German Phrase
Wie läuft's im neuen Job?
Meaning
A friendly, informal way to ask someone how things are going at their new workplace. It conveys genuine interest in the person's experience without sounding overly formal.
When to use
Use this phrase with friends, close colleagues, or anyone you address with ‘du’. It’s perfect after a few weeks of someone starting a new job, during a coffee break, or in a casual chat on messaging apps.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wieläuft'simneuenJob?
Wie (interrogative adverb)
‘Wie’ introduces a question about manner or condition, similar to ‘how’ in English.
läuft's = läuft es
‘läuft's’ is a colloquial contraction of ‘läuft es’, using the verb ‘laufen’ idiomatically to mean ‘to go, to be proceeding’.
Verb ‘laufen’ idiom
In this context ‘laufen’ does not refer to physical running but to the progress of a situation.
im = in dem
‘im’ is the contraction of the preposition ‘in’ + definite article ‘dem’, used here with the dative case.
neuen (adjective declension)
‘neuen’ is the weak declension of the adjective ‘neu’ in the dative masculine singular after the definite article ‘dem’.
Job (noun gender)
‘Job’ is a borrowed English noun used in German, masculine (der Job).
🗨In Conversation
Wie läuft's im neuen Job?
How's it going at the new job?
Ganz gut, danke! Das Team ist super nett und die Aufgaben sind spannend.
Pretty good, thanks! The team is really nice and the tasks are exciting.
✕Common Mistakes
Wie läuft du im neuen Job?
The verb must stay in third‑person singular; you cannot conjugate it with ‘du’. Use ‘läuft es’ or the contraction ‘läuft's’.
Wie ist es im neuen Job?
Grammatically correct but less idiomatic for asking about progress; native speakers prefer ‘Wie läuft…’ in this context.
Wie läuft's im neue Job?
The adjective needs the dative ending ‘-en’ after the definite article ‘dem’.
↔Alternatives
Wie läuft es bei dir im neuen Job?
How's it going for you in the new job?
Wie geht es dir im neuen Job?
How are you doing in the new job?
Wie läuft dein neuer Job?
How's your new job going?
Wie ist es im neuen Job?
How is it in the new job?
Cultural Tip
In German, asking about work is common, but the informal contraction ‘läuft's?’ is reserved for people you know well. In a more formal setting (e.g., with a boss or a new acquaintance) you’d use the full form ‘Wie läuft es im neuen Job?’ or switch to a more neutral ‘Wie geht es Ihnen im neuen Job?’ Also, while ‘Job’ is widely understood, the more formal ‘Stelle’ or ‘Position’ can be used in business correspondence.