Many German words sound a lot like their English counterparts. It could literally be translated by “I mis-walked”. One advantage of German cities and smaller towns is that a lot of landmarks and sights can be explored by foot. Check it out! This is just like the dialect differences between British English and American English. The following German phrases are vital for any trip abroad — no matter if it’s a short vacation or a long-term stay. With features such as Grammar Challenges, Cloze-Listening, and Cloze-Reading, the app will let you emphasize all the competencies necessary to become fluent in German. Ich schaue mich nur um, danke. Did you know there are many German words in English that we use? Once you think you've mastered these German phrases, try the audio flashcards or exercises to test your memory. — I’d like to reserve a table for two at six o’clock today. Geht es hier lang zum Museum? shprêH-en zee êng-lish? Bieten Sie auch Gerichte zum Mitnehmen an? Not every word is recognizable outside its relevant context. → This phrase works for pretty much any time of the day except for evenings. Yet if using it at one of the Döner shops in Germany, everyone will understand what you mean: you do want the spicy red chili flakes on top that make this already pretty delicious treat even better. — Please drive me to the nearest hospital. peccator - "at the same time a righteous. Wie lange lebst du schon in Stuttgart? But if you learn basic German too, you'll be able to connect more with German speakers. Was können Sie empfehlen? Ist dies der Zug/Bus nach Esslingen? Whether you're going to Germany or Austria or Switzerland, chances are you can get by in English. Below you can find the most important German expressions that you might need when dealing with an emergency. Gibt es hier in der Gegend interessante Sehenswürdigkeiten? — A small beer, please. Try Clozemaster – over 50 languages and thousands of sentences to help you take your language learning to the next level. So without further ado, let’s jump into one hundred German phrases and expressions that you should learn to sound like a native speaker! (Some terms are listed in multiple categories if they are important to each. Könnten Sie das bitte für mich zurücklegen? I don’t understand. If you need the waiter’s or the waitress’ attention, usually signing with your hand or your finger (by simply lifting it up in the air) is enough to get somebody’s attention. ), there are plenty of delicious treats to discover. Rufen Sie bitte einen Krankenwagen. Test your skills and see what you’ve learned from this article by playing a selection of sentences with useful German phrases and expressions. — Is this the train/bus going to Esslingen? Wie gehts? — When is the next bus to Mitte leaving? By the way, the word “Hello” in Germansounds almost the same as it does in English. — Do you have a children’s menu as well? There are a couple of phrases or expressions that aren’t necessarily “proper” high German but often coined in dialects, yet they still come in extremely handy when ordering food on the go. Ich bin auf der Suche nach einer Apotheke. Long time no see — I’d like four pretzel rolls, please. Bitte rufen Sie die Polizei. When being introduced to a new group of people, there are several things you might be asked, such as: Wo kommst du her? 2. Introduction: German is spoken by about 95 million people worldwide, and is the official language of Germany, Austria and parts of Switzerland. Medium Rare: Mittleres seltenes: Well-done: Gut durchbraten: Rare: Blutig: What could you recommend? Was kostet ein Ticket nach Stuttgart? Das steht mir leider nicht. — One ticket/two tickets to Stuttgart-Vaihingen, please. — I am looking for a (winter) hat. — Pleasure to meet you (guys)! Der Bundesrat ist ein Verfassungsorgan Deutschlands. — Where is the train station? — I am lost (driving a car). — Is this the way to the Rathausplatz (city hall square)? — Could you please put this on hold for me? — Do you still have this in a smaller/larger size? (informal), Woher kommen Sie? Ich brauche/wir brauchen einen Arzt. — Is there a hospital close by? It is kind of a point of contention in Germany when to stop using “Guten Morgen” as well as when to start using “Guten Abend”, so if you want to be on the safe side, you can always opt for: → This is a more informal way of greeting someone in German, but it can be used around any time of the day. — Do you have a dessert menu? Discussion of German history and culture requires some German words. While this phrase might sound rather confusing and illogical to you, it makes perfect sense for German natives! — Can you help me, please? It is easy to take similar vocabulary words between English and German for granted. In English, you can separate parts at the beginning of a sentence with a comma like you just saw. — Is it this way to get to the museum? — Excuse me please, is this train/bus going to …? You can use it when entering a store, approaching a stranger to ask for directions or when talking to somebody on the phone. → This phrase would be commonly used when speaking to a taxi