German Phrase
Wie läuft's auf der Arbeit?
Meaning
Literally ‘How does it run at work?’, this idiomatic question asks how someone’s job or workday is going. It’s informal, friendly and expects a short update rather than a detailed report.
When to use
Use it in casual conversation with coworkers, friends, or anyone you know well when you want to check in on their professional life. It’s not appropriate in very formal or hierarchical settings unless you have a close rapport.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wieläuft'saufderArbeit?
Wie (question word)
‘Wie’ introduces a yes‑no or ‘how’ question and is placed at the beginning of the sentence.
laufen (idiomatic use)
In colloquial German ‘laufen’ can mean ‘to go, to be proceeding’, similar to English ‘how’s it going’.
es → läuft's (contraction)
The pronoun ‘es’ is often contracted with the verb: ‘läuft es’ → ‘läuft's’. It is informal and spoken.
auf der Arbeit (prepositional phrase)
‘auf’ + dative ‘der Arbeit’ indicates location – ‘at work’. The article ‘der’ is dative feminine.
🗨In Conversation
Wie läuft's auf der Arbeit?
How's it going at work?
Ganz gut, wir haben gerade ein neues Projekt gestartet.
Pretty good, we just started a new project.
✕Common Mistakes
Wie läuft du auf der Arbeit?
‘laufen’ is not conjugated with ‘du’ in this idiom; the subject is the impersonal ‘es’. Use ‘Wie läuft's…’ or ‘Wie läuft es…’
Wie geht's auf der Arbeit?
‘Wie geht's’ asks about a person’s state, not the progress of work. It’s understandable but less idiomatic.
Wie läufts auf der Arbeit?
Missing the apostrophe; the correct contraction is ‘läuft's’. Write it as ‘läuft’s’ or the full form ‘läuft es’.
↔Alternatives
Wie läuft es bei der Arbeit?
How's it going at work?
Wie geht es dir bei der Arbeit?
How are you doing at work?
Wie steht's mit der Arbeit?
How are things with work?
Cultural Tip
In German workplaces, brief small‑talk like ‘Wie läuft's?’ is common during coffee breaks or before meetings. Keep the tone friendly but concise; Germans appreciate efficiency, so avoid turning the question into a long monologue. With a boss or in a formal setting, you might prefer ‘Wie läuft die Arbeit?’ or ‘Wie geht es Ihnen bei der Arbeit?’ to stay polite.