Dialogue - German

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Vocabulary

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Platz space, square as in plaza
Aufgabe task, assignment, mission; give-up
Kunde customer, client
zeigen to show, indicate
Kollege colleague
Abteilung department
Schreibtisch desk
Datenbank database
klicken to click
speichern to store; save (on the computer)
Mittagspause lunch break (mid-day break)
Kantine company cafeteria
einarbeiten to work in; train somebody, show somebody the ropes

Lesson Notes

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Lesson Focus

The focus of this lesson is a summary of what you should know by now.
Frau Bayer wird Ihnen heute einige Ihrer Aufgaben zeigen.
"Mrs Bayer will show you some of your tasks today."


In this series we will review and expand on your knowledge of German grammar. As this is a series for intermediate students, we are assuming some basic knowledge of German grammar already though. Obviously you should know the genders of German nouns, the plural and the present tense conjugation of verbs, including some irregular ones, such as sein and haben. Other things as a quick recap:

  • the future tense is formed with werden and the infinitive: ich werde gehen, du wirst gehen, er wird gehen, wir werden gehen, ihr werdet gehen, sie werden gehen

  • the simple past tense of „sein“ is based on the stem „war“: ich war, du warst, er war, ... Other than this, we're not going to assume any knowledge of the past tense for now.

  • there are verbs that adopt a lighter vowel for the 2nd and 3rd person singular: e. g. ich sehe, du siehst, er sieht, wir sehen, ihr seht, sie sehen. Similarly for geben (gibt), halten (hält) and, more irregularly, nehmen (nimmt).

  • verbs can have prefixes, which alter the meaning a bit. Many of these prefixes split off for the present tense but are attached to the verb for the infinitive: e. g. mitkommen → er kommt mit

  • the first verb in a sentence always comes in second position. The second and any other verb is placed at the very end of the sentence, after everything else. Split-off prefixes also typically go to the end of the sentence. In a subclause, even the first verb is at the end of the sentence.

  • „möchte“ means „would like“. It's the conditional tense of „mögen“ (to like) but it's too useful to be kept until we learn the conditional tense. Similarly, „könnte“ is „could“ in polite requests.

  • „can“ is „können“ in German. Ich kann, du kannst, er kann, wir können, ihr könnt, sie können

  • „must“ is „müssen“ in German. Ich muss, du musst, er muss, wir müssen, ihr müsst, sie müssen

  • „may“ is „dürfen“ in German. Ich darf, du darfst, er darf, wir dürfen, ihr dürft, sie dürfen

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  1. Arbeitsplatz is a compound noun literally meaning work-place. It can be used in an abstract sense as in „In Deutschland fehlen 4 Millionen Arbeitsplätze“ (Germany is missing 4 million jobs) or in a very concrete sense as in today's dialog, where it meant „cube“ or „workplace“.

  2. To introduce somebody, say „Ich möchte Ihnen (meinen Chef / Ihren Kollegen / …) Herrn X vorstellen“.

  3. Acceptable answers to an introduction are „Angenehm, Sie kennenzulernen“, „Angenehm“, „Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen“ or, more informally, „Nett, Sie kennenzulernen“. You may just say „Angenehm“ or „Freut mich“ and the rest will be understood, as these words don't appear at the beginning of any other phrases.

  4. "Guten Appetit" is what Germans say before having a meal. Literally, they are wishing each other a good appetite, but it's basically a wish that the others might enjoy their meal. At work, you may also hear "Mahlzeit" (meal) as a general greeting.

Cultural Insights

Etiquette at the job

  • In all but the smallest companies, you should expect to always use formal language with your boss and for him to maintain a certain distance.

  • Colleagues of roughly the same standing however tend to form tightly-knit groups, who also regularly spend free time together.

  • You may have to prove yourself before you'll be part of that kind of circle. Also you should wait for older colleagues to offer you the use of informal language before you start doing so, anything else would seem disrespectful and make for a bad job climate.

  • Once you have shown each other respect this way, the switch to informal language marks the beginning of a friendship.

