You land in Germany, walk up to a counter, and the phrase you practised on the plane evaporates. It happens to almost everyone. The fix is not to memorise a grammar book, it is to have a small set of ready-made phrases you can reach for without thinking. German is my native language, and the lines below are the ones I would actually want a friend to know before their first trip, with English translation and pronunciation for each.
German phrases are short expressions often used in speech to be polite, express gratitude, greet or say goodbye, or simply to have a pleasant conversation. They are an important part of German culture and are useful in everyday and business situations alike.
Quick answer: the German phrases to know first
Start with five: Hallo (hello), Danke (thank you), Bitte (please and you are welcome), Entschuldigung (excuse me or sorry), and Sprechen Sie Englisch? (do you speak English?). With just these you can be polite, ask for help and open almost any conversation. Everything below builds on that core, grouped by situation so you can find the right line fast.
German phrases you should know
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One thing before you start: du or Sie?
German has two words for you. Sie is formal and polite, used with strangers, older people, officials and in most business settings. du is informal, for friends, family, children and often younger people among themselves. Most of the phrases below are shown in the friendly du form, which is perfect for peers and casual settings. With someone you do not know, especially anyone older or in a professional context, switch to Sie, for example Wie geht es Ihnen? instead of Wie geht es dir? As a rule of thumb, start with Sie and let the other person offer the du.
Greet someone in German
If you want to greet someone in German, it is actually quite easy:
Common Greetings and Expressions
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome! in German | Willkommen! | /vɪlˈkɔmən/ |
| Good day to you! in German | Einen schönen Tag! | /ˈaɪ̯nən ˈʃøːnən taːk/ |
| Good morning to you! in German | Guten Morgen! | /ˈɡuːtən ˈmɔʁɡn̩/ |
| Good evening! in German | Guten Abend! | /ˈɡuːtən ˈʔaːbənt/ |
| Good to see you. in German | Schön, dich zu sehen. | /ʃøːn dɪç tsuː ˈzeːən/ |
| I’m glad to see you. in German | Ich freue mich, dich zu sehen. | /ɪç ˈfʁɔɪ̯ə mɪç dɪç tsuː ˈzeːən/ |
If you are greeted in German, the best way to respond is as follows:
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Have a nice day too! in German | Dir auch einen schönen Tag! | /diːɐ̯ aʊ̯x ˈaɪ̯nən ˈʃøːnən taːk/ |
| Thanks, it’s nice to see you too. in German | Danke, es ist schön, dich auch zu sehen. | /ˈdaŋkə ɛs ɪst ʃøːn dɪç aʊ̯x tsuː ˈzeːən/ |
How is my dialogue partner?
As in any other country, it is polite to start by asking how the person you are talking to is doing. Here is how you do it:
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| How are you doing? in German | Wie geht es dir? | /viː ɡeːt ɛs diːɐ̯/ |
| Are you doing well? in German | Geht es dir gut? | /ɡeːt ɛs diːɐ̯ ɡuːt/ |
If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with the following phrases:
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Thank you for asking, I am fine. | Danke der Nachfrage, mir geht es gut. | /ˈdaŋkə deːɐ̯ ˈnaːxfʁaːɡə miːɐ̯ ɡeːt ɛs ɡuːt/ |
| Thank you, I am fine. | Danke, mir geht es gut. | /ˈdaŋkə miːɐ̯ ɡeːt ɛs ɡuːt/ |
| Thank you, I am not doing so well. | Danke, mir geht es nicht so gut. | /ˈdaŋkə miːɐ̯ ɡeːt ɛs nɪçt zoː ɡuːt/ |
| Thanks, I’m fine. How are you doing? | Danke, mir geht’s gut. Wie geht es dir? | /ˈdaŋkə miːɐ̯ ɡeːts ɡuːt viː ɡeːt ɛs diːɐ̯/ |
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How do I say goodbye to someone in German?
