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 Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages |  | |
| zekecoma Senior Member United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5138 days ago 561 posts - 655 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: German, Spanish | Message 17 of 18 18 May 2011 at 9:00am | IP Logged |
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I came across a couple of words that gives some confusion
brennen/anbrennen = to burn reichen/erreichen = to reach leicht/einfach = easy 1 person has voted this message useful | |
| fnord Triglot Groupie Switzerland Joined 4827 days ago 71 posts - 124 votes Speaks: German*, Swiss-German, English Studies: Luxembourgish, Dutch | Message 18 of 18 18 May 2011 at 9:16pm | IP Logged |
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Only now that I am trying to put this into words do I realize how tricky one's own mother tongue can be.
brennen: the process of some material being consumed by fire anbrennen: something is only partially damaged by excessive heat, though not necessarily by actual fire or flames (most commonly used related to the preparation of food, I'd think). Das Holz brennt. Das Haus brennt. Das Essen ist angebrannt. reichen: to hand, give somebody something / to suffice / to be enough erreichen: to achieve / to attain / to arrive Ich reiche dir das Essen. Zwei Löffel Salz reichen für das Essen. Du erreichst das Ziel. Er hat alles erreicht, was er sich vorgenommen hatte. When translated from the English "easy", "leicht" and "einfach" can often be used interchangeably... Viele sagen, Deutsch sei nicht leicht. Viele sagen, Deutsch sei nicht einfach. ...though one should differentiate other possible meanings: leicht: lightweight / slight / effortless einfach: simply, just / common / basic / not complicated Einfaches Deutsch verstehe ich schon leicht. Aber Schweizerdeutsch verstehe ich einfach nicht. ...wouldn't work the other way round. And beware of the difference: Sie ist ein einfaches Mädchen. Sie ist ein leichtes Mädchen. Edited by fnord on 18 May 2011 at 9:16pm 2 persons have voted this message useful |
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