This Cheat Sheet includes basic German expressions, questions that let you gather information or ask for help, phrases to use when ordering from a menu, and German numbers and dates.
Basic questions in German
If you travel to a German-speaking country and need to know the time or where something is located, or you just want to get some basic information, a few common questions can come in very handy.
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | Sprechen Sie Englisch? | shprêH-en zee êng-lish? |
| How are you? | Wie geht es Ihnen? | vee geyt ês een-en? |
| Would you help me please? | Würden Sie mir bitte helfen? | vuer-den zee meer bi-te hêl-fen? |
| What’s your name? | Wie heißen Sie? | vee hays-en zee? |
| What time is it? | Wie viel Uhr ist es? | vee feel oohr ist ês? |
| What’s the weather like? | Wie ist das Wetter? | ee ist dâs vêt-er? |
| How much does . . . cost? | Wie viel kostet . . .? | vee feel kos-tet…? |
| Where do I find . . .? | Wo finde ich . . .? | voh fin-de iH…? |
| Where are the bathrooms? | Wo sind die Toiletten? | voh zint dee toy-lêt-en? |
| Do you have…? | Haben Sie…? | hah-ben zee…? |
| Where is…? | Wo ist…? | voh ist…? |
| Could you please talk more slowly? | Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? | kern-en zee bi-te lâng-zâm-er shprêH-en? |
| Could you repeat that, please? | Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? | kern-en zee dâs bi-te vee-der-hoh-len? |
Useful German expressions and greetings
Practice these German greetings and expressions, which you’ll use daily when you visit a German-speaking country. With these expressions, you can communicate politely, feel more confident, and travel more comfortably.
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello! | Hallo! | hâ-loh! (informal greeting) |
| Good day! | Guten Tag! | gooh-ten tahk! |
| Good evening! | Guten Abend! | gooh-ten ah-bent! |
| Good-bye! | Auf Wiedersehen! | ouf vee-der-zey-en! |
| Please./You’re welcome. | Bitte. | bi-te. |
| Thank you. | Danke. | dân-ke. |
| Excuse me. | Entschuldigung. | ênt-shool-dee-goong. |
| My name is…. | Ich heiße…. | iH hays-e…. |
| Pleased to meet you. | Freut mich. | froyt miH. |
German phrases for emergencies
If you’re traveling in a German-speaking country and find yourself in an urgent situation, you can get the assistance you need by memorizing these important German phrases.
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Help! | Hilfe! | hilf-e! |
| Police! | Polizei! | po-li-tsay! |
| Fire! | Feuer! | foy-er! |
| Get a doctor! | Holen Sie einen Arzt! | hohl-en zee ayn-en ârtst! |
| I am sick. | Ich bin krank. | iH bin krânk. |
| I don’t know my way around here. | Ich kenne mich hier nicht aus. | iH kên-e miH heer niHt ous. |
The German calendar
Getting to know the days and months of the German calendar helps you keep track of your travel plans, German holidays, and engagements.
| English | German | Pronunciaton |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Montag | mohn-tahk |
| Tuesday | Dienstag | deens-tahk |
| Wednesday | Mittwoch | mit-voH |
| Thursday | Donnerstag | don-ers-tahk |
| Friday | Freitag | fray-tahk |
| Saturday | Samstag / Sonnabend | zâms-tahk / zon-ah-bent) |
| Sunday | Sonntag | zon-tahk |
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| January | Januar | yâ-noo-ahr |
| February | Februar | fey-broo-ahr |
| March | März | mêrts |
| April | April | ah-pril |
| May | Mai | may |
| June | Juni | yooh-nee |
| July | Juli | yooh-lee |
| August | August | ou-goost |
| September | September | zêp-têm-ber |
| October | Oktober | ok-toh-ber |
| November | November | no-vêm-ber |
| December | Dezember | dey-tsêm-ber |
Ordering in a German restaurant
If you go to a German restaurant, these expressions can come in very handy. Practice them first, so that you can relax and enjoy the dining experience.
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| The menu, please. | Die Speisekarte bitte. | dee shpay-ze kâr-te bi-te. |
| I’d like…. | Ich hätte gern…. | iH hê-te gern…. |
| I’d like…. | Ich möchte gern…. | iH merH-te gern…. |
| Could you recommend something? | Könnten Sie etwas empfehlen? | kern-ten zee êt-vas êm-pfey-len? |
| Another (beer) please. | Noch (ein Bier) bitte. | noH [ayn beer] bi-te. |
| Excuse me. | Entschuldigen Sie bitte. | ênt-shool-dee-gen zee bi-te. |
| The check, please. | Die Rechnung bitte. | dee rêH-noong bi-te. |
| A receipt, please. | Eine Quittung bitte. | ayn-e kvi-toong bi-te. |
| Enjoy your meal. | Guten Appetit. | gooh-ten âp-e-teet . |
German numbers
When traveling in a German-speaking area, you need to know numbers for shopping, dining, transportation, and exchanging money. With this list, you can start practicing German numbers.
| 0 null (nool) | 17 siebzehn (zeep-tseyn) |
| 1 eins (ayns) | 18 achtzehn (âHt-tseyn) |
| 2 zwei (tsvay) | 19 neunzehn (noyn-tseyn) |
| 3 drei (dray) | 20 zwanzig (tsvân-tsîH) |
| 4 vier (feer) | 21 einundzwanzig (ayn-oont-tsvân-tsiH) |
| 5 fünf (fuenf) | 22 zweiundzwanzig (tsvay-oont tsvân-tsiH) |
| 6 sechs (zêks) | 30 dreißig (dray-siH) |
| 7 sieben (zee-ben) | 40 vierzig (feer-tsiH) |
| 8 acht (âHt) | 50 fünfzig (fuenf-tsiH) |
| 9 neun (noyn) | 60 sechzig (zêH-tsiH) |
| 10 zehn (tseyn) | 70 siebzig (zeep-tsiH) |
| 11 elf (êlf) | 80 achtzig (âHt-tsiH) |
| 12 zwölf (tsverlf) | 90 neunzig (noyn-tsiH) |
| 13 dreizehn (dray-tseyn) | 100 hundert (hoon-dert) |
| 14 vierzehn (feer-tseyn) | 200 zweihundert (tsvay-hoon-dert) |
| 15 fünfzehn (fuenf-tseyn) | 1000 tausend (tou-zent) |
| 16 sechzehn (zêH-tseyn) |