German Phrases

What would you do if you are lost in a foreign land, with no knowledge about the language that the natives speak? The thought itself is scary. Well, if the nature of your work is such that you often have to travel to different countries, or you love to travel, a great way to make things easier would be to learn the basic phrases from the native language, especially the ones that are used for greeting the natives and making a general conversation. If you are planning a trip to Germany, you can avoid unnecessary hassles by learning a few commonly used expressions or phrases of the German language. If you ever get lost, the knowledge of such phrases would surely be a life-saver. Here's a compilation of German words and phrases that you could learn to ensure that your stay at Germany is hassle-free.

German Phrases and their Meaning

Here is a collection of basic phrases that you can use to introduce yourself and greet the local residents. Even if you are planning to stay for a short duration in Germany, it would not hurt to learn a few words or basic phrases that are often used in everyday conversation.

	German Phrase	English Translation
	Guten Morgen	Good Morning
	Guten Tag	Good Day
	Guten Abend	Good Evening
	Wie heißen Sie?	What is your name?
	Grüß Gott	Greetings
	Entschuldigen Sie bitte	Excuse me, please
	Gern gescheh'n!/ Keine Ursache!/ Kein Problem	You're welcome - answering thank you
	Haben Sie viel zu tun?	Are you busy?
	Wie geht's?	How are you?
	Darf ich mich vorstellen?	May I introduce myself?
	Wissen Sie hier Bescheid?	Do you know your way around here?
	Ja	Yes
	Nein	No
	Danke	Thanks
	Es tut mir leid	I am sorry
	Bitte	You're welcome
	Ich heisse	My name is
	Es geht mir gut, danke	I'm fine, thanks
	Ich weiß	I know
	Sprechen Sie Englisch	Do you speak English?
	Ist das Ihnen recht?	Is it all right with you?
	Wie geht es Ihnen?	How are you? (Formal)
	Wie geht's?	How are you? (Casual)
	Das laß ich mir gefallen!	I'm glad about that
	Du hast/ Sie haben mir so gefehlt!	I missed you so much!
	Bis später!	See You Later!
	Viel Glück	Good Luck
	Danke schön	Thank you very much
	Ich bin froh, Sie kennenzulernen	Pleased to meet you
	Wunderbar!	Wonderful/Super
	Fühlen Sie sich wie zu Hause	Feel at home
	Freilich	To be sure! Indeed!
	(Herzlichen) Glückwunsch	Congratulations
	Gesundheit!	Bless you - used when one is sneezing
	Jetzt geht mir ein Licht auf	Now I get it
	Herzlich willkommen	Welcome
	Gott sei Dank!	Thank God!
	Das macht Spaß	That's fun!
	Ich spreche nur gebrochen deutsch	I only speak some sentences in German
	Fühlen Sie sich wie zu Hause	Feel at home
	Das läßt sich hören!	That's good to hear!
	Ich möchte essen	I want to eat
	Ich möchte Wasser	I want water
	Verstehen Sie?	Do you understand?
	Wiederholen Sie	Speak slowly
	Viel Vergnügen!	Have fun!
	Bitte nehmen Sie Platz!	Please take a seat
	Ich habe mich verlaufen	I am lost
	Ich werde Ihnen Geld geben	You will be rewarded
	Mein Herr - Sir Machen Sie es sich bequem	Make yourself comfortable
	Alles Gute	Good luck
	Was ist denn los?	What's the matter?
	Gute Nacht!	Good night!
	Wiederholen Sie	Say it again
	Wo befindet sich die Toilette, bitte	Where is the toilet, please?
	Danke, es geht mir gut	Thanks, I'm fine
	Bitte bedienen Sie sich!	Please help yourself!
	Was ist Ihre Adresse?	What is your address?
	Das schlägt's dreizehn!	That's the last straw!
	Links	Left
	Rechts	Right
	Verzeihung	Pardon
	Hoffentlich!	Hopefully
	Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen?	Could you repeat that please?
	Ich werde Ihnen Bescheid sagen	I will inform you
	Wo ist ...? (when asking for directions to a place)	Where is ...? (name of the place)
	Ich brauche Auskunft	I need some information
	Kannst du/ Können Sie mir helfen?	Can you help me?
	Einen schönen Tag allerseits!	Have a nice day!
	Guten Appetit!	Enjoy the meal
	Auf Wiedersehen!	Good-bye!
	Tschüs!	Bye-bye!

This was an assorted collection of some of the basic German phrases that will help you to communicate with the natives of Germany. Before you leave for Germany, make it a point to remember these phrases and their meanings. If you have some knowledge of the native language, the local residents will surely appreciate the fact that you put in some effort to learn a few phrases of their language and they will certainly be more receptive.