Helpful German Words and Phrases

From travel to entertainment, here are a few basic words or phrases (and their pronunciations).

Bear in mind that you encounter different regional pronunciations and dialects throughout Germany.

Basic words and phrases

Yes = Ja (yaw). No = Nein (nine). Please = Bitte (bit-tuh). Thank you = Danke (donk-uh). Good morning = Guten morgen (goo-ten mor-gun). Good evening = Guten abend (goo-ten ah-bent). How are you? = Wie geht es dir (vee gate ess dear)? How much does it cost? = Wie kostet es (vee cost-tet ess)?

Accommodations

Do you have a room available? = Haben Sie ein Zimmer frei (hob-ben zee ein tsim-mer fry)? Room number = Zimmer nummer (tsim-mer noomer). Double room = Doppelzimmer (dop-pel-tsim-mer). Single room = Einzelzimmer (ine-zul-tsim-mer). Double bed = Doppelbett (dop-pel-bett). Single bed = Einzelbett (ine-zul-bett). Bathtub = Bad (bod). Shower = Dusche (doo-sha). Stairs = Treppe (trep-puh). Elevator = Fahrstuhl (far-shtool). Towel = Handtuch (hond-tuke). Pillow = Kopfkissen (kopf-kis-sen). Soap = Seife (sigh-fuh). Water = Wasser (vahs-ser). Hot = heiss (hise). Cold = kalt (kahlt). Breakfast = Frühstück (froo-shtook). Breakfast buffet = Frühstücksbuffet (froo-shtooks-boo-fay).

Days of the week

Monday = Montag (moan-tog). Tuesday = Dienstag (deens-tog). Wednesday = Mittwoch (mitt-voch). Thursday = Donnerstag (doe-ners-tog). Friday = Freitag (fry-tog). Saturday = Samstag (zoms-tog) or Sonnabend (sone-uh-bent). Sunday = Sonntag (zone-tog).

Directions

Street = Strasse (shtraw-suh) or Weg (vegg). Where is . . . ? = Wo ist . . . (voe ist . . .)? Left = Links (lynx). Right = Rechts (rexts). Straight ahead = Geradeaus (guh-rod-duh-owse). East = Ost (oast). West = West (vest). North = Nord (nord). South = Süd (sued). Meter = Meter (may-ter). Kilometer = Kilometer (kill-oh-may-ter). Open = Offnen (ofe-nin). Closed = Geschlossen (guh-shlosn).

Entertainment and attractions

Ticket = Karte (car-tuh). Box office = Kasse (kah-suh). Evening box office (usually open one hour before performance) = Abendkasse (ah-bent-kah-suh). Opening hours = Öffnüngszeiten (ohff-noongs-sight-en). Closed = Geschlossen (guh-schloss-en). Do you have tickets for this evening? = Haben Sie Karten für heute abend (hob-ben zee car-ten fear hoy-tuh ah-bent)?

Numbers

1 = Eins (einz). 2 = Zwei (zvy). 3 = Drei (dry). 4 = Vier (fear). 5 = Fünf (foonf). 6 = Sechs (zex). 7 = Sieben (zee-ben). 8 = Acht (okt). 9 = Neun (noyn). 10 = Zehn (tzane).

11 = Elf (elf). 12 = Zwölf (tzwelf). 13 = Dreizehn (dry-tsane). 14 = Vierzehn (fear-tsane). 15 = Fünfzehn (foonf-tsane). 16 = Sechszehn (zek-tsane). 17 = Siebzehn (tseeb-tsane). 18 = Achtzehn (ok-tsane). 19 = Neunzehn (noine-tsane). 20 = Zwanzig (tswan-tsig). 21 = Einundzwanzig (ein-oont-tswan-tsig). 22 = Zweiundzwanzig (zvy-oont-tswan-tsig) and so on.

30 = Dreizig (dry-tsig). 40 = Vierzig (fear-tsig). 50 = Fünfzig (foonf-tsig). 60 = Sechszig (zek-tsig). 70 = Siebzig (zeeb-tsig). 80 = Achtzig (ok-tsig). 90 = Neunzig (noine-tsig). 100 = Hundert (whon-dert).

Time

Time = Zeit (zite). What time is it? = Welche Zeit ist es (vell-tcha zite ist es)? Morning = Morgen (mor-gun). Afternoon = Nachmittag (nock-mit-tog). Evening = Abend (ah-bent). Day = Tag (tog). Night = Nacht (knocked). Early = Früh (fhree). Late = Spät (shpate).

Transportation

Ticket = Fahrkarte (far-car-tuh). One-way ticket = Einzelfahrkarte (ine-sell-far-car-tuh). Round-trip = Hin und züruck (hin und zoo-rook). Reservation = Resevierung (res-uh-veer-oong). Seat = Platz (plotz). Arrival = Ankunft (on-koonft). Departure = Abfahrt (ob-fart). Transfer = Umsteigen (oom-shty-gun). Get in/all aboard = Einsteigen (ine-shty-gun). Get out = Aussteigen (owsh-shty-gun). Window = Fenster (fen-ster). Door = Tür (tooer). Train = Bahn (bon). Train station = Bahnhof (bon-hofe). Restaurant car = Speisewagen (shpeye-suh-vog-gin). Airplane = Flugmaschine (floog-ma-sheen-uh). Airport = Flughafen (floog-hof-fen). Streetcar = Strassenbahn (shtraw-sen-bon). Bus = Bus (boose) or Autobus (ow-to-boos). Car = Auto (ought-toe) or Wagen (vog-gen).

Warning signs

Achtung! (Ach-toong) = Attention! Vorsicht! (for-zicht) = Careful! Vorsicht frisch gebohnert! (for-zicht frish guh-bone-ert) = Careful, freshly waxed floor! Nicht hinauslehnen! (nicked hin-aus-lay-nen) = Don't lean out! (or, don't lean against!) Bitte nichts berühren! (bit-tuh nichts buh-roo-en) = Please don't touch! Nicht gestattet! (nicked guh-shtat-et) = Not allowed!