Learn Hardcore German: Wir bekommen kurzfristig einen Termin, was uns sehr hilft. - We are getting an appointment at short notice, which helps us a lot.

Because Termin is masculine (der Termin), and as the direct object of bekommen it takes the accusative case: einen Termin (not ein Termin). Subject form would be ein Termin.

What exactly does kurzfristig mean?

It means at short notice (with little lead time). It can also mean short‑term in a planning sense.

Compare: kurzzeitig = of short duration/temporary; bald = soon (no short‑notice nuance); zeitnah = soon/within a short time (often formal).

Where should kurzfristig go in the sentence?

All of these are acceptable, with small differences in emphasis:

Wir bekommen kurzfristig einen Termin (most common).
Wir bekommen einen Termin kurzfristig (also fine).
Kurzfristig bekommen wir einen Termin (fronts the time aspect). The finite verb stays second in the main clause.

Why is it ..., was uns sehr hilft and not ..., das uns sehr hilft or ..., der uns sehr hilft?

was refers to the entire preceding idea (getting an appointment on short notice). That’s the standard choice.
der would refer specifically to der Termin: …, der uns sehr hilft. = the appointment itself helps us.
das for a whole‑clause antecedent is common in speech but considered non‑standard in formal writing. Prefer was.

What is the grammatical role of was in was uns sehr hilft?

was is the subject of the relative clause; hilft agrees with it (3rd‑person singular). uns is dative. Structure: [that‑which] helps [to us] a lot.

Why is the verb at the end in was uns sehr hilft?

Because it’s a subordinate (relative) clause. German subordinate clauses place the finite verb at the end: …, was uns sehr hilft. In a main clause you’d say: Das hilft uns sehr.

Why is there a comma before was?

German requires a comma before a relative clause to separate it from the main clause: Wir bekommen …, was …

Could I use weil instead of the relative clause?

Yes, but it changes the feel:

Wir bekommen kurzfristig einen Termin, weil uns das sehr hilft. This states the reason explicitly (because it helps us). The original with was adds a comment about the previous statement rather than giving a reason.

Why present tense bekommen if the appointment is in the future? Should it be werden … bekommen?

German often uses the present for scheduled or near‑future events, especially with a time cue like kurzfristig. Wir werden kurzfristig einen Termin bekommen is possible but not necessary. Similarly, …, was uns sehr helfen wird is possible, but hilft is idiomatic.

What’s the difference between bekommen, kriegen, and erhalten?

bekommen: neutral, standard, everyday.
kriegen: colloquial/informal.
erhalten: more formal/written. All three can work depending on register.

Can kurzfristig be used as an adjective too?

Yes. As an adjective it inflects: ein kurzfristiger Termin / einen kurzfristigen Termin. As an adverb (in the given sentence) it doesn’t inflect: kurzfristig einen Termin bekommen. Adverb = arranged on short notice; adjective can mean arranged on short notice or taking place soon.

Is sehr the right way to say a lot with helfen?

Yes. Das hilft uns sehr is the most idiomatic. Das hilft uns viel also exists, but sehr is more common here. In negatives, Das hilft uns nicht viel is natural.

What exactly does Termin mean? Is it like English term?

Termin = appointment/meeting time/date or a deadline date. It is not English term (semester, technical word). Gender: masculine (der Termin).

Is the main‑clause word order okay? Why is bekommen second?

Yes. German main clauses are verb‑second:

first slot: Wir (subject),
second: bekommen (finite verb),
then the rest: kurzfristig einen Termin.

How do I know uns is dative here when it looks the same as accusative?

Because helfen always takes the dative. First‑person plural uns happens to look the same in dative and accusative, so the verb determines the case: helfen = dative (e.g., Das hilft uns.).