presentation in german phrases

Business Presentations in German – Your Ultimate Vocabulary List

Delivering business presentations is a stressful and challenging task in itself. Even more so if you have to do it in German! In order to help you with this task, we prepared an ultimate list of business German vocabulary and some additional phrases to help you put them in practice. Below you will also find a couple of tips that will help you prepare before the big day comes! We are sure you will rock it!

Some tips for delivering presentations in German

• Send the agenda beforehand – this will help you make sure that all attendees know what to expect, and have the chance to prepare the right questions, or research the topic in advance.
• Measure the presentation time – if you have a specific time allocated to your presentation, make sure to measure exactly how long it takes you, and shorten it if you don’t have enough time. German business culture is known for keeping their time and there is no worse thing than having to stop the presentation mid-way due to time constraints!
• Leave time for questions – don’t assume that everything in your presentation will be crystal clear to your audience. Give them a chance to ask for additional explanations, whether it’s during the presentation itself or right afterwards.
• Deliver the presentation in front of the mirror, ideally more than once – this exercise, although may seem tedious and uncomfortable, will help you improve the flow and boost your confidence during the actual presentation. Especially if you will be presenting in a foreign language, such as German, it’s a perfect opportunity to polish your grammar and pronunciation before facing the audience.

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Corporate German – vocabulary for Business Presentations

Here’s a list of the most important words to get you started. You can bookmark this page to have them at hand in the future. We hope it helps you with delivering your first business presentation in German!

Wirtschaftsdeutsch – phrases to use during presentations

Here’s a little bonus for you! Below you will find a list of business German phrases that may come in handy during a presentation. Learning through phrases, rather than vocabulary lists, helps you learn in context, which is crucial to achieve full fluency.

Wait! There’s more!

Thanks to our three innovative study modes – learning, immersion and test – you will be able to memorize whole German sentences in no time. Discover the best way to master corporate German here.

Business German: Intensive Audiocourse

Covers 20 essential business topics and only relevant vocabulary. Blangly is your way to land a dream job in Germany!

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How to Prepare for the German Oral Exam B1

Preparing for the German oral exam B1 TELC, Goethe, ÖSD (AU) or Fide (CH) is very doable if you know how. This article will provice you with an approach that helps you prepare for your oral exam in German without the help of a tutor. You’ll use ChatGPT and I’ll show you how.

I’ll also provide you with a list of topics that have been used in the past and that will help to prepare yourself even though they will not be the topics you’ll get in your exam. The topics will be different from exam to exam but the range of topics is relatively limited. Here a list of very common topics for the mündliche Prüfung B1 provided by my students who have taken it in different countries and cities at TELC or Goethe Institut over the last 5 years.

Tips on How to Prepare Efficiently for Your German Oral Exam B1

Here also some top tips on how to use these to prepare efficiently for your German B1 oral exam at TELC or Goethe:

• You never have to tell the truth. If you simply can’t relate at all to a topic, make things up. E.g. you have no opinion or experience about extreme sports just say what’s common sense. Anything extreme is problematic and dangerous. I suggest a more moderate way to do sports. “common sense” is not always easy to grasp (see diverse internet comments if you doubt this) so cut yourself some slack to get into this kind of thinking. The exam is not about a truthful account of your experiences or personality at all!
• Smile be patient and friendly. Impatience and unfriendliness will cost you points that you need to pass.
• No one ever expects perfection in B1. I call B1 the elementary school level of intelligence. If you sound like a 10 year old intellectually that’s fine. You shall pass.
• Keep things simple. While boxed sentences, complex vocab or the occasional Nebensatz will give you bonus points, you don’t need (m)any of those to pass with 60%. Use one “weil” and one “dass” sentence (which the structure above provides already) and you’ll be fine. Expressing yourself in a simple manner needs practice. So practice.
• Assume that the examiners are on your side. They want you to pass (in 99% of the cases). If they are grumpy that isn’t related to you personally at all. You never know what caused their grumpiness. Rather feel compassion for them than being self-concsious. I promise it is never related to you unless you directly insult them.
• The oral exam is only 20mins long usually divided by 2 as you will have a partner in your exam and minus 2 mins instructions. That leaves your speaking time at about 9mins. At a max speaking speed of 80 words per minute you’ll only have to produce 720 words of which 50% will be repetitive words like articles and prepositions and such. So, to pass the oral exam all you need to know is 360 different words. Admittedly they better be the right ones but all I wanted to show to you here is that you don’t have to have a very broad vocabulary to get through your B1 oral exam in German.
• General advice: Even though it seems obvious: get enough sleep, eat light before the exam but don’t fast, arrive an hour earlier at the examination center and sit in front near the audio device they use (for the written parts of the exam). Take a bottle of water with you and don’t forget your watch in case they don’t have a clock in the room. In the oral exam you won’t need your watch as time will pass by very quickly.

How to Prepare for Your German Exam By Yourself

Now here’s how to prepare efficiently for your B1 oral exam without having to pay a tutor:

For Presentation (TELC & Goethe)

Put this prompt into ChatGPT (free version suffices):

“You are an examiner in a German oral exam level B1. You follow the examination guidelines of Goethe and TELC institutions. I need to hold a 2minute presentation in German on level B1 CEFR about the topic below. Can you first provide me with a sample presentation that follows the following format:

– Was ist das Thema: – In meinem Heimatland… – Als Kind / in meinem Leben… – Ein Vorteil / Nachteil von xy ist… – Ich denke, dass man… – Prompt me to say: Vielen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit. Haben Sie noch Fragen?

Write two short sentences per item of this list. Then prompt me one by one with these items and wait for my input.

When I’m closing the presentation with “haben Sie noch Fragen” continue to ask me three follow up questions to what I used in my presentation (priority) or simply questions related to the topic but about my personal life and attitude towards the topic.

Ask them one after the other. Wait until I’ve answered one question before posing the next question.

At the very end provide me with feedback on my performance in English in regard of the given level on whether or not I was close to the topic, about my grammar and sentence structure and about the level of my vocabulary. And finally give me a grade between 0% and 100% considering the language level b1 CEFR and the exam guidelines from Goethe and TELC.

The topic is: leben vegetarier gesünder? ← add your topic.”

If GPT says something in German that is too complex, give it the following instructions: Das verstehe ich nicht. Einfacher bitte. I don’t understand. Simpler please.

For Event Planning

Put this prompt into ChatGPT:

“You are an examiner in a German oral exam level B1. You follow the examination guidelines of Goethe and TELC institutions. I need to plan an event for about 3 minutes with a fellow examinee in German on level B1 CEFR about the topic below.

Ask me for the topic and after you received the topic start by providing me with a short summary of the situation (2–3 short simple sentences) asking me the first question to start off our event planning conversation.

After each response or question of mine, respond accordingly and always wait for my input. After about 7 sentences/questions of yours let’s come to an end whether the topic is concluded or not. Smoothly bring the conversation to an end.

After we are done provide feedback in English language – this is important – about my performance and grade it according to the examination guidelines and the level b1 CEFR in %.

Then restart the same conversation but with changed roles. I’ll now start the conversation off by providing a short summary of the situation and by asking you the first question. I will be the one that brings the conversation to an end. Not you.”

These prompts can help you get the most out of ChatGPT for your German learning. If you’d like more tips on how to learn German using unique resources, check out our series .

Possible Topics for your German B1 Oral Exam

Opinion / Presentation:

• Viele Leute essen Fertigmenüs Many people eat ready meals
• Essen und Trinken Diet/food
• Leben Vegetarier gesünder? Do vegetarians live healthier?
• Kann man auf Dating-Websites wirklich Liebe finden? Can you really find love on Dating Websites?
• Sollten sich sowohl Männer als auch Frauen um den Haushalt kümmern? Should both men and women take care of household?
• Leuten in der Freizeit helfen Helping people in your free time
• Mit 25 noch bei den Eltern leben Still living with parents at 25
• Ist es einfach in einem fremden Land zu leben. It is easy to live in a foreign country
• ins Kino gehen oder Fernsehen Go to the cinema or watch TV
• Ist Social Media gut oder schlecht für uns? Is social media good or bad for us?
• Einkaufszentren: alles an einem Platz Shopping centers: everything in one place
• Sollten Großeltern Babysitten? Should grandparents babysit?
• Sollten Kinder alleine Entscheiden? Should children decide alone?
• Was denken Sie über Extremsport? What do you think about extreme sports?
• Wieviel Sport ist gesund How much sport is healthy
• Schuluniformen School uniforms
• Sollten Kinder Süßigkeiten essen? Should children eat sweets?
• Wieviel Fernsehen ist gut für Kinder? How much television is good for children?
• Geschwister oder Einzelkind? Was ist besser? Sibling or only child? What is better?

Event Planning:

• Einen Ausflug in die Natur organisieren Organize a trip to the nature
• Eine Überraschungsparty zum Geburtstag planen Plan a surprise birthday party
• Party für Kollegen who moves away Party für einen Kollegen, der wegzieht
• Besuch planen – eine ausländische Studentengruppe kommt nach Berlin Planning a visit – a foreign student group comes to Berlin
• Ihr Deutschkurs ist zuende. Planen Sie eine Abschlussfeier. Your German course is over. Plan a graduation ceremony.
• Planen Sie ein Klassenpicknick Plan a class picnic
• Sie besuchen einen Klassenkameraden im Krankenhaus You visit a classmate in the hospital
• Gemeinsam ein Geburtstagsgeschenk für eine Freundin kaufen Together buy a birthday gift for a friend

B1 German According to the Common European Framework

Reaching the (lower) intermediate level, denoted as B1 on the Common European Framework of Language ’s scale, is a significant transition and marks your coming of age as an “independent user of the German language.” While there are still limitations, your expressions remain relatively straightforward compared to those of a native speaker. Your speaking skills largely center on common, everyday topics, and you may comprehend the main points of clear, moderately paced speech.

However, during your preparation, you will have covered a substantial portion of prevalent German grammatical patterns, aiming for a vocabulary of approximately 2,400 words. With an active command of these words and patterns, along with a passive understanding of others, you can confidently navigate most real-life situations while traveling.

Moreover, you’ll be able to articulate more extended phrases, delving beyond immediate situations or needs to discuss events, attitudes, and plans. The Goethe-Institute German B1 exam certificate holds significance in various life milestones, such as obtaining citizenship in the BRD and admission to a year-long Studienkolleg in Germany, preparing individuals to study any discipline at a German university.

We provide B1 preparation courses at SmarterGerman. So, if you’d like help, come check out our course !

Body Language

Success in a German oral examination goes beyond the mere choice of words and phrases as you answer the examiner’s questions. It extends to encompass your body language, eye contact, and overall demeanor, all of which are pivotal components of your speaking skills.

Maintain a confident posture, sitting upright while remaining calm and relaxed. Keep your hands folded on your lap, avoiding the placement of hands in your pockets.

Establish consistent eye contact with the teacher/examiner. Eye contact holds considerable importance in the context of oral exams. Failure to look at the examiner and speaking with a downward gaze is regarded as indicative of low self-confidence.

FAQs about passing the B1 German language exam

Here are some of the questions people ask about the oral B1 exam in German.

How long is the German oral exam?

The German oral exam typically lasts between 14 to 18 minutes, assessing speaking skills and covering main points from the topics you’re asked about.

How much is German oral worth?

The German oral exam holds significant weight, constituting 27 out of 32 points (83%) in the overall evaluation. Proficiency in speaking, eye contact, and effective communication is crucial.

Can I do B1 German by myself?

Yes, it is possible to prepare for the B1 German exam independently. Adequate preparation time, practice with a relevant word list, conversations, watching videos, and focusing on relevant vocabulary and grammar are key tips for success.

What does the B1 German test consist of?

The B1 German test consists of various components, including speaking, writing, and understanding. It assesses vocabulary, grammar, and the ability to communicate effectively in real-life situations.

How long does it take to get to B1 German?

The time to reach B1 proficiency in German varies, but with dedicated learning and practice, one can expect to achieve this level, covering the most frequent grammatical patterns and a vocabulary of around 2,400 words.

How long is the German B1 exam valid for?

The German B1 exam certificate, issued by the Goethe-Institut, is typically valid for an indefinite period and can be beneficial for citizenship applications in the BRD or admission to German universities.

Summing Up: How to Prepare for the German Oral Exam B1

Reaching the B1 level in German marks a crucial milestone in language proficiency. Our comprehensive guide equips learners with practical tips for self-preparation, emphasizing the significance of body language and efficient vocabulary usage.

