The student Sophie Gerland introduces herself to Professor Robert Jaspert on her first day at the Freie Universität Berlin (Free University of Berlin). Click here or on the mouth icon to listen to their conversation:
Conversation 4: An der Universität
Sophie Gerland Guten Tag, Professor Jaspert. Darf ich mich vorstellen? Mein Name ist Gerland. (Gibt ihm die Hand.)
Professor Jaspert Guten Tag, Frau Gerland. Bitte nehmen Sie Platz.
Glossary
die Universität The university
an der Universität At the university
Darf ich mich vorstellen? "May I introduce myself?" Used as a polite phrase in a formal conversation.
(Gibt ihm die Hand) "She shakes hands with him." Literally: "She gives him the hand". Not shaking hands in this highly formal context would appear rude.
Bitte nehmen Sie Platz "Please sit down." Note that Professor Jaspert uses the polite "Sie" form when speaking to Sophie, even though she is only 18 years old. He also calls her "Frau Gerland", and not "Fräulein" or "Sophie".
