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Unido","usa":null,"publish_details":{"locale":"pt"}}},{"node":{"argentina":null,"armenia":null,"australia":null,"austria":null,"brazil":null,"canada":null,"chile":null,"colombia":null,"czechia":null,"denmark":null,"ecuador":null,"finland":null,"france":null,"germany":null,"hong_kong":null,"hungary":null,"india":null,"italy":null,"japan":null,"korea":null,"latvia":null,"mexico":null,"morocco":null,"norway":null,"peru":null,"poland":null,"puerto_rico":null,"singapore":null,"spain":null,"sweden":null,"switzerland":null,"taiwan":null,"thailand":null,"united_kingdom":null,"usa":null,"publish_details":{"locale":"tr-tr"}}},{"node":{"argentina":null,"armenia":null,"australia":null,"austria":null,"brazil":null,"canada":null,"chile":null,"colombia":null,"czechia":null,"denmark":null,"ecuador":null,"finland":null,"france":null,"germany":null,"hong_kong":null,"hungary":null,"india":null,"italy":null,"japan":null,"korea":null,"latvia":null,"mexico":null,"morocco":null,"norway":null,"peru":null,"poland":null,"puerto_rico":null,"singapore":null,"spain":null,"sweden":null,"switzerland":null,"taiwan":null,"thailand":null,"united_kingdom":null,"usa":null,"publish_details":{"locale":"nl"}}},{"node":{"argentina":"อาร์เจนตินา","armenia":"อาร์เมเนีย","australia":"ออสเตรเลีย","austria":"ออสเตรีย","brazil":"บราซิล","canada":"แคนาดา","chile":"ชิลี","colombia":"โคลัมเบีย","czechia":"สาธารณรัฐเช็ก","denmark":"เดนมาร์ก","ecuador":"เอกวาดอร์","finland":"ฟินแลนด์","france":"ในประเทศฝรั่งเศส","germany":"ประเทศเยอรมัน","hong_kong":"ฮ่องกง","hungary":"ฮังการี","india":"อินเดีย","italy":"อิตาลี","japan":"ประเทศญี่ปุ่น","korea":"เกาหลี","latvia":"","mexico":"เม็กซิโก","morocco":"โมร็อกโก","norway":"นอร์เวย์","peru":"เปรู","poland":"โปแลนด์","puerto_rico":"เปอร์โตริโก้","singapore":null,"spain":"สเปน","sweden":"สวีเดน","switzerland":"สวิส","taiwan":"ไต้หวัน","thailand":"ผูก","united_kingdom":"อังกฤษ","usa":null,"publish_details":{"locale":"th-th"}}},{"node":{"argentina":"아르헨티나","armenia":"아르메니아","australia":"호주","austria":"오스트리아","brazil":"브라질","canada":"캐나다","chile":"칠레","colombia":"콜롬비아","czechia":"체코 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Originally from Hamburg, she has traveled to 35 countries and now lives in Orlando, Florida. She is experienced in researching, editing and writing about a diverse range of topics and has worked with various international clients from Copenhagen to Sydney. Her areas of expertise include education, communication, cultures, travel, linguistics and language acquisition.
\nLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marie-schmoll-b10691236/
","flipped":false,"join_block_below":true,"image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt518d6f9fe9dad1ff/62943b39285a180f5793b82e/thumbnail_IMG_5383_2.jpeg","title":"thumbnail_IMG_5383_2.jpeg"},"hidden":false}},{"cards":{"large_cards":false,"row":false,"flat":false,"title":"Articles by Marie","join_block_below":true,"cta_as_link":true,"cards":[{"call_to_action_text":"Basic German words & phrases","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"100+ basic German words, phrases & expressions to master","url":"/blog/basic-german-words-phrases","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt819428470fa76502/6757dc357240a16f9b1c663e/German-words-and-phrases.jpg"},"post_content":"
Whether you're traveling within a German-speaking country, making small talk with a German friend or sending a thank you email to a German colleague, mastering these essentials will open all the doors for you, and connect you to a whole new world.
First things first, of course, you want to be able to say “hallo” and use basic German words and phrases like “entschuldigung”, “bitte” and “danke” correctly. Even if you’re not ready to have a proper conversation in German just yet, this list will prepare you to say your first German words.
Hallo (Hello)
Guten Morgen (Good morning)
Guten Abend (Good evening)
Tschüss (Goodbye)
Bitte (Please)
Bitte (You're welcome)
Entschuldigung (Excuse me)
Ja (Yes)
Nein (No)
Vielleicht (Maybe)
Schönen Tag noch (Have a nice day)
Once you’re feeling brave enough to have a small conversation, start by introducing yourself, and asking the other person for their name and where they’re from.
![\"German](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte3f9b79664e6f2fb/6757dc998a58e980abf1002f/German-travel.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Ich heiße... (My name is...)
Wie heißen Sie? (What is your name?)
Freut mich (Nice to meet you)
Woher kommen Sie? (Where are you from?)
Ich komme aus... (I am from...)
Das ist... (This is...)
Er/Sie heißt... (His/Her name is...)
Wie alt bist du? (How old are you?)
Ich bin ... Jahre alt (I am ... years old)
Ich bin Student/Studentin (I am a student)
Ich arbeite als... (I work as...)
As a German language learner, you probably have a lot of questions. To make sure you ask them correctly, follow our fun and easy guide to all types of German question words and pay special attention to these crucial ones:
![\"Basic](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4ec17636e90e20e8/6757e0dc4af80b35eaf0c011/German-market.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Wie geht es dir/Ihnen? (How are you?)
Mir geht es gut. (I am fine.)
Wie spät ist es? (What time is it?)
Wo ist...? (Where is...?)
Wie viel kostet das? (How much does it cost?)
Warum? (Why?)
Wie? (How?)
Wann? (When?)
Wer? (Who?)
Was? (What?)
Welcher/Welches/Welche? (Which?)
Certain phrases are more helpful than others. One of the most basic German phrases you’ll learn is “Ich weiß nicht”. If you know this one, you have an answer for each and any question!
Ich möchte... (I would like...)
Das ist gut (It's good)
Das ist schlecht (It's bad)
Einverstanden (Agreed)
Ich verstehe (I understand)
So you’ve been practicing the basics, and you’re ready to visit a German-speaking country? Traveling can be a challenge in itself, but if you find yourself in a foreign country, it’s even more important to know some travel-specific terms and phrases.
![\"Eine](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt22003f4eea7d9512/6757decc117e7e7b1e469538/German-train-station.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Eine Fahrkarte nach..., bitte (A ticket to..., please)
Ich möchte ein Zimmer reservieren (I would like to book a room)
Können Sie mir helfen? (Can you help me?)
Wo ist die Bushaltestelle? (Where is the bus stop?)
Wann fährt der Zug ab? (What time does the train leave?)
Wie lange dauert es? (How long does it take?)
Ist es weit? (Is it far?)
Ich möchte ein Auto mieten (I would like to rent a car)
Können Sie ein gutes Restaurant empfehlen? (Can you recommend a good restaurant?)
Haben Sie einen Stadtplan? (Do you have a city map?)
Once you’ve made it to your destination, the next challenge is to find your way around and navigate public places. Here are some helpful phrases to keep in mind.
Wo sind die Toiletten? (Where are the restrooms?)
Der Bahnhof (The train station)
Der Flughafen (The airport)
Das Restaurant (The restaurant)
Das Hotel (The hotel)
Das Museum (The museum)
Die Apotheke (The pharmacy)
Der Supermarkt (The supermarket)
Der Park (The park)
Die Bibliothek (The library)
Die Bank (The bank)
Being able to order food in German will make your trip a lot easier – and tastier! For a detailed breakdown on how to order and what to order, check out our big German restaurant menu & dining guide! And if you just need a few simple phrases, try these:
![\"Ordering](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt2fb2665b30b9c571/6757de2321e0663b5a40e811/Order-German-food.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Ich möchte... (I would like...)
Einen Kaffee, bitte (A coffee, please)
Die Rechnung, bitte (The bill, please)
Was ist das Tagesgericht? (What is the dish of the day?)
Haben Sie vegetarische Gerichte? (Do you have vegetarian dishes?)
Haben Sie vegane Gerichte? (Do you have vegan dishes?)
Ich bin allergisch gegen... (I am allergic to...)
Einen Tisch für zwei, bitte (A table for two, please)
Kann ich die Speisekarte sehen? (Can I see the menu?)
Ich hätte gerne Wasser (I would like some water)
Das ist lecker! (It's delicious!)
Ist der Service inbegriffen? (Is the service included?)
I hope you never need these, but better safe than sorry! If you ever need to ask for help or find yourself in any kind of emergency in a German-speaking country, remember these:
![\"German](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt6f6808489eafe64b/6757df997fea47533e19f513/German-police.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Kannst du mir helfen?/Können Sie mir helfen? (Can you help me?)
Helfen Sie mir! (Help me!)
Ich hab mich verirrt (I got lost)
Wo ist das Krankenhaus? (Where is the hospital?)
Ich brauche einen Arzt (I need a doctor)
Rufen Sie die Polizei! (Call the police!)
Gibt es jemanden, der Englisch spricht? (Is there someone who speaks English?)
Ich verstehe nicht (I don't understand)
Kannst du das wiederholen? (Can you repeat that?)
Wo ist die Botschaft? (Where is the embassy?)
Ich habe meinen Reisepass verloren (I lost my passport)
If you’ve made it this far into your language learning journey, you’re ready to level up, and dive into German numbers and dates.We have collected all the important phrases, and a few helpful guides to get you started:
Eins (one)
Zwei (two)
Drei (three)
Vier (four)
Fünf (five)
Sechs (six)
Sieben (seven)
Acht (eight)
Neun (nine)
Zehn (ten)
Elf (eleven)
Zwölf (twelve)
Dreizehn (thirteen)
Vierzehn (fourteen)
Fünfzehn (fifteen)
Sechzehn (sixteen)
Siebzehn (seventeen)
Achtzehn (eighteen)
Neunzehn (nineteen)
Zwanzig (twenty)
Januar (January)
Februar (February)
März (March)
April (April)
Mai (May)
Juni (June)
Juli (July)
August (August)
September (September)
Oktober (October)
November (November)
Dezember (December)
Montag (Monday)
Dienstag (Tuesday)
Mittwoch (Wednesday)
Donnerstag (Thursday)
Freitag (Friday)
Samstag (Saturday)
Sonntag (Sunday)
Heute (Today)
Morgen (Tomorrow)
Gestern (Yesterday)
Der Morgen (morning)
Der Nachmittag (afternoon)
Der Abend (evening)
Die Nacht (night)
These phrases are a lot to learn, and it can be exhausting to sit down and study until you remember them all. We have a few ideas to make your German study sessions more fun.
Learning basic German terms and phrases is a great start to learning the language, but the best conversations happen once you know how to form your own sentences, and express your own beautifully unique thoughts.
That’s how you go from studying to learning.
So stick with it, and as always, the best place to dive deeper into any German language and culture topics is our reliable and fun German language blog.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Gender in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"Gender in German: Noun guide to masculine, feminine & neuter","url":"/blog/noun-gender-german-masculine-feminine-neuter","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blta27618c8bca2a08a/6704a959d4973574b0349fff/pexels-weavehall-collective-746895245-18650066.jpg"},"post_content":"\n
In German, “der Hund” (the dog) is male, while “die Katze” (the cat) is female. So unless I know an animal’s actual gender, these generalizations are wired into my brain. For me, tables and spoons are male, while mugs and forks are female.
\nIn German, every noun has a gender - masculine, feminine, or neuter - and this affects the articles and adjectives that go along with it.
\nThis may come naturally to native speakers, but it can be quite challenging if you’re a new German language learner.
\n\n
\n
In German, every noun is assigned one of three genders:
\nYou would think females are female, males are male, and everything that’s not alive - like clothing, furniture, and dishes - are neuter, but it’s not that easy.
\nThese genders don’t always make sense. So each time you learn a new noun in German, it’s important to learn its gender along with it.
\n\n
There are a few general rules that can help you identify masculine nouns in German, though there are many exceptions. Here are some key patterns to look out for:
\n| Masculine nouns in German | \nEnglish translation | \nSample sentence | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Der Mann | \nThe man | \nDer Mann geht gerne Ski fahren. | \nThe man likes to ski. | \n
| Der Schlüssel | \nThe key | \nDer Schlüssel liegt auf dem Tisch. | \nThe key is on the table. | \n
| Der Montag | \nMonday | \nMontag ist der beste Tag der Woche. | \nMonday is the best day of the week. | \n
| Der Schlaf | \nThe sleep | \nGuter Schlaf ist wichtig für die Gesundheit. | \nGood sleep is important for your health. | \n
| Der Norden | \nThe North | \nDer Norden Deutschlands ist für seine Küsten bekannt. | \nThe north of Germany is known for its coasts. | \n
\n
Let’s dive deeper into each one of those categories!
\n\n
| Masculine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Der Junge | \nThe boy | \n
| Der Vater | \nThe father | \n
| Der Bruder | \nThe brother | \n
| Der Sohn | \nThe son | \n
| Der König | \nThe king | \n
\n
Certain suffixes (word endings) indicate certain genders as well. If you encounter nouns ending in “-er”, “-en”, or “-el”, they’re often male, but definitely not always. So be cautious!
\n| Masculine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Der Hammer | \nThe hammer | \n
| Der Zucker | \nThe sugar | \n
| Der Garten | \nThe garden | \n
| Der Ofen | \nThe oven | \n
| Der Apfel | \nThe apple | \n
\n
If you’re specifically referring to professions of males, a lot of them end with the suffix “-er”, making it automatically male.
\n| Masculine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Der Lehrer | \nThe teacher (male) | \n
| Der Verkäufer | \nThe salesman | \n
| Der Künstler | \nThe artist (male) | \n
| Der Programmierer | \nThe software developer (male) | \n
| Der Fotograf | \nThe photographer (male) | \n
\n
One category of words that’s reliably always male is that of days, months, and seasons. All of these are male in German:
\n| Masculine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Der Mittwoch | \nWednesday | \n
| Der Juli | \nJuly | \n
| Der Oktober | \nOctober | \n
| Der Frühling | \nSpring | \n
| Der Winter | \nWinter | \n
\n
Certain nouns that are formed directly from verbs, without additional suffixes, are also categorized as masculine. For example, a German verb is “kaufen” (to purchase). So when you turn that verb into a noun like “Der Kauf” (the purchase), that noun will be male.
\n| Masculine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Der Kauf | \nThe purchase | \n
| Der Schlag | \nThe hit | \n
| Der Sprung | \nThe jump | \n
| Der Lauf | \nThe run | \n
| Der Fall | \nThe fall (also: the case) | \n
\n
In German, nouns that refer to points of the compass are also all masculine.
\n| Masculine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Der Osten | \nThe East | \n
| Der Süden | \nThe South | \n
| Der Westen | \nThe West | \n
| Der Nordpol | \nThe North Pole | \n
| Der Südpol | \nThe South Pole | \n
\n
Similarly, other categories or types of nouns are always female:
\n| Feminine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \nSample sentence | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Die Frau | \nThe woman | \nDie Frau geht gerne Bergsteigen. | \nThe woman likes to go mountain climbing. | \n
| Die Mechanikerin | \nThe mechanic (female) | \nDie Mechanikerin hat das Auto in einer Stunde repariert. | \nThe mechanic repaired the car in one hour. | \n
| Die Freiheit | \nThe freedom | \nMeine Freiheit ist mir wichtiger. | \nMy freedom is more important to me. | \n
| Die Blume | \nThe flower | \nDie Blume im Garten blüht jeden Frühling. | \nThe flower in the garden blooms every spring. | \n
\n
When referring to a person, and you know their gender is female, the noun you use to describe them is usually feminine.
\n| Feminine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Die Tochter | \nThe daughter | \n
| Die Mutter | \nThe mother | \n
| Die Schwester | \nThe sister | \n
| Die Tochter | \nThe daughter | \n
| Die Königin | \nThe queen | \n
\n
If you’re specifically referring to professions of females, the profession ends with the suffix “-in”, making it automatically female.
\n| Feminine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Die Ärztin | \nThe doctor (female) | \n
| Die Ingenieurin | \nThe engineer (female) | \n
| Die Künstlerin | \nThe artist (female) | \n
| Die Programmiererin | \nThe software developer (female) | \n
| Die Fotografin | \nThe photographer (female) | \n
\n
Many feminine nouns in German are formed with the suffixes “-heit”, “-keit”, “-ung”, “-schaft”, and “-ion”, which consistently indicate that they are female.
\n| Feminine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Die Gesundheit | \nThe health | \n
| Die Möglichkeit | \nThe possibility | \n
| Die Bildung | \nThe education | \n
| Die Landschaft | \nThe landscape | \n
| Die Information | \nThe information | \n
\n
The next category is definitely just a rough guideline. More often than not, German words ending in “-e”, are feminine, but be sure to double check because there are quite a few exceptions to this.
\n| Feminine noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Die Lampe | \nThe lamp | \n
| Die Tasse | \nThe cup, mug | \n
| Die Straße | \nThe street | \n
| Die Gitarre | \nThe guitar | \n
| Die Farbe | \nThe color | \n
\n
Of course not all nouns are masculine and feminine in German. Many nouns are neuter.Here’s where it can get a little confusing. As I’ve mentioned, not all inanimate objects are neuter, but it goes both ways. Some living things, even people with a known gender, are actually neuter. For example, the German word for “girl” is “das Mädchen”, which is neuter, and not feminine, as you’d expect!Let’s take a look at the different categories of neuter nouns that will help you determine neuter nouns in German:
\n| Neuter nouns in German | \nEnglish translation | \nSample sentence | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Das Mädchen | \nThe girl | \nDas Mädchen spielt im Sandkasten. | \nThe girl is playing in the sandbox. | \n
| Das Lachen | \nThe laugh | \nIhr Lachen war ansteckend. | \nHer laugh was contagious. | \n
| Das Instrument | \nThe instrument | \nDas Instrument, das ich spiele, ist die Gitarre. | \nThe instrument I play is the guitar. | \n
| Das Gefühl | \nThe feeling | \nDas Gefühl ist unbezahlbar. | \nThe feeling is priceless. | \n
\n
Diminutive endings like “-chen” and “-lein” make a noun smaller or cuter.Some German diminutives are famous words like “Mädchen” or “Fräulein”. If you take the word “Katze” (cat), change the vowel “a” to the Umlaut “ä”, and add the ending “chen”, you just turned your cat into a kitten: Kätzchen!Some other diminutive are less common, but will be understood by German speakers nonetheless. The fun part is that you can turn any noun into something smaller or cuter, when you repeat that process:
\n| Neuter noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Das Häuschen | \nThe little house | \n
| Das Kätzchen | \nThe kitten | \n
| Das Fräulein | \nThe little woman/Miss | \n
| Das Büchlein | \nThe little book | \n
| Das Bäumlein | \nThe little tree | \n
\n
You can turn most infinitives into a noun by adding the article “das” to it. This is similar in English: To laugh → The laugh.All of these infinitives turned to nouns are then automatically neuter:
\n| Neuter noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Das Essen | \nThe eating (also: the food) | \n
| Das Trinken | \nThe drinking | \n
| Das Schlafen | \nThe sleeping | \n
| Das Singen | \nThe singing | \n
| Das Tanzen | \nThe dancing | \n
\n
Nouns with one of the following endings usually have a neuter gender in German:
\n| Neuter noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Das Dokument | \nThe document | \n
| Das Zentrum | \nThe center | \n
| Das Museum | \nThe museum | \n
| Das Eigentum | \nThe property | \n
| Das Altertum | \nThe antiquity | \n
\n
Some of my favorite German nouns start with the prefix “Ge-”, like “Gebäck”, or “Gemüse” - and they have one thing in common: They’re all neuter, but be careful. This is another category with quite a few exceptions.
\n| Neuter noun in German | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Das Gemüse | \nThe vegetables (This is a singular word in German) | \n
| Das Gebäck | \nThe pastries (This is a singular word in German) | \n
| Das Gepäck | \nThe luggage | \n
| Das Gewissen | \nThe conscience | \n
| Das Getreide | \nThe grain | \n
\n
Unfortunately, as mentioned, some of these categories have exceptions. Here are some examples of nouns that defy the rules from above:
\n| Category | \nExceptions to the rules | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Nouns ending in “-er”, “-en”, or “-el” that are not male | \nDas ZimmerDas WasserDas LachenDas MachenDie Nadel Die Zwiebel | \n The room The water The laughter The making The needle The onion | \n
| Nouns ending in “-e” that are not female | \nDer NameDer SeeDer JungeDas AugeDas EndeDas Gebäude | \nThe name The lake The boy The eye The end The building | \n
| Nouns starting with “Ge-” that are not neuter | \nDie Geburt Die GemeindeDie GeschichteDer GehilfeDer GeselleDer Gelehrte | \n The birth The community The history/story The assistant The apprentice The scholar | \n
\n
As you might remember from our fun and easy guide to German adjective endings & declensions, adjectives must agree with the gender, numerus, and case of the nouns they relate to. This means that the ending of an adjective changes based on the noun they are describing. Check out our guide for specific rules, but here are ten examples of what that can look like:
\n| Noun and adjective combination in German | \nExample sentence | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Der kalte Norden | \nIch liebe den kalten Norden im Winter. | \nI love the cold North in winter. | \n
| Der weise König | \nDie Berater des weisen Königs sind auch klug. | \nThe advisors of the wise king are also clever. | \n
| Der neue Fall | \nDie Polizei untersucht den neuen Fall gründlich. | \nThe police are investigating the new case thoroughly. | \n
| Die breite Straße | \nWir gehen über die breite Straße. | \nWe are crossing the broad street. | \n
| Die schöne Landschaft | \nIch träume von der schönen Landschaft im Herbst. | \nI’m dreaming of the beautiful landscape in fall. | \n
| Die größe Katze | \nIch habe die großen Katzen gefüttert. | \nI fed the big cats. | \n
| Das kleine Kätzchen | \nHast du das kleine Kätzchen gesehen? | \nDid you see the little kitten? | \n
| Das leckere Essen | \nIch liebe leckeres Essen. | \nI love delicious food. | \n
| Das schwere Gepäck | \nSie trägt das schwere Gepäck ohne Probleme. | \nShe is carrying the heavy luggage without any problems. | \n
| Das britische Museum | \nIch war letztens im Britischen Museum. | \nI recently went to the British Museum. | \n
\n
In German, some nouns change their meaning based on their gender. For example, “der See” means “the lake”, but “die See” means the sea. Here are five examples of noun pairs that change meaning, based on their gender in German.
\n| German noun | \nEnglish translation | \n
| Der See | \nThe lake | \n
| Die See | \nThe sea | \n
| Der Kiefer | \nThe jaw | \n
| Die Kiefer | \nThe pine tree | \n
| Der Tor | \nThe fool | \n
| Das Tor | \nThe goal | \n
| Der Band | \nThe volume (of a book) | \n
| Die Band | \nThe band (musical group) | \n
| Der Leiter | \nThe director | \n
| Die Leiter | \nThe ladder | \n
\n
Gender can be confusing, but with the right strategies, it becomes more manageable. Here are some practical tips to help you learn a noun’s gender in German:
\n\n
The most common mistake is to learn new words without learning their gender, and then trying to guess it later on.
\nIn German, and many other languages, nouns and their articles are almost inseparable, so you have to just see them as part of the vocabulary you’re learning.
\nAnother common mistake is to think that all languages that use gendered nouns, use the same gender, but that would be too easy. Did you know that in German, the moon is male, and the sun is female, when in French and Spanish, it’s the other way around?
\n\n
The only time gender is truly important is when you’re referring to actual people, who care about and deserve being gendered correctly. That’s why it’s important to use the right pronoun for people, and to use inclusive language in the German language, just like you would in any other language.
\nIn German, this can be even trickier than in English. For example, there are usually two different words for a profession, the female one, like “Ärztin” (a female doctor), and the male one “Arzt” (a male doctor). So when you talk about a group of doctors in German, it’s considered as politically correct to say “Ärzte und Ärztinnen” often shortened to “Ärzt*innen“ and not just “Ärzte”, even though this is easier, and therefore done by many.
\nTake the extra moment and foster a culture of inclusivity!
\n\n
As important as gender is for us as people, the truth is, no chair, car, or rug will be upset if you misgender them, and German speakers will still be able to understand you if this happens. So try your best to use the correct article, but if you ever get confused, don’t stress about it either.It’s admittedly a confusing topic, so hopefully you got some clarity today.
\nCheck out our easily understandable and fun German language blog for a breakdown of other complex grammar topics like this one!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Gender in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"An easy guide to masculine, feminine & gender neutral in French","url":"/blog/french-feminine-masculine-gender-neutral","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4888a1312a70ae33/669dacf4815b2b4ea492f48b/2149151039.jpg"},"post_content":"And hey, as a French person, I totally get it – why should a table (la table) be feminine while a book (le livre) is masculine? What if it’s a very girly book? But fear not, we're here to guide you!
In this article, we’ll uncover the secrets behind gendered nouns in French, helping you navigate from the basics to those charmantes exceptions that make French so unique. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to fine-tune your skills, we’ve got the tips and tricks to make it all “un jeu d’enfants” (a piece of cake!).
Ready to turn confusion into confidence? Alors, c’est parti!
Alright, let’s start with the basics! In French, every noun is either masculine or feminine. No surprise here.
This little twist adds excitement — or confusion? — to learning French. But don’t worry, learning this can actually be entertaining! Keep reading to unveil all the secrets of gender in French.
We have fantastiques news for you! The rules below will help you to get the right gender in about 80% of the cases. Not bad, right? Let’s start with masculine:
![\"Man](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltc1fd251ea8a09a04/669dd1e8d316c7ebcbb35ce2/french-masculine-nouns.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
It might sound logical, but just in case, nouns that refer to male people or animals are generally masculine (e.g., \"homme\" - man, \"garçon\" - boy, \"coq\" - rooster).
Names of languages are masculine (e.g., \"français\" - French, \"anglais\" - English).
Names of metals and chemical elements are usually masculine (e.g., \"fer\" - iron, \"or\" - gold).
Names of colors used as nouns are typically masculine (e.g., \"bleu\" - blue, \"rouge\" - red).
Names of trees are generally masculine (e.g., \"chêne\" - oak, \"sapin\" - fir).
Nouns borrowed from other languages — thank you, languages! — that don’t have a clear gender in French are often treated as masculine (e.g., \"le weekend\" - weekend, \"le parking\" - parking).
Here are some examples to get you started:
| Rule | Masculine nouns in French | English translation | Sample sentence |
| -eau | chapeau | hat | Il porte un chapeau noir. (He is wearing a black hat.) |
| bateau | boat | Le bateau est sur le lac. (The boat is on the lake.) | |
| manteau | coat | J'ai acheté un nouveau manteau. (I bought a new coat.) | |
| tableau | painting/board | Le tableau est magnifique. (The painting is magnificent.) | |
| ruisseau | stream | Le ruisseau coule dans la forêt. (The stream flows in the forest.) | |
| -isme | capitalisme | capitalism | Le capitalisme est un système économique. (Capitalism is an economic system.) |
| tourisme | tourism | Le tourisme est important pour l'économie. (Tourism is important for the economy.) | |
| racisme | racism | Le racisme doit être combattu. (Racism must be fought.) | |
| socialisme | socialism | Le socialisme prône l'égalité. (Socialism advocates equality.) | |
| journalisme | journalism | Le journalisme est sa carrière. (Journalism is his career.) | |
| -ment | mouvement | movement | Le mouvement est pacifique. (The movement is peaceful.) |
| département | department (county) | L’Isère est un département français. (Isère is a French department.) | |
| bâtiment | building | Le bâtiment est très ancien. (The building is very old.) | |
| monument | monument | Le monument est dédié aux héros. (The monument is dedicated to the heroes.) | |
| gouvernement | government | Le gouvernement a adopté une nouvelle loi. (The government has passed a new law.) | |
| -oir | miroir | mirror | Le miroir est sur le mur. (The mirror is on the wall.) |
| soir | evening | Le soir est calme et paisible. (The evening is calm and peaceful.) | |
| espoir | hope | L'espoir fait vivre. (Hope keeps you going.) | |
| devoir | duty | C'est ton devoir de voter. (It is your duty to vote.) | |
| pouvoir | power | Le pouvoir appartient au peuple. (The power belongs to the people.) | |
| Nouns Denoting Males | homme | man | L'homme marche dans le parc. (The man is walking in the park.) |
| garçon | boy | Le garçon joue au football. (The boy is playing soccer.) | |
| coq | rooster | Le coq chante tôt le matin. (The rooster crows early in the morning.) | |
| père | father | Mon père est professeur. (My father is a teacher.) | |
| frère | brother | Mon frère est très intelligent. (My brother is very intelligent.) | |
| Days of the Week | lundi | Monday | Lundi est le premier jour de la semaine. (Monday is the first day of the week.) |
| mardi | Tuesday | Ce mardi, j'ai une réunion importante. (This Tuesday, I have an important meeting.) | |
| mercredi | Wednesday | Le mercredi, nous allons au cinéma. (On Wednesdays, we go to the cinema.) | |
| jeudi | Thursday | Chaque jeudi, je joue au tennis. (Every Thursday, I play tennis.) | |
| vendredi | Friday | Vendredi, c'est le jour du poisson. (Friday is fish day.) | |
| Months of the Year | janvier | January | Janvier est le premier mois de l'année. (January is the first month of the year.) |
| février | February | Février est le mois le plus court. (February is the shortest month.) | |
| mars | March | Mars est souvent venteux. (March is often windy.) | |
| avril | April | Avril est le mois des fleurs. (April is the month of flowers.) | |
| mai | May | Mai est le mois des ponts. (May is the month of bridges.) | |
| Seasons | printemps | spring | Le printemps est la saison des fleurs. (Spring is the season of flowers.) |
| été | summer | L'été est chaud et ensoleillé. (Summer is hot and sunny.) | |
| automne | autumn | L'automne est ma saison préférée. (Autumn is my favorite season.) | |
| hiver | winter | L'hiver est froid et neigeux. (Winter is cold and snowy.) | |
| Languages | français | French | Le français est une belle langue. (French is a beautiful language.) |
| anglais | English | J'étudie l'anglais à l'école. (I study English at school.) | |
| espagnol | Spanish | L'espagnol est parlé en Espagne. (Spanish is spoken in Spain.) | |
| allemand | German | L'allemand est une langue germanique. (German is a Germanic language.) | |
| italien | Italian | L'italien est la langue de l'Italie. (Italian is the language of Italy.) | |
| Metals and Elements | fer | iron | Le fer est un métal utilisé en construction. (Iron is a metal used in construction.) |
| or | gold | L'or est très précieux. (Gold is very precious.) | |
| argent | silver | L'argent est utilisé en joaillerie. (Silver is used in jewelry.) | |
| cuivre | copper | Le cuivre est un bon conducteur. (Copper is a good conductor.) | |
| plomb | lead | Le plomb est un métal lourd. (Lead is a heavy metal.) | |
| Colors | bleu | blue | Le ciel est bleu. (The sky is blue.) |
| rouge | red | La voiture est rouge. (The car is red.) | |
| vert | green | L'herbe est verte. (The grass is green.) | |
| jaune | yellow | Le soleil est jaune. (The sun is yellow.) | |
| noir | black | Le chat est noir. (The cat is black.) | |
| Trees | chêne | oak | Le chêne est un arbre robuste. (The oak is a sturdy tree.) |
| sapin | fir | Le sapin est un arbre de Noël. (The fir is a Christmas tree.) | |
| érable | maple | L'érable produit du sirop. (The maple produces syrup.) | |
| bouleau | birch | Le bouleau a une écorce blanche. (The birch has white bark.) | |
| noyer | walnut tree | Le noyer produit des noix. (The walnut tree produces nuts.) | |
| Borrowed words | le weekend | weekend | Nous partons en weekend. (We are going away for the weekend.) |
| le parking | parking | Le parking est complet. (The parking lot is full.) | |
| le smartphone | smartphone | Mon smartphone est neuf. (My smartphone is new.) | |
| le hamburger | hamburger | J'ai mangé un hamburger. (I ate a hamburger.) | |
| le wifi | wifi | Le wifi est rapide ici. (The Wifi is fast here.) |
For all our readers who identify as female, don’t worry, the feminine gender has rules too!
![\"Young](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt74476cb47e45f840/669dd2b806a6fa4ef37cbc17/Feminine-nouns-French.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Just like for the masculine, nouns that refer to female people or animals are generally feminine (e.g., \"femme\" - woman, \"fille\" - girl, \"poule\" - hen).
Countries, continents, and regions ending in -e are usually feminine (e.g., \"France,\" \"Europe,\" \"Provence\").
Names of arts and sciences are generally feminine (e.g., \"littérature\" - literature, \"chimie\" - chemistry).
Here are a few examples:
| Rule | Feminine nouns in French | English translation | Sample sentence |
| -tion, -sion | nation | nation | La nation est unie. (The nation is united.) |
| -té, -tié | liberté | freedom | La liberté est précieuse. (Freedom is precious.) |
| -ure | culture | culture | La culture française est riche. (French culture is rich.) |
| -ude, -ade | solitude | solitude | La solitude peut être paisible. (Solitude can be peaceful.) |
| -esse | richesse | wealth | La richesse est relative. (Wealth is relative.) |
| -ette | bicyclette | bicycle | La bicyclette est verte. (The bicycle is green.) |
| -ence, -ance | différence | difference | La différence est notable. (The difference is notable.) |
| -ine, -ise | machine | machine | La machine est en panne. (The machine is broken down.) |
| -ie | compagnie | company | La compagnie aérienne est fiable. (The airline is reliable.) |
| Nouns denoting females | femme | woman | La femme est forte. (The woman is strong.) |
| fille | girl | La fille joue dans le jardin. (The girl is playing in the garden.) | |
| poule | hen | La poule pond des œufs. (The hen lays eggs.) | |
| actrice | actress | L'actrice a gagné un prix. (The actress won an award.) | |
| reine | queen | La reine règne sur le royaume. (The queen reigns over the kingdom.) | |
| Countries, continents, and regions ending in -e | France | France | La France est un beau pays. (France is a beautiful country.) |
| Europe | Europe | L'Europe est diversifiée. (Europe is diverse.) | |
| Provence | Provence | La Provence est célèbre pour ses lavandes. (Provence is famous for its lavender.) | |
| Asie | Asia | L'Asie est vaste. (Asia is vast.) | |
| Afrique | Africa | L'Afrique est riche en cultures. (Africa is rich in cultures.) | |
| Arts and sciences | littérature | literature | La littérature explore l'âme humaine. (Literature explores the human soul.) |
| chimie | chemistry | La chimie est ma matière préférée. (Chemistry is my favorite subject.) | |
| biologie | biology | La biologie étudie les organismes vivants. (Biology studies living organisms.) | |
| physique | physics | La physique est unen science fondamentale. (Physics is a fundamental science.) | |
| géographie | geography | La géographie explique les paysages. (Geography explains landscapes.) | |
| Nouns ending in -ée | journée | day | La journée a été longue. (The day has been long.) |
| idée | idea | L'idée est intéressante. (The idea is interesting.) | |
| année | year | L'année prochaine sera meilleure. (Next year will be better.) | |
| arrivée | arrival | L'arrivée est prévue pour demain. (The arrival is scheduled for tomorrow.) | |
| marée | tide | La marée monte rapidement. (The tide rises quickly.) |
I know you’re over the moon because you’ve already mastered gender in French… In 80% of the cases! Well, sorry to disappoint, but there are of course a few exceptions. It’s a Latin language, after all!
![\"French](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt0c575aa0d06fa972/669dd37cd316c74aabb35cf1/pexels-george-pak-7972495.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Below are a few of the most common exceptions to these rules.
| Rule | Common exceptions | Sample sentence |
| -age (Feminine) | la plage (beach) | Nous passons la journée à la plage. (We are spending the day at the beach.) |
| la cage (cage) | L'oiseau est dans la cage. (The bird is in the cage.) | |
| la page (page) | Tourne la page du livre. (Turn the page of the book.) | |
| la rage (rage) | La rage de la tempête était effrayante. (The rage of the storm was frightening.) | |
| la nage (swimming) | La nage est un excellent exercice. (Swimming is an excellent exercise.) | |
| -eau (Feminine) | l'eau (water) | L'eau est essentielle à la vie. (Water is essential for life.) |
| la peau (skin) | La peau de bébé est douce. (Baby's skin is soft.) | |
| -é (Feminine) | la clé (key) | J'ai perdu la clé de la porte. (I lost the key to the door.) |
| la psyché (psyche) | La psyché humaine est complexe. (The human psyche is complex.) | |
| -teur (Feminine) | la chanteuse (singer, female) | La chanteuse a une belle voix. (The singer has a beautiful voice.) |
| la directrice (director, female) | La directrice a annoncé la nouvelle. (The director announced the news.) | |
| -eur (Feminine) | la couleur (color) | La couleur de ses yeux est bleue. (The color of his/her eyes is blue.) |
| la chaleur (heat) | La chaleur de l'été est intense. (The summer heat is intense.) | |
| la fleur (flower) | La fleur est épanouie. (The flower is blooming.) | |
| Foreign origin (Feminine) | la pizza (pizza) | La pizza est délicieuse. (The pizza is delicious.) |
| la salsa (sauce, dance) | Elle aime danser la salsa. (She likes to dance salsa.) | |
| -té (Masculine) | le côté (side) | Le côté gauche est plus faible. (The left side is weaker.) |
| le comité (committee) | Le comité se réunit demain. (The committee meets tomorrow.) | |
| l'été (summer) | L'été est chaud cette année. (Summer is hot this year.) | |
| le pâté (pâté) | J'aime le pâté de campagne. (I like country pâté.) | |
| le traité (treaty) | Le traité a été signé hier. (The treaty was signed yesterday.) | |
| -eur (Masculine) | le bonheur (happiness) | Le bonheur est éphémère. (Happiness is fleeting.) |
| le malheur (misfortune) | Le malheur ne vient jamais seul. (Misfortune never comes alone.) | |
| le moteur (engine) | Le moteur de la voiture est puissant. (The car engine is powerful.) | |
| le cœur (heart) | Le cœur bat rapidement. (The heart beats quickly.) | |
| le tailleur (tailor/suit) | Le tailleur a pris mes mesures. / J'ai acheté un tailleur. (The tailor took my measurements. / I bought a suit.) | |
| -ée (Masculine) | le musée (museum) | Le musée est fermé le lundi. (The museum is closed on Mondays.) |
| le lycée (high school) | Le lycée est grand. (The high school is big.) | |
| le trophée (trophy) | Il a gagné le trophée. (He won the trophy.) | |
| le colisée (coliseum) | Le colisée est ancien. (The coliseum is ancient.) | |
| le pédigrée (pedigree) | Le chien a un bon pédigrée. (The dog has a good pedigree.) | |
| -ice (Masculine) | le caprice (whim) | Le caprice de l'enfant est passé. (The child's whim has passed.) |
| l'exercice (exercise) | L'exercice est important pour la santé. (Exercise is important for health.) | |
| le supplice (torture) | Le supplice était insoutenable. (The ordeal was unbearable.) | |
| l'artifice (artifice) | Le feu d'artifice était spectaculaire. (The fireworks were spectacular.) | |
| le vice (vice) | Le vice est un défaut moral. (Vice is a moral flaw.) | |
| Double meanings | le livre (book) / la livre (pound) | Ce livre est intéressant. / La livre sterling a augmenté. (This book is interesting. / The British pound has increased.) |
| le manche (handle) / la manche (sleeve) | Le manche de la pelle est cassé. / La manche de sa chemise est sale. (The handle of the shovel is broken. / The sleeve of his shirt is dirty.) | |
| le tour (tour, trip) / la tour (tower) | Nous faisons le tour du parc. / La tour Eiffel est célèbre. (We are walking around the park. / The Eiffel Tower is famous.) | |
| la critique (criticism) / le critique (critic) | La critique était sévère. / Le critique a aimé le film. (The criticism was harsh. / The critic liked the movie.) | |
| la livre (pound) / le livre (book) | La livre sterling a augmenté. / Ce livre est intéressant. (The British pound has increased. / This book is interesting.) | |
| la mémoire (memory) / le mémoire (memoir) | La mémoire est importante. / Le mémoire a été publié. (Memory is important. / The thesis was published.) | |
| la mode (fashion) / le mode (method) | La mode change chaque saison. / Le mode de fonctionnement est simple. (Fashion changes every season. / The operating mode is simple.) | |
| la poste (post office) / le poste (job, position) | La poste est fermée aujourd'hui. / Le poste est vacant. (The post office is closed today. / The position is vacant.) |
In French, like in any Latin language, nouns and adjectives must agree in gender and number. If they disagree, that’s “la fin des haricots” (I’ll let you look up that one…)!
This means that adjectives change their form to match the gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) of the nouns they describe.
![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt54807461d8a43a84/669dd59477a7805e6444cd3b/woman-studying.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| French sentence | English translation |
| Le chien noir est gentil. | The brown dog is friendly — more animals in French here. |
| Ma belle femme dort sur le canapé. | My beautiful wife is sleeping on the couch. |
| Un garçon intelligent pose des questions. | An intelligent boy asks questions. |
| La petite fille lit un livre. | The little girl is reading a book. |
| Les hommes courageux travaillent dur. | The brave men work hard. |
| Un vieux livre est sur l'étagère. | An old book is on the shelf. |
| Une maison ancienne est à vendre. | An old house is for sale. |
| Les arbres verts sont magnifiques. | The green trees are beautiful. — More colors in French here. |
| Les cerisiers ont des fleurs roses. | Cherry trees have pink flowers. |
In French, some nouns change their meaning entirely depending on their gender. Yep, it adds a little fun to your learning, right? Below are some common examples so you get a better idea:
| Masculine noun | Feminine noun | Masculine sample sentence | Feminine sample sentence |
| le livre | la livre | Le livre est sur la table. (The book is on the table.) | La livre sterling est forte aujourd'hui. (The pound sterling is strong today.) |
| le moule | la moule | Le moule est en silicone. (The mold is made of silicone.) | Les moules sont délicieuses. (The mussels are delicious.) |
| le tour | la tour | Le Tour de France est une célèbre course cycliste. (The Tour de France is a famous cycling race.) | La tour Eiffel est un monument iconique. (The Eiffel Tower is an iconic monument.) |
| le manche | la manche | Le manche du balai est cassé. (The handle of the broom is broken.) | La manche de sa chemise est déchirée. (The sleeve of his shirt is torn.) |
| le voile | la voile | Le voile de la mariée est magnifique. (The bride's veil is beautiful.) | La voile du bateau est blanche. (The sail of the boat is white.) |
| le poêle | la poêle | Le poêle chauffe bien la maison. (The stove heats the house well.) | La poêle est sur le feu. (The frying pan is on the stove.) |
| le critique | la critique | Le critique a écrit un article élogieux. (The critic wrote a glowing article.) | La critique du film est positive. (The criticism of the movie is positive.) |
| le mode | la mode | Le mode d'emploi est clair. (The user manual is clear.) | La mode change chaque saison. (Fashion changes every season.) — More fashion vocab in French here. |
| le mémoire | la mémoire | Le mémoire de maîtrise est terminé. (The master's thesis is finished.) | La mémoire de cet ordinateur est pleine. (The memory of this computer is full.) |
| le poste | la poste | Le poste de directeur est vacant. (The position of director is vacant.) | La poste est fermée le dimanche. (The post office is closed on Sundays.) |
Fortunately, it’s not all exception and irregularities! Indeed, the French language has some awesome words called invariable. Basically, invariable nouns don’t change their form regardless of the gender they refer to. You just need to change the article to indicate the gender. How cool is that?
Below are some examples:
Sure, here's the table with the specified columns:
| Invariable noun | Sample sentence (Masculine) | Sample sentence (Feminine) |
| élève | L'élève est attentif en classe. (The male student is attentive in class.) | L'élève est attentive en classe. (The female student is attentive in class.) |
| adulte | L'adulte doit être responsable. (The male adult must be responsible.) | L'adulte doit être responsable. (The female adult must be responsible.) |
| collègue | Mon collègue est très compétent. (My male colleague is very competent.) | Ma collègue est très compétente. (My female colleague is very competent.) |
| enfant | L'enfant joue dans le jardin. (The male child is playing in the garden.) | L'enfant joue dans le jardin. (The female child is playing in the garden.) |
| journaliste | Le journaliste écrit un article intéressant. (The male journalist is writing an interesting article.) | La journaliste écrit un article intéressant. (The female journalist is writing an interesting article.) |
| architecte | L'architecte a dessiné ce bâtiment. (The male architect designed this building.) | L'architecte a dessiné ce bâtiment. (The female architect designed this building.) |
| artiste | L'artiste peint un magnifique tableau. (The male artist is painting a beautiful picture.) | L'artiste peint un magnifique tableau. (The female artist is painting a beautiful picture.) |
| médecin | Le médecin soigne les patients avec soin. (The male doctor treats patients with care.) | La médecin soigne les patients avec soin. (The female doctor treats patients with care.) |
| professeur | Le professeur explique bien la leçon. (The male teacher explains the lesson well.) | La professeur explique bien la leçon. (The female teacher explains the lesson well.) |
| secrétaire | Le secrétaire organise les rendez-vous. (The male secretary organizes appointments.) | La secrétaire organise les rendez-vous. (The female secretary organizes appointments.) |
The gender of compound nouns in French is generally determined by the main noun (the head noun) in the compound. This main noun typically dictates the overall gender of the compound noun. However, this can sometimes be nuanced — imagine that! — depending on the structure of the compound noun.
Here are the guidelines and some examples:
You’ll find more adjectives in French here.
| Compound noun | Sample sentence |
| un chou-fleur | Le chou-fleur est frais. (The cauliflower is fresh.) — And if you like veggies, check out these légumes in French! |
| un coffre-fort | Le coffre-fort est lourd. (The safe is heavy.) |
| un rouge-gorge | Le rouge-gorge chante dans le jardin. (The robin is singing in the garden.) — More beautiful birds in French here. |
| un porte-monnaie | Le porte-monnaie est perdu. (The wallet is lost.) |
| un tire-bouchon | Le tire-bouchon est cassé. (The corkscrew is broken.) |
| un après-midi | J'ai un rendez-vous cet après-midi. (I have an appointment this afternoon.) |
| un sans-abri | Il aide un sans-abri. (He helps a homeless person.) |
| une belle-sœur | Ma belle-sœur vient nous rendre visite. (My sister-in-law is coming to visit us.) |
| un haut-parleur | Le haut-parleur diffuse de la musique. (The loudspeaker is playing music.) |
| un lave-vaisselle | Le lave-vaisselle est plein. (The dishwasher is full.) |
In French, some nouns change gender when they become plural. As weird as it might seem, don’t worry, there are just 3 of them, and there are all masculine when singular, and feminine when plural.
It’s a great way to impress your French-speaking friends with a very minimal learning effort, because many French people actually don’t know that!
| Nouns that change gender | Sample sentence |
| Amour | L'amour est un sentiment profond. (Love is a deep feeling.) |
| Les amours de jeunesse sont souvent merveilleuses. (Youthful loves are often wonderful.) | |
| Délice | Un délice pour les papilles. (A delight for the taste buds.) |
| Les délices d'une bonne cuisine sont infinies. (The delights of good cuisine are endless.) | |
| Orgue | Il y a un orgue majestueux dans l'église. (There’s a majestic organ in the church.) |
| Les orgues sont impressionnantes. (Organs are impressive.) |
As a French native, I understand gender of nouns in Latin languages can be challenging with so many rules and exceptions. That being said, there are 3 genders in German and Latin, so it could be worse, right?
Here are some practical tips to help you crack the Da Vinci — errr, gender in French — code and use gender correctly:
![\"Practical](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blta9e04fc04a76d992/669dad799fecd832abd59769/French-Gender-Basics.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Imagine nouns with their own article: \"le\" for masculine and \"la\" for feminine, and give them a gender in your head. For example, think of \"le chien\" (the dog) as a macho pup with sunglasses and \"la voiture\" (the car) as a stylish pink Corvette— Barbie style — with a glittery beret.
Use flashcards, Post-its or apps to help these articles stay by their nouns' sides.
As seen above, while there are many exceptions, some common patterns can help you out:
Create silly stories to remember genders. Imagine masculine nouns with a macho superhero and feminine nouns with a glamorous movie star.
Online dictionaries and apps are like your language amis, always ready to tell you if a noun is rocking an \"m\" or \"f.\"
Chat with native French speakers or join a language exchange. If you can’t find anything like this in your area, you’ll find plenty of opportunities online, for example on language forums or simply social media! You can also take a French course online.
Even better, if you can, take a trip or a language course in a French-speaking country.
Learning a language can be a bit tedious, so it’s important to enjoy yourself. What do you like to do? Binge on TV shows? Sing in the shower? Read? Cook? Awesome, you can do all that… in French! The more you soak in, the more natural gender usage will feel.
It might be common sense, but it’s important to repeat it! Learning gender in French, or a language in general, is like gardening: it takes time, patience, and a little bit of love. Keep at it, and soon your language garden will be in full bloom. Yep, it’s cheesy, but we’re talking about the country of cheese!
One of the biggest pitfalls when learning French, or any new language, is trying to think in your native language or searching for direct equivalents. Trust me, it rarely works, and it’s not the way you want to wire your brain! Gender in French is a prime example of this, since English doesn’t assign gender to objects. To get it right, always learn nouns with their articles (le/la) as if you're giving them their first name. Imagine each noun getting its own title! Monsieur verre, Madame assiette, etc.
French nouns can be very sneaky, especially when you’re trying to stick to the rule, and it doesn’t work. You know, the dreadful exceptions, leading to tourists looking for \"le plage” or “la musée\". French definitely likes to keep you guessing!
Matching adjectives to nouns can also be a delightful source of chaos. You don’t want to end up with \"le voiture rouge\" when it should be \"la voiture rouge.\" And those pesky plural forms that can switch things up even more?
But here’s the kicker: mistakes — les erreurs (feminine)— are a natural part of learning, and they can actually be quite endearing. As a French speaker, I find it absolutely charming when English speakers mix up genders. It’s a fantastic icebreaker and a great way to make new amis (masculine) and amies (feminine). So, don’t worry too much and give it a try!
And speaking of amis et amies, in recent years, there's been a significant push towards adopting inclusive language in French to combat gender bias and promote equality. This approach to non-sexist language — often criticized by language purists, traditionalists and others — seeks to create a space that honors and recognizes all genders, moving away from the traditional masculine defaults. This change not only promotes inclusivity but also mirrors the diverse reality of our modern society.
Here are a few guidelines — more details in this guide — to help you navigate this linguistic evolution. Please note that official bodies like the Académie Française, which oversees the French language, haven’t recognized an inclusive and neutral French language.
This new French grammar includes two main approaches: neutral and inclusive. Neutral grammar doesn't reference any gender and is often used to represent non-binary individuals. Inclusive grammar, on the other hand, aims to represent all genders and is more widely used as it includes everyone. While these guidelines primarily focuses on inclusive grammar to ensure comprehensive representation, they also acknowledge the neutral approach for transparency.
Feminization challenges the automatic masculine default in French. This involves using characters like the midpoint (e.g., intéressé·e) to represent both masculine and feminine forms. Avoid using parentheses or slashes, as they can imply lesser importance to the other genders.
Epicene writing avoids gender-specific terms. Certain words already fit this category and don’t need alteration, such as \"élève\" (student) or \"bénévole\" (volunteer). For gendered expressions, use epicene alternatives: \"l’auditoire\" instead of \"auditeurs/auditrices\" (audience), or \"les gens\" instead of \"Mesdames et Messieurs\" (ladies and gentlemen).
Inclusive grammar is evolving to better represent non-binary individuals. This includes new pronouns (e.g., \"iel\" or \"ille\") and possessive forms (e.g., \"maon,\" \"taon,\" \"saon\"). Plural inclusive pronouns like \"iel·les\" are also used. New endings like \"x\" are introduced for neutrality and inclusivity, such as \"mignonx\" instead of \"mignon\" or \"mignonne.\"
To avoid gendered expressions, rephrase sentences to be inclusive. For instance, use \"la personne moyenne\" instead of \"l'homme moyen\" (average person). Neutral terms and new grammar rules help ensure language inclusivity and representation of all gender identities.
You've explored the fascinating, sometimes intimidating world of French gender, and now you're ready to put your skills to the test! Just like any new endeavor, consistent practice is the secret. Soon enough, those annoying gender rules will become second nature — though a few erreurs amusantes are part of the fun!
Mastering gender in French not only sets you apart, but also makes your conversations smoother and more authentic. Where other English speakers might stumble, you'll confidently navigate with \"le\" and \"la\", impressing native speakers and fellow learners alike.
And here’s a little secret from a French person: Even some French natives don’t get it right sometimes, especially for these words that change gender when plural!
So, keep pushing forward, stay enthusiastic, and enjoy every step of the journey! Each time you correctly use \"le\" or \"la,\" it's a mini triumph (petit/petite victoire ?) worth celebrating. Did you get it right this time? Fantastique!
Want to sound like an authentic Français-e ? Keep perfecting your French skills with our French blog!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"German sentence structure","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"German sentence structure & word order: Your ultimate guide","url":"/blog/german-sentence-structure-word-order","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltb6e04add24842ef2/66ea59f4dce5918ad1dc684d/istock-1190895510.jpg"},"post_content":"Let’s look at the sentence “I speak German”.
For basic sentences like that, German is generally the same: “Ich spreche Deutsch”.
However, it gets a little more complicated than that.
If you say “Deutsch spreche ich”, that still means “I speak German”, but the emphasis is on German, the first part of that sentence. You’d commonly use this, for example, if someone asked you “Do you speak German and Dutch?”, and you wanted to reply “I do speak German, but I don’t speak Dutch”. So you emphasize the “German”, by putting it first and saying “Deutsch spreche ich. Holländisch spreche ich nicht”.
If you change the sentence order by starting with the main verb of a sentence, that automatically turns your sentence into a question.
“Spreche ich deutsch?” - Do I speak German?
It’s a valid question you might be asking yourself when you encounter these complexities, even if you’ve been learning German for a while - but don’t doubt yourself! We’re here to break down all the rules of German grammar for you, including those for German sentence structure and word order!
There’s a reason why basic English sentence structure is always the same: It follows the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order. Simple German declarative sentences follow the same pattern, but as you’ve seen, you can move around parts of the sentence in a way you can’t do in German.
In order to put parts of a sentence in the correct order, we need to understand what “a part of a sentence” is. In German, we call this a “Satzteil” (sentence part). It’s a group of words that have to stay together in a sentence.
The two most important ones are the subject (“Subjekt” in German) and the main verb (“Prädikat” in German). Without these two elements, you can’t form a sentence. That’s how you can tell the main verb from other verbs.Look at the sentence: I swam in the pool, splashing around, lost in the moment.
It looks like we have three verbs here: swam, splashing and lost, but only one is absolutely crucial for the sentence ( “swam”), while the other two function as participles. Take away the splashing and the “lost in the moment” part, and your pool party just got a lot less fun, but your sentence is still grammatically correct: I swam in the pool.
![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt87eabfd430455f17/66ea5efe87406a2c9a71bbc8/pexels-olly-3775140.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Once you have a subject and a main verb, you can add more elements. The TMP (Time, Manner, Place) can help you organize sentences. When a sentence includes time, manner, and place expressions, they typically follow this sequence:
Let’s take the German sentence “Ich gehe jeden Freitag nach der Arbeit mit einer Freundin in die Bibliothek. (“I go to the library every Friday after work with a friend”). In German the sentence is structured like this: Subject | main verb | time | manner | place.
| German | English |
| Ich | gehe | jeden Freitag nach der Arbeit | mit einer Freundin | in die Bibliothek. | I | go | every Friday after work | with a friend | to the library. |
A lot of sentences follow the TMP rule. Here are some German examples with their literal English translations.
| German | English |
| Mein Mann und ich | fahren | im Sommer | mit dem Zug | in die Berge. | My husband and I | drive | in summer | by train | to the mountains. |
| Sie | liest | am Abend | gemütlich | auf dem Sofa. | She reads | in the evening | cozily | on the couch. |
| Wir | chillen| jedes Wochenende | mit einer Picknickdecke | im Park. | We | chill | every weekend | with a picnic blanket | in the park. |
| Eine kleine Ente | schwimmt | gerade | hinter ihrer Mama | über den See. | A little duck | is swimming | right now | behind her mom | over the lake. |
| Die Vögel | singen | morgens | so schön | in meinem Garten. | The birds | sing | in the morning | so beautifully | in my yard. |
Main verb: In German main clauses, the verb typically occupies the second position, a structure known as V2 word order. This rule means that the main verb comes directly after the first element or “Satzteil” of the sentence. This is the most reliable part of a German sentence.
| German | English |
| Ich lese ein Buch. | I'm reading a book. |
| Heute gehe ich ins Kino. | Today I'm going to the movies. |
| Mein Freund spielt Gitarre. | My boyfriend plays the guitar. |
| Morgens trinke ich Kaffee. | I drink coffee in the morning. |
| Wir fahren morgen nach Berlin. | We're going to Berlin tomorrow. |
| Ich mag keine Schokolade. | I don’t like chocolate. |
| Dieses Wochenende besuche ich meine Eltern. | I’ll visit my parents this weekend. |
| Oft sehe ich meine Freunde nicht gerade. | I don't exactly get to see my friends often. |
| So hab ich mir das vorgestellt. | That's how I imagined it. |
| Mein Deutsch wird immer besser. | My German is getting better and better. |
![\"Man](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt3e6601a117548106/66ea5f5b006e723666927e54/istock-1210771196-(1)-min.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here’s one of the many reasons people find it so tricky to learn German. Once you’ve finally figured out where to put the verb in a main clause, you have to completely disregard that knowledge when it comes to subordinate clauses, and put the main verb at the end instead.