Saying goodbye to a friend or a stranger in German is not that difficult. Just use the following phrases:
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Goodbye! in German | Auf Wiedersehen! | /aʊ̯f ˈviːdɐˌzeːən/ |
| Take care of yourself! in German | Pass auf dich auf! | /pas aʊ̯f dɪç aʊ̯f/ |
| See you tomorrow in German | Bis morgen | /bɪs ˈmɔʁɡn̩/ |
| See you soon in German | Bis bald | /bɪs balt/ |
| See you later in German | Bis später | /bɪs ˈʃpɛːtɐ/ |
| Good night in German | Gute Nacht | /ˈɡuːtə naχt/ |
| Sleep well in German | Schlaf gut | /ʃlaːf ɡuːt/ |
| Talk to you later. in German | Wir sprechen uns später. | /viːɐ̯ ˈʃpʁɛçn̩ ʊns ˈʃpɛːtɐ/ |
| Nice to have met you! in German | Schön, dich kennengelernt zu haben! | /ʃøːn dɪç ˈkɛnənɡəˌlɛʁnt tsuː ˈhaːbn̩/ |
How do I introduce myself in German?
When travelling in Germany, sooner or later you will come into contact with local people. Naturally, you will want to introduce yourself in German and know who you are talking to.
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| My name is Jonas. | Ich heiße Jonas. | /ɪç ˈhaɪ̯sə ˈjoːnas/ |
| What is your name? | Wie heißt du? | /viː ˈhaɪ̯st duː/ |
| What is your first name? | Wie ist dein Vorname? | /viː ɪst daɪ̯n ˈfoːɐ̯ˌnaːmə/ |
| What is your surname? | Wie ist dein Nachname? | /viː ɪst daɪ̯n ˈnaːxˌnaːmə/ |
If you want to tell people where you come from, the following sentences are useful:
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Where do you come from? | Woher kommst du? | /voˈeːɐ̯ kɔmst duː/ |
| I am from London. | Ich komme aus London. | /ɪç ˈkɔmə aʊ̯s ˈlɔndɔn/ |
| Are you from Birmingham? | Kommst du aus Birmingham? | /kɔmst duː aʊ̯s ˈbœʁmɪŋəm/ |
| No, I’m from Madrid. | Nein, ich komme aus Madrid. | /naɪ̯n ɪç ˈkɔmə aʊ̯s maˈdʁɪt/ |
| Great, I’m from Madrid too. | Toll, ich komme auch aus Madrid. | /tɔl ɪç ˈkɔmə aʊ̯x aʊ̯s maˈdʁɪt/ |
| Where do you live? | Wo wohnst du? | /voː voːnst duː/ |
| I live in Berlin. | Ich wohne in Berlin. | /ɪç ˈvoːnə ɪn bɛʁˈliːn/ |
If you have trouble with your German, it helps to know which other languages the person speaks:
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | Sprichst du Englisch? | /ʃpʁɪçst duː ˈɛŋlɪʃ/ |
| Yes, I speak English. | Ja, ich spreche Englisch. | /jaː ɪç ˈʃpʁɛçə ˈɛŋlɪʃ/ |
| Yes, I speak some English. | Ja, ich spreche etwas Englisch. | /jaː ɪç ˈʃpʁɛçə ˈɛtvas ˈɛŋlɪʃ/ |
| No, I do not speak any English. | Nein, ich spreche kein Englisch. | /naɪ̯n ɪç ˈʃpʁɛçə kaɪ̯n ˈɛŋlɪʃ/ |
| I only speak English. | Ich spreche nur Englisch. | /ɪç ˈʃpʁɛçə nuːɐ̯ ˈɛŋlɪʃ/ |
| I understand some German. | Ich verstehe etwas Deutsch. | /ɪç fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːə ˈɛtvas dɔʏ̯tʃ/ |
Useful sentences with ‘I am…’
The following sentences help you orientate yourself in German and express your wishes and concerns:
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| I am English. in German | Ich bin Engländer / Engländerin | /ɪç bɪn ˈɛŋlɛndɐ/ (m), /ɪç bɪn ˈɛŋlɛndəʁɪn/ (f) |
| I am injured. in German | Ich bin verletzt | /ɪç bɪn fɛɐ̯ˈlɛtst/ |
| I am here. in German | Ich bin hier | /ɪç bɪn hiːɐ̯/ |
| I am hungry. in German | Ich habe Hunger | /ɪç ˈhaːbə ˈhʊŋɐ/ |
| I am thirsty. in German | Ich habe Durst | /ɪç ˈhaːbə dʊʁst/ |
| I am single. in German | Ich bin Single | /ɪç bɪn ˈzɪŋəl/ |
| I need help! in German | Ich brauche Hilfe! | /ɪç ˈbʁaʊ̯xə ˈhɪlfə/ |
| I am tired. in German | Ich bin müde | /ɪç bɪn ˈmyːdə/ |
| I am happy. in German | Ich bin glücklich | /ɪç bɪn ˈɡlʏklɪç/ |
| I am sad. in German | Ich bin traurig | /ɪç bɪn ˈtʁaʊ̯ʁɪç/ |
| I am in love. in German | Ich bin verliebt | /ɪç bɪn fɛɐ̯ˈliːpt/ |
| I am ill. in German | Ich bin krank | /ɪç bɪn kʁaŋk/ |
| I am ready. in German | Ich bin bereit | /ɪç bɪn bəˈʁaɪ̯t/ |
| I am busy. in German | Ich bin beschäftigt | /ɪç bɪn bəˈʃɛftɪçt/ |
| I am lost. in German | Ich habe mich verlaufen | /ɪç ˈhaːbə mɪç fɛɐ̯ˈlaʊ̯fn̩/ |
| I am a tourist. in German | Ich bin Tourist / Touristin | /ɪç bɪn tuˈʁɪst/ (m), /ɪç bɪn tuˈʁɪstɪn/ (f) |
| I am new here. in German | Ich bin neu hier | /ɪç bɪn nɔɪ̯ hiːɐ̯/ |
| I am confident. in German | Ich bin selbstbewusst | /ɪç bɪn ˈzɛlpstbəˌvʊst/ |
| I am proud. in German | Ich bin stolz | /ɪç bɪn ʃtɔlt͡s/ |
| I am a teacher. in German | Ich bin Lehrer / Lehrerin | /ɪç bɪn ˈleːʁɐ/ (m), /ɪç bɪn ˈleːʁəʁɪn/ (f) |
| I am late. in German | Ich bin zu spät | /ɪç bɪn tsuː ˈʃpɛːt/ |
| I am 30 years old. in German | Ich bin dreißig Jahre alt | /ɪç bɪn ˈdʁaɪ̯sɪç ˈjaːʁə alt/ |
| I am in a hurry. in German | Ich habe es eilig | /ɪç ˈhaːbə ɛs ˈaɪ̯lɪç/ |
| I am surprised. in German | Ich bin überrascht | /ɪç bɪn ˌʔyːbɐˈʁaʃt/ |
| I am angry. in German | Ich bin wütend | /ɪç bɪn ˈvyːtn̩t/ |
Apologising in German
Here is how to apologise to a German speaker:
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| I apologise. | Ich entschuldige mich. | /ɪç ʔɛntˈʃʊldɪɡə mɪç/ |
| Sorry, that was not the intention. | Entschuldigung, das war nicht so gemeint. | /ʔɛntˈʃʊldɪɡʊŋ das vaːɐ̯ nɪçt zoː ɡəˈmaɪ̯nt/ |
| Sorry, I did not do it on purpose. | Entschuldigung, das war keine Absicht. | /ʔɛntˈʃʊldɪɡʊŋ das vaːɐ̯ ˈkaɪ̯nə ˈʔapzɪçt/ |
| Sorry, that was very clumsy of me. | Entschuldigung, das war sehr ungeschickt von mir. | /ʔɛntˈʃʊldɪɡʊŋ das vaːɐ̯ zeːɐ̯ ˈʊnɡəˌʃɪkt fɔn miːɐ̯/ |
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Typically German phrases you will not find in a textbook
This is where a phrasebook usually stops and real German begins. The little words below are the ones Germans actually drop into conversation every day. Get a couple of them right and people will look up, because they signal that you have listened to real German, not just studied it. As a native speaker, this is the part I enjoy sharing most.
