Clarifying after-hours message urgency | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: In a remote work discussion, two adults clarify that after-hours messages need urgency labels so focused time is protected..

EN → DE / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Clarifying after-hours message urgency to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Ich habe bemerkt, dass nach meiner Arbeitszeit mehrere Nachrichten eingegangen sind.

ikh HAH-buh buh-MAIRKT, dass nahkh MY-nuh AR-bites-tsite MAYR-uh NAKH-rikh-ten EYN-guh-GANG-en zint. I noticed several messages coming in after my working hours.
B

Ich habe sie dann geschickt, aber ich habe keine sofortige Antwort erwartet.

ikh HAH-buh zee dann guh-SHIKT, AH-ber ikh HAH-buh KYE-nuh zoh-FOR-ti-guh AHNT-vort er-VAR-tet. I sent them then, but I did not expect an immediate reply.
A

Aus dem Wortlaut der Nachrichten war das nicht klar.

ows daym VORT-lowt dair NAKH-rikh-ten var dass nikht klahr. That was not clear from the wording of the messages.
B

Ich hätte sie als nicht dringend kennzeichnen sollen.

ikh HET-tuh zee als nikht DREN-tikh KEN-tsye-khen ZOL-len. I should have marked them as non-urgent.
A

Klare Dringlichkeitskennzeichnungen würden mir helfen, Zeit für konzentrierte Arbeit freizuhalten.

KLAR-uh DRING-likh-kites-KEN-tsye-khoon-gen VUR-den meer HEL-fen, tsite fyoor kon-tsen-TREE-ruh-tuh AR-bite fry-tsu-HAL-ten. Clear urgency labels would help me protect time for focused work.
B

Ich kann Betreff-Tags für Aufgaben, Hintergrundinformationen und alles, was warten kann, hinzufügen.

ikh kahn buh-TREF-tags fyoor OWF-gah-ben, HOON-ter-groont-in-for-mah-TSYOH-nen oont ALL-es, vass VAR-ten kahn, HIN-tsu-FYOO-gen. I can add subject tags for action items, background information, and anything that can wait.
A

Das würde den Druck verringern, ohne die Zusammenarbeit zu verlangsamen.

dass VUR-duh dehn DROOK fer-RING-ern, OHN-uh dee tsoo-ZAM-men-AR-bite tsoo fer-LANG-zah-men. That would lower the pressure without slowing collaboration.
B

Ich werde das von nun an standardmäßig so machen.

ikh VAIR-duh dass fon NOON ahn shtan-DARTS-mess-ikh zoh MAKH-en. I will make that my default from now on.

