Elusive Sproochentest Helpdesk 🇱🇺

Frame 22: ech war... Use ech war for I was. 🇱🇺 Wou waart Dir Méindeg? 🇬🇧 Where were you on Monday? 🇱🇺 Ech war op der Aarbecht. 🇬🇧 I was at work. 🇱🇺 Wou waart Dir gëschter? 🇬🇧 Where were you yesterday? 🇱🇺 Ech war doheem. 🇬🇧 I was at home. Very useful for the exam: "war" can also be used to stand for many verbs of motion/displacement. 🇱🇺 Wéini sidd Dir fir d'lescht an Äert Heemechtsland gaang? 🇬🇧 When did you last go to your home country? 🇱🇺 Ech war de leschte Mount a mäin Heemechtsland. (or: Ech sinn de leschte Mount a mäin Heemechtsland gaang.) 🇬🇧 I went to my home country last month. 🇱🇺 Wéi oft sidd Dir d'lescht Joer an d'Ausland gereest? 🇬🇧 How often did you travel abroad last year? 🇱🇺 Ech war d'lescht Joer méi wéi zéngmol an d'Ausland. (or Ech sinn d'lescht Joer méi wéi zéngmol an d'Ausland gereest.) 🇬🇧 I traveled abroad more than ten years last year.

Frame 21: fir ... ze... Use this to express purpose: fir [ ... ] ze [ verb ]. 🇱🇺 Ech gi spadséieren, fir ze entspanen. 🇬🇧 I go for a walk to relax. 🇱🇺 Ech léiere Lëtzebuergesch, fir mat mengem Noper ze schwätzen. 🇬🇧 I’m learning Luxembourgish to speak with the neighbor. 🇱🇺 Ech spuere Suen, fir an d’Vakanz ze goen. 🇬🇧 I am saving money to go on vacation. Your turn: 🇱🇺 Ech maachen X, fir Y ze maachen. ze goes right in front of the verb expressing the goal, Y is the object or complementary information. 👍 Ech liesen, fir nei Saachen ze léieren.

Frame 20: probéieren Probéieren means to try. Pay attention to the particle ze/z'. You can think of ze as analogous to the English to. probéieren ze... = to try to... 🇱🇺 Probéiert Dir, all Dag Lëtzebuergesch ze schwätzen? 🇬🇧 Do you try to speak Luxembourgish every day? 🇱🇺 Jo, ech probéieren, all Dag e bëssen Lëtzebuergesch ze schwätzen. 🇬🇧 Yes, I try to speak a little Luxembourgish every day. 🇱🇺 Probéiert Dir, gesond z'iessen? 🇬🇧 Do you try to eat healthily? 🇱🇺 Ech probéieren, vill Geméis z'iessen, mee heiansdo iessen ech Pizza. 🇬🇧 I try to eat more vegetables, but sometimes I eat pizza. In the past tense: 🇱🇺 Hutt Dir schonn eng Kéier Yoga probéiert? 🇬🇧 Have you ever tried yoga? 🇱🇺 Nee, ech hunn nach ni Yoga probéiert, mee ech géif et gär probéieren. 🇬🇧 No, I've never tried yoga, but I'd like to try it. Your turn! 🇱🇺 Ech probéieren, ... ze + Verb 🇬🇧 I try to ... 🇱🇺 Ech hunn ... nach ni probéiert. 🇬🇧 I've never tried ...

Frame 19: ech hu dat [schonn / nach ni] gemaach The verb is maachen, in this case to make. When asked about a past action, if you understand the question but don't want or are not sure you can reproduce the question, you can say: 🇱🇺 Jo, ech hunn dat schonn gemaach. 🇬🇧 Yes, I have done that before/already. 🇱🇺 Nee, ech hunn dat nach ni gemaach. 🇬🇧 No, I have never done that (yet). The examiners will likely detect uncertainty, so try to be as precise as you can: 🇱🇺 Nee, ech hunn nach ni Camping gemaach. 🇬🇧 No, I have never done camping. 🇱🇺 Ech hunn d’lescht Woch Sport gemaach. 🇬🇧 I did sport last week. Often, it is more natural to directly name the action you did than use gemaach. 🆗 Jo, ech hu scho Schi fuere gemaach. 🚀 Jo, ech si scho Schi gefuer. Other useful phrases: 🇱🇺 Jo, ech hunn dat schonn e puer Mol gemaach. 🇬🇧 Yes, I have done that a few times already. 🇱🇺 Nee, ech hunn dat nach ni gemaach, mee et kléngt interessant. 🇬🇧 No, I haven't done that yet, but it sounds interesting.

