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List of Common German Phrases and Sentences You Should Know

Do you know almost 15.4 million people are learning German in the world, as a foreign language? Shocking Right? Yes, and The rate of learning this language is swiftly increasing every year. However, we understand learning German is not an easy task, you might have to burn the midnight oil to become proficient. Thus, read this blog to explore 100+ common German phrases and expressions to use in every situation. This guide consists of some popular German Phrases that you can use will talking to native people. So, grab a pen and paper to mark your favorite German phrase.

Explore common German phrases that you can use in every situation | Gradding.com

Table of Contents

Importance of knowing Common German Phrases

The importance of knowing German Phrases is vital, as in every street of the German nation you will hear different types of expression. These common German phrases help as a helping guide that will direct you to become proficient to communicate with locals. Thus, there are many reasons to know some basic German phrases, such as

  1. Vital to learn expressions in German to talk to native people in daily life.
  2. Idioms are often used by the German natives, it can be difficult for beginners to understand them. Thus, knowing German phrases can help you to communicate with locals.
  3. It sounds like a local German speaker, and if anyone listens to the German phrases, they can imagine you are a citizen of this country.

These are some of the important benefits of learning common and simple German phrases that can simplify the process of learning and talking to anyone in the German language. Thus, to get familiar with the phrases, we have shared over 100+ basic German phrases for every situation. So let’s have a look at them.

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German Phrases on Common Greetings and Polite Expressions

First, we are going to begin with some of the common German phrases that are used to greet someone in the German language. Greetings play an important role in daily German conversation to show respect. It must be polite and humble. Thus, in this section., explore some German greeting phrases as well as polite expressions. So, let's begin.

Common Greetings

  1. Guten Morgen - Good morning.
  2. Guten Tag- Good day
  3. Guten Abend- Good evening.
  4. Gute Nacht - Good night.
  5. Wie geht es? – How are you
  6. Schönen Tag! - Have a nice day!
  7. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen - Nice to meet you.
  8. Lange nicht mehr gesehen! - Long time no see!
  9. Pass auf dich auf! – Take care of yourself!
  10. Schönen Tag! – Have a nice day!

Polite Expression

  1. Please - Bitte
  2. Thank you very much! - Danke schön!
  3. You’re welcome! - Gern geschehen!
  4. May I ask you something? - Darf ich Sie etwas fragen?
  5. Excuse me! / Sorry! - Entschuldigung!
  6. Could you help me? - Könnten Sie mir helfen?

These are some of the German greeting phrases, along with polite expressions. Now, let’s know basic German phrases for travel in the next segment.

German Phrases Essential for Travel

Who doesn’t love traveling, especially going to a beautiful country like Germany? But knowing some basic German phrases for travel can show that you are the native people of this nation while roaming around the country. So, let’s have a look at some of the German phrases for traveling.

  1. Wie viel kostet ein Ticket nach...? - How much is a ticket to...?
  2. Können Sie mich zu dieser Adresse bringen? - Can you take me to this address?
  3. Wo kann ich ein Taxi bekommen? - Where can I get a taxi?
  4. Muss ich umsteigen? - Do I need to change trains/buses?
  5. Halten Sie hier, bitte - Stop here, please
  6. Wo ist der Aufzug? - Where is the elevator?
  7. Haben Sie ein Zimmer frei? - Do you have a room available? –
  8. Wie viel kostet ein Zimmer pro Nacht? - How much is a room per night?
  9. Wann gibt es Frühstück? - What time is breakfast?
  10. Ich habe eine Reservierung - I have a reservation

These are some of the basic German phrases for travel you can use in this city while travelling from one place to another.

Must read: A1 Level German

German Phrases for Food and Drinks

Going to a restaurant or bar and want to sound like a German native, then you can use these German Slang Phrases for ordering any food or drinks in these places. Thus, in this section, explore German phrases to use in restaurants.

  1. Lass uns zum Restaurant gehen - Let’s go to the restaurant
  2. Prost! – Cheers!
  3. Guten Appetit! – Enjoy your meal!
  4. Darf ich mich hier setzen? – May I sit here?
  5. Ich möchte….. – I would like to have….
  6. Ich trinke gerne etwas - I like to have a drink
  7. Suppe war geschmacklich nicht gut - The taste of the soup was not good
  8. Zum Frühstück trinke ich gern Orangensaft - For breakfast I like to drink orange juice
  9. Die Rechnung, bitte – The bill, please.
  10. Zahlen Sie zusammen oder getrennt? – Are you paying together or separately?

Next time you go to any restaurant, don’t forget to use these German sentences that will make people think you are native or belong to another country.

