Day 118: The Founder Nobody Has Met
In the kitchen of a software start-up in Karlsruhe, Michaela Lindner (A), a head of department, asks Selin Arslan (B), a new colleague at the end of her first week, how she is getting on.
How to study this lesson 3 steps
- Read the situation under the title. It says who is talking and how they know each other, which decides how politely they speak.
- Read the dialogue line by line with its translation, until every line makes sense. Point at (or tap) a German word to see what it means.
- Spend at least 30 minutes listening to native German, for example from the Resources page. It doesn't matter if you don't understand it yet.
Dialogue
Audio recordings are on the way. For now, each lesson is the dialogue with its English translation.
Keys: E hide English · ← → previous / next day · point at a word to see its meaning
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A
Na, Frau Arslan, die erste Woche ist fast geschafft. Brennt Ihnen noch was auf der Seele?
Well, Ms Arslan, your first week is nearly over. Is there anything you're dying to ask?
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B
Ehrlich gesagt ja. Warum habe ich den Gründer eigentlich noch nie persönlich getroffen?
To be honest, yes. Why have I still never met the founder in person?
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A
Er soll gerade in Kalifornien mit Investoren verhandeln. Seit wir so gewachsen sind, ist er kaum noch hier.
He's said to be in California at the moment, negotiating with investors. Since we've grown so much, he's hardly ever here.
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B
Beim Teammeeting heute um neun saß er aber vor Palmen im strahlenden Sonnenschein.
But at the team meeting at nine this morning he was sitting in front of palm trees in brilliant sunshine.
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A
Er schaltet sich ja immer von drüben zu. Angeblich schläft er kaum noch.
Well, he always joins from over there. Apparently he hardly sleeps any more.
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B
Aber in Kalifornien muss es da gerade Mitternacht gewesen sein. Und trotzdem schien die Sonne?
But it must have been midnight in California just then. And the sun was still shining?
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A
Hm, dann dürften die Palmen ein virtueller Hintergrund gewesen sein. Aber das bleibt unter uns!
Hm, then the palm trees were probably a virtual background. But that stays between us!
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