Subordinate clauses, also known as dependent clauses, are parts of a sentence that cannot stand alone as complete sentences. They provide additional information and rely on the main clause in order to make sense.Subordinate clauses are introduced by subordinating conjunctions like “because” that will make the subordinate clause dependent on the main clause.These are the subordinating conjunctions you need to look out for:
| German | English |
| als | when (in the past) |
| bevor | before |
| bis | until |
| da | since, because |
| damit | so |
| dass | (so) that |
| falls | in case, if |
| nachdem | after |
| ob | if, whether |
| obwohl | although |
| seit | since |
| sobald | as soon as |
| solange | as long as |
| soweit | as far as |
| während | while |
| weil | because |
| wenn | when, if (for present/future actions) |
| wie | how, as |
These will always cause the main verb to move to the end of the subordinate clause they’re part of:
| Two German main clauses | Main & subordinate clause | English |
| Ich bin oft in den Wald gegangen. Ich war klein. | Ich bin oft in den Wald gegangen, als ich klein war. | I often went to the forest when I was little. |
| Wir essen. Wir müssen den Tisch decken. | Wir müssen den Tisch decken, bevor wir essen. | We have to set the table before we eat. |
| Ich warte. Du kommst zurück. | Ich warte bis du zurückkommst. | I’ll wait until you come back. |
| Wir machen das Meeting online. Alle sind anderweitig beschäftigt. | Wir machen das Meeting online, da alle anderweitig beschäftigt sind. | We’re holding the meeting online because everyone is busy with something else. |
| Ich lerne viel. Ich bekomme gute Noten. | Ich lerne viel, damit ich gute Noten bekomme. | I study a lot so that I get good grades. |
| Ich weiß. Du kommst morgen zu Besuch. | Ich weiß, dass du morgen zu Besuch kommst. | I know that you’re coming to visit tomorrow. |
| Ruf mich an. Du brauchst mich. | Ruf mich an, falls du mich brauchst! | Call me if you need me! |
| Ich ging spazieren. Ich hatte gegessen. | Ich ging spazieren, nachdem ich gegessen hatte. | I went for a walk after I had eaten. |
| Ich weiß nicht. Er kommt. | Ich weiß nicht, ob er kommt. | I don’t know if he’ll come. |
| Wir gehen spazieren. Es ist kalt. | Wir gehen spazieren, obwohl es kalt ist. | We’re going for a walk although it’s raining. |
| Ich wohne in der Stadt. Ich wurde geboren. | Ich wohne in der Stadt, seit ich geboren wurde. | I’ve lived in the city since I was born.. |
| Ich rufe dich an. Ich bin zuhause | Ich rufe dich an, sobald ich zuhause bin. | I’ll call you as soon as I’m home. |
| Ich bleibe bei dir. Du willst es. | Ich bleibe bei dir, solange du es willst. | I’ll stay with you as long as you want. |
| Sie schreibt ihr Buch. Ihre Schwester arbeitet im Krankenhaus. | Sie schreibt ihr Buch, während ihre Schwester im Krankenhaus. arbeitet. | She is writing her book, while her sister is working in the hospital. |
| Ich bleibe zu Hause. Es regnet zu doll. | Ich bleibe zuhause, weil es zu doll regnet. | I’m staying home because it’s raining too hard. |
| Wir essen draußen. Das Wetter ist schön. | Wir essen draußen, wenn das Wetter schön ist. | We eat outside if the weather is nice. |
| Das ist nicht so. Ich hab es mir vorgestellt. | Das ist nicht so, wie ich es mir vorgestellt habe. | It’s not how I imagined it. |
Modal verbs express abilities, possibilities, obligations, or desires:
Modal verbs tend to come in pairs with infinitives. In English, these modal verbs and their infinitives are logically placed together:
So a lot of English speakers make the mistake of doing the same thing in German, but in this case, the modal verb is the main verb, so it goes in second place, while the infinitive moves to the end of the sentence:
| German | English |
| Ich kann morgen früh ausschlafen. | I can sleep in tomorrow. |
| Wir müssen am Montag wieder arbeiten. | We have to work again on Monday. |
| Du darfst hier parken. | You may park here. |
| Ich sollte mich gut um mich selbst kümmern. | I should take good care of myself. |
| Ich will im Herbst nach Schottland reisen. | I want to travel to Scotland in fall. |
| Sie möchte einen Kaffee mit dir trinken. | She would like to drink a coffee with you. |
Once you combine main clauses with subordinate clauses and add multiple different elements like time, manner and place, German sentences can get quite complex. Here are a few examples for you to practice:
![\"Learning](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt9e3c0a3e5c045a9b/66ea5ff444a1ad10e336ae3c/istock-1278976982.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| German | English |
| Die Katze schläft, weil sie den ganzen Tag ruhig in ihrem Körbchen liegt. | The cat sleeps because it lies quietly in its basket all day. |
| Wir müssen Bäume pflanzen, um die Luft in der Stadt zu verbessern. | We need to plant trees to improve the air in the city. |
| Du solltest deine Großeltern besuchen, sobald dein Auto aus der Werkstatt zurück ist. | You should visit your grandparents as soon as your car is back from the garage. |
| Ich male ein Bild, während mein Hund den ganzen Nachmittag fröhlich im Garten spielt. | I’m painting a picture while my dog is playing happily in the garden all afternoon. |
| Meine Schwester besucht uns, damit sie endlich meinen neuen Freund kennenlernen kann. | My sister is visiting us so she can finally meet my new boyfriend. |
Watch out! The main clause doesn’t always come before the subordinate clause. If you want to stress the information in the subordinate clause, that one will come first instead:
| German | English |
| Weil ich gestern noch so spät gelesen habe, bin ich heute müde. | Because I was reading so late yesterday, I'm tired today. |
| Wenn meine Familie zusammenkommt, essen wir immer alle zusammen im Esszimmer. | When my family gets together, we always eat together in the dining room. |
| Sobald der Hund gefressen hat, legt er sich auf das Sofa. | As soon as the dog has eaten, he lies down on the sofa. |
| Falls das Wetter schön ist, machen wir am Wochenende einen Ausflug. | In case the weather is nice, we will take a trip this weekend. |
| Obwohl ich nicht immer viel Zeit habe, rufe ich jeden Sonntag meine Mama an. | Although I don't always have much time, I call my mom every Sunday. |
Relative clauses in German provide additional information about a noun mentioned in the main clause. This is how you structure a relative clause in German:
Every other element follows the same rules as a main clause.
| German | English |
| Das Buch, das ich gerade lese, ist interessant. | The book that I’m currently reading is interesting. |
| Die Freunde, die mir geholfen haben, ist nett. | The friends who helped me are nice. |
| Der Park, den ich so gerne mag, ist direkt am Wasser. | The park that I like so much is right by the water. |
| Ich habe einen Freund, der sehr gut Klavier spielt. | I have a friend who plays the piano very well. |
| Der Film, von dem ich dir letzte Woche erzählt habe, läuft immer noch im Kino. | The movie I told you about last week is still in theaters. |
For a detailed breakdown on when to use which relative pronoun, refer to our helpful German pronoun guide!
In German, there are two ways to negate a sentence: with “nicht” (not) and “kein” (no).
![\"Learn](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt394d84a482897aef/66ea60709f1514314a2a0772/istock-1383109300.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
When you want to negate the main verb or action of a sentence, \"nicht\" is usually placed at the end of the sentence:
Example:
If the verb consists of two parts because you’re either using an auxiliary verb (i.e., “can do”) or the tense you’re using requires two parts (i.e., will do”), the “nicht” comes before the second part of the verb.
Examples:
Kein\" is used to negate nouns and functions similarly to the English \"no\" or \"none.\" It replaces the indefinite article and changes according to the case, gender, and number of the noun. It comes directly before the noun it negates.
Examples:
Sometimes you can take a declarative sentence in English, and turn it into a question by simply changing the sentence order, for example:
In English, this only works for very specific cases, but in German, this works all the time!
All you need to do is find the main verb and move it to the beginning like this:
| German main clause | German question | English question |
| Ich lese ein Buch. | Lese ich ein Buch? | Am I reading a book? |
| Heute gehe ich ins Kino. | Gehe ich heute ins Kino? | Am I going to the movies today? |
| Mein Freund spielt Gitarre. | Spielt mein Freund Gitarre? | Is my friend playing the guitar? |
| Morgens trinke ich Kaffee. | Trinke ich morgens Kaffee? | Am I drinking coffee in the morning? |
| Wir fahren morgen nach Berlin. | Fahren wir morgen nach Berlin? | Are we going to Berlin tomorrow? |
The other way to form a sentence is with a question word like “who”, “how” “when”, etc. In German, these question words always go in the beginning of the sentence.
| German | English |
| Wer ist der Autor? | Who is the author? |
| Wie alt bist du? | How old are you? |
| Wann kommst du nach Hause? | When are you coming home? |
| Wieso muss es jetzt regnen? | Why does it have to be raining now? |
| Was machst du am Wochenende? | What are you doing on the weekend? |
I know it’s a lot, but just try to avoid the mentioned common mistakes and stick to these rules:
![\"Learning](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte50716ae27f61f9e/66ea60d6a924bad2dfdf3120/istock-1390718158.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
I know, sentence structure can be one of the most confusing lessons for German learners. If you’ve made it this far, you deserve to switch it up with some lighter topics next. How about German flowers or birds?
We have dozens of fun articles on our German language blog to choose from!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Most spoken languages in America","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"The 10 most spoken languages in the US, ranked!","url":"/blog/most-commonly-spoken-languages-us-america","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltd3fc626f8d14ae22/667aca349fa36f4e45eb257c/2149333848.jpg"},"post_content":"While English is the official language of the United States, and only 20% of Americans are bilingual, over 350 languages are actually spoken across the United States!
\nThis number reflects the fact that America is a true immigrant nation with an impressive level of diversity.
\nIf you listen closely, you get to hear foreign languages wherever you go, whether that’s Cantonese in San Francisco's Chinatown, Spanish in a local church in Miami, or Hindi in Jersey City’s Little India.
\nLet’s take a closer look at the 10 most spoken languages in the U.S. We’ve used the most recent data from the 2022 United States Census Bureau to compile our list.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Austrian food","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"Austrian food: 47 top cuisine & dishes to try—Vienna & beyond!","url":"/blog/traditional-austrian-vienna-food-cuisine-dishes","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt5dd7ab335194a861/66583d3636a794a02360c497/IMG_20181229_103043012.jpg"},"post_content":"Get a taste of Austrian food culture as we take you on a trip from the fancy coffee houses of Vienna to the cozy mountain huts of Tyrol and take a look at the most famous Austrian meals and snacks.
\nIn German, we say “Liebe geht durch den Magen” (Love goes through your stomach), so don’t be surprised if a culinary journey through Austria will make you fall in love with the country, its language and its culture. And with every bite of a delectably gooey Käsespätzle, you’ll understand both a little bit better.
\nVienna is the city of cozy coffee houses and delicious pastries. Influenced by imperial culture as well as café culture, it’s therefore known as the culinary heart of Austria, beating to the sound of Austrian live music mixed with a quiet “Schmatzen” (the sound people make when they eat) since it’s hard to quietly keep your enjoyment to yourself when the food is that good!
\n![\"Sachertorte.\"](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltecbca93faf235b6c/66581aafe557cb34877f1c68/sachertorte.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
These iconic Viennese dishes have made Austrian cuisine famous worldwide:
\nDon’t miss out on these must-visit eateries and markets for a taste of traditional food in Vienna:
\nThe Austrian version of a food stand is called Würstelstände. These stands are traditional sausage stands scattered throughout the city of Vienna. Here are three quintessential street foods to try in Vienna:
\nDairy products, especially cheese, play an important role in Tyrolean dishes. The Alpine pastures provide excellent grazing conditions for cattle, and Tyroleans are proud to use fresh, locally-sourced dairy. Their cheeses range from the mild and creamy Tilsiter to the acidic Graukäse, a low-fat cheese that is a favorite in many hearty recipes.
\n![\"Tiroler](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltf888d5423eb8f693/66501cd4e2c16b0b819bf4d4/Tiroler-Grostl.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here are three of the most famous traditional Tyrolean dishes:
\nTyrol offers breathtaking Alpine landscapes that make it the perfect destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers. If you get to visit, make sure to visit one of these famous places to eat:
\nThe streets of Tyrol are rich with local delights, especially during seasonal festivals. Here are three traditional street food items from Tyrol:
\nSalzburg is not just the city of Mozart, but also a culinary hub. Here, the mixture of Austrian and Bavarian traditions creates a unique cuisine, known for high-quality ingredients and local specialties.
\n![\"Salzburger](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt994b9faceba090db/665829402da50d45b44748f9/salzburger-nockerl.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here are three popular examples of specialties from Salzburg:
\nSalzburg's calendar is dotted with festivals and events that offer both locals and visitors a chance to indulge in Salzburg’s dishes:
\nHere are three popular street foods that you don’t want to miss out on when visiting Salzburg:
\nStyria is the green heart of Austria, with green hills and a commitment to fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. Styrian cuisine is characterized by its use of pumpkin seed oil, fresh apples, and scarlet runner beans.
\n![\"Apfelstrudel.\"](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte65d067d627f17bc/665829c473e83045e4313f16/Apfelstrudel.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
In Styria, the connection between the land and the table is palpable. The region’s fertile soil produces a variety of fruits, particularly apples, which are used in everything from ciders to the iconic Apfelstrudel, and the vineyards of southern Styria produce high-quality white wines.
\nFarm-to-table dining is a longstanding tradition in Styria as well. This commitment to local sourcing is evident in the popularity of farmers' markets and roadside stands throughout the region.
\n\nThe most well-known wine variety from Styria is Sauvignon Blanc, which pairs perfectly with Styrian trout or char, when the fish is served smoked or with a light lemon-butter sauce.
\nAnother notable Styrian wine is Schilcher, a rosé made from the indigenous Blauer Wildbacher grape. It’s an excellent match for Styrian meats and hearty dishes like Jause, a traditional platter of cold cuts, cheese, and pickles.
\nIf you like a Chardonnay, try the region's Morillon, with a pumpkin seed oil-dressed salad with goat cheese.
\n\nHere are three popular street food items you can find in Styria:
\nBurgenland translates to “fortress land” due to its famous forts and castles. Its cuisine is a fusion of Austrian, Hungarian, and Croatian influences featuring dishes like spicy fish stews and sweet-and-sour cherry strudels.
\n![\"Pannonian](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt462597da7c417383/665836ac0d6347786b7a0f59/Pannonian-fish-stew.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here are three examples of classic Burgenland dishes:
\nBurgenland attracts food and wine enthusiasts from around the globe. Here are three of its best food and wine experiences to explore:
\nHere are three popular street food items to look for in Burgenland:
\nVorarlberg, nestled in the westernmost part of Austria, is renowned for its use of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, including a variety of mountain herbs like thyme, rosemary, and wild garlic from the surrounding mountainsides.
\nCheese also plays an important role in Vorarlberg, since the local cheese is made from the milk of cows grazing on high alpine pastures, and the region is proud to produce some of Austria's finest varieties.
\n![\"Käsespätzle.\"](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltf101c595ac90a330/66582c096d7759b052e4748d/Käsespätzle.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here are three dishes that are central to the region of Vorarlberg:
\nVorarlberg is famous for Alpine Dairy Farming. The cheese-making process here is strongly linked to alpine dairy farming known as Almwirtschaft. During the summer months, cows graze on high-altitude pastures, where the rich grass enhances the flavor of their milk. This milk is then used to produce different types of cheeses directly in mountain huts, through traditional production methods.
\nOne of the most famous cheeses from Vorarlberg is Bergkäse, a hard mountain cheese that is aged for several months.
\n\nLike a lot of typical Austrian food, Vorarlberg’s Street Foods are quite meat heavy, but keep in mind that there are often tofu alternatives if you’re vegetarian or vegan!
\nCarinthia’s cuisine is influenced by its proximity to Slovenia and Italy (check out our delicious article about Italian cuisine here). The influence of Slovenian cuisine is evident in Carinthia’s love for hearty, comforting dishes, while Italian influences have brought about Carinthia’s use of pasta in dishes like Polenta mit Gorgonzola, where creamy polenta is served with rich Gorgonzola cheese.
\n![\"Kärntner](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt608901275c982861/66583ba236a7945f3960c486/Karntner-Kasnudeln.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here are three of those traditional Austrian foods from Carinthia:
\nCarinthia’s idyllic landscapes and warm climate make it a perfect setting for an active outdoor dining culture, which is a big part of the local lifestyle. After all, crystal-clear lakes and majestic mountains are the perfect setting for dining al fresco.Here are some highlights of Carinthia's outdoor dining and culinary festivals:
\nHere are three Carinthian street food items that are perfect on the go:
\nThe Danube River (Donau) is known as one of Europe's major waterways, which brings an abundance of river fish and other freshwater delicacies to the region. These are commonly featured in local recipes, and complemented by the agricultural produce from the surrounding fertile lands, which supply the kitchens with fresh vegetables, fruits, and grains.
\n![\"Mühlviertler](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt1239290520a26c90/66583b0e4224b802a2b2bde6/Muhlviertler-Hasenohrl.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here are three famous Upper Austrian dishes:
\nIn Upper Austria, the farm-to-table movement has become extremely popular, reflecting a broader trend towards sustainability, organic farming and the use of locally-sourced, fresh ingredients in Austria.
\nIt emphasizes direct relationships between local farmers and consumers, which has led to an increase in farmers' markets and farm shops throughout the region. These venues offer consumers access to the freshest produce, meats, and dairy products, harvested or produced often within miles of where they are sold.
\nChefs are increasingly basing their menus on the seasonal availability of local ingredients. Many local farms are adopting techniques like crop rotation, pesticide-free farming and other new practices that ensure the health of the land, improve farm animals’ living conditions, and produce healthier food options for consumers.
\n\nHere are three street food items that are popular in the region:
\nIf you already picture yourself enjoying a slice of sweet Donauwelle in one of Austria’s finest restaurants, with a backdrop of snow-capped Alpine peaks and lush green valleys, make sure you learn some helpful German phrases first to use in this German-speaking country!
\nOur German language blog will teach you everything you need to know - including the subtleties of Austrian German and how to order the best food!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Austrian culture","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"Austrian culture: A big guide to history, art, customs & traditions","url":"/blog/austrian-culture-customs-traditions-arts","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt3f2d47651aa77895/665033e32dad65100ee53305/pexels-jorgeural-5435001.jpg"},"post_content":"This beautiful country is not only celebrated for its breathtaking landscapes but also as a nation of musical and intellectual heritage, characterized by an appreciation for the arts, a strong sense of history, and a commitment to environmental preservation.
\nMaybe you’re learning standard German but it’s getting a little too easy for you? Or you’ve understandably fallen in love with Austria and just want to know more about the Austrian German language?
\nIf you’re learning German through an Austrian lens, understanding the country's historical and cultural backdrop will help you tremendously. So put on your dancing shoes for a waltz through Austrian culture and traditions, starting with a breakdown of its rich history.
\nAustrian history begins with its early days as part of the Holy Roman Empire around 15 BC when the majority of what we now know as Austria was annexed. This marks the beginning of 500 years of the so-called \"Austria Romana\".
\nFrom 1804 to 1867, Austria saw its most powerful phase under the Habsburg monarchy, and extended its influence across Europe. Vienna became a cultural center during this time, celebrated for its contributions to music, art, and philosophy.
\nAfter World War I, the Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved, leaving Austria as a smaller, independent republic. This transition was challenging and marked by economic and political instability. During World War II, Austria was annexed by Germany, a period that ended in 1945.
\nPost-war, Austria regained its independence with the 1955 State Treaty and adopted a stance of permanent neutrality. Since then, it has developed into a stable nation, joining the European Union in 1995. Today, Austria’s past influences are visible in a mixture of commitment to peace and cultural pride.
\n![\"White](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt97f436128f2c4dfd/665035272dad65296ee5331b/Austrian-Lake.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Austrian German is one of the major variants of the German language and is primarily spoken in Austria. Here are some fun facts about Austrian German:
\nAustria has a variety of German dialects and regional linguistic variations:
\nJust like Germans, Austrians value politeness but they’re often not quite as formal. You’ll notice that Austrians generally change to the informal “du” a lot quicker than Germans. They also tend to communicate in a less direct way.
\nWhile a lot of Germans like to get to the point right away, Austrians sometimes prefer saying things “durch die Blume” (literally: through the flower) - meaning in a nice and subtle way.
\nYou’ll notice specific communication patterns in Austrian culture, especially in professional settings. Understanding and adapting to those can be a challenge if you’re used to American work culture and business etiquette - but we’ve got you.Here are five things to keep in mind if you find yourself in an Austrian business setting:
\nAustrian literature may not be world-famous but that just means there’s even more for you to still discover! Here are some unique narrative voices you probably haven’t heard of - from Zweig to Handke:
\n![\"Austrian](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt57a20fb1cedc69eb/665017e5c9024c6147ad83ad/Austrian_authors.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Austrian intellectuals had a profound impact on different domains of knowledge, from philosophy to science, and modern social theories. Let’s start with the famous founder of psychoanalysis:
\nContemporary Austrian literature and art also explore deep existential questions that reflect the history of the Austrian people. There is a sharp satirical edge to many Austrian art forms, as artists use their work to engage with social and political issues, often in the context of Austria's historical and cultural significance.
\n\nAustria's dance and music scene is mostly known for its classical heritage with legendary composers like Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Schubert.
\nSpeaking of the Waltz, we’ll have to mention Austria’s many different dance styles, of course. Here's a closer look at some of the more widely known Austrian traditional dances:
\nThe Romantic movement in the 19th century shaped the musical landscape of Austria. This period marked a shift from the structured forms and rationality of the Classical era to a more expressive and personal music style.
\nDuring this time, Austrian composers such as Franz Schubert, and Gustav Mahler, embraced Romantic ideals, with a focus on the expression of deep emotions and themes like the sublime and the mystical. The era left a lasting legacy in Austria, setting the stage for the rich developments in music that would continue into the 20th century and beyond.
\nAlthough Austria has long been known for its classical music and opera, it does have a diverse music scene with many different genres beyond that. Particularly electronic, pop, and rock are popular in today’s Austria.
\nSongs are a fun way to learn a language, so make sure you add some of these to your playlist if you’re trying to learn German. Listen for yourself!
\nStaples of Austrian cuisine include hearty dishes and lots of meat. Some famous examples are Wiener Schnitzel and Tafelspitz. There are also a lot of dumplings, sausages, and potatoes, served with rich, comforting gravies and sauces. Austrian cuisine also includes some famous pastries and desserts, like the iconic Sachertorte, a dense chocolate cake with apricot jam.
\n
Austrian cuisine includes many, many regional specialties like that:
\nBread, sausages, and beer are important components of Austrian cuisine. With a variety of locally baked breads, uniquely flavored sausages and a strong tradition of brewing regional beers, these elements are essential in both everyday meals and for festive occasions across the country.
\nAustria celebrates similar holidays and festivals to Germany. Here are some delicious examples:
\nFamily values and social etiquette are fundamental for interpersonal relationships and community dynamics in Austrian culture.
\nAs in most cultures, the family is seen as a core, with a strong emphasis on maintaining close-knit relationships across generations. Respect for elders and authority is ingrained in family interactions and politeness is highly valued.
\nIn Austria, the weekends and holidays are often devoted to shared meals, outdoor activities in the country's beautiful nature, and participation in local cultural events, to reinforce the strong familial bonds central to Austrian social values.
\n![\"Austrian](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltfcca1a72a63e371e/665019625937a03fec216808/Austrian-family.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Austrians are known for being precise in their commitments and schedules, and this punctuality is expected in both professional and social contexts.
\nIn Austria, communication tends to be more indirect and subtle compared to the often straightforward style of their German neighbors. Austrians typically employ a polite and diplomatic approach, valuing tact and discretion. This communication style reflects the Austrian preference for maintaining harmony and avoiding conflict.
\nAustria has several unique traditions and celebrations:
\nAustria places a high value on work-life balance, promoting a culture where spending quality time with friends and family is just as important as professional commitments.
\nLegislation supports this balance with generous vacation allowances and parental leave policies, which are among the most supportive in Europe. It's not uncommon for businesses to close or reduce hours on weekends to make sure that employees have enough time to spend with family, pursue hobbies, or relax in nature, which is readily accessible, even from urban centers.
\nAustrian companies often encourage breaks - lunch breaks are seldom rushed, and there's a general respect for personal time after work hours. This attitude extends to social interactions at work, where coffee breaks provide an opportunity for colleagues to engage in personal conversations, strengthening team cohesion.
\n\nThe Austrian lifestyle includes a mix of traditional values and modern living, characterized by a strong sense of community, an appreciation for nature, and a balanced approach to life.In business environments, greetings are formal, often accompanied by a handshake, and titles are common. In social gatherings, Austrians also uphold a strong sense of privacy and personal space, but once you’ve established a relationship, it’s common to be invited to someone’s home where you’ll experience traditional Austrian hospitality, including “Kaffe und Kuchen” (coffee and cake), and a lot of that “Gemütlichkeit” (a form of coziness) - one of Austria’s strongest values.
\n\"Gemütlichkeit\" derives from the German word “Gemüt”, which means \"heart”, or “mind” or “feeling\". Since the end of the 19th century, it has been used to refer to a uniquely Austrian set of traits. It revolves around a sense of coziness, warmth, and belonging. You can experience it in one of Austria’s many cafés, during a family gathering, or in a cute little ski hut during the winter season.
\nAustrians take great pride in their geography. The stunning landscapes from the Alps to the Danube Valley play a significant role in daily Austrian life. Activities such as hiking, skiing, and cycling are popular, showing a deep connection with the environment and contributing to the overall high quality of Austrian life.
\n![\"Skiing](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt5a1c4bd9f40488c1/66501e901c75b30a318e7bb1/skiing.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
As you’ve seen, Austrian culture consists of contrasts. In urban areas, especially Vienna, the lifestyle includes a colorful cultural scene with a calendar full of music, art, and theater events - a reflection of the contemporary creativity of Austria. At the same time, rural areas maintain a traditionally slower pace of life, where customs and heritage festivals mark the seasons, and you can spend hours watching the snow fall while sipping coffee and eating Sachertorte in a cozy mountain hut.
\nIf you’ve fallen a little bit in love with Austria and you want to learn more about it, keep up with our German blog!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"German culture","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"An Amazing Guide to German Culture, Traditions, Customs & More","url":"/blog/german-culture-traditions-customs","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt57bd5ef6d478090d/65e00bce375999ccae70ba57/statue-2160132_1920.jpg"},"post_content":"German culture encompasses the traditions, customs, language, arts, and social values shaped by Germany's 16 federal states and their regional diversity. It is characterized by directness, punctuality, strong family values, a love of outdoor activities, and a clear separation between work and personal time.
\n• Punctuality: Being on time is a sign of respect and reliability
\n• Direct communication: Germans value honesty and straightforwardness
\n• Bread and beer culture: Over 300 varieties of bread and a brewing tradition dating to 1516
\n• Major celebrations: Oktoberfest, Christmas markets, and Carnival
\n• Work-life balance: A legal minimum of 20 paid vacation days, with 70% of workers receiving 26-30 days
\n• Outdoor lifestyle: Hiking, cycling, and sports are integral to daily life
\n• Regional diversity: Distinct dialects, cuisines, and traditions across 16 federal states
For centuries, what we ate reflected on our landscape, climate and resources. Today, we can make an order on a delivery app and get any food in the world, so our food choices eventually reflect our preferences.
\nIn Germany, some of these have evolved, as German cuisine gets more diverse and Germans tend to eat a lot more plant-based, but some German foods will hopefully never change because you can never get enough Apfelstrudel, Stollen, kale and Kartoffelsalat!
\nAs a German learner, you’ll see that you can find a special access to a culture by learning about its food.
\n\nIn recent years, Germany has seen a significant shift towards a more plant-based diet as part of a broader global trend towards sustainability and health-consciousness. Traditionally known for their hearty meat dishes like Bratwurst, Schnitzel, and Sauerbraten, Germans are now favoring more and more veggies, legumes, and grains and finding delicious alternatives for animal products.
\nAnother important change is how diverse German foods have become. As immigrants enter the German culinary landscape, foods fuse and new dishes appear, like the famous Döner Kebab that was invented by Turkish immigrants in Berlin. Everybody adds their own ingredients to the melting pot, so to speak.
\n\nGermany doesn't have one official national dish, but there’s a lot of traditional German food, and a number of different dishes could be considered the national dish.
\nThe most common one is probably the “Sauerbraten”, a traditional German pot roast, renowned for its unique marinating process, where the meat, typically beef, is steeped in a mixture of vinegar or wine, water, herbs, spices, and sometimes vegetables for several days.
\n![\"Sauerbraten](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt2f1b8f0848764ed0/65c41018d4db5501016ef699/Sauerbraten.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Bratwurst is the ultimate German sausage. Its name derives from the Old High German Brätwurst, from brät-, finely chopped meat, and Wurst, or sausage. The Bratwurst is universally celebrated for its savory, robust flavor - a staple at German barbecues and street food stands.
\nThe delicious German potato salad varies distinctly between regions, with some versions made in a creamy, mayonnaise-based dressing, and others in a lighter, vinegar-based one. This versatile, comforting dish is often served as a side dish at barbecues, picnics, and holiday meals.
\nSpätzle, a traditional German noodle dish, is made from a simple dough of eggs, flour, and water, serving as a delightful companion to hearty sauces and stews or as a main dish when topped with cheese and fried onions in the Swabian specialty Käsespätzle.
\nThis iconic German food consists of thin slices of beef rolled around a filling of mustard, onions, pickles, and bacon. Slowly braised until tender, it’s a classic example of German comfort food.
\nThe famous Currywurst is a pork sausage cut into slices and seasoned with curry ketchup, popular as street food and often served with fries. Note that a lot of German sausages are now also available as vegetarian and vegan options!
\nNamed after the former German city of Königsberg, Königsberger Klopse consists of meatballs in a creamy white sauce with capers.
\nPotstickers, momos, gyoza or ravioli - everyone has their own version of dumplings, and this is the German german potato dumpling: Literally translating to “mouth pockets”, these are truly nothing but delicious little dough pockets for your mouth, filled with meat or veggies.
\nKartoffelpuffer or Reibekuchen are German potato pancakes. Similar to French crêpes but slightly thicker, they can be served sweet with jams, or as a savory dish with cheese.
\nYou can’t go to Berlin, and not eat a Döner! Popularized in Germany by Turkish immigrant communities, it soon became a significant part of German urban food culture. It consists of meat, cooked on a vertical rotisserie, and is served in a flatbread or pita, with veggies.
\n\nIn Germany, bread is an absolute staple. Sometimes we like to eat it twice a day, for breakfast, and for dinner, which we call “Abendbrot”, or literally “evening bread”.
\nLuckily, with over 300 different types of breads, we never run out of options, from dense, dark Pumpernickel to the grainy Vollkornbrot.
\nAnother thing we love are pastries! Flaky layers of Strudel, and sweet bites of Berliner Pfannkuchen are great choices for “'Kaffee und Kuchen”, that time in the afternoon when Germans traditionally have their coffee and eat something sweet.
\n![\"A](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt5ea794d78e055141/65c417a917f609f8125b69a9/pretzel.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
The Pretzel, or \"Brezel\" as we call it, is an icon of German baking craft. This simple, twisted knot of dough, sprinkled with salt, and baked to a golden brown, is a popular snack, often enjoyed with a Maß of beer, especially on Oktoberfest!
\nBrötchen, the quintessential German bread roll, is cherished for its crispy crust and soft, fluffy interior. These small, round rolls are a morning delight, often served with cold cuts, cheese, or jam, and are a key component of the traditional German \"Frühstück\" (breakfast).
\nSchwarzbrot, literally translating to 'black bread', is a dense, hearty rye bread celebrated for its deep, earthy flavor and long shelf life.
\nA dark, dense bread made from coarsely ground rye grain, slowly baked to achieve its characteristic dark color, Pumpernickel is not for everyone but those who like it, usually love it.
\nApfelstrudel is a delicate, flaky pastry, filled with spiced apples and cinnamon. Baked to golden perfection, it's traditionally served warm, and dusted with powdered sugar.
\nThis regional specialty pastry from Hamburg resembles a Danish without the pudding, and is especially popular in Northern Germany.
\n\nIn German, \"Kohl\" means “cabbage”, and “Kraut” refers to a broad group of leafy greens and herbs. It’s most famously associated with \"Sauerkraut,\" which is the German word for “fermented cabbage”. Here are some of the main types of Kohls and Krauts. We have it in green, red, and white, so if you need to brush up on your colors first, check out our vivid German color guide!
\n![\"Sauerkraut](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltfedd5bfcb92fe6cd/65c4183db3cfc01b5fe60bc7/Sauerkraut.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Sauerkraut is made from finely shredded cabbage fermented by lactic acid bacteria. It's known for its distinctive sour flavor and health benefits, often served as a tangy side dish.
\nRotkohl literally translates to “red cabbage”. Slowly cooked with apples, onions, and a mix of spices like cloves and bay leaves, it makes for a sweet and sour delicacy. Thanks to its purple color, it also makes any savory meal it gets served with look extra pretty!
\nWeißkohl is white cabbage, a versatile vegetable widely used in German cuisine. It's the key ingredient in making traditional Sauerkraut, but it's also used in a variety of other dishes, including cabbage rolls, soups, and salads.
\nGrünkohl - you guessed it - translates to “green cabbage” and it’s actually kale! Traditionally enjoyed in the colder months, it's often slow-cooked with onions, smoked sausages, making it a rich, flavorful winter comfort food, and for many people, especially in the North, it’s the number one Christmas meal!
\nKohlrouladen are stuffed cabbage rolls, filled with minced meat, mixed with onions, rice or breadcrumbs, and spices. These rolls are then braised or baked in a savory broth.
\n\nFrom the bustling cafes of Vienna serving the world-famous Sachertorte, to the rustic taverns in the Alps offering comforting stews and Wiener Schnitzel, Austrian cuisine has a lot to offer!
\nKeep in mind that some German food words are significantly different in Austrian German.
\n![\"The](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4f3b37ab3f7ebeb7/65c419a9793431bfc1aa9a71/Wiener-Schnitzel.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Austria’s national dish, the Tafelspitz is boiled beef, cooked slowly with root vegetables, like horseradish sauce, apple sauce, and creamy spinach.
\nThe famous Wiener Schnitzel is a thin cutlet of veal, breaded and fried to a golden crisp, traditionally served with a slice of lemon, and often potato salad or French fries.
\nThis culinary gem can be described as a fluffy shredded pancake. Named in honor of Kaiser Franz Joseph I, it’s made from a rich batter, fried in butter, and torn into bite-sized pieces, before it’s served with raisins, almonds, and a dusting of powdered sugar.
\n\nSwiss cuisine is a blend of influences from its German, French, and Italian neighbors, reflecting the country's multicultural heritage. Inspired by the cows of the Alpine pastures, it also has a particular emphasis on dairy products like cheese and chocolate.
\n![\"Cheese](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt73c37772c66ec3f4/65c41dcd793431bd6caa9a8a/cheese-fondue.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
This Swiss dish involves melting cheese into a communal pot, and dripping pieces of bread in it. Fondue is not just a meal but a social experience, often enjoyed during gatherings and celebrations, and it can be smelled from far away!
\nRaclette is both a type of cheese and a dish centered around the melting of this cheese. At a raclette meal, slices of raclette cheese are melted, and then scraped onto the plate.
\nThis simple meal is made from coarsely grated potatoes that are pan-fried until crisp, forming a flat cake. Often enjoyed as a breakfast item or a side dish, Rösti embodies the comfort and heartiness of Alpine cooking.
\nOf course, you can’t say “Swiss” without also saying “chocolate”.
\nSwiss chocolate is renowned worldwide for its superior quality, smooth texture and rich flavor. It owes its excellence to the use of high-quality ingredients and a pioneering chocolate-making process, including the conching method developed by Rodolphe Lindt in the late 19th century.
\nLearn more about Swiss food and culture here, we love it so much we dedicated an entire article to it.
\n\nI hope you saved some room for dessert (at least in your vocabulary book)!
\n![\"Schwarzwälder](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt022b650ac9c7a83a/65c41d9f17201ab2184acc3b/black-forest-cake.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Schwarzwälder Kirschtorte, is a famous German dessert named after the Black Forest, or Schwarzwald. It features layers of rich chocolate sponge, soaked in Kirschwasser (a clear cherry brandy), filled with whipped cream and cherries, and because that’s not enough calories already, it’s typically adorned with more whipped cream, chocolate shavings, and a literal cherry on top.
\nBienenstich, or \"Bee Sting Cake,\" is a classic German dessert featuring a yeast dough layered with creamy custard and topped with a honey-almond glaze.
\nDonauwelle means \"Danube Wave Cake\", named after its striking wavy look. This layered cake combines light and dark sponge cake with cherries, covered with buttercream and a chocolate glaze that creates those wavy patterns, reminiscent of the Danube River's waves.
\n\nChristmas plays a huge role in German culture. You can learn all about it on our ultimate German Christmas guide - but for now let’s focus on the important things: Christmas treats!
\n![\"A](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blta7ee5bf1593e7365/65c41e52ff4e59476cad085e/spekulatius.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Spekulatius is a traditional spiced cookie, with a crisp texture and a blend of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. The best part is that they feature intricate designs of cute little figures and buildings.
\nLebkuchen is the German version of gingerbread. These soft, spiced treats come in many shapes and sizes, but most often as pretzels, stars and hearts.
\nMarzipan, made of almonds and sugar, is often shaped into fruits, figures, or used as a layer in cakes and pastries. You’ll also often find marzipan shaped like lucky symbols including clovers, horseshoes and piggies!
\nGebrannte Mandeln are \"burnt” or roasted almonds. You can find them at all Christmas markets and fairs, where they lure in passersby with their warm, sweet scent.
\nIt acts like it’s bread but it’s definitely dessert, and one of my favorite ones, too!
\nStollen is a dense, bread-like fruitcake, generously dotted with raisins, nuts, spices, and a marzipan core.
\nDusted with a snowy layer of powdered sugar, it always reminds me of a beautiful German Christmastime landscape which makes it the ultimate Christmas treat.
\n\nIf you’re now ready to take your taste buds on an adventure through Germany's history and heritage, you should book your trip to Germany and order some of those delicious treats for yourself. Make sure you check out our guide on ordering foods in German and keep our extra helpful German blog handy at all times!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false}],"hidden":false}},{"cards":{"large_cards":false,"row":false,"flat":false,"join_block_below":true,"cta_as_link":true,"cards":[{"call_to_action_text":"Merry Christmas in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to say Merry Christmas in German & spread festive joy to all","url":"/blog/merry-christmas-german-cards-traditions","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt744b894cf91f9740/64e5a5fb14f061cce1b3bbb5/pexels-darius-krause-2254028.jpg"},"post_content":"During the holiday season, Germany, Austria and Switzerland all turn into a cozy winter wonderland full of snowy mountains, Christmas markets and delicious holiday treats. Despite the cold weather, it’s a beautiful time to visit and just the right time to learn all about German holiday traditions, foods and sayings.
We won’t just tell you how to say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays in German. We’ll teach you how to write an entire Christmas card in German and even introduce you to a couple of beautiful holiday poems. You’ll actually need those if you want to celebrate Christmas in the true German fashion!
![\"Celebrating](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt0ab281f37e318baa/64e5a7e49eb16217bb92427d/holidays_istock-850833362-min.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
German-speaking countries are home to a population of about 100 million people of various backgrounds and religions. While it’s common to celebrate “Weihnachten” (Christmas), keep in mind that not everyone does, and most who do, celebrate it as a festival of love and a chance to get together with family and close friends, not for religious reasons.
In German, the phrase \"Frohe Weihnachten!\" which translates to \"Merry Christmas” is commonly used.
If you prefer a more neutral expression, say \"Frohes Fest!\" (\"Happy Celebration!\") or \"Schöne Feiertage!\" (\"Beautiful Holidays!\").
Wishing someone \"Merry Christmas\" in German is a nice and common thing to do around the holidays. It's a warm and friendly expression that can be used among friends, family, and colleagues and even strangers like the person at your cash register or the bus driver who are all likely to wish you “Frohe Weihnachten”, especially in smaller towns.
This is the one time in the year when our frosty German hearts melt all the way and we get to show that we do have smiles and kind words for strangers - and for those German grumpers who didn’t get the memo, keep spreading the joy and wish them a Merry Christmas in German regardless.
You don’t know how? Let’s break that down.
If you want to say something a little more advanced, you can go for any of these German holiday greetings:
![\"Download](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt8f2cd51d336c26df/64ed676262b319d31185db3f/SEO_Blog_Downloadables_Banner-Essentials_Booklet-German.png?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Remember that the holidays include more than just Christmas! There are the Advent Sundays, St. Nikolaus, Winter Solstice, Hanukkah, Maulid al-Nabi, Diwali, New Year’s and many others. Here are some more non-Christmas specific ways to wish someone Happy holidays in German.
![\"Wishing](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt557892caf95141ea/64e5aa797b6375abeb4174c6/holidays_istock-1159390595-min.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
For more wishes specifically for the new year and to learn all about fun German New Year’s traditions, check out our article on How to Say Happy new year in German.
Even if you move to Germany, it’s impossible to escape Wham! and Mariah Carey throughout the holiday season. We listen to a lot of American Christmas songs but we also sing traditional Christmas songs in German, especially as kids.
A popular one is the German “We wish you a Merry Christmas”: “Wir wünschen euch frohe Weihnacht”.
Here’s a version sung by a very musical group of animals. Sing along with the bear, and his friends the ducky, the sheep, the dog and the cat as they bake Christmas cookies with their paws!
Our Christmas carol \"O Tannenbaum\" (Oh, Christmas Tree) was written in Germany in the mid-1500s. Here is a version by the one and only Nat King Cole:
Another good one is Helene Fischer's rendition of 'Kling Glöckchen, klingelingeling' a sweet symphony dedicated to a little bell heralding the holiday season:
Holiday cards are not as common as they are in the US and what you won’t see in Germany is people taking pictures in holiday clothing and then sending cards with their own faces. That’s just too American - but people do write cards and letters and who wouldn’t love getting a heartfelt note with kind holiday greetings?
Make someone’s (holi)day and write a few kind words using all the beautiful German words you’ve learned from our articles like How to say I love you and sweet terms of endearment in German.
Keep these things in mind:
If you’re still not sure what to write, here are some beautiful Christmas quotes you can steal:
![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltafc8c05ba357b347/64e5a9b9af6c4b52a22d0fbb/istock-629143340.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
The best way to celebrate Christmas is to open one's eyes and heart to others.
- Peter Rosegger
Giving a present means giving to others what we would like to keep for ourselves.
- Selma Lagerlöf
Christmas will always be when we make room in our hearts.
- Karl Heinrich Waggerl
If you want to go above and beyond for your Christmas card, why don’t you try to write a little poem?
After all, German is known as “die Sprache der Dichter und Denker” (the language of thinkers and poets). This is even reflected in my absolute favorite German Christmas tradition: The fact that German kids recite poems on Christmas Eve.
That’s right, we don’t just get to open our presents. We have to work for them!
Little kids will often learn Christmas poems in kindergarten or elementary school and recite them in front of the Weihnachtsmann when he shows up at their house (or a friendly neighborhood volunteer who is dressed like him - because let’s be real. With 2 billion children in the world, he needs a little bit of help here and there).
Here’s a taste of some beautiful German Christmas poems:
Es treibt der Wind im Winterwalde
die Flockenherde wie ein Hirt
und manche Tanne ahnt wie balde
sie fromm und lichterheilig wird.
Und lauscht hinaus: den weißen Wegen
streckt sie die Zweige hin - bereit
und wehrt dem Wind und wächst entgegen
der einen Nacht der Herrlichkeit.
- Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926)
Translation:
The wind in the winter forest leads
the herd of flakes like a shepherd
and many a fir tree suspects how soon
it will become pious and holy.
And listens out: the white paths
it stretches out its branches - ready
and resists the wind and grows towards
the one night of glory.
Wieder mit Flügeln, aus Sternen gewoben,
senkst du herab dich, o heilige Nacht;
was durch Jahrhunderte alles zerstoben,
du noch bewahrst deine leuchtende Pracht.
Ging auch der Welt schon der Heiland verloren,
der sich dem Dunkel der Zeiten entrang,
wird er doch immer aufs Neue geboren,
nahst du, Geweihte, dem irdischen Drang.
Selig durchschauernd kindliche Herzen,
bist du des Glaubens süßester Rest;
fröhlich begangen bei flammenden Kerzen,
bist du das schönste, menschlichste Fest.
- Ferdinand von Saar (1833-1906)
Translation:
Again with wings, woven of stars,
you descend, O holy night;
what through centuries all has vanished,
You still keep your shining splendor.
Even if the savior was already lost to the world,
who escaped from the darkness of time,
He is always born anew,
You, consecrated one, come close to the earthly urge.
Blessedly shuddering childlike hearts,
you are faith's sweetest remnant;
joyfully committed by flaming candles,
You are the most beautiful, most human feast.
Leise weht’s durch alle Lande
wie ein Gruß vom Sternenzelt,
schlinget neue Liebesbande
um die ganze weite Welt.
Hell aus jedem Fenster strahlet
wundersam des Christbaums Licht,
und der Freude Schimmer malet
sich auf jedem Angesicht.
O willkommen, Weihnachtsabend,
allen Menschen, groß und klein!
Friedebringend, froh und labend
mögst du allen Herzen sein!
- Adelheid Humperdinck-Wette (1858-1916)
Translation:
Softly it blows through all lands
like a greeting from the stars,
new bonds of love are twined
around the whole wide world.
Bright from every window shines
the wondrous light of the Christmas tree,
And the gleam of joy
on every face.
O welcome, Christmas Eve,
to all people, great and small!
Peace-bringing, joyful and refreshing
may you be to all hearts!
We do a lot more than reciting poetry though! German-speaking countries are rich with unique traditions and customs in Christmas and around the holidays:
![\"Boy](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt805cced98accc185/64e5a889ad2e08569f02f7bb/pexels-any-lane-5728302.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
One of the best things about the Christmas time in Germany are the delicious foods. Many special treats can only be bought during this time of year, which makes them even more precious.
![\"Gingerbread](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltb0aeea3687aa32e1/64e5a943aa596ed7cc819a86/pexels-noelle-otto-906054.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to go home to Germany for Christmas now! So grab some warm clothes and meet me on the mountain top. While I keep dreaming of snowy forests, romantic Christmas markets, German poetry and Stollen, feel free to brush up on your German for the trip. Just go to our German Language Blog!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"German dative cases","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"The 4 German cases: Nominative, accusative, dative & genitive","url":"/blog/german-cases-dative-accusative-nominative-genitive","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blta43477a1ca348083/657960722a3de35805d7082b/istock-1202580760.jpg"},"post_content":"In German, cases help you identify who is doing what in a sentence, which is an essential part of communication. Using the right case can make all the difference in getting your point across.
\nSo we created a comprehensive guide for you that includes a German cases chart and a breakdown of nominative, accusative, genitive and dative in German, so you know exactly when and how to use each case.
\n![\"Breaking](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt6f76981cfc704efa/65797478c0cd3cef1381630b/istock-1168320530.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
\n
The case system in German determines how nouns, pronouns, and articles change form to indicate their role in a sentence. It's like a set of rules that helps to identify the subject, object, and other elements within a sentence.
\nThere are four different cases:
\n\n
A noun case is a grammatical category that changes the form of a noun to express its role in a sentence. This change often involves different endings or forms, helping to clarify a noun’s function and its relationship to other words in the sentence. In German, there are four noun cases.
\n| Case | \nRole | \nDescription | \n
| Nominative | \nSubject | \nShows the subject of the sentence: Who or what is performing the action? | \n
| Accusative | \nDirect Object | \nShows the direct object: Who is the receiver of the action? | \n
| Dative | \nIndirect Object | \nShows the indirect object: To whom or for whom is the action done? | \n
| Genitive | \nPossession | \nExpresses possession, origin, or relationship: Whose object is being addressed? | \n
\n
German is an inflected language. That means nouns, pronouns, and adjectives can have different endings depending on whether they are the subject, object, or show possession. Unlike English, where grammatical function is shown by word order, German relies on these inflections.
\nFor example, in English, we say, \"The dog bites the man\" vs. \"The man bites the dog\", but in German we need different cases because the word order doesn’t show who is active and who is passive:
\n\"Der Hund beißt den Mann\" and \"Den Mann beißt der Hund,\" both mean “The dog bites the man.”
\n![\"Diving](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt428596807a27cab9/6579620d1b5109a9002ac8cd/istock-1203933926.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
\n
Let’s dive deeper into each one of the German cases.
\n\n
The nominative case in German is used to identify the subject of a sentence, which is the person or thing performing the action. As the most basic case, it’s a good starting point for learning the German case system.
\n\n
| \n | Gender | \nDefinite | \nIndefinite | \n
| Singular | \nMasculine | \nder | \nein | \n
| Singular | \nFeminine | \ndie | \neine | \n
| Singular | \nNeuter | \ndas | \nein | \n
| Plural | \nMasculine | \ndie | \n— | \n
| Plural | \nFeminine | \ndie | \n— | \n
| Plural | \nNeuter | \ndie | \n— | \n
\n
\n
The accusative case in German identifies the direct object in a sentence, that is, the person or thing that receives the action. This case mainly impacts masculine nouns, changing their definite and indefinite articles ('der' becomes 'den', 'ein' becomes 'einen').
\n\n
| \n | Gender | \nDefinite | \nIndefinite | \n
| Singular | \nMasculine | \nden | \neinen | \n
| Singular | \nFeminine | \ndie | \neine | \n
| Singular | \nNeuter | \ndas | \nein | \n
| Plural | \nMasculine | \ndie | \n— | \n
| Plural | \nFeminine | \ndie | \n— | \n
| Plural | \nNeuter | \ndie | \n— | \n
\n
\n
The dative case in German is used for the indirect object in a sentence. It comes into play when you're talking about doing something for or to someone else. For example, when you give a gift to someone, the 'someone' is in the dative case.
\nIn this case, the articles for masculine and neuter nouns change to 'dem', for feminine nouns to 'der', and for plural nouns to 'den'.
\n\n
| \n | Gender | \nDefinite | \nIndefinite | \n
| Singular | \nMasculine | \ndem | \neinem | \n
| Singular | \nFeminine | \nder | \neiner | \n
| Singular | \nNeuter | \ndem | \neinem | \n
| Plural | \nMasculine | \nden | \n— | \n
| Plural | \nFeminine | \nden | \n— | \n
| Plural | \nNeuter | \nden | \n— | \n
\n
\n
The genitive case in German shows possession or a relationship. It's similar to using 'of' or an apostrophe ‘s’ in English. German genitive cases aren’t used as often as dative cases because they can be a little complicated, even for German natives.
\nIn the genitive case, definite articles change to 'des' for masculine and neuter nouns and 'der' for feminine and plural nouns. Additionally, many masculine and neuter nouns also add an '-s' or '-es' at the end.
\n\n
| \n | Gender | \nDefinite | \nIndefinite | \n
| Singular | \nMasculine | \ndes | \neines | \n
| Singular | \nFeminine | \nder | \neiner | \n
| Singular | \nNeuter | \ndes | \neines | \n
| Plural | \nMasculine | \nder | \n— | \n
| Plural | \nFeminine | \nder | \n— | \n
| Plural | \nNeuter | \nder | \n— | \n
\n
\n
\n
| Numerus | \nGender | \nCase: Nominative | \n Case: Accusative | \n Case: Dative | \n Case: Genitive | \n
| Singular | \nMasculine | \nder | \nden | \ndem | \ndes | \n
| Singular | \nFeminine | \ndie | \ndie | \nder | \nder | \n
| Singular | \nNeuter | \ndas | \ndas | \ndem | \ndes | \n
| Plural | \nMasculine | \ndie | \ndie | \nden | \nder | \n
| Plural | \nFeminine | \ndie | \ndie | \nden | \nder | \n
| Plural | \nNeuter | \ndie | \ndie | \nden | \nder | \n
\n
| Numerus | \nGender | \nCase: Nominative | \n Case: Accusative | \n Case: Dative | \n Case: Genitive | \n
| Singular | \nMasculine | \nein | \neinen | \neinem | \neines | \n
| Singular | \nFeminine | \neine | \neine | \neiner | \neiner | \n
| Singular | \nNeuter | \nein | \nein | \neinem | \neines | \n
| Plural | \nMasculine | \n- | \n- | \n- | \n- | \n
| Plural | \nFeminine | \n- | \n- | \n- | \n- | \n
| Plural | \nNeuter | \n- | \n- | \n- | \n- | \n
\n
![\"Once](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blta006954e6f52748a/65798b3c7ed7dbb586c7da74/istock-1069737450-min.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Once you’ve mastered the German cases, the most challenging part of learning the language is over, and you can focus on the more fun parts. Finding your way through a language’s grammar is a bit like hiking up a hill. Once you’ve made it to the top, you’ve got a clear view onto the scenic landscape ahead of you. From here, you can jump right into interesting topics about the rich German culture.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Is German hard to learn?","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"Is German hard or easy to learn? We reveal top myths & realities","url":"/blog/is-german-hard-easy-to-learn","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltda180d2c7e703887/655de530d41131abb0246f40/istock-1254882546.jpg"},"post_content":"German, while seemingly intricate, brims with similarities to English that will give native English speakers something to hold on to on their language-learning journey. Through similar words and structures, you can bridge the gap between the two languages and get a headstart on your way to mastery.
We’ll clear up some common misconceptions and teach you the right tools to set you on a path to fluency, and with the right approach, learning German will become easy.
![\"Learning](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4702a6cb22385b66/655de5b7d4113118a3246f44/istock-1266809682.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Is German hard to learn? It's a common question we hear often. So what's the answer? The truth is you can’t generalize whether a language is a difficult language to learn. It all depends on a language’s proximity to your mother tongue, your previous language learning experience, learning style, and, of course, your personal motivation!
Some people find it very easy to pick up new languages, while others need a bit more time and might benefit from more thorough training like individual German lessons.
It also depends on your standards. Some Americans will proudly proclaim they “speak German, too”, because they can say “Guten Tag, Fräulein”, and “Wie geht’s?”, and that’s a great start! Confidence definitely helps to learn a language.
The good news is that it’s extremely easy to pick up simple German phrases like that. The bad news is that grammatically speaking, German is quite a bit more complex than English. Overall, it’s safe to say that it’s easy for native English speakers to learn the basics of German, but difficult to master German to perfection.
![\"Five](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt92e550d01baead6d/655de66a7c56dd8242a5e832/istock-1383890693.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
With four different cases (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive), verb conjugation, noun declination and other complex syntactic structures, German grammar rules can seem overwhelmingly intricate to newcomers.
The German language is famous for its legendarily long words (like Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz\"). These are not only a mouthful to pronounce but can also be a challenge to understand. The trick is to break them down into smaller components!
Certain sounds in the German language, such as the guttural \"r\", the harsh “ch” and “ck” sounds and the Umlaute “ä”, “ö”, and \"ü\" don’t exist in English and can be difficult to learn for native English speakers.
German has three genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter) for nouns, and remembering the gender, not to mention the respective definite and indefinite articles ('der,' 'die,' 'das,', ‘ein’, ‘eine’, ‘ein’) can be tricky for learners. After all, who knows why the table is male and the wall is female?
The sentence structure in German can often see the verb pushed to the end of a sentence, especially in subordinate clauses, which goes against the usual subject-verb-object order that English speakers are accustomed to. Sometimes that means you can get to the end of a sentence without actually knowing what’s going on.
German is typically considered one of the easiest languages to learn for English speakers for a number of reasons:
English and German both belong to the Germanic family of languages, which means you'll stumble upon a plethora of words that sound quite familiar, easing the vocabulary acquisition process significantly.
German is a phonetic language, meaning it's generally spoken the way it's written, so once you've got the alphabet and sounds down, you're on your path to proper pronunciation.
With around 130 million native speakers and a strong cultural presence worldwide, there is no shortage of German learning resources, from textbooks and online courses to films and books. There’s a good chance you can just watch your favorite movie or tv show with German dubbing.
German and English have a few important factors in common:
![\"German](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt9e4b1e93176c01b9/655de8192d2f237857f3b3b6/istock-478576868.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Unlike languages such as Hindi, Arabic, or Japanese, German uses the Latin alphabet which immediately makes written German more approachable for English speakers.
Both English and German are members of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European language family, resulting in a number of cognates (words that sound and look similar in both languages) that will make your vocab journey a lot smoother.
Predominantly, English and German both follow a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) order in simple sentences, which gives English speakers a familiar groundwork when learning German.
While German is known for its long words, these are usually just compound words that can be broken down, and once you do that, German words have pretty reasonable lengths, like \"Haus\" (house) or \"Baum\" (tree).
A common myth is that German sounds too harsh or guttural to be melodious, and there might be some truth to that, but once you delve deeper into its poetry, music, and literature, you’ll find a unique beauty and rhythm in its phonetics and expressions. German does have soft and pretty words, too. I wrote this article to prove it!
While Germans are often stereotyped as methodical and structured, it's a mistake to box in their language the same way. The German language, in reality, is very creative, rich with opportunities for inventive expressions and very loose in its sentence structure.
You’ll see that German can be an easy language to learn, especially with these helpful tips and tricks:
![\"Making](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltd03a1dc6908db47a/655de8dc1204cd7f7eca4100/istock-485105518.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Surround yourself with the language daily, whether it's watching German films, listening to podcasts, or making friends with native speakers. Constant exposure not only reinforces your learning but also improves pronunciation and understanding of cultural nuances.
Instead of memorizing individual words, learn phrases or \"chunks\" of language as they appear in natural conversation. Recognizing patterns in sentence structures will help you understand and build sentences intuitively.
Take advantage of the shared Germanic roots by identifying cognates. This will help you expand your vocabulary quickly. Think of words like \"Mutter\" (mother) or \"Freund\" (friend).
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Austrian vs. German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"Austrian German vs German: A top guide to language differences","url":"/blog/austrian-vs-german-language","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte93d4909e9d34606/6527c2d95a304518b7005968/Austrian-vs-German.jpeg"},"post_content":"Austrian German and standard German share similarities but also feature unique vocabulary, pronunciation, and expressions. This guide explains the differences between Austrian and German language usage and cultural communication styles.
\n\nAs a German language learner, there’s a good chance you’re learning standard German in your classes. Naturally, you might think you’ll be able to communicate with the locals in all German-speaking countries but watch out! Sometimes, native German-speakers don’t even understand each other.
\nSomeone from Austria might be confused when you ask for “Plätzchen” (Christmas cookies) or ‘'Pfannkuchen” (pancakes), while a Berlin resident might scratch their head when you talk about 'Marillenmarmelade” (Apricot jam) or “Palatschinken” (also pancakes!)”.
\nWe’ll teach you all about the differences between Austrian and German, so you’ll know which words to use where.
\n![\"Women](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt12017df4a4e1ce99/6527bd08ff3bbd1b92ad07bd/istock-1141392219.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Austrian German and Standard German are remarkably similar, as they both stem from the West Germanic family of languages. In essence, they are two variations of German. Most of the vocabulary is shared, and speakers of one can generally understand the other without much difficulty.
\nHowever, when diving deeper into local jargon, colloquial expressions, and special terms, you’ll notice some differences.
\nAustrians and Germans can easily understand each other since they both speak German. While there are regional dialects and specific terms unique to each country, the core structure and vocabulary are largely the same.
