Reading · C1 · Text 29

Tod

33 words1 min read100% known at C1

Was berichten diese Menschen von ihrem Erlebnis?

What do these people report about their experience?

Die Erfahrungen sind sehr verschieden.

The experiences are very different.

Aber oft sehen sie ein helles Licht, sich selbst oder Momente aus ihrem Leben.

But often they see a bright light, themselves, or moments from their lives.

Das alles ist in ihrem Gehirn passiert.

All of this happened in their brains.

10 words above C1

berichten

to report, to tell about regular verb, hat berichtet to relate, to tell, to give an account of; to report (especially by the media or authorities) A2/bəˈʁɪçtən/

Erlebnis

experience, event plural: die Erlebnisse experience (event of which one is cognizant) C1/ʔɛɐ̯ˈleːpnɪs/

Erfahrungen← die Erfahrung

experiences plural form; singular: die Erfahrung experience (event through which empirical knowledge is gained) A2/ɛɐ̯ˈfaːʁʊŋ/

verschieden

different, various deceased; different; several, various, miscellaneous A2/fɛɐ̯ˈʃiːdn̩/

helles← hell

bright, light declined form: helles Licht clear, bright, light; quick, clever; great A2/hɛl/

Licht

light plural: die Lichter light (electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum); light (a light source, often artificial); candle A2/lɪçt/

sich selbst

oneself, themselves reflexive pronoun + selbst for emphasis

Momente← der Moment

moments plural form; singular: der Moment moment; momentum B1/moˈmɛnt/

Gehirn

brain plural: die Gehirne B1/ɡəˈhɪʁn/

passiert← passieren

happened regular verb, ist passiert (with sein) to happen; to move beyond; pass; to pass through a sieve, to strain A1/paˈsiːʁən/

Grammar in this text

Indirect question with 'was'

Was berichten diese Menschen von ihrem Erlebnis?

The question word 'was' introduces an indirect question, but here it is a direct question. The structure is typical for asking about content.

Present tense for general statements

Die Erfahrungen sind sehr verschieden.

The present tense is used to make a general statement about the nature of experiences.

Coordinating conjunction 'aber'

Aber oft sehen sie ein helles Licht, sich selbst oder Momente aus ihrem Leben.

'aber' (but) connects two contrasting statements. It is a coordinating conjunction that does not affect word order.

Perfect tense with 'sein'

Das alles ist in ihrem Gehirn passiert.

The perfect tense is formed with 'sein' for verbs of motion or change of state. 'passieren' takes 'sein' in perfect.

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

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