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German Phrase

Schau, ob die Person atmet und einen Puls hat.

/ʃaʊ̯ ˈɔp diː pɛʁˈzoːn ˈaːt͡mɛt ʊnt ˈaɪ̯nən pʊls haːt/
Meaning"Check whether the person is breathing and has a pulse."
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Meaning

The sentence means ‘Check whether the person is breathing and has a pulse.’ It is a concise, imperative instruction used in emergency or first‑aid contexts.

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When to use

Use this phrase when you need to direct someone to assess vital signs in a medical emergency, such as during CPR training, a first‑aid course, or an actual urgent situation.

✦Grammar Breakdown

SchauobdiePersonatmetundeinenPulshat

1

Imperativ (Schau)

‘Schau’ is the singular informal imperative of the verb ‘schauen’ and is used to give a direct command.

2

ob‑Einleitung

‘ob’ introduces an indirect yes/no question, equivalent to ‘whether’ in English.

3

Nominativ (die Person)

‘die Person’ is the subject of the sentence and stays in the nominative case.

4

Verb 3. Person Singular (atmet, hat)

Both ‘atmet’ (from atmen) and ‘hat’ (from haben) are present‑tense forms for ‘er/sie/es’.

5

Konjunktion (und)

‘und’ simply links the two actions: breathing and having a pulse.

6

Akkusativ (einen Puls)

‘einen Puls’ is the direct object of ‘haben’ and therefore takes the accusative masculine form.

🗨In Conversation

A

Schau, ob die Person atmet und einen Puls hat.

Check whether the person is breathing and has a pulse.

Ja, sie atmet, aber ich finde keinen Puls.

Yes, she is breathing, but I can’t find a pulse.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Schau, ob die Person atmet und einen Puls ist.

    ‘Puls’ is not described with ‘sein’; you need ‘haben’ – ‘hat einen Puls’.

  • Schau, ob die Person atmen und einen Puls hat.

    In the imperative clause you need the 3rd‑person singular form ‘atmet’, not the infinitive.

  • Schau, ob die Person atmet und einen Pulses hat.

    ‘Puls’ is masculine; the accusative singular is ‘einen Puls’, not ‘einen Pulses’.

↔Alternatives

  • Überprüfe, ob die Person atmet und einen Puls spürt.

    Verify whether the person is breathing and feels a pulse.

  • Sieh nach, ob die Person atmet und einen Puls hat.

    Look to see if the person is breathing and has a pulse.

  • Stelle fest, ob die Person atmet und einen Puls hat.

    Determine whether the person is breathing and has a pulse.

de

Cultural Tip

In German‑speaking countries first‑aid courses (Erste Hilfe) stress the sequence ‘Atem prüfen, Puls fühlen’ (check breathing, feel pulse). The phrase is therefore a standard part of emergency instructions and is heard in both professional medical settings and everyday safety talks.