The Goethe-Institute B1 certificate opens doors to citizenship and university admission, making this guide an essential resource for success. If you’d like to learn German in a structured, helpful way, come check us out at SmarterGerman !

Do you have to give a presentation? Does stage fright paralyze you?

Let me help you. together we create an atmosphere in which you feel confident to present professionally.

Welcome, future presentation maestros and virtuosos of the stage! Today, we’re not just facing a room; we’re preparing to conquer it. Picture this: you, standing tall, armed with the power of words, the magic of persuasion, and the charisma of a talk-show host. We’re about to embark on a journey that’ll transform nervous jitters into confident glitter!

Forget about those sweaty-palmed, knees-knocking moments before facing an audience. Embrace the spotlight like a seasoned performer, whether you’re selling the next big idea, pitching a groundbreaking project, or simply trying to convince your cat that wearing a bowtie is a fabulous idea.

We’re here to sprinkle some stardust on your presentation skills, turning boring slide decks into engaging adventures and transforming monotonous speeches into riveting tales. Get ready to learn how to captivate your audience, leaving them on the edge of their seats, eagerly hanging onto your every word like it’s the latest gossip in a soap opera!

So, buckle up, grab your virtual pointer or your real-life laser beam (if you’re feeling fancy), and let’s make your presentations shine brighter than a disco ball at a 70s themed party. Get ready to slay the stage and make PowerPoint your personal Picasso! It’s time to unleash the presentation rockstar within you. Let the show begin!

We are dedicated to teaching you how to give presentations in German, you can follow this layout to effectively convey the information:

• Clearly indicate the topic of the presentation, such as “How to Give Presentations in German” or “German Presentation Skills.”
• Begin with a brief introduction to the importance of effective presentations in professional or academic settings.
• Emphasize the relevance of delivering presentations in German for language learners.
• Identify and explain the fundamental concepts related to giving presentations in German.
• Highlight key vocabulary and phrases that are commonly used in presentations.
• Greeting and introduction
• Agenda or outline
• Main content and supporting points
• Visual aids
• Conclusion and summary
• Q&A session
• Opening phrases to capture the audience’s attention
• Transition phrases to smoothly move between topics
• Providing examples and evidence
• Summarizing key points
• Handling questions and engaging with the audience
• Proper use of images, charts, and graphs
• Consistent design elements
• Limited text on each slide
• Effective use of colors and fonts
• Accessibility considerations
• Practice and rehearse the presentation multiple times
• Maintain good eye contact with the audience
• Speak clearly and at an appropriate pace
• Use gestures and body language to enhance communication
• Engage the audience through interactive elements or questions
• Discuss any cultural nuances or specific etiquette related to giving presentations in German-speaking contexts.
• Provide insights into the cultural expectations regarding formality, addressing the audience, and appropriate behavior during Q&A sessions.
• Include one or more sample presentations written in German, covering different topics or scenarios.
• Analyze and explain the strengths and techniques used in each example.
• Offer interactive exercises or quizzes to allow learners to practice their presentation skills in German.
• Provide feedback or suggested answers to help learners gauge their progress.
• Recommend books, articles, or online resources that learners can explore for further study or practice.
• Provide links to websites or tools that assist with creating presentations or improving language skills.
• Summarize the key points covered in the page.
• Encourage learners to apply the knowledge gained and continue practicing their German presentation skills.

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Common German Phrases

In this lesson you'll learn some useful German phrases that you can use in everyday German conversations. A great way to learn these phrases is to use the included flashcards. If you write out the German phrase for each flashcard, it will help you learn these phrases even quicker. If you are feeling confident in your German skills, you can try and write short conversations based on the phrases included in this lesson.

At the end of this lesson is an an online quiz that you can take to see how well you know these phrases.

German Phrases

Listen to the following German phrases and practice speaking them. Learning these phrases will go a long way towards helping you communicate in the German language.

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Related Lessons

Greeting Phrases

People and Family

Food and Drinks

In the City

Transportation

This section contains flashcards to help you learn the German phrases introduced in this lesson.

The best way to learn a language is to practice speaking, writing, and thinking in the language you want to learn. In the practice sections of the lessons, you'll have the opportunity to practice writing in German.

Here are some practice questions to help you learn German greeting and introduction phrases.

Drag the German word on the right to the matching phrase on the left.

Practice writing short conversations based on the phrases included in this lesson. Keep the conversations simple at first. When you come back to this lesson for review, try and expand the conversations you write.

Here is a text area where you can practice writing German.

Here is a quiz to help you learn these useful German phrases. Each time you take the quiz the questions will be a bit different. Select the Start button to begin.

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• German Phrases

This page contains a table including the following: German phrases, expressions and words in German, conversation and idioms, German greetings, and survival phrases. It also helps if you simply want to know what to say when chatting in German!

Most of the sentences below are used for everyday life conversations, so they might come handy if you memorize them.

If you don't know how to say a word then check our alphabet in German which can be found on the menu above to get some help.

Here you can either watch the German phrases in these 2 videos or read them as text in the table below:

• How to Introduce Yourself

The table below contains: German phrases, expressions and words in German, conversation and idioms, greetings and survival phrases. Most of the sentences are used for the everyday life conversations, so they might come handy if you memorize them, if you don’t know how to say something in German then check the alphabet page, to get some help.

Blue font refers to the polite form that you need to use in German with people you don't know or respect a lot.

Also you will notice I used the dash / in some places in the German phrases table when we have more than one possible expression, for example “Good-bye” can be expressed as Auf Wiedersehen! or Tschüß! So you will find a dash between the two expressions.

I hope the content of this page was useful to you, and that you learned some German phrases, expressions and words. Make sure to memorize them to be able to use them in your daily conversation.

Audio Course

How-to's, history & culture, write a letter, prepositions, survival terms, german test (pdf).

German Word Of The Day

How to introduce yourself in German (easy PDF script)

When you start learning German, one of the very first things you will probably learn is how to introduce yourself in German. There are several reasons why this topic is important. First, every time you meet new people in a German-speaking country, you are going to introduce yourself in German. You will repeat the same phrases in German so many times, that it makes sense to learn them by heart at the very beginning of your language-learning journey. Second, the self-introduction phrases are relatively easy to learn even if you are a total beginner. Being able to talk about yourself in a new language so quickly gives you an immediate boost in confidence and motivates you to learn more. So don’t hesitate and learn how to introduce yourself in German.

Some of the links on this site are affiliate links. I may earn an affiliate commission for some purchases you make through those links at no extra cost for you.

My tip for you: Download and print “How to introduce yourself in German PDF” , fill it with the information about yourself and learn it by heart as a script.

If you don’t know how to say some words like your country, profession, or hobby in German, use any available  online dictionary to translate.

Practice your introduction with someone who speaks German and tell them to ask you questions as well. If you don’t know anyone who speaks German, try looking for a language exchange partner or tutor online, for example, on Italki . I taught German on Italki for almost 2 years and used it as a student to learn Hindi and English.  You can find not only professional German teachers but also community tutors on Italki . Community tutors are native speakers without formal teacher education. Community speakers usually charge less than professional teachers and they are perfect for practicing informal conversation.

How to introduce yourself in German PDF

1. how to say “my name is ….” in german..

Ich heiße _______ . – My name is (name)  ( li terally means ‘I am called….’) .

Ich bin _______ . – I am (name).

Mein Name ist _______ . – My name is (name, surname) .

Ich heiße Maria. – My name is Maria.

Ich bin David. – I am David.

Mein Name ist Lucy Stein. – My name is Lucy Stein.

First two options are less formal. “Mein Name ist …” is more often used when you say your full name.

2. Country and nationality in German.

Ich komme aus  _______ . – I am from (country).

Ich komme aus Deutschland. – I am from Germany.

Ich komme aus Indien. – I am from India.

Ich komme aus den USA. – I am from the USA.

Ich komme aus der Ukraine. – I am from Ukraine.

Most of countries in German language are used without articles, but there are some exceptions like die USA, die Ukraine, die Türkei  etc. The preposition aus = from always takes the dative case, so if the country has an article, you have to change the article to dative case. I know it can be confusing for the beginners, so you can also just use Google your country name. Easy German has a great video about countries with articles .

If you want to mention your nationality, you can also say:

Ich bin  _______ . – I am (nationality).

Ich bin Mexikaner/Mexikanerin. – I am Mexican.

Ich bin Amerikaner/Amerikanerin. – I am American.

For most nationalities, the ending -in is added for the female form.

3.  Place of residence

Ich wohne in _______ . – I live in (city/country).

Ich wohne in Berlin. – I live in Berlin.

Ich wohne in Australien. – I live in Australia.

Ich wohne in der Schweiz. – I live in Switzerland.

Here the preposition in also takes Dative case, so you have to conjugate the article in dative if the country is used with the article.

4. Age, birthday

Ich bin _______ Jahre alt. – I am (age) years old.

Ich bin _______. – I am (age).

Mein Geburtstag ist im _______ . – My birthday is in (month).

Ich bin 26 (sechsundzwanzig) Jahre alt. – I’m 26 years old.

Ich bin 55 (fünfundfünfzig). – I am 55.

Mein Geburtstag ist im August. – My birthday is in August.

Months in German are very similar to English, read more here .

5. Occupation, job

Ich bin _______ von Beruf. – literally means I’m ____ by profession.

Ich bin _______ . – I’m (profession).

Ich bin Student/Studentin. – I am a student.

Ich bin Rentner/Rentnerin. – I am retired.

Ich bin Lehrer/Lehrerin von Beruf. – I’m a teacher.

Ich bin Programmierer/Programmiererin. – I’m a programmer.

Ich bin Arzt/Ärztin. – I’m a doctor.

Same as with nationalities, the words for professions in German are different for women and men. The ending     -in indicates that the person is female.

6. Languages

Meine Muttersprache ist _______. – My mother tongue is (language).

Ich spreche  _______. – I speak (language).

Ich lerne _______. – I am learning (language).

Meine Muttersprache ist Spanisch. – My mother tongue is Spanish.

Ich spreche Englisch, Französisch und Arabisch. – I speak English, French and Arabic.

Ich lerne Chinesisch und Deutsch. – I am learning Chinese and German.

7. Talking about family in German

Ich bin _______. – I’m (marital status).

Ich bin ledig/verheiratet. – I’m single/married.

Ich habe _______. – I have (children/siblings)

Ich habe ein Kind/zwei Kinder. – I have a child/two children.

Ich habe keine Kinder. – I don’t have children.

Ich habe 3(drei) Geschwister. – I have 3 siblings.

Ich habe keine Geschwister. – I don’t have siblings.

Ich habe einen Bruder/zwei Brüder. – I have a brother/two brothers.

Ich habe eine Schwester/zwei Schwestern. – I have a sister/two sisters.

Ich bin ledig und habe keine Kinder. – I’m single and dont have children.

Ich bin verheiratet und habe 3 Kinder. – I’m married and have 3 children.

Ich habe einen Bruder und zwei Schwester. – I have a brother and 2 sisters.

Ich habe 3 Schwestern. – I have 3 sisters.

More family vocabulary and phrases to talk about family in German

8. Hobbies in German

Mein Hobby ist _______. – My hobby is (hobby).

Meine Hobbys sind _______. – My hobbies are (hobbies).

Mein Hobby ist Musik. – My hobby is music.

Meine Hobbys sind singen und tanzen. – My hobbies are singing and dancing.

Mein Hobby ist Einkaufen. – My hobby is shopping.

9. How to say “I like…/I don’t like…” in German.

To say “I like doing something”

Ich _______ gerne. – I like (doing some activity).

Ich _______ nicht gerne. – I don’t like (doing some activity).

Ich reise gerne. – I like travelling.

Ich koche nicht gerne. – I don’t like cooking.

Ich lese gerne Bücher. – I like reading books.

Ich esse gerne Gemüse. – I like to eat vegetables.

To say “I like something”

Ich mag _______. – I like (something).

Ich mag _______ nicht. – I don’t like (something).

Ich mag Sushi. – I like sushi.

Ich mag Pizza nicht. – I don’t like pizza.

Ich mag Kaffee, aber ich mag Tee nicht. – I like coffee but I don’t like tea.

To talk about your favorite things

Mein Lieblings… ist _______. – My favourite (food/movie/sport) is (name).

Mein Lieblingsessen ist Pizza. – My favorite food is Pizza.

Mein Lieblingssport ist Fußball. – My favorite sport is football.

