
12	Und was ist dann passiert?	What happened next?	neutral; encourage a story
13	Ist dir das auch schon einmal passiert?	Has that ever happened to you?	informal; connect a story to the listener
14	Ich stimme teilweise zu.	I agree up to a point.	neutral; qualify agreement
15	Ich habe mich noch nicht entschieden.	I haven't made up my mind yet.	neutral; express uncertainty
16	Kannst du mir mehr darüber erzählen?	Could you tell me more about that?	informal; invite elaboration
17	Zusammengefasst …	To sum up…	neutral; finish a longer turn
18	Kommen wir später darauf zurück?	Shall we come back to that later?	neutral; park a topic

Reactions and opinions

#	German	Natural English meaning	Use and register
19	Das klingt gut.	That sounds good.	neutral; respond to a suggestion
20	Das denke ich auch.	I think so too.	neutral; agree with an opinion
21	Ich bin mir nicht sicher.	I'm not sure.	neutral; express uncertainty
22	Das kommt darauf an.	It depends.	neutral; avoid a simple yes/no
23	Wirklich?	Really?	neutral; express interest or surprise
24	Wie schade.	What a shame.	neutral; respond to disappointment
25	Kein Problem.	No problem.	neutral; reassure someone
26	Gute Idee.	Good idea.	neutral; accept a plan
27	Ich verstehe, was du meinst.	I see what you mean.	informal; acknowledge a point
28	Ich sehe das anders.	I see it differently.	neutral; disagree without dismissing
29	Für mich ist das wichtig.	For me, it's important.	neutral; explain a priority
30	Was meinst du dazu?	What do you think?	informal; invite an opinion

Short reading · Klaro original

A change of plan

Letztes Wochenende wollte ich einen ruhigen Tag verbringen, aber eine Freundin lud mich zu einem Spaziergang ein. Zuerst wollte ich zu Hause bleiben. Dann ging ich doch mit. Wir entdeckten ein kleines Café und redeten eine Stunde. Am Ende war ich froh, dass ich meine Pläne geändert hatte.

English meaning

Last weekend I planned a quiet day, but a friend invited me on a walk. At first I wanted to stay at home. Then I decided to go. We discovered a small café and talked for an hour. In the end, I was glad I had changed my plans.

Self-check

Read once, hide the paragraph and answer. Then check the key. This is a practice activity, not a CEFR assessment.

What was the original plan?
Show answer
A quiet day at home.
What changed the plan?
Show answer
A friend's invitation.
How did the narrator feel at the end?
Show answer
Glad they had gone out.

Transfer task

Rewrite the situation using your own day, place or preference, then say it aloud without looking.

Reference card

Use Sie / Ihnen / Ihr with an adult stranger or in a formal service/work interaction unless you agree to use du. Du / dir / dein fits friends and informal contexts. Learn the noun with its article. Ich hätte gern… makes a useful polite request. These examples focus on Germany; everyday vocabulary and pronunciation also vary across Austria and Switzerland.

Match the phrase to the situation: listen to the reply and ask a follow-up rather than reciting the whole list.