freundliche Erinnerung
The English phrase "kind reminder" is translated into German as freundliche Erinnerung.
freundliche Erinnerung is a polite way to tell someone that they have forgotten to do something or that a deadline is approaching. In German business culture, it is often used as a subject line in emails to follow up on unfulfilled requests or unpaid invoices.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adjective freundliche (friendly/kind) and the noun Erinnerung (reminder/memory). The noun Erinnerung is derived from the verb erinnern, which means "to remind".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
freundliche Erinnerung is a formal phrase commonly used in professional email correspondence. For even more formal situations, you may use Höfliche Erinnerung, which translates to "polite reminder".
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "a kind reminder" in a sentence, you use the feminine indefinite article eine, resulting in eine freundliche Erinnerung.
Did you know?
- In a professional German email, using freundliche Erinnerung as a subject line can actually feel quite passive-aggressive to some recipients. It is often seen as a 'polite' way of saying 'you are late'.
- If you are chasing a late payment, you should skip the 'kind' part and use Mahnung instead. This word sounds aggressive in English, but in German, it is a standard, neutral term for a formal notice.
- The word Erinnerung is used for both a professional 'reminder' and a personal 'memory'. A person's childhood memories are called Kindheitserinnerungen.
Examples in context
- Hallo Anna, ich wollte dich nur freundlich daran erinnern, dass wir uns morgen um 9 Uhr im Café treffen. Bis bald! Liebe Grüße, [Dein Name]Hello Anna, I just wanted to kindly remind you that we are meeting tomorrow at 9 o'clock in the cafe. See you soon! Best regards, [Your Name]
- Nur eine freundliche Erinnerung an den Termin morgen.Just a kind reminder about tomorrow's appointment.
- Dies ist eine freundliche Erinnerung an die Zahlung.This is a kind reminder regarding the payment.
- Er schickte mir eine freundliche Erinnerung per E-Mail.He sent me a kind reminder via email.
Example conversation
Felix sends an email to Sarah about a missing report.
- FelixHallo Sarah, nur eine freundliche Erinnerung an den Bericht.Hello Sarah, just a kind reminder about the report.
- SarahOh, danke Felix, ich habe es fast vergessen.Oh, thanks Felix, I almost forgot it.
- FelixKein Problem, schick ihn mir bitte bis heute Abend.No problem, please send it to me by this evening.
- SarahIch werde das sofort erledigen.I will take care of that immediately.