You can add Lieblings- (favorite) to any word to talk about your favorite things: Lieblingsschauspieler(favorite actor), Lieblingsbuch(favorite book), Lieblingsfilm(favorite movie), Lieblingsgetränk(favorite drink).

Now introduce yourself in German in the comments below!

germanwordoftheday

2 responses to “How to introduce yourself in German (easy PDF script)”

Ich mag diesen Blog. Vielen Dank an den Entwickler

It’s very nice and it is easy to understand but can add some poin like after introduction how to end of introduction phase

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Language learning, getting fluent faster, and Clozemaster

100+ Common German Phrases and Expressions to Sound Like a Native Speaker

Whether you are learning German “just because” or because you are planning to visit — or move to — Germany, getting familiar with some of the basics of German language is not only helpful in day-to-day life, but can also enhance your experience in a plethora of ways.

In this blog post I’d like to introduce you to one hundred (yes, one hundred!) German phrases and expressions that will help you navigate during your stay in Germany.

From introducing yourself to new friends or colleagues to navigating public transportation or letting others know that you’re having a hard time understanding — or making yourself understood — this blog post will hopefully cover all of your linguistic travel needs!

So without further ado, let’s jump into one hundred German phrases and expressions that you should learn to sound like a native speaker!

Introducing Yourself and Saying Hello

There are a variety of ways to introduce yourself in German or to simply say “hello” — some of them are more formal and some of them work in pretty much any situation.

These German phrases will serve as excellent “ice breakers”, especially when you are nervous about your first ventures into speaking German with native speakers.

Guten Tag! — Good day!

→ This phrase works for pretty much any time of the day except for evenings. You can use it when entering a store, approaching a stranger to ask for directions or when talking to somebody on the phone.

Guten Morgen! — Good morning!

→ Used both in person and on the phone, this is the common, yet more formal way to greet others in the morning.

Guten Abend! — Good evening!

→ This is the formal way of saying “good evening” in German. Usually you’d start saying “Guten Abend” around six o’clock in the evening, but some people might use it sooner than that.

You might notice that the German equivalent of the English “ good afternoon ” doesn’t really exist in German. Instead, you use “Guten Morgen” in the morning hours until approximately eleven o’clock, and after that you could opt for “Guten Tag”.

It is kind of a point of contention in Germany when to stop using “Guten Morgen” as well as when to start using “Guten Abend”, so if you want to be on the safe side, you can always opt for:

Hallo! — Hello!

→ This is a more informal way of greeting someone in German, but it can be used around any time of the day.

When it comes to more informal ways of greeting, you can also simply say “Hi!” — a widely used phrase in Germany as well.

If you’d like to learn more German greetings, check out our post on saying hello in German!

When being introduced to a new group of people, there are several things you might be asked, such as:

Wo kommst du her? — Where are you from? (informal)

Woher kommen Sie? — Where are you from? (formal)

In this case, you could answer with either …

Ich bin aus New York. or Ich komme aus New York. (for example) — I am from New York .

If you just simply want to state what country you are from, you could say:

Ich komme aus Amerika/Kanada/Spanien. — I am from the US/Canada/Spain.

You could also opt for saying:

Ich bin Amerikaner/Kanadier/Spanier. — I am American/Canadian/Spanish.

Note that this expression pertains to the guys. If you are female, the correct expression would be:

Ich bin Amerikanerin/Kanadierin/Spanierin.

After your initial introduction, you could simply say:

Freut mich, Sie kennen zu lernen . — Pleasure to meet you!

Or if you are talking to a younger crowd or in a less formal environment simply choose:

Freut mich, dich/euch kennen zu lernen. — Pleasure to meet you (guys)!

Wie lange lebst du schon in Stuttgart? — How long have you been living in Stuttgart?

Leben Sie schon lange hier? — Have you [polite] been living here for a long time?

On that note …

You are probably familiar with the difference between “ Sie ” and “ du ” in German — formal ‘ you ’ vs. the informal, more familial ‘ you ’.

When in doubt, always opt for the more polite “ Sie ”, especially if you have never met the person before.

Usually, when people are comfortable using a less formal way of addressing, they will offer the following.

“ Sie können du zu mir sagen ” or “ Du kannst mich duzen ”, which literally translates to “You can say you to me” .

While this phrase might sound rather confusing and illogical to you, it makes perfect sense for German natives!

Out and About — Navigating Public Transportation and Getting Around

It’s no secret that Germany has an excellent public transportation system. While it is somewhat of a national tradition to complain about the trains being a) always late, b) never clean, c) too cold, or d) too hot, deep down every German appreciates the convenience of not having to use their car when trying to get somewhere.

Especially if you are not used to riding on public trains and buses, navigating public transportation system can be hard at first.

With these helpful German phrases, you should have no problem getting around though! Next to that, I’ll be providing some other expressions that might come in handy when out and about in Germany.

When Using Public Transportation

There are various types of trains in Germany. In most cities you will find both U-Bahn (“ Untergrundbahn ”, ‘ underground train ’) as well as S-Bahn (“ Stadtschnellbahn ”, basically an inner-city fast train), as well as regional trains commuting between larger cities (so-called ICE Zug or simply ICE , “Intercity Express”) or trains commuting between different cities which aren’t as fast as the ICE trains.

These following German phrases might come in handy when using public trains:

Mit welchem Zug/mit welcher U-Bahn/mit welcher S-Bahn komme ich nach Pankow?  — Which train/U-Bahn/S-Bahn do I have to take to get to Pankow?

Von welchem Gleis aus fährt der Zug? — Which platform is the train leaving from?

Hält diese S-Bahn an der Haltestelle Feuersee? — Does this train stop at the stop “Feuersee”?

Wann fährt der Zug ab? — When is the train departing?

Ist dies der Zug/Bus nach Esslingen? — Is this the train/bus going to Esslingen?

Entschuldigen Sie, fährt dieser Zug/Bus nach …? — Excuse me please, is this train/bus going to …?

→ When approaching strangers to ask questions or for directions, the polite form “ Sie ” ( you ) should always be used.

Wann fährt der nächste Bus nach Mitte? — When is the next bus to Mitte leaving?

→ FYI: In this case, “Mitte” — center — refers to a district in Berlin. If you are not referring to the district, but simply to any city center, you could say:

Wann fährt der nächste Bus in die Innenstadt? — When is the next bus to the city center leaving?

Was kostet ein Ticket nach Stuttgart? — How much is a ticket to Stuttgart?

→ The German word “ Ticket ” (same as in English!) can be used for both bus and train tickets. If you want to be more specific, you can use the word “ Zugticket ” ( train ticket ) or “ Busticket ” ( bus ticket ). Generally speaking though, the word “ Ticket ” is usually enough for people to understand what you are referring to.

Ich möchte nach Prenzlauer Berg. Wie komme ich am besten dorthin? — I’d like to go to Prenzlauer Berg. How can I get there best?

Wann fährt der letzte Zug/Bus nach Tübingen? — When is the last train/bus to Tübingen leaving?

Ein Ticket/zwei Tickets nach Stuttgart-Vaihingen bitte. — One ticket/two tickets to Stuttgart-Vaihingen, please.

Exploring New Territories

One advantage of German cities and smaller towns is that a lot of landmarks and sights can be explored by foot. To get from A to B, you don’t necessarily need to use a car.

Especially when in an unfamiliar area it is important to know some basics in case you need to ask for directions. I’ve also included basics like asking for the time in the list below, since it’s something that can be very helpful when you don’t have a watch on you or your phone has run out of battery.

Entschuldigen Sie, ich habe eine Frage. — Excuse me please, I have a question .

Wie komme ich zur Stiftskirche? — How do I get to the Stiftskirche?

Gibt es hier in der Nähe eine Touristeninformation? — Is there a tourist information close by?

Kennen Sie einen Mietwagenverleih in der Nähe? — Do you know of any car rental services around here?

Komme ich auf diesem Weg zum Rathausplatz? — Is this the way to the Rathausplatz (city hall square)?

Könnten Sie mir das bitte auf der Karte zeigen? — Would you mind showing me this on the map, please?

Gibt es hier in der Gegend interessante Sehenswürdigkeiten? — Are there any interesting sights here in the area?

Wo ist der Bahnhof? — Where is the train station?

Gibt es hier in der Nähe eine öffentliche Toilette? — Is there a public restroom close by?

Geht es hier lang zum Museum? — Is it this way to get to the museum?

Geht es da lang? — Is it in this direction?

→ This is a way to ask for confirmation after you’ve already asked for directions, such as to make sure you’re actually going in the right direction.

Ich habe mich verlaufen. — I am lost.

→ Note: When using “ Ich habe mich verlaufen ” it refers to being lost when walking on foot. It could literally be translated by “I mis-walked”. If you are driving by car and you are lost, you could say:

Ich habe mich verfahren. — I am lost (driving a car).

→ This could more or less translate to “I mis-drove”, and is commonly used when you’ve gotten lost while driving.

Wie viel Uhr ist es? — What time is it?

When Out Shopping …

Whether you’re taking a stroll across the Christmas market in Germany  looking for some souvenirs to send home to loved ones, indulging in some retail therapy, or simply want to get some grocery shopping done, knowing how to ask for certain things can certainly prove to be helpful!

These German phrases should come in handy when hunting for the perfect gift to give to a friend (or to yourself) or when shopping at the supermarket.

Kann ich hier auch mit Kreditkarte bezahlen? — Do you accept credit cards as well?

Ich bin auf der Suche nach einer Mütze. — I am looking for a (winter) hat.

Haben Sie das auch in einer kleineren/größeren Größe? — Do you still have this in a smaller/larger size?

Haben Sie das auch in einer anderen Farbe? — Do you have this in a different color?

Ich schaue mich nur um, danke. — I am just looking, thank you.

→ This phrase comes in handy when the salesperson is a little too enthusiastic.

Das steht mir leider nicht . — Unfortunately, this doesn’t look good on me.

Könnten Sie das bitte für mich zurücklegen? — Could you please put this on hold for me?

Danke, ich suche erst einmal noch weiter . — Thanks, but for now I’ll keep looking .

Wie viel kostet ein halbes Kilo Kartoffeln? — How much is half a kilogram of potatoes?

Ich hätte gerne vier Laugenbrötchen. — I’d like four pretzel rolls, please.

Nein, das ist alles, danke. — No, thanks, that’s all for today.

→ Usually this is the answer to the question “ Darf es noch etwas sein? ” ( Is there anything else you need? )

Einen Moment bitte. — Just a moment please.

Nein, danke. — No, thank you.

Ja, bitte! — Yes, please!

Danke, aber ich würde mich gerne noch ein bisschen umsehen. — Thank you, but I’d like to look around a bit more.

→ This phrase can be used when you actually want to shop around for something some more before making a final decision, but it also can be used when a salesperson is being a little too pushy, essentially giving a subtle hint you’re not intending to buy anything there (without bluntly stating that). Most sellers will get the hint when you state that you’d “like to look around some more”.

When Going Out To Eat

Germany offers a variety of different restaurants and street food — from fine dining to your local Döner Kebap shop (which I highly recommend you give a try!), there are plenty of delicious treats to discover.

In this section, you’ll find useful German phrases for making a reservation at a restaurant as well as very specific German expressions that you can use when ordering food.

At a Restaurant

Haben Sie bereits geöffnet? — Are you open yet?

→ Some restaurants in Germany open their doors well after twelve o’clock noon (depending on if they serve dinner rather than lunch), so sometimes it is good to ask whether the establishment is open yet.

Ich würde gerne einen Tisch für zwei Personen für heute um sechs Uhr reservieren. — I’d like to reserve a table for two at six o’clock today.

→ This would usually be said when making a phone call, but can also be used in person.

Ich hätte gerne einen Tisch für eine Person, bitte. — I’d like a table for one, please.

Ich/wir hätten gerne einen Tisch für zwei/drei/vier Personen bitte. — I’d like/we’d like a table for two/three/four, please.

Wie lange ist die Wartezeit für einen Tisch? — How long would we have to wait for a table?

Haben Sie eine Speisekarte auf Englisch? — Do you have a menu in English?

Haben Sie auch eine Kinderkarte? — Do you have a children’s menu as well?

Was können Sie empfehlen? — What can you recommend?

→ If you want to be a bit more specific, you can also say:

Welches Gericht können Sie empfehlen? — Which dish can you recommend?

Welchen Wein würden Sie dazu empfehlen? — Which wine would you recommend with this dish?

Haben Sie auch Spezialitäten aus der Region? — Do you offer regional specialties as well?

Ein kleines Bier, bitte. — A small beer, please.

Ein großes Bier, bitte. — A large beer, please .

