Formeller Brief

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Thomas Hfler 2005 2009
1
preliminary note
Every letter is something special and uniue! "t#s difficult to give strict rules ho$ to $rite a letter!
%evertheless& there are guidelines ho$ to start and finish a letter! 'i(e in English $e have
typical standard e)perssions and there are clear features $hich distinguish a formal and informal letter!

"#d li(e to give some advice ho$ to $rite a formal letter *+usiness letter,!
" $rote this discri+tion to help people to achieve the -.ertifi(at /eutsch- *level0 11,!

A word about the use of "du" and "Sie"
2s you (no$& $e#ve got t$o different forms in 3erman to address people0
du *you,
4ie *you,
5e call the use of du -du6en- and the use of 4ie -sie6en-!

/u is used for children& friends& family mem+ers& colleagues and people at your age!
4ie is used for people $ho are older than you and people you are not familiar $ith!
The use of -4ie- is a sign of respect and if " used -du- for a 70 years old $oman "#ve
never met +efore it $ould +e rather offending! "f you are not sure a+out the age of your
counterpart use -4ie-!
The use of -4ie-& ho$ever& has +ecome less strict than years +efore! 5hen " met my colleagues
in our office for the first time and they $ere apparently at my age " used -du-
even though "#d never met them +efore! 2nother e)ample is my ta+le tennis clu+ $here every+ody is using
-du-! "t doesn#t matter if 8 or 80 years old! 5e all -du6en- each other!
The rule for formal letters is easy0 Use always "Sie"!
/o so in the 119e)am!

:onsider0
;ou have to capitalise +oth -4ie- and -"hr < "hre < "hres-!







Formeller Brief
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Thomas Hfler 2005 2009
2
example letter



Formeller Brief
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Thomas Hfler 2005 2009
=
10 2dresse des 2+senders *addresser,
"n a formal *+usiness, letters you have to put your address on the top of the letter!
The simplest $ay is to put it on the left& top corner as sho$n in the e)ample!
There are many other $ays to do it! >ost companies design a nice head in the middle *top,
and integrate their company logo and address!

"n the 119e)am you $ill get a clear order to leave out the address! ?ollo$ the order and safe time!


20 2dresse des Empf@ngers *addressee,
"n a formal *+usiness, letters you have to put the address of the receiver on the top of the letter as $ell!
" suggest the top& left corner as sho$n in the e)ample! There is a simple reason $hy!
>any people use envelopes $ith a transparent $indo$ so that they don#t have to put an address la+el
on the outide! This place is common in 3ermany!

"n the 119e)am you $ill get a clear order to leave out the address! ?ollo$ the order and safe time!


=0 Art und /atum *location and date,
;ou start $ith the place& follo$ed +y a comma and the date!
:onsider0
5e $rite in 3erman the date in the follo$ing order0 day | month | year


B0 1etreff6eile *su+Cect heading,
The su+Cect heading should summarise the content of your letter! 5rite in one line
$hat is the letter a+out so that the reader (no$s immediatly he is the right addressee
and that he (no$s $hat you $ant!
"t#s not usual anymore to start the su+Cect heading $ith0 -1etreff- *De0,!
Eust start your te)t $ith a capital letter and emphasi6e the su+Cect heading *+old letters,!
Here some typical su+Cect headings0
German use
"hre 2n6eige vom 19!01!2009 answer to an advertisement in a newspaper
1e$er+ung als 2u9Fair9>@dchen in "hrer ?amilie application as au pair


Formeller Brief
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Thomas Hfler 2005 2009
B
"n the 119e)am you have to $rite a semiformal letter! There is no need to $rite a su+Cect heading
in a semiformal letter! 4o leave it out and safe time!

50 1egrGHungI2nrede *salutation,

Typcial salutations for a formal letter are0
German English e)planation
4ehr geehrte ?rau >Gller& /ear >rs >Gller formal salution for woman (married or unmarried*)
4ehr geehrter Herr >Gller& /ear >r >Gller formal salution for man
4ehr geehrte /amen und Herren& /ear 4ir or >adam formal salution if the name is unknown
J The term -?r@ulein- *>s, for an unmarried $oman is old9fashioned and not used anymore!
:onsider0
The salutation ends $ith a comma!


K0 Einleitungssat6 *introduction,
Typcial introductions for a formal letter are0
German use
vielen /an( fGr "hren 1rief! "ch ha+e mich sehr
darG+er gefreut!
standard introducution to answer a letter
vielen /an( fGr "hre Einladung! 3erne (ommen meine
?rau und ich !!!
introducution to say thank you for an invitation
mit groHem "nteresse ha+e ich "hre .eitungsan6eige
gelesen!
standard introducution to answer an advertisement
in a newspaper
entschuldigen 4ie& dass ich erst Cet6t auf "hren 1rief
ant$orte!
standard introducution to answer a letter
(belated answer)




:onsider0
The introductions starts $ith a small letterL

Formeller Brief
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Thomas Hfler 2005 2009
5
70 Hauptteil *main part,

There are no strict rules for the main part!
"n the 119e)am you $ill get = or B points you have to cover!
>y suggestion0
ma(e at first some short (eynotes to every points to ma(e clear $hat you $ant to say
"t#s a+solutly o( if you do it in your language!
+ring the =9B points in a logical order
$rite 1 9 2 sentences a+out every point!
structure your te)t0 use e!g! for every point one paragraph
"t ma(es it much easier to read the te)t!

The tas( for the e)amle letter a+ove could have +een to cover the follo$ing points0



80 2+schlusssat6 *closing,
Typcial closings for a formal letter are0
German use
"ch $Grde mich freuen& +ald et$as von "hnen 6u hren!
standard closing (with request for an
answer)
"ch hoffe& +ald et$as von "hnen 6u hren!
standard closing (with request for an
answer)
Mielen /an( im Moraus! closing (say thank you in advance)
"m Moraus vielen /an( fGr "hre >Ghe! closing (say thank you in advance)
"ch freue mich sehr darauf& 4ie und "hre ?amilie (ennen 6u
lernen!
closing (with looking forward to meeting)



Formeller Brief
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Thomas Hfler 2005 2009
K
90 3rGHe *greetings,
Typcial greetings for a formal letter are0
German English e)planation
>it freundlich 3rGHen ;ours faithfully the standard greetings which always fit
>it freundlichem 3ruH ;ours faithfully also a standard greeting that always fits
Hochachtungsvoll ;ours respectfully very respectful greetings (a bit old-fashioned)



:onsider0
The greeting starts $ith a capital letter and ends $ithout comma!


100 Nnterschrift *sign,

/on#t forget to put your name at the end!
"n +usiness letters it#s even common to put at first the hand$ritten sign and underneath
again the full name $ith degree or title +ecause most signs can#t +e identified!

?or the 119e)am it#s enough Cust to $rite clearly your full name *hand$ritten,!