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Planning a trip to Germany, Austria, or Switzerland? Familiarizing yourself with basic German phrases can significantly enhance your travel experience. Not only does it help in everyday interactions, but it also shows respect for the local culture. Let’s start with some fundamental expressions to get you started with our 60 Essential German Phrases Every Traveler Needs!
Learn Some Basic German Phrases
Did you know that German is spoken by 95 million people worldwide? German is the official language of Germany, Austria, and Lichtenstein. German is also part of the four languages spoken in Switzerland. The quality of your trip will be improved and you will have so much fun if you already know some of the basic language phrases!
Basic Greetings
Greetings are the cornerstone of polite conversation. Mastering these basic German salutations will help you make a positive first impression, whether you’re meeting locals or fellow travelers.
| German | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hallo | Hello | ha-llo |
| Guten Tag | Good day | goo-ten targ |
| Guten Morgen | Good morning | goo-ten morg-en |
| Guten Abend | Good evening | goo-ten ah-bent |
| Auf Wiedersehen | Goodbye | owf veeder-sehn |
| Tschüss | Bye | ch-oo-s |
| ich heiße… | I am called… | ichh hye-se |
| Wie heißen Sie? | What is your name? | vee hye-sen zee |
| Danke | Thanks | dan-ke |
| Bitte | Please | bi-uh |
| Vielen Dank | Thank you very much | feelen dank |
| Wie gehts? | How are you? (informal) | vee gates |
| Mir geht es gut | I am well | meer gate es goot |
German Getting Around
Navigating through German-speaking countries becomes much easier when you know how to ask for directions or understand common travel-related terms. These phrases will assist you in finding your way around cities and towns.
| German | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Entschuldigung | Excuse me | ent-shuld-i-gung |
| Wo ist… | Where is… | vo ist |
| …das Hotel | …the hotel | da-s ho |
| …die Toilette | …the toilet | dee toy-lette |
| …die Bank | …the bank | dee b-ank |
| …der Bahnhof | …the train station | dare bahn-hof |
| Links | left | links |
| Rechts | right | rechhts |
| Geradeaus | straight ahead | gerader-aus |
| Um die Ecke | around the corner | um dee Eke |
| Nord | North | nor-d |
| Süd | South | sued |
| Ost | East | o-st |
| West | West | vest |
| Halten Sie bitte hier an | please stop here | halten zee bit-uh here an |
Travel Emergencies
While we hope your travels are smooth, it’s essential to be prepared for emergencies. Knowing these critical German phrases can be invaluable in situations where you need immediate assistance.
| German | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hilfe! | Help! | hil-fe |
| Rufen Sie einen Krankenwagen! | Call an ambulance! | roofen zee eye-nen krank-en-vagen |
| Ich brauche die Polizei | I need the police | ich brow-ke dee pol-its-eye |
| Ich habe … verloren | I have lost my… | ich ha-be… fer-lo-ren |
| …mein Handy… | …phone… | mine handie |
| …mein Portemonnaie… | …wallet… | mine porte-monnay |
| …meinen Pass… | …passport… | mine-n pass |
| Lassen Sie mich in Ruhe | Leave me alone | lassen zee mi-ch in roo-he |
| Es ist ein Notfall | It is an emergency | es ist eye-n note-fal |
| Ich bin verloren | I am lost | ich bin fer-loren |
Days of the Week
Understanding the days of the week in German is useful for planning activities, making reservations, or simply keeping track of your itinerary. Here’s how to say each day in German.
| German | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Montag | Monday | mon-targ |
| Dienstag | Tuesday | deans-targ |
| Mittwoch | Wednesday | mit-voch |
| Donnerstag | Thursday | donners-targ |
| Freitag | Friday | fry-targ |
| Samstag | Saturday | sams-targ |
| Sonntag | Sunday | sonn-targ |
| Heute | Today | hoy-te |
| Morgen | Tomorrow | morgen |
| Übermorgen | Day after tomorrow | ueber morgen |
| Gestern | Yesterday | guest-ern |
| Vorgestern | Day before yesterday | for-guest-ern |
| Die Wochenende | The weekend | dee voken-end-e |
Key German Words
Beyond phrases, certain standalone words are frequently used in daily conversations. Familiarize yourself with these key German words to enhance your comprehension and communication.
| German | English | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Wer? | Who? | ver |
| Was? | What? | vas |
| Wann? | When? | vann |
| Zu welcher Zeit? | At what time? | tsu velcher ts-eye-t |
| Wo? | Where? | vo |
| Wie? | How? | vee |
| Wie viele? | How many? | vee feel-e |
| Wie viel? | How much? | vee feel |
| Wie oft? | How often? | vee oft |
Quick Pronunciation Tips for Beginners
German pronunciation can look tricky, but it follows consistent rules. Here’s a quick guide to help you pronounce the phrases in this post more confidently.
-
“ch” = soft “sh” sound (as in “ich”)
-
“w” sounds like “v”
-
“s” at the beginning of words = “z” sound (e.g. Sonne = Zon-uh)
Final Thoughts: Speak German with Confidence
Learning a few essential German phrases can turn a good trip into a great one. From polite greetings to emergency help, these phrases will make your time in German-speaking countries smoother and more memorable. And Remember, you can read our useful blog post 10 Free Apps You Should Not Travel Without for useful advice, which includes the de-facto app; Google Translate.
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