by Jakob Straub
Updated on May 6, 2024
The most useful basic German phrases you need to know
So you’re learning German but you’re having a hard time improving? Don’t get frustrated, It’s a notoriously difficult language to master.
Common and basic German phrases can give you that much-needed boost to insert a little German into your daily life.
From saying hello and goodbye to customer service and travel, we’ll give you an overview of useful phrases in German that will help you better navigate everyday situations.
While there are plenty of German speakers who are eager to speak English with you, there are circumstances when you can’t rely on other people’s language skills—after all, one of your learning goals is to become fluent in German eventually, right?
Using common German phrases is a step towards speaking like a local. For easy reference, we’ve compiled an overview of basic German phrases on various topics and for different everyday situations that you can start using right now!
We also have more helpful tips for you to start learning German fast.
These are our top ten basic German phrases you can use in common situations you’ll encounter in everyday life. Combine these with the 100 German words you need to know and you can have basic exchanges in no time.
| GERMAN | ENGLISH |
| Sprechen Sie Englisch? (formal) Sprichst du Englisch? (informal) | Do you speak English? |
| Ich verstehe (Sie/dich) (nicht). | I (don’t) understand (you). |
| Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? (formal) Kannst du das bitte wiederholen? (informal) | Could you please repeat that? |
| Wie viel …kostet das? …ist das? …Uhr ist es? | How …much does it cost? …much is it? …late is it? |
| Können Sie mir helfen, bitte? (formal) Kannst du mir helfen, bitte? (informal) | Can you help me, please? |
| Es tut mir leid! Das tut mir leid! | I’m sorry! |
| Wo ist …die Toilette? …die Kasse? …ein Geldautomat? …die Haltestelle? …die Station? | Where is …the bathroom? …the cash register? …an ATM? …the stop? …the station? |
| Darf ich mal bitte …vorbei? …sehen? …haben? …etwas fragen? | May I please …pass? …see? …have? …ask something? |
| Achtung! Vorsicht! | Attention! Careful! Or: Watch out! |
| Vielen Dank für Ihre Hilfe! (formal) Vielen Dank für Deine Hilfe! (informal) | Thank you very much for your help! |
Here are basic German phrases the locals say when they meet someone:
| GERMAN | ENGLISH |
| (Es ist) Schön, Sie zu treffen! (formal) (Es ist) Schön, dich zu treffen! (informal) | (It’s) Nice meeting you / Nice to meet you! |
| Es freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen! (formal) Es freut mich, dich kennenzulernen! (informal) | (It’s) Nice meeting you / Nice to meet you! I’m pleased to meet you! It’s a pleasure getting to know you! |
| Wie geht es Ihnen? (formal) Wie geht es dir? (informal) | How are you? |
| Mir geht es gut / schlecht / einigermaßen. | I’m fine / not well / so-so. |
| Wie heißen Sie? Wie ist Ihr Name? (formal) Wie heißt du? Wie ist dein Name? (informal) | What is your name? |
| Ich heiße… Mein Name ist… | I’m… My name is… |
| Woher kommen Sie? (formal) Woher kommst du? (informal) | Where are you from? / Where do you come from? |
| Ich komme aus… | I am from…I come from… |
| Guten Morgen! Guten Tag! Guten Abend! Gute Nacht! | Good morning! Good day! Good evening! Good night! |
| Danke, dass Sie gekommen sind! (formal) Danke, dass du gekommen bist! (informal) | Thank you for coming! |
Saying goodbye in German is easy with these useful phrases:
| GERMAN | ENGLISH |
| Auf Wiedersehen! (formal) Tschüss! (informal) | Goodbye! Bye! Bye bye! |
| Schönen Tag noch! | Have a nice day! |
| Auf bald! Bis bald! Dann bis bald! | See you soon! |
| Es war schön mit Ihnen! (formal) Es war schön mit dir! (informal) | It’s been nice with you. |
| Lassen Sie uns in Kontakt bleiben. (formal) Lass uns in Kontakt bleiben. (informal) | Let’s stay in contact. |
If you find yourself worrying over emails and messages you have to write in German, use an online grammar check tool to facilitate your written communication. Sometimes, though, you have to talk to a customer service agent in person. The following basic German phrases are here to help!
