Ready to embark on a linguistic adventure? Let’s dive into the fascinating world of German and unravel the intricacies of its language. German, a language spoken by millions worldwide, is renowned for its rich vocabulary and nuanced grammar. From the poetic to the precise, German offers a colorful tapestry of expressions that can both captivate and challenge learners.
In this comprehensive guide, we will delve into the many facets of German, from its pronunciation and grammar to its cultural nuances. We will unravel the secrets of word order, verb conjugations, and those infamous cases that give German its distinctive character. Along the way, we will uncover the hidden gems of German idioms and colloquialisms, adding a touch of authenticity to your linguistic repertoire.
Whether you’re a seasoned polyglot or simply curious about this intriguing language, this guide will equip you with the essential tools to master the German language. So, let’s embark on this linguistic journey together, embracing the challenges and savoring the rewards of learning a new language.
Essential Greetings
挨拶はコミュニケーションの基本です。ドイツ語で最も一般的な挨拶は、状況によって異なります。以下の表は、さまざまな状況での一般的な挨拶と、それらの英語の翻訳を示しています。
| 状況 | ドイツ語 | 英語 |
|---|---|---|
| 会うとき | Hallo | Hello |
| より丁寧な挨拶 | Guten Tag | Good day |
| 朝 | Guten Morgen | Good morning |
| 昼 | Guten Mittag | Good afternoon |
| 夜 | Guten Abend | Good evening |
| 会うとき | Tschüss | Bye |
挨拶に加えて、自分の名前や相手の名前を言うことも一般的です。よりフォーマルな状況では、敬称（ Herr または Frau ）も使用できます。
以下の例を見てください。
| 状況 | ドイツ語の挨拶 | 英語の翻訳 |
| 朝の同僚に会う | Guten Morgen, Frau Müller. | Good morning, Ms. Müller. |
| 午後、友達に会う | Hallo, Peter. | Hello, Peter. |
Basic Conversation
Learning basic German phrases is essential for everyday interactions. Here’s how to say some common expressions:
| English | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Hallo / Guten Tag | Hah-loh / Goo-ten Tahg |
| Goodbye | Auf Wiedersehen | Owf Vee-der-zay-en |
| Thank you | Danke | Dank-eh |
| You’re welcome | Bitte | Bit-teh |
| Yes | Ja | Yah |
| No | Nein | Nine |
| Excuse me | Entschuldigung | Ent-shool-di-gung |
Asking for Help and Directions
Asking for Help
If you need assistance, you can use the following phrases:
-
Entschuldigung, können Sie mir bitte helfen? – Excuse me, can you please help me?
-
Könnten Sie mir bitte sagen, wo die Toilette ist? – Could you please tell me where the toilet is?
-
Ich habe mich verlaufen. Können Sie mir den Weg zum Bahnhof zeigen? – I’m lost. Can you show me the way to the train station?
Getting Directions
To ask for directions, start by saying:
-
Ich suche (place name or address). Können Sie mir den Weg beschreiben? – I’m looking for (place name or address). Can you give me directions?
-
Wie komme ich am besten nach (place name or address)? – What’s the best way to get to (place name or address)?
Common Directions:
| German Phrase | English Translation |
|---|---|
| geradeaus | straight ahead |
| links | left |
| rechts | right |
| die zweite Straße | the second street |
| am Ende der Straße | at the end of the street |
| biegen Sie ab | turn |
| überqueren Sie die Straße | cross the street |
Shopping and Restaurant Vocabulary
Shopping Vocabulary
When you’re shopping in Germany, it’s helpful to know a few key phrases. Here are some common words and phrases you’ll need:
– Ich möchte… (I would like…)
– Wo finde ich…? (Where can I find…?)
– Wie viel kostet das? (How much does this cost?)
– Können Sie mir bitte helfen? (Can you help me, please?)
– Ich nehme… (I’ll take…)
Restaurant Vocabulary
If you’re dining out in Germany, it’s a good idea to know some basic restaurant vocabulary. Here are some helpful phrases:
– Einen Tisch für… Personen, bitte. (A table for… people, please.)
– Die Speisekarte, bitte. (The menu, please.)
– Ich hätte gerne… (I would like to have…)
– Kann ich bitte die Rechnung haben? (Can I have the bill, please?)
– Es hat mir sehr gut geschmeckt. (I enjoyed my meal very much.)
Phrases for Ordering Food and Drinks
– Ich hätte gerne… (I would like to have…)
– Eine Vorspeise, bitte. (An appetizer, please.)
– Ein Hauptgericht, bitte. (A main course, please.)
