A new episode every day: short conversations from real working life — negotiations, meetings, phone calls — with a full transcript, vocabulary support and a comprehension test. From the team that has trained companies across Germany since 2004.
AI notice: narrator voice AI-generated
To the episode: The Call That Will "Eventually" Happen—But Not Perhaps Today ▸
A client evening: a potential major client is standing across the room — and your new colleague is right next to you. A trainer explains the three-step formula for the perfect introduction: name, role, hook.
How it works
A realistic conversation from working life, spoken with clear, natural voices.
Six to eight comprehension questions — no penalties, every explanation points to the moment in the dialogue.
Afterwards the full transcript opens, with German support and the key phrases.
Episode catalog
A project date is slipping — how to negotiate a new deadline in English without sounding unprofessional.
Episode 02B1A buyer asks his supplier for a small discount — politely, concretely and with a counter-offer.
Episode 03B1A buyer and a supplier agree on a firm delivery date — and clear up the classic "until" vs. "by" mistake on the way.
Episode 04B1A large order is on the table — how to ask for free shipping in English without sounding demanding.
Episode 05B1A client wants a lower price — how to tie the discount to a longer contract term in English.
Episode 06B1Travel costs in a quotation — who pays? How to negotiate travel, hotel and expenses in English without risking the order.
Episode 07B1A quotation is on the table — but what is really included in the price? How to ask in English without sounding suspicious.
Episode 08B1One word, two meanings, one near-misunderstanding: why "eventually" sounds like a firm commitment in a delivery negotiation — and German "eventuell" does not.
Episode 09B1A supplier wants a decision — you need one more week. How to ask for time to think it over, professionally, in English.
Episode 10B1The early payment discount in English: how to trade a faster payment for a lower price — with the phrases to match.
Episode 11B1"Your quote is too high" — the sentence every salesperson dreads. How to respond calmly and confidently in English.
Episode 12B1Steel prices are soaring and the contract runs until December — how to negotiate a fair price adjustment in English.
Episode 13B2Fixed price or hourly rate? A consultant and a buyer negotiate the commercial model for a project — including a hybrid solution with a cap.
Episode 14B2One mistranslated number can ruin an investor pitch: the German Billion is not the English billion. How to clear up the classic false friend.
Episode 15B2The shipment arrived three weeks late — now compensation is on the table. A coach shows how to make the claim in English without damaging the relationship.
Episode 16B2Your contact has left the company and the new head of procurement wants to start over. How to save a nearly finished deal in English.
Episode 17B2Just before signature the buyer suddenly wants more: training, longer warranty, all included. How to stay friendly in English — and firm on price.
Episode 18B2Thirty days versus sixty days payment terms — nothing is moving. How to break a stalled negotiation in English.
Episode 19B2The division of labour in a joint project quietly tips over — how to renegotiate responsibilities in English without pointing fingers.
Episode 20B2A sales manager offers an eight per cent "provision" — and the American lawyer starts looking for the contract clause. Why the English word is "commission".
Episode 21B2The offer is above budget — how to phrase a counteroffer in English that strengthens the relationship instead of straining it.
Episode 22B2Three years locked in with no way out? Before signing, a managing director negotiates an exit clause — and learns the difference between "until" and "by" along the way.
Episode 23C1The competitor is 22 per cent cheaper — and the client is ready to switch. How to respond with confidence without matching the price (level C1).
Episode 24C1The client rejects your price — why the next five seconds of silence are worth more than any argument.
Episode 25C1Before any contract negotiation: which terms are essential, which are trading material? The exercise that decides the outcome.
Episode 26C1The board cuts twenty per cent — the client has to reopen a finished deal. How both sides save the project.
Episode 27C1"Twelve per cent by Friday — or we go to tender." How to answer an ultimatum without caving in or risking the relationship.
Episode 28C1A German manager says "That is not possible" — and the British side escalates. Why German clarity sounds harsh in English, and how to keep both substance and relationship.
Episode 29C1"Either you sign by Friday, or the offer is off the table" — how to expose false either-or choices in a negotiation without damaging the relationship.
Episode 30C1The last ten minutes decide everything: how to secure a big deal without giving away your final concession.