\nThink of it as akin to Americans understanding the British. There might be the occasional unfamiliar word or phrase, but communication usually flows with ease.
\n![\"Austrians](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt6624fc47adb55db1/6527bebd87b4db487a759185/istock-539006636.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here are some of the main similarities and differences of the Austrian vs German language:
\n| Category | \nGermany | \nAustria | \n
| Dialects | \nHas a wide array of dialects, from Low German in the North to Swabian in the South. The development of these dialects was influenced by regional tribes, historical states, and external cultural influences. | \nFeatures a variety of regional dialects, influenced by the Bavarian dialect and Slavic languages like Slovenian and Czech. | \n
| Vocabulary | \nUses words that might be unfamiliar or have different meanings in Austria, e.g., \"Pfannkuchen\" (pancakes) which in Austria are referred to as \"Palatschinken.\" | \nSome words are distinctively Austrian, like \"Marillen\" (apricots) vs. the German \"Aprikosen,\" or \"Sackerl\" (small bag) vs. the German \"Tüte.\" | \n
| Pronunciation | \nPeople from Northern regions have a sharper, clearer pronunciation while the Southern regions including Bavaria sound very similar to Austrian German. | \nAustrian German is quite soft, with certain vowels pronounced differently. There's also a melodic lilt in the way Austrians speak. | \n
| Word order | \nFollows \"Hochdeutsch\" (High German) rules which are widely taught internationally. | \nAustrian German generally follows the same rules. | \n
| Grammar | \nFollows the standard rules of verb conjugation seen in most German textbooks, although regional variations can exist. | \nSome verbs are conjugated differently or might have different past participles. For example, in Austria one might say \"ich bin gesessen\" (I am sat) instead of the German standard \"ich habe gesessen (I have sat). | \n
\n
| English | \nStandard German | \nAustrian German | \n
| Apricot | \ndie Aprikose | \ndie Marille | \n
| Potato | \ndie Kartoffel | \nder Erdapfel | \n
| Small bag | \ndie Tüte | \ndas Sackerl | \n
| Cup | \ndie Tasse | \ndas Heferl | \n
| Tomato | \ndie Tomate | \nder Paradeiser | \n
| Minced meat | \ndas Hackfleisch | \nFaschiertes | \n
| Cash register | \ndie Kasse | \ndie Kassa | \n
| Pancake | \nder Pfannkuchen | \ndie Palatschinke | \n
| Stairs | \ndie Treppe | \ndie Stiege | \n
| Refrigerator | \nder Kühlschrank | \nder Eiskasten | \n
| Dentist's office | \ndie Zahnarztpraxis | \ndie Zahnarztordination | \n
| Chimney sweeper | \nder Schornsteinfeger | \nder Rauchfangkehrer | \n
| High school graduation exam | \ndas Abitur | \ndie Matura | \n
| Whipped cream | \ndie Sahne | \ndas Schlagobers | \n
| Dumplings | \nKlöße | \nKnödel | \n
| Roll/bun | \ndas Brötchen | \ndie Semmel | \n
| Slice of bread | \ndie Stulle/Brot | \ndie Schnitte | \n
| Hat | \ndie Mütze | \ndie Haube | \n
| Garbage can | \ndie Mülltonne | \nder Mistkübel | \n
| January | \nder Januar | \nder Jänner | \n
| Kiss | \nder Kuss | \ndas Bussi | \n
\n
| English | \nStandard German | \nAustrian German | \n
| to take | \nnehmen | \nhernehmen | \n
| to see see, look | \nsehen | \nschauen | \n
| to sweep | \nfegen | \nkehren | \n
| to grouch | \njammern | \nsudern | \n
| to pluck | \npflücken | \nbrocken | \n
| to run away | \nabhauen | \nabpaschen | \n
| to steal | \nstehlen | \nfladern | \n
| to evict | \nzwangsräumen | \ndelogieren | \n
| to work | \narbeiten | \nhackeln | \n
\n
In Austrian German, the past tense is built like the Standard German past tense. The only difference is that in the past perfect (Perfekt), some verbs use a different auxiliary verb. While certain verbs are always used with “sein” (to be) and others are always used with “haben” (to have), in Austrian German, this might differ from standard German:
\n| English | \nStandard German | \nAustrian German | \n
| I sat | \nIch habe gesessen | \nIch bin gesessen | \n
| I laid | \nIch habe gelegen | \nIch bin gelegen | \n
| I stood | \nIch habe gestanden | \nIch bin gestanden | \n
\n
Keep in mind that diminutives in German affect the gender of a noun. Regardless of their original gender, all nouns become neuter when a diminutive suffix is added, in both Standard and Austrian German. For example, \"der Hund\" (the dog, masculine) becomes \"das Hündchen\" or \"das Hündli\" (the little dog, neuter) when a diminutive is added.
\n| English | \nStandard German | \nAustrian German | \n
| Little girl | \ndas Mädchen | \ndas Mäderl | \n
| Little boy | \ndas Bübchen | \ndas Büberl | \n
| Little house | \ndas Häuschen | \ndas Häuserl | \n
| Little book | \ndas Büchlein | \ndas Bücherl | \n
| Little dog | \ndas Hündchen | \ndas Hunderl | \n
\n
Imagine Austrians chatting with a sing-songy and gentle tone, often using their own special words and phrases, and typically being quite polite and sometimes a bit roundabout in how they speak, which stands out against the more straight-to-the-point and pragmatic way most Germans tend to communicate.
\nAustria showcases a delightful array of unique sayings and words and there's a hearty nod to tradition, particularly in how people greet each other and use formal titles with a lot of respect and precision.
\nIn Germany, local dialects certainly bubble up in casual chats, but official and nationwide talks stick pretty close to standard, High German.
\n![\"Cultural](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4023b67a3461c311/6527bfaa07490647f0257b71/istock-603176994.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Since most German classes as well as books, movies and shows are in Standard German, you will definitely find more standard German study resources than Austrian ones, but if you’re going for a trip to learn the language, it’s easiest to learn from the people around you. If you’re traveling to scenic Austria, it will probably be easier for you to pick up some Austrian slang.
\n\n
Most people might nudge you towards Standard German first, as it's widely understood in all German-speaking countries and serves as a sturdy base, especially with its robust resources for learners.
\nPlus, there are only 9 million native speakers of Austrian German and 80 million native speakers of standard German.
\n![\"Hallstatt](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt3e076ffef6e4bdf9/6527c09a884a1a05c7df2c50/pexels-daniel-frank-356807.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Your choice will be highly personal, depending on your goals. You can choose standard German for broad communication across German-speaking nations, or dive into Austrian German if your focus is rooted in Austrian life, or you can just choose whichever one sounds better to you. It can be as simple as that, after all, most German-speakers do speak English and you’re probably at least partially learning the language for the fun of it.
\n\n
Remember, language is not just a means of communication, but a bridge to understanding people, traditions, and nuances that textbooks might miss. So whichever path you choose, embracing German in any form will unlock a beautiful world of opportunities and cultural exploration in the heart of Europe.
\nWe like to sprinkle our German articles with fun facts about all German-speaking countries, including Austria. So if you’d like to learn more about Austrian culture including Wiener Waltz (and Schnitzel!), head over to our Berlitz German blog!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"German adjective endings","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"A fun and easy guide to German adjective endings & declensions","url":"/blog/german-adjective-endings-declensions","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltcee6db52ff866458/651b8fee3ce1e8c269ffe5f0/istock-674171022.jpg"},"post_content":"When speaking German, the challenge is not just choosing the right adjective, but also making sure you cap it off with the correct German adjective ending.
In English, adjective endings are easy. Whether you say “My dog is small” or “the small dog is mine’, the adjective “small” doesn’t change, but in German, it does: In this case, from “Mein Hund ist klein” to “der kleine Hund ist meiner”.
That can easily get confusing, which is why we’ve decided to teach you all about German adjective endings and how to choose the right one.
![\"Two](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt90297be788e88d8d/651b8b39f3218a64198fde74/istock-1339348255.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Adjectives are what we call “Wie-Wörter” (How-words) in German and that’s because they describe how things are: complex, soft, blue, bright, big or beautiful!
As you’ll remember from our article about 300 fun & unique German adjectives, they are the attributes that describe a noun. You’ll need them anytime you’re trying to be prescriptive and specific, whether you’re expressing your feelings or describing an outfit.
Picture a noun, for instance, a book, something you can hold in your hands. By adding an adjective, you specify and enrich that noun. The book can be described as thick, thin, ancient, brand-new, tattered, glossy, riveting, or any other descriptive term you might come up with. Adjectives paint a clear and colorful picture in our minds.
Adjective endings are the last part of an adjective or the part that follows the stem.
In German and many other languages, these endings change to reflect its function in the sentence. That way, they indicate different grammatical categories such as case, number, and gender.
That means a noun or adjective ending can show you whether that noun is singular or plural, male or female and even if it’s the subject, the object or showing possession in the sentence, and so on.
Here are some examples:
| Original | Changed ending | Translation | What changed? |
| Der Junge | Die Jungen | The boy → The boys | Singular → Plural |
| Der Schauspieler | Die Schauspielerin | The actor → The actress | Male → Female |
| Mein Apfel | Meines Apfels | My apple → Of my apple | Nominative → Genitive |
Declensions are exactly those little tweaks and changes that nouns and adjectives undergo depending on their role in a sentence.
Think of them as different outfits for words: They change the word’s \"look\" and therefore its function.
A noun will need a new ending, when it gets ready to change its meaning, kind of like you might put on a hat when you’re getting ready to take a walk in the rain.
To help you navigate all these changes, we've put together a comprehensive table that breaks down German adjective endings based on case, gender, and whether they are preceded by a definite or indefinite article.
Remember not to confuse declension with conjugation. One is for nouns and adjectives, the other one is for verbs. Double-check our helpful conjugation guide if you’re unsure!
![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltcc4aeb4bc093611c/651b8dd6ff4a200b33cb0f6d/istock-1160244847.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
There are three different kinds of declensions:
| Type | When is it used? | Example sentence | Translation |
| Strong declension | When there's no preceding article (like \"a\" or \"the\" in English) | Alte Menschen lesen oft Bücher. | Old people often read books. |
| Weak declension | When the adjective is preceded by a definite article (like \"der\", \"die\", \"das\") | Die alten Menschen sind freundlich. | The old people are friendly. |
| Mixed declension | When the adjective is preceded by an indefinite article (like \"ein\", \"eine\") or negative article \"kein\" | Ein alter Mann geht spazieren. | An old man is walking. |
\"Strong\" adjective endings are used when there is no article preceding the adjective, or when the article itself doesn't show case, gender, or number. They give you all that information directly.
This is where it gets a little bit tricky because not every masculine, feminine or neutral adjective has the same ending in German. Therefore, they’re not all declinated the same way. However, here are some examples for each gender:
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
| Singular | Nominative | mein netter Mann | meine schlaue Frau | mein kleines Haustier |
| Accusative | meinen netten Mann | meine schlaue Frau | mein kleines Haustier | |
| Dative | meinem netten Mann | meiner schlauen Frau | meinem kleinen Haustier | |
| Genitive | meines netten Mannes | meiner schlauen Frau | meines kleinen Haustiers | |
| Plural | Nominative | meine netten Männer | meine schlauen Frauen | meine kleinen Haustiere |
| Accusative | meine netten Männer | meine schlauen Frauen | meine kleinen Haustiere | |
| Dative | meinen netten Männern | meinen schlauen Frauen | meinen kleinen Haustieren | |
| Genitive | meiner netten Männer | meiner schlauen Frauen | meiner kleinen Haustiere |
Notice in the following example sentences how the adjective ending changes depending on its grammatical role.
\"Weak\" German adjective endings are used when the adjective is preceded by a determiner or definite article that already provides clear information about the case, gender, or numerus of the noun.
In that case, the adjective ending doesn't need to supply as much grammatical information, as it's already evident from the context. Thus, weak adjective endings are more streamlined than their strong counterparts.
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
| Singular | Nominative | der nette Mann | die schlaue Frau | das kleine Haustier |
| Accusative | den netten Mann | die schlaue Frau | das kleine Haustier | |
| Dative | dem netten Mann | der schlauen Frau | dem kleinen Haustier | |
| Genitive | des netten Mannes | der schlauen Frau | des kleinen Haustiers | |
| Plural | Nominative | die netten Männer | die schlauen Frauen | die kleinen Haustiere |
| Accusative | die netten Männer | die schlauen Frauen | die kleinen Haustiere | |
| Dative | den netten Männern | den schlauen Frauen | den kleinen Haustieren | |
| Genitive | der netten Männer | der schlauen Frauen | der kleinen Haustiere |
Nominative:
Accusative:
Dative:
Genitive:
\"Mixed\" adjective endings come into play when preceded by an indefinite or negative article, like \"ein\" or \"kein\". These articles give some, but not all, grammatical cues.
| Case | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
| Singular | Nominative | kein schlechter Tag | keine gute Idee | kein leichtes Schicksal |
| Accusative | keinen schlechten Tag | keine gute Idee | kein leichtes Schicksal | |
| Dative | keinem schlechten Tag | keiner guten Idee | keinem leichten Schicksal | |
| Genitive | Keines schlechten Tages | keiner guten Idee | keines leichten Schicksals | |
| Plural | Nominative | keine schlechten Tage | keine guten Ideen | keine leichten Schicksale |
| Accusative | keine schlechten Tage | keine guten Ideen | keine leichten Schicksale | |
| Dative | keiner schlechten Tage | keinen guten Ideen | keinen leichten Schicksalen | |
| Genitive | keiner schlechten Tage | keinen guten Ideen | keiner leichten Schicksale |
Nominative:
Accusative:
Dative:
Genitive:
Navigating the intricacies of German adjective endings is one of the most confusing aspects of learning German. So if you haven’t run off to look for a less confusing language, and you’re still with me, I take my hat off to you!
Some of these declensions are just hard to understand but with time, you will develop a feeling for them. One of the best ways to do that is by reading many, many example sentences.
So head on over to our German language blog, your free source of interesting German reading material full of colorful descriptions and creative adjectives.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"How to write an email in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to start, write & sign off an email in German: A nifty guide","url":"/blog/how-to-start-write-end-email-german-etiquette","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte557021a9451846f/64c0acac15da407e43f8c4ac/istock-1078675466.jpeg"},"post_content":"Our time is limited and therefore valuable. If you learn how to write quick, efficient emails, you’re gonna make everyone’s life easier, especially your own!
\nWriting efficient emails can be an art in and of itself though, and if you’re writing an email to German-speaking colleagues or friends, that will take the challenge to the next level. So we’ll make it as easy as possible, by not just telling you how to write an email in German hypothetically.
\nWe’ll teach you about German business email etiquette, with different examples for each category, including all the most common German business email phrases.
\nWriting an email in German is not just about translating your message. It’s about understanding slight cultural differences including German email greetings and German email etiquette. Here are some key differences:
\n![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt18bc03e84932c30b/64c0b138d7401a22272b1588/istock-1092703836_(1).jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Note that some formal businesses, including banks and universities, require formal letters for certain requests. If you have to write a letter, check out our guide on letter writing in German!
\n\n
Here are some key tips for German email writing:
\n\n
| English | \nGerman | \n
|---|---|
| Die Email | \n|
| Subject line | \nDie Betreffzeile | \n
| Email signature | \nDie E-Mail-Signatur | \n
| Inbox | \nDer Posteingang | \n
| Outbox | \nDer Postausgang | \n
| Drafts | \nEntwürfe | \n
| Trash | \nDer Papierkorb | \n
| Junk | \nDer Junk | \n
| Spam | \nDer Spam | \n
| Archive | \nDas Archiv | \n
| Send and receive | \nSenden und Empfangen | \n
| Forward | \nWeiterleiten | \n
| Reply | \nAntworten | \n
| Reply all | \nAllen antworten | \n
| New email | \nNeue Email | \n
| To compose | \nVerfassen | \n
| To deliver | \nÜbermitteln | \n
| cc | \ncc | \n
| bcc | \nbcc | \n
| Attachment | \nDer Anhang | \n
| Link | \nDer Link | \n
| URL | \nDie URL | \n
| Recipient | \nDer Empfänger | \n
| Sender | \nDer Absender | \n
| Message Body | \nDer Nachrichtentext | \n
| Undeliverable | \nUnzustellbar | \n
| Read, unread | \nGelesen, ungelesen | \n
| Out of Office Reply | \nDie Abwesenheitsnotiz | \n
| Address Book | \nDas Adressbuch | \n
| Contacts | \nKontakte | \n
| Phishing | \nPhishing | \n
| Malware | \nMalware | \n
| Template | \nDas Template, die Vorlage | \n
\n
Sticking to the traditional format will help you make a professional first impression, and get your message across.
\n![\"Mother](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte217a471f52bfd53/64c0b25fd5dab1dbc96c8db0/istock-1077259686.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
\n
Formal German emails are polite, respectful and succinct. Remember, in a formal setting, it's better to err on the side of being too formal than not formal enough, especially if you’re emailing complete strangers like the bank clerk or a potential business partner.
\n![\"Man](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4b8347404a500ce3/64c0b1f1b019169dc0b18f62/istock-1185440421-min.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
In the world of email communication, the subject line is your first impression - the virtual equivalent of a handshake. It sets the tone for the rest of your email and can be the deciding factor for your email’s success.
\nHere are a few guidelines for writing a compelling formal subject line:
\n\n
Using the right greeting in your email is crucial as it sets the tone for the entire message and shows respect towards the recipient. Remember if you’re addressing the other person as “du” (informal) or “Sie” (formal). We tend to go with the more formal version for business greetings in Germany if we don’t know the other person well.
\n| English | \nGerman | \n
|---|---|
| Dear Sir / Madam | \nSehr geehrte Dame /sehr geehrter Herr | \n
| To whom it may concern | \nAn alle, die es betrifft | \n
| Dear (familiar) | \nLiebe/r | \n
| Dear team | \nLiebes Team | \n
| Dear all | \nAn alle | \n
| Hello | \nHallo | \n
| Hi | \nHi, na | \n
| Hey | \nHey | \n
| Good morning | \nGuten Morgen | \n
| Good day | \nGuten Tag | \n
| Good evening | \nGuten Abend | \n
\n
\n
A friendly opening with a bit of small talk can break the ice. Learn how to talk about the weather or just ask the other person how they’re doing. Here’s how to start an email in German:
\n| English | \nGerman | \n
|---|---|
| I hope you’re doing well | \nIch hoffe, es geht Ihnen/dir gut | \n
| I hope this email finds you in good health | \nIch hoffe, diese E-Mail findet Sie/dich in guter Verfassung | \n
| It was nice meeting you last week (formal) | \nEs war schön, Sie letzte Woche zu treffen | \n
| Hope you had a nice weekend! | \nIch hoffe, du hattest ein schönes Wochenende! | \n
| Thank you for your prompt reply | \nVielen Dank für Ihre schnelle Antwort | \n
| I am writing to you about... | \nIch schreibe bezüglich... | \n
| Referring to our conversation yesterday... | \nBezüglich unseres gestrigen Gesprächs... | \n
| It was nice hearing from you | \nEs war schön, von dir zu hören | \n
\n
\n
| English | \nGerman | \n
|---|---|
| With kind regards | \nMit freundlichen Grüßen | \n
| Friendly regards | \nFreundliche Grüße | \n
| Yours faithfully | \nHochachtungsvoll | \n
| Best regards | \nMit besten Grüßen | \n
| Warm regards | \nMit herzlichen Grüßen | \n
| Many thanks in advance | \nVielen Dank im Voraus | \n
| I look forward to your reply | \nIch freue mich auf eine Rückmeldung | \n
| Bis bald | \nSee you soon | \n
\n
\n
For an email signature in German, you want to include key contact details like your full name, title, organization, phone number, and professional email address, so the recipient has multiple ways of contacting you.
\nThe layout should be simple and neat, with each piece of information on a new line, for example:
\nMit freundlichen Grüßen,
Mira Fiedler,
Projektmanagerin
Futuristik Technologien GmbH
Email: mira.fiedler@futuristiktech.de
Telefon: +49 30 12345678
Adresse: Hummelstr. 10, 10115 Berlin, Deutschland
Web: www.futuristiktech.de
\n
If you need to write a specific email, we have a few general examples to guide you and learn from:
\n![\"Business](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt209c947fb7821e98/64c0b331076006675b442157/dsc03005.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Betreff: Ein herzliches Dankeschön
\nSehr geehrter Herr Schramm,
\nich hoffe, diese Nachricht findet Sie gut gelaunt und bei bester Gesundheit. Ich möchte die Gelegenheit nutzen, Ihnen für Ihre herausragende Arbeit an unserem letzten Projekt zu danken. Ihr Talent und Ihr unermüdlicher Einsatz haben neue Standards in unserer Branche gesetzt.
\nWir freuen uns schon darauf, bei künftigen Projekten erneut mit Ihnen zusammenzuarbeiten!
\nMit freundlichen Grüßen,
\nAmelie Schreiber
\n\n
Translation:
\nSubject: A heartfelt thank you
\nDear Mr. Schramm,
\nI hope this message finds you in good spirits and excellent health. I wanted to take a moment to thank you for your exceptional work on our last project. Your talent and tireless dedication have set new standards in our industry.
\nWe look forward to working with you again on future projects.
\nBest regards,
\nAmelie Schreiber
\n\n
Betreff: Sei unser Held der Woche
\nLieber Tim,
\nich hoffe, dass es dir gut geht und du einen guten Start in deine erste Praktikumswoche hattest! Wie du sicher schon bemerkt hast, schwindet der Kaffeevorrat in unserem Büro schneller als ein Eiswürfel in der Sahara schmelzen kann.
\nAls leidenschaftliche Kaffeeliebhaber ist es unsere gemeinsame Aufgabe, diese Kaffeekrise abzuwenden, und wir brauchen dazu Ihre Hilfe.
\nKannst du bei deinem nächsten Einkauf eine Tüte Kaffeebohnen mitbringen?
\nTausend Dank im Voraus!
\nAnna aus dem Marketing
\n\n
Translation:
\nSubject: Be our hero of the week
\nDear Tim,
\nI hope you are doing great and are off to a good start in the first week of your internship! As I'm sure you've noticed, the coffee supply in our office is dwindling faster than an ice cube can melt in the Sahara Desert.
\nAs passionate coffee lovers, our collective mission is to avert this coffee crisis, and we need your help to do so.
\nCould you bring a bag of coffee beans with you on your next purchase?
\nA thousand thanks in advance!
\nAnna from marketing
\n\n
Betreff: Kurze Vorstellung
\nHallo Team,
\nes ist mir eine Ehre, mich euch allen als neues Teammitglied vorstellen zu dürfen. Mein Name ist Mila Fromm, und ich werde von nun an die technische Abteilung leiten.
\nIch bin bereit, meine Reise zu beginnen und freue mich darauf, euch alle kennenzulernen, während wir gemeinsam neue Galaxien der Produktivität und Innovation erobern. Bitte zögert nicht, mich auf ein virtuelles Treffen einzuladen oder einfach nur Hallo zu sagen!
\nAlles Gute,
\nMila Fromm
\n\n
Translation:
\nSubject: Short introduction
\nHello Team,
\nI am honored to introduce myself to you all as a new team member. My name is Mila Fromm, and I will be leading the technical department from now on.
\nI am ready to begin my journey and look forward to meeting all of you as we conquer new galaxies of productivity and innovation together. Please feel free to invite me to a virtual meeting or just to say hello!
\nAll the best,
\nMila Fromm
\n\n
Betreff: Vorschlag für unsere Mittwochs Meetings
\nHallo Team,
\nObwohl ich unsere wöchentlichen Mittwochstreffen sehr schätze, hatte ich eine Idee, um unser Engagement und eine offene Kommunikation noch weiter zu fördern.
\nWie wäre es, wenn wir die ersten 10 Minuten unserer Sitzungen für einen kurzen Austausch reservieren würden, bei dem jeder zu Wort kommt und offenes Feedback zum Verlauf der Woche gibt? Das könnte eine erfrischende Gelegenheit sein, voneinander zu lernen.
\nIch freue mich auf die Meinung aller zu meinem Vorschlag.
\nBis dahin genießt das schöne Wetter!
\nHannes
\n\n
Translation:
\nSubject: Suggestion for our Wednesday meetings
\nHello Team,
\nWhile I greatly value our weekly Wednesday meetings, I had an idea that could further boost engagement and foster open communication.
\nHow about if we reserve the first 10 minutes of our meetings for a brief exchange where everyone gets a chance to speak and give open feedback on the progress of the week? This could be a refreshing opportunity to learn from each other.
\nI look forward to everyone’s thoughts on my suggestion
\nUntil then, enjoy the nice weather!
\nHannes
\n\n
Betreff: Exklusivangebot für Ihr Büromaterial
\nSehr geehrte Frau Bergmann,
\nals langjähriger Partner von Büro Max möchten wir Ihnen ein exklusives Angebot machen: Für die nächsten zwei Wochen bieten wir Ihnen 20% Rabatt auf alle unsere Schreibwaren.
\nWir sind überzeugt, dass diese hochwertigen Produkte die Effizienz Ihres Teams steigern werden. Bitte zögern Sie nicht, uns für weitere Informationen zu kontaktieren.
\nMit freundlichen Grüßen,
\nStephanie Fischer
\nVerkaufsleiterin
\n\n
Translation:
\nSubject: Exclusive Offer for Your Office Supplies
\nDear Mrs. Bergmann,
\nAs a long-time partner of Büro Max, we would like to make you an exclusive offer: for the next two weeks, we are offering you a 20% discount on all our stationery.
\nWe are confident that these high-quality products will boost your team's efficiency. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information.
\nBest regards,
\nStephanie Fischer
\nSales Manager
\n\n
Betreff: Empfehlungsschreiben für Tobias Schmied
\nSehr geehrter Herr Wagner,
\nWir haben Ihre Anfrage bezüglich unseres ehemaligen Mitarbeiter Herrn Schmied erhalten.
\nIch kann Ihnen Herrn Schmied wärmstens empfehlen. Er war in unserer IT Abteilung tätig und hat dort hervorragende Arbeit geleistet. Ich bin überzeugt, dass er eine Bereicherung für Ihr Team sein wird.
\nMit freundlichen Grüßen,
\nHelena Meier
\nPersonalabteilung
\n\n
Translation:
\nSubject: Recommendation for Tobias Schmied
\nDear Mr. Wagner,
\nWe have received your inquiry regarding our former employee Mr. Schmied.
\nI can highly recommend Mr. Schmied to you. He worked in our IT department and did an excellent job there. I am convinced that he will be an asset to your team.
\nYours sincerely,
\nHelena Meier
\nHuman Resources Department
\n\n
Betreff: Unser ultra-modernes EcoSmart-Telefon!
\nLiebe Interessenten,
\nWir freuen uns, Ihnen mitteilen zu können, dass unser neuestes Produkt, das EcoSmart-Telefon, ab sofort verfügbar ist! Dank innovativer Solarenergie-Ladefunktion und 100% recyclebaren Materialen setzt es neue Maßstäbe in puncto Nachhaltigkeit und Technologie.
\nWir bieten aktuell einen exklusiven Rabatt von 15% an. Seien Sie also schnell und sichern Sie sich das Angebot!
\nMit freundlichen Grüßen,
\nMax Becker,
\nVertriebsleiter
\n\n
Translation:
\nSubject: Our ultra-modern EcoSmart phone!
\nDear prospective customers,
\nWe are pleased to announce that our latest product, the EcoSmart phone, is now available! Thanks to its innovative solar energy charging function and 100% recyclable materials, it sets new standards in sustainability and technology.
\nWe are currently offering an exclusive 15% discount. So be quick and secure the offer!
\nSincerely yours,
\nMax Becker,
\nSales Manager
\n\n
Now you know how to write all kinds of emails in German, from a heartfelt thank you note to a witty sales email.
\nHope the technical aspects of email writing are not a challenge for you, so you don’t end up like this German “Omi” who is slightly struggling to make the right clicks while trying to compose an email:
\nPC Experte schreibt E-Mail \"jetzt ist schwarz\" (PC expert writing an email “now it’s black”)
\nAnd if you ever run out of things to say in your emails, check out our German language blog for more interesting and fun topics!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Reflexive verbs in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to conjugate reflexive verbs in German + 111 top examples","url":"/blog/reflexive-verbs-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt24aae5089edb6704/64b7439cfae2ac04d7bafff9/pexels-alexander-suhorucov-6457509.jpg"},"post_content":"These are the verbs that include pronouns like “myself”, but in German, reflexive verbs are not just limited to things you’re actively doing for yourself. As a German language learner, you’ll encounter more reflexive verbs than you think.
The most common use cases for reflexive verbs in German include expressing feelings, certain movements, routines and personal care. You’ll often need them:
English often simplifies the use of reflexive verbs. For example, in English we say “I feel good”, while the German equivalent is “Ich fühle mich gut”, literally, “I feel myself good.”
At first, that may seem strange, but it makes sense if you think about it. After all, feelings are something we do to or for ourselves and so are many other things, as you’re about to see!
Reflexive verbs are verbs that reflect back upon the subject. That means, the action of the verb is done by the subject to the subject itself.
Here are some English examples:
As you can see, these verbs use reflexive pronouns like \"myself,\" \"yourself,\" \"himself,\" \"herself,\" \"itself,\" \"ourselves,\" \"yourselves,\" and \"themselves.\"
![\"Friends](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt5b7938afc3a8def3/64b75039ef5ef04f0966db85/istock-527910652.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
These reflexive pronouns are the markers that signal the subject is also the object of the action. In German, they vary depending on the grammatical case (accusative or dative), the person (first, second, or third) and the numerus (singular, plural) of the subject.
Your first clue that you might be looking at a German reflexive verb is the reflexive pronoun - but watch out!
The company of a reflexive pronoun doesn’t automatically make the verb reflexive. It can also indicate an object case for example.
To differentiate a German reflexive verb from a non-reflexive verbs, pay attention to the action's direction: If a verb doesn't affect the subject itself, it's a plain, non-reflexive verb.
Example: Ich sehe den Hund. (I see the dog).
The action is directed toward the dog, not back at the subject.
However, if the action swings back to the subject, we're in reflexive territory.
Example: Ich sehe mich im Spiegel. (I see myself in the mirror).
![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltb2689e1ee236982e/64b75109e97bb8e96142bb98/pexels-elina-volkova-16995213.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Reflexive pronouns can be in one of two cases:
Accusative reflexive pronouns are the most common. They’re used when there's no other object in the sentence. For example: “Ich habe mich verlaufen” (I have lost my way, literally: “I have ‘misrun’ myself”).
German reflexive verbs in the accusative case use the German reflexive pronouns \"mich\" (myself), \"dich\" (yourself, singular informal), \"sich\" (himself, herself, itself, yourself formal), \"uns\" (ourselves), \"euch\" (yourselves), and \"sich\" (themselves, yourselves formal).
Dative reflexive pronouns come into play when there's already an accusative object in the sentence. The reflexive pronoun then takes the dative form. For example: “Ich putze mir die Zähne” (I'm brushing my teeth). Here, “die Zähne” is the accusative object, and 'mir' is the reflexive pronoun in the dative form.In the dative case, reflexive verbs use “mir” (to/for myself), “dir” (to/for yourself, singular informal), “sich” (to/for himself, to/for herself, to/for itself, to/for yourself formal), “uns” (to/for ourselves), “euch” (to/for yourselves) and “sich” (to/for themselves, to/for yourselves formal).
A good rule of thumb is: If the verb is being done to a specific part of a person, their body or a personal belonging and there’s no accusative object in the sentence, it's likely that the verb will be a reflexive verb in the accusative. If the verb is directed towards oneself and there is an accusative object in the sentence, it's likely that the verb is a reflexive verb in the dative.
| German | English |
| Sich fühlen | To feel |
| Sich erinnern | To remember |
| Sich freuen | To be glad |
| Sich treffen | To meet |
| Sich beeilen | To hurry |
| Sich entscheiden | To decide |
| Sich verlieben | To fall in love |
| Sich beschweren | To complain |
| Sich ausruhen | To rest |
| German | English |
| Sich die Haare kämmen | To comb one's hair |
| Sich die Zähne putzen | To brush one's teeth |
| Sich die Hände waschen | To wash one's hands |
| Sich die Schuhe binden | To tie one's shoes |
| Sich etwas ansehen | To look at something |
| Sich etwas ausdenken | To think of something |
| Sich etwas vorstellen | To imagine something |
| Sich etwas wünschen | To wish for something |
| Sich etwas gönnen | To treat oneself to something |
Conjugating German reflexive verbs follows standard verb conjugation rules. The only difference is the addition of a reflexive pronoun.
Let’s take one example of a reflexive verb in the accusative and one in the dative and take them on a little time travel trip through the tenses, so you can learn how exactly they change.
![\"Learning](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt287fbf93abc7e74a/64b751edab10e5146de3950a/istock-1159827204.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here’s the accusative reflexive verb “sich erinnern” (to remember). As you can see, it’s conjugated just like any other regular German verb and then followed by the respective reflexive pronoun:
| Subject | Verb | Reflexive pronoun | English |
| Ich | erinnere | mich | I remember |
| Du | erinnerst | dich | You remember |
| Er/sie/es | erinnert | sich | He/she/it remembers |
| Wir | erinnern | uns | We remember |
| Ihr | erinnert | euch | You remember |
| Sie | erinnern | sich | They remember |
Now let’s take a look at the dative reflexive verb “sich Gedanken machen” (to contemplate).
While this expression can mean “thinking about something”, “worrying” or “coming up with new ideas”, it literally translates to “to make oneself thoughts”.
The thoughts (“Gedanken”) are the accusative in the sentence, so the reflexive pronoun becomes a dative case as it refers to the person the thoughts are created for, so to speak.
| Subject | Verb | Reflexive pronoun | Accusative | English |
| Ich | mache | mir | Gedanken | I contemplate |
| Du | machst | dir | Gedanken | You contemplate |
| Er/sie/es | macht | sich | Gedanken | He/she/it contemplates |
| Wir | machen | uns | Gedanken | We contemplate |
| Ihr | macht | euch | Gedanken | You contemplate |
| Sie | machen | sich | Gedanken | They contemplate |
You’ll see that in the imperfect tense, called “Präteritum” in German, the position of the subject, verb and reflexive pronoun stay the same. The only thing that changes is the verb ending:
| Subject | Verb | Reflexive pronoun | English |
| Ich | erinnerte | mich | I remembered |
| Du | erinnertest | dich | You remembered |
| Er/sie/es | erinnerte | sich | He/she/it remembered |
| Wir | erinnerten | uns | We remembered |
| Ihr | erinnerte | euch | You remembered |
| Sie | erinnerten | sich | They remembered |
For the dative reflexive as well, only the verb ending changes.
| Subject | Verb | Reflexive pronoun | Accusative | English |
| Ich | machte | mir | Gedanken | I contemplated |
| Du | machtest | dir | Gedanken | You contemplated |
| Er/sie/es | machte | sich | Gedanken | He/she/it contemplated |
| Wir | machten | uns | Gedanken | We contemplated |
| Ihr | machtet | euch | Gedanken | You contemplated |
| Sie | machten | sich | Gedanken | They contemplated |
In the present perfect tense, the verb gets split in two parts, an auxiliary verb and a past participle, just like in English: I have remembered.
In the case of German accusative reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun gets sandwiched between those two verb parts:
| Subject | Verb 1 (auxiliary verb) | Reflexive pronoun | Verb 2 (past participle) | English |
| Ich | habe | mich | erinnert | I have remembered |
| Du | hast | dich | erinnert | You have remembered |
| Er/sie/es | hat | sich | erinnert | He/she/it has remembered |
| Wir | haben | uns | erinnert | We have remembered |
| Ihr | habt | euch | erinnert | You have remembered |
| Sie | haben | sich | erinnert | They have remembered |
The same goes for dative reflexive verbs in the present perfect, and the accusative follows right after the reflexive pronoun:
| Subject | Verb 1 (auxiliary verb) | Reflexive pronoun | Accusative | Verb 2 (past participle) | English |
| Ich | habe | mir | Gedanken | gemacht | I have contemplated |
| Du | hast | dir | Gedanken | gemacht | You have contemplated |
| Er/sie/es | hat | sich | Gedanken | gemacht | He/she/it has contemplated |
| Wir | haben | uns | Gedanken | gemacht | We have contemplated |
| Ihr | habt | euch | Gedanken | gemacht | You have contemplated |
| Sie | haben | sich | Gedanken | gemacht | They have contemplated |
In the simple future tense, German verbs also get split up, this time into an auxiliary verb form of “werden” (to become) and the infinitive, and again, the reflexive pronoun goes right between the two verb forms.
| Subject | Verb 1 (auxiliary verb) | Reflexive pronoun | Verb 2 (infinitive) | English |
| Ich | werde | mich | erinnern | I will remember |
| Du | wirst | dich | erinnern | You will remember |
| Er/sie/es | wird | sich | erinnern | He/she/it will remember |
| Wir | werden | uns | erinnern | We will remember |
| Ihr | werdet | euch | erinnern | You will remember |
| Sie | werden | sich | erinnern | They will remember |
In the case of a dative reflexive verb in the future, the accusative object directly follows the reflexive pronoun again:
| Subject | Verb 1 (auxiliary verb) | Reflexive pronoun | Accusative | Verb 2 (infinitive) | English |
| Ich | werde | mir | Gedanken | machen | I will contemplate |
| Du | wirst | dir | Gedanken | machen | You will contemplate |
| Er/sie/es | wird | sich | Gedanken | machen | He/she/it will contemplate |
| Wir | werden | uns | Gedanken | machen | We will contemplate |
| Ihr | werdet | euch | Gedanken | machen | You will contemplate |
| Sie | werden | sich | Gedanken | machen | They will contemplate |
The present subjunctive tense (Konjunktiv I) expresses a grammatical mood that differs from the regular mood (Indikativ). It’s mostly used in reported speech. Note that only the third person singular is different and the reflexive pronouns are the same as in the indicative mood.
| Subject | Verb | Reflexive pronoun | English |
| Ich | erinnere | mich | I remember |
| Du | erinnerst | dich | You remember |
| Er/sie/es | erinnere | sich | He/she/it remembers |
| Wir | erinnern | uns | We remember |
| Ihr | erinnert | euch | You remember |
| Sie | erinnern | sich | They remember |
Dative reflexive verbs work the same way as accusative ones, only with the accusative following the reflexive pronoun again.
| Subject | Verb | Reflexive pronoun | Accusative | English |
| Ich | mache | mir | Gedanken | I contemplate |
| Du | machst | dir | Gedanken | You contemplate |
| Er/sie/es | mache | sich | Gedanken | He/she/it contemplates |
| Wir | machen | uns | Gedanken | We contemplate |
| Ihr | macht | euch | Gedanken | You contemplate |
| Sie | machen | sich | Gedanken | They contemplate |
The present conditional tense (Konjunktiv II) is used to express hypothetical situations, indirect discourse, and politeness.
It’s formed with the conjunctive form of the auxiliary verb \"werden\" (to become) and an infinitive, with the reflexive pronoun right in the middle:
| Subject | Verb 1 (auxiliary verb) | Reflexive pronoun | Verb 2 (infinitive) | English |
| Ich | würde | mich | erinnern | I would remember |
| Du | würdest | dich | erinnern | You would remember |
| Er/sie/es | würde | sich | erinnern | He/she/it would remember |
| Wir | würden | uns | erinnern | We would remember |
| Ihr | würdet | euch | erinnern | You would remember |
| Sie | würden | sich | erinnern | They would remember |
The dative reflexive verb follows the same pattern:
| Subject | Verb | Reflexive pronoun | Accusative | English |
| Ich | mache | mir | Gedanken | I contemplate |
| Du | machst | dir | Gedanken | You contemplate |
| Er/sie/es | macht | sich | Gedanken | He/she/it contemplates |
| Wir | machen | uns | Gedanken | We contemplate |
| Ihr | macht | euch | Gedanken | You contemplate |
| Sie | machen | sich | Gedanken | They contemplate |
The imperative expresses commands or suggestions. Watch!
| Verb (in imperative form) | Subject | Reflexive pronoun | English |
| Erinnern | Sie | sich! | Remember! (formal) |
| Verb (in imperative form) | Subject | Reflexive pronoun | Accusative | English |
| Machen | Sie | sich! | Gedanken | Contemplate! (Literally: Make yourself thoughts!) (formal) |
| Verb (in imperative form) | Reflexive pronoun | English |
| Erinnere | dich! | Remember! (informal) |
| Verb (in imperative form) | Reflexive pronoun | Accusative | English |
| Mach | dir | Gedanken | Contemplate! (Literally: Make yourself thoughts!) (informal) |
The infinitive form is the form you usually learn first when you learn a new verb. If you’re learning the infinitive of a reflexive verb, it always starts with a “sich” (oneself):
| Reflexive pronoun | Verb | English |
| Sich | erinnern | To remember |
For dative reflexive verbs, there’s always an accusative that comes with the infinitive. If it’s a common expression or an idiom like “sich Gedanken machen” (to contemplate) or “sich Zeit nehmen“ (to take one's time), you learn it with the respective accusative object, in these cases “Gedanken” (thoughts) and “Zeit” (time) but if the accusative is interchangeable, you add the word “etwas” (something) to the infinitive, for example: “etwas ausprobieren” (to try something) or, short, “etw. ausprobieren” (to try sth.).
| Reflexive pronoun | Accusative | Verb | English |
| Sich | Gedanken | machen | To contemplate |
Some of the most important verbs are reflexive verbs in German - from apologizing to getting dressed. Now that you know how they work, it’s time to study them - with this helpful list:
![\"Reading](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltc340025c83586153/64b75297cd8883df50e1a7d3/istock-1190319720.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
To use these verbs in a sentence, stick to these four steps:
Here are some examples of reflexive verbs used in sentences:
| Subject | Verb (1) | Reflexive pronoun | (Verb 2) | English |
| Ich | kämme | mich | I brush my hair. | |
| Die Katze | putzt | sich | The cat is grooming herself/himself. | |
| Wir | werden | uns | beeilen | We will hurry. |
| Du | benimmst | dich | You behave. | |
| Ihr | freut | euch | You are excited. (Plural) | |
| Die Sportlerin | hat | sich | verletzt | The athlete injured herself. |
| Ich | habe | mich | verliebt | I fell in love |
One reflexive verb you’re already practicing right now is teaching yourself! Since you’re reading our German vocabulary articles, you’re doing a great job actively teaching yourself German, which can be a helpful addition to taking a German class or a valuable practice on its own.
So keep it up: Motivate yourself. Teach yourself - and then go out there and express yourself!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Irregular verbs German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"94 top irregular verbs in German & their verb conjugations","url":"/blog/irregular-verbs-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltd6e18e473de494d5/64a3cea526afdbcfedc6eec3/istock-1316802816.jpeg"},"post_content":"Usually, German grammar is nothing but methodical and logical, but there are a few rogue verbs that dance to their own beat:
\nAs a German language learner, you’ll encounter about 200 irregular verbs. Some of them only show irregularities in the present tense or the past tense. Some are through and through unpredictable and you’ll have to learn each form by itself - but don’t worry. We’ve collected the most important ones for you, making it very easy to learn and understand them!
\n![\"Group](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt8080d60c5e5dab7f/64a3cf7a8f332a596e543c3f/istock-1391054420.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
\n\nRegular verbs follow predictable patterns in their conjugation, where the verb stem stays unchanged while different endings are added based on the tense, mood and person.
\nThey’re easy to use because they all work the same way. You just have to find the word stem, and then add the respective ending.
\nLet’s take a look at the regular verb “machen” (to do or make). To determine the stem of a verb, just remove the ending “en”: machen → mach
\nThen add the regular verb ending:
\n| Person | \nNumerus | \nRegular verb ending | \nGerman | \nEnglish | \n
| 1st | \nSingular | \ne | \nIch mache | \nI do | \n
| 2nd | \n\n | st | \nDu machst | \nYou do | \n
| 3rd | \n\n | t | \nEr/sie/es macht | \nHe/she/it does | \n
| 1st | \nPlural | \nen | \nWir machen | \nWe do | \n
| 2nd | \n\n | t | \nIhr macht | \nYou do | \n
| 3rd | \n\n | en | \nSie machen | \nThey do | \n
Irregular German verbs deviate from this pattern, making their conjugation forms unique and unpredictable.
\nHere’s how the irregular German verb “sein” (to be) is conjugated:
\n| Person | \nNumerus | \nGerman | \nEnglish | \n
| 1st | \nSingular | \nIch bin | \nI am | \n
| 2nd | \n\n | Du bist | \nYou are | \n
| 3rd | \n\n | Er/sie/es ist | \nHe/she/it is | \n
| 1st | \nPlural | \nWir sind | \nWe are | \n
| 2nd | \n\n | Ihr seid | \nYou are | \n
| 3rd | \n\n | Sie sind | \nThey are | \n
It’s likely that these verbs initially followed a consistent pattern as regular verbs, but over time, they evolved in ways that broke away from those and became irregular. The more frequently a verb is used, the more opportunities for small changes arise and exceptions eventually become embedded in the language.
\nThat’s why the most common words of a language are usually irregular. That makes it so crucial that you learn irregular verbs! Some irregularities are also remnants of older linguistic rules that have fallen out of use, preserving a piece of linguistic history.
\n\nIt’s not always obvious if a verb is regular or not but here are some key characteristics to help you spot irregularities:
\nUsually, the most common verbs of a language are irregular. So if a word is extremely common, watch out!
\nMany irregular verbs experience a vowel change in their stem when conjugated, especially in the second and third person singular. For example, the verb \"sprechen\" (to speak) becomes \"sprichst\" in the second person singular.
\nIrregular German verbs often use an Umlaut like “ä”, “ö”, or “ü”. So if the verb stem has an “a”, “o” or “u”, this might turn into an “ä”, “ö” or ”ü” when conjugated. For example, the verb \"fahren\" (to drive) becomes \"fährst\" in the second person singular.
\n\n\nLearn how to conjugate “sein” (to be) in all moods and tenses first. This is the most common irregular verb, which will get you very far in conversations.
\nWrite the infinitive form of the verb on one side of a flashcard, and the conjugated forms on the other. Then shuffle the cards and quiz yourself - old school, but effective!
\nFind or create sentences with missing verbs and fill in the blanks using the correct form of an irregular verb. This will train you to use the correct verb form in context.
\nCopying verb conjugation tables might not be your favorite pastime but it works! Luckily we have collected 70 of those tables for you here. So grab a pen and paper!
\n\nIn German, irregular verbs can be divided into different categories:
\n\n\nStrong verbs, or \"starke Verben\" in German, are a specific category of irregular verbs in which the root vowel changes when you put them in the past tense:
\n![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4085df1d987fc929/64a3cfbab7aec3177bd880bc/istock-586706120.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich schwimme | \nich schwamm | \nich bin geschwommen | \n
| du schwimmst | \ndu schwammst | \ndu bist geschwommen | \n
| er/sie/es schwimmt | \ner/sie/es schwamm | \ner/sie/es ist geschwommen | \n
| wir schwimmen | \nwir schwammen | \nwir sind geschwommen | \n
| ihr schwimmt | \nihr schwammt | \nihr seid geschwommen | \n
| sie schwimmen | \nsie schwammen | \nsie sind geschwommen | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich sehe | \nich sah | \nich habe gesehen | \n
| du siehst | \ndu sahst | \ndu hast gesehen | \n
| er/sie/es sieht | \ner/sie/es sah | \ner/sie/es hat gesehen | \n
| wir sehen | \nwir sahen | \nwir haben gesehen | \n
| ihr seht | \nihr saht | \nihr habt gesehen | \n
| sie sehen | \nsie sahen | \nsie haben gesehen | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich esse | \nich aß | \nich habe gegessen | \n
| du isst | \ndu aßest | \ndu hast gegessen | \n
| er/sie/es isst | \ner/sie/es aß | \ner/sie/es hat gegessen | \n
| wir essen | \nwir aßen | \nwir haben gegessen | \n
| ihr esst | \nihr aßt | \nihr habt gegessen | \n
| sie essen | \nsie aßen | \nsie haben gegessen | \n
Learn about food in German and how to order it here.
\n\n\n| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich laufe | \nich lief | \nich bin gelaufen | \n
| du läufst | \ndu liefst | \ndu bist gelaufen | \n
| er/sie/es läuft | \ner/sie/es lief | \ner/sie/es ist gelaufen | \n
| wir laufen | \nwir liefen | \nwir sind gelaufen | \n
| ihr lauft | \nihr liefet | \nihr seid gelaufen | \n
| sie laufen | \nsie liefen | \nsie sind gelaufen | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich trinke | \nich trank | \nich habe getrunken | \n
| du trinkst | \ndu trankst | \ndu hast getrunken | \n
| er/sie/es trinkt | \ner/sie/es trank | \ner/sie/es hat getrunken | \n
| wir trinken | \nwir tranken | \nwir haben getrunken | \n
| ihr trinkt | \nihr tranket | \nihr habt getrunken | \n
| sie trinken | \nsie tranken | \nsie haben getrunken | \n
Learn more about types of drinks in German here.
\n\n\"Mixed verbs,\" or \"gemischte Verben“ are a blend of both regular and irregular verbs. They have some elements that follow regular conjugation patterns and others that break the rules.
\nMixed verbs show irregularities specifically in the past tense (Präteritum) and in the past participle (Partizip II), but their stem does not change:
\n![\"Mixed](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt7234713eb4f0a859/64a3d1af4e2d5eea00f744b9/istock-1337586097.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich bringe | \nich brachte | \nich habe gebracht | \n
| du bringst | \ndu brachtest | \ndu hast gebracht | \n
| er/sie/es bringt | \ner/sie/es brachte | \ner/sie/es hat gebracht | \n
| wir bringen | \nwir brachten | \nwir haben gebracht | \n
| ihr bringt | \nihr brachtet | \nihr habt gebracht | \n
| sie bringen | \nsie brachten | \nsie haben gebracht | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich denke | \nich dachte | \nich habe gedacht | \n
| du denkst | \ndu dachtest | \ndu hast gedacht | \n
| er/sie/es denkt | \ner/sie/es dachte | \ner/sie/es hat gedacht | \n
| wir denken | \nwir dachten | \nwir haben gedacht | \n
| ihr denkt | \nihr dachtet | \nihr habt gedacht | \n
| sie denken | \nsie dachten | \nsie haben gedacht | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich weiß | \nich wusste | \nich habe gewusst | \n
| du weißt | \ndu wusstest | \ndu hast gewusst | \n
| er/sie/es weiß | \ner/sie/es wusste | \ner/sie/es hat gewusst | \n
| wir wissen | \nwir wussten | \nwir haben gewusst | \n
| ihr wisst | \nihr wusstet | \nihr habt gewusst | \n
| sie wissen | \nsie wussten | \nsie haben gewusst | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich nenne | \nich nannte | \nich habe genannt | \n
| du nennst | \ndu nanntest | \ndu hast genannt | \n
| er/sie/es nennt | \ner/sie/es nannte | \ner/sie/es hat genannt | \n
| wir nennen | \nwir nannten | \nwir haben genannt | \n
| ihr nennt | \nihr nanntet | \nihr habt genannt | \n
| sie nennen | \nsie nannten | \nsie haben genannt | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich brenne | \nich brannte | \nich habe gebrannt | \n
| du brennst | \ndu branntest | \ndu hast gebrannt | \n
| er/sie/es brennt | \ner/sie/es brannte | \ner/sie/es hat gebrannt | \n
| wir brennen | \nwir brannten | \nwir haben gebrannt | \n
| ihr brennt | \nihr branntet | \nihr habt gebrannt | \n
| sie brennen | \nsie brannten | \nsie haben gebrannt | \n
Modal verbs, or \"Modalverben\", modify the mood of another verb to express necessity, possibility, permission, or ability. In German, there are six modal verbs:
\n![\"Learning](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt1cf1827cab911798/64a3d255ad2e9f6023000928/istock-1408270519.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich mag | \nich mochte | \nich habe gemocht | \n
| du magst | \ndu mochtest | \ndu hast gemocht | \n
| er/sie/es mag | \ner/sie/es mochte | \ner/sie/es hat gemocht | \n
| wir mögen | \nwir mochten | \nwir haben gemocht | \n
| ihr mögt | \nihr mochtet | \nihr habt gemocht | \n
| sie mögen | \nsie mochten | \nsie haben gemocht | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich muss | \nich musste | \nich habe gemusst | \n
| du musst | \ndu musstest | \ndu hast gemusst | \n
| er/sie/es muss | \ner/sie/es musste | \ner/sie/es hat gemusst | \n
| wir müssen | \nwir mussten | \nwir haben gemusst | \n
| ihr müsst | \nihr musstet | \nihr habt gemusst | \n
| sie müssen | \nsie mussten | \nsie haben gemusst | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich darf | \nich durfte | \nich habe gedurft | \n
| du darfst | \ndu durftest | \ndu hast gedurft | \n
| er/sie/es darf | \ner/sie/es durfte | \ner/sie/es hat gedurft | \n
| wir dürfen | \nwir durften | \nwir haben gedurft | \n
| ihr dürft | \nihr durftet | \nihr habt gedurft | \n
| sie dürfen | \nsie durften | \nsie haben gedurft | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich soll | \nich sollte | \nich habe gesollt | \n
| du sollst | \ndu sollest | \ndu hast gesollt | \n
| er/sie/es soll | \ner/sie/es sollte | \ner/sie/es hat gesollt | \n
| wir sollen | \nwir sollten | \nwir haben gesollt | \n
| ihr sollt | \nihr solltet | \nihr habt gesollt | \n
| sie sollen | \nsie sollten | \nsie haben gesollt | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich will | \nich wollte | \nich habe gewollt | \n
| du willst | \ndu wolltest | \ndu hast gewollt | \n
| er/sie/es will | \ner/sie/es wollte | \ner/sie/es hat gewollt | \n
| wir wollen | \nwir wollten | \nwir haben gewollt | \n
| ihr wollt | \nihr wolltet | \nihr habt gewollt | \n
| sie wollen | \nsie wollten | \nsie haben gewollt | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich kann | \nich konnte | \nich habe gekonnt | \n
| du kannst | \ndu konntest | \ndu hast gekonnt | \n
| er/sie/es kann | \ner/sie/es konnte | \ner/sie/es hat gekonnt | \n
| wir können | \nwir konnten | \nwir haben gekonnt | \n
| ihr könnt | \nihr konntet | \nihr habt gekonnt | \n
| sie können | \nsie konnten | \nsie haben gekonnt | \n
Separable verbs, or \"trennbare Verben\" in German, are compound verbs whose prefix can be detached from the base verb and moved within the sentence. This unique feature is the reason why you’ll sometimes think a German sentence is already over, just to be surprised by a random seeming preposition at the very end of the sentence:
\n“Ich kaufe gerade bei meinem Lieblingssupermarkt um die Ecke…ein!” (I’m shopping at my favorite supermarket around the corner)
\nThe irregularity of separable verbs isn't in their conjugation, but rather their sentence position:
\n![\"Old](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltefceb9a1942f6746/64a3d2e6f5591f81d0e579ab/pexels-tristan-le-1653898.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Ich stehe um 7 Uhr auf. (I get up at 7 o'clock, literally: I stand at 7 o’clock up)
\nEr nahm ein Paket für die Nachbarin an. (He accepted a package for the neighbor, literally: He took a package for the neighbor on)
\nSie sieht wie ihre Mutter aus. (She looks like her mother, literally: she looks like her mother out)
\nWir kommen morgen zurück. (We come back tomorrow, literally: We come tomorrow back)
\nNimmst du mich mit? (Will you take me along? Literally: Take you me with?)
\n\nIn German, there are three irregular auxiliary verbs or “Hilfsverben”. These are used to form different tenses or moods.