Haben Sie eine Dessertkarte? — Do you have a dessert menu?

Ich hätte gerne die Rechnung. — I’d like the check, please.

→ Alternatively, you can say:

Ich/wir würde/würden gerne bezahlen. — I/we would like to pay, please.

Please note: While in the US the check is always brought to your table, in Germany you have to request the check when eating at a restaurant. Otherwise, the staff will just assume that you’d like to stay a little bit longer, and won’t bother you at all.

If you need the waiter’s or the waitress’ attention, usually signing with your hand or your finger (by simply lifting it up in the air) is enough to get somebody’s attention.

German Street food

Germany offers a variety of delicious treats that can be purchased at either permanent booths in towns and cities or at smaller shops, which usually aren’t as full as restaurants, but offer food to go and takeout/deliveries to your home.

There are a couple of phrases or expressions that aren’t necessarily “proper” high German but often coined in dialects, yet they still come in extremely handy when ordering food on the go.

Ich hätte gerne eine Pommes rot-weiß . — I’d like one portion of fries red and white, please .

→ “Pommes” (short for pommes frites , which is French for “french fries”) is the casual term for fries in Germany. Rot-weiß (‘ red-white ’) stands for a way of topping the fries with both a heaping amount of ketchup and mayonnaise. It’s a delicious snack oftentimes served at (outdoor) pools and parks, although it’s definitely not for those watching their calorie intake.

Einen Döner “mit scharf”, bitte . — One Döner Kebap “with spicy”, please .

→ Before I even go into the details: be aware that in terms of grammar and vocabulary, this sentence is not correct whatsoever .

Yet if using it at one of the Döner shops in Germany, everyone will understand what you mean: you do want the spicy red chili flakes on top that make this already pretty delicious treat even better.

Ein Döner mit allem, bitte . — One Döner with everything, please .

→ A pretty common modification of this phrase is to simply say “ mit alles ” ( with everything ) — this is also very much grammatically wrong, but the expression is sort of a cult classic in Germany, hence many people keep using it.

Zum mitnehmen, bitte . — To go, please .

Zum hier essen, bitte . — For here, please.

Bieten Sie auch Gerichte zum Mitnehmen an? — Do you offer takeaway meals as well?

Dealing with Emergencies

I really do hope that you will not run into any unpleasant situations in Germany — whether this might be getting sick and having to go to the doctor or the hospital, having to call the police or requesting an ambulance.

In this case, however, I think the rule “ better safe than sorry ” applies all too well.

The following German phrases are vital for any trip abroad — no matter if it’s a short vacation or a long-term stay.

Below you can find the most important German expressions that you might need when dealing with an emergency.

Können Sie mir bitte helfen? — Can you help me, please?

Haben Sie ein Handy? Ich brauche einen Krankenwagen. — Do you have a cell phone? I need an ambulance.

Rufen Sie bitte einen Krankenwagen. — Please call an ambulance .

Ich hatte einen Fahrradunfall/Autounfall. — I had a bicycle/car accident.

Ich brauche/wir brauchen einen Arzt. — I need/we need a doctor. (Or: I/we need to see a doctor .)

Ich bin verletzt . — I am hurt/injured .

Gibt es hier in der Nähe ein Krankenhaus? — Is there a hospital close by?

Bitte fahren Sie mich zum nächsten Krankenhaus. — Please drive me to the nearest hospital.

→ This phrase would be commonly used when speaking to a taxi drive or sitting in a cab.

Kennen Sie einen guten Hausarzt? — Do you know any good family physicians?

Gibt es hier in der Nähe einen Kinderarzt? — Is there a pediatrician’s office close by?

Es geht mir nicht gut. — I don’t feel well .

Ich habe eine Grippe . — I have the flu.

Ich habe starke Kopfschmerzen/eine starke Migräne . — I have a very bad headache/a bad migraine .

Ich glaube, ich habe mir etwas gebrochen . — I think I have broken something .

Es tut mir hier weh . — It hurts here .

→ This is commonly used when pointing at the respective body part.

Ich bin auf der Suche nach einer Apotheke . — I am looking for a pharmacy .

Haben Sie auch etwas, das ich ohne Rezept bekomme? — Do you have anything that I won’t need a prescription for?

Er/Sie braucht Medikamente . — He/she needs medication .

Bitte rufen Sie die Polizei . — Please call the police .

Gibt es hier in der Nähe eine Polizeistation? — Is there a police department in the vicinity?

Ich bin bestohlen worden . — I was mugged .

In meinem Hotelzimmer wurde eingebrochen . — My hotel room was broken into .

Mein Auto wurde aufgebrochen . — My car was broken into .

Ich bin unschuldig! — I am innocent!

( → In all seriousness though: I hope you will not need this one.)

As I’ve already mentioned, I really do hope you won’t have to make use of any of the German phrases in the last section of this post.

Other than that, I hope these examples will come in handy when traveling through Germany and communicating with native speakers of German!

Viel Erfolg and until next time!

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160 German Expressions That’ll Make You Sound Like a Native

There are certain words and phrases that every language uses on the daily.

If you can learn these cool German words and phrases, you’ll find everyday conversation much easier to navigate!

This post contains 160 useful German phrases that are sure to boost your conversational skills and help you out in any situation.

Common German Slang

Basic greetings in german, asking for help in german, german conversational phrases, food and drink in german, german travel phrases, german shopping phrases, german expressions in cases of emergency, why you should learn german phrases, how to learn common german phrases, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

These fun German slang phrases will definitely give you extra street cred and impress your German friends.

1. Moin, moin

Meaning: Morning/Hi/Hello/Good day/How are you?

This multi-purpose phrase is mostly used in Northern Germany.

Meaning: Awesome/Cool/Sexy

This slang term can be used for all things good, but tread carefully—it can refer to sexual arousal, too.  

3. Dit jefällt ma

Meaning:  I like it

This is Berlinian dialect for  Das gefällt mir  (I like it).

Meaning: Hey, what’s up?/How are you?/Well?

You can even answer this with Naaa? to say “I’m good, how about you?”

Meaning:  Period

As in, “end of discussion.” This is useful when you’re not interested in hearing any backchat or excuses. 

Meaning: Nonsense/That’s ridiculous

7. Ich habe die Nase voll

Meaning:  I’m fed up/I’m sick of it Literal:  I have a full nose

8. Das ist nicht mein Bier

Meaning:  Not my problem Literal:  That’s not my beer

You can also say das ist dein Bier (this is your beer) to point out that the thing in question is someone else’s burden to bear.

9 . Abwarten und Tee trinken

Meaning:  Just wait and see Literal: Wait and drink tea

10. Ich verstehe nur Bahnhof

Meaning:  I don’t understand any of that/It’s all Greek to me Literal:  I only understand train station

11 . Es ist mir Wurst

Meaning: I don’t care Literal:  It’s sausage to me

12. Das Leben ist kein Ponyhof

Meaning: Life is no picnic Literal:  Life is not a pony farm

13. Da haben wir den Salat

Meaning: Everything is a mess/Now we’re in a pickle Literal:  Here we’ve got the salad

14. Leben wie Gott in Frankreich

Meaning: Live like a king Literal: Live like God in France

This phrase is a reflection of the past. At a time in history, royalty lived fancy and rich in the kingdom of France while the German city-states lived in relative poverty, struggling to feed themselves.

15. Der Zug ist schon abgefahren

Meaning: That ship has sailed/The opportunity is gone Literal:  The train has already left

16. Innerer Schweinehund

Meaning: Devil on your shoulder Literal: Inner pig-dog

The German people’s “inner pig-dog” is the voice in one’s head that steers you wrong.

17. Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund

Meaning:  The early bird gets the worm Literal:  Morning hours have gold in the mouth

18. Hunde, die bellen, beißen nicht

Meaning: His bark is worse than his bite Literal: Dogs that bark don’t bite

Now, let’s go over how to say hello to native German speakers  and exchange some basic pleasantries. 

Meaning:  Hello

20. Guten Morgen

Meaning:  Good morning

This is a common greeting used until noon.

21. Guten Tag

Meaning:  Good afternoon

Use this between noon and 6 pm.

22. Guten Abend

Meaning:  Good evening

This greeting is used from 6 pm to bedtime.

23. Wie geht es Ihnen?

Meaning:  How are you? (formal)

This form should be used with strangers and people who command respect, such as a boss, teacher or elder.

24. Wie geht’s dir?

Meaning:  How are you? (informal)

You can use this version of the phrase in more casual interactions, like with friends and family.

25. Mir geht es gut, danke

Meaning:  I am fine, thank you

26. Freut mich zu hören

Meaning:  Glad to hear it

27. Mir geht es nicht so gut

Meaning:  I’m not so good

28. Es tut mir leid

Meaning:  I’m sorry

You might also hear the shortened version:  tut mir leid .

29. Gesundheit

Meaning:  Bless you (said after someone sneezes)  Literal: Health

30. Alles Gute zum Geburtstag!

Meaning:  Happy birthday!

31. Machs gut

Meaning:  Take care

32. Bis später

Meaning:  See you later

If you know you’re seeing this person again within the next day, you can bid them farewell with this phrase.

33. Bis bald

Meaning:  See you soon

If you think you’ll see this person again in the near future but you’re not exactly sure when, you can opt for this expression.

34. Auf Wiedersehen

Meaning:  Goodbye

35. Tschüss

Meaning:  Bye

36. Gute Nacht

Meaning:  Good night

37. Einen schönen Tag noch

Meaning:  Have a nice day

38. Schönes Wochenende

Meaning:  Have a nice weekend

39. Ebenso / G leichfalls  

Meaning: Same to you

As a stranger in a German-speaking country, you will likely need help from a local at some point or another; these phrases will make it a little easier.

40. Entschuldigung

Meaning:  Excuse me/Sorry

You’ll also likely hear the contracted version when out and about: ‘Schuldigung. 

41. Sprechen Sie Englisch?

Meaning:  Do you speak English? (formal)

Meaning:  Yes/Yeah

Meaning:  No

Meaning:  Please

This word has several important functions in German . 

45. Ich spreche nur ein bisschen Deutsch

Meaning:  I only speak a little German

46. Ich brauche eine Auskunft

Meaning: I need some information

47 . Ich brauche Hilfe

Meaning:  I need help

48. Bin ich hier richtig?

Meaning:  Am I in the right place?

49. Wie sagt man … auf Deutsch?

Meaning:  How do you say … in German?

50. Danke schön

Meaning:  Thank you

There are many ways to say thank you in German . Danke schön is like the English “thank you,” whereas danke on its own is like “thanks.”

51. Vielen Dank für Ihre Hilfe

Meaning:  Thanks so much for your help (formal)

52. Gern geschehen

Meaning:  You’re welcome

German has other ways to express “you’re welcome,” too.

These phrases will help you hold a conversation in German—you can even practice before you go ! Note that some phrases differ in formality .

53. Wie ist Ihr Name? / Wie heißt du?

Meaning:  What is your name? (formal/informal)

54. Ich heiße… / Mein Name ist…

Meaning:  My name is…

55. Woher kommen Sie? / Woher kommst du?

Meaning:  Where are you from? (formal/informal)

56. Ich komme aus…

Meaning:  I’m from…

57. Ich wohne in…

Meaning: I live in…

58 . Wie lange bleiben Sie in Deutschland / Österreich / der Schweiz?

Meaning:  How long are you staying in Germany/Austria/Switzerland?

59. Ich bleibe eine Woche hier

Meaning:  I am staying here for one week

Of course, you can replace eine Woche  with something like zwei Wochen (two weeks), sechs Tage (six days), etc.

60. Wie alt sind Sie? / Wie alt bist du?

Meaning:  How old are you? (formal/informal)

61. Ich bin 20 Jahre alt

Meaning:  I am 20 years old

Brush up on your German numbers so you can replace 20 with your own age.

62. Was machen Sie / Was machst du beruflich?

Meaning:  What do you do for work? (formal/informal)

63. Ich bin…

Meaning:  I’m a/an…

You don’t need an article in German (words like “a” or “the”) before the job title here, so you’re literally just saying “I am teacher” or whatever your job is.

64. Ich bin verheiratet

Meaning: I’m married

65. Ich bin ledig

Meaning: I’m single

66. Meine Handynummer ist…

Meaning: My cell phone number is…

This is in case your German-speaking crush is single as well. Impress them with some other romantic phrases , too. Or it can be useful for new friends.

67. Ich studiere…

Meaning: I am studying…

Note that this sentence can only be used to state what your major or subject area is, and not what you’re looking at to prepare for the upcoming test.

