Speaking German at work and school doesn't have to be complicated. Whether you’re looking for a job in a German-speaking country or just need to talk with coworkers there, you'll need to know some key words and phrases to help ease your way.
Equipment and supplies
Use the following words to describe typical office equipment and supplies.
der Füller (pen)
der Bleistift (pencil)
der Schreibtisch (desk)
der Stuhl (chair)
der Computer (computer)
der Bildschirm (screen)
die Tastatur (keyboard)
die Maus (mouse)
das Heft (notebook)
die Website (Web site)
die E-Mail (e-mail)
das Telefon (telephone)
das Dokument (document)
die Akten (files)
Scheduling meetings
You’ll need to know the following words when scheduling meetings (Sitzungen).
das Vorstellungsgespräch (interview)
die Tagesordnung (agenda)
das Protokoll (minutes)
Terminkalender (appointment book)
Termin (appointment)
der Vorsitzende (M)/die Vorsitzende (F) chairperson
Colleagues and teams
There are many ways to refer to other people you work with. Whether you refer to your coworkers (Mitarbeiter) by their department or their job titles, the following words will come in handy in most business settings.
der Verkauf (sales)
das Marketing (marketing)
die Finanzabteilung (finance)
die Buchhaltung (accounting)
die Personalabteilung (human resources)
die Rechtsabteilung (legal)
die Forschungs- und Entwicklungsabteilung (research and development)
die technische Unterstützung (technical support)
der Generaldirektor/die Generaldirektorin (chief executive officer [M/F])
der Finanzleiter/die Finanzleiterin (chief financial officer [M/F])
der Manager/die Managerin (manager [M/F])
der Bürovorsteher/die Bürovorsteherin (supervisor [M/F])
Useful phrases
Try putting some of these terms together into some phrases that might come in handy at the office.
Der Drucker funktioniert nicht. (The printer isn’t working.)
Schicken Sie mir eine E-Mail. (Send me an e-mail. [Formal])
Kann ich einen Füller und einen Notizblock borgen? (May I borrow a pen and notepad?)
Können Sie den Anrufbeantworter reparieren? (Can you fix the answering machine? [Formal])