- In this video from Coffee Break German,
we're finding out all about the very small word,
but very useful word, "bitte".
So, let's go!
(upbeat music)
Welcome back to Coffee Break German, I'm Mark
and I'm Andrea
- Now, I am the learner here,
learning German along with you and Andrea,
as a resident German language expert.
And today we're answering Claudette's question.
Claudette wants to know exactly
when you use that little word "bitte".
It's probably one of the first words we learned
when we were learning German
but it can be used in so many situations.
So, over to you, Andrea.
- Yeah.
Yeah, great question Claudette.
Great question. Of course, "bitte" is
the magic word.
- Yeah.
- Yeah. When we make a request.
"Please", yeah.
- So it can mean "please".
- Mm-hmm. But it is then also the answer to our request,
as in "you're welcome".
- Yup. So "you're welcome".
So if I say "danke", then a natural response
would be "bitte".
- "Bitte" but it's also, "here you go".
Yeah."Hier bitte".
- Of course, yeah.
- So maybe you've seen this in a coffee shop
and the waiter or waitress brings your drink
and says, "hier, bitte".
- Okay. So you've got your nice cup of coffee
and it's given to you and and you say, "danke"
and then they may say "bitte" again. All over again.
Exactly, very good, great.
- And then we have it to,
uh, maybe we didn't hear properly and then we say, "bitte?".
- That's right. So, "bitte?".
It's almost like a question there you're seeing, "bitte?".
"Pardon?", that kind of thing. You didn't hear.
- We can also say "bitte" if we heard
but we think it's maybe outrageous or we are
a little bit in disbelief over what we've just heard.
"Bitte?".
(chuckles)
- Okay. Sort of, "really?"
Yes, exactly, that's it.
- Excellent.
- And then there is "bitte", for example,
when you go into a shop and the shop assistant
approaches you and says, "bitte?".
So, "ja bitte?", "how can I help you?"
- "Can I help you?". Yeah, okay.
So, "can I help you?".
Now, the word "bitte" on its own is a noun.
"Bitte", what gender is that noun?
- So it's, "die Bitte" and it's a request.
- Okay. So "die bitte" meaning "request".
And you can use it also as a verb, can't you?
- Yeah. The verb is "bitten".
- "Bitten". So how would you say
"I'm asking you to do something"?
- For example: "Ich bitte dich, das Fenster zu offnen".
- "Ich bitte dich...
...das Fenster zu offnen".
...das fenster zu offnen".
Like so?
Exactly.
So, "I'm asking you to open the window".
Exactl, that's right, yes.
- Obviously, we can make this more dramatic by saying
"Oh, bitte dich!", yeah?
"I'm begging you!"
- Excellent.
- What is important is that the particle "bitte",
as in "please" and "thank you", etcetera,
is... unless it's at the beginning of a sentence,
it starts with a lower case letter.
- So there we've got "bitte" there.
Okay. Excellent.
Well, we hope that that answers your question, Claudette,
and that now you know exactly when to use "bitte"
in all of these different situations.
Now, if you have a question like Claudette
then you can send us your questions at
coffebreakquestions.com
Simply go there, fill in the form
and we will hopefully be able to include
your question in a future episode.
And, if you have enjoyed this video,
then post a comment, let us know how you're enjoying it.
And indeed, try using "bitte" in a sentence,
if you like, in the comments.
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That's it for this episode.
Thank you very much, Andrea.
- Thank you, Mark.
- I was hoping you would say "bitte" there.
- Ah, "bitte".
Yes! Naturally, excuse me, Mark! Yeah, "bitte".
Bye, see you next time!
Bye!
(upbeat music)