LESSON NOTES

Introducing Yourself in a German

Business Meeting
CONTENTS
2 German
2 English
2 Vocabulary
3 Sample Sentences
3 Vocabulary Phrase Usage
4 Grammar
6 Cultural Insight

GERMAN
1. Paul Schmitt: Guten Tag.
2. Paul Schmitt: Darf ich mich vorstellen. Mein Name ist Paul Schmitt von der Firma
ABC.
3. Linda Müller: Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen. Mein Name ist Linda Müller.
4. Linda Müller: Ich arbeite für die Firma XY als Community Managerin.

ENGLISH
1. Paul Schmitt: Good day.
2. Paul Schmitt: May I introduce myself? My name is Paul Schmitt from ABC
company.
3. Linda Müller: I am pleased to meet you. My name is Linda Müller.
4. Linda Müller: I work for the company XY as a community manager.
VOCABULARY
German English Class Gender
guten Tag good day expression
vorstellen to introduce verb
Ich I
personal pronoun,
pronoun
arbeiten to work verb
Managerin manager noun feminine

SAMPLE SENTENCES
Guten Tag Herr Dr. Heinrich.
Good day doctor Heinrich.
Ich wünsche Ihnen einen guten
Tag!
Have a good day!
Guten Tag Herr Dr. Heinrich.
Good day doctor Heinrich.
Ich möchte mich vorstel len.
I would like to introduce myself.
Ich bin Lisa.
I am Lisa.
Ich besuche Deutschland z um
ersten Mal .
I am visiting Germany for the first time.
Ich bin Arz t.
I am a doctor.
Ich bin Deutsche.
I am a German woman.
Ich arbei te als Lehrer.
I work as a teacher.
Ich trinke immer Kaffee, wenn ich
arbei te.
I always drink coffee when I work.
Bis wann arbei test du heute?
Till when are you working today?
Ich bin Managerin.
I am a manager.

VOCABULARY PHRASE USAGE

Guten Tag ("Good day")
Guten Tag in German is used in conversations when greeting somebody. In the
morning it's
Guten Morgen, from midday Guten Tag, and in the evening we say Guten Abend.

For example:
1. Guten Tag. Wie geht es Ihnen?
"Good day. How are you?"
Communi ty Managerin ("Communi ty manager")
In German Managerin is the female noun of Manager. Community Managerin is a
professional title which is an innovative phenomenon in the social media era. The main
tasks
of a Community Managerin is to moderate and lead an online community. Community
Managerin is often used as an equivalent to Social-Media-Managerin.
For example:
1. Ich übe den Beruf einer Community Managerin aus.
"I have been a community manager."
GRAMMAR
The Focus Of This Lesson Is How to Break the Ice and Actively Introduce Yourself
in a Business Meeting
Darf ich mich vorstel len. Mein Name ist Paul Schmi tt von der Fi rma ABC.
"May I introduce mysel f? My name is Paul Smi th from ABC company."
How to introduce yoursel f:
When you introduce yourself in a business meeting, you can give your name first and
then
add your company name as well.
General sel f- introduction:
1. Ich bin Linda. Es freut mich Sie kennenzulernen.
"I'm Linda. Nice to meet you."
The pattern is Ich bin which means "I am," followed by your first name, and then Es
freut mich
Sie kennenzulernen meaning "It is a pleasure to meet you."
Sel f- introduction in a business setting:

1. Ich bin Linda Baker von ABC. Es freut mich Sie kennenzulernen.
"I'm Linda Baker from ABC. Pleased to meet you."
The pattern is Ich bin, which means "I am," followed by your full name, and then von
which
means "of," followed by the company name, and at the end, Es freut mich Sie
kennenzulernen.
Break the ice!
As you saw, in a standard self-introduction you wouldn't use the verb vorstellen, "to
introduce." But what if you would like to introduce yourself, but you can't find the right
timing?
In that case, you can just be straightforward and, before actually introducing yourself,
say that
you are going to introduce yourself.
1. Darf ich mich vorstellen? Ich bin Linda Baker von der Firma ABC. Freut mich, Sie
kennenzulernen.
"I'll introduce myself. I'm Linda Baker from ABC. Nice to meet you."
The pattern is Darf ich mich vorstellen ("May I introduce myself"), Ich bin (subject,
conjugated
verb), Linda Baker [full name] von der Firma (preposition) [company name]. Freut mich,
Sie
kennenzulernen.
You can use this when, for example, business talk has casually started and you haven't
had
the opportunity to give your name.
You could also use the following combination:
1. Ich habe mich noch nicht vorgestellt, ich bin Tom Grohe von der Firma ABC. Freut
mich, Sie kennenzulernen.
"I haven't introduced myself. I'm Tom Grohe from ABC. Nice to meet you."
The verb conjunction for arbeiten is:
Ich arbeite ("I work")
Du arbeitest ("You work")
Er/Sie/Es arbeitet ("He/She/It works")
Wir arbeiten ("We work")
Ihr arbeitet ("You work")
Sie arbeiten ("You work")

The usage of für ("for")—Accusative.

For example:
1. Hast du ein Geschenk für ihn?
"Do you have a present for him?"
In the dialogue Ich arbeite für die Firma ABC has also an accusative object which is
Firma
ABC.
After the preposition für commonly an accusative object follows:
1. Das ist für dich.
"This is for you."
2. Das ist für die Schule. "This is for school."
Examples from the dialogue:
1. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen. Mein Name ist Linda Müller.
"I am pleased to meet you. My name is Lida Müller."
2. Ich arbeite für die Firma XY als Community Managerin.
"I work for the company XY as a community manager."
Sample Sentences
1. Darf ich mich vorstellen? Ich bin Anna Müller.
"Can I introduce myself? I am Anna Müller."
2. Ich arbeite als Community Managerin.
"I work as a community manager."
3. Mein Name ist Anna. Es freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.
"My name is Anna. It's a pleasure to meet you."

CULTURAL INSIGHT
Business Cards in Germany
Business cards are handed over during business meetings. The Visitenkarte includes a
name, phone number, email-address, registered office and company logo as well as the
occupation. It is common to have it in German, but depending on the industry the
business
card might also be written in English. A handshake happens before handing over the
business
card. A firm handshake is better than a limp shake, though if you're shaking hands with
someone who is in a higher position than you, you shouldn't apply too much pressure.
Useful expression:
1. Bitte nehmen Sie meine Visitenkarte.
"Please take my business card."