Hi — ready for a friendly B1 practice session about everyday office chat? In this lesson you'll listen, practice, and speak short, natural phrases you can use with colleagues.
Level B1: This lesson focuses on casual workplace small talk — asking about someone's day or weekend, offering coffee or a break, and commenting on a busy day. We'll use common, natural German phrases you'll hear among colleagues (CEFR-aligned).
After this lesson you'll be able to:
Practice asking and answering casual questions about days, weekends, and plans.
Learn natural responses about being busy or getting used to things.
Offer to get coffee or suggest a short break in friendly workplace German.
Ready? Let's go!
When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.
1. Reading + Listening Practice
Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.
Wie läuft dein Tag bisher?
How's your day going so far?
Meaning: How's your day going so far?
When to use: Use this casual opener during the workday to check in on a colleague informally.
Wie läuft dein Tag bisher? Soll ich bei der Präsentation helfen?
How's your day going so far? Should I help with the presentation?
Wie läuft dein Tag bisher? Du siehst beschäftigt aus.
How's your day going so far? You look busy.
Wie war dein Wochenende?
How was your weekend?
Meaning: How was your weekend?
When to use: A neutral, common Saturday/Monday small-talk question to start a casual conversation.
Wie war dein Wochenende? Warst du draußen unterwegs?
How was your weekend? Did you go out?
Wie war dein Wochenende? Hast du etwas Erholsames gemacht?
How was your weekend? Did you do something relaxing?
Hast du am Wochenende was Schönes gemacht?
Did you do anything fun over the weekend?
Meaning: Did you do anything fun over the weekend?
When to use: A friendly follow-up to ask about specific weekend activities; casual tone.
Tip: Beginners sometimes use „etwas“ in speech — "was" is more colloquial here.
Hast du am Wochenende was Schönes gemacht? Ich war wandern.
Did you do anything nice over the weekend? I went hiking.
Hast du am Wochenende was Schönes gemacht? Wir haben einen Markt besucht.
Did you do anything fun over the weekend? We visited a market.
War ein ziemlich voller Tag, aber es läuft okay.
It's been a busy day, but it's going okay.
Meaning: It's been a busy day, but it's going okay.
When to use: Give a short, natural response when someone asks how your day is going.
War ein ziemlich voller Tag, aber es läuft okay. Ich trinke gerade Kaffee.
It's been a pretty busy day, but it's going okay. I'm having coffee now.
War ein ziemlich voller Tag, aber es läuft okay — nur viele Meetings.
It's been a busy day, but it's going okay — just lots of meetings.
Ganz schön viel los heute, oder?
It's pretty busy today, isn't it?
Meaning: It's pretty busy today, isn't it?
When to use: Use this casual comment to bond over a shared busy day or heavier workload.
Ganz schön viel los heute, oder? Die Post stapelt sich schon.
It's pretty busy today, isn't it? Mail is already piling up.
Ganz schön viel los heute, oder? Hoffentlich wird es nach der Mittagspause ruhiger.
It's pretty busy today, isn't it? Hopefully it calms after lunch.
Ich hol mir einen Kaffee. Willst du auch was?
I'm going to grab coffee. Do you want anything?
Meaning: I'm going to grab coffee. Do you want anything?
When to use: Say this when you're heading to buy or get coffee and want to offer something to a colleague.
Tip: Learners sometimes write 'hole' instead of the spoken short form 'hol' in casual speech.
Ich hol mir einen Kaffee. Willst du auch was? Ich bringe dir einen mit.
I'm getting a coffee. Do you want anything? I'll bring you one.
Ich hol mir einen Kaffee. Willst du auch was? Tee geht auch.
I'm grabbing a coffee. Do you want anything? Tea is fine too.
Hast du Lust auf eine kurze Pause?
Do you want to take a quick break?
Meaning: Do you want to take a quick break?
When to use: Use this friendly invitation to suggest a short pause from work.
Hast du Lust auf eine kurze Pause? Wir können kurz an die frische Luft.
Do you want to take a short break? We can go outside for a bit.
Hast du Lust auf eine kurze Pause? Dann können wir danach mit neuer Energie weiterarbeiten.
Do you want to take a short break? Then we can continue with fresh energy.
Hast du nach der Arbeit noch was vor?
Do you have any plans after work?
Meaning: Do you have any plans after work?
When to use: A casual way to ask about evening plans without prying too much.
Hast du nach der Arbeit noch was vor? Vielleicht zusammen essen gehen?
Do you have any plans after work? Maybe go eat together?
Hast du nach der Arbeit noch was vor, oder bleibst du heute Abend zu Hause?
Do you have any plans after work, or are you staying home tonight?
Kaum zu glauben, dass schon Freitag ist.
I can't believe it's already Friday.
Meaning: I can't believe it's already Friday.
When to use: Say this neutral comment when surprised by how quickly the week passed.
Kaum zu glauben, dass schon Freitag ist — die Woche ging schnell rum.
