Transactions involving German companies, especially in the Mittelstand, bring German documents into the data room: articles of association, shareholder resolutions, commercial register extracts, contracts with suppliers and employees. Owners and managing directors often prefer to negotiate in German.
This page shows the German level that current M&A job ads ask for, phrases from due diligence and deal communication, vocabulary for corporate documents and valuation, learning time per CEFR level according to the Goethe-Institut, and recognised certificates.
Which German level do M&A analysts need in Germany?
The analysis covers 51 current job ads with a description from the job exchange of the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), search terms „M&A“ / „Mergers Acquisitions“ / „Corporate Finance“ / „Transaction Services“ / „Investment Banking“ / „Corporate Development“, retrieved on 24 September 2026; identical ad texts were counted once. 18 of them state a requirement for German skills. The most frequent wording is „sehr gute Deutschkenntnisse“ (very good German) (9 ads). 2 ads name a CEFR level for German; highest level named per ad: C1 (2). 2 of the ads are written in English.
Transactions add a legal reason for German. Under § 15 (3) of the GmbH Act, the transfer of shares in a German GmbH requires a notarial contract, and under § 5 of the Notarisation Act (Beurkundungsgesetz) deeds are drawn up in German; a notary may use another language on request only with sufficient command of it.
How to read the wording: the German Residence Act uses similar terms and defines them in § 2 as CEFR levels, for example good German skills („gute deutsche Sprachkenntnisse“) as B2 and mastering German („beherrscht die deutsche Sprache“) as C1. These definitions do not bind job ads, but they help translate an ad into a learning goal.
What the levels mean, summarised from the Council of Europe global scale:
- B1: understands the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters from work, school or leisure, and can produce simple connected text.
- B2: understands the main ideas of complex text, including technical discussions in the own field, and can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible without strain for either party.
- C1: understands demanding, longer texts and implicit meaning, and uses the language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.
German phrases from the working week of M&A analysts
Six sentences that come up in this role, with an English translation. They are written without first-person forms so they can be reused as neutral templates.
- Im Datenraum fehlt noch der aktuelle Handelsregisterauszug.
The current commercial register extract is still missing from the data room. - Der Gesellschaftsvertrag enthält eine Vinkulierungsklausel.
The articles of association contain a transfer restriction clause. - Die Abtretung der Geschäftsanteile muss notariell beurkundet werden.
The transfer of the shares has to be notarised. - Wie hoch ist das bereinigte EBITDA für das laufende Geschäftsjahr?
What is the adjusted EBITDA for the current financial year? - Die Garantien im Kaufvertrag sind noch nicht abgestimmt.
The warranties in the purchase agreement have not been agreed yet. - Könnten Sie eine Übersicht der Change-of-Control-Klauseln erstellen?
Could you prepare an overview of the change-of-control clauses?
Core vocabulary for M&A analysts
Corporate documents
| Deutsch | English |
|---|---|
| der Gesellschaftsvertrag | articles of association |
| der Geschäftsanteil | share (in a GmbH) |
| der Gesellschafterbeschluss | shareholder resolution |
| der Handelsregisterauszug | commercial register extract |
| die Gesellschafterliste | list of shareholders |
| die Vinkulierung | transfer restriction |
| die Geschäftsführung | management board (GmbH) |
| die notarielle Beurkundung | notarisation |
Deal and valuation
| Deutsch | English |
|---|---|
| der Kaufvertrag (SPA) | share purchase agreement |
| die Garantie | warranty / guarantee |
| die Freistellung | indemnity |
| der Kaufpreis | purchase price |
| die Unternehmensbewertung | company valuation |
| die Absichtserklärung | letter of intent |
| der Vollzug (Closing) | closing |
| die Nachfolgeregelung | succession arrangement |
How long does it take? Learning time per CEFR level
The Council of Europe global scale describes levels by what learners can do; it contains no hour figures. Guide values for learning time are published by the Goethe-Institut, explicitly as values based on experience: according to the Goethe-Institut, individual factors such as language learning experience and first language play an important role. Two published course models side by side, in teaching units of 45 minutes:
| Level | Goethe-Institut São Paulo, per level | Goethe-Institut Germany, evening courses per level | São Paulo, cumulative from zero | Germany, cumulative from zero |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | 128 | 72 | 128 | 72 |
| A2 | 128 | 144 | 256 | 216 |
| B1 | 192 | 144 | 448 | 360 |
| B2 | 256 | 216 | 704 | 576 |
| C1 | 192 | 144 | 896 | 720 |
| C2 | 256 | 144 | 1,152 | 864 |
The cumulative columns add up the published values per level. The model of the Goethe-Institut in Germany uses evening courses of 72 teaching units: one for A1, three for B2 and two for each of the other levels. Moving from B1 to C1 takes 360 to 448 teaching units according to these models.
