German · Jobcenter / Arbeitsagentur
You say you are looking for work and ask for help: what to say in German
You say you are looking for work and ask for help.
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How it's done. Arbeitssuche is job search, Vermittlung placement (offers from the centre), Lebenslauf CV, Sprachkurs language course.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Ich suche Arbeit. Können Sie mir helfen?
Eekh ZOO-kheh AHR-bight. KYOH-nayn zee meer KHEL-fayn?
I'm looking for work. Can you help me?
Or say:Guten Tag, ich suche eine Stelle als Verkäufer{|in}.
GOO-tayn tahk, eekh ZOO-kheh IGH-neh SHTEH-leh ahls Fehr-KOY-fuh.
THEY SAY
Natürlich. Haben Sie einen Lebenslauf?Nuh-TYOOR-leekh. KHAH-bayn zee IGH-nayn LEH-bayn-slowf?
Of course. Do you have a CV?
They might also say:
Gern. Welche Arbeit haben Sie bisher gemacht?
Gehrn. VEL-kheh AHR-bight KHAH-bayn zee bees-KHEHR geh-MAHKHT?
Gladly. What work have you done so far?
2
YOU REPLY
Ja, hier ist mein Lebenslauf. Ich habe fünf Jahre im Verkauf gearbeitet.
Yah, kheer eest mighn LEH-bayn-slowf. Eekh KHAH-beh fyoonf YAH-reh eem fehr-KOWF geh-AHR-bigh-tet.
Yes, here is my CV. I worked in sales for five years.
THEY SAY
Gut. Sprechen Sie schon Deutsch?Goot. SHPREH-khayn zee shohn doych?
Good. Do you speak German already?
3
YOU FINISH
Ein bisschen. Ich lerne noch.
Ighn BEES-khayn. Eekh LEHR-neh nokh.
A little. I'm still learning.
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “German for life in Germany”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
suche
ZOO-kheh
verb
I look for
Arbeit
AHR-bight
noun
work
Können
KYOH-nayn
verb
to be able to, can
helfen
KHEL-fayn
verb
to help
Natürlich
Nuh-TYOOR-leekh
adverb
of course
Haben
KHAH-bayn
verb
to have
23 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh vee-dehr-KHOH-layn?
Can you repeat that, please?
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
KYOH-nayn zee BEE-teh LAHNG-zuh-muh SHPREH-khayn?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Ich spreche noch nicht gut Deutsch.
Eekh SHPREH-kheh nokh neekht goot doych.
I don't speak German well yet.
Similar situations
You cannot come to the appointment and let them knowJobcenter / Arbeitsagentur · A2 in the app
→You have started a mini-job and report it to the JobcenterJobcenter / Arbeitsagentur · A2 in the app
→You go to the Jobcenter to apply for benefitJobcenter / Arbeitsagentur · A2 in the app
→You are asked to bring documents to the appointmentJobcenter / Arbeitsagentur · A2 in the app
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