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Hey, how’s it going? (all in one syllable) | Na? | /naː/ |
| Everything ok? | Alles klar? | /ˈaləs klaːɐ̯/ |
| All good. | Alles gut. | /ˈaləs ɡuːt/ |
| Exactly. / Right. | Genau. | /ɡəˈnaʊ̯/ |
| Yes it is! (contradicting a “no”) | Doch! | /dɔx/ |
| Enjoy your meal! (lunchtime greeting at work) | Mahlzeit! | /ˈmaːlt͡saɪ̯t/ |
| Cheers! | Prost! | /pʁoːst/ |
| Nonsense! | Quatsch! | /kvatʃ/ |
Two of these deserve a word of explanation, because they are pure German. Doch is the word English is missing: it flatly contradicts a negative statement. If someone says Du magst kein Bier (you don’t like beer) and you do, you just say Doch! and the matter is settled. And Mahlzeit literally means “mealtime”, yet Germans use it as a greeting around midday, especially in offices and canteens. Say it as you pass a colleague at noon and you will sound wonderfully local.
Untranslatable German words worth knowing
German is famous for single words that carry a whole feeling. You will not translate these cleanly, and that is exactly why they are worth learning:
- Feierabend /ˈfaɪ̯ɐˌʔaːbənt/: the moment the working day ends and the free evening begins. It is almost sacred here.
- Gemütlichkeit /ɡəˈmyːtlɪçkaɪ̯t/: warm, cosy belonging, the feeling of a candlelit café with good friends and no rush.
- Fernweh /ˈfɛʁnveː/: the opposite of homesickness, an ache to be far away and travelling.
- Schadenfreude /ˈʃaːdn̩ˌfʁɔʏ̯də/: quiet delight at someone else’s small misfortune. English liked this one so much it borrowed it.
And two everyday idioms that will make a German smile if you use them right: Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof (literally “I only understand train station”) means “I don’t understand a thing”, and Das ist nicht mein Bier (literally “that is not my beer”) means “that is not my problem”.
Useful signs and notices in German
Useful signs and notices in German that you will often see.
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance in German | Eingang | /ˈaɪ̯nɡaŋ/ |
| Toilet in German | Toilette | /to.aˈlɛtə/ |
| Exit in German | Ausgang | /ˈaʊ̯sɡaŋ/ |
| Attention! in German | Achtung! | /ˈaχtʊŋ/ |
| Police in German | Polizei | /po.liˈt͡saɪ̯/ |
| Emergency services in German | Notdienste | /ˈnoːtˌdiːnstə/ |
| Fire brigade in German | Feuerwehr | /ˈfɔʏ̯ɐˌveːɐ̯/ |
| Passage forbidden. in German | Durchgang verboten. | /ˈdʊʁçɡaŋ fɛɐ̯ˈboːtn̩/ |
| Caution! in German | Vorsicht! | /ˈfoːɐ̯zɪçt/ |
| This building is under video surveillance. in German | Dieses Gebäude wird videoüberwacht. | /ˈdiːzəs ɡəˈbɔʏ̯də vɪʁt ˈviːdeoˌʔyːbɐvaχt/ |
Numbers to 25 in German
Counting in German is not that difficult. Here are the numbers in German from 1 to 25.
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in German | eins | /aɪ̯ns/ |
| 2 in German | zwei | /t͡svaɪ̯/ |
| 3 in German | drei | /dʁaɪ̯/ |
| 4 in German | vier | /fiːɐ̯/ |
| 5 in German | fünf | /fʏnf/ |
| 6 in German | sechs | /zɛks/ |
| 7 in German | sieben | /ˈziːbən/ |
| 8 in German | acht | /axt/ |
| 9 in German | neun | /nɔɪ̯n/ |
| 10 in German | zehn | /t͡seːn/ |
| 11 in German | elf | /ɛlf/ |
| 12 in German | zwölf | /t͡svœlf/ |
| 13 in German | dreizehn | /ˈdʁaɪ̯t͡seːn/ |
| 14 in German | vierzehn | /ˈfiːɐ̯t͡seːn/ |
| 15 in German | fünfzehn | /ˈfʏnft͡seːn/ |
| 16 in German | sechzehn | /ˈzɛçt͡seːn/ |
| 17 in German | siebzehn | /ˈziːpt͡seːn/ |
| 18 in German | achtzehn | /ˈaxt͡seːn/ |
| 19 in German | neunzehn | /ˈnɔɪ̯nt͡seːn/ |
| 20 in German | zwanzig | /ˈt͡svant͡sɪç/ |
| 21 in German | einundzwanzig | /ˈaɪ̯nʊntˌt͡svant͡sɪç/ |
| 22 in German | zweiundzwanzig | /ˈt͡svaɪ̯ʊntˌt͡svant͡sɪç/ |
| 23 in German | dreiundzwanzig | /ˈdʁaɪ̯ʊntˌt͡svant͡sɪç/ |
| 24 in German | vierundzwanzig | /ˈfiːɐ̯ʊntˌt͡svant͡sɪç/ |
| 25 in German | fünfundzwanzig | /ˈfʏnfʊntˌt͡svant͡sɪç/ |
The colours in German
The most common colours in German with phonetic transcription for pronunciation.
