German

Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— German
Guidelines for Use
RDNS is committed to the Multicultural Victoria Act 2004, which informs RDNS' policies
to ensure people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds can enjoy
access to RDNS' services equally, and are treated with respect and sensitivity.
RDNS' clients originate from 145 countries and speak 74 languages.
Each of RDNS' nursing centres provides services to local CALD communities, which vary
markedly from centre to centre. Some centres may have large population groups from
single ethnic backgrounds; others may have several groups of varying ethnicity.
RDNS recognises that effective communication is essential to the delivery of high quality
services and communicates with people who speak little or no English with the use of
accredited interpreters (on-site and telephone), the provision of translated materials, and
wherever possible employing staff who can provide services to clients in a language
other than English.
In addition, RDNS makes available this information sheet which comprises common
words and phrases that might be used when a client from a non-English speaking
background is experiencing an episode of care from RDNS.
Whilst this document was originally developed for use by RDNS staff, it may of use to you
or people you know and as a result is freely available for download and use.
This document includes information on the following:
Introduction to the language
Topic 1: Greetings
Topic 2: Making / changing appointments
Topic 3: Medical problems
Topic 4: farewell
RDNS remains committed to providing the best possible care to all of our clients.
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 1 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— German
Introduction to the German Alphabet
There are many regional variations of German; most people today, however, would
understand the standard ‘High German’ language.
The German alphabet is fairly similar to the English one, with the addition of the ‘Umlaute’,
the a, o, u with the dots (ä, ö, ü) and a letter looking a little like a capital B (ß). This stands for
‘ss’ in some words.
The pronunciation of the letters often differs from the English, and one and the same letter or
letter combination may, depending on the word, be pronounced in different ways. The ‘ch’
sounds especially tend to be a challenge for English native speakers.
German Letter
English Equivalent
Closest Pronunciation
in English
A/a
A/a
ask, garden
B/b
B/b
bus
C/c
C/c
tsunami
D/d
D/d
date
E/e
E/e
elf, egg
F/f
F/f
foot
G/g
G/g
gate
H/h
H/h
hair
I/i
I/i
peat
J/j
J/j
youth
K/k
K/k
coffee
L/l
L/l
light
M/m
M/m
meal
N/n
N/n
nature
O/o
O/o
oh
P/p
P/p
pin
Q/q
Q/q
qu:
R/r
R/r
run
S / s (and: ß / ss)
S / s (and: ss)
zip, ß / ss: song
T/t
T/t
top
U/u
U/u
put
V/v
V/v
foot, very
W/w
W/w
very
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 2 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— German
X/x
X/x
x-ray (‘ks’)
Y/y
Y/y
yoga
Z/z
Z/z
tsunami
Ä/ä
–
crêpe
Ö/ö
–
word
Ü/ü
–
bureou
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 3 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— German
Topic 1: GREETINGS
English
German
Hello
Hallo
Hullo
Good morning
Guten Morgen
Gooten Morgan
Good afternoon
Guten Tag
Gooten Tahg
Good evening
Guten Abend
Gooten Ahbend
Good night
Gute Nacht
Goote Nacht (ch as in loch)
What is your name?
Wie heißen Sie?
Vee hisen Zee?
Ich bin eine Kranken Schwester
Ich (ch as in licht) bin aina Kranken
Shvesta
My name is
Ich heiße
Ich hiser
Mr / Mrs
Herr / Frau
Herr / Frou (surname)
I am happy to see you again
Ich freue mich, Sie wiederzusehen
Ich (ch as in licht) froye mich (ch
as in licht), Zee veeda tsoo zehen
No
Nein
Nine
Yes
Ja
Yah
Good
Gut
Goot
Do you understand me?
Verstehen Sie mich?
Faer-shtehen Zee mich (ch as in
licht)?
I understand
Ich verstehe
Ich (ch as in licht) faer-shtehe
I don’t understand you
Ich verstehe Sie nicht
Ich (ch as in licht) faer-shtehe Zee
nicht (ch as in licht)
Do you need an interpreter?
Brauchen Sie einen Dolmetscher?
Brouchen (ch as in loch) Zee
ainen Dolmetsha?
I need an interpreter
Ich brauche einen Dolmetscher
Ich (ch as in licht) broucha (ch as
in loch) ainen Dolmetsha
I am a nurse
© RDNS
Closest Pronunciation
in English
Januray 2007
Page 4 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— German
Topic 2: MAKING / CHANGING APPOINTMENTS
English
German
What day can I visit you?
