German Phrases, hello, goodbye, and where is the toilet

In question sentences, the structure would typically be (question word)-verb-subject-noun.

Was essen Sie?

What are you eating?

Essen Sie den roten Apfel?

Are you eating the red apple?

Addressing people[edit]

By default, addressing adult strangers and superiors requires Sie, unless they explicitly use du when talking to you. The latter is commonly reserved for close friends, children and family members, and people of younger age.

Herr (pl., Herren)

for men (equivalent to Mister in English). Note that this word also means "master, owner, ruler, gentleman, sir" and is also a form of address for the Christian God (English equivalent: Lord).

Frau (pl., Frauen)

for women (equivalent to Ms. and Mrs. in English). Note that this word also means "woman" and "wife."

Dame (pl. Damen) (DAH-me, NOT deim)

the polite German word for women/female. The salutation "Ladies and Gentlemen" would be translated to "meine Damen und Herren".

The term Fräulein which literally means Miss in English, is now deprecated and even considered condescending.

As Germans are particularly fond of their academic degrees, a Schmidt with a doctoral degree or as a doctor would be called Herr Doctor Schmidt. While this usage is more common in writing a letter than speaking, it is expected in a meeting with someone of a superior position if they introduce themselves or are introduced as such.

Phrase list[edit]

The following phrases are for Standard German, and will generally be well understood across the German-speaking world. A local variation of words (such as those limited to Austria or specific regions of Germany) are indicated where necessary. See the Swiss-German phrasebook for the local variety spoken in Switzerland.

Basics Greetings

Common signs OPEN Offen, Geöffnet CLOSED Geschlossen ENTRANCE Eingang EXIT Ausgang PUSH Drücken PULL Ziehen TOILET WC, Toilette(n) MEN Herren, Männer WOMEN Damen, Frauen FORBIDDEN Verboten DISABLED Behinderte EMERGENCY EXIT Notausgang NO PARKING Parken verboten / Parkverbot YIELD / GIVE WAY Vorfahrt gewähren! STOP Halt / Stop

The right way to say yes You say Ja when you confirm an affirmative question: Essen Sie gern Wurst? Do you like eating sausages? Ja, ich esse gern Wurst. Yes, I like eating sausages. If you wish to contradict a negative question, the reply is Doch: Essen Sie nicht gern Wurst? Don't you like eating sausages? Doch, ich esse gern Wurst. Yes, I like eating sausages.

Good day (formal)

Guten Tag. (GOO-ten tahk)

Hello (informal)

Hallo
NOTE: In Northern Germany, locals greet each other with Moin, Moin (MOH-een MOH-een). In Bavaria and Austria, they use Servus (S-AIR-vus) or Grüß Gott (GREW-SS gaw-t). In Switzerland, they use Grüezi (GREW-tsee).

How are you? (informal)

Wie geht's? (vee GATES?) used as a real question, not a form of greeting.

How are you? (formal)

Wie geht es Ihnen? ("Vee gate s eenen?)

Fine, thank you.

Gut, danke. (goot, DAN-keh)

What is your name? (formal)

Wie heißen Sie? (vee HIGH-sun zee?)

What is your name? (informal)

Wie heißt du? (vee HIGHST doo?)

My name is ______ .

Ich heiße ______ . (eekh HIGH-suh):Mein Name ist _____ . (mine NAM-uh ist)

Nice to meet you. (formal)

Nett, Sie kennen zu lernen. (net zee KEN-en tsoo LER-nen)

Nice to meet you. (informal)

Nett, dich kennen zu lernen. (net deech KEN-en tsoo LER-nen)

Please.

Bitte. (BEE-tuh)

Thank you.

Danke schön. (DAN-kuh shurn)

Thanks.

Danke. (DAN-kuh)

You're welcome.

Bitte schön! (BIH-tuh shurn)

With pleasure.

Gerne (GERR-nuh) (gladly)

Yes.

Ja. (yah)

No.

Nein. (nine)

Excuse me. (getting attention)

Entschuldigen Sie. (en-SHOOL-dee-gun zee)

Excuse me. (begging pardon)

Entschuldigung. (en-SHOOL-dee-goong)

I'm sorry.

Es tut mir leid. (es toot meer lite)
Lit: It does sorrow to me.

I can't speak German (well).

Ich kann nicht [so gut] Deutsch sprechen. (eekh kahn nikht [zo goot] doi-ch shprekhen) better: Ich spreche kein Deutsch (eekh spreh-khuh kine doi-ch)

Do you speak English? (formal)

Sprechen Sie Englisch? (shprekhun zee ENG-leesh)

Is there someone here who speaks English?

Gibt es hier jemanden, der Englisch spricht? (geept es heer yeh-MAHN-dun dare ENG-leesh shprikht)

Help!

Hilfe! (HEEL-fuh)

I don't understand.

Ich verstehe das nicht. (eekh fur-SHTAY-uh dahs nikht)

Where is the toilet, please?

Wo ist die Toilette, bitte? (voh eest dee twah-LET-uh BEE-tuh)

Do you know where ... is?. (formal)

Wissen Sie, wo ... ist? (VEE-sun zee voh ... ist)

Good morning.

Guten Morgen. (GOO-tun MOR-gun)

Good evening.

Guten Abend. (GOO-tun AH-bunt)

Good night.

Schönen Abend noch. (shur-nun AH-bunt nokh)

Good night (to sleep)

Gute Nacht. (GOO-tuh nakht)

Goodbye

Auf Wiedersehen. (owf VEE-dur-zane)

Goodbye (informal)

Tschüss (CHUS)

 Useful Websites

duolingo.com

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/German_phrasebook

Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts with your favourite friends