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Red in German | rot | /ʁoːt/ |
| Blue in German | blau | /blaʊ̯/ |
| Yellow in German | gelb | /ɡɛlp/ |
| Green in German | grün | /ɡʁyːn/ |
| Orange in German | orange | /oˈʁãːʃə/ |
| Purple in German | lila | /ˈliːla/ |
| Pink in German | rosa | /ˈʁoːza/ |
| Black in German | schwarz | /ʃvaʁt͡s/ |
| White in German | weiß | /vaɪ̯s/ |
| Brown in German | braun | /bʁaʊ̯n/ |
Days of the week, months and seasons in German
You will also need the days of the week, months and seasons in German for dialogues and everyday communication.
| English | German | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Days of the Week | ||
| Monday in German | Montag | /ˈmoːn.taːk/ |
| Tuesday in German | Dienstag | /ˈdiːns.taːk/ |
| Wednesday in German | Mittwoch | /ˈmɪt.vɔx/ |
| Thursday in German | Donnerstag | /ˈdɔnɐs.taːk/ |
| Friday in German | Freitag | /ˈfʁaɪ̯.taːk/ |
| Saturday in German | Samstag | /ˈzam.staːk/ |
| Sunday in German | Sonntag | /ˈzɔn.taːk/ |
| Months | ||
| January in German | Januar | /ˈja.nu.aʁ/ |
| February in German | Februar | /ˈfeːb.ʁu.aʁ/ |
| March in German | März | /mɛʁt͡s/ |
| April in German | April | /aˈpʁɪl/ |
| May in German | Mai | /maɪ̯/ |
| June in German | Juni | /ˈjuː.ni/ |
| July in German | Juli | /ˈjuː.li/ |
| August in German | August | /aʊ̯ˈɡʊst/ |
| September in German | September | /zɛpˈtɛm.bɐ/ |
| October in German | Oktober | /ɔkˈtoː.bɐ/ |
| November in German | November | /noˈvɛm.bɐ/ |
| December in German | Dezember | /deˈt͡sɛm.bɐ/ |
| Seasons | ||
| Spring in German | Frühling | /ˈfʁyː.lɪŋ/ |
| Summer in German | Sommer | /ˈzɔ.mɐ/ |
| Autumn in German | Herbst | /hɛʁpst/ |
| Winter in German | Winter | /ˈvɪn.tɐ/ |
Frequently asked questions about German phrases
How do you say hello in German?
The everyday word is Hallo. In the morning you can say Guten Morgen, during the day Guten Tag, and in the evening Guten Abend. In the south of Germany and in Austria you will also hear Servus and Grüß Gott.
What is the most polite way to address a stranger?
Use the formal Sie rather than du, and add bitte (please) and danke (thank you). A safe opener is Entschuldigung, sprechen Sie Englisch? (Excuse me, do you speak English?). Let the other person offer the informal du first.
How do you say thank you and you are welcome in German?
Danke means thank you, and Bitte covers both please and you are welcome. For extra warmth you can say Vielen Dank (many thanks) and reply with Gern geschehen (my pleasure).
Do I really need the phonetic spelling?
It helps a lot at the start. German is largely spoken as it is written, so once you match a few sounds to the letters, the pronunciation guide becomes a quick reference rather than a crutch. Reading the IPA alongside native-speaker audio is the fastest way to get the sounds right.
About the author: Sven
German is Sven’s native language, and he is a published language author with four books on language learning. With more than 20 years of experience learning and teaching languages, he selects the phrases and the cultural details that actually matter in real conversations. More about him on the about page.
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