About This Lesson
Use Clarifying Role Scope and Priorities to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Die Rolle klingt umfassender, als es die Beschreibung vermuten ließ.
dee ROL-leh klinkt oom-FAH-sen-duh, ahls ess dee beh-SHRY-boong fer-MOO-ten leess. The role sounds broader than the description suggested.
B
Sie ist gewachsen, weil die Teamstruktur überarbeitet wird.
zee ist geh-VAHK-sen, vyle dee TEEM-shtrook-TOOR OO-ber-AR-bye-tet veert. It has grown because the team structure is being revised.
A
Ich kann eine umfassende Rolle übernehmen, wenn die Prioritäten klar sind.
ikh kahn EYE-neh oom-FAH-sen-deh ROL-leh OO-ber-NAY-men, venn dee pree-oh-ree-TAY-ten klahr zint. I can handle a broad role if the priorities are clear.
B
Die erste Priorität wäre, die interne Zusammenarbeit zu verbessern.
dee AIR-steh pree-oh-ree-TAYT VAIR-eh, dee in-TAIR-neh tsoo-zah-men-AR-bite tsoo fer-BESS-ern. The first priority would be improving internal coordination.
A
Das passt zu meiner Erfahrung mit funktionsübergreifenden Projekten.
dahs pahst tsoo MY-nuh air-FAH-roong mit foonk-tsee-OHNS-oo-ber-GRY-fen-den proh-YEK-ten. That fits my experience with cross-functional projects.
B
Wie würden Sie mit Teams umgehen, die widersprüchliche Erwartungen haben?
vee VUR-den zee mit TEEMS oom-GAY-en, dee VEE-der-shprookh-lih-keh air-VAR-toong-en HAH-ben? How would you handle teams with conflicting expectations?
A
Ich würde zunächst die Entscheidungen, Verantwortlichen und ungeklärten Annahmen erfassen.
ikh VUR-deh tsoo-NAYKHST dee ent-SHY-doong-en, fer-ANT-vort-lih-khen oont oon-geh-KLAIRT-en AHN-nah-men air-FAH-sen. I'd start by mapping the decisions, owners, and unresolved assumptions.
B
Das zeigt mir, dass Sie sich Zeit nehmen würden, das Problem zu verstehen, bevor Sie handeln.
dahs tsaykt meer, dahss zee zikh TSYTE NAY-men VUR-den, dahs proh-BLAYM tsoo fer-SHTAY-en, beh-FOHR zee HAN-deln. That tells me you'd take time to understand the problem before acting.Word by Word
Die
In 'Die Rolle', 'Die' means 'the' and introduces the role being discussed. The same exact form appears as 'die Beschreibung', where it also means 'the', and as 'die widersprüchliche Erwartungen haben', where it introduces the relative clause referring to the teams.
Rolle
In 'Die Rolle', 'Rolle' means the position or set of responsibilities being discussed in the interview. A useful pattern is 'eine Rolle übernehmen', as in 'eine umfassende Rolle übernehmen'.
klingt
In 'Die Rolle klingt umfassender', 'klingt' means 'sounds' or 'comes across as'. It is used with an adjective to describe how something appears from the available information, as in 'klingt umfassender'.
umfassender
In 'klingt umfassender', 'umfassender' means broader or more comprehensive than expected. It describes the scope of 'Die Rolle', and the comparison continues with 'als es die Beschreibung vermuten ließ'.
als
In 'als es die Beschreibung vermuten ließ', 'als' introduces the comparison meaning 'than'. It links the actual impression of the role with what the description had suggested.
es
In 'als es die Beschreibung vermuten ließ', 'es' helps form the comparison clause whose meaning is 'than the description suggested'. It belongs to the construction 'es die Beschreibung vermuten ließ' rather than naming a separate object.