A few examples of how to fill in the blank:  Geschichte  (history),  Jura  (law) , Zahnmedizin  (dentistry) , Volkswirtschaftslehre  (economics).

68. Wie viele Geschwister hast du?

Meaning: How many siblings do you have?

69. Ich habe zwei Geschwister

Meaning: I have two siblings

70. Mein Lieblingsfilm ist…

Meaning: My favorite…is…

Note how “favorite film” becomes a one-word noun.

Knowing this, you can talk about your favorite food (Lieblingsessen) , favorite sport (Lieblingssport) or favorite author (Lieblingsautor) .

71. Ich lerne Deutsch

Meaning: I’m learning German

72. Was machst du sonst so?

Meaning:  What else do you do? (informal)

Learn some German words about hobbies so you can bust out this phrase and then understand the response.

73. Ich… gerne

Meaning:  I like to…

74. Ich mag…

Meaning: I like…

75. Ich hasse…

Meaning: I hate…

76. Meine Hobbys sind…

Meaning: My hobbies are…

77 . Ich stimme dir zu

Meaning:  I agree with you

78. Können Sie / Kannst du langsamer sprechen?

Meaning:  Can you speak slower? (formal/informal)

79. Können Sie / Kannst du das bitte wiederholen?

Meaning:  Can you repeat that please? (formal/informal)

80. Verstehen Sie? / Verstehst du?

Meaning:  Do you understand? (formal/informal)

81. Ich verstehe nicht

Meaning:  I don’t understand

82. Hat mich gefreut Sie / dich kennenzulernen

Meaning:  It was nice meeting you (formal/informal)

83. Das ist mir legal

Meaning: I don’t care (Literal: That’s the same to me)

84. Spinnst du?!  

Meaning: Are you crazy?! 

85. …oder?  

Meaning: …right?

Now that you’ve got a conversation going, you might end up with a meal invite! These German expressions will help you order food and drinks like a native.

86. Haben Sie / Hast du Hunger?

Meaning:  Are you hungry? (formal/informal)

87. Haben Sie / Hast du Durst?

Meaning:  Are you thirsty? (formal/informal)

88 . Wollen wir zusammen was essen gehen?

Meaning:  Shall we get something to eat together?

Or: Wollen wir zusammen was trinken gehen? (Shall we get something to drink together?)

89. Frühstück

Meaning:  Breakfast

90. Mittagessen

Meaning:  Lunch

91. Abendessen

Meaning:  Dinner

92. Einen Tisch für vier bitte

Meaning:  A table for four, please

At most German restaurants , you’ll just seat yourself at an open table, but if you’re greeted at the door, you can replace vier with the correct number of people in your party.

93. Ich möchte einen Tisch reservieren

Meaning:  I’d like to reserve a table

When Germans eat out, they tend to take their time. If you don’t reserve a table (especially at popular restaurants or in bigger cities), you run the risk of having to wait a very long time for a table to open up or maybe not getting a table at all.

To complete the phrase with all the relevant information, you can say:  Ich möchte einen Tisch für … Personen um … reservieren (I’d like to reserve a table for … people at … o’clock).

And don’t forget that Germans tend to use the 24 hour clock! When asking for a table at 7 pm, you’ll need to say “nineteen o’clock” in German .

94. Ich habe eine Reservierung

Meaning:  I have a reservation

95. Einen Augenblick bitte

Meaning:  Wait a minute, please

96. Können wir die Speisekarte haben bitte?

Meaning:  Can we see the menu, please?

You can also replace Speisekarte with Getränkekarte (drinks menu) or Weinkarte (wine list).

97. Was ist das?

Meaning:  What is this?

98. Können Sie etwas empfehlen?

Meaning:  Can you recommend something?

99. Haben Sie etwas vegetarisches / veganisches?

Meaning:  Do you have something vegetarian/vegan?

100. Ich esse kein…

Meaning:  I don’t eat…

101. Ich bin allergisch gegen…

Meaning: I am allergic to…

102. Ich hätte gerne…

Meaning:  I’d like to have…

103. Ein Bier bitte

Meaning:  A beer, please

104. Einen Kaffee bitte

Meaning:  One coffee, please

You might want to specify whether you want a Milchkaffee  (milky coffee) or a  Kaffee ohne Milch  (coffee without milk). 

105. Prost!

Meaning:  Cheers!

106. Guten Appetit

Meaning:  Bon appetit

You might also hear: Lass es schmecken!  (Enjoy your meal!) 

107. Nichts für mich, danke

Meaning:  Nothing for me, thanks

108. Das war’s  

Meaning: That’s everything

109. Ich bin satt

Meaning:  I am full

110. Entschuldigen Sie bitte, wo ist die Toilette?

Meaning:  Excuse me, where is the bathroom?

111. Die Rechnung bitte

Meaning:  The check, please

112. Ich besorge den Kaffee

Meaning: I’ll get the coffee/The coffee is on me

113. Kann ich eine Quitting haben bitte?

Meaning:  Can I have a receipt, please?

114. Stimmt so

Meaning:  Keep the change

I’m sure you want to do plenty of sightseeing while in Germany. Study the useful travel phrases below so you don’t get lost in the process.

115. Darf ich mal durch?

Meaning:  Can you let me through?

You might also hear Darf ich mal vorbei? In this phrase, vorbei  implies that you’re trying to walk around a person, rather than through a group of them.

116. Entschuldigung, wie komme ich zum…?

Meaning:  Excuse me, how do I get to the…?

You’ll want to know the gender of the place you’re going to. You use zum  for masculine and neuter nouns like der Bahnhof (the train station) or das Rathaus (the town hall) and zur  for feminine nouns like  die Kirche (the church).

117. Ich suche das Museum

Meaning:  I am looking for the museum

You might replace das Museum with den Park (the park), das Hotel (the hotel) or something similar.

118. Ist das in der Nähe?

Meaning:  Is that close by?

119. Ist das weit von hier?

Meaning:  Is that far from here?

120. In welcher Richtung ist das?

Meaning:  Which direction is that?

121. Nach links / rechts

Meaning:  To the left/right

122. Geradeaus

Meaning:  Straight on

123. Wo ist die nächste U-bahn / Bushaltestelle?

Meaning:  Where is the nearest subway/bus station?

124. Fährt dieser Zug nach …?

Meaning:  Does this train go to…?

You might replace Zug with Bus to ask “Does this bus go to…?”

The final preposition depends on the type of place you’re traveling to. Generally, you’ll use nach  when referring to specific stations or geographic locations, such as: Fährt dieser Zug nach Wittenau? (Does this train go to Wittenau?) 

You’ll typically use zum (masculine and neuter nouns) or  zur (feminine nouns) for places or sites, such as a bank, museum or the park, as in:  Fährt dieser Bus zur Nationalgalerie? (Does this bus go to the National Gallery?) 

And you’ll sometimes use in  for “traveling into” generic city areas, like Stadtmitte  (city center). For example:  Fährt dieser Bus in die Stadtmitte? (Does this bus go to the city center?) 

125. Wie viel kostet eine Fahrkarte nach…?

Meaning:  How much is a ticket to…?

126 . Muss ich umsteigen?

Meaning:  Do I have to change?

127 . Wo finde ich ein Taxi?

Meaning:  Where do I find a taxi?

128 . Zum Bahnhof bitte

Meaning:  To the train station, please

Use this construction to direct your taxi driver. You might replace zum Bahnhof with zum Flughafen (to the airport) or  zur Bushaltestelle (to the bus station), for instance.

129 . Bitte halten Sie hier an

Meaning:  Please stop here

130 . Haben Sie einen Stadtplan?

Meaning:  Do you have a city map?

131 . Können Sie mir das auf der Karte zeigen?

Meaning:  Can you show me that on the map?

132 . Ich habe mich verlaufen

Meaning:  I’ve gotten lost

133 . Haben Sie noch Zimmer frei?

Meaning:  Do you have rooms available?

134 . Ich bleibe eine Nacht

Meaning:  I am staying for one night

Change the number as needed to fit your schedule: zwei Nächte (two nights), drei Nächte (three nights), etc. Notice how the vowel changes from a  to  ä  in the plural.

135 . Ich hätte gerne ein Zimmer / ein Doppelzimmer

Meaning:  I’d like to have a room/a double room

136 . Ist das inklusive Frühstück ?

Meaning:  Is breakfast included?

137 . Bis wann muss ich auschecken?

Meaning:  When is check-out?

138. Darf ich ins Internet gehen?

Meaning: May I use the Internet?

Whether you need everyday things during your stay or want something to take home to your loved ones, these sentences will help you get what you want.

139 . Was möchten Sie?

Meaning:  What would you like?

140 . Suchen Sie etwas Bestimmtes?

Meaning:  Are you looking for something specific?

141 . Ich schaue mich nur um

Meaning:  I’m just looking around.

142 . Ich suche…

Meaning:  I am looking for…

143 . Verkaufen Sie…?

Meaning:  Do you sell…?

144 . Was kostet das?

Meaning:  How much is this?

145 . Haben Sie das auch in einer anderen Größe / Farbe?

Meaning:  Do you have this in another size/color?

146 . Das ist zu teuer

Meaning:  That’s too expensive

147 . Können Sie mir einen Rabatt geben?

Meaning:  Can you give me a discount?

148 . Kann ich bar bezahlen?

Meaning:  Can I pay in cash?

Particularly after the pandemic, some places in Europe started to request card payments to reduce cash-handling.

Although the adage nur bar ist wahr (“only cash is true”) is still widely the case in Germany, it might still be worth asking in more modern establishments. 

149 . Kann ich mit Kreditkarte bezahlen?

Meaning:  Can I pay with a credit card?

Many restaurants and smaller shops in Germany still do not take card payments, so it’s definitely worth knowing how to ask.

150 . Um wieviel Uhr öffnet das Geschäft?

Meaning:  What time does the shop open?

And the opposite question is: Um wieviel Uhr schließt das Geschäft?  (What time does the shop close?)

Fingers crossed that you never have an emergency in a German-speaking country (or in your home country, for that matter). However, it’s always good to be prepared!

151.   Hilfe!

Meaning:  Help!

152. Feuer!

Meaning:  Fire!

153 . Rufen Sie die Polizei!

Meaning:  Call the police!

You might need to replace die Polizei with dei Feuerwehr (the fire department) or einen Krankenwagen (an ambulance).

Note that you can also simply call 112 in all German-speaking countries in Europe to access emergency services. 

154. Ich brauche dringend Hilfe

Meaning: I need urgent help

155 . Wo ist das Krankenhaus?

Meaning:  Where is the hospital?

156 . Wo ist die Apotheke?

Meaning:  Where is the pharmacy?

157. Mir ist schlecht

Meaning:  I feel ill

158. Wie komme ich zur amerikanischen Botschaft?

Meaning:  How do I get to the American embassy?

159. Lassen Sie mich in Ruhe!

Meaning:  Leave me alone!

160 . Es ist ein Notfall

Meaning:  It’s an emergency

• Even if you can’t have a fluent conversation, native German speakers always appreciate when foreigners put effort into learning a bit of their language. It shows respect to the people and German language , plus it demonstrates that you truly want to reach out and connect while abroad.
• You won’t be totally reliant on your German phrasebook. Yes, German phrasebooks can be extremely useful. But conversation will flow much more smoothly if you’re able to respond instead of having to flip through your book to find the appropriate phrase.
• Contrary to popular belief, not all Germans speak English. Knowing basic German can really come in handy if you find yourself in a situation where you need to communicate with someone who only speaks German.

The best way to learn common German expressions is to get out and interact with German speakers! If you can’t do that yet, you can also try an immersive language program.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

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Here are some more ways to pick up useful phrases:

• Consume German media. Television shows and music are often great ways to pick up a language’s idiosyncrasies and slang. 
• Ask your German friends. Ask your native-speaking German friends to provide you with some phrases and idioms that they use on a daily basis, and work on learning those.
• Integrate phrases into your conversations. Use these phrases as often as possible in your everyday speech and you’ll find yourself speaking more fluently in no time.
• Try apps for learning German. Using language learning apps is another great way to learn some useful German phrases. Plus, it has the built in features for repetition, so you can really remember them properly. 

Now you’re all ready to go have conversations with these common German expressions!

Want to know the key to learning German effectively?

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StoryLearning

Learn A Language Through Stories

92 Basic German Phrases To Survive Your First Conversation With A Native

Have you ever wanted to learn German?

Or are you planning a trip to a German-speaking country?