\n![\"Irregular](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt581a662692490c96/64a3d3a59fa4235d999f3563/istock-693186850-2.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich bin | \nich war | \nich bin gewesen | \n
| du bist | \ndu warst | \ndu bist gewesen | \n
| er/sie/es ist | \ner/sie/es war | \ner/sie/es ist gewesen | \n
| wir sind | \nwir waren | \nwir sind gewesen | \n
| ihr seid | \nihr wart | \nihr seid gewesen | \n
| sie sind | \nsie waren | \nsie sind gewesen | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich habe | \nich hatte | \nich habe gehabt | \n
| du hast | \ndu hattest | \ndu hast gehabt | \n
| er/sie/es hat | \ner/sie/es hatte | \ner/sie/es hat gehabt | \n
| wir haben | \nwir hatten | \nwir haben gehabt | \n
| ihr habt | \nihr hattet | \nihr habt gehabt | \n
| sie haben | \nsie hatten | \nsie haben gehabt | \n
| Present tense conjugation | \nSimple past conjugation | \nPresent perfect conjugation | \n
| ich werde | \nich wurde | \nich bin geworden | \n
| du wirst | \ndu wurdest | \ndu bist geworden | \n
| er/sie/es wird | \ner/sie/es wurde | \ner/sie/es ist geworden | \n
| wir werden | \nwir wurden | \nwir sind geworden | \n
| ihr werdet | \nihr wurdet | \nihr seid geworden | \n
| sie werden | \nsie wurden | \nsie sind geworden | \n
So we’ll make it very easy for you: Here are the 70 most commonly used irregular German verbs with their English meaning:
\n![\"Learn](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt890088a06fec1f73/64a3d42b82c5c61bf8c379b9/istock-699703638.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I am | \nich bin | \n
| You are | \ndu bist | \n
| You are (formal) | \nSie sind | \n
| He/she/it is | \ner/sie/es ist | \n
| We are | \nwir sind | \n
| You (plural) are | \nihr seid | \n
| They are | \nsie sind | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I can | \nich kann | \n
| You can | \ndu kannst | \n
| You can (formal) | \nSie können | \n
| He/she/it can | \ner/sie/es kann | \n
| We can | \nwir können | \n
| You can (plural) | \nihr könnt | \n
| They can | \nsie können | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I see | \nich sehe | \n
| You see | \ndu siehst | \n
| You see (formal) | \nSie sehen | \n
| He/she/it sees | \ner/sie/es sieht | \n
| We see | \nwir sehen | \n
| You (plural) see | \nihr seht | \n
| They see | \nsie sehen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I have | \nich habe | \n
| You have | \ndu hast | \n
| You have (formal) | \nSie haben | \n
| He/she/it has | \ner/sie/es hat | \n
| We have | \nwir haben | \n
| You have (plural) | \nihr habt | \n
| They have | \nsie haben | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I know | \nich weiß | \n
| You know | \ndu weißt | \n
| You know (formal) | \nSie wissen | \n
| He/she/it knows | \ner/sie/es weiß | \n
| We know | \nwir wissen | \n
| You know (plural) | \nihr wisst | \n
| They know | \nsie wissen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I must | \nich muss | \n
| You must | \ndu musst | \n
| You must (formal) | \nSie müssen | \n
| He/she/it must | \ner/sie/es muss | \n
| We must | \nwir müssen | \n
| You must (plural) | \nihr müsst | \n
| They must | \nsie müssen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I want | \nich will | \n
| You want | \ndu willst | \n
| You want (formal) | \nSie wollen | \n
| He/she/it wants | \ner/sie/es will | \n
| We want | \nwir wollen | \n
| You want (plural) | \nihr wollt | \n
| They want | \nsie wollen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I should | \nich soll | \n
| You should | \ndu sollst | \n
| You should (formal) | \nSie sollen | \n
| He/she/it should | \ner/sie/es soll | \n
| We should | \nwir sollen | \n
| You should (plural) | \nihr sollt | \n
| They should | \nsie sollen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I drive | \nich fahre | \n
| You drive | \ndu fährst | \n
| You drive (formal) | \nSie fahren | \n
| He/she/it drives | \ner/sie/es fährt | \n
| We drive | \nwir fahren | \n
| You drive (plural) | \nihr fahrt | \n
| They drive | \nsie fahren | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I help | \nich helfe | \n
| You help | \ndu hilfst | \n
| You help (formal) | \nSie helfen | \n
| He/she/it helps | \ner/sie/es hilft | \n
| We help | \nwir helfen | \n
| You help (plural) | \nihr helft | \n
| They help | \nsie helfen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I throw | \nich werfe | \n
| You throw | \ndu wirfst | \n
| You throw (formal) | \nSie werfen | \n
| He/she/it throws | \ner/sie/es wirft | \n
| We throw | \nwir werfen | \n
| You throw (plural) | \nihr werft | \n
| They throw | \nsie werfen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I speak | \nich spreche | \n
| You speak | \ndu sprichst | \n
| You speak (formal) | \nSie sprechen | \n
| He/she/it speaks | \ner/sie/es spricht | \n
| We speak | \nwir sprechen | \n
| You speak (plural) | \nihr sprecht | \n
| They speak | \nsie sprechen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I take | \nich nehme | \n
| You take | \ndu nimmst | \n
| You take (formal) | \nSie nehmen | \n
| He/she/it takes | \ner/sie/es nimmt | \n
| We take | \nwir nehmen | \n
| You take (plural) | \nihr nehmt | \n
| They take | \nsie nehmen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I may | \nich darf | \n
| You may | \ndu darfst | \n
| You may (formal) | \nSie dürfen | \n
| He/she/it may | \ner/sie/es darf | \n
| We may | \nwir dürfen | \n
| You may (plural) | \nihr dürft | \n
| They may | \nsie dürfen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I like | \nich mag | \n
| You like | \ndu magst | \n
| You like (formal) | \nSie mögen | \n
| He/she/it likes | \ner/sie/es mag | \n
| We like | \nwir mögen | \n
| You like (plural) | \nihr mögt | \n
| They like | \nsie mögen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I give | \nich gebe | \n
| You give | \ndu gibst | \n
| You give (formal) | \nSie geben | \n
| He/she/it gives | \ner/sie/es gibt | \n
| We give | \nwir geben | \n
| You give (plural) | \nihr gebt | \n
| They give | \nsie geben | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I run | \nich laufe | \n
| You run | \ndu läufst | \n
| You run (formal) | \nSie laufen | \n
| He/she/it runs | \ner/sie/es läuft | \n
| We run | \nwir laufen | \n
| You run (plural) | \nihr lauft | \n
| They run | \nsie laufen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I read | \nich lese | \n
| You read | \ndu liest | \n
| You read (formal) | \nSie lesen | \n
| He/she/it reads | \ner/sie/es liest | \n
| We read | \nwir lesen | \n
| You read (plural) | \nihr lest | \n
| They read | \nsie lesen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I sit | \nich sitze | \n
| You sit | \ndu sitzt | \n
| You sit (formal) | \nSie sitzen | \n
| He/she/it sits | \ner/sie/es sitzt | \n
| We sit | \nwir sitzen | \n
| You sit (plural) | \nihr sitzt | \n
| They sit | \nsie sitzen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I find | \nich finde | \n
| You find | \ndu findest | \n
| You find (formal) | \nSie finden | \n
| He/she/it finds | \ner/sie/es findet | \n
| We find | \nwir finden | \n
| You find (plural) | \nihr findet | \n
| They find | \nsie finden | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I stay | \nich bleibe | \n
| You stay | \ndu bleibst | \n
| You stay (formal) | \nSie bleiben | \n
| He/she/it stays | \ner/sie/es bleibt | \n
| We stay | \nwir bleiben | \n
| You stay (plural) | \nihr bleibt | \n
| They stay | \nsie bleiben | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I fall | \nich falle | \n
| You fall | \ndu fällst | \n
| You fall (formal) | \nSie fallen | \n
| He/she/it falls | \ner/sie/es fällt | \n
| We fall | \nwir fallen | \n
| You fall (plural) | \nihr fallt | \n
| They fall | \nsie fallen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I meet | \nich treffe | \n
| You meet | \ndu triffst | \n
| You meet (formal) | \nSie treffen | \n
| He/she/it meets | \ner/sie/es trifft | \n
| We meet | \nwir treffen | \n
| You meet (plural) | \nihr trefft | \n
| They meet | \nsie treffen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I become | \nich werde | \n
| You become | \ndu wirst | \n
| You become (formal) | \nSie werden | \n
| He/she/it become | \ner/sie/es wird | \n
| We become | \nwir werden | \n
| You become (plural) | \nihr werdet | \n
| They become | \nsie werden | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I eat | \nich esse | \n
| You eat | \ndu isst | \n
| You eat (formal) | \nSie essen | \n
| He/she/it eats | \ner/sie/es isst | \n
| We eat | \nwir essen | \n
| You eat (plural) | \nihr esst | \n
| They eat | \nsie essen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I catch | \nich fange | \n
| You catch | \ndu fängst | \n
| You catch (formal) | \nSie fangen | \n
| He/she/it catches | \ner/sie/es fängt | \n
| We catch | \nwir fangen | \n
| You catch (plural) | \nihr fangt | \n
| They catch | \nsie fangen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I fly | \nich fliege | \n
| You fly | \ndu fliegst | \n
| You fly (formal) | \nSie fliegen | \n
| He/she/it flies | \ner/sie/es fliegt | \n
| We fly | \nwir fliegen | \n
| You fly (plural) | \nihr fliegt | \n
| They fly | \nsie fliegen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I hold | \nich halte | \n
| You hold | \ndu hältst | \n
| You hold (formal) | \nSie halten | \n
| He/she/it holds | \ner/sie/es hält | \n
| We hold | \nwir halten | \n
| You hold (plural) | \nihr haltet | \n
| They hold | \nsie halten | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I know of… | \nich kenne | \n
| You know of… | \ndu kennst | \n
| You know of… (formal) | \nSie kennen | \n
| He/she/it know of… | \ner/sie/es kennt | \n
| We know of… | \nwir kennen | \n
| You know of… (plural) | \nihr kennt | \n
| They know of… | \nsie kennen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I represent | \nich vertrete | \n
| You represent | \ndu vertrittst | \n
| You represent (formal) | \nSie vertreten | \n
| He/she/it represents | \ner/sie/es vertritt | \n
| We represent | \nwir vertreten | \n
| You represent (plural) | \nihr vertretet | \n
| They represent | \nsie vertreten | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I carry | \nich trage | \n
| You carry | \ndu trägst | \n
| You carry (formal) | \nSie tragen | \n
| He/she/it carries | \ner/sie/es trägt | \n
| We carry | \nwir tragen | \n
| You carry (plural) | \nihr tragt | \n
| They carry | \nsie tragen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I wash | \nich wasche | \n
| You wash | \ndu wäschst | \n
| You wash (formal) | \nSie waschen | \n
| He/she/it washes | \ner/sie/es wäscht | \n
| We wash | \nwir waschen | \n
| You wash (plural) | \nihr wascht | \n
| They wash | \nsie waschen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I write | \nich schreibe | \n
| You write | \ndu schreibst | \n
| You write (formal) | \nSie schreiben | \n
| He/she/it writes | \ner/sie/es schreibt | \n
| We write | \nwir schreiben | \n
| You write (plural) | \nihr schreibt | \n
| They write | \nsie schreiben | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I sleep | \nich schlafe | \n
| You sleep | \ndu schläfst | \n
| You sleep (formal) | \nSie schlafen | \n
| He/she/it sleeps | \ner/sie/es schläft | \n
| We sleep | \nwir schlafen | \n
| You sleep (plural) | \nihr schlaft | \n
| They sleep | \nsie schlafen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I win | \nich gewinne | \n
| You win | \ndu gewinnst | \n
| You win (formal) | \nSie gewinnen | \n
| He/she/it wins | \ner/sie/es gewinnt | \n
| We win | \nwir gewinnen | \n
| You win (plural) | \nihr gewinnt | \n
| They win | \nsie gewinnen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I forget | \nich vergesse | \n
| You forget | \ndu vergisst | \n
| You forget (formal) | \nSie vergessen | \n
| He/she/it forgets | \ner/sie/es vergisst | \n
| We forget | \nwir vergessen | \n
| You forget (plural) | \nihr vergesst | \n
| They forget | \nsie vergessen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I lose | \nich verliere | \n
| You lose | \ndu verlierst | \n
| You lose (formal) | \nSie verlieren | \n
| He/she/it loses | \ner/sie/es verliert | \n
| We lose | \nwir verlieren | \n
| You lose (plural) | \nihr verliert | \n
| They lose | \nsie verlieren | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I begin | \nich beginne | \n
| You begin | \ndu beginnst | \n
| You begin (formal) | \nSie beginnen | \n
| He/she/it begins | \ner/sie/es beginnt | \n
| We begin | \nwir beginnen | \n
| You begin (plural) | \nihr beginnt | \n
| They begin | \nsie beginnen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I pull | \nich ziehe | \n
| You pull | \ndu ziehst | \n
| You pull (formal) | \nSie ziehen | \n
| He/she/it pulls | \ner/sie/es zieht | \n
| We pull | \nwir ziehen | \n
| You pull (plural) | \nihr zieht | \n
| They pull | \nsie ziehen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I climb | \nich steige | \n
| You climb | \ndu steigst | \n
| You climb (formal) | \nSie steigen | \n
| He/she/it climbs | \ner/sie/es steigt | \n
| We pull | \nwir steigen | \n
| You pull (plural) | \nihr steigt | \n
| They pull | \nsie steigen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I lie | \nich lüge | \n
| You lie | \ndu lügst | \n
| You lie (formal) | \nSie lügen | \n
| He/she/it lies | \ner/sie/es lügt | \n
| We lie | \nwir lügen | \n
| You lie (plural) | \nihr lügt | \n
| They lie | \nsie lügen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I break | \nich breche | \n
| You break | \ndu brichst | \n
| You break (formal) | \nSie brechen | \n
| He/she/it breaks | \ner/sie/es bricht | \n
| We break | \nwir brechen | \n
| You break (plural) | \nihr brecht | \n
| They break | \nsie brechen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I dig | \nich grabe | \n
| You dig | \ndu gräbst | \n
| You dig (formal) | \nSie graben | \n
| He/she/it digs | \ner/sie/es gräbt | \n
| We dig | \nwir graben | \n
| You dig (plural) | \nihr grabt | \n
| They dig | \nsie graben | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I hit | \nich schlage | \n
| You hit | \ndu schlägst | \n
| You hit (formal) | \nSie schlagen | \n
| He/she/it hits | \ner/sie/es schlägt | \n
| We hit | \nwir schlagen | \n
| You hit (plural) | \nihr schlagt | \n
| They hit | \nsie schlagen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I die | \nich sterbe | \n
| You die | \ndu stirbst | \n
| You die (formal) | \nSie sterben | \n
| He/she/it dies | \ner/sie/es stirbt | \n
| We die | \nwir sterben | \n
| You die (plural) | \nihr sterbt | \n
| They die | \nsie sterben | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I cheat | \nich betrüge | \n
| You cheat | \ndu betrügst | \n
| You cheat (formal) | \nSie betrügen | \n
| He/she/it cheats | \ner/sie/es betrügt | \n
| We cheat | \nwir betrügen | \n
| You cheat (plural) | \nihr betrügt | \n
| They cheat | \nsie betrügen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I beg | \nich bitte | \n
| You beg | \ndu bittest | \n
| You beg (formal) | \nSie bitten | \n
| He/she/it begs | \ner/sie/es bittet | \n
| We beg | \nwir bitten | \n
| You beg (plural) | \nihr bittet | \n
| They beg | \nsie bitten | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I bind | \nich binde | \n
| You bind | \ndu bindest | \n
| You bind (formal) | \nSie binden | \n
| He/she/it binds | \ner/sie/es bindet | \n
| We bind | \nwir binden | \n
| You bind (plural) | \nihr bindet | \n
| They bind | \nsie binden | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I bake | \nich backe | \n
| You bake | \ndu backst | \n
| You bake (formal) | \nSie backen | \n
| He/she/it bakes | \ner/sie/es backt | \n
| We bake | \nwir backen | \n
| You bake (plural) | \nihr backt | \n
| They bake | \nsie backen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I hang | \nich hänge | \n
| You hang | \ndu hängst | \n
| You hang (formal) | \nSie hängen | \n
| He/she/it hangs | \ner/sie/es hängt | \n
| We hang | \nwir hängen | \n
| You hang (plural) | \nihr hängt | \n
| They hang | \nsie hängen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I lift | \nich hebe | \n
| You lift | \ndu hebst | \n
| You lift (formal) | \nSie heben | \n
| He/she/it lifts | \ner/sie/es hebt | \n
| We lift | \nwir heben | \n
| You lift (plural) | \nihr hebt | \n
| They lift | \nsie heben | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I suffer | \nich leide | \n
| You suffer | \ndu leidest | \n
| You suffer (formal) | \nSie leiden | \n
| He/she/it suffers | \ner/sie/es leidet | \n
| We suffer | \nwir leiden | \n
| You suffer (plural) | \nihr leidet | \n
| They suffer | \nsie leiden | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I rip | \nich reiße | \n
| You rip | \ndu reißt | \n
| You rip (formal) | \nSie reißen | \n
| He/she/it rips | \ner/sie/es reißt | \n
| We rip | \nwir reißen | \n
| You rip (plural) | \nihr reißt | \n
| They rip | \nsie reißt | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I smell | \nich rieche | \n
| You smell | \ndu riechst | \n
| You smell (formal) | \nSie riechen | \n
| He/she/it smells | \ner/sie/es riecht | \n
| We smell | \nwir riechen | \n
| You smell (plural) | \nihr riecht | \n
| They smell | \nsie riechen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I discuss | \nich bespreche | \n
| You discuss | \ndu besprichst | \n
| You discuss (formal) | \nSie besprechen | \n
| He/she/it discusses | \ner/sie/es bespricht | \n
| We discuss | \nwir besprechen | \n
| You discuss (plural) | \nihr besprecht | \n
| They discuss | \nsie besprechen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I cut | \nich schneide | \n
| You cut | \ndu schneidest | \n
| You cut (formal) | \nSie schneiden | \n
| He/she/it cuts | \ner/sie/es schneidet | \n
| We cut | \nwir schneiden | \n
| You cut (plural) | \nihr schneidet | \n
| They cut | \nsie schneiden | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I promise | \nich verspreche | \n
| You promise | \ndu verspricht | \n
| You promise (formal) | \nSie versprechen | \n
| He/she/it promises | \ner/sie/es verspricht | \n
| We promise | \nwir versprechen | \n
| You promise (plural) | \nihr versprecht | \n
| They promise | \nsie versprechen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I forgive | \nich vergebe | \n
| You forgive | \ndu vergibst | \n
| You forgive (formal) | \nSie vergeben | \n
| He/she/it forgives | \ner/sie/es vergibt | \n
| We forgive | \nwir vergeben | \n
| You forgive (plural) | \nihr vergebt | \n
| They forgive | \nsie vergeben | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I push | \nich stoße | \n
| You push | \ndu stößt | \n
| You push (formal) | \nSie stoßen | \n
| He/she/it pushes | \ner/sie/es stößt | \n
| We push | \nwir stoßen | \n
| You push (plural) | \nihr stoßt | \n
| They push | \nsie stoßen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I interrupt | \nich unterbreche | \n
| You interrupt | \ndu unterbrichst | \n
| You interrupt (formal) | \nSie unterbrechen | \n
| He/she/it interrupts | \ner/sie/es unterbricht | \n
| We interrupt | \nwir unterbrechen | \n
| You interrupt (plural) | \nihr unterbrecht | \n
| They interrupt | \nsie unterbrechen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I command | \nich befehle | \n
| You command | \ndu befiehlst | \n
| You command (formal) | \nSie befehlen | \n
| He/she/it commands | \ner/sie/es befiehlt | \n
| We command | \nwir befehlen | \n
| You command (plural) | \nihr befehlt | \n
| They command | \nsie befehlen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I command | \nich stehle | \n
| You command | \ndu stiehlst | \n
| You command (formal) | \nSie stehlen | \n
| He/she/it commands | \ner/sie/es stiehlt | \n
| We command | \nwir stehlen | \n
| You command (plural) | \nihr stehlt | \n
| They command | \nsie stehlen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I shine | \nich scheine | \n
| You shine | \ndu scheinst | \n
| You shine (formal) | \nSie scheinen | \n
| He/she/it shines | \ner/sie/es scheint | \n
| We shine | \nwir scheinen | \n
| You shine | \nihr scheint | \n
| They shine | \nsie scheinen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I swear | \nich schwöre | \n
| You swear | \ndu schwörst | \n
| You swear (formal) | \nSie schwören | \n
| He/she/it swears | \ner/sie/es schwört | \n
| We swear | \nwir schwören | \n
| You swear | \nihr schwört | \n
| They swear | \nsie schwören | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I disappear | \nich verschwinde | \n
| You disappear | \ndu verschwindest | \n
| You disappear (formal) | \nSie verschwinden | \n
| He/she/it disappears | \ner/sie/es verschwindet | \n
| We disappear | \nwir verschwinden | \n
| You disappear | \nihr verschwindet | \n
| They disappear | \nsie verschwinden | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I break | \nich zerbreche | \n
| You break | \ndu zerbrichst | \n
| You break (formal) | \nSie zerbrechen | \n
| He/she/it breaks | \ner/sie/es zerbricht | \n
| We break | \nwir zerbrechen | \n
| You break | \nihr zerbrecht | \n
| They break | \nsie zerbrechen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I measure | \nich messe | \n
| You measure | \ndu misst | \n
| You measure (formal) | \nSie messen | \n
| He/she/it measures | \ner/sie/es misst | \n
| We measure | \nwir messen | \n
| You measure | \nihr messt | \n
| They measure | \nsie messen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I melt | \nich schmelze | \n
| You melt | \ndu schmilzt | \n
| You melt (formal) | \nSie schmelzen | \n
| He/she/it melts | \ner/sie/es schmilzt | \n
| We melt | \nwir schmelzen | \n
| You melt | \nihr schmelzt | \n
| They melt | \nsie schmelzen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I enjoy | \nich genieße | \n
| You enjoy | \ndu genießt | \n
| You enjoy (formal) | \nSie genießen | \n
| He/she/it enjoys | \ner/sie/es genießt | \n
| We enjoy | \nwir genießen | \n
| You enjoy | \nihr genießt | \n
| They enjoy | \nsie genießen | \n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I leave | \nich verlasse | \n
| You leave | \ndu verlässt | \n
| You leave (formal) | \nSie verlassen | \n
| He/she/it leaves | \ner/sie/es verlässt | \n
| We leave | \nwir verlassen | \n
| You leave | \nihr verlasst | \n
| They leave | \nsie verlassen | \n
Language is alive. It changes with us, reflecting cultural shifts and patterns of use. So irregularities add depth and prove that languages are not rigid structures, but rather fluid, dynamic systems.
\nWhenever you’re afraid to use a wrong verb form or break a grammar rule, keep in mind that if enough people use an alternative form, it eventually becomes the norm. So who says you’re wrong? Maybe you’re just an early adopter of future verb forms.And if you do want to stick to the current standard, remember: The key to mastering irregular verbs is regular practice. So keep up with our German Language Blog and deepen your language skills one article at a time!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"American business culture","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"A Helpful Guide to American Work Culture and Business Etiquette","url":"/blog/american-work-business-culture-etiquette","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt3a2d2f1685d47ab8/649e31a5e64f4122f542e844/istock-863497498.jpeg"},"post_content":"American work culture generally emphasizes individual initiative, clear communication, punctuality, and results, while valuing teamwork and professional relationships. Business etiquette in the United States often includes using first names, participating actively in meetings, and keeping emails and conversations concise. Expectations vary by region, industry, and company, so understanding local workplace norms, dress codes, and common business English expressions can help professionals work confidently with U.S. colleagues and clients.
\n"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"How to write a letter in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to start, write and end a letter in German [formal + informal]","url":"/blog/how-to-write-a-letter-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt719638de58af1e74/6487e4f7d24204b94c1cb6c7/istock-1141281542.jpeg"},"post_content":"We all know how to text and send quick emails full of abbreviations but when was the last time you sat down to write someone a letter with pen and paper? Taking the time to do this will show the other person you’ve put in some real effort, which is likely to get you what you want - whether you’re trying to impress a German love interest, writing a complaint letter to a German company or asking that nice German-speaking sales rep about the delicious perfume you didn’t get the chance to buy.
\nGetting those letters right demonstrates your commitment to effective cross-cultural communication and impresses the other person. So we’ll teach you exactly how to write a letter in German.
\n\n
In German-speaking countries, it’s still fairly common to write letters, especially to formal offices or your bank. These are often the kind of important letters you want to get just right - but watch out!
Writing a letter in German is not just like writing an English letter in a different language.
There are a number of things to take into account that will be different - starting with the size. In Germany, all standard mail comes in the size A4, not letterbox. It’s what people print their documents on and the size you’ll see in all stationery.
\nNext up, you wanna get your format and tone of voice right, and make sure your greeting and sign off are appropriate. Luckily there are a number of fool-proof words and phrases you can learn or copy and once you get them right, you’ll come off as a sophisticated German-speaker.
\n![\"Learn](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt76fa1163a7085e00/6487e63ff71d77d2f80027ce/istock-1151156468.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Let’s get started with these important letter-related words.
\n| German | \nEnglish | \n
| Der Brief | \nLetter | \n
| Der Briefkasten | \nMailbox | \n
| Der Briefumschlag | \nEnvelope | \n
| Die Briefmarke | \nPostage stamp | \n
| Das Postamt | \nPost office | \n
| Die Adresse | \nAddress | \n
| Die Postleitzahl | \nPostcode | \n
| Der Absender | \nSender | \n
| Der Empfänger | \nRecipient | \n
| Die Unterschrift | \nSignature | \n
| Der Postbote, die Postbotin | \nPostman, postwoman | \n
| Die A4 Größe | \nA4 size (German Standard Letter Size) | \n
| Letterbox | \nLetterbox (US Standard Letter Size) | \n
| Der Briefumschlag | \nEnvelope | \n
| Der Briefkopf | \nLetterhead | \n
| Die E-Mail | \n|
| Die Post | \nPost mail | \n
| Etc. | \nEtc. | \n
| Ps. | \nPs. | \n
\n
If you’re talking to a friend or a loved one, you can obviously relax about formatting your letter - but for any other purposes, try to stick to the common format, with this step by step guide on how to write a formal or a business letter in German:
\n![\"Formatting](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltcd158f550ba1ab5f/6487e4769601bc232008030e/Formal_letter_formatting_in_German.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
German dates are a little different from the American standard:
\n\n
Formal letters in German require a professional tone and adherence to proper etiquette. When writing a formal letter to a stranger in German, remember to:
\n\n
\n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| Dear (formal) | \nSehr geehrte/r | \n
| Dear Sir / Madam | \nSehr geehrte Dame /sehr geehrter Herr | \n
| To whom it may concern | \nAn alle, die es betrifft | \n
| Dear (familiar) | \nLiebe/r | \n
| Dear team | \nLiebes Team | \n
| Hello | \nHallo | \n
| Good morning | \nGuten Morgen | \n
| Good day | \nGuten Tag | \n
| Good evening | \nGuten Abend | \n
\n
\n
When it comes to crafting a formal letter, keep in mind why you’re writing the letter and what you’re hoping to get from the recipient.
\nWhether you’re applying for a job, writing an apology or trying to sell a product, we’ve collected just the right phrases to start your letter in German.
\n![\"Learn](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt97758035983c05b7/6487e6d10f2d9bbfd3ed4bd1/istock-1184631443.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I’m writing in response to your job advertisement | \nIch schreibe Ihnen in Bezug auf Ihre Stellenausschreibung | \n
| I hereby apply for... | \nHiermit bewerbe ich mich um... | \n
| I have read your job advertisement with great interest | \nMit großem Interesse habe ich Ihre Stellenanzeige gelesen | \n
| Due to my extensive experience, I am applying for... | \nAufgrund meiner umfangreichen Erfahrung bewerbe ich mich um | \n
| After careful research, I am applying for… | \nNach sorgfältiger Recherche bewerbe ich mich um… | \n
| I believe I’m just the right candidate for the role… | \nIch glaube, ich bin genau die richtige Kandidatin/der richtige Kandidat für die Rolle… | \n
| I’d love to join your team as a… | \nIch würde gerne Ihr Team als… verstärken | \n
\n
\n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I’m writing to enquire in regards to… | \nIch schreibe, um mich nach... zu erkundigen | \n
| I have a question about… | \nIch habe eine Frage zu… | \n
| I was wondering if… | \nIch habe mich gefragt, ob… | \n
| I’d like some information about your products | \nIch hätte gerne einige Informationen zu Ihren Produkten | \n
| I’m interested in… | \nIch habe Interesse an… | \n
| I’d be delighted to learn more about... | \nIch würde sehr gerne mehr über … erfahren | \n
| I’m writing to gather more information about... | \nIch schreibe, um mehr über … in Erfahrung zu bringen | \n
\n
\n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| With this letter, I would like to complain about | \nMit diesem Schreiben möchte ich mich über... beschweren | \n
| I regret to inform you that I am very dissatisfied with... | \nEs tut mir leid, Ihnen mitteilen zu müssen, dass ich mit... sehr unzufrieden bin | \n
| Unfortunately, I need to complain about the insufficient service/poor quality of... | \nLeider muss ich mich über den mangelhaften Service/die mangelhafte Qualität von... beschweren | \n
| I am extremely disappointed with... | \nIch bin äußerst enttäuscht von… | \n
| I hereby express my dissatisfaction with... | \nHiermit möchte ich meinen Unmut über... zum Ausdruck bringen | \n
| I’m upset about... | \nIch bin verärgert über… | \n
| Unfortunately, ... does not meet the agreed standards. | \nLeider entspricht... nicht den vereinbarten Standards. | \n
\n
\n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I’m writing to apologize for the poor service you received on your recent visit to… | \nIch schreibe Ihnen, um mich für den schlechten Service zu entschuldigen, den Sie bei Ihrem letzten Besuch bei... | \n
| I’m truly sorry | \nEs tut mir ehrlich aufrichtig Leid | \n
| With great regret, I must admit that... | \nMit großem Bedauern muss ich zugeben, dass... | \n
| I’m aware that my actions regarding... were inappropriate | \nEs ist mir bewusst, dass meine Handlungen bezüglich... unangebracht waren | \n
| I’m truly sorry for any inconvenience I have caused you | \nEs tut mir aufrichtig leid, dass ich Ihnen Unannehmlichkeiten bereitet habe. | \n
| I’d like to apologize from the bottom of my heart | \nIch möchte mich von ganzem Herzen entschuldigen | \n
| I’m begging you to forgive… | \nIch bitte um Verzeihung für… | \n
| It was not my intention to cause you any inconvenience | \nEs war nicht meine Absicht, Ihnen Unannehmlichkeiten zu bereiten | \n
| Please give me the chance to make this up to you | \nBitte geben Sie mir die Chance, es wieder gutzumachen | \n
\n
For more ways to apologize in German, check out this helpful guide!
\n\n
\n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| I’m writing in response to your enquiry on the topic of... | \nIch schreibe Ihnen als Antwort auf Ihre Anfrage zum Thema... | \n
| I’m writing to answer your question about… | \nIch schreibe Ihnen, um Ihre Frage bezüglich… zu beantworten | \n
| Thank you for your inquiry regarding... | \nVielen Dank für Ihre Anfrage bezüglich... | \n
| With reference to your inquiry dated [Date], | \nMit Bezug auf Ihre Anfrage vom [Datum], | \n
| Thank you for your interest in... | \nVielen Dank für Ihr Interesse an... | \n
| In response to your inquiry, I can provide you with the following information... | \nAls Antwort auf Ihre Anfrage kann ich Ihnen folgende Informationen geben... | \n
| Thank you for your interest in... | \nVielen Dank für Ihr Interesse an... | \n
| We sincerely appreciate your letter | \nWir bedanken uns herzlich für Ihr Schreiben | \n
| We’d be happy to assist you | \nWir helfen Ihnen gerne weiter | \n
\n
\n
| English | \nGerman | \n
| We have exciting news for you! | \nWir haben spannende Neuigkeiten für Sie! | \n
| We’re pleased to present our latest offers to you | \nWir freuen uns, Ihnen unsere neuesten Angebote vorzustellen | \n
| Entdecken Sie jetzt unsere exklusiven Sonderangebote! | \nDiscover our exclusive special offers now! | \n
| Dürfen wir Ihnen unsere attraktiven Rabatte und Aktionen vorstellen? | \nMay we present our attractive discounts and promotions to you? | \n
| Be one of the first to benefit from our unbeatable offers! | \nGehören Sie zu den Ersten, die von unseren unschlagbaren Angeboten profitieren! | \n
| Welcome to our big sales event! | \nHerzlich willkommen zu unserer großen Verkaufsaktion! | \n
| Take a peek at our brand-new collection! | \nWerfen Sie einen Blick auf unsere brandneue Kollektion! | \n
\n
![\"Man](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt06ec2b11686c6c3d/6487e896ea50bc7846be8949/istock-1268901042.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \n
| With kind regards | \nMit freundlichen Grüßen | \n
| In anticipation of your prompt response | \nIn Erwartung Ihrer baldigen Antwort | \n
| Yours sincerely | \nHochachtungsvoll | \n
| Warm regards | \nHerzliche Grüße | \n
| With best regards | \nMit besten Grüßen | \n
| Kind regards | \nFreundliche Grüße | \n
| With friendly greetings | \nMit freundlichem Gruß | \n
| With friendly recommendation | \nMit freundlicher Empfehlung | \n
| Thank you in advance | \nVielen Dank im Voraus | \n
\n
If you need more inspiration for signing off a letter or an email, head to our guide on saying goodbye in German!
\n\n
\n
Absender:
Sophie Schaller
An der Welle 3
60486 Frankfurt am Main
Empfänger:
Frau Milena Eichbaum
Leiterin der Parfumabteilung
Drogeriegeschäft Kranz
Hauptstraße 5
10178 Berlin
\n
Frankfurt am Main, den 7. Juni 2023
\n\n
Betreff: Anfrage bezüglich eines bestimmten Parfums
\n\n
Sehr geehrte Frau Eichbaum,
\nIch hoffe, diese Zeilen erreichen Sie in bester Gesundheit und Stimmung. Vor Kurzem hatte ich das Vergnügen, Ihr Geschäft zu besuchen, wo ich in den Genuss Ihrer exzellenten Beratung in der Parfumabteilung kam.
\nZu meinem Bedauern musste ich meine Suche nach dem perfekten Duft unterbrechen, da ich einen unerwarteten Anruf erhielt und das Geschäft vorzeitig verließ. Da wir während meiner Beratung mehrere Parfums ausprobiert haben, ist mir leider der Name des Parfums entfallen, das mir so gut gefiel.
\nIch erinnere mich noch vage daran, dass es eine blaue Flasche hatte und herrlich nach Jasmin und Vanille duftete, mit einer weiteren Note, die mich an den Strand erinnerte. Ich wäre Ihnen sehr dankbar, wenn Sie mir helfen könnten, dieses spezielle Parfum zu identifizieren.
\nIch freue mich auf Ihre Antwort und bedanke mich im Voraus für Ihre Hilfe!
\n\n
Mit freundlichen Grüßen,
\nSophie Schaller
\n\n
Translation:
\nSender:
Sophie Schaller
An der Welle 3
60486 Frankfurt am Main
Recipient:
Frau Milena Eichbaum
Leiterin der Parfumabteilung
Drogeriegeschäft Kranz
Hauptstraße 5
10178 Berlin
\n
Frankfurt am Main, June 7, 2023
\n\n
Subject: Inquiry regarding a specific perfume
\n\n
Dear Mrs. Eichbaum,
\nI hope these lines reach you in the best of health and spirits. I recently had the pleasure of visiting your store, where I had the honor of receiving your excellent advice in the perfume department.
\nTo my regret, I had to interrupt my search for the perfect fragrance as I received an unexpected phone call and left the store early. Unfortunately, since we tried several perfumes during my consultation, I forgot the name of the perfume that I liked so much.
\nI vaguely remember that it had a blue bottle and smelled delightfully of jasmine and vanilla, with another note that reminded me of the beach. I would be very grateful if you could help me identify this particular perfume.
\nI look forward to your reply and thank you in advance for your help!
\n\n
With kind regards,
\nSophie Schaller
\n\n
If you have German-speaking friends, I’m sure it would absolutely make their day if they got a handwritten letter from you!
\nIt can be to a new acquaintance you met in transit at the Frankfurt airport or the coworker from your company’s German team that you’ve recently befriended.
\nOr you can go online and find a German-speaking pen pal, which is a super fun way to practice your German language skills!
\nInformal letters give you the liberty to write in a more personal and relaxed tone. They commonly start with a friendly greeting like \"Liebe/r\" (Dear) or \"Hallo\" (Hello) and end with casual sign-offs such as \"Viele Grüße\" (Many Greetings) or \"Bis bald\" (See you soon) - and in between you can get creative and say whatever comes to mind.
\n![\"Write](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt17feb39061a2db6f/6487e79a9625e1c92cb3665f/pexels-markus-spiske-1268131.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
When crafting an informal letter to a friend or a loved one, don’t worry about a formal greeting!
\n| English | \nGerman | \nRelationship context | \n
| Hi | \nHi | \nSuitable for friends, colleagues or acquaintances | \n
| Hey | \nHey | \nSame as “hi” but more common in Europe | \n
| Hey | \nNa | \nVery casual greeting, also common in texts | \n
| Dear | \nLiebe/r | \nA warm, affectionate greeting that can be used for friends, family members, or loved ones | \n
| Darling | \nLiebling | \nThis is a term of endearment typically used for romantic partners | \n
| To my beloved | \nAn meine Geliebte/ meine Geliebte | \nThis very affectionately term is reserved for romantic partners | \n
| Hello my treasure | \nHallo mein Schatz | \nUsed between romantic partners and very close friends | \n
\n
You’re not trying to open a new bank account or complain about a service. This is a letter to a regular person in your life, so just write the way you’d talk to them!
\n| English | \nGerman | \n
| How are you? | \nWie geht’s dir? | \n
| Just reaching out to… | \nIch wollt mich nur mal melden, um… | \n
| What's new with you? | \nWas gibt's Neues bei dir? | \n
| I hope you're doing well | \nIch hoffe, es geht dir gut | \n
| It's been a while since we last spoke | \nEs ist schon eine Weile her, seit wir das letzte Mal gesprochen haben | \n
| How's work/school/college going? | \nWie läuft die Arbeit/Schule/Uni? - | \n
| I have some good news | \nIch habe gute Neuigkeiten | \n
| I was just thinking of you and wanted to say hello | \nIch habe gerade an dich gedacht und wollte mal Hallo sagen | \n
\n
Sign off your letter with one of these phrases and don’t forget your name after that!
\n| English | \nGerman | \n
| Many greetings | \nViele Grüße | \n
| Kind greetings | \nLiebe Grüße | \n
| Warm greetings | \nHerzliche Grüße | \n
| I love you (for a romantic partner) | \nIch liebe dich | \n
| I love you (for a family member or close friend) | \nIch hab dich lieb | \n
| Kisses | \nKüsse | \n
| A greeting and a kiss | \nGruß und Kuss | \n
| Feel embraced | \nFühl dich umarmt | \n
| See you soon | \nBis bald | \n
| Take care | \nMach’s gut | \n
| Love | \nIn Liebe | \n
| All the best (literally: all the lovely things) | \nAlles Liebe | \n
\n
If this all sounds like a little too much work and you’re wondering how to write a German email instead, keep these things in mind:
\n\n
As you set out to write your own letters and emails in German, remember that each one of them is an opportunity to deepen connections, express your thoughts, and participate in a cultural exchange. So, grab that pen or start typing, and let your words brighten someone’s day!
\nP.S.: If you’re looking for more inspiring articles that all read like little love letters to the German language, find our German vocabulary blog!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Conjugation of to be in german","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to conjugate to be (sein) in German in all tenses & moods","url":"/blog/german-to-be-conjugation","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt96391466a08dd52e/643f67f367e76213aa9ba4d0/pexels-gustavo-fring-3985232.jpg"},"post_content":"That’s the magic of grammar. Conjugation is a grammatical term that describes how verbs change to show different tenses, moods, or persons.
\nWhen you conjugate a verb, you are changing its form. In English and German this happens by adding an ending to the verb like when you add an “s” to the third-person singular form of a verb. “I live” becomes “she lives.”
\nWhile this is fairly simple in English, as a German learner, you’ll soon learn that there are many more changes to watch out for - and we’re here to break them down for you with the German conjugation of the verb “sein” (to be).
\n\n\"Sein\" means \"to be,\" and we use it to describe all kinds of things in German, from emotions to physical states to identities. So, it's crucial to master the conjugation of “to be” in German.
\nYou’ll need it to make some of the most basic statements. This includes:
\nTo conjugate a regular verb, you take the stem of the verb and add the appropriate ending. This is how the regular verb \"spielen\" (to play) changes in the present, according to genus (which gender) and numerus (how many):
\n| Numerus | \nGenus | \nEnglish | \nGerman | \n
| Singular | \n1st person | \nI play | \nIch spiele | \n
| \n | 2nd person | \nYou play | \nDu spielst | \n\n
| \n | 3rd person | \nHe/She/It plays | \nEr/sie/es spielt | \n
| Plural | \n1st person | \nWe play | \nWir spielen | \n
| \n | 2nd person | \nYou play | \nIhr spielt | \n
| \n | 3rd person | \nThey play | \nSie spielen | \n
However, some of the most important verbs of a language are usually irregular, including “to be” and German is no exception. “Sein” is an irregular verb and the best way to learn those is to study and memorize each form by itself. So we made a table for each tense.
\n![\"Sein](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt033aebe2ba7c8c83/643f68d7a39e8e5aa0f45c6e/pexels-cottonbro-studio-4778621.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
The present tense is arguably the most important one. In German, it’s called “Präsens” and it’s the only present tense. There’s no present progressive in German like there is in English (I am playing).
\nIf you haven’t mastered the others tenses, try to use the present tense and just add the time-related words that signal you’re talking about a different tense like “nächsten Monat” (next month), “letzten Freitag” (last Friday) or “um 18 Uhr” (at 6PM).
\nThis may not be grammatically correct but I guarantee you that people will understand what you’re saying.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| I am | \nIch bin | \nIch bin glücklich | \nI am happy. | \n
| You are | \nDu bist | \nDu bist lieb. | \nYou are nice. | \n
| He/She/It is | \nEr/sie/es ist | \nEr/sie/es ist hier. | \nHe/she/it is here. | \n
| We are | \nWir sind | \nWir sind Freunde. | \nWe are friends. | \n
| You are (pl) | \nIhr seid | \nIhr seid lustig. | \nYou are funny (pl). | \n
| They are | \nSie sind | \nSie sind Schüler. | \nThey are students. | \n
In German, the simple past tense is used to talk about events that happened in the past and are now completed. This tense is also known as the \"Präteritum\" or \"Imperfekt\".
\n| English | \nGerman | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| I was | \nIch war | \nIch war hier. | \nI was here. | \n
| You were | \nDu warst | \nDu warst da. | \nYou were there. | \n
| He/She/It was | \nEr/sie/es war | \nEr/sie/es war erfolgreich. | \nHe/she/it was successful. | \n
| We were | \nWir waren | \nWir waren schlau. | \nWe were clever. | \n
| You were (pl) | \nIhr wart | \nIhr wart laut. | \nYou were loud (pl). | \n
| They were | \nSie waren | \nSie waren schön. | \nThey were beautiful. | \n
The Present Perfect is used to describe actions or events in the past that have a connection to the present.
In German, it’s called “Perfekt” and it’s formed by using the auxiliary verbs (or helper verbs) \"haben\" (to have) or \"sein\" (to be) in the present tense, followed by the past participle of the verb:
| English | \nGerman | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| I have been | \nIch bin gewesen | \nIch bin einkaufen gewesen. | \nI have been shopping. | \n
| You have been | \nDu bist gewesen | \nDu bist krank gewesen. | \nYou have been sick | \n
| He/She/It has been | \nEr/sie/es ist gewesen | \nEr ist da gewesen. | \nHe has been there. | \n
| We have been | \nWir sind gewesen | \nWir waren pleite gewesen. | \nWe have been broke. | \n
| You have been (pl) | \nIhr seid gewesen | \nIhr seid nett gewesen. | \nYou have been nice (pl). | \n
| They have been | \nSie sind gewesen | \nSie sind hier gewesen. | \nThey have been here. | \n
As you can see, it’s possible to form the present perfect tense for the German verb “sein” but it’s not as common to use this tense for the verbs “to be” or “to have”, because those two are also the auxiliary verbs you use to form the tense: (Ich habe gehabt / Ich bin gewesen). Instead, it’s more common to use more active verbs in the present perfect:
\n| Example sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| Ich habe gefrühstückt. | \nI’ve had breakfast. | \n
| Wir haben den Film gesehen. | \nWe’ve watched the movie. | \n
| Du hast deine Prüfung bestanden. | \nYou’ve passed your exam. | \n
| Ich habe aufgeräumt. | \nI’ve cleaned up. | \n
| Du hast nicht angerufen. | \nYou haven’t called. | \n
| Sie hat dich gefunden. | \nShe has found you. | \n
![\"I've](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt5c2e59fdaf0871ee/643f6a1b30099c31c9d15c18/pexels-cottonbro-studio-5893069.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
The past perfect tense is called “Plusquamperfekt” in German, so you can add that one to your list of weird, long German words!
\nIt's also formed with the past participle of the main verb and the auxiliary verbs of \"haben\" (to have) or \"sein\" (to be), but this time in the past tense:
\nThis brings you back in time even further than the simple past. You may use this tense when you’re telling a story and you want to add a detail from before:
\n| English | \nGerman | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| I had been | \nIch war gewesen | \nIch war treu gewesen | \nI had been loyal. | \n
| You had been | \nDu warst gewesen | \nDu warst drüben gewesen | \nYou had been over there. | \n
| He/She/It had been | \nEr/sie/es war gewesen | \nEr/sie/es war laut gewesen | \nHe/she/it had been loud. | \n
| We had been | \nWir waren gewesen | \nWir waren schlau gewesen. | \nWe had been clever. | \n
| You (pl) had been | \nIhr wart gewesen | \nIhr wart laut gewesen. | \nYou had been loud (pl). | \n
| They had been | \nSie waren gewesen | \nSie waren schön gewesen. | \nThey had been beautiful. | \n
To form the future tense, also called “Futur I” in German, you use the auxiliary verb \"werden\" (to become) in the present tense, followed by the infinitive form of the main verb:
\n| English | \nGerman | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| I will | \nIch werde | \nIch werde hier sein. | \nI will be here. | \n
| You will | \nDu wirst | \nDu wirst toll sein. | \nYou will be great. | \n
| He/She/It will | \nEr/sie/es wird | \nEr/sie/es wird erfolgreich sein. | \nHe/she/it will be successful. | \n
| We will | \nWir werden | \nWir werden schlau sein. | \nWe will be clever. | \n
| You will (pl) | \nIhr werdet | \nIhr werdet laut sein. | \nYou will be loud (pl). | \n
| They will | \nSie werden | \nSie werden rosa sein. | \nThey will be pink. | \n
The German future perfect tense is called “Futur II” and it describes a tense in which something will have happened, so it’s very far in the future.
To form this tense, you need the auxiliary verb \"werden\" (to become) again, followed by the past participle of the main verb:
| English | \nGerman | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| I will have been | \nIch werde gewesen sein | \nIch werde hier gewesen sein. | \nI will have been here. | \n
| You have been | \nDu wirst gewesen sein | \nDu wirst toll gewesen sein. | \nYou will have been great. | \n
| He/She/It have been | \nEr/sie/es wird gewesen sein | \nEr/sie/es wird erfolgreich gewesen sein. | \nHe/she/it will have been successful. | \n
| We will have been | \nWir werden gewesen sein | \nWir werden schlau gewesen sein. | \nWe will have been clever. | \n
| You will have been(pl) | \nIhr werdet gewesen sein | \nIhr werdet laut gewesen sein. | \nYou will have been loud (pl). | \n
| They will have been | \nSie werden gewesen sein | \nSie werden rosa gewesen sein. | \nThey will have been pink. | \n
In German, the subjunctive is called “Konjunktiv”. It describes a mood in grammar that is used to express some level of uncertainty, or describe a hypothetical situation: Did I hear “ice cream”? That would be lovely!
\n![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt2d237f7f5b7a4ed2/643f6adcb1f4db27b0204064/pexels-megan-(markham)-bucknall-2448525.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Konjunktiv I is mainly used in formal writing, reported speech, and indirect commands, for example if someone proclaims “My mom said I was really smart”. That’s reported speech. We don’t know if it’s a fact!
\n| English | \nGerman | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| (They said) I was | \nIch sei | \nMan sagt, ich sei schlau. | \nOne says I was smart. | \n
| (They said) you were | \nDu seist | \nMan sagt, du seist leichtgläubig. | \nOne says you were gullible. | \n
| (They said) he/she/it was | \nEr/sie/es sei | \nMan sagt, es sei kalt draußen. | \nOne says it was cold outside. | \n
| (They said) we were | \nWir seien | \nMan sagt, wir seien freundlich. | \nOne says we were friendly. | \n
| (They said) you were (pl) | \nIhr seiet | \nMan sagt, ihr seiet höflich. | \nOne says you were polite. | \n
| (They said) they were | \nSie seien | \nMan sagt, sie seien Diebe. | \nOne says they were thieves. | \n
Konjunktiv II is used to express hypothetical situations, wishes, and politeness, for example when you’re thinking, “If I only moved to Barcelona, then I would be happy.”
\n| English | \nGerman | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| I would be | \nIch wäre | \nDann wäre ich glücklich. | \nThen I would be happy. | \n
| You would be | \nDu wärst | \nDann wärst du neugierig. | \nThen you would be curious. | \n
| He / she / it would be | \nEr/sie/es wäre | \nDann wäre sie dabei. | \nThen she would be with us. | \n
| We would be | \nWir wären | \nDann wären wir schlauer. | \nThen we would be smarter. | \n
| They would be | \nIhr wäret | \nDann wärt ihr Ärzte. | \nThen you would be doctors. | \n
| You would be (pl) | \nSie wären | \nDann wären sie Katzen. | \nThen they would be cats. | \n
The command form or “Imperativ” is used to tell someone what to do - or in this case what to be. It differentiates only between singular and plural.
\n| Numerus | \nEnglish | \nGerman | \n
| Singular | \nBe happy! | \nSei glücklich! | \n
| \n | Be kind! | \nSei lieb! | \n
| \n | Be yourself! | \nSei du selbst! | \n
| Plural | \nBe good! | \nSeid gut! | \n
| \n | Be loud! | \nSeid laut! | \n
| \n | Be yourselves! | \nSeid ihr selbst! | \n
Speaking of imperatives, one of my favorites when it comes to language learning is “be curious”. It’s all those subtle grammatical differences that make different languages difficult to learn - but it’s also what makes them unique and fascinating.
\nIf you’re just curious about those, the learning process will be a lot more fun! So go explore the German language some more and marvel at all its peculiarities and little quirks on our German language learning blog!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Business German vocabulary","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"Business German: A top guide to culture, etiquette, vocab + more","url":"/blog/business-german-culture-etiquette","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt8effd4eaecacc2b2/6463040761e044203414f26e/istock-1185056185.jpeg"},"post_content":"Understand German business culture, etiquette, and communication norms to succeed in professional settings.
\nAs the world becomes increasingly globalized, workplaces are more culturally diverse than ever before. Some of us are working remotely with international teams from all over the world, while others go to the office where they get to meet with people from more and more diverse backgrounds.
\nRegardless of that, every single workplace has its own unique work culture. So starting a new job can be like moving to a whole new place in a number of ways.
\nWhether you’re actually starting a new position in a German-speaking business environment or you’re just curious how the Germans do business, we have some fascinating insights for you. Get ready for an extensive tour through the world of German business vocab and culture!
\nCommunicating in German is tough enough, but communicating in a German business environment might double your challenges. Here are 5 things to keep in mind when talking to your German colleagues:
\n![\"Feierabendbierchen](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt819346b2da9c9572/646305e315140679b0f30809/istock-1047146464.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
\n
Let’s get started with the most common German business terms. You’re likely to encounter these if you’re working in a German-speaking environment, so grab your notebook and a pen because there are a lot of them!
\nWhen you’re starting a new position in a German work environment, of course it’s crucial to master the basics:
\n| German | \nEnglish translation | \nGerman example sentence | \nMeaning | \n
| Willkommen | \nWelcome | \nWillkommen im Team! | \nWelcome to the team! | \n
| Jmd. kennenlernen | \nTo meet so. | \nSchön dich/Sie kennenzulernen! | \nNice to meet you! | \n
| Das Büro | \nOffice | \nWir sehen uns im Büro! | \nSee you at the office! | \n
| Der Teamgeist | \nTeam spirit | \nDas Team hat einen starken Teamgeist und arbeitet immer zusammen. | \nThe team has a strong team spirit and always works together. | \n
| Das Meeting, die Besprechung | \nMeeting | \nDie Besprechung dauerte länger als erwartet. | \nThe meeting lasted longer than expected. | \n
| Der Kundenservice | \nCustomer service | \nDer Kundenservice des Unternehmens ist super freundlich und hilfsbereit. | \nThe customer service of this company is super friendly and helpful. | \n
| Kunden | \nCustomers | \nDie Zufriedenheit unserer Kunden ist uns sehr wichtig. | \nCustomer satisfaction is very important to us. | \n
| Das Marketing | \nMarketing | \nDas Marketing-Team ist besonders kreativ. | \nThe marketing team is especially creative. | \n
| Die Firma, das Unternehmen | \nCompany | \nIch arbeite für ein Tech-Unternehmen in Berlin. | \nI work for a tech company in Berlin. | \n
| Die Chefin, der Chef | \nBoss | \nDie Chefin stellt heute ihre neue Unternehmensstrategie vor. | \nThe boss is presenting her new corporate strategy today. | \n
| Die Arbeit | \nWork | \nIch gehe jeden Tag zur Arbeit. | \nI go to work every day. | \n
| Arbeiten | \nTo work | \nWo arbeitest du? | \nWhere do you work? | \n
| Der Arbeitgeber | \nEmployer (company) | \nDer Arbeitgeber hat mir heute ein neues Projekt zugewiesen. | \nThe employer assigned me a new project today. | \n
| Die Angestellte, der Angestellte | \nEmployee | \nDie Angestellten arbeiten hart, um die Ziele des Unternehmens zu erreichen. | \nThe employees work hard to achieve the company's goals. | \n
| Die Kollegin, der Kollege | \nColleague | \nMein Kollege ist heute nicht im Büro. | \nMy colleague is not in the office today. | \n
| Der Auftrag | \nOrder, task | \nDer Auftrag muss bis Freitag erledigt sein. | \nThe task must be completed by Friday. | \n
| Die Kaffeepause | \nCoffee break | \nIch brauch’ erstmal eine kleine Kaffeepause. | \nI need a little coffee break. | \n
| Die Mittagspause | \nLunch break | \nIch freu’ mich jetzt schon auf die Mittagspause. | \nI’m already looking forward to my lunch break. | \n
| Der Feierabend | \nEnd of workday | \nDer Feierabend ist der Höhepunkt des Arbeitstags. | \nThe best part of the workday is the end of it. | \n
\n
\n
We’ll walk you through the whole process - from the job interview to your first promotion.
\n| German | \nEnglish translation | \nGerman example sentence | \nMeaning | \n
| Die Personalabteilung | \nHuman resources (HR) | \nDie Personalabteilung kümmert sich um alle Angelegenheiten rund um unsere Mitarbeiter. | \nThe Human Resources department takes care of all matters concerning our employees. | \n
| Die Stellenausschreibung | \nJob posting | \nDie Stellenausschreibung hat eine hohe Resonanz erzeugt. | \nThe job posting has generated a high response. | \n
| Bewerber | \nApplicants | \nUnsere Bewerber sind die Zukunft unseres Unternehmens. | \nOur applicants are the future of our company. | \n
| Das Vorstellungsgespräch | \nJob interview | \nDas Vorstellungsgespräch ist immer eine großartige Gelegenheit, um die besten Leute für die Firma zu finden. | \nThe job interview is always a great opportunity to find the best people for the company. | \n
| Der Job | \nJob | \nHerzlichen Glückwunsch zum neuen Job! | \nCongratulations on your new job! | \n
| Zuschüsse | \nBenefits | \nDie Zuschüsse für Mitarbeitergesundheit fördern unser Engagement für das Wohlbefinden der Mitarbeiter. | \nThe subsidies for employee health promote our commitment to employee well-being. | \n
| Das Gehalt | \nSalary | \nDas Gehalt spiegelt die Wertschätzung des Unternehmens für unsere Mitarbeiter wider. | \nThe salary reflects the company's appreciation for our employees. | \n
| Die Leistungsbeurteilung | \nPerformance evaluation | \nDie Leistungsbeurteilung ist ein wichtiger Bestandteil der Mitarbeiterentwicklung in vielen Unternehmen. | \nPerformance evaluation is an important part of employee development in many companies. | \n
| Die Einarbeitung | \nOnboarding | \nDie Einarbeitung neuer Mitarbeiter sollte Spaß machen und sie willkommen heißen. | \nThe onboarding of new employees should be fun and welcoming. | \n
| Einstellen | \nTo hire | \nWir werden einen neuen Mitarbeiter einstellen, um das Team zu verstärken. | \nWe’ll hire a new employee to strengthen the team. | \n
| Jdn. entlassen | \nTo let sb. go | \nLeider müssen wir einige Mitarbeiter entlassen, um unsere Kosten zu reduzieren. | \nUnfortunately, we have to lay off some employees to reduce our costs. | \n
| Die Diversität | \nDiversity | \nUnsere Stärke liegt in unserer Diversität. | \nOur strength lies in our diversity. | \n
| Die Inklusion | \nInclusion | \nWir fördern Inklusion in unserem Unternehmen, um eine vielfältige Arbeitsumgebung zu schaffen. | \nWe promote inclusion in our company to create a diverse work environment. | \n
| Die Beförderung | \nPromotion | \nIch freue mich über meine Beförderung zur Teamleiterin. | \nI’m excited about my promotion to team leader. | \n
\n
\n
Once you’re used to your new job, you’ll be able to participate in meetings and share your ideas. Here’s how you do it.
\n![\"Learn](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt0e8453aa836532e9/6463060b0a3fbbc489ee357b/istock-654774778.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| German | \nEnglish translation | \nGerman example sentence | \nMeaning | \n
| Anfangen | \nTo start | \nFangen wir an! | \nLet’s get started! | \n
| Der Vetrrag | \nContract | \nDas steht so im Vertrag. | \nThat's what the contract says. | \n
| Die Idee | \nIdea | \nIch hab eine Idee. | \nI have an idea. | \n
| Die Frage | \nQuestion | \nIch hab eine Frage. | \nI have a question. | \n
| Die Verhandlung | \nNegotiation | \nWie lief die Verhandlung? | \nHow did the negotiation go? | \n
| Meinen | \nTo mean | \nWas meinst du/meinen Sie damit? | \nWhat do you mean by that? | \n
| Zustimmen | \nTo agree | \nIch stimme voll und ganz zu. | \nI completely agree with that. | \n
| Der Einwand | \nObjection | \nIch hätte da einen Einwand. | \nI have an objection. (polite) | \n
| Der Vorschlag | \nSuggestion | \nIch hab einen Vorschlag. | \nI have a suggestion. | \n
| Der Punkt | \nPoint | \nAusgezeichneter Punkt! | \nExcellent point! | \n
| Zu etw. kommen | \nTo move on to sth. | \nKommen wir zum nächsten Punkt! | \nLet's move on to the next point! | \n
| Vertagen | \nTo table | \nDas vertagen wir aufs nächste Meeting. | \nLet’s table that for the next meeting. | \n
| Die Aufmerksamkeit | \nAttention | \nVielen Dank für die Aufmerksamkeit! | \nThank you for your attention! | \n
\n
\n
If you want to save some time, scratch the meeting and write an email instead!
