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German Phrase

Was lief gut in der Besprechung?

/vas liːf ɡuːt ɪn deːɐ̯ bəˈʃʁeːçʊŋ/
Meaning"What went well in the meeting?"
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Meaning

The sentence asks the listener to point out the positive aspects or successes that occurred during a meeting. It is a neutral, slightly informal way to request feedback on what went well.

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When to use

Use this question right after a meeting, during a debrief, or in a follow‑up email when you want to highlight successes and encourage a constructive discussion about future improvements.

✦Grammar Breakdown

WasliefgutinderBesprechung?

1

Was (interrogative pronoun)

Used to ask about something unknown; here it asks 'what'.

2

lief (preterite of laufen)

In this idiomatic use, 'laufen' means 'to go' as in 'how something went'.

3

gut (adverb)

Modifies the verb, indicating a positive outcome.

4

in der Besprechung (prepositional phrase)

Uses the dative case after 'in' to indicate location; 'Besprechung' means 'meeting' or 'discussion'.

🗨In Conversation

A

Was lief gut in der Besprechung?

What went well in the meeting?

Die Präsentation war klar und wir haben die wichtigsten Punkte beschlossen.

The presentation was clear and we decided on the key points.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Was war gut in der Besprechung?

    Using "war" (was) instead of "lief" changes the idiom; "Was war gut..." sounds less natural for asking about the process.

  • Was lief gutes in der Besprechung?

    "Gutes" is a noun; the adverb "gut" is required to modify the verb.

  • Was lief gut bei der Besprechung?

    "Bei" can be used, but "in der Besprechung" is the standard phrase for "during the meeting".

↔Alternatives

  • Was hat in der Besprechung gut geklappt?

    What worked well in the meeting?

  • Welche Punkte liefen gut in der Besprechung?

    Which points went well in the meeting?

  • Was war positiv an der Besprechung?

    What was positive about the meeting?

de

Cultural Tip

German business culture values direct yet polite communication. Asking "Was lief gut..." shows you are interested in positive outcomes and encourages a solution‑focused atmosphere. Avoid overly casual phrasing in formal settings; you can also prepend "Könnten Sie mir bitte sagen..." for extra politeness.