Learn Hardcore German: In der kleinen Filiale dauert die Beratung jeweils nur zehn Minuten. - In the small branch the consultation takes only ten minutes each time.

Because in is a two-way preposition. With location (where something is), it takes the dative: in der (feminine dative). With motion toward a place (where to), it takes the accusative: in die. Examples:

Location: Ich bin in der Filiale.
Direction: Ich gehe in die Filiale. Also, im = in dem, so it’s only for masculine/neuter nouns. Filiale is feminine, so you can’t say im Filiale.

Why is it kleinen and not kleine?

After a definite article in the dative (here: der), attributive adjectives take the weak ending -en: in der kleinen Filiale. This is the regular pattern for dative singular (all genders) and all datives plural after a definite article.

Why does the verb come before the subject: dauert die Beratung?

German is verb-second (V2) in main clauses. The entire prepositional phrase In der kleinen Filiale occupies the first position, so the finite verb (dauert) must be second, and the subject (die Beratung) follows it. The neutral order would be: Die Beratung dauert …

What does jeweils mean here?

Here jeweils means “each time,” “per session,” or “in each case.” It distributes the duration over individual consultations: every consultation lasts only ten minutes. It does not mean “respectively” in this sentence.

Can I leave out jeweils? What changes?

Yes: In der kleinen Filiale dauert die Beratung nur zehn Minuten. Without jeweils, it still states the length, but it’s less explicit about the per-instance distribution. Jeweils highlights that every single consultation (not just on average) is limited to ten minutes.

Can I use je or pro instead of jeweils?

je
- noun: je Beratung zehn Minuten (more compact, often written/formal).
pro
- noun: pro Beratung zehn Minuten (common and clear).
jeweils modifies the clause/phrase: Die Beratung dauert jeweils nur zehn Minuten. All three convey “per consultation,” but je/pro attach directly to the noun, while jeweils is a sentence adverb.

Why is nur placed before zehn Minuten? Can I move it?

nur is a focus particle and should immediately precede what it restricts. nur zehn Minuten says the duration is only ten minutes. Both jeweils nur zehn Minuten and nur jeweils zehn Minuten are acceptable; the first is a bit more common. zehn Minuten nur is unusual in standard German.

Why no preposition before zehn Minuten? What case is it?

It’s an adverbial accusative of duration: German often uses a bare accusative to express how long something lasts: zwei Stunden, drei Tage, zehn Minuten. With dauern, you don’t use für; Es dauert für zehn Minuten is unidiomatic. Use Es dauert zehn Minuten.

Why use dauern and not verbs like “take/need” (nehmen/bringen/brauchen)?

The idiomatic choice for duration is dauern: Die Beratung dauert zehn Minuten.
brauchen works with a person/agent: Man braucht für die Beratung zehn Minuten.
nehmen is uncommon by itself; the idiomatic form is in Anspruch nehmen: Das nimmt zehn Minuten in Anspruch. So, for neutral “lasts,” use dauern.

Is die Beratung countable or uncountable? Why singular?

Beratung can be both:

Uncountable “advice” (the service in general).
Countable “a consultation session” (eine Beratung, plural Beratungen). Here the singular can be read generically (the consultation service), and jeweils makes the “per session” reading clear. You could also say: Eine Beratung dauert jeweils nur zehn Minuten.

Why is it “in the small branch” in English but in der kleinen Filiale (not bei) in German?

For a specific physical location inside a branch, German prefers in + dative: in der Filiale. bei often means “at the company/person” in a broader sense (e.g., employment or affiliation: bei der Bank arbeiten) or “near.” For a specific branch location, in der Filiale is the natural choice.

Can I move the location phrase elsewhere in the sentence?

Yes. Common options:

Die Beratung dauert in der kleinen Filiale jeweils nur zehn Minuten. (neutral)
Jeweils nur zehn Minuten dauert die Beratung in der kleinen Filiale. (emphasis on the short time) Starting with In der kleinen Filiale sets up a location contrast/topic.

Why is it dauert (singular) even though the article is die?

die is both feminine singular and plural in German. Beratung is singular here (note the lack of -n/-en plural ending), so the verb is singular: dauert. If it were plural (die Beratungen), you’d say dauern.

What exactly does Filiale mean? How is it different from other words for “store/branch”?

Filiale: a branch of a chain (banks, supermarkets, big retailers).
Laden/Geschäft: a shop/store in general (not necessarily part of a chain).
Niederlassung/Zweigstelle: branch/office, more formal or administrative/corporate. Here Filiale implies one of several branches of the same company.

How would I say this in the past?

Both simple past and present perfect are fine:

Simple past: In der kleinen Filiale dauerte die Beratung jeweils nur zehn Minuten.
Present perfect: In der kleinen Filiale hat die Beratung jeweils nur zehn Minuten gedauert. (very common in speech)

What’s the difference between jeweils and jeweilig(e)?

jeweils is an adverb: “each time,” “respectively” (depending on context). Here: “each time.”
jeweilig is an adjective meaning “respective/particular”: die jeweilige Filiale = “the respective branch.”