An welchem Tag kann ich Sie
besuchen?
Un velchem (ch as in licht) Tahg
kunn ich (ch as in licht) Zee
bezoochen (ch as in loch)?
What time?
Um wieviel Uhr?
Oom veefeel Oor?
Monday
Montag
Mawntug
Tuesday
Dienstag
Deenstug
Wednesday
Mittwoch
Mittwoch (ch as in loch)
Thursday
Donnerstag
Donnerstug
Friday
Freitag
Fritug
Saturday
Samstag
Zumstug
Sunday
Sonntag
Morning
Morgen
Morgan
Midday
Mittag
Mittug
Afternoon
Nachmittag
Nachmittug (ch as in loch)
Evening
Abend
Ahbend
At Night
nachts
nachts (ch as in loch)
I need to……
Ich muss …
Ich (ch as in licht) mooss
to your doctor
mit Ihrem Doktor
mit Eerem Dokta
to your family
mit Ihrer Familie
mit Eerer Familia
to your son
mit Ihrem Sohn
mit Eerem Zohn
to your daughter
mit Ihrer Tochter
mit Eerer Tochta (ch as in loch)
to your husband
mit Ihrem Mann
mit Eerem Mun
to your wife
mit Ihrer Frau
to your brother
mit Ihrem Bruder
to your sister
mit Ihrer Schwester
Make a phone call
… telefonieren
Speak……
… sprechen
I need to change our visit time
Ich muss unsere Besuchszeit
ändern
© RDNS
Closest Pronunciation
in English
Zontug
mit Eerer Frou
mit Eerem Brooda
mit Eerer Shvesta
… telefoneeren
… shprechen (ch as in licht)
January 2007
Ich (ch as in licht) mooss oonzere
Bezoochs-tsait (ch as in loch)
andarn
Page 5 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— German
Topic 3: MEDICAL PROBLEMS
English
German
Closest Pronunciation
in English
How are you?
Wie geht es Ihnen?
Vee geht ess Eenen?
Where does it hurt?
Wo tut es weh?
Voh toot ess veh?
The chemist will deliver your
tablets this afternoon / tomorrow
Der Apotheker bringt Ihre Tabletten
heute nachmittag / morgen
Der Arpotehka bringt Eera
Tubletten hoita nachmittug (ch as
in loch) / morgan
Show me the medications that
you are taking
Zeigen Sie mir, welche
Medikamente Sie einnehmen
Tsaigan Zee meer, velcha (ch as
in licht) Medikumenta Zee ainnehmen
I want you to take your medicine
Ich möchte, daß Sie Ihre Medizin
einnehmen
Ich mochte (o as in word, ch as in
licht), duss Zee Eera Meditseen
ain-nehmen
Can you get yourself some
water?
Können Sie sich selbst Wasser
holen?
Konnen (o as in word) Zee zich
(ch as in licht) zelbst Vussa
hohlen?
I need to……
Ich muss …
Ich mooss
Check your blood pressure
Ihren Blutdruck messen
Eeren Bloot-drook messen
Take your pulse
Ihren Puls messen
Eeren Pools messen
Change your dressing
Ihren Verband wechseln
Eeren Faerbunt vekseln
Ambulance
Krankenwagen
Krunkenvahgen
Doctor
Doktor
Dokta
Medicine
Medizin
Meditseen
Are you constipated?
Haben Sie Verstopfung?
Harben Zee Faershtopfoong?
Do you have diabetes?
Sind Sie zuckerkrank?
Zind Zee tzookerkrunk?
© RDNS
January 2007
Page 6 of 7
ACHS L1
Royal District Nursing Service
Workplace words and phrases
— German
Topic 4: FAREWELL
English
German
You can ring me on …….
Sie können mich anrufen hier ist
meine Nummer
Zee konnen (o as in word) mich (ch
as in licht) unroofen, hear ist myna
Nooma
Thank you
Danke
Dunka
I’m pleased to have met you
Es war nett, Sie zu sehen
Ess vahr nett, Zee tsoo zehen
You are welcome
Bitte
Bitta
Good - bye
Auf Wiedersehen
Owff Veeda-zehen
Keep well
Bleiben Sie gesund
Bluyben Zee gezoont
All the best / Good luck
Alles Gute / Viel Glück
© RDNS
Closest Pronunciation
in English
January 2007
Ahles Goote / Feel Gluck (u as in
bureau)
Page 7 of 7
ACHS L1