Beschreibung
In 'die Beschreibung', 'Beschreibung' means the written description of the role. It is the source of the impression in 'die Beschreibung vermuten ließ'.
vermuten
In 'die Beschreibung vermuten ließ', 'vermuten' means to infer or suppose something from the description. Together with 'ließ', the construction says that the description caused this impression; a reusable pattern is 'etwas vermuten'.
ließ
In 'die Beschreibung vermuten ließ', 'ließ' expresses that the description allowed or caused someone to infer something. It works with the infinitive 'vermuten' to form the meaning 'suggested', rather than meaning simply 'let' on its own.
Sie
In 'Sie ist gewachsen', 'Sie' refers back to the feminine noun 'Rolle', so it means 'it' in English. In 'Wie würden Sie', the same capitalized form is the formal 'you', so its meaning depends on the surrounding phrase.
ist
In 'Sie ist gewachsen', 'ist' works with 'gewachsen' to say that the role has grown. This auxiliary pattern is used to describe a change that has taken place.
gewachsen
In 'Sie ist gewachsen', 'gewachsen' means grown or expanded in scope. With 'ist', it describes the role becoming broader because of the revised team structure.
weil
In 'weil die Teamstruktur überarbeitet wird', 'weil' means 'because' and introduces the reason for the role's growth. The verb phrase comes at the end of this subordinate clause.
Teamstruktur
In 'die Teamstruktur', 'Teamstruktur' means the way the team is organized. It is the thing being revised in the explanation of why the role has grown.
überarbeitet
In 'die Teamstruktur überarbeitet wird', 'überarbeitet' means revised or reworked. Together with 'wird', it describes an ongoing process affecting the team structure.
wird
In 'die Teamstruktur überarbeitet wird', 'wird' helps express that the team structure is being revised. It combines with 'überarbeitet' in the passive construction for an action in progress.
Ich
In 'Ich kann eine umfassende Rolle übernehmen', 'Ich' means 'I' and identifies the candidate as the person who could take on the role. It is the subject of the statement about handling the position.
kann
In 'Ich kann eine umfassende Rolle übernehmen', 'kann' expresses ability or willingness to take on the role. It is followed by the infinitive 'übernehmen', a common pattern for saying what someone can do.
eine
In 'eine umfassende Rolle', 'eine' means 'a' and introduces one possible role. It forms an indefinite noun phrase with 'umfassende Rolle'.
umfassende
In 'eine umfassende Rolle', 'umfassende' means broad or comprehensive and describes the scope of the role. The adjective appears directly before the noun 'Rolle'.
übernehmen
In 'eine umfassende Rolle übernehmen', 'übernehmen' means to take on or assume responsibility for the role. A useful reusable pattern is 'eine Rolle übernehmen' or 'eine Aufgabe übernehmen'.
wenn
In 'wenn die Prioritäten klar sind', 'wenn' means 'if' and introduces the condition for taking on the role. It can also express 'when' when the context refers to a time rather than a condition.
Prioritäten
In 'die Prioritäten', 'Prioritäten' means the matters that should be handled first or given the most attention. The sentence says that taking on the broad role is possible when these priorities are clear.
klar
In 'die Prioritäten klar sind', 'klar' means clear or well-defined. It describes whether the priorities can be understood and followed without uncertainty.
sind
In 'die Prioritäten klar sind', 'sind' means 'are' and completes the statement about the priorities. It appears after the adjective 'klar' in this subordinate clause.
erste
In 'Die erste Priorität', 'erste' means first and identifies the priority that should receive attention before the others. It directly describes 'Priorität'.
Priorität
In 'Die erste Priorität', 'Priorität' means a matter given precedence or special attention. The phrase identifies improving internal collaboration as the first focus.
wäre
In 'Die erste Priorität wäre', 'wäre' presents the priority as a proposed or hypothetical choice, meaning 'would be'. It introduces the following goal, 'die interne Zusammenarbeit zu verbessern'.
interne
In 'die interne Zusammenarbeit', 'interne' means internal and limits the collaboration to cooperation within the organization. It appears directly before 'Zusammenarbeit'.