Word by Word

Ich Ich means I and identifies the speaker in Ich habe bemerkt and Ich habe sie dann geschickt. Use it when stating your own observation or action, such as Ich kann das hinzufügen.
habe habe is the auxiliary used with bemerkt, geschickt, and erwartet to describe completed actions in the perfect tense. In Ich habe bemerkt and Ich habe sie dann geschickt, it comes directly after Ich; reuse Ich habe with a past participle for a completed event.
bemerkt bemerkt means noticed in Ich habe bemerkt, dass nach meiner Arbeitszeit mehrere Nachrichten eingegangen sind. It is used for becoming aware of something, often followed by dass and the noticed information; use it when reporting an observation.
dass dass introduces the information that was noticed: dass nach meiner Arbeitszeit mehrere Nachrichten eingegangen sind. It sends the verb to the end of the following clause, so reuse dass with a complete subordinate clause when explaining what someone observed.
nach nach means after in nach meiner Arbeitszeit and places the incoming messages after the speaker's working time. Here it introduces a time expression with meiner Arbeitszeit; use nach to locate an event after another time or event.
meiner meiner means my in meiner Arbeitszeit and belongs to the speaker. With nach, it appears in the phrase nach meiner Arbeitszeit; reuse this possessive form in a time expression when referring to the speaker's own working time.
Arbeitszeit Arbeitszeit means working hours or work time in nach meiner Arbeitszeit. The compound refers to the period designated for work; use it when discussing when work begins, ends, or is outside the normal schedule.
mehrere mehrere means several and describes the quantity of Nachrichten in mehrere Nachrichten. It is placed directly before the plural noun; reuse mehrere Nachrichten when referring to more than one message without giving an exact number.
Nachrichten Nachrichten means messages in mehrere Nachrichten and refers here to work-related messages that came in. It is used as the plural of Nachricht; use it for several written communications, especially in a work discussion.
eingegangen eingegangen means came in or were received in mehrere Nachrichten eingegangen sind. Together with sind, it describes messages that arrived; use eingegangen with messages, requests, or payments when emphasizing that they have arrived.
sind sind is the auxiliary used with eingegangen in mehrere Nachrichten eingegangen sind. It agrees with the plural subject mehrere Nachrichten and completes the perfect construction; reuse it with eingegangen when saying that several things have arrived.
sie sie means them in Ich habe sie dann geschickt and refers back to the messages. It stands for the plural object of geschickt; use sie when the things being sent have already been identified.
dann dann means then in Ich habe sie dann geschickt and specifies the time at which the messages were sent. It can be placed after the object in this sentence; use dann to connect an action with a previously mentioned time.
geschickt geschickt means sent in Ich habe sie dann geschickt. With habe, it describes the completed act of sending the messages; use it with an object such as sie when reporting that something was sent.
aber aber means but and introduces the contrast between sending the messages and not expecting an immediate reply. It connects the two parts of Ich habe sie dann geschickt, aber ich habe keine sofortige Antwort erwartet; use it to express a direct contrast.
keine keine means no or not any in keine sofortige Antwort and negates the existence of an immediate reply. It comes before the noun phrase Antwort; reuse keine Antwort when saying that no reply was expected or received.
sofortige sofortige means immediate and describes the expected Antwort in keine sofortige Antwort. It specifies that the reply would have been expected right away; use it before a noun when emphasizing that something happens without delay.
Antwort Antwort means reply or answer in keine sofortige Antwort. Here it refers to a response to the messages; use Antwort when discussing whether someone has responded to a question, message, or request.
erwartet erwartet means expected in ich habe keine sofortige Antwort erwartet. It describes what the speaker anticipated, and the negation shows that an immediate reply was not anticipated; use it with an expected person, thing, or event.
Aus Aus means from or based on in Aus dem Wortlaut der Nachrichten. It introduces the wording as the source from which the lack of clarity should have been judged; use Aus ... war ... klar when explaining what information did or did not show.
dem dem is the definite article in the dative phrase Aus dem Wortlaut. It accompanies Wortlaut after Aus; reuse Aus dem ... when identifying a source or basis for an interpretation.
Wortlaut Wortlaut means wording in Aus dem Wortlaut der Nachrichten and focuses on the exact phrasing of the messages. Use it when discussing what a text literally says or what its wording communicates.
der der means the in der Nachrichten and links Nachrichten to Wortlaut in the phrase Aus dem Wortlaut der Nachrichten. Here it introduces the messages whose wording is being discussed; reuse der Nachrichten after a noun when referring to the messages.
war war means was in war das nicht klar and states that the situation was not clear. It is the past form used with das; use war to describe a past state or assessment.
das das means that or it in war das nicht klar and refers to the message situation or its meaning. In Das würde den Druck verringern, the capitalized form Das refers to the proposed labeling practice; use das or Das to refer back to an already mentioned matter.
nicht nicht means not and negates the clarity expressed by war ... klar in war das nicht klar. It is placed before the adjective klar; reuse nicht to deny a quality, action, or assessment.
hätte hätte contributes the retrospective idea should have in Ich hätte sie als nicht dringend kennzeichnen sollen. Together with kennzeichnen and sollen, it describes an action that would have been the appropriate choice earlier; use this construction when acknowledging a past responsibility that was not fulfilled.
als als means as in sie als nicht dringend kennzeichnen and assigns a status or label to sie. It introduces the designation nicht dringend; reuse als when describing how something is classified or labeled.
dringend dringend means urgent in nicht dringend, where nicht makes the label mean non-urgent. It describes the urgency status assigned to the messages; use dringend in a label or description when an action needs prompt attention.
kennzeichnen kennzeichnen means mark or label in sie als nicht dringend kennzeichnen. The construction kennzeichnen ... als ... means to designate something with a particular status; reuse it with an object and the label introduced by als.
sollen sollen contributes the idea of should in hätte sie als nicht dringend kennzeichnen sollen. With hätte and the infinitive kennzeichnen, it expresses what would have been the appropriate action in the past; use it when discussing an expected or advisable action.
