Have you ever wanted to learn German?
Or are you planning a trip to a German-speaking country?
To get started and have your first basic conversations in German, you're going to need to learn some words!
In this post, you'll learn 92 basic German phrases and words that will help you on your travels or just at home.
To make it easier for you, I've divided the phrases into different categories.
German Greetings & Introductions
“I do not understand!” – Getting Out Of Sticky Situations
Numbers In German
Visiting A German Restaurant
Transport – Getting Around In Germany
Asking For Directions
Shopping In German
Dealing with Medical Emergencies
Finding Hidden Gems
Whether you're going to Germany or Austria or Switzerland, chances are you can get by in English. But if you learn basic German too, you'll be able to connect more with German speakers.
Having a few common German phrases will make you experience these countries in a completely different way.
And even at home, learning German will allow you to learn more about German culture and connect with native German speakers in your local community.
You don't need to have a natural flair for language learning. Learning a few key phrases and being able to use them is a great start. And German isn't as hard as its reputation suggests, especially for native English speakers.
You never know, maybe learning these phrases will motivate you to go on and learn to speak German fluently.
Note: Want to go beyond basic German phrases and learn German with confidence and fluency? The best way to do so is by working through a comprehensive and well designed course. My top recommendation is German Uncovered, my in-depth online German course for beginners that teaches you through the power of story.
German Greetings & Introductions
German greetings and introductions
If you want to make a good impression with German speakers, you'll need a few basic phrases to meet and greet people.
After all, you're going to use greetings every time you have a conversation in German!
These phrases are simple, easy to remember and will help you make new German friends.
#1 Hallo – Hello [any time of day]
#2 Hallo, wie geht’s? – Hello, how are you?
#3 Guten Morgen – Good morning
#4 Guten Tag [lit. good day] – Good afternoon
#5 Guten Abend – Good evening
#6 Gute Nacht – Good night
#7 Vielen Dank – Thank you very much
#8 Ich danke Ihnen auch – Thank you, too [in reply to “thank you” from someone else else]
#9 Tschüss, bis zum nächsten Mal – Goodbye, see you next time
#10 Schönes Wetter heute, nicht wahr? – It's lovely weather today, is not it?
#11 Mein Name ist _ – My name is _____
#12 Ich bin Amerikaner, Kanadier, Engländer (male) – I'm American / Canadian / English
#13 Ich bin Amerikanerin, Kanadierin, Engländerin (female) – I'm American / Canadian / English
#14 Woher kommen Sie? – wher are you from?
#15 Freut mich – Nice to meet you!
#16 Es tut mir leid, aber ich verstehe nicht – I'm sorry, but I do not understand
#17 Ich spreche nicht gut Deutsch – I do not speak German very well
#18 Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? – Could you say that again please?
#19 Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? – Could you say that more slowly please?