Zusammenarbeit
In 'die interne Zusammenarbeit', 'Zusammenarbeit' means collaboration or coordinated work between people or teams. The sentence presents improving it as the first priority.
zu
In 'zu verbessern', 'zu' marks the infinitive phrase that explains what the first priority would be. The complete phrase 'die interne Zusammenarbeit zu verbessern' means improving the internal collaboration.
verbessern
In 'die interne Zusammenarbeit zu verbessern', 'verbessern' means to improve. It is used with 'zu' after 'wäre', and its object is 'die interne Zusammenarbeit'.
Das
In 'Das passt zu meiner Erfahrung', 'Das' means 'that' and refers back to the previous idea about improving internal collaboration. It is useful for responding to a statement or proposal just mentioned.
passt
In 'Das passt zu meiner Erfahrung', 'passt' means fits or is consistent with. The construction 'zu etwas passen' connects an idea with a relevant experience or circumstance.
meiner
In 'zu meiner Erfahrung', 'meiner' means 'my' and identifies the experience as belonging to the speaker. The phrase 'zu meiner Erfahrung passen' means to fit the speaker's experience.
Erfahrung
In 'meiner Erfahrung', 'Erfahrung' means experience gained from previous work or activity. Here it is the experience that matches the proposed priority.
mit
In 'Erfahrung mit funktionsübergreifenden Projekten', 'mit' means 'with' and introduces the area in which the experience was gained. A useful pattern is 'Erfahrung mit' followed by a type of task, tool, or project.
funktionsübergreifenden
In 'funktionsübergreifenden Projekten', 'funktionsübergreifenden' means involving multiple functions or departments. It describes the projects connected with the speaker's experience.
Projekten
In 'funktionsübergreifenden Projekten', 'Projekten' means projects, specifically projects involving different functions or departments. It completes the phrase 'Erfahrung mit funktionsübergreifenden Projekten'.
Wie
In 'Wie würden Sie mit Teams umgehen?', 'Wie' means 'how' and asks about the method or approach the interviewee would use. It appears at the beginning of the formal question.
würden
In 'Wie würden Sie mit Teams umgehen?', 'würden' presents a hypothetical or proposed action in a formal question, meaning 'would'. It combines with 'umgehen' to ask how the person would handle the situation.
Teams
In 'mit Teams umgehen', 'Teams' means teams or groups working together. The question asks how the candidate would deal with teams that have conflicting expectations.
umgehen
In 'mit Teams umgehen', 'umgehen' means to deal with or handle. The reusable construction is 'mit etwas oder jemandem umgehen', with 'mit' introducing what or whom someone must handle.
widersprüchliche
In 'widersprüchliche Erwartungen', 'widersprüchliche' means conflicting or incompatible. It describes expectations that cannot all be followed in the same way.
Erwartungen
In 'widersprüchliche Erwartungen', 'Erwartungen' means expectations about what should happen or what someone should do. The phrase describes the source of tension between the teams.
haben
In 'die widersprüchliche Erwartungen haben', 'haben' means 'have' and states that the teams possess or hold these expectations. It completes the relative clause describing the teams.
zunächst
In 'Ich würde zunächst', 'zunächst' means initially or first of all. It signals that mapping the information would be the candidate's first step.
Entscheidungen
In 'die Entscheidungen ... erfassen', 'Entscheidungen' means decisions that have been made or need to be understood. They are one of the elements the candidate would map before acting.
Verantwortlichen
In 'die Verantwortlichen', 'Verantwortlichen' means the people responsible for particular decisions or areas. In this workplace context, it refers to the owners or accountable people the candidate would identify.
und
In 'die Entscheidungen, Verantwortlichen und ungeklärten Annahmen', 'und' means 'and' and joins the final item to the preceding items in the list. It connects several things that would all be mapped.
ungeklärten
In 'ungeklärten Annahmen', 'ungeklärten' means unresolved or not yet clarified. It identifies assumptions that still need to be examined.
