German phrases
Useful German phrases for beginners
28 phrases and set expressions you will use in your first week of German: greetings, thanks, getting help and asking the price. Tap the speaker, then say each one back.
| # | English | German |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | to be afraid | Angst haben |
| 2 | to be hungry | Hunger haben |
| 3 | to be thirsty | Durst haben |
| 4 | to be right | recht haben |
| 5 | to be named | heißen |
| 6 | to be missing | fehlen |
| 7 | to matter | wichtig sein |
| 8 | to ignore | ignorieren |
| 9 | to avoid | vermeiden |
| 10 | to damage | beschädigen |
| 11 | cheers | prost |
| 12 | good luck | viel Glück |
| 13 | congratulations | herzlichen Glückwunsch |
| 14 | happy birthday | alles Gute zum Geburtstag |
| 15 | see you later | bis später |
| 16 | see you tomorrow | bis morgen |
| 17 | nice to meet you | freut mich |
| 18 | I don't know | ich weiß nicht |
| 19 | I don't understand | ich verstehe nicht |
| 20 | how are you | wie geht's |
| 21 | I'm fine | mir geht's gut |
| 22 | what is your name | wie heißt du |
| 23 | my name is | ich heiße |
| 24 | where is | wo ist |
| 25 | how much does it cost | was kostet das |
| 26 | I would like | ich möchte |
| 27 | I need help | ich brauche Hilfe |
| 28 | do you speak English | sprichst du Englisch |
Questions, answered
How do you say hello in German?
A common greeting is “Hallo”. To say thank you, say “Danke”.
How do you ask someone's name in German?
Say “wie heißt du” (what is your name). To answer, say “ich heiße” followed by your name.
How do you ask how much something costs in German?
Say “was kostet das” (how much does it cost).
What is the best way to learn German phrases?
Say them out loud, not only read them. Hear the phrase, repeat it, then use it in a sentence of your own. That hear-then-speak loop is how every 4ToSpeak lesson works.
Now say it out loud
Reading a list does not teach you to talk. Practise these in full German sentences, free, no card.