Genau
Topic test · A2

Conversation reflexes — four moments test

10questions
8minutes
60%pass mark
Start the test Read the topic first

One question at a time, the clock runs. Answers stay closed like a real exam: you see every correct answer with its explanation at the end. Score 60% to finish the topic.

Topic test

10 questions, easy to hard

Pick an option and press «Next». You can go back and change it. Anything left blank counts as wrong.

Your friend said Morgen soll es regnen. and you had heard the same. What is the most natural reply?

Genau = “exactly, just so”: the other person said what you were thinking. Bitte and Macht nichts belong to other moments.

Kannst du mir helfen? — which reply is right?

The reflex for a request is Na klar · Klar · Gerne. Genau and Stimmt confirm something that was said; they don’t answer a request.

To say “Sure I do!” to the question Hast du keine Zeit? you would say Ja, ich habe Zeit.

False. To contradict a negative question you say doch: Doch! Ich habe Zeit. Ja is heard as “yes, I have no time”.

Your friend said they’re moving to Hamburg next month. You’re surprised and want to hear more. Which one?

Echt? = “really?” A short question after it goes well: Echt? Warum denn?

Your friend explained why they were late and you have just understood the reason: “oh, I see”. Which one?

Ach so = “oh, I get it”. Ach was! is “no way!”: it says you don’t believe it.

Your friend said Danke dir! to you. Which is the friendly reply?

Kein Ding = “no worries”. Na ja means “well, so-so” and Mach's gut is a goodbye.

To Wie war der Film? your friend answered Na ja … What do they mean?

Na ja carries a hidden “not really”. If they had liked it, they would have said Ganz gut! or Richtig gut!

Entschuldigung, dass ich zu spät komme. — nichts.

Sorry I’m late. — Doesn’t matter.

Macht. Macht nichts. = “doesn’t matter”; the polite reply to an apology.

Build the sentence: Alright then, see you later.

Tap the pieces to build the sentence

First the closing signal (Alles klar), then the goodbye (dann bis später).

You have paid at the till and you are saying goodbye to the cashier. Which fits best?

Schönen Tag noch! fits anyone you don’t know. Mach's gut is a friendly goodbye; Wir hören uns closes a call or a message.
Quick rules

The rules in three lines

The full topic lives on its own page. This is only the core you need for the test.

  1. First spot the moment, then pick the word

    There are four moments: agreeing, surprise, brushing off, closing. Once the moment is clear, the word comes by itself.

    Genau · Ach so · Kein Ding · Alles klar

  2. Agreeing words answer a statement, not a request

    Genau and Stimmt confirm something that was said. To a request you say Na klar or Gerne.

    Kannst du mir helfen? — Na klar!

  3. Contradicting a negative question: doch

    If the question is negative and you are going to say the opposite, it is doch, not ja.

    Hast du keine Zeit? — Doch!

  4. Na ja is not positive

    It sounds like “well, so-so” but carries a “not really”. If you liked it, say Ganz gut! or Richtig gut!

    Wie war der Film? — Na ja …

Traps

Commonly mixed up

Where a direct translation breaks. The hard questions come from here.

  • Kannst du mir helfen? — Genau.

    Kannst du mir helfen? — Na klar!

    Genau confirms something that was said; it is no answer to a request.

  • Hast du keine Zeit? — Ja, ich habe Zeit.

    Hast du keine Zeit? — Doch, ich habe Zeit.

    To contradict a negative question, use doch.

  • Wie war der Film? — Na ja. (when you meant “I liked it”)

    Wie war der Film? — Ganz gut!

    Na ja says you didn’t like it.

  • Genau. Genau. Genau.

    Genau. … Stimmt. … Ach so.

    Don’t stack the same reflex; spread them over the moments.