Klare Klare means clear and describes Dringlichkeitskennzeichnungen in Klare Dringlichkeitskennzeichnungen. It presents the labels as easy to understand; use it before a plural noun when describing information or instructions that are clear.
Dringlichkeitskennzeichnungen Dringlichkeitskennzeichnungen means urgency labels in Klare Dringlichkeitskennzeichnungen. It refers to labels that show how urgent a message is; use it when discussing a system for signaling message priority.
würden würden means would in würden mir helfen and presents the benefit of clear urgency labels as a possible result. It is followed by the infinitive helfen; reuse würden ... helfen when describing how a proposed change could support someone.
mir mir means me or to me in würden mir helfen. It identifies the person who would receive the help, and it comes before helfen; reuse mir helfen when saying that something helps the speaker.
helfen helfen means help in würden mir helfen, Zeit für konzentrierte Arbeit freizuhalten. It is followed here by the person receiving help and the action being made easier; reuse jemandem helfen, etwas zu tun with a person and an infinitive phrase.
Zeit Zeit means time in Zeit für konzentrierte Arbeit freizuhalten. Here it is time that the speaker wants to keep available for focused work; use Zeit für ... when reserving time for a purpose.
für für means for in Zeit für konzentrierte Arbeit and introduces the purpose of the reserved time. Reuse Zeit für ... when saying what time is intended for, such as work or a meeting.
konzentrierte konzentrierte means focused or concentrated and describes Arbeit in konzentrierte Arbeit. It identifies work that requires sustained attention; use it before Arbeit when distinguishing focused work from other activities.
Arbeit Arbeit means work in konzentrierte Arbeit. Here it refers to work requiring concentration; use Arbeit when discussing work as an activity or workload.
freizuhalten freizuhalten means to keep free or reserve in Zeit für konzentrierte Arbeit freizuhalten. It expresses keeping time available for a particular purpose; reuse Zeit freizuhalten when planning to protect a period from other demands.
kann kann means can in alles, was warten kann and says that something is able to wait. It comes before the infinitive warten at the end of the subordinate clause; use kann ... warten when indicating that an item does not need immediate attention.
Betreff-Tags Betreff-Tags means subject tags in Betreff-Tags für Aufgaben, Hintergrundinformationen und alles, was warten kann. These are tags added to the subject line to identify the kind of message; use Betreff-Tags für ... when organizing messages by purpose or urgency.
Aufgaben Aufgaben means tasks or action items in Betreff-Tags für Aufgaben. It names work that someone needs to carry out; use für Aufgaben when identifying messages or labels connected with tasks.
Hintergrundinformationen Hintergrundinformationen means background information in Betreff-Tags für ... Hintergrundinformationen. It refers to supporting information rather than an immediately required action; use it when categorizing explanatory material.
und und means and and joins Aufgaben, Hintergrundinformationen, and alles, was warten kann in one list. Use it to connect items that belong to the same category or sequence.
alles alles means everything or anything in alles, was warten kann. It refers broadly to all items that fit the following description; use alles, was ... to introduce a general group defined by a relative clause.
was was means what or that which in alles, was warten kann and introduces the clause describing the items. It refers back to alles and is followed by the verb warten kann; reuse alles, was ... when defining everything that meets a condition.
warten warten means wait in was warten kann. It describes an item that does not need immediate action; use it with kann when saying that something can wait.
hinzufügen hinzufügen means add in Ich kann Betreff-Tags ... hinzufügen. With kann, it states that the speaker is able to add the tags; reuse etwas hinzufügen when adding information, labels, or items to something.
den den is the definite article in den Druck and identifies the specific pressure being reduced. It comes directly before Druck; reuse den Druck in expressions about increasing, reducing, or managing pressure.
Druck Druck means pressure in den Druck verringern. Here it refers to the pressure created by unclear message urgency; use Druck when discussing stress or demands that affect someone.
verringern verringern means reduce or lower in den Druck verringern. It describes making the pressure smaller; reuse it with an object such as den Druck when explaining how a measure decreases an unwanted effect.
ohne ohne means without in ohne die Zusammenarbeit zu verlangsamen and introduces an action that does not occur. It is followed here by zu plus the infinitive verlangsamen; reuse ohne ... zu ... when describing one action achieved without another result.
die die is the definite article in die Zusammenarbeit and identifies the collaboration that should not be slowed down. It belongs to the noun phrase after ohne; reuse die Zusammenarbeit when referring to a specific collaborative process.
Zusammenarbeit Zusammenarbeit means collaboration in ohne die Zusammenarbeit zu verlangsamen. It refers to people working together; use it when discussing how a communication practice affects joint work.
zu zu marks the infinitive in zu verlangsamen and connects the action to ohne. Together with ohne, ohne ... zu verlangsamen means without slowing down; reuse zu before an infinitive in this type of construction.
verlangsamen verlangsamen means slow down in die Zusammenarbeit zu verlangsamen. It describes making collaboration less fast or efficient; use es nicht zu verlangsamen when stating that a process should continue at its current pace.
werde werde means will in Ich werde das von nun an standardmäßig so machen. It is the future auxiliary used with machen and expresses the speaker's commitment to a future practice; reuse Ich werde ... machen when promising a future action.
von nun an von nun an means from now on in Ich werde das von nun an standardmäßig so machen. In this fixed expression, von marks the starting point, nun means now, and an completes the time expression; use it when announcing that a new practice begins at the present point.
standardmäßig standardmäßig means by default in standardmäßig so machen and describes the new practice as the normal setting or routine. Use it when saying that an action will be done as the regular option rather than only occasionally.
so so means in this way in standardmäßig so machen and refers back to the agreed method of labeling messages. It is used before machen to indicate how something is done; reuse so machen when adopting or describing a particular way of doing something.
machen machen means do in standardmäßig so machen, not make a physical object. With so, it means to follow the agreed method, and with werde it expresses a future commitment; use das so machen when promising to handle something in that way.