\n| German | \nEnglish translation | \nGerman example sentence | \nMeaning | \n
| Die E-mail | \nVielen Dank für Ihre E-Mail | \nThank you for your email | \n|
| Der Empfänger | \nRecipient | \nBehalten Sie Ihre Empfänger im Auge und schreiben Sie E-Mails, die beeindrucken. | \nKeep your recipients in mind and write emails that impress. | \n
| Der Absender | \nSender | \nDer Absender ist der erste Eindruck deiner E-Mail. | \nThe sender is the first impression of your email. | \n
| Die Anrede | \nA written greeting | \nDie Anrede in einer E-Mail ist wie ein Handschlag am Anfang eines Meetings. | \nThe greeting in an email is like a handshake at the beginning of a meeting. | \n
| Liebe/r… | \nDear… | \nLiebe Kollegen, lasst uns heute die Arbeit rocken! | \nDear colleagues, let's rock the work today! | \n
| An alle, die es betrifft | \nTo whom it may concern | \nAn alle, die es betrifft, ich wünsche Ihnen allen hiermit schöne Feiertage. | \n To whom it may concern, I wish you all happy holidays. | \n
| Der Betreff | \nSubject | \nDer Betreff gibt einen Ausblick, worum es in der E-Mail geht. | \nThe subject gives a preview of what the email is about. | \n
| Die Zusammenfassung | \nSummary | \nJede E-Mail sollte eine kurze Zusammenfassung mit wichtigem Kontext enthalten. | \nEvery email should include a short summary of the important context. | \n
| Die Kernaussage | \nMain message | \nDie Kernaussage meiner E-Mail war, dass sie einen rundum tollen Job macht! | \nThe main message of my email was that she’s doing a great job all around! | \n
| Der Anhang | \nAttachment | \nNicht vergessen, den Anhang anzuhängen! | \nDon't forget to attach the attachment! | \n
| Die Grüße | \nRegards | \nMit freundlichen Grüßen | \nKind regards | \n
\n
\n
The key to most jobs is knowing your company’s product and believing in its value. These terms are going to be helpful:
\n![\"The](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt963615da8a18be18/646306c13929fdef12402fbe/istock-470734738.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| German | \nEnglish translation | \nGerman example sentence | \nMeaning | \n
| Der Umsatz | \nRevenue | \nDer Umsatz im letzten Quartal hat alle Erwartungen übertroffen. | \nThe revenue in the last quarter exceeded all expectations. | \n
| Der Gewinn | \nProfit | \nMit unserem neuen Produkt erzielen Sie einen höheren Gewinn. | \nWith our new product, you will generate higher profits. | \n
| Die Rechnung | \nInvoice | \nWir haben die Rechnung bereits beglichen. | \nWe have already settled the invoice. | \n
| Das Produkt | \nProduct | \nIch stehe hinter unserem Produkt. | \nI stand behind our product. | \n
| Verhandeln | \nTo negotiate | \nUm erfolgreich Geschäfte zu machen, ist es wichtig, zu verhandeln. | \nTo negotiate is important to make successful business deals. | \n
| Überzeugen | \nTo convince | \nLassen Sie sich von mir überzeugen. | \nLet me convince you. | \n
| Der Rabatt | \nDiscount | \nBieten Sie irgendwelche Rabatte an? | \nDo you offer any discounts? | \n
| Das Sonderangebot | \nSpecial offer | \nWir haben ein Sonderangebot. | \nWe have a special offer. | \n
| Das Budget | \nBudget | \nWas ist Ihr Budget? | \nWhat is your budget? | \n
| Das Geschäft | \nBusiness | \nEs war mir eine Freude, mit Ihnen Geschäfte zu machen. | \nIt was a pleasure doing business with you. | \n
\n
For a more detailed look at signing off in emails, check out our helpful guide on saying goodbye in German!
\n\n
\n
Lastly, here’s a list of the most common industries in German, in case someone asks you what field you work in!
\n| German | \nEnglish | \n
| Die Bildung | \nEducation | \n
| Das Gesundheitswesen | \nHealthcare | \n
| Die Technologie | \nTechnology | \n
| Die Politik | \nPolitics | \n
| Der Toursimus | \nTourism | \n
| Die Buchhaltung | \nAccounting | \n
| Finanzdienstleistungen | \nFinancial Services | \n
| Das Marketing | \nMarketing | \n
| Das Gastgewerbe | \nHospitality | \n
| Das Dienstleistungsgewerbe | \nService | \n
| Medien | \nMedia | \n
| Logistik | \nLogistics | \n
| Das Rechtswesen | \nLegal | \n
| Die Architektur | \nArchitecture | \n
| Der Handel | \nCommerce | \n
| Das Bauwesen | \nConstruction | \n
| Der Transport | \nTransportation | \n
| Die Unterhaltung | \nEntertainment | \n
| Die Energie | \nEnergy | \n
| Die Umwelt | \nEnvironment | \n
| Immobilien | \nReal Estate | \n
\n
Now that you know all the important German business vocab, it’s time to take a closer look at German business culture including business etiquette and attire.
\nGerman business culture isn’t all that different from American business culture - but if you look closely, you’ll spot some interesting facts:
\n![\"German](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltfbc603c415b6ecd6/646308c49cb8ca616953e578/pexels-adrien-olichon-2387606.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
While it sometimes seems like Americans live to work, Germans definitely rather work to live, meaning most people don’t see their job as their main focus in life. Of course there are also companies with highly demanding work environments and employees who work beyond the 40 hours they’re supposed to - but that’s the exception.
\nCompanies invest heavily in employee training and development, and advanced degrees and certifications are often required for top positions. As universities are free in Germany, you’re just expected to have a degree if you’re looking to work in certain fields.
\nIn Germany, employees are entitled to paid sick leave if they’re unable to work due to mental health issues as these are treated just like physical health issues.
\nLegally, German employers are obligated to allow at least 20 paid vacation days per year but only about 4% actually stop there. About 70% of German employees are offered at least 26 to 30 paid vacation days.
\nStarting six weeks before the due date and ending eight weeks after the birth of the baby, the mother receives her full pay from the employer and is not allowed to work.
\nAfter that, she (or the other parent) can choose to take an additional parental leave, which can last up to three years! For the first 14 months of parental leave, they receive about 65% of their pay from the government.
\nAfter that, they don’t get any money but the employer is obligated to hold a position for them, so they can either return to their former job or an equivalent position.
\nYes, employers appreciate it if you wear a clean shirt for your job interview, preferably without holes, but that’s about it. Germans are generally known to value comfort and practicality over fashionability.
\nMy best tip if you’re actually working in Germany is to dress appropriately for the weather. That means: Bring a scarf in winter and a hand fan in summer. Don’t expect to find an AC in your office!
\n\n
We know that’s a lot to remember, so here are 5 general tips that will save you in any new work environment.
\nSpend some time observing and listening to your colleagues to learn about the company's culture and work practices. This can help you understand what is expected of you and how you fit in the bigger picture.
\nAsking lots of questions will show that you’re interested in learning and understanding the company.
\nTake the initiative to make friends among your colleagues. This will help you feel comfortable and included. Plus, the more time you spend with your colleagues, the easier it will be to understand their ways of thinking.
\nIf you’re working in a culturally diverse environment and you feel like your company would benefit from professional training, it might be worth looking into corporate training services. These are designed to improve intercultural communication between global teams and focus on making the best of cultural differences.
\nBe flexible and respectful towards cultural differences. You may feel like the ways you’re used to are better but there usually is a reason people work the way they do. Maybe your way is faster but the way your new colleagues work is more thorough - or vice versa? Keep in mind that different workflows are often built on different values and one isn’t necessarily better than the other!
\n![\"Five](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt7607e01d276ce8c9/64630938e0f341429a57b64d/istock-1193177685.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
\n
Speaking of business, it’s really insightful to take a look at two of the most famous companies in the world: Adidas and Nike. While they’re doing very similar things, Adidas is German and Nike is American and this shows in their image, their values and their slogans.
\nAdidas is the older one, valuing tradition, performance and sustainability. Their motto is “Impossible is nothing”, a romantic, slightly stilted call to go above and beyond. Their ways of operating usually come with a lot of strategic planning and coordination with the entire team.
\nNike, on the other hand, stands for innovation, inspiration and creativity. Their famous motto is “Just do it” - a work attitude that couldn’t possibly be more American. It’s all about jumping right in and getting the job done, sometimes in ways that have never been done before.
\nIf you’re looking for the best way to combine two different (work) cultures, keep what you value about your own culture but embrace the best parts of the new one. For example, if you combine the slogans of Adidas and Nike, you end up with some pretty good advice that’s more than just the sum of its parts: Just do the impossible!
\nOf course, the most important part of understanding a foreign culture is understanding the language. So keep learning German on our entertaining and educational German Language Blog.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"German dog commands","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"50 top dog commands in German to teach your fur-ever friend","url":"/blog/german-dog-training-commands","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt0cdb2ed2a9c81822/6475804eaf1a68f2d846117a/pexels-yaroslav-shuraev-9632110.jpg"},"post_content":"Whether you’re cracking jokes with a parrot, or telling your cat how purrfectly beautiful she is - animals are great conversation partners. So I don’t blame you for heading straight towards the fur baby of the house and introducing yourself.
\nIf you’re meeting a dog who grew up in Germany and has been trained in German, it’s nice to know some German dog commands like “Sitz” (sit) and “Gib Pfötchen” (shake hands - or literally: give paw).
\nEven if you’re meeting American dogs, there’s a chance they might understand some German training commands for dogs because people love teaching their dogs German. One reason for this is that many of the most popular dog breeds are German including the German Shepherd, Doberman, Dachshund, Boxer, Schnauzer and Rottweiler. So it seems kind of polite to make the effort and speak their “native tongue”.
\nThere’s another reason why teaching your dog German just makes sense: As a German language learner, you’ll know that German can sound incredibly authoritarian. Maybe there’s a better chance your dog will actually follow your commands if they sound like “Sitz! Platz! Bei Fuß!”
\n![\"Cute](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt2b579e4327cebcf6/6475828eaf1a684db7461185/pexels-yaroslav-shuraev-8499254.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Dogs communicate through body language, facial expressions, tail wagging and of course through barking.
\nThe first word you might want to remember when you’re trying to communicate with a German-speaking dog is “wau” or “wuff”, German for “wooff” - but there are a lot more!
\nIf you’re teaching your dog German commands, it’s best to start with the basics. The most important dog commands are all about safety, like “sit”, “stay” or “heel”. After all, you don’t want your puppers to run into traffic or get into any other dangerous situation. So it’s useful to teach them these basic commands and make sure they listen to you.
\n![\"Dog](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt601a55b1cef4a37f/647581e1c5da54083db8994f/pexels-ready-made-4297826.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nPurpose | \n
| Sit | \nSitz | \n[zɪts] | \nInstructs the dog to lower its hindquarters onto the ground, maintaining a seated position until given further instruction | \n
| Stay | \nBleib | \n[blaɪ̯p] | \nTells the dog to remain in its current location and position until given another command | \n
| Good job | \nBravo | \n[ˈbʁaːvoː] | \nUsed to praise your pup - typically to reinforce behavior after they’ve followed another command correctly | \n
| Good dog | \nBraver Hund | \n[ˈbʁaːfɐ ˈhʊnt] | \nUsed as general praise and is guaranteed to make some tails wiggle | \n
| Shake hands | \nGib Pfote | \n[ɡɪp ˈpfɔːtə] | \nAsks your dog to raise a paw and place it in your hand, as if shaking hands | \n
| Drop, Drop it | \nAus | \n[aʊ̯s] | \nCommands the dog to release whatever it's holding in its mouth | \n
| Heel | \nBei Fuß | \n[baɪ̯ ˈfuːs] | \nThe command or skill \"heel\" simply means that the dog must walk directly next to you instead of behind or in front of you | \n
| Come | \nKomm | \n[kɔm] | \nCalls your dog to return to you or follow you | \n
| Here | \nHier | \n[hiːɐ] | \nSimilar to \"come\", telling the dog to come with you | \n
| Go | \nLos | \n[loːs] | \nGives your dog permission to move or run | \n
| Down | \nPlatz | \n[plats] | \nTells your dog to lay down on the ground | \n
| Stand | \nSteh | \n[ʃteː] | \nAsks your dog to rise to its feet from a sitting or lying position | \n
| Roll over | \nRolle | \n[ʁɔlə] | \nTells your dog to lie down, roll over, and end up standing on the other side | \n
| Fetch | \nHol | \n[hoːl] | \nTells your dog to go and get something that you have thrown or pointed at | \n
| Fetch the stick | \nHol Stöckchen | \n[hoːl ˈʃtœkçən] | \nSpecific command telling your dog to go and get a thrown stick | \n
| Speak | \nGib Laut | \n[ɡɪp laʊ̯t] | \nTells your dog to make noise, usually one bark | \n
| Jump | \nHopp | \n[hɔp] | \nTells your dog to leap over an obstacle or just jump into the air | \n
| Run | \nLauf | \n[laʊ̯f] | \nEncourages your dog to stretch their paws and run free | \n
| No | \nNein | \n[naɪ̯n] | \nGeneral command used to prevent any unwanted behavior - like when they’re eyeing the ice-cream cone the neighbor’s toddler is holding | \n
| Stop | \nHalt | \n[halt] | \nThat’s what you yell when the dog leaps for the cone anyway | \n
| Slow | \nLangsam | \n[ˈlaŋzam] | \nInstructs your dog to reduce speed | \n
| Faster | \nSchneller | \n[ˈʃnɛlɐ] | \nEncourages your dog to increase speed | \n
| Straight ahead | \nGeradeaus \n | \n [ɡəˈʁaːtəˌʔaʊ̯s] | \nDirects your dog to continue moving forward | \n
| Right | \nRechts | \n[ʁɛçts] | \nDirects your dog to go right | \n
| Left | \nLinks | \n[lɪŋks] | \nDirects your dog to go left | \n
| Wait | \nWarte | \n[ˈvaʁtə] | \nThis will let your dog know you want them to wait for you | \n
| Onwards | \nVorwärts | \n[ˈfoːɐ̯vɛʁts] | \nTells your dog to keep going | \n
\n
Just like we tend to develop our own secret language with our loved ones, the way we speak to our pets is also extremely unique and specific to our relationship with them. Some may exclusively speak in their high-pitched “baby voice” when addressing their furry little Snugglepuff, while others come up with a number of their own unique commands. Here’s some inspiration:
\n![\"Owner](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltc97849dc6ac13107/6476a292ce9cf99b05377621/pexels-karolina-grabowska-4498185.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nPurpose | \n
| Give a little kiss | \nGib Küsschen | \n[ɡɪp ˈkʏsçən] | \nYou can use this either to have your dog “kiss” your hand - or to actually let them lick your face if your love goes that deep | \n
| Dance | \nTanz | \n[tants] | \nA cute way to ask your dog to stand on their hind legs | \n
| Twirl | \nDreh dich | \n[dʁeː dɪç] | \nThis asks your dog to turn around, also a great dance move! | \n
| Swim | \nSchwimm | \n[ʃvɪm] | \nA helpful command when you’re taking your dog to the beach or a lake | \n
| Crawl | \nKriech | \n[kʁiːç] | \nUse this if you want your dog to crawl underneath a fence or another obstacle | \n
| Hide | \nVersteck dich | \n[fɛɐ̯ˈʃtɛk dɪç] | \nThis command can be used to play hide-and-seek with your dog | \n
| Angel, angel, fly | \nEngelchen, Engelchen, flieg | \n[ˈɛŋəlçən ˈɛŋəlçən fliːk] | \nGerman parents love to say this when picking up their kids and making them “fly” by lifting them through the air - definitely also works for your doggo! | \n
| Where’s your ball? | \nWo ist dein Ball? | \n[voː ɪst daɪ̯n bal] | \nPlayful command encouraging your dog to go and look for their ball | \n
| Where’s your tail? | \nWo ist dein Schwanz? | \n[voː ɪst daɪ̯n [ʃvant͡s] | \nPlayful command encouraging your dog to chase their own tail | \n
| Cuddle time | \nKuschelzeit | \n[ˈkʊʃəlˌtsaɪ̯t] | \nLets your fur baby know you’re ready for cuddles! | \n
| Treat | \nLeckerli | \n[ˈlɛkɐli] | \nThis will soon be your dog’s favorite word if you use it right before you pull out those treats | \n
| Urgh | \nPfui | \n[pfʊɪ̯] | \nYou can use this command to discourage them from rolling in the dirt or sticking their nose into something not so pretty | \n
| Sniff | \nSchnüffel | \n[ˈʃnʏfəl] | \nLets your dog know when you’ve discovered a scent they might be interested in. This can also be a great reminder for your dog to stop and smell the roses when you feel like they’re going to fast! | \n
| Howl | \nHeule | \n[ˈhɔɪ̯lə] | \nThis can be used to make that little wolf go “awoo” | \n
| Sleep | \nSchlaf | \n[ʃlaf] | \nSometimes dogs can get a little restless - this might get them to settle down or actually even fall asleep eventually | \n
\n
\n
For most people teaching your dogs commands in German is just for fun - but for police officers, this common practice actually has some serious advantages. Since German isn’t commonly spoken, it’s harder for outsiders to control dogs that are trained in German. This can be helpful if a police dog, commonly known as K9 dog, is supposed to hold down a criminal but the criminal is trying to confuse the dog with English commands like “no” or “stop”.
\nHere are some training commands specifically for police dogs - Please don’t teach your dogs “Fass”. We don’t want them to attack anyone!
\n![\"Young](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt0303d1748ff80d8a/6475837643f5596ec7b7cda9/pexels-rrinna-2071555.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nPurpose | \n
| Guard | \nWach; Pass auf | \n[vax; pas ʔaʊ̯f] | \nCommands the dog to protect a specific area or person | \n
| Attack | \nFass | \n[fas] | \nA command given to a police dog to apprehend a suspect, typically by biting and holding on, reserved for situations where the suspect is seen as a significant threat | \n
| Retrieve | \nBring | \n[bʁɪŋk] | \nCommands the police dog to pick up an item with their mouth and bring it back to the handler, such as evidence or items of interest during a search | \n
| Search | \nSuch; Revier (for area search) | \n[zʊχ; [ʁeˈviːɐ̯] | \nInstructs a police dog to look for something specific like a missing person, drugs, explosives, or evidence at a crime scene. The dog is trained to signal its handler like barking, lying down, pointing with its nose when it has located the target | \n
| Back | \nPlatz; Zurück | \n[plats; tsuːˈʁʏk] | \nInstructs the dog to walk backwards, typically for crowd control purposes | \n
| Quiet | \nRuhig; Aus | \n[ˈʁuːɪ̯ç; ʔaʊ̯s] | \nTells the dog to stop barking, which is especially important during covert operations | \n
| Alert | \nAnzeigen | \n[ˈanˌʦaɪ̯ɡŋ̍] | \nThis is used to command a dog to signal when they have found something | \n
| Track | \nFährte; Spur | \n[ˈfɛʁtə; ʃpuːɐ̯] | \nSignals the dog to follow a scent trail | \n
\n
Kommissar Rex (Inspector Rex) is an Austrian police comedy-drama television series following the German Shepherd police dog Rex and his partner Richard, who work together for the homicide unit of the Vienna Kriminalpolizei.
\nRex is fluffy, loyal, and extremely clever. Being able to communicate with his partner is crucial for solving crimes. The original dog who played Rex, called Santo von Haus Ziegelmeye in real life, did an incredible job learning commands, which was key to following the script.
\n\n
In 2004 the Science Magazine published a study about a border Collie called Rico who was able to understand over 200 words, most of which were related to toys and other objects. He was able to learn all these words through a process known as \"fast mapping,\" which is similar to the way human children learn language. It involves guessing the meaning of a word based on its association with familiar words. This study showed how sophisticated the way dogs learn language. They’re able to understand and process language similar to human toddlers. Now we know why we instinctively talk to dogs like they’re our little babies!
\n200 words are a lot but who knows - maybe your dog can break the record? Head over to our German Language Blog to find more words to teach your German dog!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Definite and Indefinite articles","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"A happy helpful guide to definite and indefinite articles in German","url":"/blog/definite-indefinite-articles-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt2a3012f402b0ebfb/6449fc18d0a4771107c6c907/pexels-artem-podrez-4492126.jpg"},"post_content":"Articles are short little words, often overlooked and underrated but they can make a big difference - as JFK would have told you after his famous speech in 1963’s Berlin.
In English, no matter what noun you’re using, the definite article is “the” and the indefinite article is “a” (or “an”) but not all languages are that straightforward as you’ll know it you’re a German learner,
The big difference is that German articles change with the noun’s gender, number and case, so there are many variations.
Some of these might surprise you - like the fact that the word for \"girl\" in German, \"Mädchen,\" has the neutral article \"das,\" even though it refers to a female. These linguistic gems are bound to keep you on your toes. So grab a pen and your notebook as we teach you all about genders, the difference between definite and indefinite articles in German and shed light on the jelly doughnut debacle.
![\"John](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt3c01b1ce02daea18/6449f93abeb11b4c338c4b22/closeup-fluffy-doughnuts-with-jam-container-lights.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
German articles are small words that accompany nouns. They change according to three factors:
When a word changes based on these factors, it’s called declension.
German declensions are changes in the form of nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and articles to indicate their grammatical case, gender, and number. These changes help to convey the function of a word within a sentence.
In German, there are three grammatical genders:
Two grammatical numbers:
And four grammatical cases:
A definite article in German is the article that accompanies a specific noun. If you’re referring to a known person or item in English, you use the article “the”.
English: These are the flowers my friend gave me.
German: Dies sind die Blumen, die mir mein Freund geschenkt hat.
In German, there are three definite articles:
These also change with number and case as the following chart shows:
| Number/Case | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Genitive |
| Single | Der | Den | Dem | Des |
| Die | Die | Der | Der | |
| Das | Das | Dem | Des | |
| Plural | Die | Die | Den | Der |
| Die | Die | Den | Der | |
| Die | Die | Den | Der |
Here's the same chart with matching nouns: “der Mann” (the man: male), “die Frau” (the woman: female) and “das Tier” (the animal: neuter).
| Number/Case | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Genitive |
| Single | Der Mann | Den Mann | Dem Mann | Des Mannes |
| Die Frau | Die Frau | Der Frau | Der Frau | |
| Das Tier | Das Tier | Dem Tier | Des Tiers | |
| Plural | Die Männer | Die Männer | Den Männern | Der Männer |
| Die Frauen | Die Frauen | Den Frauen | Der Frauen | |
| Die Tiere | Die Tiere | Den Tieren | Der Tiere |
Don’t get discouraged! That might look like a lot of “der, die, das” with different meanings but you’ll get the hang of it. Just make sure you study the charts and learn the correct gender of each new word as they’re usually hard to guess.
![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt66fecf8e4a8e70cf/6449fa68d5d03c0794f15492/pexels-vlada-karpovich-4050315.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
An indefinite article in German is the article that accompanies a non-specific noun. In English, if you’re referring to an unknown person or item, you use the article “a” or “an” if the noun starts with a vowel.
English; I just received a flower bouquet and I don’t know who gave it to me.
German: Ich habe gerade einen Blumenstrauß bekommen und ich weiß nicht, wer ihn geschickt hat.
In this case, it’s the first time you’re referring to the bouquet, so it’s indefinite.
In German, there are three indefinite articles:
| Number/Case | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Genitive |
| Single | Ein | Den | Dem | Des |
| Eine | Die | Der | Der | |
| Das | Das | Dem | Des | |
| Plural | Die | Die | Den | Der |
| Die | Die | Den | Der | |
| Die | Die | Den | Der |
Notice that indefinite articles have no plural form in English or German:
| Number/Case | Nominative | Accusative | Dative | Genitive |
| Single | Ein Mann | Einen Mann | Einem Mann | Eines Mannes |
| Eine Frau | Eine Frau | Einer Frau | Einer Frau | |
| Ein Tier | Ein Tier | Einem Tier | Eines Tiers | |
| Plural | Männer | Männer | Männern | Männer |
| Frauen | Frauen | Frauen | Frauen | |
| Tiere | Tiere | Tieren | Tiere |
As you saw, indefinite nouns have no plural. So when referring to a category or a group, no article is used:
For example, \"Hunde sind treu\" (Dogs are loyal).
There are some other instances when no article is used with a noun in German.
On June 26, 1963, John F. Kennedy gave a speech in West Berlin. In a city separated into East and West by the wall, he talked about the struggles of the Soviet-controlled East and stated his support for West Germany, expressing solidarity with the city and famously proclaiming “Ich bin ein Berliner”.
In English you might say “I’m a New Yorker” but as you know now, in German, you generally leave out the article for such statements. That means a native speaker wouldn’t say “I’m a Berliner”.
They would just say “Ich bin Berliner” (male) or “Ich bin Berlinerin” (female).
Obviously, little mistakes like this happen when you’re speaking a foreign language. The only reason this became a funny story is that a “Berliner” is also the name of a popular German dish: the delicious jelly-filled doughnut. Some people argued that JFK’s sentence would have been grammatically correct if he had in fact been talking about that dish.
If you ever wondered how to say “I’m a cookie” in German, for example, the answer is “Ich bin ein Keks” - and as you can see, here you do use the article.
Of course it was clear from context that JFK was just trying to create a feeling of belonging and connectedness with the city of Berlin. Needless to say, he was a president. Not a jelly doughnut.
This just goes to show that context and a healthy portion of common sense can get you very far when communicating with or as a foreign language learner. Sometimes it’s easier to guess what someone is trying to say than it is to understand.
Little mistakes are inevitable and easily forgiven - but if we’re honest, making mistakes usually makes for better stories. So just have fun with it either way!
Visit our comprehensive German language blog for more fun facts and stories about German history and culture.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"German preposition","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"45 top German prepositions to learn: Dative, accusative & more","url":"/blog/german-prepositions-dative-accusative-two-way","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte39c4f64093e426a/6450b2111d4d37184e1cfc2f/pexels-canva-studio-3153199.jpg"},"post_content":"Sometimes when you name all the different prepositions in your head, they just disappear into a dense fog of spatial confusion.
\nGerman prepositions carry a number of different meanings and consist of very few letters. So they can sound similar, which makes them especially difficult to learn and tell apart - but just like articles and pronouns, these little guys show that some of the smallest words carry a lot of meaning.
\nThat’s why we’ll teach you the most commonly used German prepositions, which cases they go with, and some hilarious German idioms that use them.
\nAre you with me?
\n![\"Learn](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltee6f44ef032139b6/6450b273bc640e1157c30bc3/pexels-yan-krukau-8837774.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Prepositions indicate the relationship between other words within a sentence by clarifying position, direction, or time.
They’re an essential part of the German language, which has more than 80 prepositions. About half of those are commonly used. Those are the ones we’ll list here for you.
Keep in mind that prepositions can have multiple functions and, therefore various different meanings. It often doesn’t make sense to translate them literally. So it helps to learn new expressions and idioms together with their respective prepositions.
\nGenerally, prepositions can be divided into four groups:
\nPrepositions that initiate:
\nGerman dative prepositions are accompanied by a noun or pronoun in the dative case. They indicate various relationships between two things within a sentence, including location (bei, nahe) and direction (nach, zu).
\n| Preposition | \nEnglish meaning | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| Aus | \nFrom, out, outside of, of, off | \nHeute gehe ich nicht aus dem Haus. | \nToday I won’t go out of the house. | \n
| Außer | \nExcept, unless | \nNiemand außer dir versteht mich. | \nNobody understands me except you. | \n
| Bei | \nAt, with, by | \nIch bin bei Anna. | \nI’m with Anna. (locally, next to her) | \n
| Mit | \nWith | \nIch bin mit Anna zusammen. | \nI’m with Anna. (We’re dating) | \n
| Nahe | \nNear | \nIch wohne nahe dem Fluss. | \nI live near the river. | \n
| Neben | \nNext to, besides | \nDer Stift liegt neben dem Telefon. | \nThe pen is next to the telephone. | \n
| Gemäß | \nAccording to | \nGemäß Paragraph 18 sind Sie jetzt zum Kauf verpflichtet. | \nAccording to paragraph 18 you are now obliged to purchase. | \n
| Entgegen | \nContrary to | \nEntgegen aller Vernunft kaufte sie den Porsche. | \nContrary to all reason, she bought the Porsche. | \n
| Nach | \nTo, towards, past (+time) | \nIch fliege nach L.A. | \nI’m flying to L.A. | \n
| Zu | \nTo | \nIch fahre zu Julian. | \nI’m driving to Julian’s. | \n
| Binnen | \nWithin | \nBitte überweisen Sie den Betrag binnen 14 Tagen. | \nPlease transfer the amount within 14 days. | \n
| Ab | \nFrom | \nIch arbeite ab 8 Uhr. | \nI work from 8AM. | \n
| Abgesehen von | \nAside from, apart from | \nAbgesehen von kleinen Schwierigkeiten läuft das Projekt gut. | \nApart from a few minor difficulties, the project is going well. | \n
| Seit | \nSince | \nSeit dem Gespräch hab ich hier das Sagen. | \nSince the conversation, I've been in charge here. | \n
| Von | \nOf, from | \nVon hier aus sind es noch 20 km. | \nFrom here it’s another 20 km. | \n
| Einschließlich | \nIncluding | \nIch hab alles gefunden, einschließlich Bananen. | \nI found everything, including bananas. | \n
| Samt, mitsamt | \nWith, along with | \nIch bin samt Kleidung ins Wasser gesprungen. | \nI jumped into the water with all my clothes. | \n
| Laut | \nAccording to | \nLaut deiner Mama solltest du in der Schule sein. | \nAccording to your mom, you should be in school. | \n
| Dank | \nThanks to | \nDank dir bin ich glücklicher als je zuvor. | \nThanks to you, I am happier than ever before. | \n
| Entsprechend\n \n | \nAccordingly | \nDem Vertrag entsprechend geht das leider nicht. | \nUnfortunately, this is not possible according to the contract. | \n
| Gegenüber | \nOpposite, compared to | \nEr saß mir direkt gegenüber. | \nHe was sitting directly across from me. | \n
| Zufolge | \nAccording to | \nIhr zufolge gibt es keinen Grund zur Sorge. | \nAccording to her, there is no need to worry. | \n
Here are some things to keep in mind when using German dative prepositions:
\nGerman accusative prepositions are accompanied by a noun or pronoun in the accusative case. They indicate things like manner (für), time (um) and others.
\n| Preposition | \nEnglish meaning | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| Für | \nFor | \nDie Blumen sind für dich. | \nThe flowers are for you. | \n
| Je | \nPer, as per | \nWir haben je einen Kaffee bestellt. | \nWe ordered one coffee each. | \n
| Pro | \nPer | \nEs gab nur einen Keks pro Person. | \nThere was only one cookie per person. | \n
| Ohne | \nWithout | \nOhne dich ist es langweilig. | \nIt's boring without you. | \n
| Durch | \nThrough | \nIch weiß durch meine Chefin davon. | \nI know about it through my boss. | \n
| Gegen | \nAgainst, around (+time) | \nIch bin gegen die Idee. | \nI am against the idea. | \n
| Bis | \nUntil | \nWir waren bis zum Morgen wach. | \nWe were awake until morning. | \n
| Um | \nAt (+time), about, around | \nDer Film fängt um 20:15 Uhr an. | \nThe movie starts at 8:15 pm. | \n
Here are some things to keep in mind when using German accusative prepositions:
\nTwo-way prepositions in German, also known as dual prepositions, can come with either the accusative or dative case, depending on the context of the sentence.
\n| Preposition | \nEnglish meaning | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| An | \nAt, upon, on | \nDative: Das Bild hängt an der Wand. Accusative: Ich hänge das Bild an die Wand. | \n The picture is hanging on the wall. I'm hanging the picture on the wall. | \n
| Auf | \nOn, to, at | \nDative: Der Schlüssel liegt auf dem Tisch. Accusative: Ich lege den Schlüssel auf den Tisch. | \n The key is on the table. I put the key on the table. | \n
| In | \nIn, into | \nDative: Die Katze sitzt in dem Karton. Accusative: Die Katze klettert in den Karton. | \n The cat is sitting in the box. The cat is climbing into the box. | \n
| Über | \nAbout, over, above | \nDative: Das Foto hängt über dem Schreibtisch. Accusative: Ich hänge ein Foto über den Schreibtisch. | \n The photograph is hanging above the desk. I'm hanging a photograph above the desk. | \n
| Unter | \nUnder, underneath below, among | \nDative: Der Hund schläft unter der Decke. Accusative: Der Hund kriecht unter die Decke. | \n The dog is sleeping under the blanket. The dog is crawling under the blanket. | \n
| Neben | \nNext to, beside | \nDative: Ich bin direkt neben dir. Accusative: Darf ich mich neben dich setzen? | \n I’m right next to you. Can I sit down next to you? | \n
| Zwischen | \nBetween, among | \nDative: Das Kind steht zwischen den Eltern. Accusative: Das Kind hat sich zwischen die Eltern gesetzt. | \n The child is standing between the parents. The child sat down between the parents. | \n
| Vor | \nBefore, ago, ahead, in front of | \nDative: Das Paket steht vor der Tür. Accusative: Sie hat es vor die Tür gestellt | \n The box is in front of the door. She put it in front of the door. | \n
| Hinter | \nBehind, after | \nDative: Der Hund versteckt sich hinter dem Sofa. Accusative: Er ist hinter das Sofa gesprungen. | \n The dog is hiding behind the couch. He jumped behind the couch. | \n
Here are some things to keep in mind when using German two-way prepositions:
\nGerman genitive prepositions are accompanied by a noun or pronoun in the genitive case, which is used to show possession. So they describe a possessive relation (innerhalb, wegen) or reference time (während).
\n| Preposition | \nEnglish meaning | \nExample sentence | \nTranslation | \n
| Anstatt | \nInstead of | \nSie ging mit ihrer Schwester zum Ball anstatt mit ihrem Freund. | \nShe went to the prom with her sister instead of her boyfriend. | \n
| Außerhalb | \nOutside of | \nWir sind außerhalb der Geschäftszeiten nicht zu erreichen. | \nWe can’t be reached outside of office hours. | \n
| Innerhalb | \nInside of, within | \nDas muss innerhalb einer Stunde fertig sein. | \nThis must be completed within an hour. | \n
| Trotz | \nIn spite of | \nTrotz des Regens ging ich spazieren. | \nIn spite of the rain, I went for a walk. | \n
| Wegen | \nBecause of, due to | \nDer Unterricht fällt heute wegen des Schnees aus. | \nClasses are canceled because of the snow. | \n
| Während | \nDuring | \nWährend meines Urlaubs habe ich viel gelesen. | \nDuring my vacation, I read a lot. | \n
Here are some things to keep in mind when using German genitive prepositions:
\nHere’s a German prepositions chart to remind you which prepositions go with which case:
\n| Preposition | \nCase | \nExample | \nTranslation | \n
| Aus, Außer, Bei, Mit, Nahe, Neben, Gemäß, Entgegen, Nach, Zu, Binnen, Ab, Abgesehen von, Seit, Von, Einschließlich, Samt, Mitsamt, Laut, Dank, Entsprechend, Gegenüber, Zufolge | \nDative | \nMeine Katze Luna springt aus dem Bett und tapst zur Tür. | \nMy cat Luna jumps out of bed and plods to the door. | \n
| Für, Je, Pro, Ohne, Durch, Gegen, Bis, Um | \nAccusative | \nFür mich ist gerade ein Paket angekommen und sobald ich den Karton leer mache, stürmt Luna darauf zu. | \nA package has just arrived for me and as soon as I empty the box, Luna rushes towards it. | \n
| An, Auf, In, Über, Unter, Neben, Zwischen, Vor, Hinter | \nDative or Accusative | \nSie klettert in den Karton. Es sieht aus, als hätte sie es sehr gemütlich in ihrem neuen Versteck. | \n She climbs into the box. It looks like she is very comfortable in her new hiding place. | \n
| Anstatt, Außerhalb, Innerhalb, Trotz, Wegen, Während | \nGenitive | \nKatzen sitzen einfach gern in Kartons, trotz der Betten, die wir ihnen zurechtmachen. | \nCats just love to sit in boxes, despite the beds we make for them. | \n
Many prepositions have found their way into idioms, some of which are pretty entertaining.
\nCan you guess what it means if someone gives you “a wave with the fence post” or “pulls you through the hot chocolate”?
\n![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt976c1d2bc4ab4f2e/6450b32f1338252c6f8721a5/pexels-christina-morillo-1181743.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| Preposition | \nLiteral translation | \nContext | \nEnglish meaning | \n
| Es ist zum Mäusemelken! | \nIt leads to milking mice! | \nSome things just drive you crazy so you end up doing something as nonsensical as milking mice | \nIt's enough to drive you up the wall | \n
| Etwas an die große Glocke hängen | \nTo hang something on the big bell | \nPeople used to ring the church bells to get everyone together in person to announce big news. | \nTo shout it from the rooftops | \n
| Auf dem Schlauch stehen | \nTo stand on the hose | \nSomething gets stuck on the way to your brain, in a figurative hose. | \nTo not understand | \n
| Ist dir eine Laus über die Leber gelaufen? | \nDid a louse run across your liver? | \nThis uses the same imagery as English: a bug messing with your mood. | \nIs something bugging you? | \n
| Unter aller Sau sein | \nTo be under all pig | \nBack in the day, there was a custom of giving a pig to the loser of a competition, as a sign of defeat. | \nTo be really bad | \n
| Jemanden in die Wüste schicken | \nTo send somebody into the desert | \nA biblical reference to sending someone really far away | \nTo kick somebody to the curb | \n
| Hinter dem Mond leben | \nTo live behind the moon | \nThe back side of the moon is permanently turned away from the earth, so someone who lives there misses what’s going on. | \nTo be behind the times | \n
| Jemanden /etwas durch den Kakao ziehen | \nTo pull somebody / something through the hot chocolate | \nOriginally, this saying included a different word than “hot chocolate” (it had the same color!) but this censored cocoa version is the only one that’s being used today. | \nTo make fun of somebody / something | \n
| Ein Wink mit dem Zaunpfahl | \nA wave with the fence post | \nWaving with something as sturdy as a fence post will definitely get someone’s attention. | \nTo give a broad hint | \n
If you love a chuckle, you can learn more funny German words and phrases in this article.
\n\nI know this was a lot to take in. Trying to choose the right preposition might be one of the biggest challenges when learning German.
\nLuckily there are some amazing blogs to help you better understand complex topics like this one. Maybe you should check out some more?
\nPssst! That was a subtle wave with the fence post towards our very own German language blog.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false}],"hidden":false}},{"cards":{"large_cards":false,"row":false,"flat":false,"join_block_below":true,"cta_as_link":true,"cards":[{"call_to_action_text":"Good afternoon in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to wish someone a good afternoon in German correctly","url":"/blog/good-afternoon-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt160fae27ee4173e9/637dd1b0b71d091081d1076d/istock-1153667276.jpeg"},"post_content":"You already know how to say good morning and good evening in German, and as an ambitious German learner, you want to take your greetings to the next level?
\nThen you might be wondering how to say good afternoon in German - but beware! The short answer is: You don’t. Even though German-speakers will definitely understand you if you wish them a “guten Nachmittag”, it’s just not something you’d say.
\nInstead, we’ll teach you some more natural ways to greet someone in the afternoon and give you an idea of what a German afternoon actually looks like.
\nDownload your free German language essentials eBook here if you're looking to begin your German language learning journey.
\n![\"Germans](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltc6c65f0cf5378b87/637dd954deb37610ecbb89bb/istock-988358060.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
“Afternoon” in German is “der Nachmittag”. Therefore, if you wish someone a good afternoon in German, it would be “guten Nachmittag”.
\nThis is possible but you wouldn’t hear it used as a greeting. It only works if you’re saying goodbye in German and you’re telling someone to enjoy the rest of their afternoon for example.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Afternoon | \nDer Nachmittag | \n[ˈnaːxmɪˌtaːk] | \n
| Good afternoon! | \nGuten Nachmittag! | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈnaːxmɪˌtaːk] | \n
| Enjoy the rest of your afternoon! | \nSchönen Nachmittag noch! | \n[ˈʃøːnən ˈnaːxmɪˌtaːk nɔx] | \n
| How is your afternoon going? | \nWie läuft dein Nachmittag? | \n[vi: lɔʏ̯ft daɪ̯n ˈnaːxmɪˌtaːk] | \n
| I had a good afternoon | \nIch hatte einen schönen Nachmittag | \n[ɪç ‘hatə ‘aɪ̯nən ˈʃøːnən ˈnaːxmɪˌtaːk] | \n
| How was the meeting this afternoon? | \nWie war das Meeting heute Nachmittag? | \n[vi: va:ɐ̯ das ‘me:tɪŋ ‘hɔʏ̯tə ˈnaːxmɪˌtaːk] | \n
| I’m usually home in the afternoons | \nNachmittags bin ich meistens zuhause. | \n[ˈnaːxmɪˌtaːks bɪn ɪç maɪ̯stəns tsu’haʊ̯zə] | \n
| I’ll see you in the afternoon | \nWir sehen uns heute Nachmittag | \n[vi:ɐ̯ ‘ze:ən ʊns ‘hɔʏ̯tə ˈnaːxmɪˌtaːk] | \n
Knowing German slang is important when you’re trying to sound like a native. Even the greeting “Guten Tag” is rather formal and not used that often in a casual setting - but the expression “guten Nachmittag” just wouldn’t sound natural.
\nInstead, use some simple German slang words and phrases to greet someone in the afternoon.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Hi | \nNa | \n[naː] | \n
| Hellooo | \nHallöchen | \n[haˈløːçən] | \n
| Hello | \nTach | \n[ta:x] | \n
| ‘Sup? | \nWas geht? | \n[vas ɡeːt] | \n
| What’s up? | \nWas geht ab? | \n[vas ɡeːt ap] | \n
| How’s it going? | \nWie läuft’s? | \n[viː lɔɪ̯fts] | \n
| Everything good? | \nAlles klar? | \n[ˈaləs klaːɐ̯] | \n
| Is everything good with you? | \nAlles gut bei dir? | \n[ˈaləs klaːɐ̯ baɪ̯ diːɐ̯] | \n
There are no particular afternoon greetings that vary by German region but you can never go wrong if you use a simple “hallo” in German. If you want to be regionally specific, you can try some of these ways to say hello.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nRegion | \n
| Hello | \nMoin | \n[mɔɪ̯n] | \nHamburg, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein | \n
| Hello | \nMoin Moin | \n[mɔɪ̯n] | \nHamburg, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein | \n
| Hello | \nServus | \n[ˈseɐ̯vus] | \nBavaria | \n
| Hello | \nMahlzeit | \n[‘maːltsaɪ̯t] | \nBavaria, Baden-Württemberg | \n
| Hello | \nTach | \n[ta:x] | \nNordrhein-Westfalen, Hamburg, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein | \n
Swiss German is similar to South German dialects. You’ll hear the greeting “Servus” throughout Switzerland, Austria and South Germany. You can use this all day - whether it’s morning, evening or afternoon.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Hello | \nServus | \n[ˈseɐ̯vus] | \n
| Hello | \nGrüß Gott | \n[ɡʁyːs ɡɔt] | \n
| Hello | \nGrüezi | \n[gʁʏət͡si] | \n
| Have a nice rest of your afternoon! | \nNo a schöna Nachmittag! | \n[no: a: ‘ʃø:na ˈnaːxmɪˌtaːk] | \n
Just like in other countries, the time between noon and evening is considered the afternoon in Germany. This is typically anywhere between 12 and 5PM. To learn about the German times of day, make sure you check out our easy, essential guide on telling the time in German.
\nGermany isn’t so hot that you need a siesta nap but we like to take it just slow enough anyway.
\nWhile Americans tend to work all day and have their biggest meal for dinner, Germans like to take a break between 1 and 3 in the afternoon for the so-called “Mittagessen”, where you enjoy all kinds of warm German dishes. For many people, this is the most important meal of the day.
\nIn some European countries school takes all day. Poor French school kids usually have classes from 8:30AM all the way until 5 or 6PM - but not the Germans.
\nHere, students get out of school between noon and afternoon but they’re left to complete some Hausaufgaben (homework), so they usually spend their afternoons at home completing those before they’re off to play.
\n![\"German](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt0b3a38415583b509/637dd722f33b43105dcd8c3d/istock-1043046322.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
The highlight of a German afternoon is definitely Kaffee und Kuchen (coffee and cake). This is an important German tradition you should adopt in your own life right now.
\nFirst, make sure you know how to order coffee in German. Then just grab some cake and get together with your friends for a cozy afternoon chit chat.
\nRight after work, in the late afternoon or early evening, many Germans like to have their famous “Feierabendbier”, a little well-deserved German beer to celebrate the end of the work day. This is the perfect way to end your afternoon.
\n\n\n![\"Download](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt7b7f90ad746d4a74/6388419006fc27329f355c9f/German_SEO_Blog_Downloadables_Banner.gif?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
While you can say “good afternoon” in German, you now know that it makes more sense to use different expressions. So beware of literal translations! When we start learning a language, it’s perfectly normal to think in your mother tongue and then slowly translate your thoughts into the new language. Natives are likely to understand you anyway and will be very forgiving if you make mistakes like this.
\nAs your language skills improve though, you’re more likely to form your thoughts directly in your target language. You’ll read, hear and learn the way natives speak and it will be easy for you to determine what they’d say and what they wouldn’t say.
\nMake sure you follow our German language blog for all the insider tips on German language and culture and you’ll blend in with the natives in no time.
\nYou won’t awkwardly wish someone a “guten Nachmittag” as a greeting because your mouth will be full with Kaffe and Kuchen. That’s how German you’ll be.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"German umlaut","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"A complete guide to German umlauts: How to use and type them","url":"/blog/german-umlaut-meaning-letters","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4eb43dff3b2e74a7/64363d9035650a110764463b/pexels-canva-studio-3153203.jpg"},"post_content":"Learn about the German umlaut, its meaning, and how it affects pronunciation and spelling of certain letters, essential for mastering the language.
\n\nIf you’re learning German, you’ve probably come across some curious-looking letters before and wondered how to pronounce words like “übermäßig” or “Mäuseöhrchen”. We’re here to bring some clarity:
\nThe German alphabet has four letters that don’t exist in English:
\nThe first three are called “Umlaute” and we’ll take a close look at each one of them so you know what they are, what they sound like and how to use them.
\n![\"An](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4d99470a885f3307/64363ed66bfe3410b96a912c/pexels-polina-zimmerman-3747474.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
An Umlaut is a diacritic mark, or accent, which looks like two dots and goes above a vowel. This usually changes the pronunciation of the vowel or transforms it into another independent vowel. Different languages have different Umlaute or other vowel alterations, for example, Hungarian has the “ű” and Danish has the letters “æ”, “ø”, and “å”.
\nThe three German Umlaut letters are “ä” as in “März”, “ö” as in “Königin”, and “ü” as in “Glück”.
\nOriginally, “ä”, “ö” and “ü” were considered variants of the base letters “a”, “o”, and “u”, but since the spelling reform in 1996, they’re officially recognized as separate letters.
\nLet’s have a closer look at each one of them!
\n\n
The “ä” indicates a change in the sound of the letter \"a\" that makes it sound similar to the English \"eh\" sound, as in \"bed\" or \"head.\" It’s a common mistake to mispronounce the “ä” like a common “e” even among native German speakers. You’ll notice this, especially in the North, where a word like “ähnlich” (similar) is often falsely pronounced “ehnlich”.
\n| German | \nIPA | \nEnglish | \n
| Ähnlich | \n[ɛːn.lɪç] | \nSimilar | \n
| Ägypten | \n[ɛːɡʏptən] | \nEgypt | \n
| Der Bäcker | \n[deːɐ̯ 'bɛkɐ] | \nBakery | \n
| März | \n[mɛrts] | \nMarch | \n
| Mächtig | \n[ˈmɛːçtɪç] | \nMighty | \n
| Der Käfer | \n[deːɐ̯ 'kɛːfɐ] | \nBug | \n
| Der Bär | \n[deːɐ̯ 'bɛːɐ̯] | \nBear | \n
| Näher | \n['nɛːɐ̯ɐ] | \nCloser | \n
| Wäre | \n[ˈvɛːʁə] | \nWould be | \n
| Zählen | \n[ˈtsɛːlən] | \nTo count | \n
\n
There’s one case in which the “ä” is not pronounced like a classic “ä” and that’s in combination with the vowel “u”. As you may remember from our guide on German vowels and diphthongs, certain vowel combinations have their own unique pronunciation and “äu” is one of those. Instead of pronouncing both vowels separately, “äu” is pronounced like the English “oy”.
\n| German | \nIPA | \nEnglish | \n
| Äußerst | \n['ɔɪ̯sɐst] | \nExtremely | \n
| Häufig | \n['hɔɪ̯fʊç] | \nOften | \n
| Träume | \n[ˈtʁɔʏmə] | \nDreams | \n
| Das Häuschen | \n[das 'hɔɪ̯ʃən] | \nLittle Haus | \n
| Die Äußerung | \n[diː 'ɔɪ̯sɛʁʊŋ] | \nStatement | \n
\n
The German letter \"ö\" is a vowel that sounds similar to the “o” in the English “occur”. It’s the most common one of the three Umlaute, so you won’t be able to escape it!
\nHere are some example words with the letter “ö” - from oil paintings to birds.
\n| German | \nIPA | \nEnglish | \n
| Öffnen | \n['œfnən] | \nTo open | \n
| Die Ölmalerei | \n[diː ˈœlmaˌlaːraɪ] | \nOil painting | \n
| Die Öffentlichkeit | \n[diː ˈœfn̩t.lɪçkaɪt] | \nPublicity | \n
| Das Löwenmäulchen | \n[das ˈløːvənˌmɔʏlçən] | \nSnapdragon | \n
| Schön | \n[ʃøːn] | \nBeautiful | \n
| Fröhlich | \n[ˈfʁøːlɪç] | \nCheerful | \n
| Das Gedöns | \n[das ɡəˈdœns] | \nStuff | \n
| Der Körper | \n[deːɐ̯ ˈkœʁpɐ] | \nBody | \n
| Vögel | \n['fœːɡl] | \nBird | \n
| Zöpfe | \n['tsœpfə] | \nBraids | \n
\n
The German “ü” sound is difficult to describe as no similar sound exists in English. That’s probably why so many English speakers tend to ignore the two dots and treat the “ü” like a common “u”.
\nIt may take some practice but you’ll get there. Start by saying the \"o\" in the English word \"do\" like you have a strong British accent!
\n| German | \nIPA | \nEnglish | \n
| Übermorgen | \n['yːbɐˌmɔʁɡn̩] | \nThe day after tomorrow | \n
| Die Blüte | \n[diː ˈblytə] | \nBlossom | \n
| Der Schlüssel | \n[deːɐ̯ ˈʃlʏsəl] | \nKey | \n
| Der Frühling | \n[deːɐ̯ ˈfʁyːlɪŋ] | \nSpring | \n
| Die Würde | \n[diː ˈvʏɐ̯də] | \nDignity | \n
| Liebe Grüße | \n[ˈliːbə ˈɡʁyːsə] | \nKind regards | \n
| Gemütlich | \n[ɡəˈmyːtlɪç] | \nCozy | \n
| Süß | \n[zyːs] | \nSweet | \n
| Würzig | \n[ˈvʏʁtsɪç] | \nFlavorful | \n
| Die Übersetzung | \n[diː ˌyːbɐˈzɛtsʊŋ] | \nTranslation | \n
\n
The \"ß\", also called \"Eszett\" (sz) or \"scharfes S\" (sharp s) is not an Umlaut, but it deserves to be mentioned since it’s the only letter that is completely unique to the German language. It’s only used in the middle of words, so there is no upper case form of it. It’s pronounced as a sharp ‘s’-sound and can be replaced by writing “ss”.
\n| German | \nIPA | \nEnglish | \n
| Spaß | \n[deːɐ̯ ʃpaːs] | \nFun | \n
| Schließen | \n[ˈʃliːsən] | \nTo close | \n
| Genießen | \n[ɡəˈniːsən] | \nTo enjoy | \n
| Der Schoß | \n[deːɐ̯ ʃɔs] | \nLap | \n
| Die Straße | \n[diː ˈʃtʁaːsə] | \nStreet | \n
| Dreißig | \n[ˈdʁaɪ̯sɪç] | \nThirty | \n
| Barfuß | \n[baʁˈfuːs] | \nBarefoot | \n
| Fleißig | \n[ˈflaɪ̯zɪç] | \nDiligent | \n
| Weiß | \n[vaɪ̯s] | \nWhite | \n
\n
Here’s a reminder of how to pronounce the German Umlaut sounds:
\nWhile that may give you an idea of the correct pronunciation, the easiest way to learn new sounds in a different language is by listening to a native speaker and copying them. So take it from Feli:
\nThere are a couple of ways to type a German Umlaut on your keyboard depending on your device and operating system:
\n![\"Learn](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt30602e00d7125edf/64363df96c90a4120140132d/pexels-polina-zimmerman-3747403.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
\n
\n
Alternatively, you can just write the “ä” as “ae”, the “ö” as “oe” and the “ü” as “ue”.
\nOr you can add a German keyboard to your phone’s keyboard settings and switch to it when you need to type Umlaute. To do this, go to \"Settings\" > \"General\" > \"Keyboard\" > \"Keyboards\" > \"Add New Keyboard\" and select \"German\".
\nThat way, you can easily switch between your primary keyboard and the German keyboard by tapping the globe icon. That’s how I do it!
\n\n
Swapping a single letter easily alters the entire meaning of a word - and so does swapping a regular vowel for its Umlaut.
\nMany words that include a certain vowel in the singular, use the respective Umlaut in the plural:
\nAlso, if a noun has a vowel that can be transformed into an Umlaut, a related verb or adjective will often have the Umlaut instead.
\nHere are some examples:
\nAnother way to alter the meaning of certain nouns is by swapping their vowels for the Umlaut and then adding the syllable “chen” at the end. This creates the diminutive form, which implies that something is small and cute:
\n\n
Another great word with “ü” is “üben”. It means “to practice”, which is the key to mastering any language. Making sounds that don’t exist in your native language can be tricky, and you may end up twisting your tongue a little - but that’s ok.
\nAfter all, Umlaute are a distinctive part of the German language and learning about them gives you important insights into its complexities.
\nOne great place to practice is our German language blog. Just head over there and pick a topic that piques your interest!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"German tongue twisters","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"20 German tongue twisters for beginners and advanced learners","url":"/blog/german-tongue-twisters","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt7d7fd72dbd8c2729/6436441935650a1107644647/pexels-helena-lopes-3859839.jpg"},"post_content":"Learning German can be quite a workout for your tongue. With long and quirky words like “Kinkerlitzchen” or “schlürfen”, German is the perfect language for tongue twisters.
All tongue twisters tend to focus on the trickiest sounds of a language. So by practicing them, you'll practice the pronunciation of all those difficult German words you’ve probably struggled with before.
You’ll master the subtle differences of sounds like “ch” and “ck” or “tsch” and “sch”, which will make you feel like an absolute language pro.
Once you’ve managed to say “Wenn du Wachsmasken magst, Max macht Wachsmasken aus Wachsmaskenwachs”, every other German sentence seems kinda easy after that.
So warm up your mouth muscles for some crazy, twisted and hilarious German tongue twisters!
![\"Friends](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt42494f422574654a/6436453e9bfbdd10ae68fed4/pexels-monstera-5384451.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
In German, tongue twisters are “Zungenbrecher”, literally “tongue breakers”, referring to silly phrases that are challenging to pronounce, especially when you say them fast.
The expression is one of the many body-related idioms in German.
English has some difficult words and tongue-twisters, too, but German is taking the tongue-twisting to another level. Some include simple alliterations, which use the same first letters in a row or palindromes, which read the same backward as forward.
More difficult tongue twisters include consonant clusters as in the example: “Zwischen zwei Zwetschgenzweigen zwitschern zwei Schwalben.”
As you can see, this has several similar consonant clusters:
The individual sounds of tongue twisters are so similar that you’re tempted to confuse them - but don’t let them trick you! Here are some popular tongue twisters in German to get you started.
| German | IPA | English |
| Zehn zahme Ziegen zogen zehn Zentner Zucker zum Zoo. | [t͡sɛ:n ˈt͡sa:mə ˈt͡si:gən ˈt͡so:gən t͡sɛ:n ˈt͡sɛntnɐ ˈt͡sʊkɐ t͡sʊm t͡so:] | Ten tame goats pulled ten hundredweight of sugar to the zoo. |
| Blaukraut bleibt Blaukraut und Brautkleid bleibt Brautkleid. | [ˈblaʊ̯kʁaʊ̯t blaɪ̯pt ˈblaʊ̯kʁaʊ̯t ʊnt ˈbʁaʊ̯tklaɪ̯t blaɪ̯pt ˈbʁaʊ̯tklaɪ̯t] | Blue cabbage remains blue cabbage and wedding dress remains wedding dress. |
| Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen hinter Fliegen. | [vɛn ˈfli:gən ˈhɪntɐ ˈfli:gən ˈfli:gən ˈfli:gən ˈfli:gən ˈhɪntɐ ˈfli:gən] | When flies fly behind flies, flies fly behind flies. |
| Fischers Fritz fischt frische Fische, frische Fische fischt Fischers Fritz. | [ˈfɪʃɐs fʁɪt͡s fɪʃt ˈfʁɪʃə ˈfɪʃə ˈfʁɪʃə ˈfɪʃə fɪʃt ˈfɪʃɐs fʁɪt͡s] | Fischers Fritz fishes fresh fish, fresh fish fishes Fischers Fritz |
| Wir Wiener Waschweiber würden weiße Wäsche waschen, wenn wir wüssten, wo warmes Wasser wäre. | [vi:ɐ̯ ˈvi:nɐ ˈvaʃvaɪ̯bɐ ˈvʏɐ̯dən ˈvaɪ̯szə ˈvɛʃə ˈvaʃən vɛn vi:ɐ̯ ˈvʏstən vo: ˈvaɐ̯məs ˈvasɐ vɛ:ʁə] | We Viennese washerwomen would wash white laundry if we knew where warm water was. |
| Lang schwang der Klang am Hang entlang. | [laŋ ʃvaŋ de:ɐ̯ klaŋ am haŋ ɛntlaŋ] | The sound resonated long along the slope. |
| Schnecken erschrecken, wenn sie an Schnecken schlecken, weil zum Schrecken vieler Schnecken Schnecken nicht schmecken. | [ˈʃnɛkən ɛɐ̯ˈʃʁɛkən vɛn zi: an ˈʃnɛkən ˈʃlɛkən vaɪ̯l t͡sʊm ˈʃʁɛkən ˈfi:lɐ ˈʃnɛkən ˈʃnɛkən nɪçt ˈʃmɛkən] | Snails get scared when they lick snails because, to the horror of many snails, snails do not taste good. |
| Bierbrauer Bauer braut braunes Bier. | [ˈbi:ɐ̯bʁaʊ̯ɐ ˈbaʊ̯ɐ bʁaʊ̯t ˈbʁaʊ̯nəs bi:ɐ̯] | Brewer Bauer brews brown beer. |
| Acht alte Ameisen aßen am Abend Ananas. | [axt ˈaltə a:ˈmaɪ̯zən ˈasən am ˈa:bənt ˈananas] | Eight old ants ate pineapple in the evening. |
| Im dichten Fichtendickicht sind dicke Fichten wichtig. | [ɪm ˈdɪçtən ˈfɪçtəndɪkɪçt zɪnt ˈdɪkə ˈfɪçtən ˈvɪçtɪç] | In the thick fig thicket, thick figs are important. |
You don’t feel like you’re ever gonna be able to say any of these? Just take it step by step. Here are 5 tips to help you practice your German tongue twisters:
![\"5](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt1479d95c4665928e/643646296bfe3410b96a913d/pexels-vlada-karpovich-4050388.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Exaggerate each sound like you’re speaking in slo-mo. The slower you say these, the better. Don’t go for speed until you’ve mastered each sound.
