Your first words
Before diving into grammar, let's build a foundation of essential vocabulary. These words and phrases will let you start communicating immediately. Research shows that just 100 words account for about 50% of everyday conversation in most languages. The words in this section are among the most frequently used in German — learn them well and you'll have tools for real communication from day one.
Greetings
Every conversation starts with a greeting, so these are the most practical words you can learn first. German greetings vary by time of day and formality level. Using the right greeting signals cultural awareness and sets a positive tone for any interaction:
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Hallo | Hello | Informal, any time |
| Guten Morgen | Good morning | Until about 10am |
| Guten Tag | Good day | Standard daytime greeting |
| Guten Abend | Good evening | From late afternoon |
| Gute Nacht | Good night | When going to bed |
| Auf Wiedersehen | Goodbye | Formal |
| Tschüss | Bye | Informal |
| Bis später | See you later | Informal |
| Bis morgen | See you tomorrow | Any register |
Polite essentials
Politeness matters enormously in German culture. These words will make every interaction smoother. Note that "Bitte" does double duty — it means both "please" and "you're welcome", which can confuse beginners at first. Context makes the meaning clear:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Bitte | Please / You're welcome |
| Danke | Thank you |
| Danke schön | Thank you very much |
| Vielen Dank | Many thanks |
| Entschuldigung | Excuse me / Sorry |
| Es tut mir leid | I'm sorry (apologising) |
| Kein Problem | No problem |
| Gern geschehen | You're welcome (my pleasure) |
Yes, no, and maybe
These small words carry enormous weight in any conversation. Beyond simple "ja" and "nein", German has several ways to express agreement, disagreement, and uncertainty. "Genau" (exactly) and "Stimmt" (that's right) are particularly useful for showing you're following along in a conversation:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ja | Yes |
| Nein | No |
| Vielleicht | Maybe / Perhaps |
| Natürlich | Of course |
| Sicher | Certainly / Sure |
| Genau | Exactly |
| Stimmt | That's right |
Asking for help
As a language learner, these phrases are your lifeline. Don't be shy about using them — Germans generally appreciate the effort you're making to learn their language and will often slow down or switch to simpler words to help you. "Wie bitte?" is the polite way to ask someone to repeat themselves:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Sprechen Sie Englisch? | Do you speak English? (formal) |
| Sprichst du Englisch? | Do you speak English? (informal) |
| Ich verstehe nicht | I don't understand |
| Können Sie das wiederholen? | Can you repeat that? |
| Langsamer, bitte | Slower, please |
| Wie bitte? | Pardon? / What was that? |
| Was bedeutet das? | What does that mean? |
| Wie sagt man... auf Deutsch? | How do you say... in German? |
Introducing yourself
Self-introduction is one of the first real conversations you'll have in German. Notice the distinction between formal (Sie) and informal (du) forms — this is crucial in German culture. When in doubt, use the formal form; you can always switch to informal if invited:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ich heiße... | My name is... |
| Ich bin... | I am... |
| Freut mich | Pleased to meet you |
| Wie heißen Sie? | What is your name? (formal) |
| Wie heißt du? | What is your name? (informal) |
| Woher kommen Sie? | Where are you from? (formal) |
| Ich komme aus... | I come from... |
Countries and nationalities
When introducing yourself, you'll often mention where you're from. German nationalities have masculine and feminine forms (like many German nouns). The country names are also useful for discussing travel, news, or business:
| Country | German name | Nationality (m/f) |
|---|---|---|
| England | England | Engländer / Engländerin |
| USA | die USA | Amerikaner / Amerikanerin |
| Australia | Australien | Australier / Australierin |
| Canada | Kanada | Kanadier / Kanadierin |
| Ireland | Irland | Ire / Irin |
| Scotland | Schottland | Schotte / Schottin |
| Germany | Deutschland | Deutscher / Deutsche |
Survival vocabulary
This vocabulary covers the essentials for navigating daily life in a German-speaking country. Notice that each noun includes its article (der, die, das) — this indicates the grammatical gender, which you'll learn more about in the next section. Start memorising nouns with their articles from the beginning; it's a habit that will serve you well.
Places
These are the locations you're most likely to need in a city. German compound words can look intimidating (Krankenhaus = Kranken + Haus = sick + house = hospital) but they often make logical sense once you break them down:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Bahnhof | train station |
| der Flughafen | airport |
| das Hotel | hotel |
| das Restaurant | restaurant |
| das Café | café |
| die Toilette | toilet |
| die Apotheke | pharmacy |
| das Krankenhaus | hospital |
| die Bank | bank |
| der Supermarkt | supermarket |
Getting around
Asking for directions is one of the most common interactions for travellers. "Wo ist...?" (Where is...?) combined with a place name from the previous section will get you far. German cities typically have excellent signage, but these words will help you understand responses:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wo ist...? | Where is...? |
| links | left |
| rechts | right |
| geradeaus | straight ahead |
| hier | here |
| dort | there |
| nah | near |
| weit | far |
| die Straße | street |
| die U-Bahn | underground/metro |
Eating and drinking
Food and drink vocabulary is essential for restaurants, cafes, and grocery shopping. German cuisine varies by region, but these basics apply everywhere. Notice the grammatical genders: beverages tend to be masculine (der Kaffee, der Tee, der Wein) while "das Wasser" is neuter:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| das Wasser | water |
| das Bier | beer |
| der Wein | wine |
| der Kaffee | coffee |
| der Tee | tea |
| das Brot | bread |
| das Fleisch | meat |
| der Fisch | fish |
| das Gemüse | vegetables |
| das Obst | fruit |
Useful adjectives
Adjectives let you describe the world around you. Learning them in pairs (with their opposites) is an efficient technique that doubles your vocabulary. These adjectives will change their endings depending on the gender and case of the noun they describe — but for now, learn the base forms:
| German | English | Opposite |
|---|---|---|
| gut | good | schlecht (bad) |
| groß | big | klein (small) |
| heiß | hot | kalt (cold) |
| neu | new | alt (old) |
| schnell | fast | langsam (slow) |
| teuer | expensive | billig (cheap) |
| schön | beautiful | hässlich (ugly) |
| einfach | easy | schwierig (difficult) |
Common expressions
Every language has expressions that don't translate directly but are essential for natural conversation. These German expressions will make you sound more fluent and help you understand native speakers. "Alles klar" and "Genau" in particular are used constantly in everyday German:
| German | Literal meaning | Used for |
|---|---|---|
| Wie geht's? | How goes it? | How are you? |
| Mir geht es gut | It goes well for me | I'm fine |
| Alles klar | All clear | OK / Understood |
| Ach so! | Ah, so! | Oh, I see! |
| Keine Ahnung | No idea | I don't know |
| Das macht nichts | That makes nothing | It doesn't matter |
| Prost! | Cheers! | When drinking |
| Guten Appetit! | Good appetite! | Before eating |
| Gesundheit! | Health! | After someone sneezes |
Numbers 1–10
Numbers are essential for prices, times, dates, and addresses. Start with 1-10; you'll learn higher numbers in a dedicated section later. Pay attention to "zwei" (2) — in phone conversations or noisy environments, Germans often say "zwo" instead to avoid confusion with "drei" (3):
| Number | German | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | eins | eyns |
| 2 | zwei | tsvey |
| 3 | drei | dry |
| 4 | vier | feer |
| 5 | fünf | foonf |
| 6 | sechs | zeks |
| 7 | sieben | ZEE-ben |
| 8 | acht | ahkt |
| 9 | neun | noyn |
| 10 | zehn | tsayn |