Practice a German Business Meeting
Business meetings in German require precision: agreeing, disagreeing, summarising, and proposing next steps without coming across too aggressive or too vague. This scenario rehearses the meeting verbs ('I propose', 'I disagree respectfully', 'Let's circle back', 'Action item:'), and the polite-but-firm register most German-speaking corporate cultures expect. You'll practise turn-taking, interrupting tactfully, and closing a meeting with clear ownership of next steps. By the end, you'll contribute meaningfully in a German meeting instead of staying silent.
Sample German conversation
Guten Morgen zusammen. Fangen wir an. Der erste Punkt auf der Tagesordnung sind die Quartalsergebnisse. Möchten Sie beginnen?
Good morning, everyone. Let's get started. The first item on the agenda is the quarterly results. Would you like to begin?Natürlich. Ich habe eine Zusammenfassung der wichtigsten Zahlen vorbereitet.
Of course. I've prepared a summary of the key figures.Danke für den Überblick. Der Umsatz ist in diesem Quartal um 12 % gestiegen. Was hat Ihrer Meinung nach zu diesem Wachstum beigetragen?
Thank you for the overview. Revenue is up 12% this quarter. What do you think contributed to this growth?Wir haben dieses Quartal drei große neue Kunden gewonnen.
We signed three new major clients this quarter.Ausgezeichnet. Was sind die Ziele für das nächste Quartal? Gibt es neue Strategien, die wir in Betracht ziehen sollten?
Excellent. What are the goals for next quarter? Any new strategies we should consider?Ich schlage vor, in zwei neue Märkte zu expandieren.
I propose we expand into two new markets.
What you'll learn
- Open and close a meeting with the right etiquette
- Agree, disagree, and propose alternatives politely
- Interrupt without being rude
- Summarise discussion and assign action items
- Take notes in German and follow up
Frequently asked questions
How do I disagree politely in a German meeting?
Use the formula 'I see your point, but I'd suggest…' — softer than the bare 'I disagree'. The scenario rehearses several variants.
What's the German for 'action item' or 'next steps'?
There's a specific business term in German — increasingly an English loanword in some countries. We include both forms.
How formal is German in business meetings?
Quite formal — formal 'you', complete sentences, avoid slang. The scenario uses corporate register throughout.
How do I close a German meeting cleanly?
Summarise decisions, assign owners, set a follow-up date. The scenario teaches the closing phrases for each step.