Business German: Email Formulas and 25 Workplace Phrases
By Lena Fischer · CEFR examiner & DaF specialistUpdated 8 min read
Essential business German includes formal email formulas (Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren opening, Mit freundlichen Grüßen closing), meeting phrases, polite requests, and phone standards. The formal Sie is mandatory professionally.
Workplace German runs on formality, precision, and email conventions differing sharply from English norms.
Email skeleton
- Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
- ...body...
- Mit freundlichen Grüßen (MfG)
Meeting survival kit
- Ich möchte kurz ergänzen… — I'd like to add
- Ich stimme Ihnen zu. — I agree
- Da sehe ich anders. — I see differently
Polite requests
- Könnten Sie mir bitte … schicken?
- Wäre es möglich, …?
Frequently asked questions
Is MfG acceptable?
Yes between colleagues; full form for first contact and clients.
Do I need perfect cases for office German?
Formulaic emails carry far on chunks; B1 accuracy plus confidence beats silent perfectionism.
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