Summarizing in German: Say the Main Point in a Few Sentences
Learn elementary German phrases to summarize a short story or article in three or four sentences, focusing on the main point, not details.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
When you summarize in German, your goal is not to retell every event. You want to say who or what the text is about, what happens or what the main idea is, and why it matters. German summaries often use present tense, even for a story told in the past. In this lesson you will learn short, useful sentence patterns such as "In dem Text geht es um ..." and "Am Ende ...". You will also learn how to keep your summary short by leaving out details.
By the end, you can…
- say what a text or story is about in one sentence.
- summarize the main events or main idea in three or four short German sentences.
- leave out details and say only the most important information.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
In dem Text geht es um ...
The text is about ...
in deym tekst gayt es um
Use this as your first sentence for an article or story. Add a noun or noun phrase after um, for example: In dem Text geht es um eine Familie.
Die Hauptfigur ist ...
The main character is ...
dee HOWPT-fig-oor ist
Use this for a story. Die Hauptfigur is singular; for more than one main character say Die Hauptfiguren sind ...
Zuerst ..., dann ...
First ..., then ...
TSOO-airst, dan
Use this to give two main events in order. Keep each part short: Zuerst kommt sie nach Hause, dann findet sie einen Brief.
Am Ende ...
At the end ... / In the end ...
am EN-duh
Use this for the final main point or result. Am Ende sind alle glücklich.
Die Hauptaussage ist, dass ...
The main message is that ...
dee HOWPT-ows-zah-guh ist das
Use this for an article or opinion text. After dass, the verb goes to the end: Die Hauptaussage ist, dass Familie wichtig ist.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
A short German summary often follows this order: topic, main character or main idea, two main events, and result. Use present tense: In dem Text geht es um einen Jungen. Die Hauptfigur ist Tim. Zuerst sucht er seinen Hund, dann findet er ihn im Park. Am Ende sind alle froh. Notice that the verb is in second position in a main clause: Zuerst sucht er ... After dann, the verb comes right after dann: dann findet er ... This keeps your summary clear and short.
When to use it
Use these patterns when a teacher asks you to give a summary, or when you want to tell a friend about a text quickly. For a story, use Die Hauptfigur ist ... and Am Ende ... . For an article, use In dem Text geht es um ... and Die Hauptaussage ist, dass ... . If you only need one sentence, combine the topic and the main message: In dem Text geht es um Umwelt, und die Hauptaussage ist, dass wir weniger Plastik brauchen. Do not list every detail; choose only the information that supports the main point.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Kannst du die Geschichte kurz zusammenfassen?
Can you summarize the story briefly?KANST doo dee guh-SHIKH-tuh kurts tsoo-ZAM-uh-fas-senJa. In der Geschichte geht es um ein Mädchen. Die Hauptfigur ist Mia.
Yes. The story is about a girl. The main character is Mia.yah. in dair guh-SHIKH-tuh gayt es um ine MAYT-khen. dee HOWPT-fig-oor ist MEE-ahUnd was passiert dann?
And what happens then?unt vas pa-SEERT danZuerst verliert sie ihren Hund, dann findet sie ihn am Ende im Park.
First she loses her dog, then in the end she finds him in the park.TSOO-airst fair-LEERT zee EE-ren hunt, dan FIN-det zee een am EN-duh im parkA little context goes a long way
In German schools and workplaces, a Zusammenfassung is expected to be factual and short. German speakers often state the main point early and avoid dramatic details. In everyday conversation, you can also say kurz gesagt (in short) before your summary. This phrase is common in both Germany and Austria; in Switzerland, you may hear kurz gsait in Swiss German dialect, but standard written German still uses kurz gesagt.
One thing to watch for
Retelling every detail in the order it appears: Zuerst macht sie das, dann macht sie das, dann macht sie das ...
Try this instead: Choose only the main point and two important events. For example: In der Geschichte geht es um Mia. Zuerst verliert sie ihren Hund, dann findet sie ihn im Park. Am Ende ist sie glücklich. This is a summary, not a full retelling.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'The text is about a family' in German?
Show a sample answer
In dem Text geht es um eine Familie.
This uses the fixed pattern In dem Text geht es um ... plus the noun phrase eine Familie. You can also say In dem Artikel geht es um eine Familie if the text is an article.
2Put these into a short summary order: Am Ende sind alle froh. / Die Hauptfigur ist Tim. / Zuerst sucht er seinen Hund.
Show a sample answer
Die Hauptfigur ist Tim. Zuerst sucht er seinen Hund. Am Ende sind alle froh.
This order gives the main character, one main event, and the result. Other short orders can also work if the main point stays clear.
3Which sentence is a main message, not a detail? A) Er trägt eine blaue Jacke. B) Die Hauptaussage ist, dass Freunde wichtig sind.
Show a sample answer
B) Die Hauptaussage ist, dass Freunde wichtig sind.
Sentence B states the main message. Sentence A is a detail about clothing and usually does not belong in a short summary.
Summarize in German with three or four short present-tense sentences: say what the text is about, name the main character or main idea, give one or two main events, and end with the result or main message.
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