Basic German phrases for beginners: 50 you will really use
These basic German phrases for beginners cover the situations you meet in your first weeks: saying hello, introducing yourself, shopping, asking the way, ordering food, emergencies and a little small talk. Plus the one thing every learner must know – when to say Sie and when to say du.
50 essential basic German phrases
Where there are two versions, the first is formal (Sie) and the second informal (du). Learn the phrases in whole chunks – you do not need to understand every bit of grammar to use them correctly.
👋 Greetings and goodbyes
| # | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hallo! | Hello! / Hi! |
| 2 | Guten Morgen! | Good morning! |
| 3 | Guten Tag! | Hello! / Good day! (polite, daytime) |
| 4 | Guten Abend! | Good evening! |
| 5 | Gute Nacht! | Good night! (when going to bed) |
| 6 | Tschüss! | Bye! (informal) |
| 7 | Auf Wiedersehen! | Goodbye! (polite) |
| 8 | Bis später! / Bis morgen! | See you later! / See you tomorrow! |
🙋 Introducing yourself
| # | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Wie heißen Sie? / Wie heißt du? | What's your name? |
| 10 | Ich heiße … / Mein Name ist … | My name is … |
| 11 | Woher kommen Sie? / Woher kommst du? | Where are you from? |
| 12 | Ich komme aus Pakistan. | I'm from Pakistan. |
| 13 | Ich wohne in Berlin. | I live in Berlin. |
| 14 | Wie geht es Ihnen? / Wie geht's? | How are you? |
| 15 | Gut, danke. Und Ihnen? / Und dir? | Fine, thanks. And you? |
| 16 | Freut mich! | Nice to meet you! |
🙏 Polite words and understanding
| # | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Bitte. | Please. / You're welcome. |
| 18 | Danke! / Danke schön! | Thanks! / Thank you very much! |
| 19 | Gern geschehen. | You're welcome. |
| 20 | Entschuldigung! | Excuse me! / Sorry! |
| 21 | Es tut mir leid. | I'm sorry. |
| 22 | Ja. / Nein. | Yes. / No. |
| 23 | Ich verstehe das nicht. | I don't understand. |
| 24 | Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? | Could you repeat that, please? |
| 25 | Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? | Could you speak more slowly, please? |
| 26 | Sprechen Sie Englisch? | Do you speak English? |
🛒 Shopping
| # | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Was kostet das? | How much is that? |
| 28 | Ich hätte gern … | I'd like … |
| 29 | Ich suche … | I'm looking for … |
| 30 | Kann ich mit Karte zahlen? | Can I pay by card? |
| 31 | Ich schaue nur, danke. | I'm just looking, thanks. |
🧭 Directions
| # | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 32 | Wo ist der Bahnhof? | Where is the train station? |
| 33 | Wo ist die Toilette? | Where is the toilet? |
| 34 | Wie komme ich zum Flughafen? | How do I get to the airport? |
| 35 | links / rechts / geradeaus | left / right / straight on |
| 36 | Ist das weit? | Is it far? |
🍽️ In the restaurant
| # | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 37 | Einen Tisch für zwei, bitte. | A table for two, please. |
| 38 | Die Speisekarte, bitte. | The menu, please. |
| 39 | Ich nehme … | I'll have … |
| 40 | Die Rechnung, bitte. / Zahlen, bitte! | The bill, please. |
| 41 | Zusammen oder getrennt? | Together or separately? (the waiter asks how you want to pay) |
🚑 Emergencies
| # | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 42 | Hilfe! | Help! |
| 43 | Rufen Sie bitte einen Krankenwagen! | Please call an ambulance! |
| 44 | Ich brauche einen Arzt. | I need a doctor. |
| 45 | Ich habe mich verlaufen. | I'm lost. (on foot) |
☕ Small talk
| # | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | Was machen Sie beruflich? | What do you do for a living? |
| 47 | Ich lerne Deutsch. | I'm learning German. |
| 48 | Schönes Wetter heute, oder? | Nice weather today, isn't it? |
| 49 | Was machst du am Wochenende? | What are you doing at the weekend? |
| 50 | Schönes Wochenende! | Have a nice weekend! |
In an emergency in Germany, call 112 for an ambulance or the fire brigade and 110 for the police. Both numbers are free.
