My Struggle with German Writing – And How I’m Getting There (Thanks to a Strange Chatbot)

Okay, so here I am, six months in Munich. Six months. It sounds amazing on paper, doesn’t it? Beautiful city, brilliant beer, friendly people… but let me tell you, writing even the simplest email in German is still a massive challenge for me. Especially when it comes to explaining things clearly – something that feels incredibly important if you’re aiming for a TELC B1.2 certificate.

The Telc Test and My Fears

I took the Telc exam last week and honestly, I was terrified. It wasn’t just about the score; it felt like a judgment on my ability to actually communicate in German. They asked me to write an essay – “Erklären Sie die Rolle von Aufforderungen in KI-Systemen” (Explain the role of prompts in AI systems) – and I blanked. Completely. It wasn’t the language itself, it was just…the idea of structuring a complex thought and getting it across properly.

My First Attempt – A Disaster

I tried to draft my response using a free online translator. Let’s just say it didn’t go well. I ended up with sentences that sounded like they were translated by a very confused robot. It was full of awkward phrasing and, frankly, made absolutely no sense to anyone who speaks German fluently. “Die künstliche Intelligenz ist wie ein Hund, der gut fressen und dumm sein kann” (Artificial intelligence is like a dog that eats well and can be stupid) – seriously? I wanted to bury my head in the sand!

Meeting Frau Schmidt & The Real Conversation

Thankfully, I met up with Frau Schmidt at the Sprachschule where I’m taking intensive lessons. She’s a wonderful woman, originally from Berlin, and she patiently listened to me vent about the Telc exam. “Ach, mein Junge” (Oh, my boy), she said, “You need to learn how to guide your writing. It’s not just about stringing words together.”

We had a little conversation, and I started explaining where I was struggling. I felt like I could finally say it out loud: “Ich weiß nicht, wie ich meine Gedanken klar und präzise formulieren kann.” (I don’t know how to formulate my thoughts clearly and precisely). She then gave me an example from her work – she works in customer service for a tech company – “Wenn ein Kunde mir sagt: ‘Mein Computer macht komische Geräusche’, dann muss ich genau fragen: ‘Welche Geräusche sind es? Wann machen sie die Geräusche?’” (If a customer tells me, “My computer is making strange noises,” then I need to ask precisely: “What kind of noises are they? When do they make the noises?”)

Suddenly it clicked. It wasn’t about writing perfect sentences; it was about giving the reader enough information to understand what you were trying to explain.

“Aufforderungen” – The Key, Apparently

Frau Schmidt explained that in German, we often use phrases like “zuerst,” “dann,” “darüber hinaus” (first, then, furthermore) to guide the listener or reader through a process. It’s about structuring your thoughts logically. She said something about “Aufforderungen” – “These are essentially instructions, requests for information… they help you get to the point.”

Practicing with “Sagen Sie mir…” (Tell me…)

We started practicing simple scenarios. Frau Schmidt would say, “Sagen Sie mir…” (Tell me…) and I had to describe something, starting with the most important details. For example, she said, “Sagen Sie mir, warum die Kaffeemaschine nicht funktioniert.” (Tell me why the coffee machine isn’t working). My initial response was a panicked jumble of words. But then I remembered Frau Schmidt’s advice – break it down. “Zuerst muss ich überprüfen, ob der Wasserbehälter voll ist. Dann prüfe ich, ob die Kaffeemaschine eingeschaltet ist.” (First, I need to check if the water tank is full. Then, I check if the coffee machine is turned on.)

My Second Attempt – A Little Better

I tried writing a short paragraph about this experience for the Telc exam. It’s still not perfect, but it’s much better than my first attempt. Here’s a small snippet: “Zuerst überprüfte ich den Wasserbehälter der Kaffeemaschine. Er war leer! Dann stellte ich die Kaffeemaschine ein und drückte den Knopf. Nichts passierte.” (First, I checked the water tank of the coffee machine. It was empty! Then, I set up the coffee machine and pressed the button. Nothing happened.)

The Bigger Picture – It’s About Understanding

I realize now that it’s not just about memorizing vocabulary or getting the grammar right (though those are important!). It’s about understanding how German speakers communicate – how they guide their audience, provide context, and make their ideas clear. And maybe, just maybe, with a bit more practice and a lot of patience, I can actually pass that Telc exam.

“Viel Glück!” (Good luck!) to me!