Besprechungen, Verhandlungen, Präsentationen
Chapter Overview and Objectives
Chapter 3 moves from the written correspondence of Chapter 2 into live, spoken professional interaction. Tobias's email sequence to Zurich and Vienna went smoothly, and Frau Lindqvist now wants him to represent the project directly in a planning meeting with both offices — a meeting that will involve turn-taking, a short negotiation over shared resources, and a brief presentation of the project timeline. This chapter extends the Konjunktiv II you refined for correspondence into diplomatic, face-to-face negotiation, and adds the turn-taking formulas, modal and passive alternatives, and discourse connectors needed to participate confidently in meetings and deliver a structured presentation.
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Take part in a meeting: open the floor, take a turn, agree, and disagree diplomatically.
- Negotiate shared options and constraints, proposing and countering respectfully.
- Use Konjunktiv II to soften disagreement and propose alternatives.
- Choose between modal, passive, and active phrasing to manage stance and objectivity.
- Connect spoken turns with discourse connectors that signal contrast, addition, and consequence.
- Deliver a short, structured presentation and summarize a meeting's outcomes.
Opening Scenario
Frau Lindqvist schedules a video meeting with Frau Baumgartner's team in Zurich and Herr Wibmer's team in Vienna to finalize the shared budget line and the next project phase. Both offices have limited capacity in the coming weeks, and each wants the other to take on a larger share of the coordination work. Tobias is asked to open the meeting, summarize where things stand based on his earlier correspondence, and help the two teams reach a compromise. Near the end of the meeting, he will also give a short presentation of the updated timeline. Managing the turn-taking, softening disagreement, and moving smoothly between spoken argument and structured presentation will test everything this chapter introduces.
- Review the vocabulary for meetings, agendas, proposals, and negotiation.
- Study the model dialogue, in which the meeting reaches a compromise.
- Complete the Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing components in order.
- Finish by delivering your own short presentation and meeting summary.
Vocabulary: Meetings and Negotiation
This chapter activates vocabulary for structuring a meeting, taking the floor, proposing and countering, and organizing a short presentation.
Die Besprechung
- die Besprechung, die Besprechungen — meeting
- die Tagesordnung, die Tagesordnungen — agenda
- der Tagesordnungspunkt, die Tagesordnungspunkte — agenda item
- das Protokoll, die Protokolle — minutes, record
Das Wort ergreifen
- das Wort ergreifen — to take the floor
- unterbrechen — to interrupt
- zustimmen (+ Dativ) — to agree (with someone/something)
- widersprechen (+ Dativ) — to object, contradict
Verhandeln
- verhandeln — to negotiate
- der Kompromiss, die Kompromisse — compromise
- die Einschränkung, die Einschränkungen — constraint, limitation
- vorschlagen — to propose (recycled from Chapter 2)
Präsentieren
- die Präsentation, die Präsentationen — presentation
- der Zeitplan, die Zeitpläne — schedule, timeline
- zusammenfassen — to summarize
- die Rückfrage, die Rückfragen — follow-up question
All active nouns appear with article and plural, and each verb is shown with its case or preposition frame where one is required.
Grammar Focus: Diplomatisch sprechen
Meetings and negotiations require the same Konjunktiv II diplomacy you used in correspondence, now spoken and reactive in real time, plus three new tools: turn-taking formulas, modal or passive alternatives that soften a stance, and discourse connectors that make a spoken argument easy to follow.
Darf ich kurz etwas hinzufügen, bevor wir weitermachen?
May I briefly add something before we continue?
Wenn ich kurz einhaken darf: Das betrifft ja auch unseren Zeitplan.
If I may briefly jump in: that also affects our timeline.
Ich möchte noch einmal auf die Budgetfrage zurückkommen.
I'd like to come back once more to the budget question.
Just as Konjunktiv II softened a written request in Chapter 2, it softens spoken disagreement or a counter-proposal. Compare a blunt objection with a diplomatic one.