Frame 18: wann ... dann... / wéi… This is the source of much confusion. ⚠️ Simple rule: wann = when(ever) / if wéi = when, in a past story Use wann for habitual or future situations. 🇱🇺 Wann ech Zäit hunn, (da) liesen ech gär. 🇬🇧 When I have time, (then) I like to read. 🇱🇺 Wann d’Wieder gutt ass, (da) ginn ech an de Park. 🇬🇧 If the weather is good, then I'll go to the park. Note the structure: Wann [pronoun] ... [condition verb], dann [action/consequence verb] [pronoun] 🇱🇺 Wann hie wëll, kann hie kommen 🇬🇧 If he wants, he can come 🇱🇺 Wann ech heemkommen, kënne mir iessen 🇬🇧 When I come home, we can eat 🇱🇺 Wann hatt do ass, kacht hatt fir eis 🇬🇧 If she is there, she will cook for us For the past, use wéi: 🇱🇺 Wéi ech kleng war, hunn ech vill dobausse gespillt. 🇬🇧 When I was little, I played outside a lot. 🇱🇺 Wéi ech Student war, hat ech méi Zäit. 🇬🇧 When I was a student, I had more time.

Frame 17: ech kann... A third important modal verb. Use ech kann for ability. 🇱🇺 Ech ka gutt kachen. 🇬🇧 I can cook well. 🇱🇺 Ech kann e bëssen Lëtzebuergesch schwätzen. 🇬🇧 I can speak a little Luxembourgish. 🇱🇺 Ech ka mam Bus op d’Aarbecht fueren. 🇬🇧 I can go to work by bus. Very useful pair: 🇱🇺 Ech kann dat maachen, mee ech brauch Zäit. 🇬🇧 I can do that, but I need time. Your turn, try: Ech kann... mee ech kann net... 🇱🇺 Ech ka gutt Englesch schwätzen, mee ech kann net esou gutt Lëtzebuergesch schwätzen. 🇬🇧 I can speak English well, but I can't speak Luxembourgish so well.

Frame 16: ech wëll Another important modal verb. Use ech wëll (I want) for goals and plans. 🇱🇺 Ech maachen de Sproochentest. Ech wëll Lëtzebuerger ginn. 🇬🇧 I am taking the ST. I want to become a Luxembourgian. 🇱🇺 Ech maachen Sport. Ech wëll gesond bleiwen. 🇬🇧 I play sports. I want to stay healthy 🇱🇺 Ech wëll d'nächst Woch an d'Vakanz goen. 🇬🇧 I want to go on vacation next week. More natural: combine with with well: 👍 Ech léiere Lëtzebuergesch, well ech méi einfach mat de Leit schwätze wëll. 🇬🇧 I am learning Luxembourgish, because I want it to be easier to talk to people. Simpler A2 version: 👍 Ech léiere Lëtzebuergesch. Ech wëll méi schwätzen. In the exam, you can also use this to describe your choice of topic or picture. 🇱🇺 Ech wëll iwwert d'Theema "Medien an Technologie" schwätzen 🇬🇧 I want to talk about the topic "Media and Technology" 🇱🇺 Ech wëll d'Bild Nummer 3, wannechglift. 🇬🇧 I want picture number 3, please.

Frame 15: ech brauch Crucial verb! Extremely useful for explanations/justifications. 🇱🇺 Ech wëll méi Sport maachen, awer ech brauch méi Zäit. 🇬🇧I want to do more sports, but I need more time. 🇱🇺 Wéi laang brauch de Bus fir bis op Dikkrech [ze fueren]? 🇬🇧 How long does the bus take to go to Diekirch? 🇱🇺 Ech kache gär, awer ech brauch frësch Produiten. 🇬🇧I like to cook, but I need fresh products. 🇱🇺 Ech kann net doheem schaffen. Ech brauch Rou a meng Kanner maachen ze vill Kaméidi. 🇬🇧 I can't work at home. I need quiet and my children make too much noise. Your turn: 🇱🇺 ech brauch 🇬🇧 I need 🇱🇺 brauchen + [ time ] 🇬🇧 to take + [ time ] Useful words to combine with: 🇱🇺 ech brauch méi Zäit 🇬🇧 I need more time 🇱🇺 ech brauch méi Suen 🇬🇧 I need more money 🇱🇺 ech brauch Hëllef 🇬🇧 I need help 🇱🇺 ech brauch Rou 🇬🇧 I need calm/quiet 🇱🇺 ech brauch e Plang 🇬🇧 I need a plan

