To pull some strings

To pull some strings

To pull some strings – Die Fäden ziehen.

 

NOTE: Business English etc.
can be found below the translation exercises.

Translate the Text into English: Übersetzen:

Susann, Andreas, Nadine, Heike, Reiner, and Simone.

Die Straße ist kurz.

Das Hotel ist groß.

Ist der Park schön?

Das Restaurant ist gut.

Die Gebäude sind groß.

Der Park.

Das Hotel.

Die Bank ist klein.

Die Brücke ist hoch.

Diese Dörfer sind alt.

Der Bahnhof.

Haben wir einen Markt?

Sie bauen eine Schule.

Die Märkte.

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Business English Word of the Week:

Geschäftsenglisch Wort der Woche:

A business word/phrase = Reisepass – a passport.

 

Law English Word of the Week:

Gesetz englisches Wort der Woche:

A law word/phrase = Trial Verdict: A judge or jury finds the evidence proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

Vocabulary for Contracts:

Wortschatz für Verträge:

A word/phrase for contracts = What are the 5 special contracts?

India’s Contract Act of 1872 identifies five unique types of agreements. These include indemnity, guarantee, bailment, pledge, and agency.

 

Vocabulary for Negotiations:

Wortschatz für Verhandlungen:

A word/phrase for negotiations = Endkunde – end customer focuses on direct-to-consumer or retail agreements where you balance customer satisfaction with profitability. Success relies on active listening, trading value instead of giving unearned discounts, and anchoring expectations using clear product benefits rather than price drops.

1. Listen first: Ask open questions to find out what the buyer truly needs or worries about before talking about cost.

2. Trade, do not concede: Never drop your price for free; always ask for a counter-value like a larger order size, faster payment, or a review.

3. Focus on value: Use hard facts and clear features to show why your product is worth the money.

4. Use if-then logic: State clearly, “If we adjust X, then we can do Y” to keep control of the terms.

Mistakes:

Dropping prices too fast:

Doing this too early shows weakness and devalues your offer.

Getting emotional: Stay calm if the buyer gets loud or angry; let them finish and return to facts.

Leaving details vague: Write down every agreement immediately so there is no confusion later.

English – English – English – English – English – English – English

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Word of the day: Wort des Tages:

suspicious – verdächtig/ misstrauisch

Sample Sentence:

“I became suspicious during our negotiations as the seller seemed to be pushing me into a corner, in order to force me to buy now instead of thinking the offer through.”

 

Phrase of the day: Satz des Tages:

“To get back to some semblance of normality” – Um zu einer gewissen Normalität zurückzukehren means a situation or outward appearance that looks normal or orderly, even though the real situation is still disrupted, stressed, or not fully normal. People often use it when life or a place starts to recover after a crisis, bad economic times, an economic slump, a war, a storm, or a major emergency.

 

Idiom of the day: Redewendung des Tages:

 We always feed and water them to keep them sweet. Damit sie süß bleiben. The idiom “to keep someone sweet” means to behave in a kind, friendly, or accommodating way toward a person in order to please them, keep them on your side, or gain their favour later. People typically use this phrase when they are offering favours, making concessions, or doing nice things for someone to prevent them from becoming angry, dissatisfied, or uncooperative.

Examples:

1. “I bought my boss a cup of coffee to keep him sweet before I ask for some time off.”

2. “Our company offered our shareholders a larger dividend in order to keep them sweet.”

In business/everyday life: It usually implies “buttering someone up” or “ingratiating yourself” to get an advantage or ensure future cooperation.

 

British English / American English Vocabulary:

Britisches Englisch / Amerikanisches Englisch Wortschatz:

British English (B.E.) = Earth Wire (Erdungskabel)

American English (A.E.) = Ground wire (Erdungskabel)

 

Special Grammar Tip of the Week:

Spezieller Grammatik-Tipp der Woche:

The phrase “panoramic view over” is mostly correct, but “panoramic view of” is much more common and preferred in standard English. While “view over” works when looking down from a high place like a tower, “view of” is the natural choice for general use.

Grammar:

1. Panoramic view of: The standard and safest choice. Use this when describing a wide scene or landscape.

2. Panoramic view over: Acceptable if you stand high up and look down across a landscape (like a city or valley), but it sounds less natural to many speakers.

Other possibilities:

1. A panoramic view of the mountains.

2. A sweeping vista of the city.

3. A broad perspective on the topic.

 

Pronunciation Tip: Aussprachetipp:

Berths (Liegeplätze)/ Births Kajüte Geburten.

Berths – die Koje – bunk, berth, bed. A cabin on a ship.

Births – die Entstehung / die Herkunft.

So we will practice this in our lesson –

 are pronounced in the same way.

JOKES / PUNS:

“What’s an astronaut’s favourite part of a computer? The Space Bar.”

 

False Friends Tip of the Week:

Falsche Freunde Tipp der Woche:

German                    = die Strafe (punishment, penalty, to pay a fine, a sentence in prison, a forfeit, and a penance).

Translation              = Penalty

False Friend (F.F.)   = Elf metre in football

Meaning of F.F.        = a penalty

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Wit, wit, wit – Food:

Witz, Witz, Witz – Ausbildung:

“Remember a dog is not only for Christmas – there should be plenty left over for Boxing Day and the day after.”

Quote by Freddie Starr. (A famous and much-loved British comedian – he was a bit outrageous at times).

 

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English – English – English – English – English – English – English

 

Slang word of the day:

Slangwort des Tages:

“Irish Twins” is a slang term for having TWO children less than 12 months apart.

NOTE: I have no idea why this is Irish twins.

 

Colloquial / Colloquialisms:

Umgangssprache / Umgangssprache:

Geek / Nerd = Streber.

Both these words originate from the USA, but some British people use them. I even wrote a poem called “A week with a geek.”

 

Cockney Rhyming Slang:

Cockney Reimender Slang:

Bubble = Bubble & Squeak = Greek.

Sample Sentence:

“Do you fancy a bit of Bubble & Squeak tonight darlin’?”

 

Quote of the week: Zitat der Woche:

“99% of lawyers give the rest a bad name.”

Steven Wright.

 

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