Hard to believe it's already Friday — the week flew by.
Kaum zu glauben, dass schon Freitag ist. Lust auf einen Feierabenddrink?
Can't believe it's Friday already. Fancy a after-work drink?
Ich gewöhne mich noch an ___.
I'm still getting used to ___.
Meaning: I'm still getting used to ___.
When to use: Use this neutral phrase to mention adjusting to a new routine, tool, or team.
Tip: Remember 'an' needs an object (Akkusativ): 'an das neue System' or shortened 'an das' → 'ans' when appropriate.
Ich gewöhne mich noch an das neue System, aber es wird besser.
I'm still getting used to the new system, but it's getting better.
Ich gewöhne mich noch an die Teamstruktur — die Meetings sind anders als vorher.
I'm still getting used to the team structure — the meetings are different.
Arbeitest du schon lange hier?
Have you worked here long?
Meaning: Have you worked here long?
When to use: A neutral question to learn about a colleague's experience at the company in casual conversation.
Arbeitest du schon lange hier? Ich habe dich noch nicht oft gesehen.
Have you worked here long? I haven't seen you often.
Arbeitest du schon lange hier? Ich bin seit zwei Monaten da.
Have you worked here long? I've been here two months.
Was machst du normalerweise in der Mittagspause?
What do you usually do for lunch?
Meaning: What do you usually do for lunch?
When to use: Ask this to learn about someone's lunch habits or routine in a friendly way.
Was machst du normalerweise in der Mittagspause? Gehst du essen oder bleibst du am Platz?
What do you usually do in the lunch break? Do you go out or stay at your desk?
Was machst du normalerweise in der Mittagspause? Ich bringe oft etwas von zu Hause mit.
What do you usually do for lunch? I often bring something from home.
Kennst du hier in der Nähe einen guten Laden für ___?
Do you know a good place to get ___ around here?
Meaning: Do you know a good place to get ___ around here?
When to use: Use this casual question to ask about nearby food or shops for a specific item.
Kennst du hier in der Nähe einen guten Laden für Sandwiches?
Do you know a good place for sandwiches nearby?
Kennst du hier in der Nähe einen guten Laden für Mittagessen zum Mitnehmen?
Do you know a good place for takeout lunch nearby?
2. Conversational Listening Practice
Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.
Short chat at the break area between Anna and David.
Who offers to get coffee?
Anna
Kaum zu glauben, dass schon Freitag ist.
I can't believe it's already Friday.
David
Ganz schön viel los heute, oder?
It's pretty busy today, isn't it?
Anna
Wie läuft dein Tag bisher?
How's your day going so far?
David
War ein ziemlich voller Tag, aber es läuft okay.
It's been a busy day, but it's going okay.
Anna
Ich hol mir einen Kaffee. Willst du auch was?
I'm going to grab coffee. Do you want anything?
David
Ja, danke — hast du nach der Arbeit noch was vor?
Yes, thanks — do you have any plans after work?
3. Guided Practice
Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.
Which German question means 'How was your weekend?'
Which phrase would you use to offer to get coffee for a coworker?
Which German line means 'I'm still getting used to ___'?
Which sentence asks about after-work plans?
I can't believe it's already Friday.
Es ist Freitag und alle sind erleichtert. Anna: '___'
It's been a busy day, but it's going okay.
Nach einem langen Vormittag sagt David: '___'
I'm going to grab coffee. Do you want anything?
Anna steht auf, um Kaffee zu holen und sagt: '___'
Match the core phrases
Match the extra phrases
4. Speaking Practice
Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).
Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.
Say this phrase out loud:
Wie läuft dein Tag bisher?
How's your day going so far?
Say this phrase out loud:
Wie war dein Wochenende?
How was your weekend?
Say this phrase out loud:
Hast du am Wochenende was Schönes gemacht?
Did you do anything fun over the weekend?
Say this phrase out loud:
War ein ziemlich voller Tag, aber es läuft okay.
It's been a busy day, but it's going okay.
Say this phrase out loud:
Ganz schön viel los heute, oder?
It's pretty busy today, isn't it?
Say this phrase out loud:
Ich hol mir einen Kaffee. Willst du auch was?
I'm going to grab coffee. Do you want anything?
Say this phrase out loud:
Hast du Lust auf eine kurze Pause?
Do you want to take a quick break?
Say this phrase out loud:
Hast du nach der Arbeit noch was vor?
Do you have any plans after work?
Say this phrase out loud:
Kaum zu glauben, dass schon Freitag ist.
I can't believe it's already Friday.
Say this phrase out loud:
Ich gewöhne mich noch an ___.
I'm still getting used to ___.
Say this phrase out loud:
Arbeitest du schon lange hier?
Have you worked here long?
Say this phrase out loud:
Was machst du normalerweise in der Mittagspause?
What do you usually do for lunch?
Say this phrase out loud:
Kennst du hier in der Nähe einen guten Laden für ___?