Reporting the status of a routine task in 60 seconds at the weekly meeting — clear, structured and without the classic "actually" mistake.
Episode 02B1The price list is half a day overdue — how to explain a small delay in English factually, with a plan B instead of excuses.
Episode 03B1You missed a point at the end of the meeting — how to ask again in English without seeming inattentive.
Episode 04B1The customer has approved the draft — how to report the good news in a meeting: result first, details second.
Episode 05B1One word confuses the whole status meeting: why "actually" does not mean "aktuell" — and how to phrase clean updates.
Episode 06B1Monday morning stand-up: how to say clearly in English what you will finish this week — and why "until Wednesday" is the wrong deadline.
Episode 07B1At the end of the meeting nobody knows who does what — how to clarify responsibilities in English before everyone leaves the room.
Episode 08B1Your manager is on holiday — and suddenly you are running the Monday update in English. How to keep it short, clear and professional.
Episode 09B1A number is missing from the weekly report — how to explain the reason in English before anyone asks, and stay credible.
Episode 10B1A meeting chair sums up the decisions before the coffee break — how to structure a mid-meeting summary in English.
Episode 11B1After five days of delay the project has caught up — how to deliver good news credibly in English.
Episode 12B2A project manager flags a supplier risk to his programme director — early, factual, and with solutions ready.
Episode 13B2"I became the documents" — the classic bekommen/become mistake, corrected kindly before it happens in front of the client tomorrow.
Episode 14B2Six weeks estimated, ten needed: an IT team lead corrects his estimate before the steering group — openly, precisely, without excuses.
Episode 15B2All green, no risks? How to challenge an overly positive status report in English — without attacking anyone.
Episode 16B2Your team is waiting on another one: how to report a blocker in English — factually, without blame, with a clear escalation.
Episode 17B2The meeting is drifting? How to bring it back to the agenda in English — friendly, firm, and without cutting anyone off.
Episode 18B2All metrics green — and yet there is a fire: how to explain in English why the dashboard hides the truth.
Episode 19B2A harmless request suddenly sounds like manipulation: why "kontrollieren" does not mean "to control" — and which verbs to use instead.
Episode 20B2Budget overrun, missed date: how to report bad news upwards — headline first, no drama, with a recommendation.
Episode 21B2Interrupt politely, summarise, pin it down: how to get a firm date from a talkative colleague — in English.
Episode 22B2IT reports "complete", operations reports "blocked": how to resolve conflicting status updates in English — factually and without blame.
Episode 23C1A milestone has failed — how to analyse causes instead of culprits: nuanced English for an honest post-mortem (C1).
Episode 24C1One-off slip or systemic fault? Three diagnostic questions and the English phrases for reporting the difference precisely (C1).
Episode 25C1Ten minutes before the steering meeting your numbers are out of date. How to revise a forecast live — and gain credibility while doing it.
Episode 26C1The CEO challenges your numbers — in front of the whole room. How to defend your methodology in English: calm, precise and without sounding defensive.
Episode 27C1The project plan is approved — but the key milestone depends on a vendor nobody accounted for. How to raise an overlooked dependency before it becomes a crisis.
Episode 28C1"Ninety per cent complete" sounds like the home straight — it rarely is. How to explain in English why the last ten per cent is the hardest, without sounding like excuses.
Episode 29C1Everyone talks, nothing gets decided? Five English steering sentences turn a rambling status meeting into decisions with an owner and a date.
Episode 30C1A major project has failed — how to present an honest recovery plan to the steering committee without losing your credibility.
Episode 31B2A CFO wants to cut the English budget — until the head of sales calculates what poor English really costs.
One short call, one confirmed appointment: securing the date, time and place — and ending the call professionally.
Episode 02B1A delivery is delayed — how to leave a voicemail that actually gets a call back, and why "Handy" is not an English word.
Episode 03B1A tricky surname on the phone — how to ask for spelling in English and check numbers correctly.
Episode 04B1The line is crackling and every second word is missing — how to rescue a phone call in English without losing the thread.
Episode 05B1"My chef is in a meeting" — and the caller pictures a restaurant. Why German "Chef" is not English "chef", plus the key phone phrases.
