German for the Bottle-Return Machine: Handling a Crushed Can
Learn to say a can is crushed and ask if it will still be accepted at the Pfandautomat, with polite questions for staff.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
You are standing at the Pfandautomat with a can that got squashed in your bag. Will the machine take it? In this lesson you will learn how to describe a crushed can in German and ask whether it will still be accepted. You will also practice polite questions for staff if the machine rejects it. The focus is on the key words Dose (can), zerbeult (dented/crushed), and Pfandautomat (reverse vending machine). By the end, you can explain the situation clearly and ask for help without guessing about store policies.
By the end, you can…
- say that a can is crushed using 'Die Dose ist zerbeult.'
- ask whether a crushed can will still be accepted.
- ask a staff member for help at the bottle-return machine.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Die Dose ist zerbeult.
The can is dented/crushed.
dee DOH-zuh ist tsehr-BOYLT
Use this to describe the condition of the can. 'Zerbeult' means dented or bent out of shape, which is exactly what happens when a can gets crushed.
Wird sie trotzdem angenommen?
Will it still be accepted?
virt zee TROTS-dehm AHN-guh-noh-men
A direct yes/no question. 'Trotzdem' means 'anyway' or 'still'. Use it when you want to know if the machine will take the can despite the damage.
Der Automat nimmt die Dose nicht an.
The machine is not accepting the can.
dair ow-toh-MAHT nimt dee DOH-zuh nikht AHN
Use this to report what the machine is doing. 'Annehmen' is a separable verb: 'nimmt ... an'. This is useful when you need to explain the problem to a staff member.
Können Sie mir bitte helfen?
Can you help me, please?
KUHN-en zee meer BIT-tuh HEL-fen
A polite way to ask a staff member for help. Use 'Sie' with strangers. This works in any store across Germany.
Wo ist der Pfandautomat?
Where is the reverse vending machine?
voh ist dair PFAHNT-ow-toh-maht
Use this to ask where the machine is located. 'Pfandautomat' is the standard term for the machine that takes empty bottles and cans with a deposit.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To describe a problem with an object and ask if it is still okay, use: [Subject] ist [adjective]. Wird [subject] trotzdem [past participle]? For example: 'Die Dose ist zerbeult. Wird sie trotzdem angenommen?' (The can is dented. Will it still be accepted?) You can swap in other items: 'Die Flasche ist kaputt. Wird sie trotzdem angenommen?' (The bottle is broken. Will it still be accepted?) The verb 'annehmen' (to accept) is separable, so in a yes/no question the prefix 'an' goes to the end: 'Wird sie trotzdem angenommen?'
When to use it
Use these phrases at the Pfandautomat when you are unsure if a damaged container will be accepted. Start with a simple statement: 'Die Dose ist zerbeult.' Then ask: 'Wird sie trotzdem angenommen?' If the machine rejects it, you can say to a staff member: 'Der Automat nimmt die Dose nicht an. Können Sie mir bitte helfen?' This is casual but polite. In Germany, you can use this in supermarkets, discounters, and beverage stores that have a Pfandautomat. The machine may have a sign about what it accepts, but asking staff is always fine.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Entschuldigung, die Dose ist zerbeult. Wird sie trotzdem angenommen?
Excuse me, the can is dented. Will it still be accepted?ent-SHOOL-dee-goong, dee DOH-zuh ist tsehr-BOYLT. virt zee TROTS-dehm AHN-guh-noh-men?Das kann ich nicht sicher sagen. Probieren Sie es einfach am Automaten.
I can't say for sure. Just try it at the machine.dahs kahn ikh nikht ZIKH-er ZAH-gen. pro-BEE-ren zee es IYN-fakh ahm ow-toh-MAH-ten.Der Automat nimmt die Dose nicht an. Können Sie mir bitte helfen?
The machine is not accepting the can. Can you help me, please?dair ow-toh-MAHT nimt dee DOH-zuh nikht AHN. KUHN-en zee meer BIT-tuh HEL-fen?Ja, ich schaue mal. Manchmal muss man die Dose etwas gerade biegen.
Yes, let me take a look. Sometimes you have to bend the can a bit straight.yah, ikh SHOW-uh mahl. MAHNKH-mahl moos mahn dee DOH-zuh ET-vahs guh-RAH-duh BEE-gen.A little context goes a long way
In Germany, the Pfandautomat is common in supermarkets and discounters. Staff are usually helpful if you ask politely with 'Können Sie mir bitte helfen?' Avoid assuming the machine will take every crushed can; policies can vary by store and machine. If a can is severely crushed, it may be rejected. You can always ask a staff member, but they may not be able to override the machine. Keep the tone friendly and patient.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Die Dose ist zerbrochen' when you mean the can is dented.
Try this instead: 'Zerbrochen' means broken into pieces, like glass. For a can that is dented or crushed, use 'zerbeult': 'Die Dose ist zerbeult.' If the can is completely flattened, you can say 'Die Dose ist plattgedrückt.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'The can is dented' in German?
Show a sample answer
Die Dose ist zerbeult.
'Zerbeult' is the correct adjective for a dented or crushed can. 'Zerbrochen' would mean broken into pieces, which is not the same.
2Ask whether the can will still be accepted.
Show a sample answer
Wird sie trotzdem angenommen?
This yes/no question uses the separable verb 'annehmen' with the prefix 'an' at the end. 'Trotzdem' means 'still' or 'anyway'.
3You need help from a staff member. What can you say?
Show a sample answer
Können Sie mir bitte helfen?
This is a polite request using 'Sie'. You could also say 'Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen?' for extra politeness, but the simpler form is fine.
At the Pfandautomat, describe the problem simply: 'Die Dose ist zerbeult.' Then ask: 'Wird sie trotzdem angenommen?' If the machine refuses, ask staff politely: 'Können Sie mir bitte helfen?'
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