German Phrase
Beschreibe das Problem genau.
Meaning
The sentence is a direct command asking someone to give a precise description of an issue. It is often used in technical support, bug‑reporting, or any situation where a clear, detailed explanation is needed.
When to use
Use this phrase when you need a concise yet thorough account of a problem – for example, when a customer calls a help desk, a colleague reports a software bug, or a teacher asks a student to explain a difficulty.
✦Grammar Breakdown
BeschreibedasProblemgenau
Imperativ von 'beschreiben'
‘Beschreibe’ is the du‑imperative form of the verb ‘beschreiben’ (to describe). For a formal address you would use ‘Beschreiben Sie…’.
Akkusativ‑Artikel ‘das’
‘das’ is the neuter definite article in the accusative case, required because ‘Problem’ is the direct object of ‘beschreiben’.
Neutrales Substantiv ‘Problem’
‘Problem’ is a neuter noun (das Problem). In the accusative it stays ‘das Problem’.
Adverb ‘genau’
‘genau’ modifies the verb and means ‘precisely’ or ‘exactly’, adding detail to the command.
🗨In Conversation
Können Sie mir bitte helfen? Ich verstehe das Gerät nicht.
Can you help me, please? I don’t understand the device.
Beschreiben Sie das Problem genau.
Describe the problem precisely.
✕Common Mistakes
Beschreiben das Problem genau.
Missing the imperative ending ‘-e’ for the du‑form; you need ‘Beschreibe’.
Beschreibe das Problem genau.
If you mistakenly use the nominative ‘das Problem’ after a different verb, the case may be wrong. Here it must stay accusative because it’s the object of ‘beschreiben’.
Genau beschreibe das Problem.
Placing ‘genau’ before the verb (e.g., ‘Genau beschreibe das Problem’) sounds unnatural; it should follow the verb.
↔Alternatives
Erkläre das Problem im Detail.
Explain the problem in detail.
Schilder das Problem präzise.
Depict the problem precisely.
Gib eine genaue Beschreibung des Problems.
Give an exact description of the problem.
Cultural Tip
German speakers value clarity and directness, especially in professional settings. When speaking to strangers or superiors, switch to the formal imperative: ‘Beschreiben Sie das Problem genau.’ Using the informal ‘du’ form is fine with friends or colleagues you know well.