drive or sitting in a cab. In most cities you will find both U-Bahn (“Untergrundbahn”, ‘underground train’) as well as S-Bahn (“Stadtschnellbahn”, basically an inner-city fast train), as well as regional trains commuting between larger cities (so-called ICE Zug or simply ICE, “Intercity Express”) or trains commuting between different cities which aren’t as fast as the ICE trains. This is where we write about language learning as well as post useful resources. For instance, just as one could say either: I will go with you, if I can. Auf Englisch darf man zwischen Englisch und darf ein Komma setzen. Learn how to say some basic German phrases, including greetings and various expressions to help make yourself understood. Before you start learning German, you should know that you already know some German words without actually being aware of it. Play Listen closely. Wie lange ist die Wartezeit für einen Tisch? Wie komme ich zur Stiftskirche? Wann fährt der nächste Bus nach Mitte? Be careful, though, because there are also many words that sound very similar but have different meanings. — I was mugged. mixpanel.track_links('.box-promo-link', 'Blog box promo link click'); jQuery('body').on('click', '#boxzilla-overlay, .boxzilla-close-icon', function() { mixpanel.track('Blog box promo closed'); }); Stay up to date on the latest from Clozemaster and the Clozemaster blog. So, the fastest way to fluency is by mastering the following German phrases. — Would you mind showing me this on the map, please? Just as in English, a subordinate clause may be used at the beginning or end of a complete expression, so long as it is paired with at least one independent clause. They are descendants from the Proto-Germanic language. → This is commonly used when pointing at the respective body part. (The Federal Council is a constitutional body of Germany.) On rare occasions an author will quote the original German as a sign of erudition. Im Deutschen ist das verboten. Rot-weiß (‘red-white’) stands for a way of topping the fries with both a heaping amount of ketchup and mayonnaise. These following German phrases might come in handy when using public trains: Mit welchem Zug/mit welcher U-Bahn/mit welcher S-Bahn komme ich nach Pankow? Ich glaube, ich habe mir etwas gebrochen. Blücher, a half-boot named after Prussian Field Marshal. Ich brauche einen Krankenwagen. — A large beer, please. German terms common in English academic context, German terms mostly used for literary effect, Learn how and when to remove these template messages, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Volksmarsch / Volkssport / Volkswanderung, the whole is more than the sum of its parts, List of pseudo-German words adapted to English, "Productivity Measures: Business Sector and Major Subsectors", "Modeling Unanticipated Shocks: An Illustrative GAMS/MCP Model", http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-german/out%20+%20hand, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_German_expressions_in_English&oldid=1014471460, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from March 2019, All articles needing additional references, Articles that may contain original research from March 2019, All articles that may contain original research, Articles with multiple maintenance issues, Pages that use a deprecated format of the math tags, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, German cultural artifacts, especially foods, have spread to English-speaking nations and often are identified either by their original German names or by German-sounding English names. — No, thanks, that’s all for today. How can I get there best? — Thanks, but for now I’ll keep looking. These 160 phrases are exactly what you need for travel, or to get around in Germany. Or is it the sound of an angry cat? German pronunciation in Hanover is not the same as spoken German in the Swiss Alps. (Maria is seeking advice from her friends.) Wann fährt der letzte Zug/Bus nach Tübingen? ), .mw-parser-output div.crossreference{padding-left:0}(See also Chemistry). Return to the German I Tutorial for more German (and mp3s)!. Germany offers a variety of different restaurants and street food — from fine dining to your local Döner Kebap shop (which I highly recommend you give a try! → This phrase can be used when you actually want to shop around for something some more before making a final decision, but it also can be used when a salesperson is being a little too pushy, essentially giving a subtle hint you’re not intending to buy anything there (without bluntly stating that). Gibt es hier in der Nähe eine öffentliche Toilette? Answer: That was the oh-so-lovely sound for the German ch. Ich hoffe, es geht euch gut! Kann ich hier auch mit Kreditkarte bezahlen? — Is there a public restroom close by? If you’d like to learn more German greetings, check out our post on saying hello in German! Haben Sie bereits geöffnet? → This could more or less translate to “I mis-drove”, and is commonly used when you’ve gotten lost while driving. 