You’re walking the historical streets of Germany, preparing for a German conversation, but your confidence level in speaking hasn’t quite reached your excitement level. Ordering food in a new country, maneuvering German greetings, getting directions, and settling into your industry in Germany can be challenging while you’re working on building your German fluency. Luckily, you’ve found a curated list of German phrases, along with the social tips you need to navigate daily life in Germany as you read.
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Essential phrases for starting and ending conversations in German
Every polite conversation you’re likely to enjoy in German needs to have a kind opening and closing Deutsch (German) phrase. Germans tend to come across as reserved or unfriendly at first glance, but this is a reflection of their respect for someone they don’t know, not necessarily a result of your behavior.
Once you’ve caught a German’s eye and want to start a dialogue with them, start off on the right foot with a common German greeting:
- Guten Tag! = Good day!
- Wie geht es Ihnen? = How are you? (formal)
Formality is huge in the German language. Speaking to a new person, a professional acquaintance, or someone older requires the version of “How are you?” in German shown above.
For friends, family, and those younger than yourself, it’s better to say:
- Wie geht es dir? = How are you? (informal)
Once your polite conversation has drawn to a natural close, don’t just walk away from the other person. Instead, show off your manners and say to your conversational partner:
- Auf Wiedersehen. = Goodbye.
If you’re speaking to someone you’ll run into again, like a friend or acquaintance, you can also say “goodbye” with the German phrase Bis später! (See you later!).
German phrases for travelers to show respect and be polite
As a traveler, you’re a guest in a foreign nation, so it’s critical that you show respect to native citizens and maintain a polite tone. Pay attention to your body language; small things like pointing at your own head or making the “ok” sign with your thumb and index finger can be insulting in German culture. Leave your hands out of your pockets, as well, when speaking with a German.
Firstly, if offered something, you should show your appreciation for the offering, regardless of whether you want the thing or not. Try to keep a calm tone, as the enthusiasm Americans tend to display in daily conversation can seem overenthusiastic or even sarcastic. Simply sound appreciative and relaxed with one of these common German phrases:
- Ja, bitte. = Yes, please.
- Nein, danke. = No, thank you.
- Vielen dank. = Thank you very much.
From bumping into someone by accident on the street to standing in the wrong line because you misread a sign, show that you recognize the issue and apologize by saying “Excuse me” in German.
- Es tut mir leid. = I’m sorry.
- Entschuldigen Sie bitte. = Excuse me.
In densely populated areas, apologies are increasingly unnecessary in German culture if you bump into someone. The phrase Es tut mir leid is a stronger apology, so save this German phrase for when you’ve genuinely inconvenienced someone.
German travel phrases for getting around
Should you feel lost during your trip to Germany, get your German conversation practice in and ask a local for directions! Depending on how confident you are in German, you can politely ask if the native German speaker speaks English. As a second language, English is very common among Germans, so you’re likely to find someone who can communicate with you in a language you’re more comfortable with.
- Sprechen Sie Englisch? = Do you speak English?
If it happens that the German with whom you’re speaking doesn’t speak English, no problem! Give them a little context for your situation.
- Ich habe mich verlaufen. = I am lost.
Then, you can ask for directions to wherever you need to go. The German travel phrases below are good templates you can use to find out where to go:
- Wo sind die Toiletten? = Where is the restroom?
- Wo ist der Bahnhof? = Where is the train station?
You can always swap out die Toiletten or der Bahnhof with wherever you want to go, like these common travel destinations you might be looking for.
| German Destination | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| die Apotheke | ah-poh-TAY-kuh | pharmacy |
| die Bushaltestelle | BOOS-hal-teh-shtel-luh | bus stop |
| der Flughafen | FLOOG-hah-fen | airport |
| das Hotel | hoh-TELL | hotel |
| das Krankenhaus | KRAHN-ken-hows | hospital |
| das Lebensmittelgeschäft | LAY-bens-mit-tel-geh-SHEFT | grocery store |
Being proactive is always your best bet when traveling in an unfamiliar area like Germany. Thankfully, many German cities and towns have a free Stadtplan (city map) you can ask for, which will be huge in helping you get around.
At any Touristeninformation (tourist information) center, say:
- Guten Tag. Wir brauchen einen Stadtplan. = Good day. We need a city map.
In any situation, it’s polite to ask someone for directions when they’re not busy with something or having an involved conversation. Germans would see it as rude if you interrupted their meal or tea just to ask for directions. Look for someone walking along by themselves, for example, to avoid rudely interrupting someone’s busy day in Germany.
