Briefe und E-Mails rund um Ihre Terminvereinbarungen


Vermeiden Sie unbedingt diese typischen Merkmale des gesprochenen Englisch in Ihren Geschäftsbriefen:

  •  Abkürzungen wie: I’m und won’t

  • Umgangssprache: make the 24th, call off 24.
  •  direkte Formulierungen: Can you ...? Are you ...? 

So nicht:Can you please send me ...? 

Besser so:I would appreciate it if you could send me ... 

In E-Mails sind diese Formulierungen allerdings okay. E-Mails im Amerikanischen und Englischen sind formloser, und Abkürzungen werden generell akzeptiert. 

 

Im Brief verwenden Sie formelles Englisch 

Dazu gehören indirekte Formulierungen bei Anfrage und Antwort, in der Möglichkeitsform (could, would, might ...), um Ihrem Gegenüber durch Ihre höflichen Formulierungen mehr Entscheidungsspielraum zu lassen. Also: 

So nicht:Can you please send me ...?


Besser so:I would appreciate it if you could send me ... 

Direkte Fragen machen Ihren Stil persönlicher und verbindlicher, passen also nur dann, wenn Sie Ihren Ansprechpartner kennen. Indirekte Fragen sind höflicher als direkte Fragen. Direkte Fragen eignen sich eher für den Umgang mit Freundinnen als für den mit Geschäftspartnern. 

 

Formulierungen zur Terminvereinbarung – formelles Englisch 

1. Anfrage Termin – request for a date

  • Would it be possible to arrange a tour of the factory for Thursday, April 8? 
  • We would like to request a tour of the factory on 8 June 2016.
  • We would appreciate having a tour of the factory on June 8th, 2016.
  • Would you be free to meet on April 24?
  • I would like to suggest a meeting in Munich on April
  • We would like to suggest a kick-off meeting at our offices in Frankfurt/Main on 24 April 2016 at 10 am. 

2. Zusage Termin – acknowledgement of an appointment

  • We would be delighted to give you a tour of the factory on the date requested.
  • It would be a pleasure to welcome you here at our plant on June 8.
  • We will be happy to give you a tour of our factory when you come to Munich.
  • I would like to confirm our appointment for September 24 at 10 am.
  • The time and date you suggest for our kick-off meeting would be convenient for me.
  • I would be glad to come to Frankfurt/Main on 24 September for the meeting. 

3. Absage Termin – cancellation of an appointment
 

  • We regret the factory will be closed during the week of 5-9 June.
  • Unfortunately, we cannot offer you a tour on the day you have requested.
  • I regret I am unable to attend the meeting as scheduled.
 Unfortunately, I will not be available on September 24.
  • Unfortunately, I will be out of town on business that week. I will not be back at the office until the following Monday. Please let me know whether we can postpone the meeting to the following Monday or Tuesday.
  • Due to a change in schedule, I regret I must cancel my appointment with you on June 12.
  • Unfortunately, a change in schedule has made it impossible for me to be in Berlin on the morning of the 12th.
  • Could we possibly postpone our meeting until the late afternoon?  Would you be free the following day?
 Could you please send me a fax to confirm our new appointment?
  • I regret any inconvenience this change in plans may cause you. 

 

Joke: A very handsome and muscular young man walks into a department store and says to the sales assistant, „Is it okay if I try on that grey suit and those black shoes in the shop window?“ „Sure. Go right ahead,“ the assistant replies. „It might improve business.“