Lesson Transcript

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INTRODUCTION
Chuck: Chuck here. Intermediate series, season 3, Lesson 1. You Don’t Get Respect in Germany Unless You Give it first. Hello and welcome to the first lesson of the intermediate series, season 3 at germanpod101.com.
Judith: This series is for all of you who have completed the beginner course and want to further improve your German.
Chuck: Learn more advanced grammar
Judith: And more useful vocabulary.
Chuck: Our main focus this time will be German for the workplace.
Judith: So if you work in Germany
Chuck: Or you’d like to or you plan to
Judith: Or you have a German boss or co-workers.
Chuck: Or maybe you are just coming over to do business
Judith: This series is for you.
Chuck: In this first lesson, you will learn how to use correct etiquette at the job especially when you are new.
Judith: This conversation takes place at the big German company on a Monday morning.
Chuck: The conversation is between Mr. Jones, an American and his new German boss and colleagues.
Judith: The speakers are at work. Therefore, they will be speaking formal German.
Chuck: Let’s listen to the conversation.
DIALOGUE
Müller: Guten Morgen, Herr Jones. Schön, dass Sie da sind.
Jones: Guten Morgen, Herr Müller.
Müller: Kommen Sie, ich zeige Ihnen Ihren Arbeitsplatz und stelle Ihnen Ihre Kollegen vor.
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Müller: Hallo alle zusammen. Ich möchte Ihnen Ihren neuen Kollegen Frank Jones vorstellen. Er arbeitet ab heute in unserer Abteilung.
Alle: Hallo.
Jones: Hallo. Freut mich, Sie alle kennenzulernen.
Müller: Good morning, Mr Jones. Nice that you're here.Müller: Herr Jones, hier ist Ihr Schreibtisch und Ihnen gegenüber sitzt Frau Bayer.
Bayer: Hallo.
Jones: Hallo, nett Sie kennenzulernen.
Müller: Frau Bayer wird Ihnen heute einige Ihrer Aufgaben zeigen. Wenn Sie Fragen haben, können Sie sich jederzeit an mich oder Frau Bayer wenden.
Jones: Vielen Dank.
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Bayer: Also, heute kümmern wir uns um diese Kundendaten. Sie geben einfach die Namen mit Adresse und Telefonnummer in die Datenbank ein und klicken auf „Speichern“. Okay?
Jones: Ja, das scheint nicht schwer zu sein.
Bayer: Gut. Wir können ja später zusammen Mittagspause machen und dann zeige ich Ihnen die Kantine.
Jones: Ja, gerne. Vielen Dank.
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Müller: Herr Jones, wie kommen Sie zurecht?
Jones: Danke, sehr gut. Frau Bayer arbeitet mich gut ein.
Müller: Sehr schön. Dann machen Sie doch jetzt Mittagspause und arbeiten danach weiter.
Jones: Ja, gut. Ich gehe mit Frau Bayer in die Kantine.
Müller: Ah, wunderbar. Dann guten Appetit!
Jones: Dankeschön.
Judith: Now read slowly.
Müller: Guten Morgen, Herr Jones. Schön, dass Sie da sind.
Jones: Guten Morgen, Herr Müller.
Müller: Kommen Sie, ich zeige Ihnen Ihren Arbeitsplatz und stelle Ihnen Ihre Kollegen vor.
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Müller: Hallo alle zusammen. Ich möchte Ihnen Ihren neuen Kollegen Frank Jones vorstellen. Er arbeitet ab heute in unserer Abteilung.
Alle: Hallo.
Jones: Hallo. Freut mich, Sie alle kennenzulernen.
Müller: Good morning, Mr Jones. Nice that you're here.Müller: Herr Jones, hier ist Ihr Schreibtisch und Ihnen gegenüber sitzt Frau Bayer.
Bayer: Hallo.
Jones: Hallo, nett Sie kennenzulernen.
Müller: Frau Bayer wird Ihnen heute einige Ihrer Aufgaben zeigen. Wenn Sie Fragen haben, können Sie sich jederzeit an mich oder Frau Bayer wenden.
Jones: Vielen Dank.
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Bayer: Also, heute kümmern wir uns um diese Kundendaten. Sie geben einfach die Namen mit Adresse und Telefonnummer in die Datenbank ein und klicken auf „Speichern“. Okay?
Jones: Ja, das scheint nicht schwer zu sein.
Bayer: Gut. Wir können ja später zusammen Mittagspause machen und dann zeige ich Ihnen die Kantine.
Jones: Ja, gerne. Vielen Dank.
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Müller: Herr Jones, wie kommen Sie zurecht?
Jones: Danke, sehr gut. Frau Bayer arbeitet mich gut ein.
Müller: Sehr schön. Dann machen Sie doch jetzt Mittagspause und arbeiten danach weiter.
Jones: Ja, gut. Ich gehe mit Frau Bayer in die Kantine.
Müller: Ah, wunderbar. Dann guten Appetit!
Jones: Dankeschön.
Judith: Now with the translation.
Müller: Guten Morgen, Herr Jones. Schön, dass Sie da sind.
Müller: Good morning, Mr Jones. Nice that you're here.
Jones: Guten Morgen, Herr Müller.
Hr. Jones: Good morning, Mr Müller.
Müller: Kommen Sie, ich zeige Ihnen Ihren Arbeitsplatz und stelle Ihnen Ihre Kollegen vor.
Müller: Come, I'll show you your desk and I'll introduce your colleagues to you.
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Müller: Hallo alle zusammen. Ich möchte Ihnen Ihren neuen Kollegen Frank Jones vorstellen. Er arbeitet ab heute in unserer Abteilung.
Müller: Hello everybody. I would like to introduce your new colleague Frank Jones to you. Starting today, he will work in our department.
Alle: Hallo.
Alle: Hello.
Jones: Hallo. Freut mich, Sie alle kennenzulernen.
Jones: Hello. I'm happy to meet you all.
Müller: Herr Jones, hier ist Ihr Schreibtisch und Ihnen gegenüber sitzt Frau Bayer.
Müller: Mr Jones, here is your desk and Mrs Bayer is sitting across from you.
Bayer: Hallo.
Bayer: Hello.
Jones: Hallo, nett Sie kennenzulernen.
Jones: Hello, nice to get to know you.