German Phrases for Shopping and Payment

If you go shopping and want to bargain, then you should be familiar with Phrases in German that you can use in markets and shopping malls. These phrases will help you to make shop owners fool by letting them know you are a native German speaker and know how to negotiate. So let’s have a look at these German Phrases on shopping and payments. 

Shopping

  1. Was kostet das? – How much does this cost?
  2. Ich möchte das kaufen – I would like to buy this.
  3. Wie viel kostet es? – How much is it?
  4. Haben Sie das in einer anderen Farbe? – Do you have this in another color?
  5. Haben Sie das in einer anderen Größe? – Do you have this in another size?
  6. Wo sind die Umkleidekabinen? – Where are the fitting rooms?
  7. Kann ich es anprobieren? – Can I try it on?
  8. Gibt es einen Rabatt? – Is there a discount?
  9. Haben Sie etwas Günstigeres? – Do you have something cheaper?

Payments

  1. Kann ich mit Karte bezahlen? – Can I pay by card?
  2. Ich zahle bar – I’ll pay in cash.
  3. Nehmen Sie Kreditkarten? – Do you accept credit cards?
  4. Könnte ich eine Quittung bekommen? – Could I get a receipt?
  5. Wo ist die Kasse? – Where is the checkout?
  6. Können Sie das einpacken? – Can you wrap this up?
  7. Haben Sie Wechselgeld? – Do you have change?

These are some of the phrases that can be used in the German Conversation while doing shopping. So, let’s have a look.

German Phrases for Emergency and Health-Related

Visited the hospital and nobody understands the English language, then you can try following simple German phrases based on health-related issues or in any emergencies. So, let’s have a look at these phrases in German.

Emergencies

  1. Hilfe! – Help!
  2. Rufen Sie einen Krankenwagen! – Call an ambulance!
  3. Rufen Sie einen Arzt! – Call a doctor!
  4. Ich habe mich verletzt – I have injured myself.
  5. Ich brauche Hilfe – I need help.
  6. Es ist ein Notfall! – It’s an emergency!
  7. Ich bin in Gefahr! – I am in danger!
  8. Ich wurde bestohlen – I was robbed.
  9. Rufen Sie die Polizei! – Call the police!
  10. Ich habe meine Brieftasche/meinen Pass verloren – I lost my wallet/passport.
  1. Ich bin krank – I am sick.
  2. Ich fühle mich nicht gut – I don’t feel well.
  3. Wo ist das nächste Krankenhaus? – Where is the nearest hospital?
  4. Ich brauche einen Arzt – I need a doctor.
  5. Ich habe Bauchschmerzen – I have a stomachache.
  6. Ich habe Kopfschmerzen – I have a headache.
  7. Ich habe Fieber – I have a fever.
  8. Ich habe einen Unfall - I have an accident.
  9. Ich bin allergisch gegen … – I am allergic to …
  10. Haben Sie etwas gegen Schmerzen? – Do you have something for pain?
  11. Ich brauche eine Apotheke. – I need a pharmacy.

These are some of the health-related German phrases that can also be used in emergency kind of scenarios. Now, let’s move on to explore some long German words or phrases to use in casual conversation.

Also, read: German Alphabets

German Phrases for Casual Conversations and Small Talk

Talking to someone in the English language is a little bit tedious now, so use some German phrases specially made for casual conversation or small talk. So, explore some of the simple German phrases.

Casual Conversations

  1. Wie geht’s? – How’s it going?
  2. Was machst du so? – What are you up to?
  3. Wie war dein Tag? – How was your day?
  4. Lange nicht gesehen! – Long time no see!
  5. Was gibt’s Neues? – What’s new?
  6. Alles klar? – Everything okay?

Talking About Interests & Hobbies

  1. Was machst du gerne in deiner Freizeit? – What do you like to do in your free time?
  2. Ich mag … – I like …
  3. Ich interessiere mich für … – I am interested in …
  4. Mein Hobby ist … – My hobby is …
  5. Siehst du gerne Filme? – Do you like watching movies?
  6. Spielst du ein Instrument? – Do you play an instrument?

General Small Talk

  1. Was machst du beruflich? – What do you do for a living?
  2. Woher kommst du? – Where are you from?
  3. Wie lange bist du schon hier? – How long have you been here?
  4. Warst du schon mal in …? – Have you ever been to …?
  5. Hast du Geschwister? – Do you have siblings?

