Ultimate and Printable Guide: Basic German for Travelers
Are you planning a trip to Germany soon? If so you’re not alone, approximately 37.4 million people visit Germany every year making it the ninth-most visited country in the world. German is also one of the most prevalent languages spoken and taught worldwide, with over 130 million speaking it around the globe.
Having some knowledge of basic German words and phrases in your repertoire is a great asset before departing on your trip. Even if a large percentage of Germans know some English, they may not be comfortable using it. Additionally, locals usually respect the fact that a visitor has taken the time to learn some of their language.
Some German words are quite similar to English as you will see. However, the pronunciation of some other German words can be quite daunting. You may not have a community of native German speakers at your disposal to help with pronouncing new words either. While talking with native speakers is the best way to learn, online tools like Google Translate or Duolingo can help in the meantime.
Without further adieu, here are some great Basic German Words and Phrases you should know before traveling to Germany:
General Greetings
- Hello — Hallo
- Thank You — Dankeschön or simply ‘Danke’
- Good Morning — Guten Morgen
- What time is it? — Wie spät ist es?
- Good Day — Guten Tag
- Good Evening — Guten Abend
- Goodbye — Auf Wiedersehen
- Please — Bitte
- Sorry — Entschuldigung
- My name is *name* — Ich heiße *name*
- How are you doing? — Wie geht es Ihnen?
- Do you speak English? — Sprechen Sie Englisch?
Places
- Airport — Der Flughafen
- Train Station — Der Bahnhof
- Restaurant — Das Restaurant
- Washroom — Der Waschraum (WC)
- Hotel — Das Hotel
- Museum — Das Museum
- Metro — Die U-Bahn
Travel
- Car — Das Auto
- Taxi — Das Taxi
- Bus — Der Bus
- Ticket — Das Ticket
- Street — Die Straße
- Passport — Der Pass
- Luggage — Das Gepäck
Food and Drink
- Water — Wasser
- Beer — Bier
- Coffee — Kaffee
- Bread — Brot
- Cheese — Käse
- Breakfast — Frühstück
- Lunch — Mittagessen
- Dinner — Abendessen
- Food — Essen
- Drinks — Getränke
- Menu — Speisekarte
- Cheque, please! — Rechnung bitte!
Get the Free Printable Version HERE
Quick Note
The German language has ‘formal’ and ‘informal’ words that English does not have to address someone. For instance, in English, you would just ask ‘How are you doing?’, whereas Germans can ask either ‘Wie geht es Ihnen?’ (formal) or ‘Wie geht es dir?’ (informal). If you have never met someone before, make sure you use the formal ‘you’.
Another thing to remember: the emergency number in a foreign country may not be the same as your own. For instance, in Germany, it is 112. Something important to note before traveling to a new place, just in case you need it!
With some Basic German words and phrases in your repertoire, you’re ready to enjoy your visit to Deutschland!