Focus on each syllable by itself. If you’re looking at a word like “Streichholzschächtelchen”, divide it into each one of its syllables. To do that, look for the vowels: “Streich-holz-schächt-el-chen”.
If you know what makes the tongue twister a tongue twister, it’s easier not to stumble on its specific challenge, from palindromes to consonant clusters. Know your enemies!
It will be the most fun if you practice with someone else. See who fails first and have fun with the hilarious things you’ll accidentally say.
As with everything else, the more you practice, the easier it will become. If you say anything a hundred times, eventually you won’t even have to think about it.
Now that we gave you some helpful tips, are you ready to level up?
Once you’ve mastered the basics, try these advanced German tongue twisters - and if you still trip over your tongue, don’t worry. Even natives, including myself, tend to trip over these!
| German | IPA | English |
| Wenn meine Braut Blaukraut klaut, dann ist sie eine Blaukrautklaubraut. | [vɛn ˈmaɪ̯nə bʁaʊ̯t ˈblaʊ̯kʁaʊ̯t klaʊ̯t dan ɪst zi: ˈaɪ̯nə ˈblaʊ̯kʁaʊ̯tˈklaʊ̯bʁaʊ̯t] | If my bride steals red cabbage, then she's a red cabbage-stealing bride. |
| Die Katzen kratzen im Katzenkasten, im Kasten hört man die Katzen kratzen. | [di: ˈkat͡sən ˈkʁat͡sən ɪm ˈkat͡sənkastən, ɪm ˈkastən hø:ɐ̯t man di: ˈkat͡sən ˈkʁat͡sən] | The cats are scratching in the cat box, in the cat box you hear the cats scratching. |
| Der Cottbuser Postkutscher putzt den Cottbuser Postkutschkasten. | [de:ɐ̯ ˈkɔtbu:zɐ ˈpɔstkʊtʃɐ pʊt͡st de:n ˈkɔtbu:zɐ ˈpɔstkʊtʃˈkastən] | The Cottbus postal coach driver cleans the Cottbus postal coach chest. |
| Ob er aber über Oberammergau oder ob er über Unterammergau oder ob er überhaupt nicht kommt, ist nicht gewiss. | [ɔp e:ɐ̯ abɐ ˈy:bɐ ˈo:bɐˈamɐgaʊ̯ ˈo:dɐ ɔp e:ɐ̯ ˈy:bɐ ˈʊntəʁˈamɐgaʊ̯ o:dɐ ɔp e:ɐ̯ ˈy:bɐhaʊ̯pt nɪçt kɔmt ɪst nɪçt gəˈvɪs] | If he comes via Oberammergau, or via Unterammergau, or not at all, isn’t sure. |
| Zwischen zwei Zwetschgenbäumen zwitschern zwei Schwalben. | [ˈt͡svɪʃən t͡svaɪ̯ ˈt͡svɛtʃgənˈbɔʏ̯mən ˈt͡svɪtʃɛn t͡svaɪ̯ ˈʃvalbən] | Between two plum trees twitter two swallows. |
| Wenn du Wachsmasken magst, Max macht Wachsmasken aus Wachsmaskenwachs. | [vɛn du: ˈvaksmaskən makst maks maxt ˈvaksmaskən aʊ̯s ˈvaksˈmaskənvaks] | If you like wax masks, Max makes wax masks from wax mask wax. |
| Es sprach der Herr von Rubenstein, mein Hund der ist nicht stubenrein. | [ɛs ʃpʁa:x de:ɐ̯ hɛɐ̯ fɔn ˈʁu:bənʃtaɪ̯n maɪ̯n hʊnt de:ɐ̯ ɪst nɪçt ˈʃtu:bənʁaɪ̯n] | So spoke Mr. von Rubenstein, my dog, he's not house-trained. |
| Der Grubengräber gräbt die Gruben. Graben Grabengräber Gruben? Graben Grubengräber Gräben? Nein! Grabengräber graben Gräben. Grubengräber graben Gruben | [de:ɐ̯ ˈgʁu:bəŋʁɛ:bɐ gʁɛ:pt di: ˈgʁu:bən ˈgʁa:bən ˈgʁa:bəŋʁɛ:bɐ ˈgʁu:bən ˈgʁa:bən ˈgʁu:bəŋˈʁɛ:bɐ ˈgʁɛbən naɪ̯n ˈgʁa:bəŋˈʁɛ:bɐ ˈgʁa:bən ˈgʁɛbən ˈgʁu:bəŋˈʁɛ:bɐ ˈgʁa:bən ˈgʁu:bən] | The gravedigger digs graves. The ditchdigger digs ditches. Do ditchdiggers dig graves? Do gravediggers dig ditches? No! Gravediggers dig graves. Ditchdiggers dig ditches. |
| Sie stellte das Tschechische Streichholzschächtelchen auf den Tisch, auf den Tisch stellte sie das Tschechische Streichholzschächtelchen | [zi: ˈʃtɛltə das ˈtʃɛçɪʃə ʃtʁaɪ̯çhɔlt͡sʃɛçtɛlçən aʊ̯f de:n tɪʃ aʊ̯f de:n tɪʃ ʃtɛltə zi: das tʃɛçɪʃə ʃtʁaɪ̯çhɔlt͡sʃɛçtɛlçən | She put the Czech matchbox on the table, on the table she put the Czech matchbox. |
Don’t overthink it. As soon as we get into our heads, we tend to trip. Most tongue twisters are nonsensical anyway.
Like “If my bride steals red cabbage, then she's a red cabbage-stealing bride.”
So don’t look for logic and just let your tongue do the work - if it’s still working properly after all this madness.
We hope we didn’t break it, especially because you’ll need your tongue to practice all those other words that are waiting for you on our fun German language blog!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"German abbreviations","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"113 cool & convenient German abbreviations you need to learn","url":"/blog/german-abbreviations-acronyms","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltfcabeb76ff07926e/613ea9556892396b3b00b88d/Cultural_competence_in_the_workplace_pizza_with_friends.jpg"},"post_content":"Do you ever stumble over those famously long and quirky German words like “Eichhörnchen” or “Sternschnuppe”?
10 letters into typing “beziehungsweise”, you might consider switching to a monosyllabic language like Cantonese, but don’t give up on learning German just yet! There’s an easy way out:
Germans almost never spell out this long word. We usually shorten it to “bzw.” and we do the same with many other words.
In Germany, most abbreviations have only 2 or 3 letters, which is conveniently short, especially if you consider that the longest German word has 79 letters! So we’ve listed 114 abbreviations in German to make your life a whole lot easier.
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or a phrase. The term has its roots in the Latin verb “abbreviare”, meaning \"to make brief,\" from “ad” (to) and “breviare” (to shorten). Abbreviations include acronyms and initialisms.
We’ve included both acronyms and initialisms here.
Here’s a list of the most common German abbreviations that you’re likely to encounter in everyday life. You’ll find abbreviations in all different categories of life - from toilets to clothes.
| German | What it stands for | English equivalent/meaning | IPA |
| z.B. | zum Beispiel | For example | [t͡sʊm ˈbaɪ̯ˌʃpiːl] |
| u.a. | unter anderem | Among other things | [ˈʊntɐ ˈandəʁəm] |
| u.Ä. | und Ähnliches | And the like | [ʊnt ˈɛːnlɪçəs] |
| allg. | allgemein | In general | [ˌalɡəˈmaɪ̯n] |
| bzw. | beziehungsweise | Alternatively | [bəˈt͡siːʊŋsˌvaɪ̯zə] |
| ggf. | gegebenenfalls | If applicable | [ɡəˈɡeːbənənfals] |
| eigtl. | eigentlich | Actually | [ˈaɪ̯ɡn̩tlɪç] |
| einschl. | einschließlich | Including | [ˈaɪ̯nʃliːslɪç] |
| jmd. | jemand | Someone (nominative) | [ˈjeːmant] |
| jmdm. | jemandem | Someone (dative) | [ˈjeːmandəm] |
| jmdn. | jemanden | Someone (accusative) | [ˈjeːmandn̩] |
| jmds. | jemandes | Someone’s | [ˈjeːmandəs] |
| o.Ä. | oder Ähnliche(s) | Or the like | [ˈoːdɐ ˈɛːnlɪçəs] |
| geb. | geboren | Born | [ɡəˈboːʁən] |
| verh. | verheiratet | Married | [fɛɐ̯ˈhaɪ̯ʁaːtət] |
| led. | ledig | Single | [ˈleːdɪç] |
| ehem. | ehemals | Former | [ˈeːəˌmaːls] |
| u. | und | And | [ʊnt] |
| usw. | und so weiter | And so on | [ʊnt zoː ˈvaɪ̯tɐ] |
| n.v. | Nicht verfügbar | Not available | [nɪçt fɛɐ̯ˈfyːkbaːɐ̯] |
| etc. | Et cetera | Etc. | [ɛt ˈt͡seːteʁa] |
| P.S. | Post scriptum | Ps | [peːˈʔɛs] |
| Fr. | Frau | Ms. | [fʁaʊ̯] |
| Hr. | Herr | Mr. | [hɛʁ] |
| St. | Stück | Piece | [ʃtʏk] |
| EDV | Elektronische Datenverarbeitung | EDP (electronic data processing) | [elɛkˈtʁoːnɪʃə ˈdaːtn̩fɛɐ̯ˌʔaʁbaɪ̯tʊŋ] |
| BAföG | Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz | Federal Training Assistance Act | [bafø:g] |
| BRD | Bundesrepublik Deutschland | German Federal Republic | [ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔɪ̯t͡ʃlant] |
| DDR | Deutsche Demokratische Republik | Former East Germany | [ˌdɔɪ̯tʃə demoˌkʁaːtɪʃə ʁepuˈblik] |
| EU | Europäische Union | European Union | [eːˈʔuː] |
| USA | United States of America | United States of America | [ˌuːʔɛsˈʔaː] |
| LKW | Lastkraftwagen | Truck (Load power wagon) | [ˈlastkʁaftˌvaːɡn̩] |
| WC | Wasserklosett | Toilet | [ˈvasɐkloˌzɛt] |
| ABS | Antiblockiersystem | Antilocking system | [aːbeːˈʔɛs] |
| BH | Büstenhalter | Bra (Bust holder) | [beːˈhaː] |
If you’re spending your semester abroad in a German-speaking country, you’re guaranteed to encounter some of these abbreviations - either in a term paper or when talking to your German classmates.
| German | What it stands for | English equivalent/meaning | IPA |
| Abb. | Abbildung | Illustration | [ˈapˌbɪldʊŋ] |
| Abk. | Abkürzung | Abbreviation | [ˈapˌkʏʁt͡sʊŋ] |
| bes. | besonders | Especially | [bəˈzɔndɐs] |
| bez. | bezüglich | Regarding | [bəˈt͡syːklɪç] |
| Bez. | Bezeichnung | Denotation | [bəˈt͡saɪ̯çnʊŋ] |
| Dr. | Doktor | Doctor | [ˈdɔktoːɐ̯] |
| B.A. | Bachelor of Arts | Bachelor of Arts | [ˈbɛt͡ʃəlɐ ɔf ˈaːɐ̯t͡s] |
| M.A. | Master of Arts | Master of Arts | [ˈmɑːstə ɔf ˈaːɐ̯t͡s] |
| B.S. | Bachelor of Science | Bachelor of Science | [ˈbɛt͡ʃəlɐ ɔf ˈsaɪ̯əns] |
| M.S. | Master of Science | Master of Science | [ˈmɑːstə ɔf ˈsaɪ̯əns] |
| BWL | Betriebswirtschaftslehre | Business Economics | [bəˈtʁiːpsvɪʁtʃaft͡sleːʁə] |
| Ggs. | Gegensatz | Opposite | [ˈɡeːɡənˌzat͡s] |
| gegr. | gegründet | Founded | [ɡəˈɡʁʏndət] |
| übertr. | übertragen | Transferred | [ˌyːbɐˈtʁaːɡn̩] |
| i. e. S. | im engeren Sinne | In the narrower sense | [ɪm ˈɛŋəʁən ˈzɪnə] |
| i. w. S. | im weiteren Sinne | In a broader sense | [ɪm ˈvaɪ̯təʁən ˈzɪnə] |
| mE | Meines Erachtens | In my assessment | [‘maɪ̯nəs ɛɐ̯’axtəns] |
| s.a. | siehe auch | See also | [ˌziːə ˈaʊ̯x] |
| s.o. | siehe oben | See above | [ˈziːə ˈoːbn̩] |
We shorten words in order to save time. Maybe that’s why we find so many time-related words commonly shortened!
Whether we’re talking about seconds, hours or even the months of the year, we love to keep it short!
| Abbreviation | What it stands for | English | IPA |
| Jan. | Januar | January | [ˈjanuaːɐ̯] |
| Feb. | Februar | February | [ˈfeːbʁuaːɐ̯] |
| - | März | March | [mɛʁt͡s] |
| Apr. | April | April | [aˈpʁɪl] |
| - | Mai | May | [maɪ̯] |
| Jun. | Juni | June | [ˈjuːni] |
| Jul. | Juli | July | [ˈjuːli] |
| Aug. | August | August | [aʊ̯ˈɡʊst] |
| Sept. | September | September | [zɛpˈtɛmbɐ] |
| Okt. | Oktober | [ɔkˈtoːbɐ] | |
| Nov. | November | November | [noˈvɛmbɐ] |
| Dez. | Dezember | December | [deˈtsmbɐ] |
| Sek. | Sekunde | Second | [zeˈkʊndə] |
| Min. | Minute | Minute | [miˈnuːtə] |
| Std. | Stunde | Hour | [ˈʃtʊndə] |
| tägl. | Täglich | Daily | [ˈtɛːklɪç] |
| mtl. | Monatlich | Monthly | [ˈmoːnatlɪç] |
| inzw. | Inzwischen | By now | [ɪnˈt͡svɪʃn̩] |
| abds. | Abends | In the evenings | [ˈaːbn̩t͡s] |
| Jh. | Jahrhundert | Century | [jaːɐ̯ˈhʊndɐt] |
| z.Zt. | Zur Zeit | At the moment | [t͡sʊʁ ˈt͡saɪ̯t] |
| i.J. | Im Jahre | In the year | [ɪm ˈjaːʁə] |
![\"A](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt9bc001e5b124efef/619b33e409389f76634d1daa/Monthly_calendar_planner.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
If you’re new to Germany, getting a room or an apartment can be challenging. To make sure you understand all the info about your possible new home, we’ve listed some of the German abbreviations commonly used in real estate ads.
| German | What it stands for | English equivalent/meaning | IPA |
| Whg. | Wohnung | Apartment | [ˈvoːnʊŋ] |
| Zi. | Zimmer | Room | [ˈt͡sɪmɐ] |
| AB | Altbau | Old building | [ˈaltˌbaʊ̯] |
| NB | Neubau | New building | [ˈnɔɪ̯ˌbaʊ̯] |
| Bj. | Baujahr | Year of construction | [ˈbaʊ̯ˌjaːɐ̯] |
| EG | Erdgeschoss | First floor | [ˈeːɐ̯tɡəˌʃɔs] |
| 1. ETG | Erste Etage | Second floor | [ˈeːɐ̯stə eˈtaːʒə] |
| EBK | Einbauküche | Built-in kitchen | [ˈaɪ̯nbaʊ̯ˌkʏçə] |
| P | Parkplatz | Parking | [ˈpaʁkˌplat͡s] |
| NR | Nichtraucher | Non-smoking | [ˈnɪçtˌʁaʊ̯xɐ] |
| VB | Verhandlungsbasis | Negotiable price | [fɛɐ̯ˈhandlʊŋsˈbaːzɪs] |
| KT | Kaution | Security deposit | [kaʊ̯ˈt͡si̯oːn] |
| TG | Tiefgarage | Underground garage | [ˈtiːfɡaˌʁaːʒə] |
| WM | Warmmiete | Warm rent (includes heating costs) | [ˈvaʁmˌmiːtə] |
| KM | Kaltmiete | Cold rent (excludes heating costs) | [ˈkaltˌmiːtə] |
| Zzgl. | Zuzüglich | Plus extra charge | [ˈt͡suːt͡syːklɪç] |
| HK | Heizkosten | Heating costs | [ˈhaɪ̯t͡sˌkɔstn̩] |
Texts often consist of slang words, many of which are abbreviations. A lot of German text abbreviations were actually copied from the English ones, so the first few of these might look very familiar to you!
| German | What it stands for | English equivalent/meaning | IPA |
| cu | See you | See you | [ˈsi ˈju] |
| lol | Laughing out loud | Laughing out loud | [ˈlæf ˈaʊt ˈlaʊd] |
| idk | I don’t know | I don’t know | [ˈaɪ ˈdoʊnt ˈnoʊ] |
| yolo | You only live once | You only live once | [ˈju ˈoʊnli ˈlɪv ˈwʌns] |
| thx | Thanks | Thanks | [ˈθæŋks] |
| kP | Keinen Plan | No idea | [‘kaɪ̯nən pla:n] |
| mMn | meiner Meinung nach | In my opinion | [‘maɪ̯nɐ ‘maɪ̯nʊŋ na:x] |
| omg | Oh mein Gott | Oh my god | [o: maɪ̯n gɔt] |
| LG | Liebe Grüße | Kind regards | [‘li:bə ‘gʁʏsə] |
| MfG | mit freundlichen Grüßen | With kind regards | [mɪt ‘fʁɔʏ̯ntlɪçən ‘gʁʏsən] |
Have you ever wondered what famous German brands and products like Adidas or Hanuta stand for?
| German | What it stands for | Product | English equivalent/meaning | IPA |
| Adidas | Adolf “Adi” Dassler | Sports clothes | Founder’s family name | [aˈdʲidas] |
| Aldi | Albrecht Diskont | Grocery store | Albrecht (family name) grocery store | [aldɪ] |
| Haribo | Hans Riegel aus Bonn | Candy | Hans Riegel from Bonn (founder) | [‘ha:ʁi:bo:] |
| Hanuta | Haselnusstafel | Hazelnut waffles | Hazelnut bar | [ha:’nu:ta] |
| Milka | Milch Kakao | Chocolate bars | Milk cocoa | [‘mɪlka] |
| Nutella | Nut Ella (Italian diminutive) | Chocolate spread | Little nut | [nu:’tɛla] |
| Ob | Ohne Binde | Tampons | Without pad | [o: be:] |
| BMW | Bayerische Motorenwerke | Cars | Bavarian engine plants | [ˌbeːɛmˈveː] |
| VW | Volkswagen | Cars | People’s car | [faʊ̯ˈveː] |
| SAP | Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte | Software | Systems, Applications, Products | [ɛs a: pe:] |
Today’s German lesson is presented to you by the hip hop band “Die Fantastischen Vier”. They have a whole song dedicated to abbreviations and puns called “Mit freundlichen Grüßen” (MfG) or “with kind regards”.
MfG - mit freundlichen Grüßen
Die Welt liegt uns zu Füßen, denn wir steh'n drauf
Wir gehen drauf für ein Leben voller Schall und Rauch
Bevor wir fallen, fallen wir lieber auf
HNO, EKG und AOK
LBS, WKD und IHK
UKW, NDW und Hubert Kah
BTM, BKA, hahahaha
These lyrics will make a lot more sense to you if your German is rather advanced since they’re full of abbreviations, puns and ambiguity.
“MFG” means \"with kind regards”. The “HNO” is the Halsnasenohrenarzt(Throat Nose and Ears doctor), EKG is an “Elektrokardiogramm” (ECG) and “AOK” is the “Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse”, a German health insurance company.
Many of the lines are also ambivalent. For example, “auf etwas stehen” literally means “to stand on something” but at the same time it means “to be into something”, and “drauf gehen” means both “to walk on something” and “to die”. So you might have to listen to the song a few times before you get it all - but here’s a basic translation of the chorus:
MfG - with kind regards
The world lies at our feet, because we're standing on it
We're dying for a life of smoke and mirrors
Before we fall, we’d rather stand out
ENT, ECG and AOK
LBS, WKD and IHK
FM, NDW and Hubert Kah
BTM, BKA, hahahaha!
With words like “Halsnasenohrenarzt” and “Ortskrankenkasse”, it becomes obvious why German relies so much on shortening words. If it all gets a little too much for you, there’s only one thing you need to remember.
A common German abbreviation is kP, short for “keinen Plan” or “I have no plan”. It’s a common way of saying “I don’t know” in German. So if someone asks you how to apply for “BAföG” or if your new apartment comes “zzgl. HK.”, and you have no idea what they want from you, just say “kP”, and you’ll still sound just like a local!
And here’s just one last abbreviation for you: GLB is our super cool German Language Blog - THE place to learn everything about German culture and the German language.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Vowels in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to pronounce German vowels, diphthongs and the Umlaute","url":"/blog/german-vowels-dipthongs","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt6bdda0a7133f9da7/642253408795bd112d3b79e9/pexels-canva-studio-3194524.jpg"},"post_content":"
If you’re learning German, you might listen to the natives and think to yourself “Those vowels all sound familiar. They must be the same as in English.”
The truth is most of the German vowel sounds also appear in English - but some of them go with different letters. The German “i” sounds like the English “e”. The German “u” is pronounced like an English double “o” and an English “a” has two cute dots in German: “ä”.
Don’t worry. We’re here to untangle all of that and teach you how to correctly pronounce German vowels including diphthongs and “Umlaute”.
![\"Learning](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt49e13fb160f5a674/642253ca622e271d81c5e6ed/pexels-ekaterina-bolovtsova-4049960.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
In German, vowels are called “Vokale” or “Selbstlaute” (self-sounds) - but what exactly are vowels and how do they work in German?
Vowels or speech sounds are those letters that are formed by releasing air through your mouth without blockage by the tongue or other oral organs. Sounds a little complicated? I agree.
So I came up with an easier definition. If speech was music, vowels would be the beat. As you speak, your lips move in specific ways, depending on the letters you produce. Consonants give your words shape but vowels determine each syllable. So they give the beat, the rhythm of speech.
Vowels are:
In German, there are three additional vowels, the so-called “Umlaute”:
All other letters are considered as consonants, in German “Konsonanten” or “Mitlaute” (by-sounds):
As the German name suggests, vowels can easily stand alone while consonants sound incomplete without a respective vowel. That’s why the letter “E” is pronounced “E”, but the letter “B” is pronounced “Be”. We add vowels to make a sound complete.
When it comes to German abbreviations, vowels usually decide between an acronym and an initialism. When an abbreviation has enough vowels so that it’s possible to pronounce, it becomes an acronym like the German word BAföG (short for Bundesausbildungsförderungsgesetz).
When an abbreviation mostly consists of consonants, the letters are read out by themselves. Therefore it becomes an initialism like “EU” (Europäische Union).
German vowels are all different from English vowels but the good news is that they’re a lot more consistent than their English equivalents, as German is a much more phonetically consistent language than English.
If you look at the “e” in the English words “egg”, “dinner” “men”, “after” and “Pete”, you’ll notice that the letter is pronounced differently every single time.
In German, there are only two basic forms of each vowel: the long form and the short form. Otherwise, the pronunciation of German vowels is consistent, with very few exceptions.
| Vowel | IPA | Lip position | Examples |
| A | [aː] | For the “a” sound, the lips open wide. The short “a” sounds like you’re saying “ah, I see”, while the long “a” sounds like you’re at the dentist going “ahh”. | Long Adel (Royalty) Ahnen (Ancestors) Plan (Plan) Short Ananas (Pineapple) Katze (Cat) An (On) |
| E | [ʔeː] | “E” is a closed letter that leaves only a little room between your upper and lower lips, while the tongue rests on the bottom of your mouth. The short version sounds like the “e” in “bed”. The long “e” is the same sound, just stretched out: “ehhh”. | Long Ehre (Honor) Fee (Fairy) Schnee (Snow) Short Essen (Food) Ende (End) Schnell (Fast) |
| I | [iː] | For the German “i”, you’re slightly pulling your cheeks back, producing a sharp airflow through your lips. The long German “i” is pronounced just like an English “e” like the one in “me”. The short “i” is pronounced like the “i” in “kin”. | Long Igel (Hedgehog) Tiger (Tiger) Maschine (Machine) Short Mich (Me) Frühling (Spring) In (In) |
| O | [oː] | When you say “o”, your lips look just like the letter itself. The long “o” sounds like the “o” in “over” and the short “o” sounds close to an English “aw”. | Long Mohn (Poppyseed) Los (Go) Orakel (oracle) Short Stolz (Proud) Vor (Before) Tonne (Ton) |
| U | [uː] | The “u” looks like a more closed version of the “o”. The long version sounds like the English double “o” in root and the short one sounds similar to the double “o” in “hook”. | Long Huhn (Chicken) Uhr (Clock) Schuhe (Shoes) Short Muster (Pattern) Rustikal (Rustic) Hund (Dog) |
| Ä | [ɛː] | The Ä’s lip position is similar to that of the “e” sound but your mouth is slightly wider open. Correctly pronounced, the German “Ä” sounds like the “a” in “apple”. Notice that many German speakers incorrectly pronounce it like an “e” sound though. | Long Ähnlich (Similar) Krähe (Crow) Fähig (Able) Short Hände (Hands) Bände (Volumes) Fänd (Would fine) |
| Ö | [øː] | For the German “ö”, the lips look like you're saying “o” with the tongue moving towards shaping an “e”. It sounds like the English “u” in “turn”. | Long Möhre (Carrot) Schön (Beautiful) Öl (Oil) Short Eichhörnchen (Squirrel) Löcher (Holes) Wölkchen (Little cloud) |
| Ü | [yː] | For the German “ü”, the lips look like you're saying “ooh”, while trying to whistle. It sounds a little like you’re saying “lyr” as in “lyrics” but also saying “ooh” at the same time. | Long Für (For) Rührei (Scrambled eggs) Über (Over) Short Fürst (Monarch) Fünf (Five) Pfütze (Puddle) |
Try it out for yourself and notice the difference between vowels and consonants.
If you need help pronouncing any of them, be sure to check out our fun beginner's guide to learning the German alphabet.
![\"Man](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte4d80c9918e777b1/642254b86f5dc30fb7648ff9/pexels-laura-tancredi-7083950.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
A diphthong, also called “Doppellaut” in German is a monosyllabic speech sound consisting of two vowels. That means two vowels are pronounced together as in the English word “eye”, which combines an “ah” sound and an “e” sound. The pronunciation of these double vowels in German will sound familiar to you. You just need to learn their spelling.
| Vowel diphthongs | Pronunciation | Sounds like in English | Examples |
| au | [aʊ̯] | The German diphthong “au” sounds just like the English “ou” in “out”. | Maus (Mouse) Zuhause (Home) Austausch (Exchange) Blau (Blue) |
| ei, ai | [aɪ̯] | The German diphthongs “ei” and “ai” are both pronounced like an English “i”, like the one in “mine”. | Mein (My) Ei (Egg) Mai (May) Saite (String) |
| ie | [i] | This diphthong is sometimes used the same way in English, as in the word “tier”. It sounds like an “e”. | Hier (Here) Lied (Song) Niedlich (Cute) Wieder (Again) |
| eu, äu | [ɔʏ̯] | The German diphthongs “eu” and “äu” sound the same. They’re both pronounced like the “oy” in “decoy”. | Freund (Friend) Leute (People) Äußerst (Extremely) Träume (Dreams) |
If you stretch any German vowel, you get a beautiful little interjection word that no textbook is ever gonna teach you. Here they are, short, sweet and absolutely vital - from “eek” to “umm”.
The German linguist and psychologist Karl Bühler coined the term “Aha-Erlebnis”, which describes the abrupt recognition of a sought-after but previously unknown context of meaning. It comes with that beautiful feeling you get when you’ve been confused for a while until someone finally explains the issue to you in a comprehensive and logical way and you go “ahhhh! Now I get it!”
That’s exactly the feeling we aim to give you with every article on our insightful German language blog.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Nicknames in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"70 sweet terms of endearment in German for your loved ones","url":"/blog/terms-of-endearment-german-nicknames","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltf7ddacdd2b3ea77b/63bd70977f7baa7b8ce5a192/pexels-shvets-production-8933673.jpg"},"post_content":"Guess who’s holding the Guinness World Record for the longest last name? A German-born of course! The man went by the proud name of Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff Sr. but I’m sure his friends just called him Hubi.
\nWhether you know someone with a name like that, or you’re just looking for a short and sweet name for your German love - or your German shepherd dog, we’re here to teach you some cute nicknames in German.
\n![\"Cute](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt7ac839cf561c8fbd/63bd738d0f1613130873a08d/pexels-ekaterina-bolovtsova-6606712.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
There’s an unlimited number of German terms of endearment. If you’re taking an online German class with other fellow German-learners, that’s a great opportunity to test out some of those German nicknames. Turn everyone’s name into a German one or call them by their favorite animal in German. Just have fun with it!
\n17% of Americans have German ancestry, so many of them have or had German family members. Maybe your grandma or grandpa is German, too, and you want to know what to call them in German?
\nWe don’t have that many name variations for our grandparents in German but one common way to tell your mom’s parents and your dad’s parents apart is to call them by the place they live in - like “Oma Berlin” or “Opa Ansbach”.
\n![\"Terms](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt89f40208e775c0d4/63bd747e5b1a584de27d0654/pexels-andrea-piacquadio-3768168.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Grandma | \nOma | \n[oma] | \n
| Grandpa | \nOpa | \n[ɒˈpa] | \n
| Granny | \nOmi | \n[ˈoːmi] | \n
| Gramps | \nOpi | \n[ˈoːpi] | \n
| Grandma Berlin (or other residence) | \nOma Berlin | \n[oma bɛɐ̯’li:n] | \n
| Grandpa Berlin (or other residence) | \nOpa Berlin | \n[ɒˈpa bɛɐ̯’li:n] | \n
\n
If your boyfie is German, it’s obviously anti-climactic to call him by his first name. Here are some good German terms of endearment for a boyfriend or husband. Believe me, he’ll be charmed if you call him any of these names - from handsome to the man of your dreams.
\nEveryone likes being complimented after all! Our guide on making compliments in German will give you even more inspiration.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| My sweet one | \nMein Süßer | \n[maɪ̯n ˈzyːsɐ] | \n
| My prince | \nMein Prinz | \n[maɪ̯n pʁɪnt͡s] | \n
| My king | \nMein König | \n[maɪ̯n ˈkøːnɪç] | \n
| Hero | \nHeld | \n[hɛlt] | \n
| Big one | \nGroßer | \n[ˈɡʁoːsɐ] | \n
| Handsome | \nHübscher | \n[ˈhʏpʃɐ] | \n
| Loved one | \nGeliebter | \n[ɡəˈliːptɐ] | \n
| Lion | \nLöwe | \n[ˈløːvə] | \n
| Tiger | \nTiger | \n[ˈtiːɡɐ] | \n
| The man of my dreams | \nDer Mann meiner Träume | \n[deːɐ̯ man ˈmaɪ̯nɐ ˈtʁɔɪ̯mə] | \n
| My man (/husband) | \nMein Mann | \n[maɪ̯n man] | \n
| My boyfriend | \nMein Freund | \n[maɪ̯n fʁɔɪ̯nt] | \n
\n
Of course your girlfriend can be your lion or your tiger, too, but if you want to be a bit more old school and call her your pearl or your jewel, this list is for you. Or you can call her any one of these beautiful German flowers.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| My sweet one | \nMeine Süße | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈzyːsə] | \n
| My pearl | \nMeine Perle | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈpɛʁlə] | \n
| My dove | \nMeine Taube | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈtaʊ̯bə] | \n
| My dear | \nMein Liebchen | \n[ˈmaɪ̯n ˈliːpçən] | \n
| My princess | \nMeine Prinzessin | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə pʁɪnˈt͡sɛsɪn] | \n
| My queen | \nMeine Königin | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈkøːnɪɡɪn] | \n
| Heroine | \nHeldin | \n[ˈhɛldɪn] | \n
| Little one | \nKleine | \n[ˈklaɪ̯nə] | \n
| Jewel | \nSchmuckstück | \n[ˈʃmʊkʃtʏk] | \n
| Loved one | \nGeliebte | \n[ɡəˈliːptə] | \n
| My most beautiful | \nMeine Schönste | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈʃøːnstə] | \n
| The woman of my dreams | \nDie Frau meiner Träume | \n[diː fʁaʊ̯ ˈmaɪ̯nɐ ˈtʁɔɪ̯mə] | \n
| Elf | \nElfe | \n[ˈɛlfə] | \n
| Little elf | \nElfchen | \n[ˈɛlfçən] | \n
| Fairy | \nFee | \n[feː] | \n
| Spell-fairy | \nZauberfee | \n[ˈt͡saʊ̯bɐfeː] | \n
| My woman (/wife) | \nMeine Frau | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə fʁaʊ̯] | \n
| My girlfriend | \nMeine Freundin | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈfʁɔɪ̯ndɪn] | \n
\n
You can’t go wrong with these general nicknames for your partner. They’ll be happy to hear they’re your treasure or your one and only. And don’t forget to share your emotions. When you’re ready to go all out, find out how to say I love you in German!
\n![\"Gender-neutral](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt80391ca7ed92c6c3/63bd74a708dfb21202a77b28/pexels-fox-1595388.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| My treasure | \nMein Schatz | \n[maɪ̯n ʃat͡s] | \n
| My little treasure | \nMein Schätzelein | \n[maɪ̯n ʃɛt͡səlaɪ̯n] | \n
| My darling | \nMein Liebling | \n[maɪ̯n ˈliːplɪŋ] | \n
| My baby | \nMein Baby | \n[maɪ̯n ˈbeːbi] | \n
| My heart | \nMein Herz | \n[maɪ̯n hɛʁt͡s] | \n
| My angel | \nMein Engel | \n[maɪ̯n ˈeŋɡel] | \n
| My better half | \nMeine bessere Hälfte | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə ˌbɛsəʁə ˈhɛlftə] | \n
| Sugar | \nZucker | \n[ˈtsʊkɐ] | \n
| My one and only | \nMein ein und alles | \n[maɪ̯n aɪ̯n ʊnt ˈaləs] | \n
| Moon of my life | \nMond meines Lebens | \n[mo:nt ‘maɪ̯nəs ‘le:bəns] | \n
| My sun and stars | \nMeine Sonne und Sterne | \n[maɪ̯nə ‘zɔnə ʊnt ‘ʃtɛɐ̯nə] | \n
| Sunshine | \nSonnenschein | \n[ˈzɔnənˌʃaɪ̯n] | \n
| Love of my life | \nLiebe meines Lebens | \n[ˈliːbə ˈmaɪ̯nəs ˈleːbns] | \n
\n
\n
Have you ever called someone a sugar mouth, a heart leaf or a leg of a mouse? All these cute nicknames are very commonly used in German. They work for little kids, close friends, lovers or actual pets.
\n![\"Kids](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltae8ac1981364fb28/63bd758d1db94d10e6c5b6e3/pexels-liliana-drew-8501439.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Rabbit | \nHase | \n[ˈhaːzə] | \n
| Bunny | \nHäschen | \n[ˈhɛːsçən] | \n
| Little bear | \nBärchen | \n[bɛ:ɐ̯çən] | \n
| Little mouse | \nMausi | \n[maʊ̯zi:] | \n
| Mouse’s leg | \nMausebein | \n[ˈmaʊ̯zəbaɪ̯n] | \n
| Heart leaf | \nHerzblatt | \n[ˈhɛʁt͡sˌblat] | \n
| Little treasure | \nSchatzi | \n[ʃat͡si:] | \n
| Shmoopy | \nSchnucki | \n[‘ʃnʊki:] | \n
| Shmoopy-boo | \nSchnuckiputz | \n[‘ʃnʊkɪpʊt͡s] | \n
| - | \nPurzel | \n[pʊɐ̯t͡səl] | \n
| My little flower | \nMein Blümchen | \n[maɪ̯n ˈblyːmçən] | \n
| My sugar mouth | \nMeine Zuckerschnute | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈtsʊkɐˈʃnuːtə] | \n
\n
Whether you call every single one of your friends Bunny like the girls clique in Mona Awad’s novel of the same name - or you lovingly name all of them individually, here are some cool German nicknames for your friends.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nRelationship | \nIPA | \n
| My best one | \nMein Bester | \nMale best friend | \n[maɪ̯n ˈbɛstɐ] | \n
| My best one | \nMeine Beste | \nFemale best friend | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈbɛstə] | \n
| Darling | \nSchatz | \nGeneral nickname for both romantic relationships and close friends | \n[ʃat͡s] | \n
| Rabbit | \nHase | \nPlayful nickname for both romantic relationships and close friends | \n[ˈhaːzə] | \n
| Mouse | \nMaus | \nPlayful nickname for both romantic relationships and close friends | \n[maʊ̯s] | \n
| Snail | \nSchnecke | \nPlayful nickname for female friends | \n[ˈʃnɛkə] | \n
| My love (male) | \nMein Lieber | \nCommon nickname for male friends | \n[maɪ̯n ˈliːbɐ] | \n
| My love (female) | \nMeine Liebe | \nCommon nickname for female friends | \n[ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈliːbə] | \n
| Boo-boo | \nBubu | \nGreat name for pets, jokingly used for friends | \n[bu:bʊ] | \n
\n
If none of these German terms of endearment and nicknames are good enough for your friends and family, you can just come up with your own nicknames. You know how in English, a name can be easily turned into a nickname by adding an “i”- sound at the end (i.e., Anne → Annie, Fred → Freddy)?
\nIn German, nicknames are “Spitznamen” and there are four easy ways to create them:
\nOf course not all of these will work for every name. Just test out what sounds best and get a little creative!
\n\n
Ready for some more helpful language learning tips? Check out our fun German language blog!
\nYour German colleagues, friends or loved ones will definitely appreciate how much effort you’re putting into learning German.
\nSoon enough you’ll grow so close that you’ll be calling every single one of them Schatzi or Hase - and you’ll never have to say a name like “Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff” ever again!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"German question words","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"A fun and easy guide to all types of German question words","url":"/blog/german-question-words","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt835f9f86e16075f1/63d33b1ab369f5745550bb2a/Chatting_with_friend_and_laughing_with_beer.jpg"},"post_content":"Interrogative pronouns are nothing but basic question words like “who”, “where”, “when” and others.
\nAs a new language learner, you’ll probably have a million questions, especially if you’re learning a grammatically complex language like German.
\nSome commonly asked grammar questions are:
\nWe answer all of these questions in their respective articles but did you notice how all of them begin with a different question word? So if you’d like to ask any grammar questions in German, it’s important to know the right German interrogatives - and we’ll explain them all.
\nInterrogative pronouns are question words. In German, they’re called “Fragewörter” or “W-Fragen”, as they all start with a “W”.
\nKeep in mind that question words tend to be used differently in other languages. We like to translate questions literally and use the same question word that we use in our mother tongue but some questions are just worded a little differently.
\nThis can make it harder to pose certain questions. For example, in English, we ask “what’s your name?”, while in German, we ask “Wie ist dein Name?” (How is your name?)
\nSimilarly, in English, we ask “What is your question?” but in German, we ask “Wie lautet deine Frage?” (How is your question?).
\nThese are just slight variations of posing the same question, and the good news is everyone will still understand you, just like you’d understand if someone asked you “which is your question?”. It just sounds a little unusual.
\nThat’s why it’s best to learn certain questions as whole phrases like you’d learn a new expression.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nDifferences | \n
| What | \nWas | \n- | \n
| When | \nWann | \n- | \n
| How | \nWie | \n- | \n
| Who | \nWer | \nIn English and German “who” changes based on the cases:English“who” (nominative)“whose” (genitive)“whom” (dative / accusative)German“wer” (nominative) “wessen” (genitive)“wem” (dative)“wen” (accusative) | \n
| Where | \nWo; Wohin | \nGerman differentiates between “wo” (where) and “wohin” (where to, indicating a direction). | \n
| Why | \nWarum; Wieso; Weshalb, Wozu, Weswegen | \nGerman uses multiple different words to ask “why”. Despite slight variations in meaning, they are usually interchangeable. | \n
| Which | \nWelcher/Welche/Welches/Welchem/Welchen | \nWatch out when using “which”. This is the only interrogative pronoun that has to be declined, meaning it changes gender and case depending on the noun it goes with. | \n
![\"Teacher](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt5c369cb5b741b00c/63d33d4ee408254c88fbf8c2/Teacher_asking_students_German_question_words.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here’s an overview of all German question words and how to pronounce them, before we go into each one of them in detail.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Who | \nWer | \n[veːɐ̯] | \n
| What | \nWas | \n[vas] | \n
| When | \nWann | \n[van] | \n
| How | \nWie | \n[viː] | \n
| Where | \nWo, Wohin | \n[voː, voˈhɪn] | \n
| Why | \nWarum; Wieso; Weshalb, Wozu, Weswegen | \n[vaˈʁʊm, viˈzoː, vɛsˈhalp, voˈtsuː, vɛsˈveːɡn̩] | \n
| Which | \nWelcher/Welche/Welches/Welchem/Welchen | \n[ˈvɛlçɐ, ˈvɛlçə, ˈvɛlçəs, ˈvɛlçəm, ˈvɛlçn̩] | \n
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nLiteral translation | \n
| What is that? | \nWas ist das? | \n[vas ɪst das] | \nSame | \n
| What can I do for you? | \nWas kann ich für dich tun? | \n[vas kan ɪç fy:ɐ̯ dɪç tu:n] | \nSame | \n
| What would you like for lunch? | \nWas möchtest du zum Mittag essen? | \n[vas ˈmœçtəst du: tsʊm ˈmɪta:k ˈɛsən] | \nSame | \n
| What are you doing tonight? | \nWas machst du heute Abend? | \n[vas maxst du: ‘hɔʏ̯tə ‘a:bənt] | \nSame | \n
| What’s your question? | \nWie lautet deine Frage? | \n[vi: ‘laʊ̯tət ‘daɪ̯nə ‘fʁa:gə] | \nHow does your question sound? | \n
| What time is it? | \nWie spät ist es? | \n[vi: ʃpɛ:t ɪst ɛs] | \nHow late is it? | \n
| What’s your name? | \nWie ist dein Name? | \n[vi: ɪst daɪ̯n ‘na:mə] | \nHow is your name? | \n
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| When are you coming to visit me? | \nWann kommst du mich besuchen? | \n[van kɔmst du: mɪç bəzu:xən] | \n
| When will the game start? | \nWann fängt das Spiel an? | \n[van fɛŋt das ʃpi:l an] | \n
| When will the play be over? | \nWann wird das Stück zu Ende sein? | \n[van vɪɐ̯t das ʃtʏk t͡su: ‘ɛndə zaɪ̯n] | \n
| When do we have to leave? | \nWann müssen wir los? | \n[van ˈmʏsn̩ vi:ɐ̯ lo:s] | \n
| When did you get there? | \nWann bist du angekommen? | \n[van bɪst du: ‘angəkɔmən] | \n
| When is dinner ready? | \nWann ist das Abendessen fertig? | \n[van ɪst das ‘a:bəntɛsən ˈfɛʁtɪç] | \n
| When are we going to learn from our mistakes? | \nWann lernen wir aus unseren Fehlern? | \n[van ‘lɛɐ̯nən vi:ɐ̯ aʊ̯s ‘ʊnzəʁən ‘fe:lɐn] | \n
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| How are you? | \nWie geht’s dir? | \n[ˌviː ˈɡeːt͡s ˌdiːɐ̯] | \n
| How was your day? | \nWie war dein Tag? | \n[vi: va:ɐ̯ daɪ̯n ta:k] | \n
| How much does that cost? | \nWie viel kostet das? | \n[vi: fi:l kɔstət das] | \n
| How far did you get? | \nWie weit bist du gekommen? | \n[vi: vaɪ̯t bɪst du: ‘gəkɔmən] | \n
| How did you guys meet? | \nWie habt ihr euch kennengelernt? | \n[vi: ha:pt i:ɐ̯ ɔʏ̯ç ‘kɛnəngəlɛɐ̯nt] | \n
| How many cats do you have? | \nWie viele Katzen hast du? | \n[vi: fi:lə kat͡sən hast du:] | \n
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nCase | \n
| Who are you? | \nWer bist du? | \n[ve:ɐ bɪst du:] | \nNominative | \n
| Who will meet you there? | \nWer trifft dich dort? | \n[ve:ɐ tʁɪft dɪç dɔɐ̯t] | \nNominative | \n
| Who will you meet there? | \nWen triffst du dort? | \n[ve:n tʁɪfst du: dɔɐ̯t] | \nAccusative | \n
| Who is she going to promote? | \nWen wird sie befördern? | \n[ve:n vɪɐ̯t zi: bəfœɐ̯dɐn] | \nAccusative | \n
| Who are you going with? | \nMit wem gehst du? | \n[mɪt vəm ge:st du:] | \nDative | \n
| Who are you married to? | \nMit wem bist du verheiratet? | \n[mɪt vəm bɪst du: fɛɐ̯ˈhaɪ̯ʁaːtət] | \nDative | \n
| Whose shoes are these? | \nWessen Schuhe sind das hier? | \n[ˈvɛsən ˈʃu:ə zɪnt das hi:ɐ̯] | \nGenitive | \n
| Whose car are we taking? | \nWessen Auto nehmen wir? | \n[ˈvɛsən aʊ̯to: ˈne:mən vi:ɐ̯ ] | \nGenitive | \n
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Where are you? | \nWo bist du? | \n[vo: bɪst du:] | \n
| Where is my phone? | \nWo ist mein Handy? | \n[vo: ɪst maɪ̯n hɛndɪ] | \n
| Where is Lübeck? | \nWo liegt Lübeck? | \n[vo: li:kt ly:bɛk] | \n
| Where are you going? | \nWohin gehst du? | \n[voˈhɪn ge:st du:] | \n
| Where are you going for your vacation? | \nWohin fahrt ihr in den Urlaub? | \n[voˈhɪn fa:ɐ̯t i:ɐ̯ ɪn de:n ˈuːɐ̯ˌlaʊ̯p] | \n
| Where is this train going? | \nWohin fährt dieser Zug? | \n[voˈhɪn fɛɐ̯t ˈdi:zɐ t͡su:k] | \n
![\"Two](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt46e33eea7c5e4281/63d34295e4e29e75dc5de0bf/Catching_the_train.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nMeaning | \n
| Why are we here? | \nWarum sind wir hier? | \n[vaˈʁʊm zɪnt vi:ɐ̯ hi:ɐ] | \nWhy | \n
| Why are you in such a good mood today? | \nWieso bist du heute so gut gelaunt? | \n[viˈzoː bɪst du: ˈhɔʏ̯tə zo: gu:t ˈgəlaʊ̯nt ] | \nHow come | \n
| Why is the train late again? | \nWeshalb ist die Bahn schon wieder zu spät? | \n[vɛsˈhalp ɪst di: ba:n ʃo:n ˈvi:dɐ t͡su: ʃpɛ:t] | \nDue to what | \n
| Why am I even talking to you? | \nWozu rede ich überhaupt mit dir? | \n[voˈt͡suː ˈʁɛ:də ɪç ˈy:bɐhaʊ̯pt mɪt di:ɐ̯] | \nTo what end | \n
| Why did you wanna meet up? | \nWeswegen wolltest du dich treffen? | \n[vɛsˈveːɡn̩ ˈvɔltɛst du: dɪç ˈtʁɛfən] | \nBecause of what | \n
This is how “which” changes based on gender:
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nGender | \n
| Which one of your sons is coming along? | \nWelcher deiner Söhne kommt mit? | \n[ˈvɛlçɐ ˈdaɪ̯nɐ ˈzøːnə kɔmt mɪt] | \nMale | \n
| Which city was it? | \nWelche Stadt war das? | \n[ˈvɛlçə ʃtat va:ɐ̯ das] | \nFemale | \n
| Which shirt is in the suitcase? | \nWelches Shirt ist im Koffer? | \n[ˈvɛlçəs ʃɪɐ̯t ɪst ɪm ˈkɔfɐ] | \nNeuter | \n
This is how “which” changes based on cases.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nCase | \n
| Which movie theater is open today? | \nWelches Kino ist heute offen? | \n[ˈvɛlçəs ki:no: ɪst ˈhɔɪ̯tə ˈɔfən] | \nNominative | \n
| Which scene did you like best? | \nWelche Szene mochtest du am liebsten? | \n[ˈvɛlçə ˈt͡se:nə ˈmɔxtɛst du: am ˈli:pstən] | \nAccusative | \n
| Which actor would you give an oscar to? | \nWelchem Schauspieler würdest du den Oscar geben? | \n[ˈvɛlçəm ˈʃaʊ̯ʃpi:lɐ ˈvʏɐ̯dəst du: de:n ˈɔskaɐ̯ ˈge:bən] | \nDative | \n
| Of which natureis the soundtrack, classic or more poppy? | \nWelcher Art ist der Soundtrack, klassisch oder eher Pop? | \n[ˈvɛlçɐ aɐ̯t ɪst ˈde:ɐ̯ ˈzaʊ̯nttʁɛk, ˈklasɪʃ ˈo:dɐ ˈe:ɐ pɔp] | \nGenitive | \n
Remember this song from German Sesame Street?
\nDas neue Sesamstraße Intro mit Lena Meyer-Landrut
\n\nWe introduced it in our guide on German pronouns. This is a newer, funkier version but the message stays the same:
\nWho? How? What? What for? Due to what? Why? Who doesn’t ask stays stupid!
\nNow that you know all the German interrogative words, make sure you put them to use and ask all the questions. Especially if you’re taking a German class, we encourage you to ask as many questions as possible. That’s the only way to learn.
\nAnd if you’re still wondering which German question words to use when you’re asking someone for their name or where they’re from, you’ll find all the answers and much more in our fun German language blog!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"How to flirt in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"39 flirty German pick up lines to make you laugh, cringe & swoon","url":"/blog/flirt-german-pick-up-lines","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt8bb093549e9b43ba/63ec36d4c0addb5053ec4421/Flirt_in_German.jpg"},"post_content":"Flirting can be tricky when language barriers and cultural differences are involved, but we’ll help you to bridge these, as we walk you through some German pick up lines from sweet to silly - as well as cultural do’s and don’ts when it comes to flirting with Germans.
“To flirt” in German is “flirten”, an expression we took from English because it’s not that common. In German-speaking countries, we’re just not known to be particularly flirty people.
There are some old-fashioned terms for the practice of wooing someone though:
The best way of flirting is always the one that doesn’t seem like flirting. Break the ice by saying “hi”, introducing yourself to the other person and talking about everyday topics like your hobbies or the weather. This is how a standard conversation could go.
Start simple. Just say hallo and ask the other person for their name.
Then find out how they’re doing to make sure they’re feeling good about talking to you. Be receptive to their emotions. Only continue if they’re also in a flirty, chatty mood.
Next up, you can tell them a little bit about yourself and get to know them, too. Ask where they’re from and learn about their background.
Whenever you run out of ideas, you can always talk about the weather in German. That’s probably the safest and easiest conversation topic.
If the conversation is going really well, you can offer to buy them a drink of their choice. Just make it clear that this can also be a coffee or a fruit juice. You don’t want to give the impression that you’re trying to get them drunk. That’s not cool in any country.
For some inspiration on what to try and order, check out our fresh guide on German drinks.
![\"A](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt20b8f8e04c156169/63ec3b2076df2657a4fa427f/Coffee_flirt_date.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Let’s be honest. Most pick up lines are at least a little cringy. So you can either use this as a list of what not to say, or you can use them jokingly.
| English | German | IPA |
| Spotify should name you this week’s hottest single. | Spotify sollte dich zum heißesten Single der Woche ernennen. | [sbʃpo:ti:fʏ ˈzɔltə dɪç t͡sʊm haɪ̯szəʃtən zɪŋlə de:ɐ̯ vɔxə ɛɐ̯nɛnən] |
| I lost my phone number. Can I have yours? | Ich hab meine Telefonnummer verloren. Kann ich deine haben? | [ɪç ha:p ˈmaɪ̯nə te:ləˈfo:nnʊmɐ fɛɐ̯ˈlo:ʁən. kan ɪç ˈdaɪ̯nə ˈha:bən] |
| Is it you or is it hot in here? | Liegt es an dir oder ist es heiß hier drin? | [li:kt ɛs an di:ɐ̯ ˈo:dɐ ɪst ɛs haɪ̯s hi:ɐ̯ ˈdʁɪn] |
| I want to follow my dreams. Can I have your Instagram? | Ich will meinen Träumen folgen. Kann ich dein Instagram haben? | [ɪç vɪl ˈmaɪ̯nən ˈtʁɔʏ̯mən fɔlgən. kan ɪç ˈdaɪ̯n ˈɪnsta:gʁam ˈha:bən] |
| Tell me your name, and I'll tell you what you’re called. | Nenn mir deinen Namen und ich sag dir wie du heißt. | [nɛn mi:ɐ̯ ˈdaɪ̯nən ˈna:mən ʊnt ɪç zak di:ɐ̯ vi:du: haɪ̯sʃt] |
| Are you an electrician? Because you’re definitely lighting up my day/night! | Bist du ein Elektriker/in? Du erhellst definitiv meine/n Tag/Nacht! | [bɪst du: aɪ̯n e:ˈlɛktʁɪkɐ/ ɪn? du: ɛɐ̯ˈhɛlst ˈde:fɪnɪti:f ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈɛn ta:k / naxt |
| Are you a magician? Every time I look at you, everyone else disappears. | Bist du Magier/in? Jedes Mal, wenn ich dich ansehe, verschwinden alle anderen. | [bɪst du: ˈma:gi:ɐ/ɪn?ˈje:dəs ma:l vɛn ɪç dɪç ˈanze:ə fɛɐ̯ˈʃvɪndən ˈalə ˈandəʁən] |
These are silly but if you can can make the other person laugh, that’s a great start!
| English | German | IPA |
| Hey hotty, are you taken already? (Literally: Hey sandwich, are you buttered, yet?) | Na Schnitte, schon belegt? | [na ˈʃnɪtə, ʃo:n bəˈle:kt] |
| You're not just amazing, you're the whole toolbox. (Literally: You're not just the hammer, you're the whole toolbox.) | Du bist nicht nur der Hammer, du bist der ganze Werkzeugkasten. | [du: bɪst nɪçt nu:ɐ̯ de:ɐ̯ ˈhamɐ, du: bɪst de:ɐ̯ ˈgant͡sə vɛɐ̯kˈt͡sɔʏ̯kkastən] |
| Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by once more? | Glaubst du an Liebe auf den ersten Blick oder soll ich nochmal vorbeigehen? | [glaʊ̯pst du: an li:bə aʊ̯f de:n ɛɐ̯stən blɪk o:dɐ zɔl ɪç ˈnɔxma:l fo:ɐ̯ˈbaɪ̯ge:ən] |
| I think you owe me a drink. When I saw you, I dropped mine. | Ich glaube, du schuldest mir einen Drink. Ich hab meinen fallen gelassen, als ich dich gesehen hab. | [ɪç ˈglaʊ̯bə du: ˈʃʊldəst mi:ɐ̯ ˈaɪ̯nən dʁɪŋk. ɪç ha:p ˈmaɪ̯nən ˈfalən gəˈlasən als ɪç dɪç gəˈze:ən ha:p] |
| Sorry, what pick up line would you respond to most positively? | Entschuldigung, auf welchen Anmachspruch würdest du noch am positivsten reagieren? | [ɛnˈtʃʊldɪgʊŋ, aʊ̯f ˈvɛlçən ˈanmakʃpʁʊx ˈvʏɐ̯dəst du: nɔx am ˈpo:zɪti:vʃtən ʁɛaˈgi:ʁən] |
| Kiss me if I’m wrong but dinosaurs still exist, right? | Küss mich, wenn ich falsch liege, aber Dinosaurier gibt es doch noch, oder? | [kʏs mɪç vɛn ɪç falʃ li:gə abɐ ˈdɪno:zaʊ̯ʁi:ɐ gi:pt ɛs dɔx nɔx ˈo:dɐ] |
If you’ve gotten to know a person a little bit, it’s nice to compliment them, preferably on their personality. Find out how you do that - in our helpful guide on German compliments.
