Having a handy list of common German words is great for anyone starting out with the German language. Whether you’re planning to visit Germany, have an upcoming business trip, or simply want to learn German, building your beginner vocabulary is an important first step.
From greetings to numbers, verbs, and words for travel, try these beginner words in German with pronunciation help. Learning common words is a building block of how to learn German, and it’ll help you lay a strong foundation for fluency development.
Table of Contents
Go-to German greetings
First impressions matter, and most conversations will start off with a simple “hello” or “welcome” in German.
- Willkommen in unserem Hotel! = Welcome to our hotel!
- Hallo. Schön, dich zu sehen! = Hello. It is nice to see you!
For this reason, whether for travel, work, or the satisfaction of learning a new language, knowing standard German greetings will help you begin conversations politely. You’ll also want to know how to say “goodbye” in German to end on a high note.
| German Greeting Term | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| ciao | chow | hi/bye |
| hallo | HAH-loh | hello |
| hi | hy | hi |
| mahlzeit | MAHL-tsite | lunchtime greeting |
| na | nah | what’s up |
| nabend | NAH-bent | good evening |
| tag | tahk | hello/good day |
| tschüss | choos | bye |
| willkommen | VIL-koh-men | welcome |
Words in German for polite conversation
When you deal with language, you deal with people. So, learning the art of polite conversation is fundamental for navigating social situations in German.
- Danke, mir geht es gut. = Thank you, I am fine.
- Einverstanden. Wo soll ich sitzen? = Understood. Where should I sit?
From the all-important bitte in German to polite expressions of agreement or disagreement, these essential terms are vital for good impressions and building rapport with German speakers.
| German | Pronunciation | English |
| bitte | BIT-tuh | please/here you go |
| danke | DAHN-kuh | thank you |
| dürfen | DYOOR-fen | may |
| einverstanden | EYN-fer-SHTAHN-den | agreed |
| Entschuldigung | ent-SHOOL-di-goong | excuse me |
| Frau | frow | Mrs./Ms. |
| gerne | GERN-uh | gladly |
| glückwunsch | GLOOK-voonsh | congratulations |
| Herr | hair | Mr. |
| ja | yah | yes |
| leider | LYE-der | unfortunately |
| nein | nine | no |
| Verzeihung | fer-TSYE-hoong | pardon me |
German verbs to describe your actions
Life is full of action, and there’s no better way to describe action than these often-encountered German verbs.
- Ich reise allein. = I am traveling alone.
- Bitte unterschreiben Sie diese Papiere. = Please sign this paper.
Whether you’re asking about the best trails to go hiking or discussing how to pay for dinner, life is more colorful when you adopt these German words to describe your actions.
| German Verb | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| ankommen | AHN-koh-men | to arrive |
| arbeiten | AHR-bite-en | To work |
| bezahlen | beh-TSAH-len | to pay |
| bringen | BRING-en | to bring |
| einchecken | EYN-chek-en | to check in |
| essen | ESS-en | to eat |
| fahren | FAH-ren | to drive |
| fliegen | FLEE-gen | to fly |
| hören | HUR-en | to hear/listen |
| kaufen | KOW-fen | to buy |
| laufen | LOW-fen | to run |
| reisen | RYE-zen | to travel |
| reservieren | reh-zer-VEE-ren | to reserve |
| schlafen | SHLAH-fen | to sleep |
| sehen | ZAY-en | to see |
| sitzen | ZIT-sen | to sit |
| sprechen | SHPREKH-en | to talk/speak |
| suchen | ZOO-khen | to look for |
| trinken | TRINK-en | to drink |
| unterschreiben | OON-ter-shry-ben | to sign |
| wandern | VAHN-dern | to walk/hike |
Common German words for people and places
Navigate conversations about daily life and the things you’re most likely to have, do, or see around you by knowing the names of common German nouns.
Whether you’re talking to your Chef (boss) about a recent report or hurriedly asking for directions to the Bahnhof (train station) on the way to your next adventure, these fundamental words are an excellent starting point.
Essential words for people and jobs
These most common German words for people will help you engage in conversations with your social circle, refer to those around you correctly, and identify people by their job.
- Der Polizist fährt. = The police officer is driving.
- Das ist Stefan. Er ist mein Kollege. = This is Stefen. He is my colleague.
