# 30+ common German phrases for your trip to Germany

A little bit of German goes a long way 🇩🇪 Use these phrases on your trip to Germany!

There’s no better way to level up your trip to Germany, Austria, or Switzerland than by practicing your German! Learning a few key phrases will help you feel more confident ordering in a German Bäckerei (bakery) and chatting with locals at a Biergarten (beer garden).

Here are the most important phrases you’ll need in Germany. Los geht’s! (Here we go!)

## German 101

**You don’t have to be fluent to have fun with German.**

You’re on vacation, so don’t stress! Enjoy using the German you know and see what else you learn along the way. (And you might be pleasantly surprised that [even beginners can have real conversations](https://blog.duolingo.com/fluency-language-learning/)!)

**It’s the effort that counts.**

Using some German shows locals that you’re interested in [their culture and community](https://blog.duolingo.com/untranslatable-german-words/).

**Study smart, not hard.**

Focus on the most useful [German words and phrases](https://blog.duolingo.com/german-alphabet-pronunciation/), and worry less about getting every grammar detail right. A few key words go a long way!

## Greetings

|     |     |
| --- | --- |
| Hello | Hallo |
| Good morning / Good afternoon | Guten Tag |
| Good evening | Guten Abend |
| Excuse me | Entschuldigung |
| Please | Bitte |
| Thank you | Danke |
| You’re welcome | Gern geschehen |
| Goodbye | Auf Wiedersehen (formal) / Tschüss (informal) |
| Yes | Ja |
| No | Nein |
| My name is… | Ich heiße … |

## Asking for help

|     |     |
| --- | --- |
| Do you speak English? | Sprechen Sie Englisch? |
| Where is the bathroom? | Wo ist die Toilette? |
| I’m sorry, I don’t understand you. | Es tut mir leid, ich verstehe Sie nicht. |
| Can you help me? | Können Sie mir helfen? |
| I’m lost. | Ich habe mich verlaufen. |

## Getting around town

|     |     |
| --- | --- |
| How much does it cost? | Wie viel kostet das? |
| Where is 	 | Wo ist 	 |
| the museum | das Museum |
| the beach | der Strand |
| the train station | der Bahnhof |
| the city center (downtown) | das Stadtzentrum |

## Ordering food

|     |     |
| --- | --- |
| A table for 	<br>- A table for one<br>- A table for two<br>- A table for three<br>- A table for four | Einen Tisch für 	<br>- Einen Tisch für eine Person<br>- Einen Tisch für zwei Personen<br>- Einen Tisch für drei Personen<br>- Einen Tisch für vier Personen |
| I would like 	. | Ich hätte gern 	. |
| More 	<br>- More water<br>- More beer<br>- More wine | Mehr 	<br>- Mehr Wasser<br>- Mehr Bier<br>- Mehr Wein |
| The check, please. | Die Rechnung, bitte. |
| pay by cash / credit card | bar / mit Kreditkarte |
| with / without | mit / ohne |
| breakfast | Frühstück |
| lunch | Mittagessen |
| dinner | Abendessen |
| appetizer | Vorspeise |
| main course | Hauptspeise |
| dessert | Nachspeise |

## Local language

**Doch**

In German, _doch_ can be used to counter a negated statement. For example, if someone asks you Sie sprechen kein Deutsch, oder? (You don’t speak German, do you?), you could respond with Doch! (I do!)

**Prost**

To toast with German speakers, you can say Prost! It’s considered polite to do so, though generally only with alcoholic drinks.

**Pfand**

Recycling is taken very seriously in Germany. That’s why if you buy a bottle or can at a store, you pay a small Pfand (deposit). You can return empty containers at a Pfandautomat (reverse vending machine) in supermarkets. If you’re unable to return them yourself, it’s common to place them next to public trash bins instead of inside.

## The beginning of your journey with German 🇩🇪

These basics will get you far in Germany, but there’s [a lot more German](https://blog.duolingo.com/untranslatable-german-words/) where that came from. To make real connections during your trip, let Duolingo be your guide! Our bite-sized lessons make it easy to fit study time into your busy schedule, and our entire German course is free—so you can save your Euro for souvenirs.