5.8 Work and the office — Epoché
What you will be able to do Say what you do for a living, with and without an article: Ich arbeite als Lehrer , Was bist du von Beruf? Talk about the workplace: Firma, Büro, Abteilung, Besprechung, Projekt . Follow the steps of a job application in Germany: Bewerbung, Lebenslauf, Vorstellungsgespräch . Understand the German words for pay and conditions, including some that reflect German institutions: Ausbildung, Betriebsrat, Feierabend . Sentences from this lesson, before the explanation. Read the German aloud; all of them come back below. German English Sie bekommt ein hohes Gehalt. [1] She gets a high salary. Hast du dich bei dieser Firma um eine Stelle beworben? [2] Did you apply for a job in this company? Arbeiten Sie jetzt Teilzeit oder Vollzeit? [3] Are you now working part-time or full-time? Der Streik dauerte drei Tage. [4] The strike lasted three days. Wir haben mit der Firma einen Vertrag geschlossen. [5] We made a contract with the firm. Ich habe mich um ein Praktikum für den Sommer beworben. [6] I applied for a summer internship. Prerequisites : 5.7 — you need the town vocabulary from 5.7 Vocabulary , the professions and the no-article rule from 6.2 Conversation , and the feminine suffix -in from 4.2 Cases . Work is the topic you will be asked about first in almost every German conversation after your name and where you come from. This lesson gives you the vocabulary for jobs, the office, applying for a position and the conditions of employment. Some of the words name institutions that have no exact English counterpart: the dual apprenticeship system behind Ausbildung , the elected works council called Betriebsrat , and the strict line between work and free time that Feierabend draws. Knowing these words means knowing a little about German working life. Word list Fifty-five words in four groups. Nouns for people have a feminine form in -in unless stated otherwise. People and jobs Word (article, plural) Meaning Notes der Beruf（-e） de profession, occupation Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs von Beruf is by profession . Was bist du von Beruf? [7] What is your job? die Stelle（-n） de job, position; place, spot Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs A post you hold; also a spot on a page or a surface. Gefällt dir deine neue Stelle? [8] Do you like your new job? die Chefin（-nen） de boss (a woman) Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs English chef is a cook; German Chef is a boss. Sie ist seine Chefin. [9] She's his boss. der Mitarbeiter（-） de employee, colleague, member of staff Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs Literally with-worker ; the polite word for staff. Achte deine Mitarbeiter! [10] Respect the people that you work with. der Angestellte（-n） de salaried employee, white-collar worker Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs An adjective used as a noun: ein Angestellter , die Angestellte . Ich hatte drei Angestellte. [11] I had three employees. der Arbeiter（-） de worker, labourer Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs Traditionally a manual worker, as opposed to Angestellter . Die Arbeiter streiken. [12] The workers are on strike. der Arbeitgeber（-） de employer Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs Literally work-giver . Mein Arbeitgeber ist sehr reich. [13] My employer is very rich. der Arbeitnehmer（-） de employee Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs Literally work-taker . Viele Arbeitnehmer haben gestreikt. [14] A lot of employees have gone on strike. der Lehrling（-e） de apprentice, trainee Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs The traditional word, with no feminine form in -in ; officially now Auszubildender , Azubi . Ich bin Lehrling in einem Friseurladen. [15] I'm an apprentice at a hairdressing salon. der Handwerker（-） de craftsman, tradesman Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs Plumbers, electricians, carpenters: anyone in a skilled trade. Ich bin Handwerker. [16] I'm a craftsman. der Ingenieur（-e） de engineer Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs Spelled the French way; stress on the last syllable. Sie sind Ingenieur. [17] You're an engineer. die Krankenschwester（-n） de nurse Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs Literally sick-sister ; the official job title since 2020 is Pflegefachfrau or Pflegefachmann , and Pflegekraft is the general word. Sie ist Krankenschwester. [18] She is a nurse. der Anwalt（¨-e） de lawyer Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs One word for English lawyer, attorney, solicitor . Yanni ist Anwalt. [19] Yanni is an attorney. der Kellner（-） de waiter Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs Related to Keller , cellar, from the cellar master. Ich bin Kellner. [20] I'm a waiter. die Verkäuferin（-nen） de shop assistant (a woman) Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs The feminine of Verkäufer . Die Verkäuferin bediente mich. [21] The sales girl waited on me. At work Word (article, plural) Meaning Notes die Firma（Firmen） de company, firm Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs Plural Firmen . Unsere Firma beschäftigt 30 Leute. [22] Our company employs thirty people. das Unternehmen（-） de company, enterprise Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs A verb used as a noun: the undertaking . Das Unternehmen verliert Geld. [23] The company is losing money. der Betrieb（-e） de business, plant; operation Gender / part of speech masculine noun How English differs außer Betrieb is out of order . Diese Maschine ist außer Betrieb. [24] This machine is out of order. das Büro（-s） de office Gender / part of speech neuter noun How English differs From French bureau . Ich frühstücke im Büro. [25] I eat my breakfast in the office. die Abteilung（-en） de department Gender / part of speech feminine noun How English differs Built on t