Reliability Archives - Page 2 of 4

Words for Going Back on a Decision

zurückrudern — To row back. DWDS gives the figurative meaning: to withdraw a measure that met with rejection, or to take back an opinion or position. Its example: Wird die öffentliche Empörung zu heftig, rudert die Partei zurück. If public outrage grows too strong, the party rows back.

eine Rolle rückwärts machen — To do a backward roll. DWDS: to take back something one had announced or promised.

umfallen — To fall over. DWDS lists the figurative meaning seine Meinung, Gesinnung überraschend ändern, to change one’s opinion or conviction suddenly, and marks it as disparaging.

der Umfaller — The one who falls over. Duden marks the word as colloquial and disparaging.

Words for Promising Too Much

den Mund zu voll nehmen — to fill one’s mouth too full: to promise or boast too much

große Töne spucken — to spit big tones: to talk big

viel versprechen und wenig halten — to promise much and keep little

Luftschlösser bauen — to build castles in the air

heiße Luft — hot air: empty talk

Delivery Fidelity

German purchasing departments measure their suppliers by Liefertreue, delivery fidelity. The business glossary Welt der BWL gives the formula: orders delivered on schedule divided by all orders. A delivery counts as on schedule only if it comes nicht verspätet oder verfrüht, neither late nor early. Liefertreue can also decide supplier awards. In 2013 the machine builder Zahoransky gave its Business Partner Award to suppliers that had proved especially reliable, insbesondere hinsichtlich Qualität, Liefertreue, Innovationskraft und Preisverhalten, especially in quality, delivery fidelity, innovation and pricing.

Strikes Without Notice

In March 2024, during an industrial dispute at Deutsche Bahn, the train drivers’ union GDL changed its tactics. Until then it had announced strikes about two days in advance. Now it said it would strike without that notice. The union called these Wellenstreiks, wave strikes. Its chairman, Claus Weselsky, said: Damit ist die Eisenbahn kein zuverlässiges Verkehrsmittel mehr. With this, the railway is no longer a reliable means of transport. Deutsche Bahn’s personnel director, Martin Seiler, called the wave strikes eine blanke Zumutung für unsere Fahrgäste, a sheer imposition on our passengers. Dirk Flege of the rail association Allianz pro Schiene said the union was taking away the passengers’ chance to at least prepare and umplanen, to change their plans.

Words for Being Late

sich verspäten — to be late. Ich verspäte mich um zehn Minuten. I will be ten minutes late.

spät dran sein — to be later than planned.

aufgehalten werden — to be held up. Ich bin aufgehalten worden is the usual short reason.

Entschuldigen Sie die Verspätung. — Please excuse the delay.

die Verspätung rechtzeitig ankündigen — to announce the delay in good time.

anrufen und Bescheid geben — to call and let the other person know.

Ten Minutes Early

The Bavarian State Institute for School Quality publishes material that helps pupils choose a career. One checklist prepares them for a job interview. One item reads: Ich habe die Anreise zum Betrieb geplant und werde pünktlich dort ankommen (Tipp: ca. 10 Minuten vorher). I have planned my journey to the company and will arrive on time (tip: about 10 minutes early). For the case where something still goes wrong, the etiquette coach Elisabeth Bonneau gave advice in the Tagesspiegel. If public transport fails or a bicycle tire bursts, one should auf jeden Fall anrufen und Bescheid geben, in any case call and let them know. If nobody answers, one should leave a message.

Faithful in the Least

In the Gospel of Luke, in Luther’s translation: Wer im Geringsten treu ist, der ist auch im Großen treu; und wer im Geringsten ungerecht ist, der ist auch im Großen ungerecht. Whoever is faithful in the least is faithful also in much, and whoever is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. The next verse asks: wer wird euch das wahre Gut anvertrauen? who will entrust you with the true riches?

A Promise Kept at 89

Henry Kissinger was born in Fürth, and his family fled Germany in 1938. He had promised to come and watch the local football club, SpVgg Greuther Fürth, once it reached the Bundesliga. In September 2012, at the age of 89, he came to Fürth’s home game against Schalke 04. Der 89-Jährige hielt sich nun an den Ehrenkodex: ein Mann, ein Wort, wrote Der Spiegel. The 89-year-old kept to the code of honor, one man, one word.

On Time Matters as Much as Quality

In a survey of 1,008 people for Bosch Power Tools, reported in February 2025, respondents said what matters most when choosing a craftsman. The quality of the work was important or most important for 86.7 percent. Termintreue, keeping agreed dates, followed with 86 percent. Transparent costs came next, with 83.3 percent.

Reliable in Agreements

In a 2018 survey by Appinio for the publisher Murmann, 1,000 people in Germany could name up to two things they most want from a boss. The top answer was Vertraut mir, trusts me, with 32.9 percent. Second came Ist verlässlich in Absprachen, is reliable in agreements, with 32.4 percent. Having new ideas got 9.0 percent. In a StepStone survey of about 14,000 professionals and managers in November 2018, 77 percent of professionals agreed with Wir können uns aufeinander verlassen, we can rely on each other.