Simple German phrases for business and work
If you’re working in Germany or with German speakers, you should especially focus on two things: punctuality and respect for authority. Being even a few minutes late can be seen as incredibly rude to a German, and only very rarely will Germans contradict or criticize their bosses publicly.
Otherwise, the conversation should be entirely centered on your workday or related topics in the industry. Personal topics and information can be seen as too casual unless you know your coworker very well.
- Wann hast du den Termin mit deinem Kunden? = When is your appointment with your client?
- Sie haben um 14.00 Uhr einen Termin mit Herrn Siebert. = You have an appointment with Mr. Siebert at 2 pm.
- Für welche Firma arbeiten Sie? = What company do you work for?
- Ich arbeite in der Bauindustrie. = I work in the construction industry.
If you’re not in construction, here are a few other common industries you can swap der Bauindustrie for:
| German Industry | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| die Automobilindustrie | ow-toh-moh-BEEL-in-doos-TREE | automotive industry |
| der Einzelhandel | INE-tsel-hahn-del | retail industry |
| die Finanzbranche | fee-NAHNTS-brahn-shuh | finance industry |
| die Informationstechnologie | in-for-maht-see-OHNS-tekh-noh-loh-GEE | information technology |
| der Maschinenbau | mah-SHEE-nen-bow | mechanical engineering/ machinery manufacturing |
Basic German phrases for ordering food and drinks
I highly recommend skipping familiar, international fast-food chains while in Germany in favor of local cuisine. Decadent German dishes have been sculpted by thousands of years of tradition, and now’s your chance to use essential German phrases to experience it for yourself. You just need to know how to order food in German!
- As in American and English restaurants, you’re greeted by a host or hostess when you first walk in. Give a polite greeting, then say:
- Ein Tisch für zwei Personen bitte. = A table for two people, please.
- Of course, this German phrase can be altered with drei (three), vier (four), or whatever number of diners you have accompanying you.
- Ein Tisch für zwei Personen bitte. = A table for two people, please.
- Next, you should let the staff know about your food sensitivities, if you have any, to ensure your safety.
- Ich habe eine Allergie. = I have an allergy.
- Finding out what a restaurant does best is a great way to end up with a dish that you’ll love. Ask your server:
- Was empfehlen Sie? = What do you recommend?
- Finally, it’s time to order! Refer to this German phrase, which you can use as a template to order whatever German foods and drinks your heart desires:
- Ich möchte gern Kaffee. = I would like a coffee, please.
Below are a few common foods and beverages you can swap with Kaffee above and try out during your trip to Germany, along with how to pronounce them to your server to order what you’d prefer.
| German Food and Beverage | Pronunciation | English Translation |
| die Bratwurst | BRAHT-voorst | grilled sausage |
| das Bier | beer | beer |
| das Brot | broht | bread |
| der Kartoffelsalat | kar-TOF-fel-zah-laht | potato salad |
| die Pommes | POM-ess | fries |
| das Schnitzel | SHNIT-sel | schnitzel |
| die Suppe | ZOO-puh | soup |
| der Tee | tay | tea |
| der Wein | vine | wine |
Common German grammar rules for simple conversations
You don’t necessarily need to have complete mastery of the German language to navigate many daily situations in a German-speaking country. Generally, you can get by if you know a handful of common German grammar rules that show up in simple conversations.
- Use Sie (you, formal) for business, strangers, and the elderly. Use du (you, singular) or ihr (you, plural) for friends, family, and youth.
- Verbs come second in German statements, but they come first in German questions.
- Every noun has a gender, either masculine, feminine, or neuter. Be careful to use the right article, der (the, masculine), die (the, feminine), or das (the, neuter).
- Nouns are always capitalized in German, regardless of their position in the sentence.
- Negation uses either nicht (none/not) or kein (not any). Use the word kein to negate nouns and nicht to negate adjectives and adverbs.
Build German phrases into complete conversations with Rosetta Stone
Having practical German phrases memorized and locked into your linguistic toolbox is among the best ways to learn how to speak German. However, Rosetta Stone is there for the moments when the right words don’t come to mind, and you need a reliable source to fill in the communication gaps.
Should you find yourself needing that little extra help, scheduling Rosetta Stone tutoring sessions can help you get one-on-one help from a native German to reach your language-learning goals. They’ll help you build your vocabulary with German phrases and work your way into fluent conversation!
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