Learning a new language can be challenging, in particular when that language is German… Learning a few common sentences will help you break the ice with your neighbours. Here is a list of a few sentences and everyday German expressions, as well as some Swiss variations. This is not Swiss German, and I do recommend learners to stick to standard German (Schriftdeutsch), but these expressions are so common, that you should at least know what they mean.

Greetings:

  1. Hallo!– Hello! (informal)
  2. Hoi! Hi! Salü! – Hi! (Swiss informal)
  3. Guten Morgen!– Good morning! (we don’t use it until noon, rather up to 10-11:00)
  4. Guten Tag!– Good day! (it’s not “good afternoon”, so we start using this from ca. 10:00/11:00 until evening)
  5. Guten Abend!– Good evening!
  6. Grüezi! – Greetings! (it is used only in Switzerland and means “I greet you” or “I salute you”, so you can use it at any time, and in formal contexts)
  7. Gute Nacht!– Good night
  8. Auf Wiedersehen!– Goodbye!
  9. Ade! – Goodbye! (in Switzerland)
  10. Tschüss!– Bye!  (informal)
  11. Bis bald! – See you soon! also:
    • Bis morgen! – See you tomorrow!
    • Bis später! – See you later!
    • Bis Samstag/ nächste Woche… – see you Saturday, see you next week, etc
  12. Schönen Tag! – Have a nice day! also:
    • Schönen Nachmittag! – Have a nice afternoon!
    • Schönen Abend! – Have a nice evening!
    • Schöne Woche! – Have a nice week!
    • Schönes Wochenende! / Gutes Wochenende! – Have a nice weekend!
    • Schönen Sonntag! – Happy Sunday!
    • Schöne(s/n)…! – nice/ happy/ pretty….

Apologies:

  1. Entschuldigung!– I’m sorry! / Excuse me! (apologizing)
  2. Tut mir (so) leid! – I’m (so) sorry! – this means you’re sorry for something, but it’s not necessarily your fault. You can use it for a more heartfelt apology, or when saying you’re sorry for the situation another person is going through. Example: If you bump into someone, you say “Entschuldigung”; If someone had an accident, you say “tut mir so leid”, unless you’re the one who caused it.
  3. Schon gut! / Kein Problem! / Macht nichts! – That’s ok! / No problem!
  4. Entschuldigung für die Verspätung! – Sorry for the delay!

Simple questions:

  1. Wie heisst du?– What’s your name? (informal – they’ll probably say their given name) / Wie heissen Sie? – What’s your name? (formal – they’ll tell you their surname)
  2. Wie geht’s?– How are you?
    • If you want to say ‘fine’, answer: – Gut, danke, und Ihnen? – Fine, thanks, and you? (formal) / Gut, danke, und dir? – Fine, thanks, and you? (informal)
    • If you’re in a good mood, you can say: – Sehr gut (very well)/ Super (great), danke, und Ihnen/dir?
    • NB: Even if you’re in a bad mood, you don’t say it unless you have a close relationship with that person. At most, you say “Es geht, danke. Und Ihnen/dir?” which means “it’s going (not well, not bad)”.
    • Common mistake: do NOT answer “ich bin gut”! It does mean “I’m good”, but not in this context. You’re basically complimenting yourself. People will either realize it’s a mistake, or just cringe at your confidence.
  3. Wie spät ist es?– What time is it?
  4. Wo ist ….?– Where is…? (Examples: Wo ist der Bahnhof? – Where is the train station? / Wo ist die Bushaltestelle? – Where is the bus stop? / Wo ist mein Schlüssel? – Where is my key?)
  5. Können Sie mir helfen?– Can you help me?
  6. Darf ich? – May I?

Replies:

  1. Ja.– Yes.
  2. Nein.– No.
  3. Vielleicht.– Maybe.
  4. Danke! – Thanks! / Merci! – Thanks! (Switzerland)
  5. Bitte. – You’re welcome. (reply to thanks) / Please
  6. Gerne. – My pleasure.
  7. Ich bin… – I am…
  8. Freut mich!/ Sehr angenehm! – Nice to meet you! (you might also hear these expressions in other contexts, as they mean “I’m glad” and “enjoyable”)

Requests:

  1. Ich möchte…– I’d like…
  2. Ich brauche…– I need…
  3. Bitte. – Please (we use it a LOT… you can put it anywhere in the sentence, but do use it)

Shopping, or at the restaurant, etc.:

The salesperson or waiter will say/ask:

  1. Was kann ich für Sie tun? – What can I do for you?
  2. Was hätten Sie gern? / Was möchten Sie? – What would you like?
  3. Das macht …. Franken. – That will be… francs. (the bill)
  4. Wie möchten Sie zahlen? – How would you like to pay?
  5. Ist das alles? – Is that all?
  6. Sonst noch etwas? – Anything else?

Reply:

  1. Ich möchte…– I would like… (ex: Ich möchte einen Kaffee, bitte. – I’d like a coffee, please / Ich möchte das Menü, bitte. – I’d like to have the menu, please)
  2. Die Rechnung, bitte! – The bill, please!
  3. Kann ich mit der Karte zahlen? – Can I pay with the card? / Kann ich mit Twint zahlen? – Can I pay with Twint? / Kann ich bar zahlen? – Can I pay by cash?
  4. Der Rest ist für Sie. / Stimmt so. – Keep the change. (the second sentence means “it’s correct that way”, so it implies that they should keep the difference)

Missunderstandings and learning German:

  1. Wie bitte? – Pardon? (if you didn’t understand something the other person was saying)
  2. Nochmal, bitte! – Again, please! (this is the easiest way to ask them to repeat)
  3. Können Sie bitte langsam sprechen? – Could you please speak slowly?
  4. Wie schreibt man das? – How do you write that? (to ask them to spell it)
  5. Ich habe nicht verstanden. – I didn’t understand.
  6. Was heisst das? – What does that mean?
  7. Wie heisst das auf Deutsch? – How is this called in German? / Wie sagt man das auf Deutsch? – How do you say this in German?

These basic sentences should help you communicate in German and hopefully gain enough confidence to talk to the locals, which will in turn help you increase your vocabulary and gradually hold more complex conversations.

Enjoy learning!

×