Or, if you’re ready to make a big move and go all out with your pick up line, consider one of these.
| English | German | IPA |
| Is your father a thief? It looks like he stole some diamonds and hid them in your eyes… | Ist dein Vater ein Dieb? Es sieht so aus, als hätte er ein paar Diamanten gestohlen und sie in deinen Augen versteckt... | [ɪst daɪ̯n ˈfa:tɐ aɪ̯n di:p? ɛs zi:t zo: aʊ̯s als ˈhɛtə e:ɐ̯ aɪ̯n pa:ɐ̯ di:amantən gəʃto:lən ʊnt zi: ɪn daɪ̯nən aʊ̯gən fɛɐ̯ʃtɛkt] |
| Did it hurt when you fell from the sky? You look like you must be an angel… | Hat es weh getan, als du vom Himmel gefallen bist? Du siehst aus, als wärst du ein Engel... | [hat ɛs ve: gəta:n als du: fɔm hɪməl ˈgəfalən bɪst? du: zi:st aʊ̯s als vɛ:ɐ̯st du: aɪ̯n ɛŋəl] |
| What sights are there in the city - besides you? | Welche Sehenswürdigkeiten gibt es in der Stadt – außer dir? | [ˈvɛlçə ˈze:ənsvʏɐ̯dɪçkaɪ̯tən gi:pt ɛs ɪn de:ɐ̯ ʃtat - ˈaʊ̯szɐ di:ɐ̯] |
| Do you believe in fate? | Glaubst du an Schicksal? | [glaʊ̯pst du: an ˈʃɪkza:l] |
| I hope you know CPR, because you just took my breath away! | Ich hoffe, du kannst Erste Hilfe, denn du hast mir gerade den Atem geraubt! | [ɪç hɔfə du: kanst ˈɛɐ̯stə ˈhɪlfə dɛn du: hast mi:ɐ̯ ˈgəʁa:də de:n ˈa:təm gəˈʁaʊ̯pt] |
| Sorry, I don't know my way around here. Can you show me the way to your heart? | Entschuldigung, ich kenne mich hier nicht so gut aus. Kannst du mir den Weg zu deinem Herzen zeigen? | [ɛntˈʃʊldɪgʊŋ ɪç ˈkɛnə mɪç hi:ɐ̯ nɪçt zo: gu:t aʊ̯s kanst du: mi:ɐ̯ de:n ve:k t͡su: ˈdaɪ̯nəm ˈhɛɐ̯t͡sən ˈt͡saɪ̯gən] |
| I noticed that you’re the most beautiful man / woman in the room. | Mir ist aufgefallen, dass du der schönste Mann / die schönste Frau im Raum bist. | [mi:ɐ̯ ɪst ˈaʊ̯fgəfalən das du: de:ɐ̯ ˈʃø:nstə man / di: ʃø:nstə fʁaʊ̯ ɪm ʁaʊ̯m bɪst] |
| No wonder the sky is gray. All the color is in your eyes. | Kein Wunder, dass der Himmel grau ist. Die ganze Farbe ist in deinen Augen. | [kaɪ̯n ˈvʊndɐ das de:ɐ̯ ˈhɪməl gʁaʊ̯ ɪst. di: ˈgant͡sə ˈfaɐ̯bə ɪst ɪn ˈdaɪ̯nən ˈaʊ̯gən] |
| When God made you, he was seriously showing off. | Als Gott dich schuf, wollte er echt angeben. | [als gɔt dɪç ʃʊf ˈvɔltə e:ɐ̯ ɛçt ˈange:bən] |
| If beauty were time, you’d be eternity. | Wenn Schönheit Zeit wäre, wärst du die Ewigkeit. | [vɛn ˈʃø:nhaɪ̯t t͡saɪ̯t ˈvɛ:ʁə vɛ:ɐ̯st du: di: ˈe:vɪçkaɪ̯t] |
Some lines can actually be quite sweet. I'd go so far as to say opening with sweet potatoes or octopuses can only be the start of a great conversation.
| English | German | IPA |
| If you were a potato, you’d be a sweet potato. | Wenn du eine Kartoffel wärst, wärst du eine Süßkartoffel. | [vɛn du: aɪ̯nə ˈkaɐ̯tɔfəl vɛ:ɐ̯st vɛ:ɐ̯st du: aɪ̯nə ˈzy:skaɐ̯tɔfəl] |
| Don't your legs hurt? You've been on my mind all evening. (Literally: Don't your legs hurt? You’ve been walking through my head all night.) | Tun dir die Beine nicht weh? Du gehst mir schon den ganzen Abend durch den Kopf. | [tu:n di:ɐ̯ di: ˈbaɪ̯nə nɪçt ve: du: ge:st mi:ɐ̯ ʃo:n de:n ˈgant͡sən ˈa:bənt dʊɐ̯ç de:n kɔp͡f] |
| Do we have a mutual friend who might introduce us to each other? | Haben wir einen gemeinsamen Freund, der uns vielleicht einander vorstellen könnte? | [ha:bən vi:ɐ̯ ˈaɪ̯nən gəˈmaɪ̯nzamən fʁɔʏ̯nt de:ɐ̯ ʊns fi:ˈlaɪ̯çt aɪ̯nˈandɐ ˈfo:ɐ̯ʃtɛlən ˈkœntə ] |
| Can I take a picture of you? I'd love to stick it on my wish list to Santa. | Kann ich ein Foto von dir machen? Ich würd das gern auf meinen Wunschzettel an den Weihnachtsmann kleben. | [kan ɪç aɪ̯n ˈfo:to: fɔn di:ɐ̯ ˈmaxən ɪç vʏɐ̯t das gɛɐ̯n aʊ̯f ˈmaɪ̯nən vˈʊnʃt͡sɛtəl an de:n ˈvaɪ̯naxtsman kle:bən] |
| I noticed that you didn't notice me. | Mir ist aufgefallen, dass ich dir nicht aufgefallen bin. | [mi:ɐ̯ ɪst ˈaʊ̯fgəfalən das ɪç di:ɐ̯ nɪçt ˈaʊ̯fgəfalən bɪn] |
| If I were a cat, I’d spend all nine of my lives with you. | Wenn ich eine Katze wäre, würde ich alle sieben Leben mit dir verbringen. | [vɛn ɪç aɪ̯nə ˈkat͡sə ˈvɛ:ʁə ˈvʏɐ̯də ɪç alə ˈzi:bən ˈle:bən mɪt di:ɐ̯ ˈfɛɐ̯bʁɪŋən] |
| If I was an octopus, all my 3 hearts would beat for you. | Wenn ich ein Oktopus wäre, würden alle meine 3 Herzen für dich schlagen. | [vɛn ɪç aɪ̯n ˈɔkto:pu:s ˈvɛ:ʁə ˈvʏɐ̯dən ˈalə ˈmaɪ̯nə dʁaɪ̯ ˈhɛɐ̯t͡sən fy:ɐ̯ dɪç ˈʃla:gən] |
| Do you know how heavy a polar bear is? - Heavy enough to break the ice. | Weißt du, wie schwer ein Eisbär ist? – Schwer genug, um das Eis zu brechen. | [vaɪ̯sʃt du: vi: ʃve:ɐ aɪ̯n ˈaɪ̯sbɛ:ɐ̯ ɪst ʃve:ɐ gənu:k ʊm das aɪ̯z t͡su: ˈbʁɛçən] |
![\"A](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt8bb093549e9b43ba/63ec36d4c0addb5053ec4421/Flirt_in_German.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
These aren’t exactly pick up lines but sometimes it’s best to start a conversation without revealing your intentions of hitting on the other person. So it comes in handy to have an excuse like asking them for the time.
| English | German | IPA |
| Hi, how are you? | Hi, wie gehts? | [hɪ, vi: gəhts] |
| Excuse me, can you tell me the way to…? | Entschuldigung, kannst du mir den Weg zu … sagen? | [ɛntˈʃʊldɪgʊŋ, kanst du: mi:ɐ̯ de:n ve:k t͡su: … ˈza:gən] |
| What’s the time? | Wie spät ist es? | [vi: ʃpɛ:t ɪst ɛs] |
| Do you have a lighter? (if you smoke) | Hast du mal Feuer? | [hast du: ma:l ˈfɔʏ̯ɐ] |
| Do you like this song? | Magst du das Lied? | [makst du: das li:t] |
| Do you come here often? | Kommst du öfter her? | [kɔmst du: ˈœftɐ he:ɐ] |
| The weather is so nice. I thought Germany was gonna be rainy. | Das Wetter ist so schön. Ich dachte, in Deutschland würde es mehr regnen. | [das ˈvɛtɐ ɪst zo: ʃø:n. Ɪç ˈdaxtəɪn ˈdɔʏ̯tʃlant ˈvʏɐ̯də ɛs me:ɐ ˈʁɛgnən] |
| How can I ever break the ice if it’s this cold? | Wie kann ich jemals das Eis brechen, wenn es so kalt ist? | [vi: kan ɪç ˈje:ma:ls das aɪ̯z ˈbʁɛçən vɛn ɛs zo: kalt ɪst] |
All the pick up lines mentioned here are pretty tame and safe to use on strangers. In the worst case scenario, the other person will walk away from you, and in the best case scenario, your pick up line was so bad that they start laughing - and humor is the best way to break the ice. Just keep a couple of things in mind before you approach someone:
The German band Wir Sind Helden has a hilarious song about a French girl called Aurélie who comes to Germany and entirely misreads the German flirting game because she’s used to French guys who are a lot more assertive. She’s just waiting to be approached and misses that the Germans do in fact like her.
Aurélie, die Männer mögen dich hier sehr
Schau, auf der Straße schaut dir jeder hinterher
Doch du merkst nichts, weil sie nicht pfeifen
Und pfeifst du selbst, die Flucht ergreifen
Du musst wissen, hier ist weniger oft mehr
Ach, Aurélie, in Deutschland braucht die Liebe Zeit
Hier ist man nach Tagen erst zum ersten Schritt bereit
Die nächsten Wochen wird gesprochen
Sich auf's Gründlichste berochen
Und erst dann trifft man sich irgendwo zu zweit
Aurélie, so klappt das nie
Du erwartest viel zu viel
Die Deutschen flirten sehr subtil
Aurélie, the men here like you very much
Look, on the street everyone is looking at you
But you don't notice because they don't whistle
And if you whistle yourself, they run away
You should know that here less is often more
Oh, Aurélie, in Germany love takes time
Here it takes days to take the first step
The next few weeks will be spent talking
We talk and talk and talk
And only then do we meet alone
Aurélie, it'll never work out like this
You’re expecting way too much
The Germans are very subtle at flirting
There’s a chance one of these pick up lines or tips on how to flirt in German will actually get you someone’s attention - and then what? Now it’s time to learn German. If “Kommst du öfter her?” is all you got, the conversation will be over pretty quickly, and with it, your dream of a German romance story.
So make sure you keep reading our German language blog, and you and your love interest never run out of things to say.
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Longest word in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"15 super long words in German that will knock your socks off","url":"/blog/longest-word-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt66b987026c69d8ca/63dc631a3d81ee204e8c4b94/Two_women_and_a_man_laughing_together.jpg"},"post_content":"This post highlights the longest word in the German language, discussing its meaning and the linguistic rules that allow for such lengthy constructions.
\n\nIf you tell people you’re learning German, sooner or later someone will ask you to “say something in German”. It’s a common request and most of us will answer with the basics like “hallo” or “mein Name ist…”
\n…But why don’t you try answering something like: “Massenkommunikationsdienstleistungsunternehmen” or “Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz” instead – preferably fast – and just watch the other person’s mouth drop?
\nI promise you the look on their face will be worth the effort you put into learning those words – and don’t worry. Learning long words in German isn’t as difficult as it looks.
\nThere’s a secret to the longest German words. Most of them are just a number of words acting as one. They’re usually very literal and logical, sometimes painfully so. Like the German word for a domestic partner: “Lebensabschnittsgefährte” or “life passage companion,” but that logic will help you remember them.
\nWe’ll teach you some of the longest words in the German language and break down how to learn them best.
\nThe dictionary of standard High German, the Duden, lists some wildly long words but which one is the longest? Which one is the winner of the ‘longest German word award’ and what does it mean?
\nHere are the top 3 longest words in the German dictionary in all their glory - along with their English meaning:
\nEnglish meaning: Delegation transfer law for the labeling of beef in order to monitor task transfers.
\nEnglish meaning: Regulation on the delegation of authority concerning land conveyance permissions.
\nEnglish meaning: Delegation transfer law for cattle labeling and beef labeling supervision duties.
\nHoly cow! Those are some long words all about the labeling of beef and property management. Typically German - since Germany is all about those laws and regulations. You probably won’t hear or use any of these words in casual small talk, but you might hear them on the news or encounter them in legal documents, so they do exist.
\n
![\"Two](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt6ac5b1570a267cca/63dc648490fb3569e47faf02/Two_happy_diverse_students_having_fun_while_learning_the_longest_words_in_German.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
\n\n
\n
It’s easiest to pronounce any long German word by breaking it down. After all, long German words are nothing but a row of compound nouns. One tip is to look for familiar words within the longer words.
\nTake Rinder Kennzeichnungs Fleisch Etikettierungs Überwachungs Aufgaben Übertragungs Gesetz. Maybe you’ve already learned the words “Fleisch” (meat) and “Aufgaben” (tasks)? Focus on what looks familiar and then learn the words you don’t know.
\nAs you can see “Rinderkennzeichnungsfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz” isn’t just one word. It doesn’t mean “cattle” for example - because that would be ridiculous. Technically, it’s eight words in a row, with a few extra “s”- sounds added for better flow:
\n| German | \nRinder | \nKennzeichnung -s- | \nFleisch | \nEtikettierung -s- | \nÜberwachung -s- | \nAufgaben | \nÜbertragung -s- | \nGesetz | \n
| IPA | \n‘ʁɪndɐ | \n‘kɛnt͡saɪ̯çnʊŋ -s- | \nflaɪ̯ʃ | \nɛtɪ’kəti:ʁʊŋ -s- | \n‘y:bɐvaxʊŋ -s- | \n‘aʊ̯fga:bən | \n‘y:bɐtʁa:gʊŋ s- | \ngə’zɛt͡s | \n
| Phonetic spelling | \nrin-dare | \ncan-tsighch-noongs | \nflysh | \neh-teak-cat-tier-roongs | \nue-bear-wuch-oongs | \nouf-gub-en | \nue-bear-trug-oongs | \ngeh-sats | \n
| English | \nCattle | \nTagging | \nMeat | \nLabeling | \nMonitoring | \nTasks | \nDelegation | \nLaw | \n
\n
Alright, so we’ve already given you the top 3, but we couldn’t stop there. After all, German is a language full of long, beautiful, quirky words. So here’s the top 15.
\nMeaning: Matchbox.
\nMeaning: Domestic partner.
\nMeaning: Friendship relationships.
\nMeaning: Declarations of Independence.
\nMeaning: Food intolerance.
\nMeaning: Workers' Compensation Act.
\nMeaning: Legal expenses insurance companies.
\nMeaning: Danube Steamship Company Captain.
\nMeaning: Narcotics Prescription Ordinance.
\nMeaning: Mass Communications Services Company.
\nMeaning: Nine hundred and ninety nine thousand nine hundred and ninety nine.
\nMeaning: Delegation transfer law for the labeling of beef in order to monitor task transfers.
\nMeaning: Regulation on the delegation of authority concerning land conveyance permissions.
\nMeaning: Danube Steamship Electricity Main Plant Construction Suboffice Company.
\nMeaning: Delegation transfer law for cattle labeling and beef labeling supervision duties.
\n
![\"Happy](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt8d63b0e48f7da16f/63dc63cbd0a39b6b6a9bdb14/Happy_student_throwing_papers_up_in_the_air.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
\n\n
\n
The longest German words aren’t actually the longest words in the German dictionary. That’s because German allows you to fuse as many nouns as you like and that way, you can make up whichever words you like.
\nRemember that Danube Steamship Company Captain? If you want to talk about his hat, you can add that hat to that already long word. The German word for “hat” is “Mütze”. So you could say “Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänsmütze” when you talk about the captain’s hat and all of a sudden your word has five more letters.
\nSo the truth is, the longest German word is whatever you can think of. I’m challenging you to put together the longest German word you can think of. That’s a great way to practice your German vocab. Here’s the longest German word I can come up with right now:
\n“Katzenpfotenballenhimbeermarmeladenglastunker.” It means “Cat paw pads dipping into a jar of raspberry jam”!
\nHave fun with it – check out our top funny German words and phrases for some ideas that will give you a chuckle.
\n\n
As you can see, most long German words also carry a lot of meaning. Long words with a single meaning are the exception in German but they exist. Here are a few of those technically short words that consist of a lot of letters:
\n| German | \nIPA | \nLetters | \nEnglish meaning | \n
| Krampf | \n[kʁamp͡f] | \n6 | \nCramp | \n
| Kriegst | \n[kʁiːkst] | \n7 | \nYou get | \n
| Pflicht | \n[pflɪçt] | \n7 | \nObligation | \n
| Schlumpf | \n[ʃlʊmp͡f] | \n8 | \nSmurf | \n
| Schmacht | \n[ʃmaxt] | \n8 | \nCraving | \n
| Schnaufst | \n[ʃnaʊ̯fst] | \n9 | \nYou sigh | \n
| Schleichst | \n[ʃlaɪ̯çst] | \n10 | \nYou sneak | \n
\n
\n
Some languages look even harder to pronounce because they have long words without vowels, like the Czech word “scvrnkls”. It consists of eight letters and all of them are consonants!
\nHowever, German doesn’t work that way. There are no German words without vowels.
\nA palindrome is a word that reads the same backward as forward like the word “kayak”.
\nThe longest German palindrome is:
\n\n
\n
Don’t worry. No one’s blaming you. Just listen to this German-speaker pronounce “Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz” and other crazy long German words!
\nEverybody has a different learning style, and if you’re the auditory learning type, listening to someone else pronounce words correctly is a great way for you to learn new vocab!
\n\n
\n
German isn’t as rigid as the German rules and regulations may make it sound. In fact, one of the most beautiful features of the German language is how easy it is to create your own words. As you saw with those cat paw pads dipping into a jar of raspberry jam, you can be very creative when you’re expressing yourself in German.
\nTo make sure you have all the different German words in your repertoire, check out our big German language blog and mix and match as you please!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Good luck in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to say good luck in German & good luck symbols","url":"/blog/good-luck-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltfc69dcadfcce00f2/6375e7640f2f8f10dd0e3a29/istock-607465860_copy.jpeg"},"post_content":"Just like everywhere in the world, in German-speaking countries, you can always use some extra luck! That way, your day will go smoothly and everything just happens the way you want.
\nWe all love days like that and we love talking about how lucky we are. So we’ll teach you how to say good luck in German, why pigs are considered lucky, and why Germans like to touch their chimney sweeper’s buttons.
\nSometimes, just a basic understanding of German language essentials is all you need. Download your free German language essentials eBook here.
\n![\"You're](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt53218b7bfb646e2f/6375dfcbdeb37610ecbb45a9/pexels-olena-bohovyk-3646104.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
“Luck” is “das Glück and “Good luck” in German is “Viel Glück.”
\nGermans believe in personal responsibility though. The German expression “Jeder ist seines Glückes Schmied“ shows this. It means “Everyone is the smith of their own luck.” Because of this, there’s an expression, used just as often as “good luck.” It’s “viel Erfolg” meaning “good success.”
\nWhen someone goes out to prove themselves, it often makes more sense to use this as it lets the other person know they’re in control.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Good luck! | \nViel Glück! | \n[fiːl ɡlʏk] | \n
| Good luck, my friend! | \nViel Glück, mein Freund! | \n[fiːl ɡlʏk, maɪ̯n fʁɔɪ̯nt] | \n
| I wish you success (Good success)! | \nViel Erfolg! | \n[fiːl ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk] | \n
| Good luck and best wishes! | \nViel Glück und beste Wünsche! | \n[fiːl ɡlʏk ʊnt ˈbɛstə ˈvʏnʃə] | \n
| I’ll keep my fingers crossed | \nIch drück die Daumen! | \n[ɪç dʁʏk diː ˈdaʊ̯mən] | \n
| Break a leg (in theater) | \nHals- und Beinbruch! | \n[ˌhals ʔʊnt ˈbaɪ̯nbʁʊx] | \n
| “Toi toi toi” (indicating three spits on the floor for good luck) | \nToi, toi, toi! | \n[ˈtɔɪ̯ ˈtɔɪ̯ ˈtɔɪ̯] | \n
| Knock on wood | \nKlopf auf Holz! | \n[ˈklɔp͡fn̩ aʊ̯f ˈhɔlt͡s] | \n
| Go get ‘em | \nZeig’s ihnen | \n[tsaɪ̯ks i:nən] | \n
Whether your German friend has a medical checkup, an important game or is studying for a test - always make the time to offer some German words of encouragement. It’s just a nice thing to do and an easy way to practice your German.
\n![\"Words](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt531538d1e5a40bfa/6375e21f32130110b279898d/pexels-munbaik-cycling-clothing-7099138.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| You are awesome! | \nDu bist toll! | \n[duː bɪst tɔl] | \n
| You’re going to do great! | \nDu wirst das ganz toll machen! | \n[du: vɪɐ̯st das gants tɔl ‘maxən] | \n
| Good luck today! | \nViel Glück heute! | \n[fi:l glʏk ‘hɔʏ̯tə] | \n
| Good luck tomorrow! | \nViel Glück morgen! | \n[fi:l glʏk ‘mɔɐ̯gən] | \n
| Good luck this semester! | \nViel Glück für dieses Semester! | \n[fi:l glʏk fy:ɐ̯ di:zəs zɛmɛstɐ] | \n
| Good luck on your test! | \nViel Glück bei der Prüfung! | \n[fi:l glʏk baɪ̯ de:ɐ̯ ‘pʁy:fʊŋ] | \n
| Good luck at the doctor's office! | \nViel Glück beim Arzt! | \n[fi:l glʏk baɪ̯m aɐ̯t͡st] | \n
| Good luck at the game! | \nViel Glück bei dem Spiel! | \n[fi:l glʏk baɪ̯ de:m ʃpi:l] | \n
| I’ll be there to cheer you on! | \nIch werde da sein und dich anfeuern! | \n[ɪç ‘ve:ɐ̯də da: zaɪ̯n ʊnt dɪç ‘anfɔʏ̯ɐn] | \n
There’s nothing better for a positive office culture than encouraging each other and celebrating your colleagues' successes. Here are some words of encouragement in German that will lift everyone’s work spirit.
\n![\"Words](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt2d90ffa70279de54/6375e07c07d496104f38b911/pexels-mikael-blomkvist-6476781.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Good luck on your job interview! | \nViel Glück bei deinem Vorstellungsgespräch! | \n[fi:l glʏk baɪ̯ ‘daɪ̯nəm ˈfoːɐ̯ʃtɛlʊŋsɡəˌʃpʁɛːç] | \n
| Good luck on your first day! | \nViel Glück an deinem ersten Tag! | \n[fi:l glʏk an ‘daɪ̯nəm ˈeːɐ̯stn̩ taːk] | \n
| Good success with the presentation! | \nViel Erfolg bei der Präsentation! | \n[fi:l ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk baɪ̯ deːɐ pʁɛzɛntaˈt͡si̯oːn] | \n
| Good success with that new project! | \nViel Erfolg mit dem neuen Projekt! | \n[fi:l ɛɐ̯ˈfɔlk mɪt de:m ‘nɔʏ̯ən pʁo:’jɛkt] | \n
| I hope you get that promotion! | \nIch hoffe, du bekommst die Beförderung! | \n[ɪç hɔfə du: bəkɔmst di: bəfœɐ̯dəʁʊŋ] | \n
| Keep up the great work! | \nGute Arbeit, weiter so! | \n[‘gu:tə ‘aɐ̯baɪ̯t ‘vaɪ̯tɐ zo:] | \n
| Hope you win that prize for your accomplishments! | \nHoffentlich gewinnst du die Auszeichnung für deine Leistungen! | \n[‘hɔfəntlɪç gə’vɪnst du: di: ‘aʊ̯st͡saɪ̯çnʊŋ fy:ɐ̯ ‘daɪ̯nə ‘laɪ̯stʊŋən] | \n
Piggies, clovers and chimney sweepers - There are many German good luck symbols and all of them taste good as marzipan figurines! Germans just love to eat little good luck charms made of marzipan, especially for New Year’s.
\nSome of them are widely known as lucky charms while others are unique to Germany. Another word for “being lucky” in German is “Schwein haben” (to have pig). Apparently, in the middle ages, if someone lost at gambling, they would sometimes receive a pig as a consolation prize. That way, they unexpectedly received something good. So they got lucky!
\n![\"pexels-brett-sayles-7935967.jpg\"](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltfc2f1fa7908b99b1/6375dde10c4e351095245da7/pexels-brett-sayles-7935967.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Luck seemed to play an especially big role in the middle ages. Back then, houses used to catch fire easily but chimney sweepers did their job to prevent this and were therefore also considered lucky. Even today, when your chimney sweeper comes to clean your chimney in Germany, it’s common to touch his shoulder or his buttons and let his luck rub off on you.
\n\n\nOne fun way to learn a language is by watching movies or shows in it. Especially animated movies that are easy to follow will make sense to you in German. Another upside is that you won’t be irritated by seeing real actors with different voices in the dubbed version. Animations have to be dubbed anyway. So the German versions are often just as good as the original.
\nOne great movie on the topic of “Glück” is “Luck” by Peggy Holmes. Watch the German trailer and test how much you already understand.
\nFor some inspiration on what to watch next if you’re learning different languages, check out our guide on multilingual Netflix shows!
\n\n\n![\"Download](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltac9f1f8098be7aeb/6385eaad5834861044c233ac/German_SEO_Blog_Downloadables_Banner.gif?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
When it comes to language learning, it’s more about success than luck since you’re gonna have to take control and put in the effort - but you’re in luck because you stumbled across our German language blog, which will make it both fun and easy for you!
\n"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"I don't know in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to say I don't know and I don't understand in German","url":"/blog/i-dont-know-in-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltc40b463fc19a03e7/636b2cf235d2ed777db28886/istock-1063686306.jpeg"},"post_content":"Sooner or later the German language is likely to make you go “I don’t understand.” When that happens, we’re here to help.
\nYou already know that German can be a funny language, and at times a little confusing. Of course there’s just the right graphic German expression that we use when someone looks extremely confused: “drei Fragezeichen im Gesicht haben,” which means someone has “three question marks on their face” – but don’t worry. It won’t be you.
\nAfter reading this article, you’ll know exactly how to say “I don't know” and “I don’t understand” in German, plus some fun alternative phrases and where to go, so you’ll never even need any of them.
\nYou can also download your free German language essentials eBook here, a trusty guide to all the German basics.
\n![\"How](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte8a560cf36b0b303/636b315b97079c1160f31bca/istock-622215710.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
The general translation for “I don’t know” in German is “Ich weiß nicht”, a valid answer to a number of questions. While learning German, you’ve probably had to use the phrases already. Especially if you’re taking a German class, there will be times when you just don’t know the answer to your teacher’s questions.
\nIf you’re in a German-speaking country and you’re actually trying to avoid all follow-up questions, you can try telling the other person that you don’t know German: “Ich spreche kein Deutsch.” (literally: I don’t speak German).
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| I don’t know. | \nIch weiß nicht. | \n[ɪç vaɪ̯s nɪçt] | \n
| I don’t know, yet. | \nWeiß ich noch nicht. | \n[vaɪ̯s ɪç nɔx nɪçt] | \n
| I don’t know German. | \nIch spreche kein Deutsch. | \n[ɪç ‘ʃpʁɛçə kaɪ̯n dɔʏ̯tʃ] | \n
| I don’t know what to do. | \nIch weiß nicht, was ich tun soll. | \n[ɪç vaɪ̯s nɪçt vas ɪç tu:n zɔl] | \n
| I don’t know what to say. | \nIch weiß nicht, was ich sagen soll. | \n[ɪç vaɪ̯s nɪçt vas ɪç za:gən zɔl] | \n
| I don’t know how to say that. | \nIch weiß nicht, wie man das sagt. | \n[ɪç vaɪ̯s nɪçt vi: man das zaːkt] | \n
| How do I say that in German? | \nWie sag ich das auf deutsch? | \n[vi: zak ɪç das aʊ̯f dɔʏ̯tʃ] | \n
| I don’t know her/him. | \nIch kenne sie/ihn nicht. | \n[ɪç ˈkɛnə zi: / iːn nɪçt] | \n
| I don’t know that movie. | \nIch kenne den Film nicht. | \n[ɪç ˈkɛnə de:n fɪlm nɪçt] | \n
| Don’t know | \nWeiß nicht | \n[vaɪ̯s nɪçt] | \n
| Don’t ask me | \nFrag mich nicht | \n[fʁa:k mɪç nɪçt] | \n
| Beats me | \nDa bin ich überfragt | \n[da: bɪn ɪç ˌyːbɐˈfʁaːkt] | \n
| Good question | \nGute Frage | \n[ˈɡuːtə ˈfʁaːɡə] | \n
| No idea | \nKeine Ahnung | \n[ˈkaɪ̯nə ˈaːnʊŋ] | \n
| No clue | \nKein Plan | \n[kaɪ̯n plaːn] | \n
| I have no clue (literally: I have no pale shimmer) | \nIch habe keinen blassen Schimmer | \n[ɪç ˈhabə ˈkaɪ̯nən ˈblasnˈʃɪmɐ] | \n
In German, there are two different expressions for “to know”: “wissen” and “kennen” - and the difference between the two can be tricky. Both of them translate as “to know” but “wissen” is about knowledge or awareness, while “kennen” indicates familiarity.
\nNow before you get mad at us for making up such a random distinction for something that clearly works as a single verb - it’s actually English who’s the odd one out in this regard. Most languages differentiate between the two forms of knowing, including French, Finnish, Hungarian and Hindi!
\nIn fact, even English originally used to differentiate between the two meanings. In addition to the verb “to know”, Old English had “witan”, related to the German “wissen” and words like “wise.”
\n![\"I](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt7ee34a5d7836b0fd/636b320d421feb097ddb5cd8/istock-1010059158.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Here’s a general rule of thumb to help you pick the correct verb form:
\n| Context | \nEnglish | \nGerman | \n
| Know (without object) | \nI don’t know. | \nIch weiß nicht. | \n
| Know + object | \nI don’t know the answer. | \nIch kenne die Antwort nicht. | \n
| Context | \nEnglish | \nGerman | \n
| Know + subordinate clause | \nI don’t know what the book is about. | \nIch weiß nicht, worum es in dem Buch geht. | \n
| Know + object | \nI don’t know the book. | \nIch kenne das Buch nicht. | \n
| Context | \nEnglish | \nGerman | \n
| Know + subordinate clause | \nI don’t know who my new professors will be. | \nIch weiß nicht, wer meine neuen Professoren sein werden. | \n
| Know + object | \nI don’t know my new professors yet. | \nIch kenne meine neuen Professoren noch nicht. | \n
There are some seriously weird words and expressions in German. Some are just a little long or unfamiliar, while others actually look like someone fell asleep on their keyboard.
\nWhen you’re reading a paragraph about the German “Straßenverkehrszulassungsordnung”, it’s perfectly acceptable to get up and say “I don’t understand this!” or in German “Ich versteh das nicht.”
\n![\"I](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt6b1c531882664db1/636b3242603c9e7aa0c334c1/istock-637550620.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| I don’t understand. | \nIch verstehe nicht. | \n[ɪç fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːə nɪçt] | \n
| Sorry, I don’t understand. | \nEntschuldigung, ich verstehe nicht. | \n[ɛntˈʃʊldɪɡʊŋ ɪç fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːə nɪçt] | \n
| I don’t understand the question. | \nIch verstehe die Frage nicht. | \n[ɪç fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːə diː ˈfʁaːɡə nɪçt] | \n
| Excuse me? | \nWie bitte? | \n[ˈviːbɪtə] | \n
| Could you repeat that? | \nKannst du das noch mal wiederholen? | \n[kanst du: das nɔx ma:l ˌviːdɐˈhoːlən] | \n
| (Can you repeat that), please? | \nBitte? | \n[ˈbɪtə] | \n
| What? | \nWas? | \n[vas] | \n
| Wait, what? | \nWarte, was? | \n[ˈvaʁtə vas] | \n
| Huh? | \nHäh? | \n[hɛː] | \n
| I don’t understand anything (literally: I only understand train station). | \n Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof. | \n[ɪç fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːə nuːɐ̯ ˈbaːnhoːf] | \n
| I didn’t understand that. | \nDas hab ich nicht verstanden. | \n[das ha:p ɪç nɪçt fɛɐ̯ˈʃtandn̩] | \n
| I don’t understand German. | \nIch verstehe kein Deutsch. | \n[ɪç fɛɐ̯ˈʃteːə kaɪ̯n dɔɪ̯t͡ʃ] | \n
| Could you say that in English? (polite) | \nKönnten Sie das auf Englisch sagen? | \n[ˈkœntn zi: das aʊ̯f ˈɛŋlɪʃ ˈzaːɡn̩] | \n
The one thing that’s even better than knowing how to say “I don’t know” or “I don’t understand” is being able to say “Oh, I know. I finally understand that”: Oh, ich weiß. Endlich verstehe ich.
\nTo make sure you can proudly say “I get it” next time, keep reading our German language blog where we break down the complex German language one topic at a time!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Beer in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to order a beer in German & say cheers like a local","url":"/blog/beer-cheers-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltb65f6f0573ca19e5/633f890e59c8ec116d13f2a7/pexels-ketut-subiyanto-5055471.jpg"},"post_content":"As a German-learner, you won’t get around learning about German beer culture as it’s an integral part of German culture in general. If you’re visiting a German-speaking country and want to fully immerse yourself in it, it’s a good idea to at least try a local beer. You won’t have to look very far as you’ll soon notice that in Germany basically every occasion can be a reason to drink beer:
\n![\"The](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltad0ee496548ccc32/634791ac9bac8c116ac5b552/pexels-brett-sayles-1467807.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Beer in German is “das Bier” and the plural is “die Biere”. There are so many different beers in Germany that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. It helps to know which kind of beer you already like and then find a German one that’s similar.
\nWhen in doubt, you can always drink what the locals are having. Most of them are very proud of their regional beers and some cities have actual rivalries about whose beer is better.
\n\nWe’ll teach you all the different kinds: Light or dark, sour or sweet, draft beer or craft beer in German. Whatever you prefer, you’re guaranteed to find it in Germany. Here’s a list of how to say each beer in German, so you get exactly what you want.
![\"There](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltba73c2ae1348b027/634790e159c8ec116d140970/pexels-cottonbro-5529898.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Beer | \nDas Bier | \n[biːɐ̯] | \n
| Dark beer | \nDunkles Bier | \n[ˈdʊŋkləs biːɐ̯] | \n
| Light beer | \nHelles Bier | \n[ˈhɛləs biːɐ̯] | \n
| Lager | \nDas Lager | \n[ˈlaːɡɐ] | \n
| Stout | \nDas Starkbier | \n[ˈʃtaʁkˌbiːɐ̯] | \n
| Pilsner | \nDas Pilsner | \n[ˈpɪlznɐ] | \n
| Wheat beer | \nDas Weißbier | \n[ˈvaɪ̯sˌbiːɐ̯] | \n
| Ale | \nDas Ale | \n[ɛɪ̯l] | \n
| Sour ale | \nDas Sauerbier | \n[ˈzaʊ̯ɐbiːɐ̯] | \n
| Porter | \nDas Porter | \n[ˈpɔʁtɐ] | \n
| Root beer | \nDas Rootbeer | \n[ˈɹut biːɐ̯] | \n
| Cold beer | \nKaltes Bier | \n[ˈkaltəs biːɐ̯] | \n
| Draft beer | \nDas Fassbier | \n[ˈfasˌbiːɐ̯] | \n
| Craft beer | \nDas Craft-Bier | \n[krɑːft biːɐ̯] | \n
| IPA (India pale ale) | \nDas IPA (India pale ale) | \n[ˌiːpeːˈʔaː] | \n
| Pale ale | \nHelles Ale-Bier | \n[ˈhɛləs ɛɪ̯l-biːɐ̯] | \n
| Low carb beer | \nKohlenhydratarmes Bier | \n[ˈkoːlənhydʁaːtˌˈaʁməs biːɐ̯] | \n
| Malt beer | \nDas Malzbier | \n[ˈmaltsbiːɐ] | \n
| Non-alcoholic beer | \nAlkoholfreies Bier | \n[alkoˈhoːlˌfʁaɪ̯əs biːɐ̯] | \n
| Low-calorie beer | \nDas Light-Bier | \n[laɪt biːɐ̯] | \n
| Gluten-free beer | \nGlutenfreies Bier | \n[ɡluˈteːnˌfʁaɪ̯əs biːɐ̯] | \n
| Top-fermented dark beer | \nDas Altbier | \n[ˈaltˌbiːɐ̯] | \n
| Fruit beer | \nDas Fruchtbier | \n[fʁʊxt biːɐ̯] | \n
| Shandy | \nDas Biermischgetränk | \n[biːɐ̯mɪʃɡəˈtʁɛŋk]] | \n
If you’re a beer enthusiast, Germany will be heaven for you. There’s definitely a German beer for every taste from bitter dark beer to fruity banana beer!
\n\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Delicious | \nLecker; köstlich | \n[ˈlɛkɐ; ˈkœstlɪç] | \n
| Cold | \nKalt | \n[kalt] | \n
| Strong | \nStark | \n[ʃtaʁk] | \n
| Stout | \nKräftig | \n[ˈkʁɛftɪç] | \n
| Light | \nHell | \n[hɛl] | \n
| Hoppy | \nHopfig | \n[ˈhɔpfɪg] | \n
| Fresh | \nFrisch | \n[fʁɪʃ] | \n
| Fruity | \nFruchtig | \n[ˈfʁʊxtɪç] | \n
| Malty | \nMalzig | \n[ˈməlzɪg] | \n
| Roasty | \nRöstig | \n[ʁøːstɪg] | \n
| Sour | \nSauer | \n[ˈzaʊ̯ɐ] | \n
| Bitter | \nBitter | \n[ˈbɪtɐ] | \n
| Sharp | \nHerb | \n[hɛʁp] | \n
| Bright | \nHell | \n[hɛl] | \n
| Earthy | \nErdig | \n[ˈeːɐ̯dɪç] | \n
| Frothy | \nSchaumig | \n[ˈʃaʊ̯mɪç] | \n
| Grainy | \nKörnig | \n[ˈkœʁnɪç] | \n
| Natural | \nNatürlich | \n[naˈtyːɐ̯lɪç] | \n
| Aromatisch | \nAromatisch | \n[aʁoˈmaːtɪʃ] | \n
| Caramelly | \nKaramellig | \n[kaʁaˈmɛlɪç] | \n
| Acidic | \nSäuerlich | \n[ˈzɔɪ̯ɐlɪç] | \n
| Sweetish | \nSüßlich | \n[ˈzyːslɪç] | \n
| Spicy | \nWürzig | \n[ˈvʏʁt͡sɪç] | \n
If you’re meeting up with a date at a bar or a colleague for a fun little Feieerabendbier, it’s definitely useful to be able to say “I would like a beer” or “ I need a beer” in German. This is how a conversation in those situations could look like.
![\"How](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltb09678d16ccec904/6347906b1338101198fced34/pexels-pavel-danilyuk-5858205.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| Speaker | \nEnglish | \nGerman | \n
| Waiter | \nCan I get you anything? | \nKann ich Ihnen etwas bringen? | \n
| Customer | \nI’m waiting for a friend but I would like a beer, please. | \nIch warte auf eine Freundin, aber ich hätte gerne ein Bier, bitte. | \n
| Waiter | \nSure, which beer would you like? | \nSicher, welches Bier möchten Sie? | \n
| Customer | \nCan I get a light beer, not too bitter? | \nKann ich ein helles Bier bekommen, nicht zu bitter? | \n
| Waiter | \nAbsolutely, coming right up. | \nNatürlich, kommt sofort. | \n
| Customer | \nThank you! | \nDanke! | \n
| Friend (showing up) | \nSorry I’m late! (to waiter) Another beer, please! | \n Tut mir leid, dass ich zu spät bin! (to waiter) Noch ein Bier, bitte! | \n
| Speaker | \nEnglish | \nGerman | \n
| Colleague1 | \nHow was work today? | \nWie war die Arbeit heute? | \n
| Colleague2 | \nI need a beer! | \nIch brauche ein Bier! | \n
| Colleague1 | \nThat bad? | \nSo schlimm? | \n
| Colleague2 | \nNo, it was alright. I just had a lot to do, so I deserve a little end of work beer. | \nNein, war schon in Ordnung. Ich hatte bloß viel zu tun. Deshalb hab ich mir ein Feierabendbierchen verdient. | \n
| Colleague1 | \nI’m in! | \nBin dabei! | \n
Whether you’re at Oktoberfest or drinking beer (or any beverage really) at the pub with a German-speaking friend, you’ll need to know how to say cheers in German, plus a few other related drinking words that will most definitely come in handy when quenching your thirst.
\nAn important one to note is “Prost!’, your German version of “Cheers!”, which you can use in all types of situations. And don’t forget your please and thank you in German when ordering a round.
![\"How](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt68b239365385b0d9/63478fff366c7610e0fbdaea/pexels-pavel-danilyuk-5858069.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Please | \nBitte | \n[ˈbɪtə] | \n
| Thank you | \nDanke | \n[ˈdaŋkə] | \n
| Cheers! | \nProst! | \n[pʁoːst] | \n
| Another beer, please | \nNoch ein Bier, bitte | \n[nɔx aɪ̯n bi:ɐ̯ bɪtə] | \n
| Tip | \nDas Trinkgeld | \n[ˈtʁɪŋkˌɡelt] | \n
| Where’s the bathroom? | \nWo ist die Toilette? | \n[vo: ɪst di: toˈlɛtə] | \n
| A liter (Typical measurement for one large beer) | \nEine Maß | \n[ˈmaːs] | \n
| Tipsy | \nBeschwipst | \n[bəˈʃvɪpst] | \n
As you might have guessed, there are some peculiarities about German beer culture. Learn all about the German purity law that makes German beer so special, beer spas, and a number of weird German mixed beer drinks. Also take a look at how Germans open a bottle of beer with anything but a bottle opener!
\nOf course you can’t survive on only beer (although for some Oktoberfest visitors, it’s not for a lack of trying!) - so go ahead and check out our delicious guide on German drinks that includes a whole number of non-alcoholic alternatives!
\nThe safest ones, especially if you’ve had one or two beers too many - is water or coffee to sober you up! Most of the time, a beer is a harmless way to loosen up though. It will get those German words flowing and ordering food and drinks in German as well as German small talk will become a lot easier. Just keep practicing and you’ll soon be surprised how good your German actually is!
\nOur German language blog will give some fun and easy topics to talk about - from flowers to flamingos!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Coffee in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to order coffee in German and espresso yourself confidently","url":"/blog/coffee-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltb465dd9ce18bdc5c/633661308076874bc1dcea60/people-g1e9a9ac4d_1920.jpg"},"post_content":"There are so many delicious German drinks that it can be hard to choose just one but between Kiba, Apfelschorle and of course our famous Glühwein, the numbers prove that we actually love coffee the most!
\nGermany is Europe’s largest coffee importer and the third largest coffee market in the world, right after the US and Brazil. If you’re learning German and getting to know German traditions, you won’t get around German coffee culture.
\nIt’s a good idea to order a coffee in German or give your coffee preferences in a number of sitautions:
\n![\"Coffee](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte9f0fcbda120f5f7/63365f72fb8e0d2b8a312dd2/pexels-piotr-arnoldes-6783181.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Coffee in German is “Kaffee”. The plural is “Kaffees” but it’s more common to talk in cups if you’re having more than one. A cup of coffee in German is “eine Tasse Kaffee”, so if you’re having two or more, you’d say “zwei Tassen Kaffee” (two cups of coffee) for example.
\nIf you’re a coffee lover, you probably want to learn how to order coffee all across the world. This is the perfect place to start as coffee culture is huge in the German-speaking countries and we have some fun traditions that involve coffee.
\n\nHow do you drink your coffee? A triple espresso as black as the night or a vanilla latte with three pumps of syrup and extra foam on top? Either way, we don’t judge.
\nWe’re just here to make sure you get your order right when you’re in Germany! That’s why we’ll teach you all the different variations, from black coffee over iced coffee to decaf coffee in German.
\n\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Coffee | \nDer Kaffee | \n[ˈkafe] | \n
| Latte | \nDer Latte | \n[ˈlatə] | \n
| Caffè Latte | \nDer Milchkaffee | \n[ˈmɪlçkaˌfeː] | \n
| Iced coffee | \nDer Eiskaffee | \n[ˈaɪ̯sˌkafe] | \n
| Frappuccino | \nDer Frappuccino | \n[fʁappʊt͡ʃɪno:] | \n
| Black coffee | \nSchwarzer Kaffee | \n[ˈʃvaʁt͡sɐ ˈkafe] | \n
| Drip coffee | \nDer Filterkaffee | \n[ˈfɪltɐˌkafeː] | \n
| Turkish coffee | \nTürkischer Kaffee | \n[ˈtʏʁkɪʃɐ ˈkafe] | \n
| A cup of coffee | \nEine Tasse Kaffee | \n[ˈaɪ̯nə ˈtasə ˈkafe] | \n
| Decaf coffee | \nKoffeinfreier Kaffee | \n[kɔfeˈiːnˌfʁaɪ̯ɐ ˈkafe] | \n
| Instant coffee | \nDer Instantkaffee | \n[ˈɪnstənt ˈkafe] | \n
| Espresso | \nDer Espresso | \n[ˌɛsˈpʁɛso] | \n
| Cappuccino | \nDer Cappuccino | \n[ˌkapʊˈtʃiːno] | \n
| Macchiato | \nDer Macchiato | \n[makˈkiaːto] | \n
| Mocha | \nDer Mocha | \n[ˈmɔka] | \n
A “Kaffeeklatsch” is a social gathering with tea and conversation. If you don’t know what to talk about, you can always talk about the coffee itself. Here is just the right vocab to help you get started.
![\"Notable](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt531cfaa1a110d0fb/6336649bf709a318104fa642/pexels-marta-dzedyshko-2775827.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Do you want coffee? | \nMöchtest du Kaffee? | \n[ˈmøçtɛst du: ˈkafe] | \n
| Coffee break | \nDie Kaffeepause | \n[ˈkafeˌpaʊ̯zə] | \n
| Coffee klatsch (a get-together with coffee) | \nDer Kaffeeklatsch | \n[ˈkafeˌklatʃ] | \n
| Coffee party | \nKaffeekränzchen | \n[ˈkafeˌkʁɛnt͡sçən] | \n
| Coffee powder | \nDas Kaffeepulver | \n[ˈkafeˌpʊlvɐ] | \n
| Coffee grounds | \nDer Kaffeesatz | \n[ˈkafeˌzats] | \n
| Coffee mug | \nDie Kaffeetasse | \n[ˈkafeˌtasə] | \n
| Coffee pot | \nDie Kaffeekanne | \n[ˈkafeˌkanə] | \n
| I need coffee! | \nIch brauche Kaffee! | \n[ɪç ˈbʁaʊ̯xə ˈkafe] | \n
| I could really use some coffee right now. | \nIch könnte jetzt gut einen Kaffee gebrauchen. | \n[ɪç ˈkœntə jɛt͡st gu:t ˈaɪ̯nən ˈkafe gəbʁaʊ̯xən] | \n
| This coffee tastes great! | \nDer Kaffee schmeckt spitze! | \n[de:ɐ̯ kafeˌ ʃmɛkt ʃpɪt͡sə] | \n
| Would you like to have a cup of coffee sometime? | \nHättest du Lust, mal eine Tasse Kaffee trinken zu gehen? | \n[ˈhɛtəst du: lʊst ma:l ˈaɪ̯nə ˈtasə ˈkafe ˈtʁɪŋkən tsu: ˈge:ən] | \n
| Would you like to come in for some coffee? | \nMöchtest du auf einen Kaffee reinkommen? | \n[ˈmøçtɛst du: aʊ̯f ˈaɪ̯nən ˈkafe: ˈʁaɪ̯nkɔmən] | \n
| To drink | \nTrinken | \n[ˈtʁɪŋkn̩] | \n
| To sip | \nNippen | \n[ˈnɪpn̩] | \n
| To brew | \nBrauen | \n[ˈbʁaʊ̯ən] | \n
Whether you’re at a café, in a bar or on a plane, sometimes all you need is a coffee, so it’s important that you know how to order coffee in German. Here’s how those conversations might go.
\n\n![\"Women](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4cbef98c1dbcb28a/63366961336df11e17fef9f1/pexels-sam-lion-5709242.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| Speaker | \nGerman | \nEnglish | \n
| Barista | \nHey, was kann ich Ihnen bringen? | \nHey, what can I get you? | \n
| Guest | \nEinen Milchkaffee, bitte. | \nOne coffee latte, please. | \n
| Barista | \nMit welcher Art von Milch? | \nWith which kind of milk? | \n
| Guest | \nWas steht zur Auswahl? | \nWhat are the options? | \n
| Barista | \nWir haben normale Milch, Mandel-, Soja- oder Hafermilch. | \nWe have regular, almond, soy or oat milk. | \n
| Guest | \nMandelmilch, bitte. | \nAlmond milk, please. | \n
| Barista | \nPerfekt. | \nPerfect. | \n
| Speaker | \nGerman | \nEnglish | \n
| Bartender | \nDarf ich Ihnen noch einen Drink bringen? | \nMay I get you another drink? | \n
| Guest | \nNein, danke. Ich glaube, ich hatte schon genug. | \nNo, thank you. I think I’ve had enough. | \n
| Bartender | \nKann ich Ihnen stattdessen einen Kaffee bringen? | \nCan I get you a coffee instead? | \n
| Guest | \nDas ist eine gute Idee. | \nThat’s a good idea. | \n
| Bartender | \nMöchten Sie noch etwas anderes dazu? | \nWould you like anything else with that? | \n
| Guest | \nNein, nur einen einfachen schwarzen Kaffee, bitte. | \nNo, just a plain black coffee, please. | \n
| Bartender | \nKommt sofort. | \nRight away. | \n
| Speaker | \nGerman | \nEnglish | \n
| Flight attendant | \nTee oder Kaffee? | \nTea or coffee? | \n
| Passenger | \nIch hätte gerne einen Kaffee, bitte. | \nI’d like some coffee, please | \n
| Flight attendant | \nGerne. Wie trinken Sie Ihren Kaffee? Mit Milch und Zucker oder schwarz? | \nSure. How do you take your coffee? With milk and sugar or black? | \n
| Passenger | \nMit Zucker, bitte. Ohne Milch. | \nWith sugar, please. No milk. | \n
| Flight attendant | \nReicht ein Päckchen? | \nIs one package enough? | \n
| Passenger | \nJa, perfekt. Danke. | \nYes, perfect. Thank you. | \n
| Flight attendant | \nBitte sehr! | \nYou’re welcome! | \n
German-speakers have been eating cake and drinking coffee since the 17th century. It only made sense to combine those two delights into one bittersweet custom and soon the so-called “Kaffee und Kuchen“ or “coffee and cake” was born.
\nOriginally mostly royals got to enjoy this tradition but it was soon adapted by the broad public. Today it’s everyone’s favorite afternoon ritual. You get together with your friends or family to sip a coffee and munch some cake while catching up.
\nAmericans adapted this German tradition and ended up loving it so much that they declared April 7 as National Coffee Cake Day!
\n![\"Americans](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltd3278b24412f02c0/633669e324bebb2394c2783b/pexels-valeria-boltneva-1516416.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Coffee is something that people all over the world have been cherishing for centuries. Kaffee und Kuchen is the perfect occasion to practice your German. Get together with your German-speaking colleagues or friends and enjoy your coffee with the cake of your choice: German cheesecake, Black Forest Cake or Apfelstrudel.
\nOur German language blog will give you an endless number of conversation topics to talk about during your Kaffee und Kuchen break. The best way to learn German is to take a German class online and then take a trip to test your language skills in the real world. Now you have one more reason to visit: In Germany, every day is National Coffee Cake Day!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Good morning in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to say good morning in German in 45 appropriate ways","url":"/blog/good-morning-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltf90de11f87261faf/6334fbadecd0b92b89dff4bd/pexels-tony-schnagl-5586320.jpg"},"post_content":"The article provides various ways to say \"good morning\" in German, along with cultural insights on morning greetings and their importance in social interactions.
\n\nIf you want to learn German, this is the perfect start. Whether you’re texting a German loved one after waking up, meeting a German friend for coffee or starting your first day of work in a German-speaking environment: You’re going to want to wish someone a good morning sooner or later. Of course you can just say hello to greet someone but it’s always good to be specific and wish people a good morning when it’s that time of the day.
\nGrab your coffee and a notepad! We’ll teach you all the different ways to say good morning, plus some fun German morning sayings, and as a bonus, we have a calming morning meditation in German for you. Get ready for the most relaxing way to learn a new language!
\nBeginning your German language learning journey? Download your free German language essentials eBook here.
\n\n
\n
The morning in German is “der Morgen”. If you want to say “It’s a good morning”, you say “Es ist ein guter Morgen”, but if you’re wishing someone a good morning (jemandem einen guten Morgen wünschen), the morning becomes the object of the sentence, so the ending changes to “Guten Morgen”. It’s always a nice conversation starter, and you can usually get away with wishing someone a good morning until noon.
\n![\"Good](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt0e00d9cae3c0f9d9/6334fc28f709a318104f9ba7/hong_kong_513786815.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| The morning | \nDer Morgen | \n[ˈmɔʁɡn̩] | \n
| Good morning! | \nGuten Morgen! | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩] | \n
| Good morning, how are you? | \nGuten Morgen, wie geht’s? | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩ ˌviː ˈɡeːt͡s] | \n
| Good morning, did you sleep well? | \nGuten Morgen, gut geschlafen? | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩ ɡuːt ɡəˈʃlaːfn̩] | \n
| Have a good day! | \nHab einen schönen Tag! | \n[ˈhaːb ˈaɪ̯nən ˈʃøːnən taːk] | \n
| Good morning, nice to meet you (formal) | \nGuten Morgen, schön Sie kennenzulernen | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩ ˈʃøːn ziː ˈkɛnənt͡suˌlɛʁnən] | \n
| A beautiful good morning! | \nEinen schönen guten Morgen! | \n[ˈaɪ̯nən ˈʃøːnən ɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩] | \n
| Wonderful morning! | \nEinen wunderschönen guten Morgen! | \n[ˈaɪ̯nən ˌvʊndɐˈʃøːnən ɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩] | \n
| It’s a good morning. | \nEs ist ein guter Morgen. | \n[ɛs ɪst aɪ̯n ˈɡuːtɐ ˈmɔʁɡn̩] | \n
| Today will be a beautiful day. | \nHeute wird ein schöner Tag. | \n[ˈhɔɪ̯tə vɪʁt aɪ̯n ˈʃøːnɐ taːk] | \n
| What a beautiful morning! | \nWas für ein schöner Morgen! | \n[ˈvas ˌfyːɐ̯ aɪ̯n ˈʃøːnɐ ˈmɔʁɡn̩] | \n
\n
There’s no real slang word for “Good morning” in German. Instead of saying “Guten Morgen”, you would just shorten it to “Morgen”. You can always add a German slang phrase to make it sound more casual.
\n![\"Friends](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt7134af10c832fcf7/6334fe2a4df1082a16b60e8c/istock-512802448.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Morning | \nMorgen! | \n[ˈmɔʁɡn̩] | \n
| Morning, how you doin’? | \nMorgen, wie geht’s? | \n[ˈmɔʁɡn̩ ˌviː ˈɡeːt͡s] | \n
| Morning, what’s up? | \nMorgen, was läuft? | \n[ˈmɔʁɡn̩ vas lɔɪ̯ft] | \n
| Morning, I need some coffee first. | \nMorgen, ich brauch erst mal Kaffee. | \n[ˈmɔʁɡn̩ ɪç bʁaʊ̯x ɛɐ̯st ma:l ˈkafe] | \n
| Don’t “good morning” me! | \nKomm mir nicht mit “guten Morgen”. | \n[kɔm mi:ɐ̯ nɪçt mɪt ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩] | \n
\n
If you ever have the pleasure of waking up next to a German, you’re gonna want to tell them “good morning” in German and maybe add a loving nickname. Or you’re thinking of your German-speaking love interest in the morning and want to send a nice text. If you really want to make their day, throw in a German compliment while you’re at it!
\n![\"Romantic](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt36bb37d6c96ff233/6334fe792b80434a8b694b62/istock-529363223.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Good morning, my love! | \nGuten Morgen, mein Schatz! | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩ maɪ̯n ʃa:t͡s] | \n
| Good morning, darling! | \nGuten Morgen, Liebling! | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩ ˈliːplɪŋ] | \n
| Good morning, beautiful! | \nGuten Morgen, Schönheit! | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩ ˈʃøːnhaɪ̯t] | \n
| Good morning, sunshine! | \nGuten Morgen, Sonnenschein! | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩ ˈzɔnənˌʃaɪ̯n] | \n
| Good morning, baby! | \nGuten Morgen, Baby! | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩ ˈbeːbi] | \n
| Good morning, I woke up thinking about you. | \nGuten Morgen, ich musste an dich denken, als ich aufgewacht bin. | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩ ɪç ˈmʊstə an dɪç ˈdɛŋkən als ɪç ˈaʊ̯fgəvaxt bɪn] | \n
| Good morning, I miss you. | \nGuten Morgen, du fehlst mir. | \n[ˈɡuːtn̩ ˈmɔʁɡn̩ du: fe:lst mi:ɐ̯] | \n
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In Northern Germany, you say “Moin” or “Moin Moin”. It’s short for “morning” but you can say it all day long. Variations of the word “morning” are seemingly endless, depending on the region. We have “Mojen”, “Morje”, “Morschn” and many more.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nRegion | \n
| Morning | \nMoin | \n[mɔɪ̯n] | \nHamburg, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein | \n
| Morning | \nMoin Moin | \n[mɔɪ̯n mɔɪ̯n] | \nHamburg, Bremen, Schleswig-Holstein | \n
| Morning | \nMojen | \n[ˈmo:jən] | \nBerlin | \n
| Good morning | \nGuudn Morschn | \n[ˈgʊʊdn ˈmɔʁʃn] | \nSaxony | \n
| Good morning | \nGudd Morje | \n[gʊdt ˈmɔɐ̯jə] | \nSaarland | \n
| Morning | \nGuadmorgn | \n[gʊa:tˈmɔɐ̯gn] | \nBavaria | \n
| Morning | \nMorge | \n[ˈmɔɐ̯gə] | \nBaden | \n
| Morning | \nMorje | \n[ˈMorje] | \nCologne | \n
| Good morning | \nGuada Morga! | \n[ˈgʊa:da: ˈmɔɐ̯ga] | \nSwabia | \n
| Morning | \nMosche | \n[ˈmo:ʃə] | \nHessia | \n
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Mornings in Switzerland and Austria can be especially beautiful. Check out our guide on German geography terms for some ideas where in the German-speaking countries you can best spend a quiet and peaceful morning in the mountains.
\nHere are alternative ways to say “Good morning” in Swiss German and Austrian.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nCountry | \n
| Good morning | \nGuete Morge | \n[ˈgʊɛtə ˈmɔɐ̯gə] | \nSwitzerland | \n
| Good morning | \nGuata Morgä | \n[ˈgʊata: ˈmɔɐ̯gɛ] | \nSwitzerland | \n
| Good morning | \nGuata Morga | \n[ˈgʊata: ˈmɔɐ̯ga] | \nAustria | \n
| Morning | \nMoagn | \n[ˈmɔʁn̩] | \nAustria | \n
\n
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There are different ways to wish someone a good day in German and “good morning” is a great place to start. Right after waking up in the morning, you’ll still have enough energy to start a conversation in German.
\nWe also listed some German sayings about the morning that may help keep you motivated. Some of them even rhyme! My favorite one is “Aufgewacht, die Sonne lacht” (Wake up, the sun is laughing).
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Good day! | \nGuten Tag! | \n[ˌɡutn̩ ˈtaːk] | \n
| Have a nice day! | \nHab einen schönen Tag! | \n[haːp ˈaɪ̯nən ˈʃøːnən taːk] | \n
| Rise and shine! | \nSteh auf und scheine! | \n[ʃteː aʊ̯f ʊnt ˈʃaɪ̯nə] | \n
| Wake up, the sun is laughing. | \nAufgewacht, die Sonne lacht. | \n[ˈaʊ̯fɡəˌvaxt di: zɔnə laxt] | \n
| The morning hour has gold in its mouth. | \nMorgenstunde hat Gold im Munde. | \n[ˌmɔʁɡn̩ʃtʊndə hat ˈɡɔlt ɪm ˌmʊndə] | \n
| The early bird catches the worm. | \nDer frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm. | \n[deːɐ̯ ˈfʁyːə ˈfoːɡl̩ fɛŋt deːn vʊʁm] | \n
| The morning makes the day. | \nDer Morgen macht den Tag. | \n[de:ɐ̯ ˈmɔɐ̯gən maxt de:n ta:k] | \n
| New day, new luck | \nNeuer Tag, neues Glück | \n[ˈnɔʏ̯ɐ ta:k ˈnɔʏ̯ə glʏk] | \n
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Listen to this soothing morning meditation in German and let the words sink into your subconscious. Meditations are a great way to learn a language. The instructor usually speaks slowly and clearly with little breaks between sentences so you have enough time to process each word.