Once you master this list of German words, you’ll be able to better introduce yourself and talk about those around you.
| German (Male/Female) | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| Arzt/Ärztin | artst | doctor |
| Besucher/ Besucherin | beh-ZOO-kher | visitor |
| Chef/ Chefin | shef | boss/manager |
| Dolmetscher/ Dolmetscherin | DOL-met-sher | interpreter |
| Fahrer/ Fahrerin | FAH-rer | driver |
| Flugbegleiter/ Flugbegleiterin | FLOOG-beh-GLEI-tehr | flight attendant |
| Fremdenführer/ Fremdenführerin | FREHM-den-fuer-er | tour guide |
| Freund/ Freundin | froynt | friend |
| Gast | gahst | guest |
| Geschäftspartner/ Geschäftspartnerin | geh-SHEFTS-part-ner | business partner |
| Kellner/ Kellnerin | KELL-ner | server |
| Mitarbeiter/ Mitarbeiterin | MIT-ar-bye-ter | coworker/employee |
| Passagier/ Passagierin | pah-sah-ZHEER | passenger |
| Polizist/ Polizistin | poh-LEE-tsist | police officer |
| Rezeptionist/ Rezeptionistin | reh-tsep-tsee-OHN-ist | receptionist |
| Student/ Studentin | shtoo-DENT | student |
| Übersetzer/ Übersetzerin | OO-ber-zet-ser | translator |
| Verkäufer/ Verkäuferin | fehr-KOY-fer | salesperson/shop clerk |
Must-know German place and facility names
Headed to the airport or looking for a museum? These are common words someone might use when heading out to explore a German city or town.
- Ich warte im Busbahnhof. = I am waiting at the bus station.
- Wo ist das Hotel? = Where is the hotel?
Once you know German words for places, you’ll be one step closer to building phrases like “What time does the train leave?”
| German | Pronunciation | English |
| Apotheke/Drogerie | ah-poh-TAY-kuh/ droh-guh-REE | pharmacy/drug store |
| Bahnhof | BAHN-hohf | train station |
| Busbahnhof | BOOS-bahn-hohf | bus station |
| Flughafen | FLOOG-hah-fen | airport |
| Geschäft | geh-SHEFT | store |
| Hotel | hoh-tel | hotel |
| Kino | KEE-noh | movie theater |
| Kirche | KEER-shuh | church |
| Krankenhaus | KRAHN-ken-hows | hospital |
| Museum | moo-ZAY-oom | museum |
| Schloss | shloss | castle |
| Schule | SHOO-luh | school |
| See | zay | lake |
| Staat | shtaaht | state |
| Stadt | shtaht | city |
| Veranstaltungsort | fer-AHN-shtahl-toongs-ort | event venue |
Stadt (city) sounds very similar to Staat (state). Listen for the “a” sound when these words are spoken. If you’re hearing a longer “a” sound, the speaker is likely referring to a Staat, and a shorter “a” sound is likely referring to a Stadt.
Handy German words for traveling
Travel day can be as stressful as it is exciting as you approach your final destination. You may be asked for your passport or shown the exit. It helps to know these important travel words in German.
- Der Zollbeamte überprüft den Reisepass. = The customs officer is checking a passport.
- Der Ausgang ist geradeaus. = The exit is straight ahead.
While you’re in transit, keep these basic words in mind to make the experience of traveling a bit smoother and sneak in some German practice.
| German Travel Vocabulary | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| Abfahrt | AHP-fahrt | departure |
| Ankunft | AHN-koonft | arrival |
| Achtung | AHK-toong | attention/warning |
| Ausgang | OWS-gang | exit |
| Bahnsteig | BAHN-shtygh | train platform |
| Fahrkarte | FAR-kar-tuh | ticket |
| Fundbüro | FOONT-beur-oh | lost and found |
| Gastronomiebereich | GAHST-rohn-oh-mee-bear-eish | food court |
| Geldautomat | GEHLT-ow-toh-maht | ATM |
| Geldwechsel | GEHLT-vek-sehl | currency exchange |
| Gepäck | guh-PECK | luggage |
| Handgepäck | HAHNT-guh-peck | carry-on luggage |
| Kreditkarte | kreh-DIT-kar-tuh | credit card |
| Notruf | NOHT-roof | emergency call |
| Passkontrolle | PASS-kon-trol-luh | passport control |
| Reisepass | RYE-zuh-pass | passport |
| Stadtplan | SHTAHT-plahn | city map |
| Umsteig | OOM-shteig | transfer |
| Verspätung | fer-SHPAY-toong | delay |
| Zoll | tsol | customs |
Essential German words for work
If you’re among the many English speakers who pick up the German language for work opportunities and career advancement, there are a few German terms you’ll hear regularly in the workplace or on a business trip.