160 Everyday German Phrases. → The German word “Ticket” (same as in English!) Sign up here to save your progress and start getting fluent with thousands of German sentences at Clozemaster. The big immigration happened after World War II, during the 50s, 60s, and even 70s when more than three million German crossed the Atlantic Ocean and settled in America. “Sie können du zu mir sagen” or “Du kannst mich duzen”, which literally translates to “You can say you to me”. In recent years, however, many English words have been borrowed directly from German. 100+ Common German Phrases and Expressions to Sound Like a Native Speaker. — Where are you from? Können Sie mir bitte helfen? Everyone should take the time to learn these Being polite are just as important in German-speaking countries as they are in America. Ur- (German prefix), original or prototypical; e.g. Ich hätte gerne vier Laugenbrötchen. Guten Morgen [gu:tən mɔrgən] — Good morning (In German, it’s used before midday) 1. — I/we would like to pay, please. — Are there any interesting sights here in the area? Leben Sie schon lange hier? Wie viel kostet ein halbes Kilo Kartoffeln? We divided them into different categories to help you find the phrase that suits your situation best. Nowadays it is quite common to use English greetings, like “hi” and “bye bye”, but … The easiest way to start learning a foreign language is to memorize greetings and goodbyes. Ich bin auf der Suche nach einer Mütze. Sometimes we lack in motivation, be it for our work, chores – and even our language learning. — Excuse me please, I have a question. I’ve also included basics like asking for the time in the list below, since it’s something that can be very helpful when you don’t have a watch on you or your phone has run out of battery. Ich bin aus New York. — Please call an ambulance. hamburger), but most are comparatively rare. or Ich komme aus New York. As you have learned before, there are two ways of addressing someone in German: a polite or formal way using “Sie” and a more casual way using “du”. Ich würde gerne einen Tisch für zwei Personen für heute um sechs Uhr reservieren. — When is the next bus to the city center leaving? In Austria, Germany, and Switzerland the phone number '112' will get you in contact with the ambulance, fire department, and police. There are various types of trains in Germany. — One Döner with everything, please. In the end, you’ll find a list of emergency German phrases that are a must-have in case of illness or an … → When approaching strangers to ask questions or for directions, the polite form “Sie” (you) should always be used. 20 Motivational Sayings In German Posted by Constanze on Jul 31, 2017 in Language Guten Tag! — I’d like a table for one, please. Komme ich auf diesem Weg zum Rathausplatz? Especially if you are not used to riding on public trains and buses, navigating public transportation system can be hard at first. As I’ve already mentioned, I really do hope you won’t have to make use of any of the German phrases in the last section of this post. Both English and German come from the same language family, so we can say that they are linguistic siblings. — I’d like to go to Prenzlauer Berg. Many classic German expressions are similar to their English counterparts, but a fair number also work in the beloved German sausage ("Wurst"). After your initial introduction, you could simply say: Freut mich, Sie kennen zu lernen. Ein Ticket/zwei Tickets nach Stuttgart-Vaihingen bitte. If you are driving by car and you are lost, you could say: Ich habe mich verfahren. Möchten Sie gerne etwas trinken? If you just simply want to state what country you are from, you could say: Ich komme aus Amerika/Kanada/Spanien. Click here to start practicing with real German sentences! Please note: While in the US the check is always brought to your table, in Germany you have to request the check when eating at a restaurant. And we don’t have the ‘ringel-s’ à β Some say that Dutch has an overlay of German likeness due to linguistic influence, but that on a basic level, Dutch is more like English. Ein großes Bier, bitte. — Is there a tourist information close by? — What can you recommend? Kann ich bitte die Speisekarte sehen? — Do you know of any car rental services around here? history, psychology, philosophy, music, and the physical sciences; laypeople in a given field may or may not be familiar with a given German term. Haben Sie ein Handy? If you are not referring to the district, but simply to any city center, you could say: Wann fährt der nächste Bus in die Innenstadt? Would you like something to eat? → Some restaurants in Germany open their doors well after twelve o’clock noon (depending on if they serve dinner rather than lunch), so sometimes it is good to ask whether the establishment is open yet. (for example) — I am from New York. I can't speak German (well). [...] installed it contains 1400 general phrases for German-English translation; for English-German translation there are 1138 common phrases and sentences provided. — Is there a pediatrician’s office close by? 1. Take your German to the next level. — I’d like one portion of fries red and white, please. Ich bin bestohlen