Edward Swick

When traveling in German-speaking countries, you'll find that German words and phrases you use most frequently will be common German greetings (Grüße). The words and phrases will quickly become second nature because you use them day in and day out with everyone you come across.As you'd expect, you should use a polite greeting when you run into someone you know or want to know.

Whether you're on a short visit to a German-speaking country or planning to live there, knowing how to order food in German is essential. Eating out can be a lot of fun, especially if you know some basic restaurant vocabulary. Speisekarte (shpy-ze-kâr-tê) (menu [F]) Rechnung (rêH-nûng) (check [F]) Trinkgeld (trîngk-gêld) n (tip [N]) Quittung (kvî-tûngk) (receipt [F]) In German-speaking countries, as in most of the rest of the world, there are three main Mahlzeiten (meals) of the day: Frühstück (fruu-shtuuk) [n] (breakfast), Mittagessen (mî-tahgk-êsn) [n] (lunch), and Abendessen (ah-bnt-êsn) [n] (dinner).

Learning the proper way to make introductions in German can help you get off to the right start. The German language tends to be a bit more formal than American English. Consequently, introductions in German follow more of a pattern than they sometimes do in the United States. Don't worry, it’s not complicated — just good manners.

The Japanese language has some distinct sounds that are can be tricky to pronounce. To be understood in Japanese, you need to know how to pronounce these sounds, which tend to give English speakers some trouble. Once you get the hang of it, the Japanese sound system isn’t as difficult as you may have thought. Romanized Japanese is a system that converts the traditional kanji symbols of Japanese into the letters used in English.

By mastering the basics of polite conversation, you can put yourself and the person you're talking with at ease. You'll find that there are many words and phrases that come up in most everyday conversations. Everyone should take the time to learn these common conversational words and phrases in German before traveling.

Traveling in German-speaking countries can be confusing if you can't read the signs or understand the instructions you're given. Learning a few useful travel-related words and phrases in German before you begin traveling can save you time and reduce your frustration level. Here are a few general travel-related terms that everyone should know before making the big trip.

When making plans, appointments, and travel arrangements in German-speaking countries, you need to be able to state dates and other calendar terms in, well, German. Understanding the days of the week, the months of the year, and how to tell time in German can help you to avoid confusion. Calendar terms The German calendar week begins with Monday unless otherwise stated.

Making small talk in German is just the same as in English. Touch on familiar topics like jobs, sports, children — just say it in German! Small talk describes the brief conversations that you have with people you don't know well. Small talk is where friendships are made. If you know how to make small talk in German you'll be able to "break the ice" and get to know some of the people you meet during your trip.

Speaking German at work and school doesn't have to be complicated. Whether you’re looking for a job in a German-speaking country or just need to talk with coworkers there, you'll need to know some key words and phrases to help ease your way. Equipment and supplies Use the following words to describe typical office equipment and supplies.