Going to the commune can be stressful — even in your own language.
And interestingly, even learners who already have a B1 level tell me the same thing.
They say: “I understand quite a lot… but when I have to speak at the commune, or on the phone, I suddenly don’t know what to say.”
And phone calls can be even harder. You can’t see the person, and sometimes they speak quickly because they do this all day.
So if you sometimes feel unsure in these situations, that’s completely normal.
That’s exactly what we’re going to practise today:
how to ask for information and clarification at the commune.
What you need are clear, polite, and useful phrases that help you manage the conversation.
Administration vocabulary – simple and useful
Before we start practising conversations at the commune, let’s first look at some useful administration vocabulary.
These are words you’ll hear very often when you ask for information, fill in forms, or organise documents.
If you recognise them, the conversation at the commune becomes much easier to follow.
By the way do you know how to say the commune in Luxembourgish? d’Gemeng – the commune
Let’s look at some of the most common ones:
- e Rendez-vous – appointment
- e Rendez-vous huelen – to take an appointment
- eng Demande – application / request
- e Formulaire – form
- e Formulaire ausfëllen – to fill in a form
- Dokumenter – documents
- Dokumenter ënnerschreiwen – to sign documents
- eng Umeldung – a registration
- d’Carte d’identité – ID card
- de Wunnsëtz – the place of residence
- eng Ënnerschrëft – a signature
So if you recognise them, it already becomes much easier to understand what the person at the commune is explaining.
Now that we’ve looked at the vocabulary,
let’s move to the first situation: starting the conversation at the commune.
First contact: starting the conversation
At the commune, the first seconds matter. A simple, polite start already sets a good tone.
Useful phrases
- Moien, ech bräicht eng Informatioun, wgl. – Hello, I would need some information.
- Moien, kënnt Dir mir hëllefen, wgl? – Hello, can you help me, please?
- Moien, ech géif mech gär unmellen. – Hello, I would like to register
Short sentences are absolutely fine. No long explanations needed.
Asking for information
Now let’s look at how to ask for information clearly.
Useful phrases:
-
- Wat muss ech maachen fir mech unzemellen? – What do I need to do to register?
- Wéi eng Dokumenter brauch ech? – What documents do I need?
- Wou kréien ech dëse Formulaire? – Where can I get this form?
- Muss ech e Rendez-Vous huelen? – Do I need an appointment?
- Kann ech dat online maachen? – Can I do this online?
Tip :You can always ask one question at a time.
Asking for clarification
Now let’s talk about something very important, especially at B1 level.
Even if you understand quite a lot, it’s completely normal not to understand everything, especially when someone explains procedures or administrative steps.
That’s why these clarification phrases are extremely useful.
Important clarification phrases:
- Entschëllegt, ech hunn dat net ganz verstanen. – Sorry, I didn’t fully understand that.
- Kënnt Dir dat nach eng Kéier widderhuelen, wgl? – Could you please repeat that?
- Kënnt Dir dat e bëssen méi lues erklären? – Could you explain that a bit more slowly?
Also, wann ech richteg verstanen hunn, muss ech …. – So, if I understood correctly, I have to …
Talking about forms and procedures
Here are some useful questions when you talk about forms or procedures.
- Wou muss ech dëse Formulaire ofginn? – Where do I have to submit this form?
- Muss ech dat haut nach maachen? – Do I have to do this today?
- Wéi laang dauert dat? – How long does that take?
Wéini kréien ech eng Äntwert? – When will I receive an answer?
And if you want to improve your listening comprehension and speaking skills like this in a supportive group, with real role-plays and feedback, that’s exactly what we do in our Speaking Practice Group B1.
- 1 live online session/week
- Max 6 participants for personal feedback
- Focus on real workplace conversations
Step by step, you’ll feel yourself becoming more confident, more fluent, and more comfortable speaking Luxembourgish at work and also in everyday life. If that sounds like the kind of practice you need right now, come and join us in the Speaking Practice Group B1.
Join the priority waitlist:
Mini dialogue
Sometimes you don’t go to the commune directly. You might also call to ask for information.
Let’s listen to a short example of a phone conversation between a resident and a staff member of the commune.
Gemeng:
Moien, Gemeng Mamer, gudde Moien.
Awunner:
Moien. Ech sinn virun zwee Deeg op Mamer geplënnert an ech géif mech gären umellen.
Muss ech dofir e Rendez-vous huelen?
Gemeng:
Nee, dir kënnt einfach esou laanscht kommen.
Awunner:
Kann ech dat och online maachen?
Gemeng:
Jo, Dir kënnt dat op eiser Internetsäit maachen.
Awunner:
An der Rei merci. An nach eng Fro: Wéi eng Dokumenter brauch ech dofir?
Gemeng:
Dir braucht Är Carte d’identité an de Contrat de Bail
Awunner:
Entschëllegt, kënnt Dir erklären wat de Contrat de…. ass?
Gemeng:
Jo, de Contrat de Bail ass de Kontrakt tëscht Iech an dem Propriétaire vun Ärer Wunneng.
Awunner:
Alles kloer. Villmools Merci fir Är Hëllef.
You see, the resident used very simple sentences, asked one question at a time, and when something wasn’t clear, they simply said:
Entschëllegt, kënnt Dir erklären wat de …. ass?
That’s exactly how real communication works.
“Many learners think they need better Luxembourgish before going to the commune.
In reality, you improve by having these conversations.”
Translation
Hello, Gemeng of Mamer, good morning.
Hello. I moved to Mamer two days ago and I would like to register.
Do I need to make an appointment for that?
No, you can simply come by.
Can I also do that online?
Yes, you can do that on our website.
Alright, thank you. And one more question: Which documents do I need for that?
You need your ID card and the rental contract.
Sorry, could you explain what the rental contract is?
Yes, the rental contract is the agreement between you and the owner of your apartment.
All clear. Thank you very much for your help.
