Is my German good enough for this new job?

I just landed a new job in frankfurt, but I really do not think that my German is good enough for this position. During my interview, I spoke a little, but most of it was in English and in Spanish. The Company told me they need a person with all 3 language capabilities; I let them know that I am at a b1 Level with German, but they said it did not matter and that they would hlep me with The Business vocabulary. Now this is the problem: why every time they call me or write me, they do it in German? This scares me, it tells me that I need a lot more German for the job. What do you guys think? The position will require me to do Trading, Asset Management..blabla bla, Finance, with customers in the UK, Spain, and krautland.

do you have a better option? if not, give it a go. you've told them how good your german is...so if it's not good enough, they have only themselves to blame.

This is comedy gold. If you lose the job there is a career waiting for you in stand-up.

Are you dealing with the same people? If it's HR contacting you, then they will neither know nor care about your language abilities or the language you will be working in.

Where I work, although my German is squat I get letters all the time in German, emails and the like. Even the systems are in German. *sigh* Maybe I should learn some German! If some of your customers are also German, shouldn't you know a bit more of the language, so they feel all warm and fuzzy on the inside?

And yes, all letters from HR are in German as well, so they really could care less...

You should have thought about it before applying for the job. Latest before signing up for it. But as they took you, I wouldn't worry too much. If they think you need better language skills, the company will provide you with extra tuition. In a dealing room environment, you won't need too many language skills. Hopefully, you have the skills it takes to be good at what the job is all about. Good Luck.

Thanks Mr. English, I will keep that in mind. Small Town Boy, I am dealing with my soon to be Boss.

Of course they will address you in German, we are in Germany after all. Spcially the HR people as said before. If they gave you the job, they think your German is good enough. My german is far from perfect but I manage to get through each day. I could also speak in english with the people at work, but what a better way to really learn the language than using it everyday. Just jump into it, after a couple of months you won't even notice when you speak in German or in English.

Why do you worry ? They hired you knowing about your German skills. It is perfectly normal that your employer writes to you in German. The only thing you should concentrate on is improving your German skills. If you show enough motivation you will be fine!!!
Good luck and try to be a bit more confident!!

I would not worry about it either. The person responsible for writing those letters is probably just a secretary who write loads of letters every day and will have nothing to do with your work whatsoever

Well he probably is just getting his secretary to write the letters for you. Do not under estimate your German skills

And as written elsewhere a warm dictionary is a great help

Spend a bit of money on the required dictionaries. You did not specify what you do, but there are computer dictionaries, finance dictionaries, economics dictionaries, usw. Make learning the specific vocabulary of your business a main component of improving your German. In 6 months or so, you will be good to go. There is nothing like incentive to accomplish something.

Lets face it, "business German" is actually just a load of pathetic English buzzwords (hot-desking will be here soon, mark my words) glued together with a few German words. Just enjoy it all, and start loads of arguments in meetings about whether or not "downsizing" is actually a noun, and whether or not its a boy girl, or some weird thing that is neither*
Its a bloody 20 word vocabulary at most companies. Forget about it, don't worry, just blag your way through.


Hold the fuck up, what?!?!? This comment on the same forum where we have had frankly countless posts in the past on how "its so hard to learn German, because everybody wants to practise English with you".
Jesus, make up your mind people.

*No, I am not referring to Marilyn Manson

Wow! Almost a year since I posted this... I have to say thank you all TTners, those were the days were my life here in Germany was more like an adventure, and I did not know where I was headed, but you guys were there, even if it was just 2 make fun out of me. An update on the job, I actually do something different than what i was hired to do, I get paid more, and I like it more too. But back 2 the subject, -------------Muchas gracias!

Your German hasn't improved much.

Pas probleme- bon chance!