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Lesson 218 of 240

New here? This is lesson 218 of a free 240-lesson German course.

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Steer the conversation in German

Priya's standup at the loft starts on the recycling feature, then Jule's Hamburg snack story takes over the table.

Jonas has one eye on the time. He will leave soon, and the feature still has no owner.

You'll take the lead: move the talk on, park a side point, and pull everyone back before the meeting ends.

Stay on the feature. Hamburg can wait until after.

By the end of this lesson

Take the lead and steer a conversation back on track.

  • Kommen wir zu ___.Let's move on to ___
  • Das bringt mich zu ___.That leads me to ___
  • Zurück zum eigentlichen Thema.Back to the actual topic
  • Lass uns nicht abschweifen.Let's not get sidetracked
  • Nur ganz kurz dazu.Just very briefly on that
  • Wir sollten beim Thema bleiben.We should stay on topic

Scene — the standup table

Tuesday standup at the loft by the canal. Priya, Jonas and Jule sit at the long table with laptops open.

The recycling feature is first on the list. Jonas already has his jacket on the chair, ready to leave.

Priya, Jonas and Jule gather around the long table as the standup begins.

Learn — steer it back

Six lines help you steer a meeting: move on, lead into a point, go back to the real topic, and keep people from wandering.

You'll also park a side remark in one short line.

  1. Priya gestures toward the schedule while Jonas listens beside his open laptop.

    Kommen wir zu ___.

    Let's move on to ___

    When to use it: Use this when you want the meeting to start the next point.

    After zu, the next noun takes the dative, as in zu dem Zeitplan.

  2. Jonas asks about the open tasks as Jule begins an off-topic story.

    Das bringt mich zu ___.

    That leads me to ___

    When to use it: Use this to connect what was just said to your next point.

    After zu, the next noun takes the dative, as in zu unserem Stand.

  3. Priya gives Jule a brief, friendly acknowledgment before the story continues.

    Zurück zum eigentlichen Thema.

    Back to the actual topic

    When to use it: Use this when talk has drifted and you want the real subject back.

    Zum is zu plus dem, so the noun after it stays in the dative.

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

  4. Jule turns toward Priya with a weekend question, and Priya gently brings the talk back on track.

    Lass uns nicht abschweifen.

    Let's not get sidetracked

    When to use it: Use this with friends or your team when the talk leaves the point.

    Lass uns is the du form for friends and for Jonas at work.

  5. Jonas rests a hand on his jacket while Jule adds one last fond note about the harbour.

    Nur ganz kurz dazu.

    Just very briefly on that

    When to use it: Use this to allow one short side remark, then return.

    Dazu points back to the last thing, without naming it again.

  6. Priya holds the group to the recycling feature as Jonas and Jule listen.

    Wir sollten beim Thema bleiben.

    We should stay on topic

    When to use it: Use this when the group keeps leaving the subject you need.

    After bei, the noun takes the dative, so bei dem Thema becomes beim Thema.

    Say it: The ö in sollten is a rounded front vowel.

Story — hamburg snacks

Watch Priya's standup drift to Hamburg snacks, then watch her pull it back before Jonas stands up.

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

  1. Laptops are open on the long table. Jonas glances at the time.
  2. JonasAlso, zehn Minuten. Die Recycling-Funktion zuerst.Right, ten minutes. The recycling feature first.
  3. PriyaKommen wir zu dem Zeitplan.Let's move on to the schedule.
  4. JonasWer nimmt die offenen Aufgaben?Who is taking the open tasks?
  5. JuleNoch niemand. Vorher kurz: In Hamburg gab's ein Fischbrötchen.Nobody yet. Quickly first: in Hamburg there was a fish roll.
  6. PriyaNur ganz kurz dazu.Just very briefly on that.
  7. JonasMit der Soße vom Hafen, oder?With the sauce from the harbour, right?
  8. JuleGenau. Am Wochenende bin ich meistens zu Hause. Diesmal nicht.Exactly. At the weekend I'm usually at home. Not this time.
  9. JuleUnd du, was machst du am Wochenende?And you, what do you do at the weekend?
  10. PriyaDas kommt auf den Tag an. Lass uns nicht abschweifen.It depends on the day. Let's not get sidetracked.
  11. Jule grins. Jonas already has a hand on his jacket.
  12. JuleSchon gut. Der Hafen war trotzdem nett.All right. The harbour was still nice.
  13. PriyaZurück zum eigentlichen Thema.Back to the actual topic.
  14. JonasBitte. Die Funktion braucht vor Freitag eine Person.Please. The feature needs a person before Friday.
  15. PriyaDas bringt mich zu unserem Punkt.That leads me to our point.
  16. JuleZwei Aufgaben sind offen. Eine wartet, und das Brötchen fällt mir wieder ein.Two tasks are open. One is waiting, and the roll just popped back into my head.
  17. PriyaWir sollten beim Thema bleiben.We should stay on topic.
  18. JonasEinverstanden. Ich muss los. Priya übernimmt die Funktion.Agreed. I have to go. Priya is taking the feature.
  19. PriyaGut, dann sind wir durch.Good, then we're done.

Practice — stay on the feature

Ten short tasks wait here. You'll hear a line, fill a gap, swap a word, and build one from chips.

Nothing here is a long speech. Stay on the meeting.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    Das bringt mich zu ___.

  3. What do you say?

    You need the line that tells the team not to get sidetracked.

  4. Swap the word

    The talk has left the feature. Pull the group back to the real subject.

    Zurück zum ____ Thema.

  5. Build the line

    We should stay on topic

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Pick the reply

    Jule says:

    Darf ich ganz kurz vom Fischbrötchen erzählen?

    May I tell you very briefly about the fish roll?

    And you reply with:

  7. Fill the gap

    Let's not get sidetracked

    Lass uns nicht ____.

  8. True or false?

    This says you are usually at home at the weekend.

  9. What do you say?

    A friend at the loft has been talking. Ask what they do at the weekend.

  10. Fill the gap

    It depends on the day.

    Das kommt auf den ____ an.

Say it — take the lead

Now you're Priya at the standup. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and steer the talk back.

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

  1. JonasAlso, zehn Minuten. Die Recycling-Funktion zuerst.Right, ten minutes. The recycling feature first.
  2. Priya (you)Move the meeting on to the schedule.

    Kommen wir zu ___.

    Let's move on to ___

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Kommen wir zu ___.Let's move on to ___
Das bringt mich zu ___.That leads me to ___
Zurück zum eigentlichen Thema.Back to the actual topic
Lass uns nicht abschweifen.Let's not get sidetracked
Nur ganz kurz dazu.Just very briefly on that
Wir sollten beim Thema bleiben.We should stay on topic
Next: lesson 219Link a story

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