German course

Lesson 216 of 240

New here? This is lesson 216 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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A short presentation in German

Priya stands at the loft whiteboard with three slides on her laptop and no extras. Jonas checks the time, then he actually listens.

This lesson is a short talk: open, give three points, and close.

You will open with three points, start with background, then your proposal, then next steps.

At the end you close the slides and invite questions. Keep the shape. Do not add extra slides.

By the end of this lesson

Open a short talk, present three points, and close.

  • Heute möchte ich drei Punkte vorstellen.Today I'd like to present three points.
  • Ich fange mit dem Hintergrund an.I'll start with the background.
  • Als Nächstes kommt mein Vorschlag.Next comes my proposal.
  • Zum Schluss skizziere ich die nächsten Schritte.Finally I'll outline the next steps.
  • Damit bin ich am Ende meiner Folien.That brings me to the end of my slides.
  • Wenn ihr Fragen habt, sehr gern jetzt.If you have questions, now is a good time.

Scene — the blank whiteboard

The co-working loft by the canal is quiet. Priya stands by the blank whiteboard with a laptop open to three slides.

Jonas sits at the long desk with a coffee mug and glances at the time.

Two colleagues wait with laptops closed. The recycling app meeting has three points only.

Priya stands by the blank whiteboard while Jonas sits at the long desk with his coffee and checks the time.

Learn — three points

Six lines open a short talk, name three points, and close.

You start with background, then a proposal, then next steps, and you invite questions.

  1. Priya opens her presentation with one hand raised and three fingers extended.

    Heute möchte ich drei Punkte vorstellen.

    Today I'd like to present three points.

    When to use it: Open a short talk with this when you will cover three points.

    The verb stays second: möchte comes right after Heute.

    Say it: Möchte uses a rounded ö sound.

  2. From behind Jonas, Priya begins with the background, her palm resting on the blank whiteboard.

    Ich fange mit dem Hintergrund an.

    I'll start with the background.

    When to use it: Use this for the first of your three points, the background.

    Anfangen splits: fange stays with ich, and an waits at the end of the clause.

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

  3. Priya steps toward the long desk with open hands as she presents her proposal.

    Als Nächstes kommt mein Vorschlag.

    Next comes my proposal.

    When to use it: Use this to move to your second point, the proposal.

    Als Nächstes fills the first slot, so the verb kommt stays second.

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

  4. Priya holds a marker near the blank board while outlining the next steps.

    Zum Schluss skizziere ich die nächsten Schritte.

    Finally I'll outline the next steps.

    When to use it: Use this for the third point, when you outline what happens next.

    Zum Schluss comes first, and the verb skizziere stays second.

  5. Priya finishes her slides beside the open laptop while the whiteboard remains blank.

    Damit bin ich am Ende meiner Folien.

    That brings me to the end of my slides.

    When to use it: Use this to close a talk when you have finished your slides.

    Damit looks back at the slides you just showed, and bin stays second.

  6. Priya opens the floor for questions as Jonas raises a hand slightly from the desk.

    Wenn ihr Fragen habt, sehr gern jetzt.

    If you have questions, now is a good time.

    When to use it: Use this after the close to invite questions from the team.

    After wenn the verb habt waits at the end of that clause.

Story — he checks the time

Watch Priya open a short talk at the loft. Jonas checks the time, then he listens.

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

  1. Priya stands by the blank whiteboard, laptop open. Jonas has the coffee mug in one hand.
  2. JonasHallo.Hello.
  3. PriyaHallo.Hello.
  4. JonasSetz dich. Die anderen sitzen schon.Sit down. The others are already sitting.
  5. PriyaDanke. Ich stehe lieber, dann seht ihr die Folien.Thanks. I'd rather stand, then you can see the slides.
  6. JonasNa gut. Wie geht's?All right. How are you?
  7. PriyaGut, danke. Ich halte das kurz.I'm good, thanks. I'll keep this short.
  8. PriyaHeute möchte ich drei Punkte vorstellen.Today I'd like to present three points.
  9. JonasDrei. Ich schaue nur kurz auf die Uhr.Three. I'll just take a quick look at the time.
  10. He checks the time, then he looks up and actually listens.
  11. PriyaIch fange mit dem Hintergrund an.I'll start with the background.
  12. JonasDer alte Filter, oder?The old filter, right?
  13. PriyaGenau. Die Nutzer verlieren sich in den Kategorien.Exactly. People get lost in the categories.
  14. PriyaAls Nächstes kommt mein Vorschlag.Next comes my proposal.
  15. JonasBitte kurz.Keep it short, please.
  16. PriyaDrei Fragen auf dem Bildschirm, sonst nichts.Three questions on the screen, nothing else.
  17. JonasUnd der letzte Punkt?And the last point?
  18. PriyaZum Schluss skizziere ich die nächsten Schritte.Finally I'll outline the next steps.
  19. JonasTesten wir das noch diese Woche?Are we testing that this week?
  20. PriyaJa, mit fünf Nutzerinnen. Mehr nicht.Yes, with five users. No more.
  21. PriyaDamit bin ich am Ende meiner Folien.That brings me to the end of my slides.
  22. JonasKurz. Drei Folien, und die Tafel bleibt leer.Short. Three slides, and the board stays blank.
  23. PriyaWenn ihr Fragen habt, sehr gern jetzt.If you have questions, now is a good time.
  24. JonasEine. Warum nur drei Fragen?One. Why only three questions?
  25. PriyaWeil drei reichen, und dann sortieren die Leute wirklich.Because three are enough, and then people actually sort.

Practice — open, then close

Ten short exercises wait here. You will listen, build, fill a gap, and swap a word.

They follow the same three-point shape as the talk.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What do you say?

    You stand at the whiteboard and open a short talk with three points.

  3. Build the line

    I'll start with the background.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  4. What does it mean?

    Als Nächstes kommt mein Vorschlag.

  5. Fill the gap

    Finally I'll outline the next steps.

    Zum Schluss ____ ich die nächsten Schritte.

  6. Pick the reply

    Jonas says:

    Bist du fertig mit dem Vortrag?

    Are you finished with the talk?

    And you reply with:

  7. Swap the word

    You are at the whiteboard. Open the talk; you have exactly three points.

    Heute möchte ich ____ Punkte vorstellen.

  8. What do you say?

    A teammate is still standing before the meeting. Tell them to sit, the du way.

  9. True or false?

    You say this to open a three-point talk at the whiteboard.

  10. What do you say?

    You already said hello to Jonas. Check how he is, the short way.

Say it — say the talk

Now you're Priya at the whiteboard. 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, wir haben zehn Minuten.Well, we have ten minutes.
  2. Priya (you)Open the talk. You have three points to present.

    Heute möchte ich drei Punkte vorstellen.

    Today I'd like to present three points.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Heute möchte ich drei Punkte vorstellen.Today I'd like to present three points.
Ich fange mit dem Hintergrund an.I'll start with the background.
Als Nächstes kommt mein Vorschlag.Next comes my proposal.
Zum Schluss skizziere ich die nächsten Schritte.Finally I'll outline the next steps.
Damit bin ich am Ende meiner Folien.That brings me to the end of my slides.
Wenn ihr Fragen habt, sehr gern jetzt.If you have questions, now is a good time.
Next: lesson 217Sound natural

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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your talk shape ready for the next meeting.

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