– Ein Dessert, bitte. (A dessert, please.)
– Ein Getränk, bitte. (A drink, please.)
– Wasser ohne Kohlensäure, bitte. (Water without bubbles, please.)
– Ein Bier vom Fass, bitte. (A beer on tap, please.)
– Ein Glas Wein, bitte. (A glass of wine, please.)
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Vorspeise | Appetizer |
| Hauptgericht | Main course |
| Dessert | Dessert |
| Wasser ohne Kohlensäure | Water without bubbles |
| Bier vom Fass | Beer on tap |
| Glas Wein | Glass of wine |
Phrases for Paying the Bill
– Die Rechnung, bitte. (The bill, please.)
– Können Sie bitte getrennt abrechnen? (Can you please split the bill?)
– Ich zahle mit Kreditkarte. (I’ll pay with a credit card.)
– Ich zahle bar. (I’ll pay with cash.)
– Vielen Dank. (Thank you very much.)
Dates and Times
German has three ways of saying the date. The first is formal and is used in writing, the second is spoken and less formal, and the third is even more informal and is often used for casual conversation.
Formal
The formal way of saying the date is:
– Tag. Monat, Jahr (day. month, year)
For example:
– 12. Januar, 2023 (12th January, 2023)
Spoken
The spoken way of saying the date is:
– Der Tag. der Monat, das Jahr (the day. the month, the year)
For example:
– Der zwölfte Januar, zweitausenddreiundzwanzig (the twelfth January, two thousand and twenty-three)
Informal
The informal way of saying the date is:
– Tag/Monat/Jahr (day/month/year)
For example:
– 12/01/2023 (12th January, 2023)
Times
To say the time in German, you can use the following format: Stunde:Minute (hour:minute). For example, 3:30 pm would be “fünfzehn Uhr dreißig”.
Numbers 1-20
To say the numbers 1-20 in German, you can use the following table:
| Number | German |
|---|---|
| 1 | eins |
| 2 | zwei |
| 3 | drei |
| 4 | vier |
| 5 | fünf |
| 6 | sechs |
| 7 | sieben |
| 8 | acht |
| 9 | neun |
| 10 | zehn |
| 11 | elf |
| 12 | zwölf |
| 13 | dreizehn |
| 14 | vierzehn |
| 15 | fünfzehn |
| 16 | sechzehn |
| 17 | siebzehn |
| 18 | achtzehn |
| 19 | neunzehn |
| 20 | zwanzig |
Common Greetings
– Guten Morgen (Good morning)
– Guten Tag (Good day)
– Guten Abend (Good evening)
– Hallo (Hello)
– Tschüss (Goodbye)
Basic Phrases
– Bitte (Please)
– Danke (Thank you)
– Entschuldigung (Excuse me)
– Ja (Yes)
– Nein (No)
Phrases for Travelers
– Wo ist das WC? (Where is the restroom?)
– Wie komme ich zum Hauptbahnhof? (How do I get to the central station?)
– Können Sie mir ein Taxi rufen? (Can you call me a taxi?)
Culture-Specific Phrases
– Prost! (Cheers!)
– Mahlzeit! (Enjoy your meal!)
– Gesundheit! (Bless you!)
Phrases for Special Occasions
– Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! (Happy Birthday!)
– Frohe Weihnachten! (Merry Christmas!)
– Guten Rutsch! (Happy New Year!)
Other Useful Phrases for Daily Interactions
– Entschuldigen Sie, könnten Sie mir bitte helfen? (Excuse me, could you please help me?)
– Wie heißt du? (What’s your name?)
– Ich heiße [name] (My name is [name])
– Wie geht es dir? (How are you?)
– Mir geht es gut (I’m fine)
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Bitte schön | You’re welcome |
| Kein Problem | No problem |
| Auf Wiedersehen | Goodbye (more formal) |
| Bis bald | See you soon |
Formal Vocabulary
When speaking formally in German, it is important to use the correct vocabulary. This includes using the formal forms of address, such as “Sie” and “Ihr” instead of “du” and “dein”. It also means using more formal words and phrases, such as “bitte” instead of “bitte schön” and “danke schön” instead of “danke”.
Example
Here is an example of a conversation using formal vocabulary:
| English | German |
|---|---|
| Excuse me, could you please tell me where the bathroom is? | Entschuldigung, könnten Sie mir bitte sagen, wo die Toilette ist? |
| Thank you very much. | Vielen Dank. |
In this conversation, the person is using the formal forms of address “Sie” and “Ihr” and the formal words “bitte” and “danke schön”.
