Useful German Phrases and Words for Travelers
You may hear that everybody in Germany, or Austria/ Switzerland, speaks English. It was not what I experienced, to be honest. On your trip to Germany, you may find some people don’t speak any English at all. Like I did.
So, before you pack your bag and get on the plane, learn some basic German first! Knowing ein bisschen Deutsch (a little German) is useful.
The practical German phrases and words will be handy on your trip to Germany, so save them on your phone or print them out for a pleasant trip.
Common German words and phrases
Here are some useful German phrases, including greetings, how to say yes/ no, and more.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Hallo | Hello |
| Guten Morgen | Good morning |
| Guten Tag | Good afternoon/ Good day |
| Guten Abend | Good evening |
| Gute Natch | Good night |
| Wie geht’s? | How are you |
| Gut, und du? | Good, and you? |
| Auf Wiedersehen | Goodbye |
| Tschüss | Bye |
| Bis bald | See you soon |
| ja | yes |
| nein | no |
| danke | thank you |
| entschuldigung | excuse me |
| bitte | please |
| einen Moment, bitte | Just a moment, please |
German Words for Questions
To ask basic questions in German, you’ll need to remember some new vocabulary. These are German question words you can use.
- Wo (where)
- Woher (where from)
- Wohin (where to)
- Wann (when)
- Was (what)
- Wer (who)
- Wie (how)
- Warum (why)
In case you need help
Here are some useful phrases and expressions in case you don’t understand or need help on your trip.
For emergencies, call 112 for the fire brigade/ambulance and 110 for the police.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Sprechen Sie Englisch? | Do you speak English? |
| Können Sie das ins Englische übersetzen? | Can you translate that into English? |
| Könnten Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? | Could you speak more slowly, please? |
| Ich verstehe nicht. | I don’t understand. |
| Ich weiß es nicht. | I don’t know. |
| Ich brauche Hilfe. | I need help. |
| Ich brauche die Polizei. | I need the police. |
| Könnten Sie mir bitte helfen? | Can you please help me? |
| Ich habe mich verlaufen. | I’m lost. |
Important location vocabulary in German
Here are some places you may need to visit on your trip.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Stadtzentrum | city center |
| Bank | bank |
| Post | post office |
| Polizeistation | police station |
| Supermarkt | supermarket |
| Tankstelle | gas station |
| Bäckerei | bakery |
| Krankenhaus | hospital |
| Apotheke | pharmacy |
| Klinik | clinic |
| Flughafen | airport |
| Bahnhof | train station |
| Busbahnhof | bus station |
Buying tickets and getting around Germany
These words and phrases are useful if you need to buy transportation tickets or use transportation.
Read my Public transportation guide to know how to get around Germany. To get train tickets, check Deutsch Bahn.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| einfache Fahrkarte | single ticket |
| Rückfahrkarte | round-trip ticket |
| Sitz | seat |
| Ich möchte ein Ticket reservieren. | I would like to reserve a ticket. |
| Wie viel kostet das Ticket? | How much does the ticket cost? |
| Gibt es eine Studenten-ermäßigung? | Is there a discount for students? |
| Wann kommen wir in … an? | When do we arrive in …? |
Asking for direction
How to ask for direction in German?
“Wo” is where in German, and you can use the phrase: Wo ist…? to ask for the location of a place.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Nord | North |
| Süd | South |
| Ost | East |
| West | West |
| nach links | To the left |
| nach rechts | To the right |
| Geradeaus | straight |
| Wo ist…? | Where is…? |
| In welcher Richtung ist…? | In what direction is…? |
| Zum Stadtzentrum, bitte. | To the city center, please. |
| Zum Flughafen, bitte. | To the airport, please. |
| Ist es weit? | Is it far? |
| Ist es in der Nähe? | Is it nearby? |
Hotel
These words can be helpful when booking a hotel.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Einzelzimmer | single room |
| Doppelzimmer | double room |
| Bett | bed |
| Decke | blanket |
| Kissen | pillow |
| Betttücher | sheets |
| Schlüssel | key |
| Klimaanlage | air-conditioning |
Tips for learning German
If you’re still new to the German language, you may feel overwhelmed at first. I recommend using Quizlet for flashcards. You can learn and test your vocabulary with Quizlet so it’ll be handy for your travel.
