Sorry, can I just jump in here?
Interrupting in English.
It’s not rude. It’s a doorbell.
The English ring it first. „Sorry, can I just jump in here?“ Nobody is actually sorry. It’s a polite noise that means „I am about to speak now„, and everybody understands it. „Can I add something there?“ does the same job.
I’ve sat in German meetings waiting for a natural gap to appear. It never does. And when I finally say „Entschuldigung„, everyone stops and looks, which is a lot more attention than I had ordered.
The gap is never coming. Ring the bell.
Quick win: Say „Sorry, can I just come in here?“ and then keep talking. You don’t have to wait for permission, and the sorry does all the work.


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