When German efficiency meets British politeness in English

I read a post this week. It compared British and German messages on LinkedIn. A bit exaggerated, but very true.

The British version says sorry a lot. “Sorry to bother you. Feel free to block me.” “Just popping this back to the top of your inbox.”

The German version gets straight to the point. “I checked your work. Accept my request.” “Booked Friday, 9am. Be there.“

When German speakers switch to English, they often try to sound British. More polite. More careful. Quietly saying sorry. But that’s hard to keep up when you’re under pressure. Sentences get longer. You sound less sure of yourself. Soon you’re saying sorry just for being there.

One small fix helps. Keep your German clearness. Add just a little British warmth, not a whole paragraph of it. A soft opener is enough. “Quick thought.” “Small question.” “One idea for you.“

Quick win: Start with two or three warm words, then say exactly what you mean.