Müller: Frau Bayer wird Ihnen heute einige Ihrer Aufgaben zeigen. Wenn Sie Fragen haben, können Sie sich jederzeit an mich oder Frau Bayer wenden.
Müller: Mrs Bayer will show you some of your tasks today. If you have any questions, you can always turn to myself or Mrs Bayer.
Jones: Vielen Dank.
Jones: Thank you very much.
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Bayer: Also, heute kümmern wir uns um diese Kundendaten. Sie geben einfach die Namen mit Adresse und Telefonnummer in die Datenbank ein und klicken auf „Speichern“. Okay?
Bayer: So, today we are dealing with this customer data. You just enter the names with the addresses and phone numbers into the database and click "Save". Okay?
Jones: Ja, das scheint nicht schwer zu sein.
Jones: Yes, that doesn't seem to be difficult.
Bayer: Gut. Wir können ja später zusammen Mittagspause machen und dann zeige ich Ihnen die Kantine.
Bayer: Good. We can take a lunch break together later and I'll show you the cafeteria then.
Jones: Ja, gerne. Vielen Dank.
Jones: Yes, gladly. Thank you very much.
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Müller: Herr Jones, wie kommen Sie zurecht?
Müller: Mr Jones, how are you coming along?
Jones: Danke, sehr gut. Frau Bayer arbeitet mich gut ein.
Jones: Thanks, very well. Mrs Bayer is training me well.
Müller: Sehr schön. Dann machen Sie doch jetzt Mittagspause und arbeiten danach weiter.
Müller: Great. Then how'bout you take a lunch break now and continue working afterwards.
Jones: Ja, gut. Ich gehe mit Frau Bayer in die Kantine.
Jones: Yes, good. I will go to the cafeteria with Mrs Bayer.
Müller: Ah, wunderbar. Dann guten Appetit!
Müller: Ah, wonderful. Then enjoy your meal!
Jones: Dankeschön.
Jones: Thank you very much.
CULTURAL INSIGHTS
Chuck: So I guess today, we could speak about etiquette on the job.
Judith: Yes sounds good.
Chuck: In all but the smallest companies, you should expect to always use formal language with your boss and have to maintain a certain distance.
Judith: Colleagues of roughly the same standing however tend to form tightly knit groups who also regularly spend free time together.
Chuck: You may have to prove yourself before you will be part of that kind of circle. Also you should wait for older colleagues to offer to use informal language before you start doing so. Anything else would seem disrespectful and well, it would just make for a bad job climate.
Judith: Once you’ve shown each other respect [through this way] the switch to informal language marks the beginning of a friendship.
Chuck: Let’s take a look at the vocabulary for this lesson.
VOCAB LIST
Judith: First word [Zeigen]
Chuck: To show.
Judith: [Zeigen, zeigen] Next [Platz]
Chuck: Place or square.
Judith: [Platz, Platz, der Platz] and the plural is [Plätze]. Next [Kollege]
Chuck: Colleague.
Judith: [Kollege, Kollege, der Kollege] and the plural is [Kollegen]. Next [Abteilung]
Chuck: Department.
Judith: [Abteilung, Abteilung, die Abteilung] And the plural is [Abteilungen]. Next [Schreibtisch]
Chuck: Desk.
Judith: [Schreibtisch, Schreibtisch, der Schreibtisch] And the plural is [Schreibtische]. Next [Aufgabe]
Chuck: Task, assignment, mission or to give up.
Judith: [Aufgabe, Aufgabe, die Aufgabe] And the plural is [Aufgaben]. Next [Kunde]
Chuck: Customer or client.
Judith: [Kunde, Kunde, der Kunde] And the plural is [Kunden]. Next [Datenbank]
Chuck: Database.
Judith: [Datenbank, Datenbank, die Datenbank] And the plural is [Datenbanken]. Next [Klicken]
Chuck: To click.
Judith: [Klicken, klicken] Next [Speichern]
Chuck: To store or save as in on the computer.
Judith: [Speichern, speichern] Next [Mittagspause]
Chuck: Lunch break or mid-day break literally.
Judith: [Mittagspause, Mittagspause, die Mittagspause] And the plural is [Mittagspausen]. Next [Kantine]
Chuck: Company cafeteria.
Judith: [Kantine, Kantine, die Kantine] And the plural is [Kantinen]. Next [Einarbeiten]
Chuck: To work in, train somebody or show somebody the ropes.
Judith: [Einarbeiten, einarbeiten] The [Ein] splits off.
VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE
Chuck: Let’s have a closer look at the usage for some of the words and phrases from this lesson.
Judith: The first word we will look at is [Arbeitsplatz].
Chuck: Workplace.
Judith: This is a compound noun literally meaning workplace. It can be used in an abstract sense as in “in Deutschland [fehlen vier Millionen Arbeitsplätze”].
Chuck: The Germany is [missing] 4 million jobs.
Judith: Or in a very concrete sense as in today’s dialogue [where is meant] cube or workplace.
Chuck: To introduce somebody, what would you say?
Judith: You would say something like [Ich möchte Ihnen meinen Chef Herrn X vorstellen].
Chuck: I would like to introduce my boss Mr. X, that short company you worked for then.
Judith: Acceptable answers to introduction are [Angenehm Sie kennenzulernen] simply [Angenehm, Freut mich Sie kennenzulernen] or more informally [Nett Sie kennenzulernen]. You can just say [Angenehm or freut mich] and the rest will be understood because these words don’t appear at the beginning of any other common phrases.
Chuck: [Guten Appetit] is what German’s say before having a meal. Literally they are wishing each other good appetite but it is basically a wish so that the others might enjoy their meal. Before eating, be sure to tell everyone this. Otherwise they will look at you a bit strange if you just start chewing down. At work, you might also hear [Mahlzeit]. It’s a general greeting.