\nThis is the perfect way to start your day. You will feel relaxed and productive at the same time because you managed to get your German lesson in before breakfast!
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Now that you’ve mastered saying good morning in German, you can move on to asking the other person their name or how they’re doing.
\nFor a lot of people, mornings are the best time of the day to study because the mind is still new and fresh and it’s often easier to focus - but if your studying isn’t going well, just remember that there is always another morning to try again. In fact, the German word for tomorrow is “morgen”, the same word as the one for “morning.”
\nGerman-speakers like to say “Neuer Tag, neues Glück” (New day, new luck) when they try something for the second time after it didn’t work out on an earlier day. That’s what you should be telling yourself if you ever skip a lesson or lose your motivation to learn German. Each new morning is a chance to get right back on track.
\nOur fun German language blog is a great place to start the day and learn something new each morning. As B.B King said: A day we don’t learn something new is a day wasted!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Goodnight in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"27 reliable ways to say sweet dreams and goodnight in German","url":"/blog/how-say-goodnight-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltd3879e04626b6834/635238b7ad35ab2389acd72c/pexels-victoria-akvarel-4138978.jpg"},"post_content":"It doesn’t matter if you’re an early bird or a night owl. Each day has to end eventually and you’re going to have to go to bed at some point. As a German language learner, that means you won’t get around saying goodnight in German.
\nWhether you’re wishing your colleagues a good evening at the end of the work day, telling a friend goodnight at a slumber party or texting your crush “sweet dreams” - we show you exactly what to say in each situation.
\nDownload your free German language essentials eBook here if you're looking to begin your German language learning journey.
\n![\"Goodnight](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt742925842d3d8a4d/63525efeb2dba3104a120429/jumpstory-download20200623-063434_copy.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Learning how to say good night in German is just as important as asking “How are you” or saying ”hello” in German. The evening” is “der Abend”, while “the night” is “die Nacht” and they’re not as interchangeable as they are in English.
\nThe evening is roughly between 6PM and 10PM. If you say “guten Abend” (good evening), it’s generally a greeting around that time and if you want to say goodbye and wish someone a good evening you’d actually say “Einen schönen Abend noch” (Have a nice rest of your evening).
\nIf you say “gute Nacht” (good night) in German, it’s only if you’re actually about to sleep. If you wish someone “gute Nacht” when you leave the office at 6PM, Germans may think you’re off to bed and shoot you a strange look. So good evening and goodnight are not quite the same in German.
\n\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nContext | \n
| Good evening | \nGuten Abend | \n[ˌɡuːtən ˈaːbənt] | \nA formal greeting | \n
| Good evening | \nN’Abend | \n[ˈnaːbmt] | \nA greeting, short form | \n
| Goodnight! | \nSchönen Abend noch! | \n[ˌɡuːtən ˈaːbənt nɔx] | \nA good-bye | \n
| Goodnight, my friend | \nGute Nacht, mein Freund / meine Freundin | \n[ ˈgu:tə naxt maɪ̯n fʁɔʏ̯nt / ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈfʁɔʏ̯ndɪn] | \nSometimes used among friends | \n
| Have a good night! | \nHab noch einen schönen Abend! | \n[ha:p nɔx ˈaɪ̯nən ˈʃø:nən ˈa:bənt] | \nA good-bye, singular Literally: Enjoy the rest of your evening | \n
| Have a good night! | \nHabt noch einen schönen Abend! | \n[ha:pt nɔx ˈaɪ̯nən ˈʃø:nən ˈa:bənt] | \nA good-bye, plural \n Literally: Enjoy the rest of your evening | \n
| Get home well (be safe) | \nKomm gut nach Hause | \n[kɔm gu:t na:x ˈhaʊ̯zə] | \nA common goodbye at the end of an evening spent together | \n
| Drive safely | \nFahr vorsichtig | \n[fa:ɐ̯ ˈfo:ɐ̯zɪçtɪç] | \nWhen someone is leaving by car at the end of the night | \n
| Text me when you get home | \nSchreib mir, wenn du zuhause bist | \n[ʃʁaɪ̯p mi:ɐ̯ vɛn du: tsuˈhaʊ̯zə bɪst] | \nEspecially used with close friends and family | \n
You have a German crush or loved one? Maybe you have a date coming up and want to impress your significant other? Of course you need to know how to say goodnight and sweet dreams in German!
\nRemember to say “schönen Abend” when you’re leaving for the night and “gute Nacht” when the date went really well and you’re actually about to go to sleep. So you better learn how to say good morning in German as well!
![\"Couple](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte67fbf172eee77fb/63526095dc111e1f9503cdb4/pexels-jonathan-borba-3121473.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Goodnight, my love | \nGute Nacht, mein Liebling | \n[ˌɡutə ˈnaxt maɪ̯n ˈliːplɪŋ] | \n
| Goodnight, sweet dreams | \nGute Nacht, süße Träume | \n[ˌɡutə ˈnaxt ˈzyːsə ˈtʁɔɪ̯mə] | \n
| Goodnight, baby | \nGute Nacht, Baby | \n[ˌɡutə ˈnaxt ˈbeɪbiː] | \n
| Sweet dreams | \nSüße Träume | \n[ˈzyːsə ˈtʁɔɪ̯mə] | \n
| What a beautiful night | \nWas für ein schöner Abend | \n[vas fy:ɐ̯ aɪ̯n ˈʃø:nɐ ˈa:bənt] | \n
| I had a lot of fun tonight | \nIch hatte heute Abend viel Spaß | \n[ɪç ˈhatə ˈhɔʏ̯tə ˈa:bənt fi:l ʃpas] | \n
| May I kiss you goodnight? | \nDarf ich dir einen Gute-Nacht-Kuss geben? | \n[daɐ̯f ɪç di:ɐ̯ ˈaɪ̯nən gu:təˈnaxtkʊs ˈge:bən] | \n
| I’m gonna miss you while you’re sleeping | \nDu wirst mir fehlen, während du schläfst | \n[du: vɪɐ̯st mi:ɐ̯ ˈfe:lən ˈvɛ:ʁənt du: ʃlɛfst] | \n
There are many more ways to say goodnight in German. If you can’t pick one, you can always check out our guide on ways to say goodbye in German and just choose any of those.
\n\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| It’s bedtime | \nEs ist Schlafenszeit | \n[ɛs ɪst ˈʃla:fənst͡saɪ̯t] | \n
| I have to be at work early tomorrow | \nIch muss morgen früh bei der Arbeit sein | \n[ɪç mʊs ˈmɔɐ̯gən fʁy: baɪ̯ de:ɐ̯ ˈaɐ̯baɪ̯t zaɪ̯n] | \n
| I should probably get some sleep | \nIch sollte wahrscheinlich schlafen gehen | \n[ɪç ˈzɔltə va:ʁˈʃaɪ̯nlɪç ˈʃla:fən ˈge:ən] | \n
| I’m gonna get ready for bed | \nIch mach mich ‘mal bettfertig | \n[ɪç max mɪç ma:l ˈbɛtfɛɐ̯tɪç] | \n
| I’ll go brush my teeth | \nIch geh Zähne putzen | \n[ɪç ge: ˈtsɛ:nə ˈpʊt͡sən] | \n
| I’m gonna change into my pajamas | \nIch geh mir meinen Schlafanzug anziehen | \n[ɪç ge: mi:ɐ̯ ˈmaɪ̯nən ˈʃlafant͡su:k ˈantsi:ən] | \n
| I’m going to bed | \nIch geh ins Bett | \n[ɪç ge: ɪns bɛt] | \n
| Have nice dreams | \nTräum ‘was Schönes | \n[tʁɔʏ̯m vas ˈʃø:nəs] | \n
| Sleep well | \nSchlaf schön | \n[ʃla:f ʃø:n] | \n
| I’ll see you in the morning | \nWir sehen uns am Morgen | \n[vi:ɐ̯ ˈze:ən ʊns am ˈmɔɐ̯gən] | \n
Das Sandmännchen (the little sandman) is a German children's tv show that many German children watch for bedtime each night. It follows the sandman and his friends, most importantly the goblin Pittiplatsch, the dog Moppi and the duck Schnatterinchen.
\nAt the end of each episode, the friendly sandman blows sand into the kids’ eyes to make them fall asleep and have good dreams.
\n\nIt’s also a cult classic and an important part of German history. The Sandmännchen was created while Germany was split into West and East Germany following World War II. It was first introduced in the West in 1959 and copied by an East German tv channel only three weeks later.
\nBoth versions ran parallel until German reunification in 1990. Ultimately, the Eastern version ended up being more popular and is still airing today, as the world’s longest running animated tv series in history!
\n\n\n\nSleep is actually a crucial part of language learning. A Berkeley study found that taking a one hour nap in between studying sessions will help your brain to perform better and give you the energy to carry on with your studies.
\nThat’s just one of our many language learning tips. Each one of our articles is full of helpful advice and little tricks that will help you master any language you want.
\nCheck out our German language blog and see for yourself!
\nOr if you’d rather take a nap instead, just make sure you watch an episode of the Sandmännchen first, so you get your language learning done and that magical sand will transport you right into dreamland. Gute Nacht!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false}],"hidden":false}},{"cards":{"large_cards":false,"row":false,"flat":false,"join_block_below":true,"cta_as_link":true,"cards":[{"call_to_action_text":"Possessive adjectives in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to use possessive adjectives in German: A practical guide","url":"/blog/possessive-adjectives-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltd98a32f0bccb425e/631eef9372f6ac30ff646e2a/pexels-julia-m-cameron-8841466.jpg"},"post_content":"Everyone has their own unique learning style and the best way to succeed at language learning is to incorporate more than one way. If black-on-white charts work for you, that’s great! We’ll cover that for you - but if you’re looking for a different learning style, we have a little story for you that will hopefully make learning possessive German adjectives a breeze.
Those of us who aren’t big grammar buffs might be asking ourselves “What are possessive adjectives in German and why do I even need them?”
We promise knowing them will come in handy when you find yourself in a German-speaking country, testing out your German skills in person because you’ll soon realize that it’s almost impossible to have a conversation without possessive adjectives!
Learning German isn’t always easy, especially when it comes to complex grammar, but we’ll show you that possessive German adjectives are a lot more simple than they sound.
A possessive adjective is an adjective that attributes ownership to its respective noun: My, your, his, her, its, our, their.
Let’s say you successfully completed your last day of German class. Congratulations!
You and two of your new friends from class have been saving up to fly to Germany, where you’ll mingle with the locals to practice your German. You’re especially excited about the delicious German food but before you even make it out of the airport, you're already facing your first challenge!
You have just collected your suitcase when your friend Santiago spots his: “Das ist meiner”, he says in German (That one is mine) - but poor Irina is still waiting for hers. After a long time, the carousel stops. Oh nein!
You all walk up to the Lost & Found and Irina tells the nice man there: “Mein Koffer war nicht auf dem Gepäckband.” (My suitcase was not on the baggage carousel).
![\"Mein](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt13b18f66e928c873/631eed532343d638c693d5d0/luggage-band-64390_1280.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Sometimes a distinction is made between possessive adjectives and possessive pronouns.
Adjectives describe a noun or give it a certain attribute. In this case that’s the noun’s possession. Irina is looking for her suitcase. The suitcase is the noun and the possessive adjective “mein” tells the other person whose suitcase is lost.
Possessive adjective: Mein
Maybe you still remember from our fun guide to 9 different types of German pronouns that pronouns always replace a noun. So when your friend Santiago said “Das ist meiner”, he could have also said “Das ist mein Koffer” but the pronoun “meiner” replaced the “Koffer”.
Possessive pronoun: Meiner
Note that in German, possessive adjectives are also usually categorized as possessive pronouns, specifically as adjectivally used possessive pronouns.
Your suitcase is your suitcase, Santiago’s suitcase is his suitcase, and Irina’s suitcase is hers - lost or otherwise.
Here is a German possessive adjective chart that will help you figure out exactly which possessive adjectives go with which possessors.
![\"German](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltb27f54868bbc320a/631ef0b501535d6d0be322c0/pexels-anna-shvets-3943882.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| Possessor | German (singular) | English meaning | German (plural) | English meaning |
| I | Mein | My | Unser | Our |
| You | Dein | Your | Euer | Your |
| You (formal) | Ihr | Your | Ihr | Your |
| He | Sein | His | Ihr | Their |
| She | Ihr | Her | Ihr | Their |
| It | Sein | Its | Ihr | Their |
Keep in mind that possessive adjectives, just like other adjectives, change with the noun they describe.
So when Irina said, “My suitcase was not on the baggage carousel” - “Mein Koffer war nicht auf dem Gepäckband”, her suitcase is the subject of the sentence.
If she says “Ich habe meinen Koffer verloren (I’ve lost my suitcase), the suitcase becomes the object and changes accordingly: mein → meinen
Depending on the case and gender of the noun, the possessive adjective changes like this:
| Type | Masculine | Feminine | Neutrum |
| Nominative | Mein Koffer | Meine Tasche | Mein Gepäck |
| Genitive | Meines Koffers | Meiner Tasche | Meines Gepäcks |
| Dative | Meinem Koffer | Meiner Tasche | Meinem Gepäck |
| Accusative | Meinen Koffer | Meine Tasche | Mein Gepäck |
Let’s put that theoretical knowledge into practice! While you’re standing at the Lost & found, the agent has a couple of questions.
He turns to you and Santiago and asks the two of you:
“Waren Ihre Koffer denn auf dem Band?” (Were your suitcases on the carousel?).
He is talking to you and Santiago at the same time, using the polite plural form, so the possessive adjective becomes “Ihre”.
“Ja”, Santiago replies. “Unsere Koffer sind da.” (Yes, our suitcases are here).
You offer to keep an eye on the carousel, while Irina settles the issue. The agent asks her what her suitcase looked like.
“Mein Koffer ist blau”, she says. (My suitcase is blue).
“Himmelblau oder dunkelblau wie der Koffer da?” (Light blue like the sky or dark blue like that suitcase over there?) you ask her, pointing at a suitcase that a lady is wheeling in the direction of the Lost & Found, getting in the line right next to you.
“Das ist meiner!” (That’s mine!) Irina calls out and runs over to the lady.
“Ich habe nicht mein Gepäck mitgenommen, sondern aus Versehen das von jemand anderem.”, the lady explains to the second Lost & Found agent. (I didn’t take my luggage but accidentally took someone else’s).
She uses the word “das Gepäck” (luggage) now, which is neutrum and not masculine like “der Koffer” (suitcase), so even though it’s the accusative case, it’s still “mein.”
“Ich glaube, sie hat ihren Koffer gefunden,” (I think she found her suitcase), you tell the agent who was helping Irina. The luggage is handed over, every suitcase’s ownership is established and you can finally go enjoy your well-deserved vacation!
![\"Unpacking](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt8fd5434be7c8aedf/631eeea95a8acf5d92ccc3c8/pexels-gustavo-fring-4254144.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
We know how confusing German grammar can be but it helps if you read through the story and follow along by looking at the chart. You just need to get the possessor, gender, and case right and you’ll have the right match for your possessive adjective!
Even if you get the ending wrong, chances are extremely high that people will understand what you’re saying anyway. So get out of the crowded airport and finally explore that beautiful country you’ve come for! You’ve earned it.
Our wonderful German vocabulary articles will give you a million ideas for conversation topics that are way more fun than losing your luggage!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"Where are you from in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"How to say where are you from in German politely & how to reply","url":"/blog/where-are-you-from-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt7e50d99743a3063f/630c25672d08277c7e732a4b/istock-1003489896.jpeg"},"post_content":"If you’re taking a class in order to learn German with a small group of people, that class is probably full of fellow learners from the most different countries, who come together to study for all kinds of reasons. Practicing with them how to ask “Where are you from” and a number of related questions in German is a great way to get to know them.
\n\nIt will also prepare you for different situations in which you’d want to ask someone about their background:
\nDownload your free German language essentials eBook here if you're looking to begin your German language learning journey.
\n\n\n\n“Where are you from” in German is “Wo kommst du her?” or “Woher kommst du?”. It’s a common way of finding out about someone’s origins if they have moved from a different country or they’re traveling so it’s not obvious where they’re from.
\nIf you want to learn where someone’s currently living, there are two ways to ask “Where do you live” in German. One is the literal translation: “Who lebst du?”. This is a general question that can refer to one’s country of residence or one’s housing situation.
\nThe other one is “Wo wohnst du”, which is also common and translates to “where do you reside”.
\nOnly if you already know the person and they invite you to their house, can you use this to find out where they live. Obviously, don’t be creepy and start the conversation by asking a perfect stranger for their address!
![\"Two](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltf87dd3023d36e0b0/630c2676c593ff7e824190da/istock-1141425334.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Where are you from? | \nWo kommst du her? | \n[vo: kɔmst du: he:ɐ] | \n
| Where are you from? (From where do you come) | \nWoher kommst du? | \n[voˈheːɐ̯ kɔmst du:] | \n
| Where are you from? (formal) | \nWoher kommen Sie? | \n[voˈheːɐ̯ ˈkɔmən zi:] | \n
| Where are you from? (plural) | \nWoher kommt ihr? | \n[voˈheːɐ̯ ˈkɔmt iːɐ̯] | \n
| May I ask where you’re from? (polite) | \nDarf ich fragen, wo du herkommst? | \n[daɐ̯f ɪç ˈfʁa:gən vo: du: ˈhe:ɐ̯kɔmst] | \n
| Which country are you from? | \nAus welchem Land kommst du? | \n[aʊ̯s vɛlçəm lant kɔmst du:] | \n
| Which city are you from? | \nAus welcher Stadt kommst du? | \n[aʊ̯s ˈvɛlçɐ ʃtat kɔmst du:] | \n
| Which place are you from? (can be a city or village) | \nAus welchem Ort kommst du? | \n[aʊ̯s vɛlçəm ɔʁt kɔmst du:] | \n
| Where is your girlfriend / wife from? | \nWo kommt deine Freundin / Frau her? | \n[vo: kɔmt ˈdaɪ̯nə ˈfʁɔɪ̯ndɪn / fʁaʊ̯ he:ɐ] | \n
| Where is your boyfriend / husband from? | \nWo kommt dein Freund / Mann her? | \n[vo: kɔmt daɪ̯n fʁɔʏ̯nt / man he:ɐ] | \n
| Where were you born? | \nWo wurdest du geboren? | \n[vo: ˈvʊɐ̯dəst duː ɡəˈboːʁən] | \n
| Which part of the world did you grow up in? | \nIn welchem Teil der Welt bist du aufgewachsen? | \n[ɪn ˈvɛlçəm taɪ̯l de:ɐ̯ vɛlt bɪst du: ˈaʊ̯fgəvaksən] | \n
| Where did you grow up? | \nWo bist du aufgewachsen? | \n[vo: bɪst du: aʊ̯fgəvaksən] | \n
| What’s your nationality? | \nWelche Nationalität hast du? | \n[vɛlçə natsionaliˈtɛːt hast du:] | \n
| Do you have dual citizenship then? | \nHast du dann die doppelte Staatsbürgerschaft? | \n[hast du: dan di: ˈdɔpl̩tə ˈʃtaːt͡sbʏʁɡɐˌʃaft] | \n
| Do you live closeby? | \nWohnst du in der Nähe? | \n[vo:nst du: ɪn de:ɐ̯ ˈnɛ:ə] | \n
| Are you from here? | \nBist du von hier? | \n[bɪst du: fɔn hi:ɐ̯] | \n
| Have you always lived there? | \nHast du schon immer da gewohnt? | \n[hast du: ʃo:n ˈɪmɐ da: gəˈvo:nt] | \n
| Where do you live? | \nWo wohnst du? | \n[vo: vo:nst du:] | \n
| In which part of town do you live? | \nIn welchem Stadtteil wohnst du? | \n[ɪn ˈvɛlçəm ˈʃtattaɪ̯l vo:nst du:] | \n
| What’s your metro stop? | \nWelche U-Bahn Haltestelle ist deine? | \n[ˈvɛlçə ˈu: ba:n ˈhaltəʃtɛlə ɪst ˈdaɪ̯nə] | \n
| What’s your address? | \nWie ist deine Adresse? | \n[vi: ɪst ˈdaɪ̯nə ˈadʁɛsə] | \n
Whether you’ve spent your whole life in a small village in Nigeria or you’ve been moving from one metropolis to the next since you were two - we’ll teach you a number of ways to explain where you’re from and where you live now.
![\"Woman](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt450b5d0c3e7c25fa/630c277ee3d6117d48a728e4/istock-1254882546.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| I was born and raised in France, although now I live in Italy. | \nIch bin in Frankreich geboren und aufgewachsen, aber jetzt lebe ich in Italien. | \n[ɪç bɪn ɪn ˈfʁaŋkʁaɪ̯ç gəˈbo:ʁən ʊnt ˈaʊ̯fgəvaksən abɐ jɛt͡st ˈle:bə ɪç ɪn ɪˈtaljən] | \n
| I’m from Berlin. | \nIch komme aus Berlin. | \n[ɪç ˈkɔmə aʊ̯s bɛɐ̯ˈli:n] | \n
| I’m from the North. | \nIch komme aus dem Norden. | \n[ɪç ˈkɔmə aʊ̯s de:m ˈnɔɐ̯dən] | \n
| I’m from the South. | \nIch komme aus dem Süden. | \n[ɪç ˈkɔmə aʊ̯s de:m ˈzy:dən] | \n
| I’m from a smalltown. You’ve probably never heard of it. | \nIch komme aus einer Kleinstadt. Von der hast du wahrscheinlich noch nie etwas gehört. | \n[ɪç kɔmə aʊ̯s ˈaɪ̯nɐ ˈklaɪ̯nʃtat. fɔn ˈde:ɐ̯ hast du: va:ʁˈʃaɪ̯nlɪç nɔx ni: ˈɛtvas ɡəˈhøːɐ̯t] | \n
| I’m from Montreal, and you? | \nIch komme aus Montreal, und du? | \n[ɪç ˈkɔmə aʊ̯s mɔntʁɛˈa:l ʊnt du:] | \n
| I was born in Spain, and moved to South Africa when I was twenty years old. | \nIch bin in Spanien geboren worden und nach Südafrika gezogen, als ich zwanzig Jahre alt war. | \n[ɪç bɪn ɪn ˈʃpa:ni:ən gəˈbo:ʁən vɔɐ̯dən ʊnt na:x zy:tˈafʁɪka gəˈtso:gən als ɪç ˈtsvantsɪç ˈja:ʁə alt va:ɐ̯] | \n
| I only just moved here from Sydney. | \nIch bin gerade erst von Sydney hierher gezogen. | \n[ɪç bɪn gəˈʁa:də ɛɐ̯st fɔn ˈzɪtnɛɪ hi:ɐ̯ˈhe:ɐ gəˈtso:gən] | \n
| I’ve always lived in Germany. | \nIch habe immer in Deutschland gelebt. | \n[ɪç ˈha:bə ɪmɐ ɪn ˈdɔʏ̯tʃlant gəˈle:pt] | \n
| Originally I’m from Nigeria but my family moved here when I was only two. | \nUrsprünglich komme ich aus Nigeria, aber meine Familie ist hierher gezogen, als ich erst zwei Jahre alt war. | \n[ˈu:ɐ̯ʃpʁʏŋlɪç ˈkɔmə ɪç aʊ̯s niˈɡeːʁia ˈabɐ ˈmaɪ̯nə faˈmi:ljə ɪst ˈhi:ɐ̯he:ɐ gətˈso:gən als ɪç ɛɐ̯st tsvaɪ̯ ˈja:ʁə alt va:ɐ̯] | \n
| I live in Colorado but I have German ancestors. | \nIch lebe in Colorado, aber meine Vorfahren sind deutsch. | \n[ɪç ˈle:bə ɪn ko:lo:ʁa:dɔ abɐ maɪ̯nə fo:ɐ̯fa:ʁən zɪnt dɔʏ̯tʃ] | \n
| I was born in Lithuania but I feel German. | \nIch bin in Litauen geboren, aber ich fühle mich deutsch. | \n[ɪç bɪn ɪn ˈli:taʊ̯ən gəˈbo:ʁən abɐ ɪç ˈfy:lə mɪç dɔʏ̯tʃ] | \n
| I live in Bremen. | \nIch wohne / lebe in Bremen. | \n[ɪç ˈvo:nə / ˈle:bə ɪn ˈbʁe:mən] | \n
| I’ve lived in so many different places. | \nIch habe an so vielen verschiedenen Orten gelebt. | \n[ɪç ˈha:bə an zo: ˈfi:lən fɛɐ̯ˈʃi:dənən ˈɔɐ̯tən gəˈle:pt] | \n
| I move around a lot. | \nIch ziehe oft um. | \n[ɪç ˈtsi:ə ɔft ʊm] | \n
Asking someone where they’re from clearly means you’re talking to someone you don’t know well, yet, but are interested in getting to know. Asking someone “Where are you from?” or “Where were you born” in German will only be the beginning of the conversation.
\nHere are some great follow-up questions to keep the conversation going once you found out where the other person is from. You can ask them about the weather or the landscape in their country, as well as some more specific questions like their favorite spots and recommendations if you’re planning to visit. This is your chance to learn about another country from a local!
![\"Man](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltf2b201d8fb15f804/630c27e71ee78a063c596fea/istock-529066240_(1).jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| What’s it like there? | \nWie ist es da so? | \n[vi: ɪst ɛs da: zo:] | \n
| What’s the weather like in your home country? | \nWie ist das Wetter in deinem Heimatland? | \n[vi: ɪst das ˈvɛtɐ ɪn ˈdaɪ̯nəm ˈhaɪ̯maːtˌlant] | \n
| What does the landscape look like where you’re from? | \nWie sieht die Landschaft bei dir zuhause aus? | \n[vi: zi:t di: ˈlantʃaft baɪ̯ di:ɐ̯ tsuˈhaʊ̯zə aʊ̯s] | \n
| Do you like it there? | \nMagst du es da? | \n[makst du: ɛs da:] | \n
| What’s your favorite part about home? | \nWas gefällt dir an Zuhause am besten? | \n[vas gəfɛlt di:ɐ̯ an tsuˈhaʊ̯zə am ˈbɛstn̩] | \n
| What do you miss most about your home country? | \nWas vermisst du am meisten an deinem Heimatland? | \n[vas fɛɐ̯ˈmɪst du: am ˈmaɪ̯stn̩ an ˈdaɪ̯nəm ˈhaɪ̯maːtˌlant] | \n
| Which cities / places would you recommend if I ever travel there? | \nWelche Städte / Orte würdest du empfehlen, falls ich mal da hin reise? | \n[ˈvɛlçə ˈʃtɛtə / ˈɔɐ̯tə ˈvʏɐ̯dəst du: ɛmˈp͡fe:lən fals ɪç ma:l da: hɪn ʁaɪ̯zə] | \n
| Have you ever been to the US? | \nWarst du schon mal in den USA? | \n[vaʁst du: ʃo:n ma:l ɪn de:n u: ɛs a:] | \n
| What’s your favorite place you’ve been to? | \nWas ist dein Lieblingsort, an dem du gewesen bist? | \n[vas ɪst daɪ̯n ˈli:plɪŋsɔɐ̯t an de:m du: gəˈve:zən bɪst] | \n
| Where would you like to live if you could move anywhere you wanted? | \nWo würdest du gerne leben, wenn du hinziehen könntest, wo du möchtest? | \n[vo: ˈvʏɐ̯dəst du: ˈgɛɐ̯nə ˈle:bən vɛn du: ˈhɪnt͡si:ən ˈkœntəst vo: du: ˈmøçtɛst] | \n
Asking someone where they’re from can be a fun conversation starter at best - or an insensitive and borderline racist inquiry at worst. That’s why it’s important to stick to some basic rules when you ask about people’s backgrounds.
\n\nParts of Germany, especially bigger cities, are actually really diverse and many people who were born and raised in Germany have all kinds of ethnic backgrounds. So don’t ever act surprised if you ask someone where they’re from and they give you an answer you didn’t expect.
\n\n\nWe know it’s tempting because accents are so intriguing but most language learners try really hard to speak like a native so accents can be a touchy subject. Just be patient. If you’re getting to know someone, you’ll eventually learn where that mystical accent is from anyway and if you’re talking to a stranger, no matter how curious you are, you might just have to settle for quiet admiration.
\n\nIf you don’t get the impression that the other person wants to talk about their background, move on to easier questions right away. Our guides on asking someone how they are in German or what sports they do will help you find perfectly safe conversation topics.
\n\nIf you ask someone where they’re from and they say something you didn’t expect, don’t EVER ask where they’re originally from or if their parents were from another country. If they wanted to share more info on their background, they would have done so. Don’t pry. Don’t be like this guy:
\n
The Swedish furniture store chain Ikea has an interesting slogan in the German-speaking world: Wohnst du noch oder lebst du schon? It’s a clever play of words that literally translates to “Are you still residing or are you living, yet?”, referencing the fact that in German, those two terms are used interchangeably. People talk about residing in a place just as much as they talk about living there.
\nIf you think about it, living, or in German “leben”, is a much more expressive term though. The suggestion is that you should never stay in a place and just reside there, without ever making it your own and truly living. Languages get especially fun once you understand such clever plays of words, so always be curious about every word’s exact meaning!
\n\nIf you’re looking for more German vocab to play around with, pick your favorites from the thousands of words we’ve collected in our many German vocabulary articles!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"call_to_action_text":"How are you in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"'How are you?' in German: 51 meaningful ways to ask & answer","url":"/blog/how-are-you-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt91d78df61096ead1/63033006509e321033a88c5f/usa_1036366486.jpeg"},"post_content":"In German-speaking countries, this question will be considered as polite, considerate or awkward. It all depends on the situation - but don’t worry. We’ll teach you the differences.
\nIn America you hear the phrase on every corner, during every social interaction. Your boss, the cashier, and even strangers on the street all seemingly want to know how you are. Except they usually don’t even expect an answer. It’s just a natural addition to saying hello.
\nSimilarly, in German, the common phrase “Wie geht’s?” in combination with a casual tone of voice can also be used as a rhetorical question.
\nThis is especially helpful in the following situations.
\nIn German-speaking countries, where small talk isn’t as popular, this use of the phrase happens a lot less often though. Most of the time “Hi, how are you” in German is used as an honest requiry about your well-being.
\nSo if someone asks “wie geht’s dir?” and seems to wait for a serious answer, it’s your turn to give an honest response. In that case, it’s only polite to go into a little bit of detail on how you actually are.
\nGerman-speakers might expect a real answer if they ask “how are you”, especially under these circumstances:
\nDownload your free German language essentials eBook here, a trusty guide to all the German basics.
\n\n
\n
When learning German, you’ll soon ask yourself how to say “how are you” and luckily, the most common way is short and sweet: “Wie geht’s”, pronounced “Vee - gehts (like a prolonged “gets”).
\nThe longer version is “Wie geht es dir?”, which literally translates to “how does it go to you?”
\n“Wie geht’s” is usually safe to ask anyone - from your best friend to your boss, even at work or a formal event. It’s a rather casual term but it’s still polite. However, depending on how well you know the other person and if they’re an important person, you can resort to more formal expressions.
\nIf you want to ask “How are you” in German in a formal context, when you don’t know the other person, you can ask “Wie geht es Ihnen?”.
\nTo be more specific, you can add “Wie geht es Ihnen heute Abend” (How are you tonight) for example or use a number of different variations, depending on the context.
\n![\"How](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltf1b2625d039b2a1a/6303308c272805102c4c1a09/istock-1047669486.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nPronunciation | \n
| How are you doing? | \nWie geht es dir? | \n[ˌviː ˈɡeːt əs ˌdiːɐ̯] | \nVee geht as dear | \n
| How are you (to a stranger) | \nWie geht es Ihnen? | \n[ˌviː ˈɡeːt əs ˈiːnən] | \nVee geht as een-en | \n
| How are you feeling? | \nWie fühlst du dich? | \n[ˌviː fyːlst duː dɪç] | \nVee fülst do dich | \n
| How are you doing today? | \nWie geht es dir heute? | \n[ˌviː ˈɡeːt əs ˌdiːɐ̯ ˈhɔɪ̯tə] | \nVee geht as dear hoiteh | \n
| How have you been? | \nWie ist es dir ergangen? | \n[ˌviː ɪst əs diːɐ̯ ɛɐ̯ˈɡaŋənən] | \nVee isst as dear er-gung-en | \n
| How is work going? | \nWie läuft es auf der Arbeit? | \n[vi: lɔʏ̯ft ɛs aʊ̯f de:ɐ̯ ˈaʁbaɪ̯t] | \nVee loift es ouf der Ar-bite | \n
| What’s new? | \nWas gibt es Neues? | \n[vas gi:pt ɛs ˈnɔʏ̯əs] | \nVuss geebt as Noies | \n
| How are you? (plural) | \nWie geht es euch? | \n[vi: ge:t ɛs ɔʏ̯ç] | \nVee geht as oich | \n
| What have you been up to? (plural) | \nWas habt ihr so gemacht? | \n[vas ha:pt i:ɐ̯ zo: ɡəˈmaxt] | \nVuss hubt eer zo gehmacht | \n
\n
When you’re talking to a close friend or family member, you can be as casual as you like. In that case, the question is often an honest one and the answer should be more than “fine”. To have a considerate conversation with a German-speaker, you can always ask about their well-being, their family or their job.
\nThe better you know a person the more specific your questions can be. You probably know the names of their partner, pets or kids, so you can ask about those too. If they told you that their grandma had hip surgery or their daughter had her first day of school, you should ask how those events went.
\nGermans generally appreciate an honest interest in them a lot more than polite small talk.
\n![\"While](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt9bff199ca474d31f/630330cb047e5918dc76a156/usa_1149158946.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nPronunciation | \n
| How are you? | \nWie geht’s? | \n[ˌviː ˈɡeːts] | \nVee gehts | \n
| Hey, how are you? | \nNa, wie geht’s? | \n[na vi: ge:ts] | \nNuh, vee gehts | \n
| Are you ok? | \nAlles ok? | \n[ˈaləs əʊˈkeɪ] | \nUll-les ok | \n
| How is everything with you? | \nWie läuft’s bei dir? | \n[ˌviː lɔɪ̯fts baɪ̯ ˌdiːɐ̯] | \nVee loifts by dear | \n
| What have you been up to? | \nWas hast du so gemacht? | \n[vas hast du: zo: ɡəˈmaxt] | \nVuss hust do zo geh-macht | \n
| Are you alright? | \nGeht’s dir gut? | \n[ge:ts di:ɐ̯ gu:t] | \nGehts dear goot | \n
| How is your family? | \nWie geht’s deiner Familie? | \n[vi: ge:ts ˈdaɪ̯nɐ [faˈmiːliə] | \nVee gehts die-ner Fuh-me-lee-eh | \n
| How are your parents? | \nWie geht’s deinen Eltern? | \n[vi: ge:ts ˈdaɪ̯nən ˈɛltɐn] | \nVee gehts die-nen El-tarn | \n
| How are the kids? | \nWie geht’s den Kindern? | \n[vi: ge:ts deːn ˈkɪndɐn] | \nVee gehts den Kin-darn | \n
| How is your dog? | \nWie geht’s deinem Hund? | \n[vi: ge:ts ˈdaɪ̯nəm hʊnt] | \nVee gehts die-nem Hoond | \n
| How is your cat? | \nWie geht’s deiner Katze? | \n[vi: ge:ts ˈdaɪ̯nɐ ˈkatsə] | \nVee gehts die-ner cut-tseh | \n
| Did you sleep well? | \nGut geschlafen? | \n[ɡuːt ɡəˈʃlaːfn̩] | \nGoot geh-shlah-fen | \n
| Is everything good? | \nAlles klar? | \n[ˈaləs klaːɐ̯] | \nUlles clarr | \n
| Is everything good with you? (singular) | \nAlles klar bei dir? | \n[ˈaləs klaːɐ̯ baɪ̯ di:ɐ̯] | \nUlles clarr bye dear | \n
| Is everything good with you? (plural) | \nAlles klar bei euch? | \n[ˈaləs klaːɐ̯ baɪ̯ ɔʏ̯ç] | \nUlles clarr bye oich | \n
| How is everything with you? (plural) | \nWie läuft’s bei euch? | \n[vi: lɔʏ̯fts baɪ̯ ɔʏ̯ç] | \nVee loifts bye oich | \n
| What’s up? | \nWas geht? | \n[vas ge:t] | \nVuss geht | \n
| What’s up? | \nWas läuft? | \n[vas lɔʏ̯ft] | \nVuss loift | \n
| What’s up, buttercup? | \nWie geht’s, wie steht’s? | \n[vi: ge:ts vi: ʃte:ts] | \nVee gehts vee shtets | \n
\n
\n
If you’re still wondering how to respond to “how are you” in German, keep in mind that it depends on the relationship you have with the person asking you. If you have an open and safe relationship with your boss, feel free to give them an honest answer, even if you’re feeling overwhelmed or exhausted for example - or especially then. So you can find a way to solve the issue.
\n![\"How](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltb1451378ff345b20/63033142047e5918dc76a15a/istock-1134340776.jpeg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
If someone asks you “How are you feeling” in German, (Wie fühlst du dich?), they want an answer. For an in-depth response, head on over to our article on how to express all your emotions in German.
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \nPronunciation | \n
| I’m good. How are you? | \nMir geht’s gut, und dir? | \n[mi:ɐ̯ ge:ts gu:t ʊnt di:ɐ̯] | \nMeer gehts goot, oond dear | \n
| I’m fine, how are you? | \nMir geht’s gut, wie geht’s dir? | \n[mi:ɐ̯ ge:ts gu:t vi: ge:ts di:ɐ̯] | \nMeer gehts goot, vee gehts dear | \n
| I’m feeling great, thanks! | \nIch fühle mich großartig, danke! | \n[ɪç ˈfyːlə mɪç ˈɡʁoːsˌʔaːɐ̯tɪç ˈdaŋkə] | \nIch fühle mich gross-artich, dunk-eh | \n
| We’re good | \nUns geht’s gut | \n[ʊns ge:ts gu:t] | \nOons gehts goot | \n
| Splendid | \nBestens | \n[ˈbɛstn̩s] | \nBestens | \n
| Great | \nSuper | \n[ˈzuːpɐ] | \nZooper | \n
| Fantastic | \nFantastisch | \n[fanˈtastɪʃ] | \nFun-tust-ish | \n
| Swell | \nPrima | \n[ˈpʁiːma] | \nPreemah | \n
| So-so | \nSolala | \n[ˈzoːˌlaˌla] | \nZolala | \n
| Meh… | \nNaja… | \n[ˈnaˈjaː] | \nNuh-yah | \n
| It could be worse | \nEs könnte schlimmer sein | \n[ɛs ˈkœntə ˈʃlɪmɐ zaɪ̯n] | \nAs könnte shlim-mah zine | \n
| Not too bad, thanks, and yourself? | \nNicht schlecht, danke, und selbst? | \n[nɪçt ʃlɛçt ˈdaŋkə ʊnt zɛlpst ] | \nNicht shlecht, dunk-eh, oond selbst | \n
| I’m a little tired, but good thank you! | \nIch bin ein bisschen müde, aber gut, danke! | \n[ɪç bɪn aɪ̯n bɪsçən ˈmyːdə abɐ gu:t ˈdaŋkə] | \nIch bin ine biss-chen mü-deh, uh-ber goot, dunk-eh | \n
| I’ve been better | \nMir ging’s schon besser | \n[mi:ɐ̯ gɪŋs ʃo:n ˈbɛsɐ] | \nMere gings shone besser | \n
| I’m not feeling so great today | \nMir geht’s heute nicht so besonders | \n[mi:ɐ̯ ge:ts ˈhɔɪ̯tə nɪçt zo: bəˈzɔndɐs] | \nMeer gehts hoit-eh nicht zo be-zon-dares | \n
| I got up on the wrong side of bed today | \nIch bin heute mit dem falschen Fuß aufgestanden | \n[ɪç bɪn ˈhɔɪ̯tə mɪt de:m ˈfalʃn̩ fu:s ˈaʊ̯fɡəˌʃtandn̩] | \nIch bin hoit-eh mit dem fulshen foos ouf-geh-shtun-den | \n
| I’m miserable | \nMir geht’s furchtbar | \n[mi:ɐ̯ ge:t ɛs ˈfʊʁçtbaːɐ̯] | \nMeer gehts foorcht-bar | \n
| Not good | \nNicht gut | \n[nɪçt gu:t] | \nNicht goot | \n
| I’m having a bad day today | \nIch habe heute einen schlechten Tag | \n[ɪç ha:bə ˈhɔɪ̯tə ˈaɪ̯nən ˈʃlɛçtn̩ taːk] | \nIch huh-beh hoi-teh ine-nen shlecht-en Tug | \n
| I’ll be fine | \nIch komm’ schon klar | \n[ɪç kɔm ʃo:n klaɐ̯] | \nIch komm shone clarr | \n
| Can’t complain | \nIch kann mich nicht beklagen | \n[ɪç kan mɪç nɪçt bəˈklaːɡn̩] | \nIch cun mich nicht beh-cluh-gehn | \n
| I’ve never been better | \nMir ging es nie besser | \n[mi:ɐ̯ gɪŋ ɛs ni: ˈbɛsɐ] | \nMeer ging as knee better | \n
| It’s a beautiful day today! | \nHeute ist ein schöner Tag! | \n[ˈhɔɪ̯tə ɪst aɪ̯n ˈʃøːnɐ ta:k] | \nHoit-eh ist ine shön-er tug | \n
\n
\n
\n
\n
Now that you know how to ask a German “how are you”, you better get ready for the answer!
\nThe joke goes that Germans take everything so literally that they will give you a detailed, personal account of their well-being if you simply ask them how they are - but of course that’s just a joke.
\nIt’s true that we don’t care for small talk but if there’s one thing we despise even more it’s sharing personal information with strangers.
\nSo in reality, if you ask a complete stranger “how are you” in German, it’s a lot more likely that you will be met with a confused look or maybe even ignored completely. If you mean to say hi, just say hi and nod or smile.
\n“How are you” is not just a way to say hello like it is in English. Instead, it’s used to start a conversation. So don’t expect your German cashier at the grocery store to ask you how you are and only only ask “wie gehts dir” if you actually want to talk to someone.
\n\n
\n
The English question “how are you” is very straightforward. It calls for an adjective to describe your state. You can be good, bad, happy, sad or a million other things, all of which will satisfy the person asking the question.
\nHowever, in a number of other languages, including German, the question translates to “How does it go?”, similar to the English “How’s it going?”
\nThe idea behind the question is linked to the notion of life passing by, just like time is passing by. In German, you also say “Zeit vergeht” (time walks past). So when you ask someone how they are in German, you’re basically asking them: “How is time passing by for you” or “how is life progressing for you”?
\nIt’s not just a specific question about the other person’s current state but rather a general inquiry about how their life is going. Maybe that’s why the answers are often more complex in German and other languages!
\n\n
\n
There’s a beautiful German word that’s in line with this notion of life walking or running past you: “Der Lebenslauf” (résumé or CV), which translates to “life’s run”. It paints a nice picture of you, going for a jog, plucking different skills and experiences on the way.
\nIf you’re learning German for business, you’ve probably encountered the word already. Maybe you’re even learning German so you can add it to your résumé as a skill?
\nWell, now you know what “Lebenslauf” means and that the word follows the same logic as the German phrase “Wie geht’s dir?”.
\nThat’s the beauty of learning languages and understanding more and more words. You’ll be able to piece them all together like a puzzle. You’ll start with something as simple as “how are you” but soon you’ll outgrow that stage of your language learning journey, and the more words you collect along the way, the more the language will make sense to you.
\nNow hop on over to our insightful German language blog and collect some more pieces of the puzzle!
"}],"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"contain_image":false},{"title":"How to say King in German properly, plus 106 more royal words","call_to_action_text":"Royalty in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"button_link_external":"https://www.berlitz.com/blog/king-princess-royal-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte7de7d44984a030e/62fc725ada3c526fe63147d5/architecture-3119812.jpg","title":"architecture-3119812.jpg"},"contain_image":false},{"title":"121 exciting sports in German to knock learning out of the park","call_to_action_text":"Sports in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"button_link_external":"https://www.berlitz.com/blog/sports-football-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blta9c0bfb37e5b157b/62f5f7e0e717bf11519ad514/pexels-jaime-reimer-2749500.jpg","title":"pexels-jaime-reimer-2749500.jpg"},"contain_image":false},{"title":"129 geography words in German to spark your wanderlust","call_to_action_text":"Geography in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"button_link_external":"https://www.berlitz.com/blog/geography-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4d68f4eb4962b7d0/62f2199e57ac0577de0bfc99/pexels-chavdar-lungov-3996433.jpg","title":"pexels-chavdar-lungov-3996433.jpg"},"contain_image":false},{"title":"How to say 102 tasty drinks in German from beer to Bananensaft","call_to_action_text":"Drinks in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"button_link_external":"https://www.berlitz.com/blog/beer-drinks-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltd08d19a5f94d5668/62ea1785ce66ad7665f82bcf/drink-5384550.jpg","title":"drink-5384550.jpg"},"contain_image":false},{"title":"144 top weather words in German to cook up a vocabulary storm","call_to_action_text":"Weather in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"button_link_external":"https://www.berlitz.com/blog/weather-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt848e8e9cf461e089/62df2a2516c1b67a18325c42/city-6865595.jpg","title":"city-6865595.jpg"},"contain_image":false},{"title":"How to order food in German: A big restaurant menu & dining guide","call_to_action_text":"How to order food in 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German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"button_link_external":"https://www.berlitz.com/blog/goodbye-in-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte6746dc2241490e2/6262210e00a8bb4b77961f2c/istock-1225780971.jpeg","title":"istock-1225780971.jpeg"},"contain_image":false},{"title":"Happy New Year in German in 19 ways & fun traditions in Germany","call_to_action_text":"Happy new year in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"button_link_external":"https://www.berlitz.com/blog/happy-new-year-traditions-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blta8d4f8e25fba3457/628f7a02466b1b559357dd6e/istock-485022738-min.jpeg","title":"istock-485022738-min.jpeg"},"contain_image":false},{"title":"127 lovely flowers in German you'll grow quite frond of","call_to_action_text":"Flowers in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"exclude_internal_ref_image":false,"button_link_external":"https://www.berlitz.com/blog/national-flowers-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/bltfcd4cf595fb15db2/629445d424e98e0f7a82eba6/roses-1229148.jpg","title":"roses-1229148.jpg"},"contain_image":false}],"hidden":false}},{"cards":{"large_cards":false,"row":false,"flat":false,"join_block_below":false,"cta_as_link":true,"cards":[{"call_to_action_text":"Seasons in German","basic_card":false,"align_center":false,"page_reference":[{"title":"A fun and festive guide to the seasons of the year in German","url":"/blog/seasons-german","image":{"url":"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt013c82aefd111c4f/632433b5864edf6382e48084/holiday_istock-1180000513.jpeg"},"post_content":"One of the most rewarding aspects of learning a language is learning about the cultures of those who speak it - and a huge aspect of people’s day to day are the seasons they go through. Some countries stay warm throughout the year and only alternate between rainy seasons and dry seasons. Some have summer from June to August, while others get to enjoy summer from December to February.
\nThis influences the weather, the flora and fauna and how we celebrate our holidays. If you’re learning German, you might be curious what a year in the life of a German-speaker looks like. So to understand all of it a little better, we’ll walk you through the seasons of the year in German and what months of the year they fall in.
\n\n\n\nIn English, the word “season” has a number of different meanings, while in German each one of those meanings has its own word. If you’re talking about one of the four seasons in a year, then “Seasons” in German are “Jahreszeiten”, which literally translates to “times of the year”. This might be the most common use of the word, but there are a few more meanings:
\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Season | \nDie Jahreszeit | \n[ˈjaːʁəsˌt͡saɪ̯t] | \n
| Spring | \nDer Frühling / das Frühjahr | \n[ˈfʁyːlɪŋ / ˈfryːˌjaːr] | \n
| Summer | \nDer Sommer | \n[ˈsɔmɐ] | \n
| Autumn / fall | \nDer Herbst | \n[hɛʁpst] | \n
| Winter | \nDer Winter | \n[ˈvɪntɐ] | \n
| The rainy season | \nDie Regenzeit | \n[ˈʁeːɡn̩ˌt͡saɪ̯t] | \n
| The dry season | \nDie Trockenzeit | \n[ˈtʁɔkn̩ˌt͡saɪ̯t] | \n
![\"Spring](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blte7b4898c0362e463/632435721ad88e716559f08c/pexels-tim-gouw-108010.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
Spring in German is “Frühling” and the beginning of spring is a big deal in countries that get as cold as the German-speaking ones. You can feel a shift in the mood. Birds start singing and people tend to have a spring in their step.
\nMarch and May are often nice and sunny, while the weather in April is notoriously unpredictable and a perfectly sunny day might suddenly change and surprise you with a snowstorm.
\nThe big holiday in spring is Easter. This was originally a pagan fest named after the Germanic spring goddess Ēostre. Even though Christians obviously hijacked the holiday to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, most Germans went back to celebrating it in its original meaning and all the Easter traditions are about celebrating the fresh season, with eggs and rabbits representing fertility and new life.
\nDid you know that even the Easter Bunny is German? He was first mentioned in German folktales and introduced to America by German immigrants in the 1700s.
\n\n| Countries | \nSpring months range | \nWeather information | \n
| Germany | \nMarch - May | \nMild and pleasant with some of the last snow | \n
| Austria | \nMarch - May | \nMild and breezy | \n
| Switzerland | \nMarch - May | \nFresh and sunny | \n
| Belgium | \nMarch - May | \nCrisp and rainy | \n
| Luxembourg | \nMarch - May | \nWarm and sunny | \n
| Liechtenstein | \nMarch - May | \nWarm and sunny | \n
Spring is the season of birdsong, bunnies and fresh new starts! It’s also the time when flowers peak out of the snow - your first clue to dust off those gum boots and gardening gloves. If you’re interested in a walk through the year that focuses on flowers, check out our bloomy guide on 127 lovely flowers in German!
\n\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Flowers | \nBlumen | \n[ˈbluːmən] | \n
| New life | \nNeues Leben | \n[ˈnɔɪ̯əs ˈleːbn] | \n
| Birdsong | \nVogelgesang | \n[ˈfoːɡl̩ɡəˈzaŋ] | \n
| Bunnies | \nHäschen | \n[ˈhɛːsçən] | \n
| Eggs | \nEier | \n[ˈaɪ̯əʁ] | \n
| Gardening | \nDie Gartenarbeit | \n[ˈɡaʁtn̩ˌʔaʁbaɪ̯t] | \n
| Sunny, but cool | \nSonnig, aber kühl | \n[ˈzɔnɪç ˈaːbɐ kyːl] | \n
| Green | \nGrün | \n[ɡʁyːn] | \n
| In full bloom | \nIn voller Blüte | \n[ɪn ˈfɔlɐ ˈblyːtə] | \n
| Fresh | \nFrisch | \n[fʁɪʃ] | \n
| New | \nNeu | \n[nɔɪ̯] | \n
| To prosper | \nGedeihen | \n[ɡəˈdaɪ̯ən] | \n
![\"Summer](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4c3a0938fdb11eee/632435e1864edf6382e4808a/pexels-juan-salamanca-61129.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
“Summer” in German is “Sommer” and it can get hot! Even though the temperature in Germany ranges from an average low of 59°F (15°C) and an average high of 76.°F (24°C), which sounds fairly mild, the truth is, like most of central Europe, German-speaking countries are just not prepared for hot temperatures, so ACs are extremely rare. Better learn how to fold a paper fan!
\n\n| Countries | \nSummer months range | \nWeather information | \n
| Germany | \nJune - August | \nWarm and sunny | \n
| Austria | \nJune - August | \nWarm and sunny, mountain areas open for the summer season in late June | \n
| Switzerland | \nJune - August | \nWarm and rainy, mountain areas open for the summer season in late June | \n
| Belgium | \nJune - August | \nWarm and sunny | \n
| Luxembourg | \nJune - August | \nWarm and sunny | \n
| Liechtenstein | \nJune - August | \nWarm and sunny | \n
Summer fruits like strawberries and raspberries ripen and it’s a lot of fun to pick these yourself on the fields that open up through the picking season. Ice-cream, sunshine and summer sports come to mind. Every other year, the Fußball Championship is also a huge part of German summers, either the European Cup or the World Cup.
\n\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Hot | \nHeiß | \n[haɪ̯s] | \n
| Sunny | \nSonnig | \n[ˈzɔnɪç] | \n
| Dry | \nTrocken | \n[ˈtʁɔkn̩] | \n
| Thirsty | \nDurstig | \n[ˈdʊʁstɪç] | \n
| Gelato | \nDie Eiscreme | \n[ˈaɪ̯skʁɛːm] | \n
| Sunshine | \nDer Sonnenschein | \n[ˈzɔnənˌʃaɪ̯n] | \n
| Beach | \nDer Strand | \n[ʃtʁant] | \n
| Summer break | \nDie Sommerferien | \n[ˈzɔmɐˌfeːʁiən] | \n
| Heat | \nDie Hitze | \n[ˈhɪt͡sə] | \n
| To swim | \nSchwimmen | \n[ˈʃvɪmən] | \n
![\"Autumn](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt45415f34aaaf00b2/63243656a982bd60a88d593c/pexels-harrison-haines-3070989.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
“Fall” in German is “Herbst” and it brings us some of the most beautiful color combinations: While the leaves turn yellow and red, Germans pull out their scarves and gloves and overcoats, showcasing that long-awaited fall fashion and getting in the spirit for the cold half of the year. Harvest season brings veggies like sweet potato and squash and migratory birds do the smart thing and migrate to Southern Europe and North Africa.
\n\n| Countries | \nFall months range | \nWeather information | \n
| Germany | \nSeptember - November | \nChilly and rainy | \n
| Austria | \nSeptember - November | \nChilly and rainy | \n
| Switzerland | \nSeptember - November | \nCrisp and cool | \n
| Belgium | \nSeptember - November | \nMild to chilly | \n
| Luxembourg | \nSeptember - November | \nMild to chilly | \n
| Liechtenstein | \nSeptember - November | \nMild to chilly | \n
There’s no Thanksgiving in Germany but the sentiment is very similar: Falling leaves, pumpkin spice drinks and everyone is slowly getting into the holiday spirit!
\n\n| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Orange | \nOrange | \n[oˈʁɑ̃ːʒə] | \n
| Leaves | \nBlätter | \n[ˈblɛtɐ] | \n
| Harvest | \nDie Ernte | \n[ˈɛʁntə] | \n
| Pumpkin | \nDer Kürbis | \n[ˈkʏʁbɪs] | \n
| Soup | \nDie Suppe | \n[ˈzʊpə] | \n
| Sweater | \nDer Pullover | \n[pʊˈloːvɐ] | \n
| Rake | \nDie Harke | \n[ˈhaʁkə] | \n
| Nuts | \nNüsse | \n[ˈnʏsə] | \n
| Owl | \nDie Eule | \n[ˈɔɪ̯lə] | \n
| To cool down | \nSich abkühlen | \n[ˈapˌkyːlən] | \n
![\"Winter](\"https://images.contentstack.io/v3/assets/bltacc1a01c4d280f24/blt4be27a6cd47ec9ef/6324372f9a6b39638424b4f3/pexels-jan-kopřiva-3634855.jpg?auto=webp&format=pjpg&quality=80&\")
In Germany, the holiday season officially starts in winter. This is the time to spend with your family and close friends and eat lots of good German foods.
\nIf you’re coming for the skiing or snowboarding season, it’s best to visit between December and March. December is one of the most beautiful months to visit anyway, especially the South of Germany and Austria and Switzerland - get ready for some snowy mountains top views!
\n\n| Countries | \nWinter months range | \nWeather information | \n
| Germany | \nDecember - February | \nCold and snowy, especially in the mountainous South | \n
| Austria | \nDecember - February | \nCold and snowy | \n
| Switzerland | \nDecember - February | \nCold and snowy | \n
| Belgium | \nDecember - February | \nCold and rainy | \n
| Luxembourg | \nDecember - February | \nCold and snowy | \n
| Liechtenstein | \nDecember - February | \nCold and snowy | \n
Whether you’re in the mood to get cozy by the fireplace or build a snowman outside, while humming “Oh du Fröhliche” - Germans really know how to do the Christmas season right!
| English | \nGerman | \nIPA | \n
| Freezing cold | \nEiskalt | \n[ˈaɪ̯sˈkalt] | \n
| Snow | \nDer Schnee | \n[ʃneː] | \n
| Ice | \nDas Eis | \n[aɪ̯s] | \n
| Frost | \nDer Frost | \n[fʁɔst] | \n
| Scarf | \nDer Schal | \n[ʃaːl] | \n
| Gloves | \nHandschuhe | \n[ˈhantˌʃuːə] | \n
| Snowman | \nDer Schneemann | \n[ˈʃneːˌman] | \n
| Snowball fight | \nDie Schneeballschlacht | \n[ˈʃneːbalˌʃlaxt] | \n
| Sleigh | \nDer Schlitten | \n[ˈʃlɪtn̩] | \n
| Santa Claus | \nDer Weihnachtsmann | \n[ˈvaɪ̯naxt͡sˌman] | \n
| Reindeer | \nDas Rentier | \n[ʁɑ̃ˈti̯eː] | \n
| Fireplace | \nDer Kamin | \n[kaˈmiːn] | \n
| Blanket | \nDie Decke | \n[ˈdɛkə] | \n
Now that you know all about the seasons in Germany, get ready to chat about them with the German-speakers! Here are some example sentences you’ll use when talking about the four seasons in German: Four sentences each for the four seasons.
\n\nIf most of the year is just a little colder than you’d like, you’ve gotta learn how to keep a sunny disposition despite the weather! So take it from the Germans, as the a capella band Wise Guys from Cologne sings:
\n“Jetzt ist Sommer, egal ob man schwitzt oder friert. Sommer ist, was in deinem Kopf passiert. Es ist Sommer, ich hab das klar gemacht. Sommer ist wenn man trotzdem lacht!”
\nTranslation: “Summer is now, whether you’re sweating or freezing. Summer is what happens in your head. It’s summer, I made sure of it. Summer is laughing anyway!”
\nSing along and keep in mind that winter is always followed by spring and, if nothing else, life is an endless circle of holidays. So there’s always something to look forward to! For related reading, complement your learning with days of the week in German.
\nAnd as spring is followed by summer, each one of our articles is always followed by the next one. So be sure to keep up with our German language blog!
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