Hostage Negotiations: Hostage: The TV Remote
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Key Phrases
Fernbedienung
Remote
Wechseln
To change
Etwas anderes
Something else
Skills You'll Learn
Identifying TV-related vocabulary
Fernsehbezogenes Vokabular erkennen
Expressing change
Veränderung ausdrücken
Requesting alternatives
Alternativen erfragen
Lesson Roleplay
Imagine two friends are having a playful argument about what to watch on TV. One of them is holding the remote control and insists on watching a documentary about moss, while the other is trying to avoid spoilers from a soap opera and suggests watching something else.
Leg die Fernbedienung hin, und wir tun alle so, als ob die Spoiler zur Seifenoper nicht passiert wären.
Put the remote down, and we'll all pretend the soap opera spoilers never happened.
Nein, wir werden meine Doku über Moos ansehen, sonst bleibt die Fernbedienung bei mir!
No, we're going to watch my documentary about moss, or the remote stays with me!
Nur eine Folge deiner Doku, dann geben wir das auch.
Just one episode of your documentary, then we'll call it even.
Es ist sehr interessant, du wirst es sehen. Moos ist nicht nur Grünzeug!
It's very interesting, you'll see. Moss is more than just greenery!
In Ordnung, eine Folge. Aber dann möchte ich den Kanal wechseln.
Alright, one episode. But then I want to change the channel.
Lesson Vocabulary & Phrases
Fernbedienung
fairn-buh-dee-noong
Remote
💬 Literally translates to 'far control.' The Germans are very practical in naming things!
🇩🇪 Losing the remote under the couch is a universal challenge, even in Germany!
See breakdown →Hinlegen
hin-lay-ghen
To put down
Tun
toon
To do
Tun als ob
toon ahlss awb
To pretend
Spoiler
shpoi-luh
Spoilers
💬 Same spelling as English, but said with a German twist!
🇩🇪 Germans are quite serious about spoilers, especially in their beloved TV shows.
See breakdown →Seifenoper
zy-fen-oh-per
Soap opera
💬 Literally means 'soap opera.' Just like in English, don’t expect much logic in the plot!
🇩🇪 Popular in Germany, these are usually dramatic and full of cliffhangers.
See breakdown →Passieren
pah-seer-en
To happen
Doku
doe-koo
Documentary
💬 Short for 'Dokumentarfilm.' Germans love their abbreviations!
🇩🇪 Documentaries are a respected genre in Germany, often about nature or history.
See breakdown →Learn this vocabulary list the easy way
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