A learning path for M&A analysts
- Start with the vocabulary of corporate documents, which dominate a German data room.
- Add reading speed for contracts and resolutions, because due diligence runs on deadlines.
- Practise conversations with owners and managing directors, including succession topics that are personal as well as financial.
- Finish with written German for red flag reports and summaries for German-speaking clients.
Which certificates are recognised?
- telc Deutsch C1 Beruf: certifies German at an advanced level together with job-related communication skills; available as digital, hybrid and paper-based exam.
- Goethe-Zertifikat A1 to C2 and Goethe-Test PRO: the Goethe-Institut offers German exams on all six CEFR levels and describes them as internationally recognised; the Goethe-Test PRO covers A1 to C2 for professional contexts.
- telc Deutsch B1·B2 Beruf and telc Deutsch B2·C1 Beruf: dual-level exams for work; candidates receive a certificate for either the lower or the higher level, and topics and vocabulary come from everyday working situations.
Planning German for M&A analysts in your team?
A discovery call with Rahel Modrach clarifies the target level per role, the starting point and a realistic plan.
Frequently asked questions
Why do German share deals involve so much German?
The transfer of shares in a German GmbH requires a notarial contract under § 15 of the GmbH Act, and under § 5 of the Notarisation Act deeds are drawn up in German unless the notary, on request and with sufficient command of the language, uses another language.
How long does it take to reach B2 or C1?
The Goethe-Institut publishes guide values based on experience: from zero to B2 its published course models add up to 576 (Goethe-Institut Germany, evening courses) to 704 teaching units (Goethe-Institut São Paulo) of 45 minutes, and to 720 to 896 units for C1. Prior knowledge, first language and learning experience change the duration considerably.
Which certificates fit this role?
Relevant for this role: telc Deutsch C1 Beruf; Goethe-Zertifikat A1 to C2 and Goethe-Test PRO; telc Deutsch B1·B2 Beruf and telc Deutsch B2·C1 Beruf. Which proof is required in a given case is set by the employer or the responsible authority.
Related pages
- Business German for Auditors
- Business German for Management Consultants
- Business German for Lawyers and In-House Counsel
- CEFR levels by business role
- The ROI of business German
- 90-day plan for foreign hires
Sources
Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Jobbörse: Auswertung von 51 Stellenanzeigen, Suchbegriffe „M&A“ / „Mergers Acquisitions“ / „Corporate Finance“ / „Transaction Services“ / „Investment Banking“ / „Corporate Development“, abgerufen am 24.09.2026
Europarat (Council of Europe): Gemeinsamer Europäischer Referenzrahmen für Sprachen, Globalskala der Referenzniveaus (Table 1, CEFR 3.3)
Goethe-Institut Deutschland: Deutsch Sprachniveaus, Kursstufenmodell Abendkurse (Stand Mai 2026)
Goethe-Institut São Paulo: Häufig gestellte Fragen zu Unterrichtseinheiten je Niveau (Stand März 2026)
§ 2 Aufenthaltsgesetz (Gesetze im Internet, Bundesamt für Justiz)
§ 15 GmbHG und § 5 Beurkundungsgesetz (Gesetze im Internet, Bundesamt für Justiz)
telc gGmbH: Prüfungsseite telc Deutsch C1 Beruf
Goethe-Institut: Deutschprüfungen und Prüfungstrainings (Übersichtsseite)
telc gGmbH: Prüfungsseiten telc Deutsch B1·B2 Beruf und B2·C1 Beruf