To get started and have your first basic conversations in German, you're going to need to learn some words!

In this post, you'll learn 92 basic German phrases and words that will help you on your travels or just at home. 

To make it easier for you, I've divided the phrases into different categories.

German Greetings & Introductions

• “I do not understand!” – Getting Out Of Sticky Situations

Numbers In German

Visiting a german restaurant, transport – getting around in germany.

• Asking For Directions
• Shopping In German
• Dealing with Medical Emergencies
• Finding Hidden Gems

Whether you're going to Germany or Austria or Switzerland, chances are you can get by in English.  But if you learn basic German too, you'll be able to connect more with German speakers. 

Having a few common German phrases will make you experience these countries in a completely different way.

And even at home , learning German will allow you to learn more about German culture and connect with native German speakers in your local community.

You don't need to have a natural flair for language learning. Learning a few key phrases and being able to use them is a great start. And German isn't as hard as its reputation suggests, especially for native English speakers. 

You never know, maybe learning these phrases will motivate you to go on and learn to speak German fluently.

Note:  Want to go beyond basic German phrases and learn German with confidence and fluency? The best way to do so is by working through a comprehensive and well designed course.

My top recommendation is   German Uncovered , my in-depth online German course for beginners that teaches you through the power of story. If you’re ready to get started,  click here for a 7-day FREE trial.

If you want to make a good impression with German speakers, you'll need a few basic phrases to meet and greet people.

After all, you're going to use greetings every time you have a conversation in German!

These phrases are simple, easy to remember and will help you make new German friends. 

#1 Hallo – Hello [any time of day]

#2 Hallo, wie geht’s? – Hello, how are you?

#3 Guten Morgen  – Good morning

#4 Guten Tag [lit. good day] – Good afternoon

#5 Guten Abend  – Good evening

#6 Gute Nacht  – Good night

#7 Vielen Dank  – Thank you very much

#8 Ich danke Ihnen auch –  Thank you, too [in reply to “thank you” from someone else else]

#9 Tschüss, bis zum nächsten Mal  – Goodbye, see you next time

#10 Schönes Wetter heute, nicht wahr? – It's lovely weather today, is not it?

#11 Mein Name ist _  – My name is _____

#12 Ich bin Amerikaner, Kanadier, Engländer (male)  – I'm American / Canadian / English

#13 Ich bin Amerikanerin, Kanadierin, Engländerin (female)  – I'm American / Canadian / English

#14 Woher kommen Sie? – Where are you from?

#15 Freut mich  – Nice to meet you!

⬑ Jump back to the contents

“I Do Not Understand!” – Getting Out Of Sticky Situations

It might seem a little intimidating to speak German, especially if you're new to the language. German people will be understanding if you're struggling to get your message across or catch what they say .

At the same time, don't hesitate to use these expressions to help the conversation run smoothly if you don't understand something or need a little help.

#16 Es tut mir leid, aber ich verstehe nicht  – I'm sorry, but I do not understand

#17  Ich spreche nicht gut Deutsch  – I do not speak German very well

#18 Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? – Could you say that again please?

#19 Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? – Could you say that more slowly please?

#20  Schreiben Sie das bitte für mich auf – Please write that down for me

#21 Was bedeutet das? – What does that mean?

#22 Sprechen Sie Englisch? – Do you speak English?

#23  Es tut mir leid – I'm sorry

#24  Ich weiß nicht – I do not know

#25 In Ordnung  – All right

#26  Macht nichts – never mind

Whether you're at the supermarket, ordering in a restaurant, or just having a normal conversation, it's essential to know how to use numbers in German. Eins, zwei, drei….l et's get to it!

• null – zero
• eins – one
• zwei – two
• drei – three
• vier – four
• fünf  – five
• sechs  – six
• sieben – seven
• acht – eight
• neun – nine
• zehn – ten
• elf – eleven
• zwölf – twelve
• dreizehn – thirteen
• vierzehn – fourteen
• fünfzehn – fifteen
• sechzehn – sixteen
• siebzehn – seventeen
• achtzehn – eighteen
• neunzehn – nineteen
• zwanzig  – twenty
• einundzwanzig – twenty-one
• zweiundzwanzig – twenty-two
• dreiundzwanzig   – twenty-three
• vierundzwanzig – twenty-four
• fünfundzwanzig – twenty-five
• sechsundzwanzig – twenty-six
• siebenundzwanzig   – twenty-seven
• achtundzwanzig – twenty-eight
• neunundzwanzig – twenty-nine
• dreißig – thirty
• einunddreißig – thirty-one
• zweiunddreißig – thirty-two
• vierzig – forty
• fünfzig – fifty
• sechzig – sixty
• siebzig – seventy
• achtzig – eighty
• neunzig – ninety
• hundert  – one hundred
• zweihundertfünfzig – two hundred and fifty
• fünfhundert – five hundred
• siebenhundertdreiundachtzig – seven hundred and eighty three
• tausend – one thousand

One of the most enjoyable cultural experiences you can have in a German-speaking country is visiting a restaurant and trying out some of the delicious local dishes.

The following phrases cover all the questions and statements you need to make when eating out, from asking for a table to paying the bill!

#27 Ein Tisch für eine Person bitte  – A table for one, please

#28 Ein Tisch für zwei Personen, bitte  – A table for two, please

#29 Haben Sie schon auf? – Are you open yet?

#30 Können wir (auf einen Tisch) warten? – Can we wait (for a table)?

#31 Können wir dort sitzen? – Can we sit over there?

#32 Entschuldigung! – Excuse me! [Calling a waiter]

#33 Was empfehlen Sie? – What do you recommend?

#34 Was ist das beliebteste Gericht? – What's your most popular dish?

#35 Was ist das? – What is this?

#36 Was für Bier haben Sie?  – What type of beer do you have?

#37 Ein kleines Bier bitte  – A small beer, please

#38 Ein großes Bier bitte  – A large beer, please

#39 Bringen Sie mir bitte eine Auswahl von leckeren Sachen  – Please bring me a selection of nice things

#40 Bitte wählen Sie etwas  – It's up to you / You can decide

#41 Die Rechnung, bitte  – The bill, please

#42 Kann ich bitte die Speisekarte haben? – Can I have the menu, please?

By the way, if you're interested in food and drink as it relates to German culture, take a look at this post about Oktoberfest, the world-famous Bavarian beer festival. 

There are lots of practicalities to consider when taking a trip to Germany, including finding your way around. Finding the right train or bus on time isn’t always easy and you don’t want to end up being the ‘foreigner’ who is holding up the ticket queue!

In this section, you’ll learn some key transport phrases that will help you quickly and easily navigate your way around any German-speaking city or country.

#43 Ich möchte nach _____  – I want to go to

#44 Wann fährt der nächste Zug / Bus nach _____? – What time is the next train/bus to __ ?

#45 Was kostet das? – How much is it?

#46 Einmal/ zweimal (nach _____), bitte – 1 ticket / 2 tickets (to _____), please

#47 Wie lange dauert das? – How long does it take?

#48 Wohin muss ich jetzt gehen? – Where should I go now?

#49 Wann fährt er ab? – When does it leave?

#50 Wie spät ist es (jetzt)? – What time is it (now)?

#51 Hält der Zug/ Bus in _ ? – Does this train/bus stop in _____?

#52 Entschuldigen Sie, ist dies _____? – Excuse me, is this _____ ? [Useful when you're on the bus / train and are not sure when to get off]

#53 Können Sie das bitte für mich aufschreiben? – Can you write that down for me?

#54 Zeigen Sie mir das bitte auf der Karte? – Can you show me on the map?

#55 Wo ist _____ auf der Karte? – Where is _____  on the map?

Asking For Directions In German 

Public transport in Germany is notoriously excellent, but there are some places you'll need to walk or drive to yourself. And for most of us, that means occasionally getting lost and asking for directions!

Here are the phrases you need to ask and receive directions in German:

#56 Entschuldigung, darf ich Sie etwas fragen? –  Excuse me, could I ask you something?

#57  Ich möchte nach _____  – I want to go to _ [If you know the name of your destination]

#58  Ich möchte dahin  – I want to go here [Pointing to your destination on the map]

#59 Ich habe mich verlaufen  – I'm lost (on foot)

#60 Ich habe mich verfahren  – I'm lost (by car)

#61 Wie komme ich dahin? – How can I get there?

#62 Geht es hier lang? – Is it this way? [Useful for checking if you're walking in the right direction]

#63 Zeigen Sie mir das bitte auf der Karte? – Can you show me on the map?

#64 Wo ist __? – Where is _ ?

Shopping And Grabbing A Bargain In German

Whether you're at the supermarket, the shopping centre or the local farmer's market you're going to buy things at some point or another!

And even haggle a bit –  just like you would in English. Grab a bargain in German with these sentences. 

#65  Das gefällt mir  – I like this

#66 Was kostet das? – How much is this?

#67 Bitte wiederholen Sie das  – Can you say that again please?

#68 Schreiben Sie das bitte für mich auf? – Can you write that down for me?

#69 Und wenn ich das alles kaufe? – If I buy these together? [A useful way to knock the price down]

#70 Das ist mir zu teuer  – it's too expensive for me

#71 Geben Sie mir einen Rabatt? – Can you give me a discount?

#72  Ich suche nach _____  – I'm looking for a _____

#73  Ich schaue mich nur um – I'm just looking around

#74 Danke, ich suche noch weiter  – Thank you, I'll keep looking [if you're getting hassled to buy something]

#75 Moment, bitte  – Just a moment

#76 Ja, bitte  – Yes, please

#77 Nein, danke  – No, thanks

Dealing With Medical Emergencies In German 

Hopefully, you'll never need the phrases in this section! Nonetheless, it's always good to know some basic medical vocabulary so that you can handle an emergency if you're unwell or have an accident.

#78 Können Sie mir bitte helfen? – Can you help me, please?

#79 Ich brauche einen Arzt  – I need to see a doctor

#80  Es geht mir nicht gut – I do not feel well

#81  Es geht ihm/ihr nicht gut – he / she does not feel well

#82 Gibt es ein Krankenhaus in der Nähe? – Is there a hospital near here?

#83 Fahren Sie mich bitte zum Krankenhaus  – Take me to the hospital [To a taxi driver]

#84 Es tut hier weh  – It hurts here [pointing to body part]

#85 Ich brauche Medizin  – I need some medicine

Finding Hidden Gems In German-Speaking Countries 

I've included a couple of questions you can ask the locals, so you can find the hidden gems in their cities and have a more authentic German experience!

#86 Es tut mir leid, Sie zu stören, aber…  – I'm sorry to bother you, but …

#87 Kann ich Sie schnell etwas fragen? – Could I ask you something quickly?

#88 Ich suche ein Restaurant mit gutem Essen hier in der Nähe  – I'm looking for a place with good food around here

#89  Ich suche ein nettes Café in der Nähe  – I'm looking for a nice cafe in the area

#90 Wissen Sie etwas über _____?  – Do you know anything about _____ ?

#91 Gibt es hier in der Nähe etwas Interessantes zu sehen? – Is there anything interesting to see in this area?

#92 Trotzdem danke  – Thank you anyway [if the person can not help you]

Your Next Steps In German

So there you have it: a collection of German expressions to help you get started on your new adventure!

With these phrases in your back pocket, you'll soon find yourself having your first basic conversations and getting excited about continuing to improve your German .

So now that you've learned the basics, are you ready to take the next step in your German adventure?

I'm a big believer in the power of story to enable you to learn a language . That's why I've created an entire beginner course to help you learn German online by immersing yourself in a compelling story.

It's my German Uncovered course, and it's designed to take you from beginner to B1 Intermediate level.

Click here for more information on the course and how it'll help you.

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Words for Giving Presentations in German

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Präsens – Present Tense in German Grammar

How to conjugate the present tense in german.

• Lingolia Plus German

Introduction

The present tense also called the simple present (Präsens) is used to talk about the present and future in German. We can translate it into one of three English tenses : the simple present , present progressive and future with will or going to . It is the most commonly used tense in the German language.

Learn the grammar rules, how to conjugate verbs and when to use the present tense with Lingolia’s simply worded explanations and examples in real German. In the exercises , you can practise what you have learnt.

Das ist Felix. Jeden Dienstag geht er zum Fußballtraining. Er spielt schon seit fünf Jahren Fußball.

Nächsten Sonntag um 14 Uhr hat seine Mannschaft ein wichtiges Spiel.

