Fluent Conversations Start Here: 30 Must-Know German Phrases

Fluent conversations in German start not with heavy grammar drills, but with knowing the keywords and expressions that locals use every day. These German phrases will be your bridge to starting a conversation, asking for directions, or making new friends. Our guide is here to help you connect with people and feel more at home in German-speaking places. We will list some essential phrases that cover greetings, daily interactions, and even a bit of slang.

The Most Useful German Expressions You Should Learn

The right phrases can open doors and make you feel at home in a new place. They are simple and help you connect with people, find your way, or even share a laugh. Check some expressions below:

• Guten Morgen [ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩] – Good morning.

Guten Morgen! Wie geht’s dir? [ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩! viː ɡeːts diːɐ̯?] – Good morning! How are you?

• Wie viel kostet das? [viː fiːl ˈkɔstət das] – How much does this cost?

Das Brot kostet zwei Euro. [das bʁoːt ˈkɔstət t͡svaɪ̯ ˈɔʏ̯ʁoː.] – The bread costs two euros.

• Entschuldigung [ɛntˈʃʊldɪɡʊŋ] – Excuse me.

Entschuldigung, ich habe das nicht gesehen. [ɛntˈʃʊldɪɡʊŋ ɪç ˈhaːbə das nɪçt ɡəˈzeːən.] – Excuse me, I didn’t see that.

• Sprechen Sie Englisch? [ˈʃpʁɛçən ziː ˈɛŋlɪʃ] – Do you speak English?

Ich spreche nur ein bisschen Deutsch. [ɪç ˈʃpʁɛçə nuːɐ̯ aɪ̯n ˈbɪsçən dɔɪ̯tʃ.] – I speak only a little German.

• Wo ist…? [voː ɪst] – Where is…?

Die Toilette ist dort drüben. [diː toʏ̯ˈlɛtə ɪst dɔʁt ˈdʁyːbn̩.] – The bathroom is over there.

• Ich verstehe nicht [ɪç fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːə nɪçt] – I don’t understand.

Entschuldigung, ich verstehe nicht. [ɛntˈʃʊldɪɡʊŋ, ɪç fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːə nɪçt.] – Sorry, I don’t understand.

• Haben Sie eine Speisekarte? [ˈhaːbn̩ ziː ˈaɪ̯nə ˈʃpaɪ̯zəkaʁtə] – Do you have a menu?

Hier ist die Speisekarte. [hiːɐ̯ ɪst diː ˈʃpaɪ̯zəkaʁtə.] – Here is the menu.

• Können Sie mir helfen? [ˈkœnən ziː miːɐ̯ ˈhɛlfən] – Can you help me?

Ich helfe dir gerne. [ɪç ˈhɛlfə diːɐ̯ ˈɡɛʁnə.] – I am happy to help you.

Essential Polite Expressions in German

Taking the time to learn polite expressions helps you show respect and kindness when speaking German. Whether you greet someone with ‘Good afternoon’ or ask for help, the following basic German phrases will make your interactions smoother:

• Danke schön [ˈdaŋkə ʃøːn] – Thank you very much.

Danke schön für deine Hilfe. [ˈdaŋkə ʃøːn fyːɐ̯ ˈdaɪ̯nə ˈhɪlfə.] – Thank you very much for your help.

• Auf Wiedersehen [aʊ̯f ˈviːdɐˌzeːən] – Goodbye.

Auf Wiedersehen! Bis morgen! [aʊ̯f ˈviːdɐˌzeːən bɪs ˈmɔʁɡn̩!] – Goodbye! See you tomorrow!

• Es tut mir leid [ɛs tuːt miːɐ̯ laɪ̯t] – I’m sorry.

Es tut mir leid, das war mein Fehler. [ɛs tuːt miːɐ̯ laɪ̯t das vaːɐ̯ maɪ̯n ˈfeːlɐ.] – I’m sorry, that was my mistake.

• Gern geschehen [ɡɛʁn ɡəˈʃeːən] – You’re welcome.

Danke! – Gern geschehen. [ˈdaŋkə! – ɡɛʁn ɡəˈʃeːən.] – Thank you! – You’re welcome.

• Mit Vergnügen [mɪt fɛɐ̯ˈɡnyːɡn̩] – My pleasure.

Ich helfe Ihnen mit Vergnügen. [ɪç ˈhɛlfə ˈiːnən mɪt fɛɐ̯ˈɡnyːɡn̩.] – I help you with pleasure.

• Bitte [ˈbɪtə] – Please.

Ein Glas Wasser, bitte. [aɪ̯n ɡlaːs ˈvasɐ ˈbɪtə.] – A glass of water, please.

• Danke [ˈdaŋkə] – Thank you.

Danke für die Einladung. [ˈdaŋkə fyːɐ̯ diː ˈaɪ̯nlaːdʊŋ.] – Thank you for the invitation.

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Popular German Slang to Sound Like a Local

German slang adds vibrancy to your chats and helps you sound more like a native speaker. It breaks the formality barrier and creates a friendly atmosphere that makes connections smoother. Check the following must-know slang terms:

• Alter [ˈaltɐ] – Dude.

