Whether you’re planning a trip to Germany or another German-speaking country, you’ve heard an unfamiliar German phrase and want to know what it means, or you just want to get into the spirit for your town’s annual Oktoberfest, knowing some basic German can give you the confidence you need. In the following articles, you can find basic German expressions, questions that let you gather information or ask for help, phrases to use when ordering from a menu, and German numbers and dates.
- Basic German is aimed at absolute beginners and those learners who have some knowledge of German but who need to refresh and consolidate basic structures. It can be used on its own or in connection with any major German coursebook and it is suitable for self-study, class-based learning or reference purposes. Presentation of grammar.
- After learning the German travel phrases below, you’ll only need your German phrasebook in a real pinch. If you can express yourself with some basic German phrases, you are less likely to be taken advantage of by taxi drivers, souvenir shops and waiters! The perception that all German speakers speak English is simply not true.
Basic Questions in German
Basic German is the ideal reference and practice book for beginners but also for students with some knowledge of the language. Heiner Schenke is Senior Lecturer in German at the University of Westminster and Karen Seago is Course Leader for Applied Translation.
If you travel to a German-speaking country and need to know the time or where something is located, or you just want to get some basic information, a few common questions can come in very handy.
English | German | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
Do you speak English? | Sprechen Sie Englisch? | shprêH-en zee êng-lish? |
How are you? | Wie geht es Ihnen? | vee geyt ês een-en? |
Would you help me please? | Würden Sie mir bitte helfen? | vuer-den zee meer bi-te hêl-fen? |
What’s your name? | Wie heißen Sie? | vee hays-en zee? |
What time is it? | Wie viel Uhr ist es? | vee feel oohr ist ês? |
What’s the weather like? | Wie ist das Wetter? | ee ist dâs vêt-er? |
How much does . . . cost? | Wie viel kostet . . .? | vee feel kos-tet…? |
Where do I find . . .? | Wo finde ich . . .? | voh fin-de iH…? |
Where are the bathrooms? | Wo sind die Toiletten? | voh zint dee toy-lêt-en? |
Do you have…? | Haben Sie…? | hah-ben zee…? |
Where is…? | Wo ist…? | voh ist…? |
Could you please talk more slowly? | Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? | kern-en zee bi-te lâng-zâm-er shprêH-en? |
Could you repeat that, please? | Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? | kern-en zee dâs bi-te vee-der-hoh-len? |
Useful German Expressions and Greetings
Practice these German greetings and expressions, which you’ll use daily when you visit a German-speaking country. With these expressions, you can communicate politely, feel more confident, and travel more comfortably.
English | German | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
Hello! | Hallo! | hâ-loh! (informal greeting) |
Good day! | Guten Tag! | gooh-ten tahk! |
Good evening! | Guten Abend! | gooh-ten ah-bent! |
Good-bye! | Auf Wiedersehen! | ouf vee-der-zey-en! |
Please./You’re welcome. | Bitte. | bi-te. |
Thank you. | Danke. | dân-ke. |
Excuse me. | Entschuldigung. | ênt-shool-dee-goong. |
My name is…. | Ich heiße…. | iH hays-e…. |
Pleased to meet you. | Freut mich. | froyt miH. |
German Phrases for Emergencies
If you’re traveling in a German-speaking country and find yourself in an urgent situation, you can get the assistance you need by memorizing these important German phrases.
English | German | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
Help! | Hilfe! | hilf-e! |
Police! | Polizei! | po-li-tsay! |
Fire! | Feuer! | foy-er! |
Get a doctor! | Holen Sie einen Arzt! | hohl-en zee ayn-en ârtst! |
I am sick. | Ich bin krank. | iH bin krânk. |
I don’t know my way around here. | Ich kenne mich hier nicht aus. | iH kên-e miH heer niHt ous. |
The German Calendar
Getting to know the days and months of the German calendar helps you keep track of your travel plans, German holidays, and engagements.
Learn Basic German Phrases
English | German | Pronunciaton |
---|---|---|
Monday | Montag | mohn-tahk |
Tuesday | Dienstag | deens-tahk |
Wednesday | Mittwoch | mit-voH |
Thursday | Donnerstag | don-ers-tahk |
Friday | Freitag | fray-tahk |
Saturday | Samstag / Sonnabend | zâms-tahk / zon-ah-bent) |
Sunday | Sonntag | zon-tahk |
English | German | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
January | Januar | yâ-noo-ahr |
February | Februar | fey-broo-ahr |
March | März | mêrts |
April | April | ah-pril |
May | Mai | may |
June | Juni | yooh-nee |
July | Juli | yooh-lee |
August | August | ou-goost |
September | September | zêp-têm-ber |
October | Oktober | ok-toh-ber |
November | November | no-vêm-ber |
December | Dezember | dey-tsêm-ber |
Ordering in a German Restaurant
If you go to a German restaurant, these expressions can come in very handy. Practice them first, so that you can relax and enjoy the dining experience.
English | German | Pronunciation |
---|---|---|
The menu, please. | Die Speisekarte bitte. | dee shpay-ze kâr-te bi-te. |
I’d like…. | Ich hätte gern…. | iH hê-te gern…. |
I’d like…. | Ich möchte gern…. | iH merH-te gern…. |
Could you recommend something? | Könnten Sie etwas empfehlen? | kern-ten zee êt-vas êm-pfey-len? |
Another (beer) please. | Noch (ein Bier) bitte. | noH [ayn beer] bi-te. |
Excuse me. | Entschuldigen Sie bitte. | ênt-shool-dee-gen zee bi-te. |
The check, please. | Die Rechnung bitte. | dee rêH-noong bi-te. |
A receipt, please. | Eine Quittung bitte. | ayn-e kvi-toong bi-te. |
Enjoy your meal. | Guten Appetit. | gooh-ten âp-e-teet . |
German Numbers
Basic German Pdf Download
When traveling in a German-speaking area, you need to know numbers for shopping, dining, transportation, and exchanging money. With this list, you can start practicing German numbers.
Basic German Vocabulary Pdf
0 null (nool) | 17 siebzehn (zeep-tseyn) |
1 eins (ayns) | 18 achtzehn (âHt-tseyn) |
2 zwei (tsvay) | 19 neunzehn (noyn-tseyn) |
3 drei (dray) | 20 zwanzig (tsvân-tsîH) |
4 vier (feer) | 21 einundzwanzig (ayn-oont-tsvân-tsiH) |
5 fünf (fuenf) | 22 zweiundzwanzig (tsvay-oont tsvân-tsiH) |
6 sechs (zêks) | 30 dreißig (dray-siH) |
7 sieben (zee-ben) | 40 vierzig (feer-tsiH) |
8 acht (âHt) | 50 fünfzig (fuenf-tsiH) |
9 neun (noyn) | 60 sechzig (zêH-tsiH) |
10 zehn (tseyn) | 70 siebzig (zeep-tsiH) |
11 elf (êlf) | 80 achtzig (âHt-tsiH) |
12 zwölf (tsverlf) | 90 neunzig (noyn-tsiH) |
13 dreizehn (dray-tseyn) | 100 hundert (hoon-dert) |
14 vierzehn (feer-tseyn) | 200 zweihundert (tsvay-hoon-dert) |
15 fünfzehn (fuenf-tseyn) | 1000 tausend (tou-zent) |
16 sechzehn (zêH-tseyn) |