Frame 14: engersäits... anerersäits... 🇱🇺 Firwat schafft Dir gär doheem? 🇬🇧 Why do you like to work at home? 🇱🇺 Engersäits verléieren ech keng Zäit um Wee fir op d'Aarbecht, an anerersäits kann ech méi Zäit mat menger Famill verbréngen. 🇬🇧 On the one hand, I don't waste time on the way to work, and on the other hand I can spend more time with my family. Your turn: This is rarer, so using it in the exam distinguishes you. Like the English on the one hand... on the other hand, it is normally used to indicate a contrast. 🇱🇺 Wat sinn d'Virdeeler an d'Nodeeler vun elektreschen Autoen? 🇬🇧 What are the advantages and disadvantages of electric cars? 🇱🇺 Engersäits sinn elektresch Autoe besser fir d'Ëmwelt, mee anerersäits muss een se oft oplueden. 🇬🇧 On the one hand, electrical cars are better for the environment, but on the other hand you have to charge them more often. 🇱🇺 Wat maacht Dir gär de Weekend? 🇬🇧 What do you like to do on the weekdend? 🇱🇺 Engersäits bleiwen ech gär doheem a relaxe mat menger Famill, anerersäits ginn ech och gär mat Kolleegen eraus. 🇬🇧 On the one hand I like to stay at home and relax with my family, on the other hand I like to go out with friends.

Frame 13: et gëtt / et ginn, et ass / et sinn 🇱🇺 Et ass/et gëtt vill Natur zu Lëtzebuerg. 🇬🇧 There is a lot of nature in Luxembourg. 🇱🇺 Gëtt et eng Tankstell zu Wuermer? 🇬🇧 Is there a gas station of Wormeldange? 🇱🇺 Et si vill Leit hei am Restaurant. 🇬🇧 There are a lot of people at this restaurant. Your turn: 🇱🇺 et gëtt 🇬🇧 there is, there exists 🇱🇺 et ginn 🇬🇧 there are, there exists [+ plural] 🇱🇺 et ass 🇬🇧 there is 🇱🇺 et sinn 🇬🇧 there are The difference between et gëtt an et ass is quite small. In most situations, both can be used. When talking or asking about existence (especially abstracted from a specific location or condition), we more often use et gëtt/et ginn. 🇱🇺 Ech sichen e lëtzebuerger Horrorfilm. Gëtt et esou eppes? 🇬🇧 I am looking for a Luxembourgish horror movie. Is there such a thing? When talking about current conditions, et sinn/et ass is more appropriate. 🇱🇺 Et ass keen do. 🇬🇧 There is no one there. For the Sproochentest, using et ass/et sinn is usually the safe choice.

Frame 12: et hänkt dovun of This is perfect when you don’t want to choose one simple answer. It can also serve as filler when you need some time to think. 🇱🇺 Fuert Dir léiwer mam Auto oder mam Bus? 🇬🇧 Do you prefer driving or taking the bus? 🇱🇺 Et hänkt dovun of... Fir kuerz Strecken huelen ech léiwer de Bus, mee fir laang Strecken ass den Auto méi praktesch. 🇬🇧 It depends. For short distances I prefer taking the bus, but for long distances the car is more practical. 🇱🇺 Wat maacht Dir gär de Weekend? 🇬🇧 What do you like to do on the weekends? 🇱🇺 Et hänkt vum Wieder of. Wann et schéin ass, ginn ech gär eraus mee wann et reent bleiwen ech doheem. 🇬🇧 It depends on the weather. When the weather is nice I like to go out but when it rains I stay at home. Your turn: 🇱🇺 Et hänkt dovun of. 🇬🇧 It depends. If…, then… But if…, then… 🇱🇺 Et hänkt vun [ noun in dative ] of 🇬🇧 It depends on...