Das funktioniert nicht. (blunt) versus Das würde in der Praxis vielleicht schwieriger sein, als es zunächst klingt. — That might be more difficult in practice than it first sounds.
Wir können das nicht übernehmen. (blunt) versus Es wäre für uns schwierig, das vollständig zu übernehmen — könnten wir die Aufgabe teilen? — It would be difficult for us to take that on entirely — could we split the task?
- Ich verstehe Ihren Punkt, aber ich würde vorschlagen, die Frist etwas zu verschieben. I understand your point, but I would suggest postponing the deadline somewhat. concession (aber) + Konjunktiv II counter-proposal
- Einerseits verstehen wir die Zeitnot in Wien, andererseits können wir nicht mehr Personal abstellen. On the one hand we understand the time pressure in Vienna; on the other hand we cannot spare more staff. einerseits ... andererseits — balanced concession
- Deshalb schlage ich vor, dass wir die Aufgabe zwischen beiden Teams aufteilen. That's why I suggest that we split the task between both teams. deshalb — result connector; dass-clause with verb-final order
A direct active statement can sound like a personal accusation or an absolute claim. Modal verbs and the passive voice let a speaker present the same content more neutrally.
Active, direct: Sie haben die Zahlen zu spät geschickt. — You sent the figures too late.
Softer, modal/impersonal: Die Zahlen hätten früher geschickt werden können. — The figures could have been sent earlier. Man müsste die internen Abläufe noch einmal ansehen. — One would need to look at the internal processes again.
Use this shift deliberately: it removes a named subject from a sensitive statement without hiding the substance of the point.
Error: *Das ist falsch. as a direct response to a colleague's proposal in a meeting.
Correction: Ich sehe das etwas anders. Wäre es nicht sinnvoller, ...? — I see it a bit differently. Wouldn't it be more sensible to ...? Konjunktiv II and a question form open space for discussion rather than shutting it down.
Model Dialogue
Setting: video meeting with Zurich and Vienna. Context: Tobias opens the meeting, a disagreement over staffing emerges, and the group reaches a compromise.
Guided Practice
Rewrite each blunt statement diplomatically, using Konjunktiv II, a modal/passive alternative, or a turn-taking formula from this chapter.
- Das ist keine gute Idee. (soften with Konjunktiv II)
- Sie haben zu spät geantwortet. (soften with a modal or passive alternative)
- Ich will jetzt etwas sagen. (rephrase as a polite turn-taking formula)
Model answers appear in the Answer Key.
Listening Component
Ask a partner, instructor, or text-to-speech tool to read the following short passage aloud. Listen once for overall content, then again to notice each turn-taking and softening strategy.
Ein Kompromiss in der Videokonferenz — Listening Script
Tobias eröffnete die Besprechung und fasste kurz zusammen, wo das Projekt stand. Frau Baumgartner bat kurz um das Wort und erklärte, dass es für ihr Team in Zürich schwierig wäre, die gesamte Koordination allein zu übernehmen. Herr Wibmer stimmte ihr zu und ergänzte, dass auch Wien im Moment wenig Kapazität habe. Tobias erkannte beide Seiten an, betonte aber, dass eine Lösung gefunden werden müsse, und schlug deshalb vor, die Aufgabe zwischen den beiden Teams aufzuteilen. Frau Baumgartner fand den Vorschlag machbar und schlug vor, dass Zürich die erste Hälfte der Phase übernehme und Wien die zweite. Herr Wibmer stimmte zu und fasste am Ende die Vereinbarung noch einmal zusammen.
Verständnisfragen
1. Warum kann Frau Baumgartners Team die Koordination nicht allein übernehmen?
2. Wie lautet der Kompromiss am Ende der Besprechung?
3. Identify one turn-taking formula and one Konjunktiv II form in the passage, and explain what each accomplishes.
Speaking Component
Aufgabe: Eine Besprechung führen und einen Kompromiss finden
Work with a partner or in a small group. Each person represents a team with a real constraint (limited staff, a tight deadline, a fixed budget). Negotiate a shared task using the turn-taking formulas and diplomatic softening from this chapter, and reach a workable compromise.
