German Must-Know Phrases: Top 20!
A comprehensive guide with top 20 essential German must-know phrases that every language learner should know.
Learning a new language can be a thrilling adventure, and if you’re looking to conquer the German language, you’re in the right place. Because here I have some essential German must-know phrases for you!
Learn German fast and easy
Greetings and Basics
1. Hallo (Hello): The basic greeting to start any conversation.
2. Learn the different ways to greet someone based on the time of day: “Guten Morgen” (Good morning) for the early hours, “Guten Tag” (Good afternoon) for daytime, and “Guten Abend” (Good evening) for evenings.
Politeness and Gratitude
3. Bitte (Please / You’re welcome): A versatile word used for both requesting and offering, depending on the situation and intonation.
4. Danke (Thank you): Express your gratitude with this essential phrase.
5. Entschuldigung (Excuse me / I’m sorry): Use this phrase to apologize or get someone’s attention (the meaning of this word depends on the situation and intonation).
Affirmatives and Negatives
6. Ja (Yes) and Nein (No): Simple yet crucial affirmatives and negatives for any conversation.
Language Proficiency
7. Es tut mir leid, ich spreche nicht gut Deutsch (I’m sorry, I don’t speak German well): Explain your language proficiency with this handy phrase.
8. Sprechen Sie Englisch? (Do you speak English?): In case you need to switch to English, this phrase will come to your rescue.
9. Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen? (Could you please repeat that please?): When someone is speaking too fast, use this to ask them to repeat what they said.
10. Ich verstehe nicht (I don’t understand): If you’re still having trouble comprehending, this phrase will help you express your confusion.
Getting to Know Each Other
11. Wie heißt du? (What’s your name?): Use this question to inquire about someone’s name.
12. Ich heiße… (My name is…): Introduce yourself by answering the previous question.
Polite Inquiries
13. Wie geht es Ihnen? (How are you?): A polite way to ask about someone’s well-being. For a more informal version, you can say “Wie geht’s?“.
14. Mir geht es gut / schlecht (I’m doing well / horrible): Respond to the previous question with how you’re feeling.
Asking for Directions
15. Wo ist…? (Where is…?): Use this question to ask for directions to a place.
16. Wo ist die Toilette? (Where is the restroom?): A crucial question when you need to find the bathroom.
Inquiring About Prices
17. Wie viel kostet das? (How much does this cost?): Use this phrase to ask about prices when shopping or dining out.
18. Kann ich die Speisekarte bitte haben? (Can I please have the menu?): When you’re at a restaurant and ready to order, use this phrase to request the menu.
Seeking Help
19. Können Sie mir bitte helfen? (Can you please help me?): A polite way to ask for someone’s assistance.
Saying Goodbye
20. Auf Wiedersehen or Tschüss (Goodbye): Wrap up your conversations with a friendly goodbye.
Now that you’ve been equipped with these German must-know phrases you’re ready to navigate everyday conversations with confidence. Practice, engage, and immerse yourself in the language to make the most of your language learning journey. Viel Glück (Good luck) on your language-learning adventure!
If you are learning a different language and don’t know where to start, check out this blog post with top 3 language learning tips for beginners!
