Reading · A1 · Text 15

Bleistift

90 words1 min read71% known at A1

Bei anderen Stiften mit Tinte kann es sein, dass die Tinte nur von oben nach unten herausfließt.

With other ink pens, the ink may only flow from top to bottom.

Wenn man aber etwas an die Decke schreiben will, geht das nicht.

But if you want to write something on the ceiling, that doesn't work.

Tinte fließt außerdem nicht, wenn es kalt ist.

Ink also doesn't flow when it's cold.

Für einen Bleistift ist das hingegen alles kein Problem.

For a pencil, however, none of this is a problem.

Die Striche des Bleistifts verwischen kaum, wenn man mit der Hand darüberfährt.

Pencil strokes hardly smudge when you run your hand over them.

Man kann die Striche auch mit einem Radiergummi ausradieren.

You can also erase the strokes with an eraser.

Das ist mit einem Kugelschreiber nicht möglich.

That is not possible with a ballpoint pen.

Deshalb fangen die Kinder in der Schule meistens mit einem Bleistift an, wenn sie schreiben lernen.

That is why children at school usually start with a pencil when they learn to write.

17 words above A1

Bleistift
pencil plural: Bleistifte
Tinte
ink
Kugelschreiber
ballpoint pen plural: Kugelschreiber (unchanged)
Stiften← der Stift
pen; writing instrument dative plural of 'Stift' – plural: Stifte endowed monastery; secular convent; collegial body A2/ˈʃtɪft/
Striche← der Strich
stroke, line plural: Striche
ceiling any cloth or cushion used as a covering; a tablecloth, blanket, quilt, duvet, etc.; ceiling (surface at the upper limit of a room or cavity) A2/ˈdɛkə/
fangen← anfangen
to begin, to start separable; stammformen: anfangen, fing an, angefangen; here the prefix 'an' is separated and placed at the end of the main clause to begin; to commence; to start; to begin, to start A2/ˈanˌfaŋən/
fließt← fließen
to flow strong verb: fließen, floss, ist geflossen; 3rd person singular present
to smudge, to blur regular: verwischte, verwischt to smudge, to smear (e.g. paint); to blur, to obscure (e.g. the differences between two things) C1[fɛɐ̯ˈvɪʃn̩]
ausradieren
to erase, to rub out separable: radierte aus, ausradiert
possible possible (what can be done or achieved); potential; likely; a whole bunch of; a great deal of; a lot of; many A2/ˈmøːklɪç/
mostly, most of the time mostly (for the most part); most often, usually, normally (most of the time) A2/ˈmaɪ̯stn̩s/
hardly, scarcely barely, hardly (qualifying verbs or adjectives); barely any, almost no (qualifying amounts); difficult, nearly impossible B2/kaʊ̯m/
besides, in addition in addition; furthermore, besides B1[ˈaʊ̯sɐdeːm]
therefore, that's why therefore; for that (reason), because of that A2/ˈdɛshalp/
on the other hand, however on the other hand; however, but B2[hɪnˈɡeːɡŋ̩]
anderen← anderer
other, different dative plural form after 'bei'

Grammar in this text

Trennbare Verben (separable verbs)

Deshalb fangen die Kinder in der Schule meistens mit einem Bleistift an

In a main clause, the separable verb 'anfangen' is split: the conjugated verb 'fangen' stands in position 2, while the prefix 'an' moves to the end of the sentence.

Nebensatz mit 'wenn' (subordinate clause with 'wenn')

wenn es kalt ist

The conjunction 'wenn' introduces a subordinate clause; the conjugated verb ('ist') moves to the very end of the clause.

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Text from Bleistift — Klexikon, used under CC BY-SA 4.0. See sources.

Translation, glossary and grammar notes are machine-generated and inherit the same licence.