| German | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| Abteilung | AHP-ty-loong | department |
| Aufgabe | OWF-gah-buh | task |
| Besprechung | beh-SHPREKH-oong | meeting |
| Büro | byoo-ROH | office |
| Feierabend | FYE-er-AH-bent | evening off after work |
| Präsentation | pray-zen-tah-TSEE-ohn | presentation |
| Rechnung | REKH-noong | invoice |
| Schreibtisch | SHRYBE-tish | desk |
| Stelle | STHEL-luh | position/job opening |
| Termin | tair-MEEN | appointment |
| Videoanruf | VID-ee-oh-AHN-ruhf | video call |
| Vertrag | feh-TRAHK | contract |
| Vorgesetzter | FOR-ge-zet-ster | supervisor |
| Unternehmen | OON-ter-nay-men | company |
Time and numbers in German
Being able to count, tell time, and talk about scheduling is an essential skill in German fluency. Learn key German words related to time and basic numbers, providing you with the tools you’ll need to make plans and communicate your daily schedule.
Counting numbers in German
Numbers are a universal language and getting the hang of numbers in German will be helpful anywhere you go.
- Wir möchten gern zwei Eintrittskarten. = We would like two entry tickets.
- Die nächste Führung beginnt in zwanzig Minuten. = The next tour begins in twenty minutes.
You’ll see numbers used in so many contexts from dates to prices and quantities. No matter what you’re learning German for, numbers are always important to know.
| German Number | Pronunciation | English |
| eins | eyens | one |
| zwei | tsvy | two |
| drei | dry | three |
| vier | feer | four |
| fünf | foonf | five |
| sechs | zeks | six |
| sieben | ZEE-ben | seven |
| acht | akht | eight |
| neun | noyn | nine |
| zehn | tsayn | ten |
| elf | elf | eleven |
| zwölf | tsverlf | twelve |
| zwanzig | TSVAHN-tsig | twenty |
| hundert | HOON-dert | hundred |
How Germans tell time
Punctuality is important. Use these German words to discuss the hours, minutes, and parts of the day. You’ll be able to catch that important train on time, schedule appointments, or simply ask for the time in German.
| German | Pronunciation | English |
| Abend | AH-bent | evening |
| bald | balt | soon |
| früh | froo | early |
| Gestern | GES-tern | yesterday |
| halb | halp | half |
| Heute | HOY-tuh | today |
| jetzt | yetst | now |
| Minute | mee-NOO-tuh | minute |
| Mittag | MIT-tahk | noon |
| Morgen | MOR-gen | tomorrow |
| Nachmittag | NAHKH-mit-tahk | afternoon |
| nach | mahkh | after/past |
| Nacht | nahkht | night |
| Sekunde | seh-KOON-duh | second |
| Stunde | SHTOON-duh | hour |
| Tag | tahk | day |
| Uhr | ooh | clock/o‘clock |
| Viertel | FEER-tel | quarter |
| vor | for | before/until |
| Vormittag | FOR-mit-tahk | morning |
In Germany, telling time is similar to how it’s done in English but with a few modifications. Mainly, the 24-hour clock is commonly used instead of the 12-hour clock, which you see most often for transportation schedules.
Also, because there’s no distinction between a.m. and p.m. with the 24-hour clock, the time is followed by Uhr (o’clock) instead.
- Der Zug fährt um 13:00 Uhr nach Berlin. (The train leaves at 1:30 p.m. for Berlin.)
- Wir essen um 18:00 Uhr zu Abend. (We eat dinner at 6:00 p.m.)
- Der Film beginnt um 19:30 Uhr. (The movie starts at 7:30 p.m.)
There are also specific German phrases used for parts of the hour, much like in English.
- halb vier (half of four, 3:30 a.m.)
- Viertel vor zwölf (a quarter to twelve, 11:45 a.m.)
- Viertel nach acht (a quarter past eight, 8:15 a.m.)
German adjectives to know
You wouldn’t just tell your friend that you have “a trip” planned to “a part” of Germany. You would tell them about the exciting trip you have in mind to a warm part of Germany. German adjectives spice up daily conversation and make your words sizzle with added meaning.
