B1-21 · Refer to topics with da- and wo-compounds
Meetings
Discuss a fictional meeting agenda and refer back to proposals without repeating nouns.
About 5 minutes to read · 12 quiz questions
01
Ask about a topic
In this fictional team meeting, Eva asks about the agenda. To ask about a thing with a prepositional verb, combine wo with the preposition. Add r when the preposition begins with a vowel.
Worüber sprechen wir zuerst?
What are we talking about first?
Worauf warten wir noch?
What are we still waiting for?
Woran arbeiten wir heute?
What are we working on today?
Wofür entscheiden wir uns?
What are we deciding on?
Worüber asks about the topic of sprechen über. Worauf belongs to warten auf. Woran belongs to arbeiten an. Keep the preposition required by the verb.
02
Refer back to the proposal
Da-compounds point back to a thing or idea already mentioned. Eva uses them to avoid repeating der Vorschlag or das Protokoll. Like wo-compounds, they add r before a vowel.
Der Vorschlag liegt vor. Wir sprechen darüber.
The proposal is available. We are talking about it.
Das Protokoll fehlt noch. Wir warten darauf.
The minutes are still missing. We are waiting for them.
Der Entwurf ist nicht fertig. Eva arbeitet daran.
The draft is not finished. Eva is working on it.
Der zweite Vorschlag ist klarer. Wir entscheiden uns dafür.
The second proposal is clearer. We decide on it.
Darüber refers to über plus a thing; darauf to auf plus a thing; daran to an plus a thing. The antecedent must be clear from the conversation.
03
Things and people differ
Eva checks the action points before the meeting ends. Dafür can also mean in favour of that, and dagegen can mean against that. For people, use the preposition with a question word or personal pronoun instead.
Der Vorschlag spart Zeit. Ich bin dafür.
The proposal saves time. I am in favour of it.
Der Vorschlag ist zu teuer. Ich bin dagegen.
The proposal is too expensive. I am against it.
Mit wem besprechen wir das Protokoll?
With whom are we discussing the minutes?
Wir besprechen das Protokoll mit Eva. Wir sprechen mit ihr.
We discuss the minutes with Eva. We speak with her.
Ask mit wem for a person, not womit. Say mit ihr for a woman, not damit. Da- and wo-compounds in this lesson refer to things, ideas or topics.
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