A large order is on the table — how to ask for free shipping in English without sounding demanding.
B1 · Dialogue · 3 Min. · free
Tip: listen to the episode twice before you start the test. · Worksheet (PDF)
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Transcript
Key phrases
Language notes
In this episode a purchasing manager negotiates free shipping for a large order by phone: asking about the threshold, requesting an exception, and cleverly rounding the order up. You learn the key phrases around delivery costs — and why German "bekommen" is never "become" in English (level B1).
Markus slips: "will we become — sorry, will we get free shipping?" That self-correction is exactly the habit to build. "To become" means "werden" ("She became CEO in 2024"). Ask "When do we become the delivery?" in a meeting and you will get a smile at best. Correct: "to get", "to receive" or, more formally, "to be given". Rule of thumb: when you think "bekommen", say "get".
Markus makes no demands — he asks questions: "Will we get free shipping?", "Could you make an exception?", "What if we add ten more chairs?" The question form gives Emily room to move, and the hypothetical "What if …?" is the most elegant negotiation tool in English: it tests an option without commitment. He also supplies a reason ("We plan to place regular orders") that makes it easier for the other side to say yes.
A German buyer might say internally: "At this quantity shipping is free, or we order elsewhere." In an English-speaking business context, pressure like that quickly reads as rude. Notice the pattern Markus and Emily use instead: every offer is first acknowledged positively ("Half is a good start", "That's good news") before the next ask. Signal agreement, then push further — the relationship stays intact while you still get everything on the table.
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Frequently asked questions
Level B1 (CEFR). The sales call uses clear everyday business English; the vocabulary list explains all eight key phrases bilingually.
In three steps: ask about the threshold ("From what value is shipping free?"), politely request an exception ("Could you make an exception?") and negotiate with a hypothetical ("What if we increase the order?"). Always as a question, never as a demand.
Translating "bekommen" as "to become". "To become" means "werden" — correct is "to get" or "to receive": "Will we get free shipping?"
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