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How to Say ‘I have a problem.’ in German

Ich habe ein Problem.

ikh hah-be ine Proh-blem

[ikh hah-be ine Proh-blem]

Phrase Breakdown

Ich habe

ikh hah-be

I have

'Ich' has a soft 'ch' like a hissing cat, not a 'k'. In 'habe' the final 'e' is a short, weak 'uh'.

Example

Ich habe Zeit.

I have time.

Words in this phrase

Ich

[ikh]

The pronoun 'ich' in nominative form.

Example

Ich bin da.

I am here.

habe

[hah-be]

have

To possess or hold.

Example

Ich habe bei meinem letzten Job neue Fähigkeiten erworben.

I have acquired new skills at my last job.

ein Problem.

ine Proh-blem

a problem.

'Problem' is stressed on the last syllable: pro-BLEHM, with a long 'e'.

Example

Das ist ein Problem.

That is a problem.

Words in this phrase

ein

[ine]

a; an

Indefinite article used before 'Hallo'.

Example

Reicht das für ein Hallo, oder braucht es ein besseres Timing?

Is that enough for a hello, or does it need better timing?

Problem

[Proh-blem]

Problem

A matter or situation regarded as unwelcome or harmful and needing to be dealt with.

Example

Das einzige Problem war, dass der Lautsprecher nicht funktionierte.

The only problem was that the speaker didn't work.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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