Grammar Points

helfen, ... zu + Infinitiv

Betreff-Tags helfen, konzentrierte Arbeitszeit freizuhalten.

buh-TREF-tags HEL-fen, kon-tsen-TREE-ruh-tuh AR-bites-tsite fry-tsu-HAL-ten.

Subject tags help keep focused working time free.

After helfen, German commonly uses a comma and zu-infinitive. The separable verb freihalten becomes freizuhalten.

Adjektivendung vor einem Nomen

sofortige Antwort

zoh-FOR-ti-guh AHNT-vort

immediate reply

The adjective ending changes according to the noun’s gender and case; feminine Antwort takes -e here.

German Vocabulary

Antwort noun
AHNT-vort reply; answer
Arbeitszeit noun
AR-bites-tsite working hours
bemerkt verb
buh-MAIRKT noticed
Dringlichkeitskennzeichnungen noun
DRING-likh-kites-KEN-tsye-khoon-gen urgency labels
eingegangen verb
EYN-guh-GANG-en come in; been received
geschickt verb
guh-SHIKT sent
kennzeichnen verb
KEN-tsye-khen to mark; to label
klar adj
klahr clear
Nachrichten noun
NAKH-rikh-ten messages
nicht dringend phrase
nikht DREN-tikh non-urgent
sofortige adj
zoh-FOR-ti-guh immediate
Wortlaut noun
VORT-lowt wording

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

reply; answer

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noticed

Show Answerbemerkt

sent

Show Answergeschickt

immediate

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