Rolle: Besprechungsleitung
- Open the meeting and summarize the current situation.
- Manage turn-taking and invite each side to speak.
- Summarize the agreed compromise at the end.
Rolle: Teammitglied
- State your team's constraint clearly but diplomatically.
- Use a turn-taking formula to enter the conversation.
- Propose or accept a compromise using Konjunktiv II.
Bewertungshinweise — Speaking Criteria
- At least one turn-taking formula and one Konjunktiv II softening, clearly used.
- A stated constraint and a workable compromise.
- Consistent diplomatic register throughout the exchange.
- Comprehensible, natural pronunciation and pacing.
Solo alternative: Record all sides of the negotiation yourself, pausing between turns to plan each team's response.
Reading Component
Tagesordnung — Projektbesprechung
- Begrüßung und kurze Zusammenfassung des aktuellen Stands (Tobias)
- Rückmeldungen aus Zürich und Wien zur Kapazität
- Diskussion: Aufteilung der Koordinationsaufgaben
- Kurze Präsentation: aktualisierter Zeitplan (Tobias)
- Zusammenfassung und nächste Schritte
Verständnisfragen
1. Wer fasst am Anfang der Besprechung den aktuellen Stand zusammen?
2. Welcher Tagesordnungspunkt kommt vor der Präsentation des Zeitplans?
3. Why might an agenda like this one help keep a diplomatic negotiation on track, even before any language is spoken?
Writing Component
Write a short meeting summary (Protokoll) of the negotiation in the Model Dialogue or of your own Speaking Component negotiation, followed by a brief written outline of the presentation you will give in the Performance Task below.
Kontext für das Protokoll
Fassen Sie in drei bis fünf Sätzen zusammen, welche Positionen die Teams vertreten haben und zu welchem Kompromiss sie gekommen sind.
- Draft the meeting summary: state each side's constraint and the agreed compromise.
- Use at least one connector such as einerseits ... andererseits, deshalb, or obwohl.
- Outline your presentation: opening statement, two or three key points, and a brief closing.
- Check that formal Sie forms, where used, are capitalized correctly.
- Read your summary aloud to check that the tone stays neutral and diplomatic.
- Review your text against the checklist below.
Revision checklist:
- Does the summary state each side's position without sounding one-sided?
- Is the compromise stated clearly?
- Does the summary use at least one discourse connector appropriately?
- Does the presentation outline have a clear opening, key points, and closing?
Culture and Communication
Meeting culture varies considerably across German-speaking workplaces. Some organizations favor a tightly structured agenda with a designated chair and formal turn-taking; others favor a more open discussion style where colleagues interject freely once trust is established. Multinational teams that include offices in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland often need to negotiate a shared meeting style explicitly rather than assuming everyone follows the same unstated norms.
Directness in a meeting is often linked to role and hierarchy rather than to nationality alone. A junior colleague may soften disagreement more than a senior one regardless of country, and some sectors — such as engineering or public administration — favor more direct feedback than others, such as client-facing service roles. Avoid assuming that a colleague from a particular country will always be more or less direct; observe the actual meeting and adjust accordingly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: *Nein, das stimmt nicht. spoken abruptly over another speaker.
Correction: Darf ich kurz etwas hinzufügen? Ich sehe das ein wenig anders. — use a turn-taking formula before disagreeing.
Error: *Das funktioniert nicht. presented as a final, unsoftened judgment.
Correction: Das würde in der Praxis vielleicht schwieriger sein, als es zunächst klingt. — Konjunktiv II leaves room for further discussion.
Error: *Sie haben das falsch gemacht. stated directly to a colleague in a group meeting.
Correction: Man müsste die internen Abläufe noch einmal ansehen. or Das hätte anders organisiert werden können. — a modal or passive alternative addresses the issue without naming a person as at fault.