worden. → Before I even go into the details: be aware that in terms of grammar and vocabulary, this sentence is not correct whatsoever. In the English-German dictionary you will see many opportunities to improve upon your English or German language skills. There are plenty of different dialects in German so listening to a range of fluent speakers speaking German during your language learning journey is essential. Ich hatte einen Fahrradunfall/Autounfall. Mir geht es gut, danke, und dir? To get from A to B, you don’t necessarily need to use a car. (inf) Wie geht es Ihnen? promt.com Nach der Installation befinden sich darin bereits The same concept applies to greetings. — I think I have broken something. Von welchem Gleis aus fährt der Zug? In m… Learn Basic German Phrases German phrases and vocabulary, with free audio! These are called “cognates”. Wie komme ich am besten dorthin? It is distinguished from a calque, or loan translation, where a meaning or idiom from another language is translated into existing words or roots of the host language. — I am just looking, thank you. There are a variety of ways to introduce yourself in German or to simply say “hello” — some of them are more formal and some of them work in pretty much any situation. Is this the sound of Jens making the "ch" sound in German? Okay, important differences between Dutch and German you’d have to keep in mind: in Dutch we don’t use cases for noun words. Most sellers will get the hint when you state that you’d “like to look around some more”. — How much is half a kilogram of potatoes? Haben Sie das auch in einer kleineren/größeren Größe? — When is the last train/bus to Tübingen leaving? — Where are you from? — Do you have this in a different color? Ich kann nicht [so gut] Deutsch sprechen. decided to try something new! — I am American/Canadian/Spanish. Required fields are marked *. — My car was broken into. German phrases and expressions that will help you navigate during your stay in Germany. Do you speak English? (frm) Reply to 'How are you?' Some of the expressions are relatively common (e.g. Don’t panic, it’s just a word on a word, and the language is well-known for building new, hyper-specific words that express life more perfectly than any English word ever could. Möchten Sie gerne etwas essen? Can you repeat that please? Clozemaster is a game to learn and practice language in context. so you can also say in German: — Pleasure to meet you! Ich schaue mich nur um, danke. — I am from the US/Canada/Spain. Especially when in an unfamiliar area it is important to know some basics in case you need to ask for directions. Das steht mir leider nicht. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. — One Döner Kebap “with spicy”, please. — How long would we have to wait for a table? English: German: Could I see the menu, please? Note that this expression pertains to the guys. — Have you [polite] been living here for a long time? — Is it in this direction? In this case, however, I think the rule “better safe than sorry” applies all too well. These German phrases should come in handy when hunting for the perfect gift to give to a friend (or to yourself) or when shopping at the supermarket. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Was können Sie empfehlen? Gibt es hier in der Nähe ein Krankenhaus? hamburger), but most are comparatively rare. Mein Auto wurde aufgebrochen. → “Pommes” (short for pommes frites, which is French for “french fries”) is the casual term for fries in Germany. Language learning, getting fluent faster, and Clozemaster. [...] person and a sinner" - to describe the apparently paradoxical situation of the person who has faith in the saving grace of Christ, who is now regarded by God as justified yet remains a sinner until the final day of Christ. Both languages are Germanic languages; English, as mentioned earlier, is a global language and official language in 54 countries whereas German is a European language and spoken by Germans, Austrians and Swiss people. — Are you open yet? A loanword is a word borrowed from a donor language and incorporated into a recipient language without translation. — Thank you, but I’d like to look around a bit more. A simple main clause in German can be written with the same word order as English: Ich gab dem Jungen einen Ball. Einen Moment bitte. Useful German phrases for health and safety It’s a good idea to memorize the German phrases below in case the unexpected happens. Germans get swept off their feet when they hear the dialect spoken in Bavaria. cecassembly.no. Guten Tag [gu:tən ta:k] — Good day (I… Ich/wir hätten gerne einen Tisch für zwei/drei/vier Personen bitte. There are a few terms which are recognised by many English speakers but are usually only used to deliberately evoke a German context: Some famous English quotations are translations from German. Try it now by making a very short, cat-hissing sound. — I have a very bad headache/a bad migraine. Ich hätte gerne die Rechnung. Instead, you use “Guten Morgen” in the morning hours until approximately eleven o’clock, and after that you could opt for “Guten Tag”.