German course

Lesson 156 of 240

New here? This is lesson 156 of a free 240-lesson German course.

Start hereHow this works

Set up a meeting in German

Jonas wants a short sit-down about the new recycling feature. He uses du, as he has from day one at the loft.

Priya will ask for a time, send the agenda first, and pick online or the loft.

Anton is already in a chair, exactly on time, a Milchkaffee cooling beside him.

By the end, you'll set a meeting time and agree what you will cover.

By the end of this lesson

Ask for a meeting time and agree on an agenda.

  • Können wir uns kurz zusammensetzen?Can we sit down together for a bit?
  • Wäre Donnerstag um zehn möglich?Would Thursday at ten work?
  • Das Meeting dauert ungefähr eine Stunde.The meeting will be about an hour.
  • Ich schick dir die Agenda vorher.I'll send you the agenda first.
  • Lieber online oder im Loft?Online or in the loft?
  • Ich bin pünktlich da.I'll be there on time.

Scene — the loft

The co-working loft by the canal is quiet this morning. Jonas has a coffee mug and wants a short meeting on the recycling feature.

Priya is at her desk. Anton already occupies a chair, exactly on time, his Milchkaffee untouched.

A quiet morning in the canal-side loft, with Priya at her desk, Jonas holding coffee, and Anton already seated with his untouched Milchkaffee.

Learn — a short meeting

Six lines cover asking for a sit-down, offering a time, length, the agenda, the place, and being on time.

Jonas already uses du, so these lines stay informal.

  1. Jonas approaches Priya and invites her to pause for a short conversation.

    Können wir uns kurz zusammensetzen?

    Can we sit down together for a bit?

    When to use it: Use this at work when you want a short sit-down with a teammate.

    Jonas uses du with Priya at work.

    Say it: zusammensetzen carries the stress on sam, not zu.

  2. Priya looks up and asks Jonas what time would work for him.

    Wäre Donnerstag um zehn möglich?

    Would Thursday at ten work?

    When to use it: Offer this when you suggest a day and a clock time.

    Day names take a capital letter, like Donnerstag.

    Say it: Donnerstag puts the stress on the first syllable.

  3. Priya indicates that the meeting would last about an hour while Jonas listens.

    Das Meeting dauert ungefähr eine Stunde.

    The meeting will be about an hour.

    When to use it: Say this when you tell people how long the meeting will last.

    Meeting is a German noun here, so it starts with a capital.

  4. Priya prepares to send Jonas the agenda before the meeting.

    Ich schick dir die Agenda vorher.

    I'll send you the agenda first.

    When to use it: Promise this when you will send the agenda before you meet.

    dir is for a teammate; a stranger would get Ihnen.

    Say it: Schick starts with the German sch sound.

  5. Jonas asks whether the meeting should be online or in the loft as Priya considers the options.

    Lieber online oder im Loft?

    Online or in the loft?

    When to use it: Ask this when you need to choose a meeting place.

    This line gives two place options in one short question.

  6. Anton sits ready in the spare chair with his Milchkaffee untouched, confident he will be on time.

    Ich bin pünktlich da.

    I'll be there on time.

    When to use it: Promise this when you will arrive at the agreed time.

    da at the end points to the place you already named.

    Say it: The ch in pünktlich is the soft ich sound.

Story — already in the chair

Watch Priya and Jonas lock a short meeting. Anton has already claimed a chair.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Morning at the loft by the canal. Jonas walks over with his mug.
  2. JonasKönnen wir uns kurz zusammensetzen?Can we sit down together for a bit?
  3. PriyaJa, gern. Wann passt es dir?Yes, gladly. When works for you?
  4. JonasWäre Donnerstag um zehn möglich?Would Thursday at ten work?
  5. PriyaJa. Das Meeting dauert ungefähr eine Stunde.Yes. The meeting will be about an hour.
  6. JonasGut. Schickst du uns die Punkte?Good. Will you send us the points?
  7. PriyaIch schick dir die Agenda vorher.I'll send you the agenda first.
  8. JonasLieber online oder im Loft?Online or in the loft?
  9. PriyaIm Loft, finde ich.In the loft, I think.
  10. The spare chair is already taken. Anton sits there, ticket on its cord.
  11. AntonIch bin pünktlich da.I'll be there on time.
  12. JonasAnton? Wir fangen doch erst Donnerstag an.Anton? We only start on Thursday.
  13. AntonIch war nur zufällig in der Gegend.I just happened to be in the area.
  14. PriyaKlappt das?Will that work?
  15. JonasJa. Donnerstag um zehn, hier im Loft.Yes. Thursday at ten, here in the loft.

Practice — time and place

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, fill a gap, swap a word, and build a line.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Können wir uns kurz zusammensetzen?Drop the English here
    Das Meeting dauert ungefähr eine Stunde.Drop the English here
    Lieber online oder im Loft?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its German, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You want a short work sit-down with your team lead, not a long meeting.

  4. Fill the gap

    The meeting will be about an hour.

    Das Meeting dauert ____ eine Stunde.

  5. What does it mean?

    Ich schick dir die Agenda vorher.

  6. Swap the word

    You are choosing whether to meet on a call or in the loft.

    Lieber ____ oder im Loft?

  7. Pick the reply

    Jonas says:

    Du bist Donnerstag um zehn im Loft, ja?

    You'll be in the loft Thursday at ten, right?

    And you reply with:

  8. Build the line

    Can we sit down together for a bit?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  9. True or false?

    You say this to a shop clerk you have just met.

  10. What do you say?

    You want to check that Thursday at the loft will work.

  11. Fill the gap

    I'm late.

    Ich bin zu ____.

Say it — lock the time

Now you're Priya at the loft. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. JonasNa, Priya. Hast du kurz Zeit?Hey, Priya. Have you got a moment?
  2. Priya (you)Ask if you two can sit down together for a bit.

    Können wir uns kurz zusammensetzen?

    Can we sit down together for a bit?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Können wir uns kurz zusammensetzen?Can we sit down together for a bit?
Wäre Donnerstag um zehn möglich?Would Thursday at ten work?
Das Meeting dauert ungefähr eine Stunde.The meeting will be about an hour.
Ich schick dir die Agenda vorher.I'll send you the agenda first.
Lieber online oder im Loft?Online or in the loft?
Ich bin pünktlich da.I'll be there on time.
Next: lesson 157The meeting runs long

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these meeting lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your meeting lines ready for the loft.

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