The idea
Seit + dative with the present tense describes a state that started in the past and continues: seit gestern, seit einer Woche. Luft verlieren is used without an article. Hinterreifen and Vorderreifen are masculine (der Reifen), so the pronoun is er. Kein negates nouns (keinen Gegenstand, accusative). “Lieber” in the last line means “rather”, signalling that you leave the diagnosis to the expert.
Other ways to say it
“Ich habe einen Platten am Hinterrad.” – Everyday short form; der Platten means a flat tyre.
“Könnten Sie sich den Schlauch einmal ansehen?” – Polite request for the mechanic to check the inner tube.
Examples
- Der Hinterreifen verliert seit gestern Luft.The rear tyre has been losing air since yesterday.
- Geht die Luft sofort wieder heraus?Does the air escape again immediately?
- Nach etwa einer Stunde ist er weich.It is soft after about an hour.
- Haben Sie außen etwas bemerkt?Have you noticed anything on the outside?
- Ich sehe keinen Gegenstand im Reifen.I cannot see any object in the tyre.
- Ich beschreibe Ihnen lieber nur meine Beobachtung.I would rather just describe what I observed.
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Watch out
“Der Hinterreifen hat seit gestern Luft verloren.” → “Der Hinterreifen verliert seit gestern Luft.”: English uses “has been losing”, but German expresses an ongoing situation with seit and the present tense. The perfect sounds as if the process were finished.
Try it yourself
Translate into German: The rear tyre has been losing air since yesterday.
Show answer or example answer
Der Hinterreifen verliert seit gestern Luft.
Present tense “verliert” with “seit gestern” shows the problem continues; “Luft” has no article as an uncountable noun.
Put the words in order: einer / er / etwa / ist / Nach / Stunde / weich
Show answer or example answer
Nach etwa einer Stunde ist er weich.
“Nach etwa einer Stunde” is a time phrase in the dative; it comes first, so “ist” stays second and “er” follows.
Write this sentence in German: I would rather just describe what I observed.
Show answer or example answer
Ich beschreibe Ihnen lieber nur meine Beobachtung.
“Ihnen” is the polite dative for the listener; “lieber” means rather, and “nur meine Beobachtung” limits what you claim.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
Translate into German: The rear tyre has been losing air since yesterday.
Der Hinterreifen verliert seit gestern Luft.
Put the words in order: einer / er / etwa / ist / Nach / Stunde / weich
Nach etwa einer Stunde ist er weich.
Write this sentence in German: I would rather just describe what I observed.
Ich beschreibe Ihnen lieber nur meine Beobachtung.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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Describe a problem with your own bike, or an imagined one, in three sentences: what happens, since when, and what you have noticed.