Reading · C2 · Text 49

Otto Waalkes

43 words1 min read100% known at C2

Auch eine bekannte Nummer von ihm ist „der menschliche Körper“.

One of his well-known numbers is also 'the human body'.

Da lässt er die verschiedenen Organe miteinander reden.

In it, he lets the various organs talk to each other.

Das Gehirn will, dass der Körper jemanden ärgert.

The brain wants the body to annoy someone.

Doch die anderen Organe folgen ihm nicht.

But the other organs do not follow it.

Außerdem redet die Milz immer dazwischen und stellt blöde Fragen.

Moreover, the spleen always interrupts and asks stupid questions.

17 words above C2

a routine, act, or performance piece plural: Nummern number; see usage notes below; issue (of a magazine, etc.); size (of shoes or clothes) A1/ˈnʊmɐ/
menschliche← menschlich
human declined adjective human, manlike; humane, kind B2/mɛnʃlɪç/
body plural: Körper body (of a person, animal, etc.); body; body, solid (three-dimensional object) A2/ˈkœrpər/
lässt← lassen
lets, makes (someone do something) irregular: lässt, ließ, gelassen to allow; to permit; to let; to have someone (do something); to have (something done); to make (something happen); to cause (something to be done);… A1[ˈlasn̩]
verschiedenen← verschieden
various, different declined adjective deceased; different; several, various, miscellaneous A2/fɛɐ̯ˈʃiːdn̩/
Organe← das Organ
organs plural form; singular: das Organ an organ; an organ, a publication (newspaper, etc) of an organization; an organ, a body or organization with a particular purpose or duty C1/ɔʁˈɡaːn/
with each other together (with); with each other; togetherness, cooperation B1/ˌmɪt.(ʔ)aɪ̯ˈnan.dɐ/
to talk, speak regular: redet, redete, geredet to talk, to speak, to orate; to talk, to reveal (something secret); to say, to speak A2/ˈʁeːdən/
brain plural: Gehirne B1/ɡəˈhɪʁn/
ärgert← ärgern
to annoy, tease regular: ärgert, ärgerte, geärgert to annoy, to make angry; to be annoyed, to be angry, to get annoyed, to get angry A2/ˈʔɛɐ̯ɡɐn/
to follow, obey regular: folgt, folgte, gefolgt; takes dative to follow (on the same path or in a sequence); to understand, to be attentive to; to follow (as a consequence), to result B1/ˈfɔlɡŋ̩/
Außerdem← außerdem
besides, furthermore in addition; furthermore, besides A2[ˈaʊ̯sɐdeːm]
spleen plural: Milzen C2/mɪl(t)s/
redet← reden
talks, speaks 3rd person singular present of 'reden' to talk, to speak, to orate; to talk, to reveal (something secret); to say, to speak A2/ˈʁeːdən/
in between, interrupting between them; between, in between B2
stellt← stellen
asks (a question) regular: stellt, stellte, gestellt; used with 'Fragen' causative of stehen: to put, place, position (someone or something) such that it stands upright; to pose, to lodge; to provide, to afford, to place… A2/ˈʃtɛlən/
blöde← blöd
stupid, silly declined adjective stupid, dim-witted; unfortunate, annoying (of situations); stupid, damn; used as a general descriptor towards things one is frustrated with A1/bløːt/

Grammar in this text

Infinitive clause with 'lassen' (causative)

Da lässt er die verschiedenen Organe miteinander reden.

The verb 'lassen' is used with an infinitive ('reden') to express that someone causes or allows an action to happen. The infinitive goes to the end of the clause.

Subordinate clause with 'dass'

Das Gehirn will, dass der Körper jemanden ärgert.

The conjunction 'dass' introduces a subordinate clause with the finite verb at the end. Here it expresses what the brain wants.

Negation with 'nicht' after a verb

Doch die anderen Organe folgen ihm nicht.

The negation 'nicht' is placed after the conjugated verb in a simple main clause to negate the action.

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

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