| GERMAN | ENGLISH |
| Ich habe eine Reservierung …für ein Auto …für einen Tisch …auf den Namen XY | I have a reservation …for a car …for a table …in the name of XY |
| Ich hätte genre …einen Tisch für zwei Personen …die Karte …die Rechnung …einen Beleg …eine Fahrkarte / Eintrittskarte …ein Glas Wein …das da. | I would like …a table for two …the menu …the bill …a receipt …a ticket …a glass of wine …this. |
| Ich würde das gerne zurückgeben / umtauschen. | I’d like to return / exchange this. |
| Kann ich mit Karte / in bar bezahlen? | Can I pay with card / cash? |
| An wen kann ich mich wenden wegen …eines Umtausches? …der Bezahlung? …einer Beschwerde? | Who can I talk to about …an exchange? …paying? …a complaint? |
Near and far, you’ll get around the country if you can use these travel phrases in German:
| GERMAN | ENGLISH |
| Entschuldigung, wo ist …der Bahnhof? …ein Taxi? …der Fahrkartenautomat? …das Zentrum? …der Eingang / Ausgang? | Excuse me, where is …the train station? …a taxi? …the ticket machine? …the center? …the entrance / exit? |
| Wie komme ich zu/nach…? | How do I get to…? |
| Wann fährt …der nächste Bus? …die nächste Bahn? | When’s …the next bus? …the next train / tram? |
| Ich muss zum …Bahnhof …Flughafen …Zentrum. | I have to go to …the train station …the airport …the center. |
| Ist es weit weg (von…)? | Is it far (from…)? |
| Was ist in der Nähe (von…)? | What’s near (from…)? |
| Ich bleibe für …2 Tage …das Wochenende …eine Woche. | I’ll be staying for …2 days …the weekend …a week. |
| Können Sie mir das auf der Karte zeigen? | Can you show it to me on a map? |
Lastly, German has many phrases that’ll put a smile on your face and are nonetheless useful to have in your repertoire, because humor is universal and can defuse nearly any situation. As you’ll see, these can be quite literal, same as literal German words!
In any language, using common phrases doesn’t have to be the stilted communication of dusty textbooks.
Start learning and using the phrases from our compilation above today and you’ll make your life easier and get a better feel for German. You’ll find that soon you’re making progress towards becoming fluent! Want to keep learning ? Here are more German expressions for you to check out.
Here are also some of the questions people ask about the basic German words to learn if you want to speak German with native speakers
Some common German expressions to learn include “Guten Tag” for hello, “Auf Wiedersehen” for goodbye, and “Entschuldigung” for excuse me.
Essential German words for tourists include ”Die Rechnung, bitte” (The bill, please), “Wo ist die Toilette?” (Where is the restroom?), “Ich komme aus…” (I am from…), “ Kann ich bitte die Speisekarte haben? (Can I have the menu, please?), and “Wo ist die Touristeninformation?” (Where can I find the tourist information office?).
“Ja” meaning yes is one of the easiest words to say in the German language.
Basic phrases in German include “Können Sie mir helfen?” for “Can you help me”, “Wie viel kostet das?” for “How much does that cost?”, ”Das ist alles, danke.” (That’s all, thank you), and “Ich verstehe nicht” for “I don’t understand.”
One famous German saying is “Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei,” which means everything has an end, only the sausage has two.
So, while mastering German can pose challenges, integrating common German expressions into your daily interactions can significantly enhance your language skills.
Whether you’re navigating customer service, traveling in German-speaking countries, or simply meeting new people, having a repertoire of basic phrases is essential.
From practical inquiries to humorous expressions, incorporating these phrases into your conversations is your ticket to speaking German with confidence.
So, start using these expressions today and watch as your proficiency in German grows, bringing you closer to your goal of fluency.
Bis bald! (See you soon!)
