My First Honest Feedback: Learning German and Presentation Dos & Don’ts

It’s Hard, But It’s Worth It

Okay, deep breath. Let me tell you, learning German in Berlin is… a process. I moved here six months ago, and while I can order a Kaffee and Brot (and occasionally understand a conversation about football – Fußball!), there’s still so much I don’t get. It’s not just the grammar, which feels like a completely different universe, it’s the nuances, the way people actually talk. And, I completely messed up a presentation last week, and it was a real eye-opener.

The Presentation – And My Confusion

It all started with a project at work – marketing ideas for a new vegan bakery. I had to put together a short presentation for the team. I was trying to keep it concise, as my boss, Thomas, suggested, but I had this conversation with him afterwards.

Hallo Thomas! Hallo Alice, wie geht es dir? Mir geht es gut, danke. Und dir? Auch gut, danke.

(Hello Thomas! Hello Alice, how are you? I’m fine, thank you. And you? Also good, thank you.)

I’d spent a few days researching and putting it together, and he said, “Oh, wirklich? Was hattest du denn genau im Sinn?” (Really? What did you have exactly in mind?)

And I kind of mumbled something about increasing brand awareness. Honestly, it felt a bit vague to me too. He then said: “Ich war ein bisschen verunsichert, wie ich sie bewerten sollte.” (I was a little uncertain how I should evaluate it.) And you know what? He was right! It did feel a little… fuzzy.

The “Erheblich” Problem

The biggest problem was when I said the projected sales increase would be “erheblich” (significant). It sounded good in my head, but it was so ambiguous! He immediately said, “Nun ja, es war eine sehr interessante Idee, aber ich hätte mir gewünscht, dass du ein paar der Daten genauer erläuterst. Es wirkte ein bisschen vage, wenn du sagtest, dass die Ergebnisse ‘erheblich’ waren.” (Well, it was a very interesting idea, but I would have liked you to explain some of the data more precisely. It seemed a bit vague when you said the results were ‘significant’.)

I got a bit flustered. I’d been trying to keep it short, and I realized I should have prepared more detailed visuals, more numbers! I even told him, “Das verstehe ich vollkommen.” (I understand completely.)

My Mistake – And His Helpful Advice

He was really patient. He said, “Ich habe versucht, es kurz zu halten, aber ich erkenne, dass ich mehr Details hätte einbauen sollen. Ich hätte es gerne etwas klarer formuliert, wenn ich es vorbereitet hätte, das muss ich mir merken.” (I tried to keep it short, but I realize I should have included more details. I would have liked it to be formulated a bit more clearly if I had prepared it, that’s something I need to remember.)

That hit me hard. It’s not just about knowing the words, it’s about thinking about how to present the information clearly. Then he suggested, “Vielleicht könntest du in Zukunft die wichtigsten Daten nochmal hervorheben, wenn du präsentierst? Es würde helfen, die Argumentation zu verstehen.” (Maybe you could highlight the most important data again when you present? It would help to understand the argument.)

Small Steps, Big Improvements

I really appreciated his feedback. I said, “Auf jeden Fall. Ich werde versuchen, das in Zukunft besser zu machen.” (Of course. I will try to do better in the future.)

I really learned a huge lesson from that. It’s okay to make mistakes – especially when you’re learning a new language! It’s about actively listening to feedback and trying to improve. I told him, “Ich schätze dein ehrliches Feedback sehr. Das ist wirklich nett von dir, Thomas.” (I really appreciate your honest feedback. That’s really nice of you, Thomas.)

More Than Just Words

Honestly, the best part of the conversation was when he said, “Ich bin froh, dass wir das besprochen haben. Ich werde mein Bestes geben, mich zu verbessern.” (I’m glad we talked about it. I will do my best to improve.)

And then he finished with, “Kein Problem, Alice. Ich wollte dir ja nur helfen. Ich glaube, wenn du das so machst, wird die Präsentation noch besser!” (No problem, Alice. I just wanted to help you. I think if you do it like that, the presentation will be even better!).

Next Steps: Vocabulary & Practice

Right now, I’m focusing on building my vocabulary around business scenarios. I’m using Duolingo, of course (it’s a good start!), but I’m also trying to listen to German podcasts – especially those about marketing – and reading German business articles online. Wie kann ich mein Deutsch verbessern? (How can I improve my German?) I’m thinking of joining a conversation group too.

It’s a long journey, but with a little patience, lots of practice, and maybe a few more embarrassing presentations, I’m confident I’ll get there. Weiter so! (Keep going!)