We use the German present tense to express:

• a fact or condition in the present Example: Das ist Felix. This is Felix.
• an action that takes place in the present once, repeatedly, or never Example: Jeden Dienstag geht er zum Fußballtraining. Every Tuesday he goes to football practice.
• a action that expresses how long something has been going on Example: Er spielt schon seit fünf Jahren Fußball. He has been playing football for five years.
• a future action that is already planned or agreed upon Example: Nächsten Sonntag hat seine Mannschaft ein wichtiges Spiel. Next Sunday, his team has an important game.

To conjugate verbs in the German present tense, we remove the infinitive ending -en and add the following endings:

The verbs sein and haben are irregular :

• If the stem ends in d/t (e.g. warten ), in b/d/g + n (e.g. ordnen ) or in consonant + consonant + n (e.g. zeichnen, öffnen ), we add an e before the endings -st and -t . Examples: warten to wait – du wart e st, er wart e t, ihr wart e t ordnen to sort – du ordn e st, er ordn e t, ihr ordn e t zeichnen to draw – du zeichnest, er zeichnet, ihr zeichnet However, this doesn’t happen when a verb whose stem ends in d/t also has a vowel change. (In the 3rd person singular, the final -t of the stem also disappears). Example: laden to load – du lädst, er lädt, ihr lad e t (vowel change a to ä) halten to hold/stop – du hältst, er hält, ihr halt e t
• If the word stem ends in s/ß/x/z , we remove the s in the 2 nd person singular ending. Example: tanzen to dance – du tanzt (not: tanzst )
• If the word stem ends in ie , we remove the e in the ending. Example: knien to kneel – ich knie, wir knie n , sie knie n (not: kniee , knieen )
• The word stem changes in some strong verbs. Example: lesen to read – ich lese, du l ie st, er l ie st, wir lesen, ihr lest, sie lesen
• If the infinitive ends in -eln/-ern , we remove the e in the ending. Example: wandern to hike – ich wandere, wir wandern, sie wandern In the case of -eln , we can also leave off the e from the word stem in the 1 st person singular. Example: lächeln to smile – ich läch( e )le, wir lächel n , sie lächel n
• Most modal verbs ( können, dürfen  …) as well as the verb wissen change their root in the singular forms. They also have no ending in the 1st and 3rd person singular. Learn more about their conjugation over on our page all about the German modal verbs . Examples: können – ich k a nn, du k a nnst, er k a nn, wir können, ihr könnt, sie können wissen – ich w eiß , du w eiß t, er w eiß , wir wissen, ihr wisst, sie wissen

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Greetings and Introduction in German

How do you say hello and introduce yourself in German? The basics of the German language. Greetings, saying goodbye and basic phrases to start speaking German

• 1 Saying hello
• 2 Saying our name
• 3 Asking what another person’s name is
• 4 Saying what our profession is
• 5 Asking what another person’s profession is
• 6 Saying Your Age
• 7 Asking how old someone is
• 8 Saying where you are from
• 9 Where we are from and where we live
• 10 Asking about someone’s nationality
• 11 Language knowledge
• 12 Asking about someone’s German
• 13 Being Polite
• 14 What to say at special occasions
• 15 Saying Goodbye
• 17 Audiovisual supplement

Welcome to the first article for learning German from GermanVeryEasy.com . We hope that the material we have prepared is helpful to you.

Here we go!

Saying hello

Hello in German is as easy as saying:

Hallo! Hello!

The following is a list of the most common greetings in German:

Saying our name

We usually have to say our name when we introduce ourselves:

Mein Name ist Karl My name is Karl

Ich heiße Karl My name is Karl

or more simple with the verb sein (to be):

Ich bin Karl I’m Karl

Asking what another person’s name is

Wie heißen Sie? What’s your name?

To remain polite when we mention the name of another person, we do so with their last name preceded by Herr (Mr.) or by Frau (Mrs.).

the informal way:

Wie heißt Du? What’s your name?

With the informal way we can refer to another person with their first name.

Saying what our profession is

One of the phrases that you will be asked most is what you do. A simple way to answer is:

Ich bin Lehrer I’m a teacher

Ich arbeite als Lehrer I work as a teacher

Asking what another person’s profession is

The formal way:

Was sind Sie von Beruf? What’s your profession?

Was machen Sie beruflich? What do you do for a living?

The informal way:

Was bist Du von Beruf? What’s your profession?

Was machst Du beruflich? What do you do for a living?

Saying Your Age

To say how old you are is simple:

Ich bin 30 Jahre alt I’m 30 years old

Click on this link if you would like to review numbers in German .

Asking how old someone is

Wie alt sind Sie? How old are you?

Wie alt bist Du? How old are you?

Saying where you are from

The masculine form:

Ich bin Argentinier I’m Argentinian

The feminine form:

Ich bin Argentinierin I’m Argentinian

Where we are from and where we live

Learning these phrases is not a bad idea; you’ll have to use them hundreds of times:

Ich komme aus Madrid I’m from Madrid

Ich wohne in Stuttgart I live in Stuttgart

Asking about someone’s nationality

Welche Staatsangehörigkeit haben Sie? What’s your nationality?

Language knowledge

We will frequently have to talk about which languages we know:

Ich spreche Spanisch, Englisch und Deutsch I speak Spanish, English and German

Ich spreche kein Deutsch [formal or informal] I don’t speak German

Ich kann kein Deutsch I don’t speak any German

Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch I speak a little German

Asking about someone’s German

Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Do you speak German?

Informally:

Sprichst du Deutsch? Do you speak German?

Being Polite

Danke Thanks

Vielen Dank Thanks a lot

Bitte You’re welcome / no problem (response to "Danke")

More info at: Saying thanks in German

What to say at special occasions

Frohe Weihnachten Merry Christmas

Frohes neues Jahr Happy New Year

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag Happy Birthday

More info at: Birthday Song

Saying Goodbye

The most common way to say goodbye is:

Tschüss !!!! Bye!

In addition, below are the most common ways to say goodbye:

We are not going to be too tough on you because it’s the first lesson.

It’s okay if you learn to say:

Hallo Hello

Mein Name ist ... My name is …

Bis bald See you soon

I don’t think that was difficult, we’ll see each other in the next German language article.

Tschüss !!!! Goodbye

Audiovisual supplement

We think you should watch a video with the very famous song Lili Marleen from Marlene Dietrich for this first lesson. This song became very popular on both sides during the Second World War.

When learning German you also have the chance to learn about an exciting culture.

Learning from the beginning | Grammar | Glossaries | Practical German

Copyright www.GermanVeryEasy.com 2008-2024 v9| Privacy policy | Term of use

• Difficulties
• Prepositions
• Comparative and superlative
• Conjunctions
• More Grammar...
• Sentence structure
• Negation and Affirmation
• Interrogation
• Relative Clauses
• Masculine gender
• Feminine gender
• Neuter gender
• Verb conjugation
• Plusquamperfekt
• Futur I and Futur II
• Konjunktiv I
• Konjunktiv II
• Modal Verbs
• Reflexive verbs
• Irregular verbs
• Separable Verbs
• du/Sie form
• Mathematics
• More Vocabulary...
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23+ Easy Phrases To Introduce Yourself In German

• , October 10, 2023

Are you heading to Germany for travel or business? Met a new German friend? Maybe you’ll be living there? Then, you’ll want to learn how to talk and introduce yourself in German! Read this article and get to know some of the essential words and phrases to help you introduce yourself and fit right in. You can learn what are the basic dos and dont’s when you introduce yourself in German too.

You can even discover the best language learning app that has free basic lessons if you’re starting with zero knowledge. Can’t wait? Let’s learn with the Ling app !

Where In Europe Is German Spoken?

The German language  is actually a really popular spoken language (it’s  #11 in the world! ). Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are all German-speaking countries. Learning how to introduce yourself in German will help you if you visit or move to one of those countries.

We know learning a foreign language is a challenge, even the basics. So we want to help make meeting native speakers and talking to them in German a breeze. This article will teach you some words and phrases on how to introduce yourself in German, so let’s get going!

The Dos And Don’ts Of Introducing Yourself In German & Basic Phrases

Introduce Yourself In German: Dos

The most common way you’ll want to introduce yourself in German when meeting someone for the first time is  to say “Hallo!”  which means hello. People in Germany say hello to everyone, even complete strangers. It’s considered polite. 

While saying “Hallo” or “Guten Tag,” you’ll want to make good eye contact and shake the person’s hand. Keep things simple! If asked for your name, be sure to state your first and last name, as Germans are pretty formal that way.

Introduce Yourself In German: Don’ts

By all means, do not lean in to kiss anyone, and surprisingly, you shouldn’t ask people how they are doing when you first meet them. It’s considered unusual to ask about people’s personal lives right away.

Another no, no when introducing yourself in German is to make small talk. This isn’t common practice, and Germans may find this odd, especially in a formal setting. Appropriate small talk topics would be the weather or the form of transportation you used to get to the location. Just steer away from topics that are too personal.

Also, it is important to know that there are different pronouns to use in an informal setting, so be mindful of that when speaking with others other than family or friends!

Other Common Ways To Greet People In German

• Guten Morgen! Good morning!
• Guten Tag! Good day/afternoon!
• Grüß Gott! Good day/afternoon! (Used in Southern Germany and Austria)
• Grüezi! Good day/afternoon! (Used in Switzerland)
• Guten Abend! Good evening!

These greetings are typically used in formal situations, such as when meeting elders, superiors, or new business acquaintances.

If you’re greeting friends, younger people, or family members, it’s not necessary to use the above greetings. Rather you can simply say the phrase,  “Hi” or “Hey / Hey” and if you’re in Northern Germany, like Hamburg you can even say “Moin” . This is how you say hi in Germany, but if you are in Austria or Switzerland, they prefer to say,  “Servus!”  or  “Hoi !” instead.

Formal And Informal Personal Pronouns

It’s important to know that there are two kinds of the pronoun  “You”  in German to use in a phrase or question. The first one we’ll go over is the informal “You.”

When To Use The Informal Pronoun Du

When you see or hear  “Dir” or “Dich,”  this refers to the personal pronoun  “Du,”  which is easy to remember because it rhymes with “You!”‘ The pronoun  “Du”  is used when you’re talking to family, friends, or people younger than you.

When To Use The Formal Pronoun Sie

Now let’s look at the formal use of “You” in the German language.

When you see or hear  “Ihnen,”  this refers to the pronoun  “Sie.”  This pronoun is required when speaking in a formal way, such as when talking with older people, anyone superior to you, business clients, and best when meeting people for the first time.

There are also neutral ways to discuss others, which we’ll see in some examples below.

How To Introduce Yourself And Others In German

Introducing yourself in german.

After greeting someone for the first time, it’s appropriate to introduce yourself by telling them your name:

• “Ich bin (your name).” / I am _________ .
• “Mein Name ist (insert your name).” / My name is ___________ .
• While small talk isn’t common nor expected, Germans may recognize that you aren’t from Germany and may be curious to know a bit about you. Let’s look at some answers to some common questions you may be asked:
• Ich komme aus (insert country or city). / I am from __________ . [
• Ich spreche Deutsch. / I speak German .
• Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch. / I speak a little German .
• If you speak English, you may notice that the grammatical sentence structure for German is quite similar. This makes it less complicated to pick up this new language. Let’s look at this example:
• Wie alt bist du? The literal translation is: How old are you?

The sentence structure is like in English: question word, adjective, helping verb, and pronoun. Here is another example:

• Ich bin Student. The literal translation is: I am a student.

The sentence structure is the same: pronoun, the verb to be, noun.

Introducing Others In German

These are useful German introduction phrases and the most common ways to speak when introducing people you know well to others.

• Das ist meine Schwester (insert name) . / That’s _______, my sister.  (neutral
• Das ist mein Bruder (insert name) . / That’s _______, my brother.  (neutral)
• Das ist meine Tochter (insert name) . / That’s _______, my daughter.  (neutral)
• Das ist mein Sohn (insert name) . / That’s _______, my son.  (neutral)
• Das ist meine Mutter (insert name) . / That’s _______, my mother.  (neutral)
• Das ist mein Vater (insert name) . / That’s _______, my father.  (neutral)
• Das ist mein Freund (insert name) . / That’s _______, my friend.  (neutral)
• Darf ich dir meinen Freund vorstellen? / May I introduce my friend? (informal)
• Ich möchte Ihnen gerne meinen Chef vorstellen. / I would like to introduce you to my boss ( formal
• Ich möchte, dass Sie (insert name) kennenlernen. / I would like you to meet _________(formal)

How To Introduce Yourself: Conversation Examples

Learning German will help you in basic conversations. Having these phrases and questions under your belt will get you a long way and impress your new acquaintances or friends!