Lesson focus

Judith: Okay now about some grammar. In this series, we will review and expand on your knowledge of German grammar. As this is a series for intermediate students, we are assuming some basic knowledge of German grammar already though. Obviously you should know the genders of German nouns, the plural and the present tense conjugation of verbs including some irregular ones such as [Sein] and [Haben]. Other things as a quick recap.
Chuck: The future tense is formed with [Werden] and the infinitive.
Judith: The simple past tense of [Sein] is based on the stem [War]
Chuck: There are verbs that adopt a lighter vowel for the second and third person singular.
Judith: There are also verbs that have prefixes which alter the meaning a bit. Many of these prefixes split off for the present tense but are attached to the verb for the infinitive.
Chuck: The first verb in the sentence – it always comes in second position. The second and any other verb is placed at the very end of the sentence after everything else. Split off prefixes also typically go to the end of the sentence. And in sub clause, even the first verb is at the end of the sentence.
Judith: [Möchte] means would like. It is the conditional tense of [Mögen] to like but it’s too useful to be kept until we learn the conditional tense. Similarly [Könnte] is could in polite requests.
Chuck: Can is [Können] in German. [Ich kann, Du kannst, Er kann, Wir können, Ihr könnt, Sie können]
Judith: Must is [Müssen] in German [Ich muss, Du musst, Er muss, Wir müssen, Ihr müsst, Sie müssen].
Chuck: May is [Dürfen] in German [Ich darf, Du darfst, Er darf, Wir dürfen, Ihr dürft, Sie dürfen]. If most of this sounds familiar to you, you really have to improve your German using this series.
Judith: If there is a lot of things that you didn’t know before, please stick to the beginner series instead.

Outro

Chuck: Well that just about does it for today. Okay some of our listeners already know about the most powerful tool in germanpod101.
Judith: Line by line audio.
Chuck: The perfect tool for rapidly improving listening comprehension.
Judith: By listening to lines of the conversation again and again.
Chuck: Listen until every word and syllable becomes clear. Basically we break down the dialogue into comprehensible bite size sentences.
Judith: You can try the line by line audio in the premium learning center at germanpod101.com
Chuck: So tune in again next week. We will publish a new intermediate lesson every Wednesday.
Judith: [Bis nächsten Mittwoch]
Chuck: Bye.