Translation please!?

Question

Hi! I found a site which is very difficult. In german we got homerworks. My homeworks are to translate that:Achtung, Achtung auf Gleis 3! Es erhält EInfahrt: die Ravensbergerbahn aus Rahden zur Weiterfahrt als der Lipperländer nach Lemgo. Achtung Achtung auf Gleis 3 und Vorsicht bei der Einfahrt.

I know that is in a train i think.

One Yar ago i got german. I do well in german but that isn`t easy. IS it right if i say: Mein Vater war damals in den USA und hat Geographie studiert, dort?

I hope, you can help me. Thank you

Answer 1

Above translations are good and always take the word of a Native in my opinion.

I am American but i lived in Germany and speak it fairly well. They are saying

Attention attention on track 3 arriving from Ravensbergerbahn (name of place train is coming from) leaving from Rahden to Weiterfahrt and to Lipperlaender. Attention attention on track 3 be cautious.

Something close to that, again choose a natives translation for it will probably be more correct than mine though mine is enough to understand what is being said. You will discover learning German is not easy and I found it easier by just living there and forcing myself to submerge into learning it.

You are off to a good start, grammar is the hardest part for us so do your best, thats all you can do. The translators on here most are very good.

Answer 2

Well, "the first will be last"! Which is why I will "correct" your last answer before the rest of this. So...

"Mein Vater war damals in den USA und hat dort Geographie studiert."

Would be correct. In German, you don't put things like ",too" or ",though" at the end of a sentence, but place them where the subject would go if it hadn't been usd in the sentence before.

Ok, to your bigger problem:

What you have to translate is what would be announced by someone to the people standing on the platform. But: Nowadays, nobody says: "Achtung, Achtung!" anymore, but "Verehrte Fahrgäste, bitte beachten Sie:...". "Achtung!" would be best translated as "Beware".

Well, maybe this would work as a translation (as truthfull to the original text as can be):

"On platform 3: beware! The Ravensbergerbahn is coming in from Rahden, going to Lemgo as the "Lipperländer". On platform 3: Beware of the incoming train."

Note: This is the translation that is as truthful to the original text as I can make it, but platform announcements on German train stations are very differently phrased nowadays.

Hope that helped

Answer 3

Attention, attention please, platform 3! Incoming Ravensbergbahn [no translation to this] from Rahden changing names* to "the Lipperländer" to Lemgo. Attention attention platform 3, take care, the train is coming in.

*: "Changing names", "fährt weiter als" is a common announcement on German local railways when they mean: it's the same train, but another regional company will now take care of it. When you're in it, you (mostly) can stay seated.

The thing about your father, yes, you CAN say that.

Travelling on trains in Germany, you should understand that "Gleis" means "platform", and the numbers. If you didn't understand something, or don't understand a train schedule, ask fellow travellers. They will help you, and most German people speak English. -- And, yes, departure plans are yellow, arrivals are white. It's pretty much of a mess with these international color codes, as they always vary.

Answer 4

Attention, attention on platform No. 3! Now running in (or arriving): "Ravensbergerbahn" (that's a name, so I cannot translate that part) from Rahden driving on to Lemgo as "Lippländer"( name again, meaning the train is going to continue as another line using another name).

Attention, attention on platform No. 3 and be cautious ( or take care) during the arrival of the train.

I can understand why you're having trouble.

That's a though one even for a native...

The other one is almost perfect but  you would say mein Vater hat dort studiert.

you just got the position of "dort" wrong