My Struggle (and Small Wins) with German and TELC B1 Writing: Remote Work

Okay, so here I am, three months in Munich, and let’s just say “learning German” is…a process. It’s not like those Instagram posts showing people effortlessly ordering Kaffee and discussing philosophy. My reality is a lot more like struggling to understand the bus driver and accidentally asking for a sausage sandwich (which, admittedly, was delicious). And I’m trying to nail this TELC B1 Writing exam – specifically, the part where I have to express my opinion about remote work. Honestly, it’s terrifying!

The Assignment: Remote Work – Should We All Be Working From Home?

The prompt was pretty standard: “Express your opinion about the increasing popularity of remote work. Provide arguments for and against and conclude with a clear statement of your own position.” Easy enough, right? Wrong. When I first saw it, all I could think was, “How do I even start?” My brain just froze. I knew some German, but forming a proper argument felt incredibly complex.

My First Attempt – A Complete Disaster

I spent a whole afternoon writing. I used all the vocabulary I could find – Flexibilität, Produktivität, Work-Life-Balance, Homeoffice – I thought I was brilliant. I even tried to incorporate some phrases I’d heard my colleagues use: “Das ist doch eine tolle Idee!” (That’s a great idea!). I submitted it feeling ridiculously proud.

The feedback was…brutal. It wasn’t just “not good,” it was a detailed dismantling of everything I’d written. Apparently, my sentences were too long, my argument lacked clarity, and my use of German was riddled with errors. One of the biggest issues was my overuse of English phrases. They were completely out of place! The examiner wrote, “Die Verwendung von englischen Formulierungen wirkt unnatürlich und lenkt von Ihrer Argumentation ab.” (The use of English formulations seems unnatural and distracts from your argument.) Ouch.

German Dialogues – Practicing the Real Thing

That feedback hit me hard, but it was also incredibly useful. I realised I wasn’t actually thinking in German, I was translating from English, which was slowing me down and making my writing sound awkward. So, I started focusing on listening and engaging in real conversations.

Here’s a typical conversation I had with my Kollege (colleague), Steven, at the office kitchen:

• Me: “Guten Morgen, Steven! Was machst du heute?” (Good morning, Steven! What are you doing today?)
• Steven: “Ich arbeite an einem Bericht für den Chef. Wir diskutieren gerade über das Thema Homeoffice. Ich finde es super, aber ich denke, es ist wichtig, dass man trotzdem regelmäßig im Büro ist.” (I’m working on a report for the boss. We’re discussing the topic of remote work. I think it’s great, but I think it’s important to still be in the office regularly.)
• Me: “Das ist interessant. Ich glaube, es kommt darauf an. Manchmal ist es gut, zu Hause zu arbeiten, weil man sich besser konzentrieren kann. Aber manchmal ist es besser, im Büro zu sein, um mit den Kollegen zu reden.” (That’s interesting. I think it depends. Sometimes it’s good to work at home because you can concentrate better. But sometimes it’s better to be in the office to talk to colleagues.)
• Steven: “Ja, das stimmt. Es ist ein Kompromiss.” (Yes, that’s true. It’s a compromise.)

I’ve been consciously trying to use phrases like this in my writing, mimicking the way people actually talk. It’s helped a lot.

Useful Vocabulary & Phrases for the Exam

Let’s look at some key words and phrases I’m learning that are directly relevant to the exam:

• Die Produktivität steigern: (To increase productivity)
• Work-Life-Balance: (Work-life balance – I’m still trying to find this!)
• Flexibilität: (Flexibility) – This is a big one!
• Vor- und Nachteile: (Advantages and disadvantages)
• Ich bin der Meinung, dass…: (I am of the opinion that…)
• Es ist wichtig, dass…: (It’s important that…)
• Zusammenfassend: (In conclusion)

My Current Position (And How I’m Trying to Express It)

Now, about my opinion… I think it’s complicated. I want to be able to work from home sometimes – it’s amazing for focusing on deep work, and I appreciate the flexibility. But I also value the social aspect of the office. Those spontaneous chats, the team lunches… they’re important for my well-being.

I’m currently working on a sentence structure that feels natural and gets my point across without sounding like a textbook. I’m aiming for something like: “Zusammenfassend bin ich der Meinung, dass eine Mischung aus Homeoffice und Präsenz im Büro die beste Lösung ist. Es ist wichtig, die Vorteile beider Optionen zu nutzen und gleichzeitig die soziale Interaktion nicht zu vernachlässigen.” (In conclusion, I am of the opinion that a mixture of working from home and being present in the office is the best solution. It is important to utilize the advantages of both options while not neglecting social interaction.)

It still feels a little clunky, but I’m getting there. I’m focusing on building confidence and, most importantly, on actually thinking in German.

Final Thoughts

This whole process has been exhausting, frustrating, and occasionally hilarious. But it’s also incredibly rewarding. Every small step forward – understanding a conversation, writing a coherent sentence – feels like a victory. And honestly, getting this TELC B1 Writing certificate is going to give me a huge boost of confidence. Weiter so! (Keep it up!)