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How to Say ‘Just hold the card up to the reader.’ in German

Halten Sie die Karte einfach ans Gerät.

HAL-ten ZEE dee KAR-tuh INE-fahkh ans ge-RAIT

[HAL-ten ZEE dee KAR-tuh INE-fahkh ans ge-RAIT]

💬 Usage Tip: ans is a squeezed form of an das "to the", and Germans almost always say it this way. You'll see the same squeeze in ins for in das and am for an dem.

Phrase Breakdown

Halten Sie die Karte

HAL-ten ZEE dee KAR-tuh

Hold the card

This is a polite command with 'die Karte' as the object.

Example

Halten Sie die Karte hier.

Hold the card here.

Words in this phrase

Halten

[HAL-ten]

hold

Verb meaning to hold something in a position.

Example

Halten Sie bitte die Tasse.

Please hold the cup.

Sie

[ZEE]

You (formal)

Formal way to address someone.

Example

Sind Sie bereit zu bestellen?

Are you ready to order?

die

[dee]

the

Definite article used to specify something already known.

Example

Die Katze ist süß.

The cat is cute.

Karte

[KAR-tuh]

card

Usually refers to a bank or payment card in shopping contexts.

Example

Wenn ich kein Bargeld habe, frage ich: Kann ich mit Karte bezahlen?

When I don't have cash, I ask: Can I pay by card?

einfach ans Gerät.

INE-fahkh ans ge-RAIT

simply against the device.

'einfach' means 'simply/just'. 'ans' combines 'an das'. 'Gerät' (device) has stress on the second syllable: 'ge-RÄT'.

Example

Stecken Sie das Kabel einfach ans Gerät.

Just plug the cable into the device.

Words in this phrase

einfach

[INE-fahkh]

simply

In a straightforward or unadorned manner.

Example

Mach es einfach.

Just do it simply.

ans

[ans]

to the / against the

Contraction of 'an das'.

Example

Ich gehe ans Fenster.

I go to the window.

Gerät

[ge-RAIT]

device; card reader

General word for a machine or appliance.

Example

Das Gerät ist kaputt.

The device is broken.

Guides for German learners

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