Alter, das war echt cool! [ˈaltɐ das vaːɐ̯ ɛçt kuːl] – Dude, that was really cool!

• Geil [ɡaɪ̯l] – Awesome.

Das Konzert war total geil! [das kɔnˈt͡sɛʁt vaːɐ̯ toˈtaːl ɡaɪ̯l] – The concert was totally awesome!

• Krass [kʁas] – Crazy or intense.

Das war echt krass! [das vaːɐ̯ ɛçt kʁas] – That was really crazy!

• Bescheuert [bəˈʃɔɪ̯ɐt] – Silly or stupid.

Was für eine bescheuerte Idee! [vas fyːɐ̯ ˈaɪ̯nə bəˈʃɔɪ̯ɐtə iˈdeː] – What a silly idea!

• Chillen [ˈt͡ʃɪlən] – To relax.

Lass uns heute Abend chillen. [las ʊns ˈhɔɪ̯tə ˈaːbnt t͡ʃɪlən] – Let’s relax tonight.

• Quatsch [kvat͡ʃ] – Nonsense.

Das ist doch Quatsch! [das ɪst dɔx kvat͡ʃ] – That’s nonsense!

• Zocken [ˈt͡sɔkn̩] – To play video games.

Wir zocken die ganze Nacht. [viːɐ̯ ˈt͡sɔkn̩ diː ˈɡant͡sə naxt] – We play video games all night.

• Hammer [ˈhamɐ] – Amazing.

Das neue Lied ist der Hammer! [das ˈnɔɪ̯ə liːt ɪst deːɐ̯ ˈhamɐ] – The new song is amazing!

Common German Sayings 

German idioms add flavor and depth to any conversation. They often reflect cultural stories and historical events, giving insights into the German way of thinking. With these sayings, you can express yourself in nuanced ways that a simple translation might miss. So, check the following German idioms:

• Da liegt der Hund begraben [daː liːkt deːɐ̯ hʊnt bəˈɡʁaːbn̩] – That’s the root of the problem. Points out the main issue.

Da liegt der Hund begraben. [daː liːkt deːɐ̯ hʊnt bəˈɡʁaːbn̩] – That’s the heart of the problem.

• Jemandem einen Bären aufbinden [ˈjeːmandəm ˈaɪ̯nən ˈbɛːʁən ˈaʊ̯fbɪndən] – To tell a tall tale. Means to fool someone.

Er hat mir einen Bären aufgebunden. [ɛɐ̯ hat miːɐ̯ ˈaɪ̯nən ˈbɛːʁən ˈaʊ̯fbɪndən] – He tricked me with a story.

• Die Kirche im Dorf lassen [diː ˈkɪʁçə ʔɪm dɔʁf ˈlasn̩] – Don’t exaggerate things. Encourages staying realistic.

Lass die Kirche im Dorf! [las diː ˈkɪʁçə ʔɪm dɔʁf] – Don’t make things bigger than they are.

• Den Nagel auf den Kopf treffen [deːn ˈnaːɡl̩ ʔaʊ̯f deːn kɔpf ˈtʁɛfn̩] – To hit the nail on the head. Describes saying something exactly right.

Du hast den Nagel auf den Kopf getroffen. [duː hast deːn ˈnaːɡl̩ ʔaʊ̯f deːn kɔpf ˈtʁɛfn̩] – You said exactly the right thing.

• Mit dem falschen Fuß aufstehen [mɪt deːm ˈfalʃən fuːs ˈaʊ̯fʃteːən] – To get up on the wrong side of the bed. Describes starting the day badly.

Er ist heute mit dem falschen Fuß aufgestanden. [ɛɐ̯ ɪst ˈhɔʏ̯tə mɪt deːm ˈfalʃən fuːs ˈaʊ̯fɡəʃtantən] – He’s been grumpy since this morning.

• Perlen vor die Säue werfen [ˈpɛʁln̩ fɔɐ̯ diː ˈzɔʏ̯ə ˈvɛʁfn̩] – To cast pearls before swine. Refers to wasting valuable things on someone unappreciative.

Du wirfst Perlen vor die Säue. [duː vɪʁfst ˈpɛʁln̩ fɔɐ̯ diː ˈzɔʏ̯ə] – You’re wasting your time on them.

• Klein, aber oho [klaɪ̯n ʔaːbɐ ʔoˈhoː] – Small but mighty. Refers to something small but powerful.

Das ist klein, aber oho. [das ɪst klaɪ̯n ʔaːbɐ ʔoˈhoː] – It may be small, but it’s impressive.

Learn German Phrases for Daily Conversations with Promova

Want to shine in your daily German conversations? Promova is here to help you nail the essential German phrases to know. Our courses are packed with expressions that help you sound natural and confident. Also, we offer a structured path to success:

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Conclusion

These common German phrases make every chat easier and more fun. They open doors, help you make new friends, and guide you through daily tasks. Polite expressions show respect, while slang adds flair to chats. Learn them to enjoy smoother and more engaging interactions in German-speaking places.