Here are some additional tips for using formal vocabulary in German
– Avoid using contractions.
– Use the full forms of words, such as “nicht” instead of “nich”.
– Avoid using slang or informal language.
– Speak slowly and clearly.
– Make eye contact with the person you are speaking to.
Numbers and Measurements
Numbers
Numbers in German follow a simple pattern:
– 1 – eins
– 2 – zwei
– 3 – drei
– 4 – vier
– 5 – fünf
– 6 – sechs
– 7 – sieben
– 8 – acht
– 9 – neun
– 10 – zehn
Teens are formed by adding “-zehn” to the ones digit, except for 11 and 12:
– 11 – elf
– 12 – zwölf
– 13 – dreizehn
– 14 – vierzehn
– 15 – fünfzehn
– 16 – sechzehn
– 17 – siebzehn
– 18 – achtzehn
– 19 – neunzehn
For numbers 20-99, we use the tens digit followed by the ones digit. The tens digit ends in “-zig”:
– 20 – zwanzig
– 30 – dreißig
– 40 – vierzig
– 50 – fünfzig
– 60 – sechzig
– 70 – siebzig
– 80 – achtzig
– 90 – neunzig
Hundreds are formed by adding “-hundert” to the number:
– 100 – einhundert
– 200 – zweihundert
– 300 – dreihundert
– 400 – vierhundert
– 500 – fünfhundert
– 600 – sechshundert
– 700 – siebenhundert
– 800 – achthundert
– 900 – neunhundert
Thousands are formed by adding “-tausend” to the number:
– 1,000 – eintausend
– 2,000 – zweitausend
– 3,000 – dreitausend
– 4,000 – viertausend
– 5,000 – fünftausend
– 6,000 – sechstausend
– 7,000 – siebentausend
– 8,000 – achttausend
– 9,000 – neuntausend
Decimals and Fractions
Decimals are separated by a comma instead of a period:
– 1.5 – eins komma fünf
Fractions are formed by using the numerator and the denominator:
– 1/2 – ein halb
– 2/3 – zwei drittel
– 3/4 – drei viertel
Measurements
Length:
| Unit | German |
|—|—|
| Centimeter | Zentimeter |
| Meter | Meter |
| Kilometer | Kilometer |
Weight:
| Unit | German |
|—|—|
| Gram | Gramm |
| Kilogram | Kilogramm |
| Tonne | Tonne |
Volume:
| Unit | German |
|—|—|
| Liter | Liter |
| Milliliter | Milliliter |
| Kubikmeter | Kubikmeter |
Area:
| Unit | German |
|—|—|
| Quadratmeter | Quadratmeter |
| Hektar | Hektar |
| Quadratkilometer | Quadratkilometer |
Common Expressions
**1. How do you say “Hello” in German?**
Guten Tag
**2. How do you say “Goodbye” in German?**
Auf Wiedersehen
**3. How do you say “Thank you” in German?**
Danke
**4. How do you say “You’re welcome” in German?**
Bitte
**5. How do you say “Excuse me” in German?**
Entschuldigung
**6. How do you say “Yes” in German?**
Ja
**7. How do you say “No” in German?**
Nein
**8. How do you say “Please” in German?**
Bitte
**9. How do you say “I don’t understand” in German?**
Ich verstehe nicht
**10. How do you say “Can you speak English?” in German?**
Sprechen Sie Englisch?
| German Phrase | English Translation |
|---|---|
| Guten Morgen | Good morning |
| Guten Abend | Good evening |
| Gute Nacht | Good night |
| Wie geht’s? | How are you? |
| Es geht mir gut | I’m fine |
| Wie heißen Sie? | What’s your name? |
| Ich heiße… | My name is… |
| Woher kommen Sie? | Where are you from? |
| Ich komme aus… | I’m from… |
| Wie alt sind Sie? | How old are you? |
| Ich bin… Jahre alt | I’m… years old |
How To Say In German In German
The German language has a word for “how to say something in German,” which is “wie sagt man.” This phrase can be used to ask someone how to say a specific word or phrase in German, or to ask for general advice on how to speak German.
To use “wie sagt man,” you can follow these steps:
- Start with the phrase “Wie sagt man.”
- Add the word or phrase that you want to say in German.
- End with a question mark.
For example, if you want to ask someone how to say “hello” in German, you would say “Wie sagt man ‘hello’ auf Deutsch?”
People Also Ask About How To Say In German In German
How do you say “how are you?” in German?
Wie geht’s?
How do you say “thank you” in German?
Danke.
How do you say “goodbye” in German?
Auf Wiedersehen.