Ending a Conversation

  1. Wir sollten in Kontakt bleiben – We should stay in touch.
  2. Es war schön, mit dir zu reden – It was nice talking to you.
  3. Bis später! – See you later!
  4. Mach’s gut! – Take care!
  5. Bis bald! – See you soon!

These all are the best phrases to use in German conversation while talking to anyone. This shows that you are a professional German speaker and a local native of this country. 

German Phrases for Cultural

Did you know Germans are considered to be matter-of-fact and highly efficient people? Their culture matters a lot to them, and follow certain rules set accordingly. Thus, if you have attended any cultural event and want to adopt the style of German culture, then use these German Slang Phrases. So, have a look at them.

  1. Wie feiert man das in Deutschland? – How do people celebrate this in Germany?
  2. Wie läuft ein typisches deutsches Fest ab? – What is a typical German festival like?
  3. Gibt es hier besondere Traditionen? – Are there any special traditions here?
  4. Welche Feiertage sind wichtig in Deutschland? – Which holidays are important in Germany?

These are some of the German Phrases to know and use in cultural events or any place. This will create an image of the native citizens of Germany. Now, let's explore basic German words or phrases to use in business and work situations.

German Phrases for Business and Work

Many individuals come to Germany for many purposes, and doing the job is one of them. There are multiple German phrases to know about the business and work. So, let’s have a look at these German phrases.

  1. Können wir uns kurz abstimmen? – Can we quickly coordinate?
  2. Wie ist der aktuelle Stand des Projekts? – What’s the current status of the project?
  3. Wir sind mit den Bedingungen einverstanden – We agree with the terms.
  4. Die Deadline ist nächste Woche – The deadline is next week.
  5. Könnten Sie mir ein Angebot machen? – Could you make me an offer?
  6. Könnten wir einen Termin vereinbaren? – Could we schedule an appointment?
  7. Wir müssen die Details noch besprechen – We still need to discuss the details.
  8. I would like to introduce you to.. in my presentation - In meiner Präsentation werde ich Ihnen… vorstellen.
  9. We have set an appointment for the meeting - Wir haben einen Termin für die Besprechung vereinbart.
  10. Looking forward to hearing from you soon - Ich hoffe, bald von Ihnen zu hören.
  11. Thank you for your understanding. - Vielen Dank für Ihr Verständnis.

This was all about the popular German Phrases to use in business and work. So, in your next meeting, use these German phrases to create a good impression in front of your boss.

German Phrases for Special Occasions

Going to attend a special occasion and want to create a good picture of yours by speaking professional level German. Then, use these Phrases in German to talk to everyone present at the function. So, let’s have a look at these. 

Dining & Social Gatherings

  1. Prost! – Cheers!
  2. Guten Appetit! – Enjoy your meal!
  3. Die Rechnung, bitte. – The bill, please.
  4. Darf ich mich hier setzen? – May I sit here?

Celebrations & Traditions

  1. Herzlichen Glückwunsch! – Congratulations!
  2. Frohes neues Jahr! – Happy New Year!
  3. Frohe Weihnachten! – Merry Christmas!
  4. Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! – Happy Birthday!
  5. Viel Glück! – Good luck!

We hope you have noted down your favorite German Sentences and phrases that can help you to use in any situation. So now you can talk confidently on any occasion without being a native of this country. 

Conclusion

In a nutshell, Germany is a well-known country where people from around the world come here to either reside, study, or for job purposes. However, it can be a daunting task to learn German. Worry not anymore use the above-stated phrases to become proficient German speakers. However, using these German phrases can be difficult to keep in mind to use in the right place. Moreover, if you want to learn more phrases or sentences like these, then you can enroll in German online coaching at Gradding. They will guide you on how to use these phrases in the right place.

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FAQ's

Why are German phrases important to know?

Knowing German phrases can help you to communicate with the locals and enrich the experience to understand the language. This language is learned by the students and business persons mostly, so it’s better to know some basic phrases to create a good impression.

What are the top 5 German phrases?

The top 5 German phrases is 

  • Danke - Thank you!
  • Guten Morgen - Good morning
  • Es freut mich, dich kennenzulernen - I'm pleased to meet you
  • Mein Name ist- My name is
  • Sprechen Sie Englisch? - Do you speak English?

One of the popular sayings in German phrases is “Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm” which translates to “the early bird catches the worm”. it means that a person who is first to grab the opportunity and start working on them, chances increased to gain many more opportunities in the future. 

How do you say basic German phrases?

The basic German phrases you should know: 

  1. Danke -Thank you
  2. Bitteschön - You're welcome
  3. Ich spreche ein wenig Deutsch.- I speak a little German.
  4. Kannst du mir helfen? - Can you help me?
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