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Basic Questions in German

If you travel to a German-speaking country and need to know the time or where something is located, or you just want to get some basic information, a few common questions can come in very handy.

English	German	Pronunciation
Do you speak English?	Sprechen Sie Englisch?	shprêH-en zee êng-lish?
How are you?	Wie geht es Ihnen?	vee geyt ês een-en?
Would you help me please?	Würden Sie mir bitte helfen?	vuer-den zee meer bi-te hêl-fen?
What’s your name?	Wie heißen Sie?	vee hays-en zee?
What time is it?	Wie viel Uhr ist es?	vee feel oohr ist ês?
What’s the weather like?	Wie ist das Wetter?	ee ist dâs vêt-er?
How much does . . . cost?	Wie viel kostet . . .?	vee feel kos-tet…?
Where do I find . . .?	Wo finde ich . . .?	voh fin-de iH…?
Where are the bathrooms?	Wo sind die Toiletten?	voh zint dee toy-lêt-en?
Do you have…?	Haben Sie…?	hah-ben zee…?
Where is…?	Wo ist…?	voh ist…?
Could you please talk more slowly?	Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?	kern-en zee bi-te lâng-zâm-er shprêH-en?
Could you repeat that, please?	Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?	kern-en zee dâs bi-te vee-der-hoh-len?

Useful German Expressions and Greetings

Practice these German greetings and expressions, which you’ll use daily when you visit a German-speaking country. With these expressions, you can communicate politely, feel more confident, and travel more comfortably.

English	German	Pronunciation
Hello!	Hallo!	hâ-loh! (informal greeting)
Good day!	Guten Tag!	gooh-ten tahk!
Good evening!	Guten Abend!	gooh-ten ah-bent!
Good-bye!	Auf Wiedersehen!	ouf vee-der-zey-en!
Please./You’re welcome.	Bitte.	bi-te.
Thank you.	Danke.	dân-ke.
Excuse me.	Entschuldigung.	ênt-shool-dee-goong.
My name is….	Ich heiße….	iH hays-e….
Pleased to meet you.	Freut mich.	froyt miH.

German Phrases for Emergencies

If you’re traveling in a German-speaking country and find yourself in an urgent situation, you can get the assistance you need by memorizing these important German phrases.

English	German	Pronunciation
Help!	Hilfe!	hilf-e!
Police!	Polizei!	po-li-tsay!
Fire!	Feuer!	foy-er!
Get a doctor!	Holen Sie einen Arzt!	hohl-en zee ayn-en ârtst!
I am sick.	Ich bin krank.	iH bin krânk.
I don’t know my way around here.	Ich kenne mich hier nicht aus.	iH kên-e miH heer niHt ous.

The German Calendar

Getting to know the days and months of the German calendar helps you keep track of your travel plans, German holidays, and engagements.

Days of the Week in German
English	German	Pronunciaton
Monday	Montag	mohn-tahk
Tuesday	Dienstag	deens-tahk
Wednesday	Mittwoch	mit-voH
Thursday	Donnerstag	don-ers-tahk
Friday	Freitag	fray-tahk
Saturday	Samstag / Sonnabend	zâms-tahk / zon-ah-bent)
Sunday	Sonntag	zon-tahk

Months of the Year in German
English	German	Pronunciation
January	Januar	yâ-noo-ahr
February	Februar	fey-broo-ahr
March	März	mêrts
April	April	ah-pril
May	Mai	may
June	Juni	yooh-nee
July	Juli	yooh-lee
August	August	ou-goost
September	September	zêp-têm-ber
October	Oktober	ok-toh-ber
November	November	no-vêm-ber
December	Dezember	dey-tsêm-ber

Ordering in a German Restaurant

If you go to a German restaurant, these expressions can come in very handy. Practice them first, so that you can relax and enjoy the dining experience.

English	German	Pronunciation
The menu, please.	Die Speisekarte bitte.	dee shpay-ze kâr-te bi-te.
I’d like….	Ich hätte gern….	iH hê-te gern….
I’d like….	Ich möchte gern….	iH merH-te gern….
Could you recommend something?	Könnten Sie etwas empfehlen?	kern-ten zee êt-vas êm-pfey-len?
Another (beer) please.	Noch (ein Bier) bitte.	noH [ayn beer] bi-te.
Excuse me.	Entschuldigen Sie bitte.	ênt-shool-dee-gen zee bi-te.
The check, please.	Die Rechnung bitte.	dee rêH-noong bi-te.
A receipt, please.	Eine Quittung bitte.	ayn-e kvi-toong bi-te.
Enjoy your meal.	Guten Appetit.	gooh-ten âp-e-teet .

German Numbers

When traveling in a German-speaking area, you need to know numbers for shopping, dining, transportation, and exchanging money. With this list, you can start practicing German numbers.

0 null (nool)	17 siebzehn (zeep-tseyn)
1 eins (ayns)	18 achtzehn (âHt-tseyn)
2 zwei (tsvay)	19 neunzehn (noyn-tseyn)
3 drei (dray)	20 zwanzig (tsvân-tsîH)
4 vier (feer)	21 einundzwanzig (ayn-oont-tsvân-tsiH)
5 fünf (fuenf)	22 zweiundzwanzig (tsvay-oont tsvân-tsiH)
6 sechs (zêks)	30 dreißig (dray-siH)
7 sieben (zee-ben)	40 vierzig (feer-tsiH)
8 acht (âHt)	50 fünfzig (fuenf-tsiH)
9 neun (noyn)	60 sechzig (zêH-tsiH)
10 zehn (tseyn)	70 siebzig (zeep-tsiH)
11 elf (êlf)	80 achtzig (âHt-tsiH)
12 zwölf (tsverlf)	90 neunzig (noyn-tsiH)
13 dreizehn (dray-tseyn)	100 hundert (hoon-dert)
14 vierzehn (feer-tseyn)	200 zweihundert (tsvay-hoon-dert)
15 fünfzehn (fuenf-tseyn)	1000 tausend (tou-zent)
16 sechzehn (zêH-tseyn)