Episode 06B1The 2 p.m. slot falls through — how to reschedule a video call at short notice in English, politely and without losing face.
Episode 07B1Two new faces on the project — how to introduce colleagues professionally on a conference call and make clear who is responsible for what.
Episode 08B1Missed a call? How to call back professionally: apologise, clarify the request and sum up the next steps.
Episode 09B1The printer is on strike and the hotline speaks English — how to describe a technical problem clearly on the phone in three steps.
Episode 10B2Three people talking at once and nobody listening — how to chair video calls in English without being rude.
Episode 11B2A consultant guides his client through an online form on a video call — sharing his screen, explaining the fields and securing the confirmation.
Episode 12B2Two colleagues keep missing each other — they finally pin down a time. With a backup plan and the false friend "eventually".
Episode 13B2A short, structured project update left on voicemail — and on the callback, the question of why "Handy" is not English.
Episode 14B2A sales call out of the blue? Four rules for handling it in English — politely, professionally and in under three minutes.
Episode 15B2Was that fifteen or fifty? How to say, dictate and check numbers on the phone safely — including the German traps "null" and "five and twenty".
Episode 16B2A hybrid team meeting: how to chair a video call so remote colleagues are not forgotten — and why "aktuell" is not "actual".
Episode 17B2An angry customer on the phone: how to de-escalate without face or body language — with your voice and the right phrases alone.
Episode 18B2A compliment backfires: why "sympathetic" does not mean "sympathisch" — and what to say instead.
Episode 19C1A private chat message goes to the whole video call — damage control in four steps, explained at C1 level.
Episode 20C1The managing director mixes up two figures on a video call: how to interrupt politely but firmly before the mistake becomes a decision.
Episode 21C1The client dodges every decision — how to chair a call in English and steer it firmly towards an outcome.
Episode 22C1Every camera is off and nobody speaks — how to read pauses, tone and silence in English video calls.
Episode 23C1Confidential news on a line that may not be private — how to deliver sensitive information in English discreetly and under control.
Episode 24C1The CEO wants immediate communication, legal wants silence — how to steer an English crisis call caught between conflicting instructions.
Episode 25C1The client is furious and the call is escalating — how to end a heated video conference in English without burning the business relationship.
The first two minutes in the seminar room: introducing yourself, explaining your role and getting the conversation going.
Episode 02B1A colleague from the London office is at the coffee machine — how to start a conversation naturally and say goodbye without "We see us".
Episode 03B1Small talk at the trade fair stand: chatting about the journey, keeping the conversation going — and saying goodbye correctly.
Episode 04B1Three people are chatting by the buffet — how to join the conversation politely in English without intruding.
Episode 05B1A British guest, a sign saying "Gift" — and a perfect small-talk moment. Plus the right phrases for giving and receiving presents in English.
Episode 06B1Five minutes in the meeting room before things start — how to fill the waiting time confidently with small talk in English.
Episode 07B1A new colleague started on Monday — how to ask about her first week in friendly, natural English.
Episode 08B1A networking evening, an interesting chat — but you want to move on. How to end a conversation politely in English.
Episode 09B1The name is gone ten seconds after the handshake? Five simple tricks so it never happens again.
Episode 10B2Name, role, one good hook — how to introduce a colleague to a valuable contact in thirty seconds.
Composing a short, friendly confirmation email out loud: subject line, greeting, key message, sign-off — sentence by sentence.
Episode 02B1A colleague reads his thank-you email after a client visit out loud — and stumbles over "eventually", which does not mean "eventuell".
Episode 03B1"Please find attached" — but no attachment. How to ask for the file in English without embarrassing the sender.
Episode 04B1An invoice is overdue — how to word the first payment reminder in English: friendly, clear and without threats.
Episode 05B1An email promises the customer to turn into a reply. Why German "bekommen" is not "become" — and how to phrase clean follow-up emails.
The podcast trains your ear — in lessons you speak yourself, with real teachers.
Subscribe to the podcast:Spotify ▸YouTube ▸RSS-Feed ▸
More free learning
Learn English: all resources ▸English games ▸Grammar lessons ▸