Office German is half German and half English. In one sentence a colleague will say Meeting, Deadline and Feedback, and in the next Besprechung, Frist and Rückmeldung. Both sets mean the same, and you need both.
The other half of office German is abbreviations. Bis KW 42, nach Rücksprache ggf. früher is a perfectly normal line in a work email. By the end of this page you'll be able to read it.
Around the Office
office
das Büro
open-plan office
das Großraumbüro
meeting room
der Besprechungsraum
office kitchen
die Teeküche
printer
der Drucker
screen
der Bildschirm
keyboard
die Tastatur
laptop
der Laptop
folder
der Ordner
desk
der Schreibtisch
reception
der Empfang
staff ID card
der Mitarbeiterausweis
Practice these words
das Büro
Good to know: the small kitchen in a German office is the Teeküche, even when nobody drinks tea. It's also where birthday cake appears and where you're expected to wash your own cup.
Meetings and Deadlines
meeting
die Besprechung
appointment
der Termin
agenda
die Agenda / die Tagesordnung
minutes
das Protokoll
deadline
die Frist
feedback, reply
die Rückmeldung
draft
der Entwurf
template
die Vorlage
coordination
die Abstimmung
consultation, check-back
die Rücksprache
responsibility
die Zuständigkeit
task
die Aufgabe
project
das Projekt
Practice these words
die Besprechung
Abstimmung: it means both a vote and, more often at work, coordinating with someone. Ich bin noch in Abstimmung mit der IT means "I'm still sorting it out with IT", not that there was a ballot.
Termin or Besprechung? A Termin is any fixed slot in your calendar, a meeting or a dentist's appointment. A Besprechung is the meeting itself, where people talk.
Sentences From Work Emails
Attached is the presentation.
Anbei die Präsentation.
As discussed.
Wie besprochen.
Just for your information.
Nur zur Info.
Please reply by Friday.
Bitte um Rückmeldung bis Freitag.
Thanks for your quick reply.
Danke für die schnelle Rückmeldung.
I'll get back to you.
Ich melde mich.
I'm out of the office until Monday.
Ich bin bis Montag nicht im Büro.
Can we have a quick call?
Können wir kurz telefonieren?
Best regards
Viele Grüße
Practice these words
Anbei die Präsentation.
Tone: work emails between colleagues are short and friendly, often with Hallo and Viele Grüße. Sehr geehrte and Mit freundlichen Grüßen are for customers, authorities and anyone you don't know. Openings and sign-offs get their own lesson later.
English Words German Offices Use
| Germans say | Used like this |
|---|---|
das Meeting | the same as Besprechung, more common in international firms |
die Deadline | the same as Frist |
das Feedback | Kannst du mir Feedback geben? |
der Call | a phone or video call: Ich bin gleich im Call. |
das Update | Gibt es ein Update? |
das To-do | a task: Das ist mein To-do für heute. |
asap | as soon as possible, said letter by letter or as a word |
der Workshop | a working session, also internal |
Good to know: these words take German articles and German grammar: Wir haben ein Meeting, die Deadline ist Freitag. In traditional companies and the public sector you'll hear the German words far more.
Office Abbreviations
| Short | Full form | Means |
|---|---|---|
KW | Kalenderwoche | calendar week: in KW 42 |
z. B. | zum Beispiel | for example |
bzw. | beziehungsweise | or, or rather, respectively |
ggf. | gegebenenfalls | if necessary |
u. a. | unter anderem | among other things |
o. Ä. | oder Ähnliches | or similar |
i. A. | im Auftrag | signed on behalf of |
z. Hd. | zu Händen | for the attention of |
Anl. | Anlage | attachment, enclosure |
MfG | Mit freundlichen Grüßen | yours sincerely, a bit curt when abbreviated |
KW is the one to get used to. German companies plan in calendar weeks, numbered 1 to 52 or 53, and Das kommt in KW 14 is a normal way to give a date. Most calendar apps can show week numbers. Turn them on in your first week.