Ready to express that level of variety in your German conversations? Try some useful and description-enhancing adjectives you can use in practical communication to make your stories pop.
| German Adjective | Pronunciation | English |
| alt | ahlt | old |
| billig | BiL-lig | cheap |
| glücklich | GLOOK-likh | happy |
| groß | grohs | big |
| gut | goot | good |
| hässlich | HESS-likh | ugly |
| interresant | IN-ter-ehs-ahnt | interesting |
| jung | yoong | young |
| kalt | kahlt | cold |
| klein | klyne | small |
| kurz | koorts | short |
| lang | lahng | long |
| langweilig | LAHNG-vy-lig | boring |
| leer | lear | empty |
| schlecht | shlekht | bad |
| schön | shurn | beautiful |
| spannend | SHPAH-nent | exciting |
| teuer | TOY-er | expensive |
| traurig | TROW-rig | sad |
| voll | foll | full |
| warm | varm | warm |
Like in English, German adjectives usually come before the noun they’re modifying. Unlike English, German adjectives must reflect the gender, number, and case of the noun which they’re modifying. For instance, klein (small) changes its ending based on the noun it describes:
- Eine kleine Katze (a small cat, feminine noun)
- Ein kleines Hause (a small house, neuter noun)
- Ein kleiner Hund (a small dog, masculine noun)
Words for asking questions
How do you know if you don’t already know? By asking, of course! Questions are necessary in gleaning new information, and there’s no better way to form questions than with these useful German question words.
- Warum sind Sie hier? = Why are you here?
- Für welche Projekte interessieren Sie sich? = Which types of projects interest you?
Learn the most common words used when forming questions about the world around you.
| German | Pronunciation | English |
| fragen | FRAH-gen | to ask |
| ob | ohb | if |
| wann | vahn | when |
| warum | va-RUHM | why |
| was | vas | what |
| welche | VEL-shuh | which |
| wer | ver | who |
| wie | vee | how |
| wo | voh | where |
Common pronouns you need to know
Not sure how to say “you” in German? Pronouns have a huge impact on German grammar, so one of the first steps in German fluency is knowing which one to pick for your conversations.
- Ich heiße Josephine. = I am called Josephine.
- Ist das dein Bruder? = Is this your brother?
When choosing the correct German pronouns, you’ll need to keep a few things in mind like how well-acquainted you are with the person you’re speaking to or how many things you’re referring to at once.
| Pronoun | English |
| ich | I |
| du | you (informal) |
| er/sie/es | he/she/it |
| wir | we |
| ihr | you all |
| sie/Sie | they/you (formal) |
| mein | my |
| dein | your |
| mich | myself |
| dich | yourself |
Common food words in German
Nothing brings cultures together faster than food! German cuisine offers a delightful mix of hearty meals, fresh produce, and a variety of condiments that enhance any dish. Germans are passionate about their food, with many words reflecting the country’s culinary traditions.
- Brot mit Knoblauch und Butter. = Bread with garlic and butter.
- Ich habe dieses Fleisch zum Abendessen gegrillt. = I grilled this meat for dinner.
Should you find yourself ordering at a nice restaurant in Munich or cooking up a traditional German dinner, learning this list of common terms for food in German will help you talk about food and your tastes with confidence.
| German Food | Pronunciation | English |
| Apfel | AHP-fel | apple |
| Brot | broht | bread |
| Brötchen | BRURT-khen | bread roll |
| Butter | BOOT-er | butter |
| Döner | DOEH-ner | kebab |
| Eier | EYE-er | egg |
| Fleisch | flysh | meat |
| Hähnchenfleisch | HAYN-khen-flysh | chicken |
| Kartoffel | kar-TOFF-el | potatoes |
| Käse | KAY-zuh | cheese |
| Knoblauch | KNOHB-lowkh | garlic |
| Milch | milkh | milk |
| Nudeln | NOO-deln | pasta |
| Nüsse | NOO-suh | nuts |
| Öl | url | oil |
| Reis | ryce | rice |
| Rindfleisch | RINT-flysh | beef |
| Schnitzel | SHNIT-sel | breaded pork cutlet |
| Schweinebraten | SHVY-neh-brah-ten | roast pork shoulder |
| Wurst | voorst | sausage |
| Zwiebel | TSVEE-bel | onion |
More German words you can explore
Hungry for more German vocabulary? The language is full of infamously long German words and even some funny German words to entertain your friends.
You’d be surprised by all the ways to say “yes” in German and how to say “no” in German. There’s plenty more vocabulary to learn that’ll help you enjoy a trip to Germany or dive a little deeper into German culture.
- Headed to Germany? Start by knowing how to say “vacation” in German.
- Ensure your itinerary is right with the days of the week in German.
- Discuss art, clothing, and more with words for colors in German.
- Explore words for animals in German to talk about pets and the natural world.
Pick up more words in German with Rosetta Stone
Not everyone can learn vocabulary with lists and charts alone, and no one understands this better than we do. With Rosetta Stone’s Dynamic Immersion method, you’ll learn to adapt to new conversations, terms, and phrases by applying them in a practical context.
This helps you learn by building your own experiences that connect to essential vocabulary you want to learn. Armed with basic German words, you can begin your German conversation practice next.
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