German at work: 12 situations new employees need to handle

Why workplace German is more than grammar

If you are new to a job in Germany, you soon notice that expertise alone is not enough. What matters is whether you can ask questions in meetings, react confidently on the phone and join in the conversation in the kitchen. Whether in Nuremberg, Munich, Ansbach or working from home, the situations are much the same.

We have collected the twelve situations our learners practise most often in our German courses. Each comes with a short explanation and German phrases you can use directly.

The 12 situations with phrases

1. Introducing yourself to the team

Short, friendly and with your role. One sentence about your background is enough.

• Ich bin neu im Team und für … zuständig.
• Ich freue mich auf die Zusammenarbeit.

2. Asking questions in a meeting

Asking back is normal in German meetings and is seen as thoroughness.

• Darf ich kurz nachfragen?
• Habe ich richtig verstanden, dass …?

3. Arranging an appointment

The subjunctive makes suggestions polite: hätten, würde, könnte.

• Hätten Sie am Dienstag um zehn Uhr Zeit?
• Passt Ihnen der Donnerstag besser?

4. Phone calls

Give your name and company at the start. Note numbers and names immediately.

• Guten Tag, hier spricht … von …
• Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen?

5. Writing an email

The greeting depends on the relationship. If in doubt, start formally.

• Sehr geehrte Frau …, / Liebe Frau …,
• Mit freundlichen Grüßen

6. Asking for help

A specific question gets answered faster than a general one.

• Könnten Sie mir kurz zeigen, wie …?
• Wen kann ich dazu fragen?

Situations 7 to 12

7. Small talk in the kitchen

Weather, weekends and holidays are safe topics. Salary and politics less so.

• Wie war Ihr Wochenende?
• Sind Sie schon lange im Unternehmen?

8. Du or Sie

If in doubt, use Sie. The more senior person usually offers du.

• Wollen wir uns duzen?
• Darf ich Sie … nennen?

9. Calling in sick

Call in early in the morning and say how you can be reached.

• Ich bin heute leider krank und kann nicht kommen.
• Ich reiche die Krankmeldung nach.

10. Giving and receiving feedback

German feedback is often direct. It is meant factually, not personally.

• Mir ist aufgefallen, dass …
• Danke für den Hinweis, das nehme ich mit.

11. Giving a presentation

Clear structure, figures with sources and time for questions at the end.

• Ich möchte Ihnen heute … vorstellen.
• Zum Schluss fasse ich kurz zusammen.

12. Requesting leave

Asking early and suggesting cover shows responsibility.

• Ich würde gern vom … bis … Urlaub nehmen.
• Wer übernimmt in dieser Zeit meine Aufgaben?

Office culture: what new colleagues should know

Language is only part of it. These habits most often surprise new employees in German working life:

• Punctuality applies to video calls too. If you are two minutes late, apologise briefly.
• Directness in feedback and meetings is normal and not meant rudely.
• Separating work and free time matters to many. Evening messages are often answered the next morning.
• Putting things in writing: agreements are often confirmed by email.

How to learn workplace German faster

1. Practise with real situations. Bring emails, presentations and conversations from your job into lessons.
2. Speak regularly. Two short lessons a week achieve more than one long one.
3. Use mistakes as material. Targeted feedback fixes what really gets in the way.
4. Grammar in context. Learn articles and cases in sentences you actually need.

Employers hiring international professionals can organise this as a company course. If you also want to revise grammar systematically, there is an overview of irregular German verbs on choices.com.pl (in Polish, with a printable table).

Frequently asked questions

Łukasz Pakuła

Head of Studies at choices®. Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland Global Campus, lecturer at HM Business School Munich and Kempten University of Applied Sciences. This article was written with the choices® methodology team. More about us