Annahmen
In 'ungeklärten Annahmen', 'Annahmen' means assumptions or beliefs being treated as true without being settled. The candidate would record them together with the decisions and responsible people.
erfassen
In 'Entscheidungen, Verantwortlichen und ungeklärten Annahmen erfassen', 'erfassen' means to capture, record, or map systematically. A useful pattern is 'etwas erfassen' when organizing information before taking action.
zeigt
In 'Das zeigt mir', 'zeigt' means shows or tells. The phrase connects the candidate's proposed method with the interviewer's conclusion about the candidate's approach.
mir
In 'Das zeigt mir', 'mir' means 'to me' and identifies the person receiving the impression. The complete phrase means 'that shows me' or 'that tells me'.
dass
In 'dass Sie sich Zeit nehmen würden', 'dass' means 'that' and introduces the content of what the answer shows. It begins a subordinate clause whose verb comes at the end.
sich
In 'sich Zeit nehmen', 'sich' is the reflexive pronoun used with the expression meaning to take time. Together, 'sich Zeit nehmen' describes deliberately allowing time for an activity.
Zeit
In 'sich Zeit nehmen', 'Zeit' means time that someone deliberately sets aside. The full expression is used when someone does not act immediately but allows time for something.
nehmen
In 'sich Zeit nehmen', 'nehmen' contributes the idea of taking or setting aside time. The reusable expression is 'sich Zeit nehmen, etwas zu tun', as in taking time to understand something.
würde
In 'Sie sich Zeit nehmen würden', 'würde' helps express what the interviewee would do in the proposed situation. Together with 'nehmen', it gives the meaning 'would take' in the subordinate clause.
Problem
In 'das Problem zu verstehen', 'Problem' means the issue or situation that needs to be understood. It is the object of the infinitive phrase explaining what time would be taken for.
verstehen
In 'das Problem zu verstehen', 'verstehen' means to understand the problem clearly. The pattern 'Zeit nehmen, etwas zu verstehen' describes pausing to gain understanding before responding.
bevor
In 'bevor Sie handeln', 'bevor' means 'before' and introduces the action that should happen later. It places understanding the problem before taking action.
handeln
In 'bevor Sie handeln', 'handeln' means to act or take action in response to the problem. It appears at the end of the clause introduced by 'bevor'.
Grammar Points
sich Zeit nehmen, etwas zu verstehen
Wir nehmen uns zunächst Zeit, die Annahmen zu verstehen.
veer NAY-men oons tsoo-NAYKHST TSYTE, dee AHN-nah-men tsoo fer-SHTAY-en.We initially take time to understand the assumptions.
After „sich Zeit nehmen“, use „zu“ plus the infinitive. The separable verb „nehmen“ becomes „nehmen uns“ here.
bevor + Verb am Satzende
Bevor wir handeln, müssen wir die ungeklärten Annahmen erfassen.
beh-FOHR veer HAN-deln, MUES-sen veer dee oon-geh-KLAIRT-en AHN-nah-men air-FAH-sen.Before we act, we must record the unresolved assumptions.
„Bevor“ introduces a subordinate clause, so the conjugated verb moves to the end: „bevor wir handeln“.
German Vocabulary
Beschreibung
noun
beh-SHRY-boong
description
klar
adj
klahr
clear
klingen
verb
KLIN-gen
to sound
klingt
Priorität
noun
pree-oh-ree-TAYT
priority
Prioritäten
Rolle
noun
ROL-leh
role
Teamstruktur
noun
TEEM-shtrook-TOOR
team structure
überarbeiten
verb
OO-ber-AR-bye-ten
to revise; to rework
überarbeitet
übernehmen
verb
OO-ber-NAY-men
to take on; to assume
umfassend
adj
oom-FAH-sent
broad; comprehensive
umfassender
vermuten
verb
fer-MOO-ten
to suggest; to assume
wachsen
verb
VAK-sen
to grow
gewachsen
Zusammenarbeit
noun
tsoo-zah-men-AR-bite
collaboration; cooperation
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
role
Show Answer
Rolleto sound
Show Answer
klingtdescription
Show Answer
Beschreibungbroad; comprehensive