More common places include the “ Bahnhof” (train station), “Flughafen” (airport), “ stadtzentrum” (city centre) and “ supermarkt” (supermarket). If you’re in Berlin, for instance, that could be the Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate), Berliner Fernsehturm (Berlin Television Tower) or Museumsinsel (Museum Island). Simply add the name of your intended destination to the end. Where is…? An essential phrase for explorers. RELATED CONTENT: Germany Destination Guide Wo ist… ? Incorporate this into a longer sentence “Entschuldigen sie, ist dies… ?” (excuse me, is this…?) when you’re on public transport and unsure where to get off. Just say “ entschuldigung” (excuse me) to get the attention of hotel receptionists, ticket officers and waiters, or perhaps people who might look like they know the directions you need. No matter what language you’re speaking, it’s good to have good manners. Remember: when you come across the ß (called an eszett, a character unique to the German language), simply pronounce it like “s”, as you would in the English “see”. And if the conversation’s going really well, why not introduce yourself? Simply say “ Ich heiße…” (I am called…) before your name, and ask “ Wie heißt du?” to find out someone else’s. If they ask back, you can reply “ mir geht’s gut”, meaning “I am fine”. Asking “how are you?” is a brilliant way to start.

GET INSPIRED BY: Best of Germany Wie geht’s?įew things immerse you in a destination quite like striking up a conversation with locals. Best of all, if you learn these you’ll be all set for trips to Austria and Switzerland too. Taking you (a little) beyond the basic German words you need to know, we’ve pulled together some essential German phrases that are incredibly useful for travellers to have in their back pocket. And having a few numbers under your belt – eins (one), zwei (two), drei (three) – should come in handy when buying tickets. Try hallo (hello), guten tag (good day), auf wiedersehen (goodbye), danke (thank you), bitte (please), ja (yes) and nein (no). Savvy travellers will probably already know basic German words, and they’re pretty easy to pick up if you don’t. No matter where you are travelling in Germany, knowing some essential German phrases can help your trip run smoother – and make a good impression on the locals too. Admiring beautiful Baroque architecture in Dresden. Sipping Bavaria’s rich beer-brewing heritage. Walking along the remnants of the graffiti-covered Berlin Wall. Exploring the fairy-tale Neuschwanstein Castle.

Learn a german word a day