Sie or du? Formal and informal German
German has two words for “you”. Sie (always with a capital S) is polite and formal; du is informal. Choosing the right one matters more in German than in English.
| Formal (Sie) | Informal (du) | English |
|---|---|---|
| Wie heißen Sie? | Wie heißt du? | What's your name? |
| Woher kommen Sie? | Woher kommst du? | Where are you from? |
| Wie geht es Ihnen? | Wie geht es dir? | How are you? |
| Können Sie mir helfen? | Kannst du mir helfen? | Can you help me? |
| Entschuldigen Sie! | Entschuldige! | Excuse me! |
| Auf Wiedersehen! | Tschüss! | Goodbye! / Bye! |
- Use Sie with strangers, shop staff, officials, doctors, your landlord and – unless told otherwise – at work.
- Use du with friends, family, children, pets, and usually among young people, students and in online chats.
- Switching: the older or more senior person normally offers du: Wollen wir uns duzen? (Shall we say du?). The verbs are duzen and siezen.
The full explanation, including the plural ihr, is on the grammar page du, ihr or Sie?
Tips for sounding natural
- Greet when you enter. In small shops, at the doctor's and in lifts Germans often say Guten Tag or Hallo – and Tschüss or Auf Wiedersehen when they leave.
- Regional greetings. In southern Germany and Austria you will hear Grüß Gott or Servus; in the north Moin.
- “Wie geht's?” is a real question among friends. Strangers rarely ask it, and a short honest answer is fine.
- Ask questions. The question words wer, was, wo, wann, wie, woher unlock most conversations – see all German question words.
Practise the phrases in real situations
Lesson 1: Hallo!
Greetings, introducing yourself and the verb sein – with audio and exercises.
Speaking practice
30 everyday conversations with speech recognition in your browser.
Real-life scenes
22+ animated scenes: airport, Bürgeramt, doctor, flat viewing and more.
In der Bäckerei
A short A1 reading text with shopping phrases in action.
For more words by topic, see the vocabulary lists for food and drink, shopping and clothes and city and transport.
More German basics
German numbers 1–100
From eins to hundert, prices, years and phone numbers.
German alphabet
Letter names, Ä Ö Ü ß and spelling on the phone.
Days & months
Montag to Sonntag, Januar to Dezember, dates and holidays.
der, die, das rules
Gender endings, plural and the four cases in one table.
Don't just read the phrases – say them
Practise real conversations with speech recognition, or watch the phrases in animated scenes. Free, no sign-up.
Start speaking practice →FAQ: basic German phrases
What is the most important German phrase for beginners?
Start with Guten Tag, Danke, Bitte and Entschuldigung. Add Ich verstehe das nicht and Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? With these you can stay polite and keep a conversation going even when you do not understand everything.
Should I use Sie or du?
Use Sie with adults you do not know, in shops, at offices and at work, unless people offer du. Use du with friends, family, children and usually among young people and students. If you are not sure, start with Sie.
Is Hallo polite enough?
Hallo is friendly and very common, also with strangers in shops. In formal situations, for example at an office, a job interview or with older people, Guten Tag or Guten Morgen is the safer choice.
What is the difference between Bitte and Danke?
Danke means thank you. Bitte means please, but it is also the answer to Danke (you're welcome) and what you say when you hand something to someone. Wie bitte? means Sorry, what did you say?
How can I practise speaking German phrases?
Say every phrase out loud. In Deutsch30 you can practise 30 everyday conversations with speech recognition in your browser, watch the phrases in animated real-life scenes and learn them step by step in the free 30-day course.