Chapter Summary
Chapter 3 carried the Konjunktiv II diplomacy of Chapter 2 into live, spoken professional interaction: turn-taking formulas let speakers enter and re-enter a conversation politely, modal and passive alternatives softened potentially sensitive statements, and discourse connectors such as einerseits ... andererseits and deshalb organized a spoken argument clearly. Tobias's video meeting with Zurich and Vienna, which moved from disagreement to a workable compromise and closed with a short presentation, provided the context for practicing each of these moves in turn.
Chapter Review
Before moving to Chapter 4, confirm that you can:
- open a meeting, take a turn, and return to an earlier point using turn-taking formulas;
- soften disagreement or a counter-proposal using Konjunktiv II;
- choose a modal or passive alternative to state a sensitive point neutrally;
- connect spoken turns with discourse connectors such as einerseits ... andererseits, deshalb, and obwohl; and
- deliver a short, structured presentation and summarize a meeting's outcome.
Practical Performance Task
Kapitel 3 — Praktische Aufgabe
Eine Präsentation halten und eine Besprechung zusammenfassen — Delivering a Presentation and Meeting Summary
Complete a short sequence of tasks that draws together speaking, listening, and writing practice with meetings and presentations.
1. Tagesordnung lesen
Read the Reading Component agenda and identify how it structures the meeting.
2. Verhandlung führen
Complete the Speaking Component negotiation with a partner or solo recording.
3. Präsentation halten
Deliver a two- to three-minute spoken presentation of a simple project update, using at least one discourse connector.
4. Protokoll schreiben
Write the meeting summary and presentation outline from the Writing Component.
| Criterion | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Turn-taking and diplomacy | Turns are entered politely and disagreement is softened appropriately |
| Negotiation and compromise | Constraints are stated clearly and a workable compromise is reached |
| Presentation structure | The presentation has a clear opening, key points, and closing |
| Meeting summary accuracy | The written summary reflects the positions and compromise accurately |
Answer Key
Guided Practice — Model Answers
- Ich wäre nicht ganz sicher, ob das die beste Idee ist. (Konjunktiv II softens the objection)
- Die Antwort hätte vielleicht früher geschickt werden können. (passive/modal alternative removes a named subject)
- Darf ich kurz etwas dazu sagen? (polite turn-taking formula)
Listening Component — Comprehension Questions
- Weil ihr Team im Moment nicht genug Kapazität hat, um die Koordination allein zu übernehmen.
- Zürich übernimmt die erste Hälfte der Projektphase, Wien die zweite.
- Turn-taking formula: Frau Baumgartner bat kurz um das Wort (asked briefly for the floor); Konjunktiv II: es wäre für ihr Team schwierig (softens the stated constraint).
Reading Component — Comprehension Questions
- Tobias fasst am Anfang den aktuellen Stand zusammen.
- Die Diskussion über die Aufteilung der Koordinationsaufgaben kommt vor der Präsentation des Zeitplans.
- An agenda gives every participant a shared sense of order and timing before the meeting starts, which reduces the need for improvised interruptions and makes it easier to use turn-taking formulas naturally when each item comes up.
Writing and Speaking Components
Open production. Evaluate using the performance task criteria table above, with particular attention to diplomatic softening, a clearly stated compromise, and a well-organized presentation.
Practical Performance Task
Open production. Evaluate holistically using the performance task criteria table: turn-taking and diplomacy, negotiation and compromise, presentation structure, and meeting summary accuracy.
Looking Ahead
Was Sie nach Kapitel 3 können — What you can do after Chapter 3
You can now take part in a meeting, negotiate a shared task diplomatically, and deliver a short structured presentation, using turn-taking formulas, Konjunktiv II, and modal or passive alternatives to keep the tone professional and constructive. This prepares you for Chapter 4, where you will turn from spoken negotiation to reading and discussing academic-style texts in a seminar setting.