German Introductions In A Formal Conversation

Introducing yourself in a formal way is quite nerve-wracking. Especially, if you’re not familiar with the language. Don’t fret. German introductions are easy as long as you remember the basic phrases to use for someone you just met. Here is a great way to practice a formal conversation for German introductions.

• You: Hello / Hallo
• Acquaintance: Good Day / Guten Tag
• You: My name is ___________ / Mein Name ist (your name)
• Acquaintance : Nice to meet you. My name is _________/ Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen. Mein Name ist __________
• Acquaintance : Where are you from? / Woher kommen Sie?
• You : I am from __________ / Ich komme aus ____________
• Acquaintance : Do you speak German? / Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
• You : I speak German. Are you from Germany? / Ich spreche Deutsch. Kommen Sie aus Deutschland?
• Acquaintance: I come from Germany. Pleasure to meet you / Ich komme aus Deutschland. Es freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.
• You : You too / Mich auch.

German Introductions In An Informal Conversation

Let’s practice some German introductions in an informal setting. Remember, try speaking to mimic the sound as you press play from the audio snippet.

• You: Hi / Moin
• Other person : Hey / Hey
•  You: I am _________. What’s your name? / Ich bin __________. Wie heißt du?
• Other person : My name is _________. Do you speak German? / Mein Name ist ________. Sprichst du Deutsch?
• You : I speak a little German. / Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch.
• Other person: Where are you from? / Woher kommst du?
•  You : I am from __________ / Ich komme aus ____________
• Other person: Great to meet you. / Schön, dich kennenzulernen.
• You : Hope to see you again. / Ich hoffe, wir sehen uns wieder.

Learn More Basic German

Now that you know how to introduce yourself in German, start learning German today with the Ling app , the best language app out there today! Choose the German language course or choose from over 60 other languages. Learn basic German phrases in just 15 minutes or less a day so you’ll feel confident when you talk to Germans.

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

• Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

• Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
• Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
• Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
• Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

• Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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Do you speak a ‘big’ global language? Here’s what my tiny language can teach you

I’m one of the 2.5 million users of Slovene – and English and German speakers would do well to be curious about us

A couple of years ago, I received an invitation from a German cultural institution to present my debut short story collection, which was translated into German that year. The terms and conditions were generous: we pay you ( a lot , as far as I was concerned), we host you for as long as you wish (I decided on three nights), we will arrange a host who loves your book – and if you need anything else, do tell us!

There was one diplomatically laid out request, however. The producers wanted me to speak German at the event. They heard me speak it fluently in a video interview and figured I could easily do it again. As a rookie, and the greenest author to have ever walked the Earth, I swallowed my anxiety and agreed to it. I kindly asked them to send me the host’s questions in advance, so I could prepare for this premiere of mine. I didn’t mention that I’d never spoken German in front of a live audience, nor that I intended to translate my answers from Slovene to German and learn them by heart. I had done that for the video interview as well. I wasn’t only industrious, you see, I also had an excellent memory.

Two weeks before the event, I met two remarkable poets at a festival in Ptuj, Slovenia . I shared my gnawing fear with them: that I would not in fact be able to memorise my replies because I still hadn’t been sent an outline of the planned discussion at the literary evening.

They were baffled. “But they invited you !” they exclaimed. “You can set some conditions too!”

“I don’t want to be a diva,” I answered shyly.

“Diva? You are a writer who writes in Slovene and whose mother tongue is Slovene . They invited you as such! You can actually claim your language,” said the pierced one.

“You can actually,” added the tattooed one, “claim your identity .”

On my way home, I decided that they were right. I might have been a rookie, but I had already learned to heed the insights of wise women. I wrote a short email, explaining that I would need an interpreter after all. Sorry for the late notice, I said, I don’t feel ready to speak German in a stressful situation. Bitte, haben Sie Verständnis .

And understanding they were – after a couple of are-you-sures and ah-this-is-truly-short-notices. Nonetheless, suddenly the evening I dreaded became an evening I managed to savour.

Savour fully . After I left the stage, I was so elated, I reportedly smiled, as we say in Slovene, like a roasted cat . I must have appeared less introverted than usual, because people kept approaching me and congratulating me, as well as commenting on my book. The last person to speak to me was a lady who wore a luxurious red scarf. She held my elbow and said: “Schnabl – that is German, I suppose?”

“It’s Austrian Carinthian actually,” I replied.

“So you must speak German then?”

Here we go again, I thought, yet politely answered: “Well, yes, but –”

“ Ach ,” she interrupted me, “it would have been so impressive if you’d spoken German up there!”

I froze or – to use a fine Slovene idiom – I stood there like a linden god . My thoughts, however, propelled by the lesson I had received from those wonderful poets, were racing. You know, I wanted to say, what would be impressive to me ?

I wanted to ask this woman if she knew that Slovene is one of the very few Indo-European languages that still uses the dual form . We are actually able to refer to “us two” – midva – or “you two” – vidva – or “those two” – onadva – directly, without ever confusing the listener or the reader.

A pool of just 2.5 million Slovene speakers worldwide bend the language into at least 30 dialects. Even people from neighbouring villages may not speak the same version of Slovene. Furthermore, it would have amazed me if she knew that an early version of Slovene first appeared in print in 1550 and that its speakers and writers have sustained the language despite centuries of colonisation, especially by the speakers of her language , among others.

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These small language speakers have somehow managed to resist the pressures of imperialism, and they celebrate this perseverance almost manically. Each year, 800 to 1,000 titles of Slovene fiction or poetry are published; I’m only one grain of sand in a sandstorm of authors and poets, a grain that nevertheless stood before the woman in the flesh and could offer her an opening into a new cultural realm.

No language, be it majhen (“small”) or gigantic, has any intrinsic value; its value is bestowed upon it only by its speakers who, perhaps, call those languages a home or, as it is with me, a love – which, I’d add, doesn’t make me a linguistic purist. On the contrary, I believe Slovene survives by loaning and expanding instead of refusing and enclosing. It’s just as impossible to imagine Slovene dialects without their Germanisms or Italianisms as it is to imagine Slovene speakers never gladly stumbling upon certain internet-English expressions – like the beautiful “cringe” – that force us to at least think of our own equivalents, if not directly invent them.

I have noticed, though, how much easier it is for me to say obvi (short for “obviously”) than očitno and how sometimes full, consecutive sentences in English fall out of my mouth.

Does this worry me? Does this mean Slovene is not only on the move, but on the run from new twin juggernauts – English and the internet?

No, it doesn’t. The language I love is a game. I can approach it playfully and unconcernedly, but if ladies with red scarves encroach on my space, I will react fiercely, defensively.

What worries, or rather annoys, me is the lack of basic curiosity among large-language speakers towards small languages, their very common inability to consider small languages as realms and not mere deserts in which strange sounds travel from one dune to another. This bothers me, not because I want Slovene speakers to be graced with the attention of, say, English speakers or because I expect people to learn Slovene. No, this annoys me insofar as any type of ignorance of the privileged annoys me: I dislike seeing people choose to remain small.

Ach , meine Güte . I wanted to say all of that , but couldn’t, I had to chisel my response.As I admitted, speaking German in stressful situations doesn’t come easily to me. I struggled to answer her in German, yet I’m afraid the lady was ultimately unimpressed with my language skills. I suspect this because she frowned as I spoke and after I finished, she walked away, as we say in Slovene, as quickly as a lightning bolt.

Ana Schnabl is a Slovenian novelist, editor and critic

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Reporter's Notebook: There has been campus protests overseas. They've flown under the radar

From london to geneva, demonstrators are rallying over the israel-hamas war. but some european nations have tried to restrict protests. one palestinian lawmakers predicts campus protests will spread..

From London to Geneva, dueling groups of pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrators in Europe have for months been holding solidarity rallies, marches and vigils in connection with the Israel-Hamas war .

But they don't look like the Columbia University protest encampments and confrontations, which now appear to be spreading to other U.S. universities.

From Oct. 7 last year to mid-April, there have been more than 3,100 demonstrations in Europe related to the war in the Gaza Strip. In the U.S., over the same period, there have been about 2,700 such events, according to data provided by ACLED, an organization that tracks and analyzes global political activity and violence .

Pro-Palestinian protesters have demanded a cease - fire in the Gaza Strip and more aid for suffering Palestinians, called on their governments to stop supplying arms to Israel , and urged other forms of divestment. Some pro-Palestinian protesters have also appeared to glorify Hamas and drawn comparisons between Israel's government and the Nazis. Pro-Israel demonstrations have focused on raising awareness about Israel's hostages held by Hamas and combating what they say is antisemitism that has made Jews feel less safe all around the wor l d .

But unlike in the U.S., where some of the most prestigious universities have been trying to defuse campus tensions over the war , standoffs on European college campuses have either appeared limited or have flown under the radar.

Precisely why that is, political experts and campaigners say, is not easy to explain.

They say it could be because of different protesting cultures, demographics, speech laws, university regulations, policing habits, lack of viral traction on social media where many people receive their news, and even opportunity. Some European governments have actively sought to place restrictions on the right to protest in support of Palestinian rights. Some say these standoffs have taken place and the media has largely ignored them.

More: Hamas and Iran celebrate anti-Gaza war protests taking US colleges by storm

Pro-Palestinian protests every Saturday in London

Matt Beech, who directs the Center for British Politics at the University of Hull, said one reason there may be fewer combative on-campus protests in the U.K. compared with the U.S. could be because there are regular, larger-scale demonstrations, most of them pro-Palestinian, in London and other British cities each Saturday.

At these marches in London, which are routinely attended by tens of thousands of people, Beech said "students may feel they are making a difference and having their voices heard" as part of a bigger protest community, where they have a bigger audience.

The frequent pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel rallies in the U.S., by contrast, have not matched the ones in London each weekend.

Beech, who also sometimes lectures and teaches at the University of California, Berkeley, said the First Amendment may also explain why some U.S. campuses have erupted, and Britain's haven't, over the Israel-Hamas war.

'Robust exchanges' in the U.S. are not exactly 'parliamentary language'

The First Amendment, he said, allows students in the U.S. to engage publicly in what Beech described as "robust exchanges" involving "unparliamentary language."

Hate speech laws in the U.K. may act as a deterrent on what people are willing to say in a campus environment, when these statements can easily slide into Islamophobia and antisemitism, as both sides in the U.S. campus protests say.

Government action in Europe may also be a factor .

In Germany, which has long viewed itself as having a unique responsibility to stand up for Jews and Israel because of the Holocaust, officials have repeatedly refused to authorize many pro-Palestinian protests, saying limits are needed to prevent public disorder and antisemitism.

German police cleared a small group of pro-Palestinian protesters who set up a camp Friday outside Germany's Parliament in Berlin, apparently inspired by the U.S. campus protests.

In France, home to large Muslim and Jewish communities, a series of legal proceedings ended with courts deciding to allow protests on a case-by-case basis after authorities said they could lead to incitement to hatred.

Threats of visas getting revoked for praising Hamas

In Britain, officials have threatened to revoke visas or expel foreign students who praise Hamas . The country has also given police new powers to arrest protesters who threaten or intimidate others during marches amid a large increase in antisemitic incidents since Oct. 7.

Stella Swain, a youth and student coordinator for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign , which describes itself as Europe's largest Palestinian advocacy organization, nevertheless said there have been student "occupations" of university campuses in the U.K. and elsewhere − it's just that nobody has paid much attention.

Swain pointed out that student protesters at Goldsmiths, University of London, shut down some of the college's departments for more than a month earlier this year.

The students demanded that the university cut all its ties with Israel's government and divest from companies that support Israel's military occupation of Palestinian territory. Similar protests have taken place in British colleges in Bristol and Leeds.

However, Swain said, it would be "very unusual" for British police to be called to a "student occupation," as has happened at Columbia, Yale, New York University and other elite U.S. college campuses in recent days.

She also claimed that there has been a "concerted effort" by British authorities over the past decade to "shut down the ability to organize" protests and other advocacy on Palestinian-related issues.

The protests in the U.K. and Europe, on and off campus, have not, in other words, been tension-free even if ACLED data show the vast majority − more than 90% − have been peaceful. (The figure for the U.S. is similar.)

One example: Pro-Palestinian activists in early April attempted to block an event at Sorbonne University in Paris about the rights of Israeli and Iranian women. It was organized by the Union of French Jewish Students. Protesters carried a banner that read " Zionists, fascists out of our campuses! "