15 Must-know German Phrases to Dine Like the Natives at Restaurants (2024)

FAQs

What are the most important phrases in German? ›

Try hallo (hello), guten tag (good day), auf wiedersehen (goodbye), danke (thank you), bitte (please), ja (yes) and nein (no). And having a few numbers under your belt – eins (one), zwei (two), drei (three) – should come in handy when buying tickets.

Because saying “Guten Appetit” before a meal in German is mandatory. You can also say “zum Wohl” (good health) or “Mahlzeit” (mealtime), particularly at lunch. Another mandatory German saying is the “Prost!” when you clink glasses.

“Ich habe fertig” (I have finished – correct would be “Ich bin fertig”) will forever be remembered by Germans, even those who are not die-hard football fans.

1. Eichhörnchen (Squirrel) Although squirrel is also tough to pronounce in English, it's a classic when it comes to difficult German words to pronounce. Many English speakers struggle, and some even consider this the hardest German word to pronounce.

When dining with Germans, be especially mindful of proper manners. They eat continentally—with the fork in the left hand (tines down) and knife in the right hand throughout. Do not pass the fork back and forth between hands. Don't set down your knife to use the fork alone.

From the first drink to the fourth round, don't forget a quick “Prost!” or “Ein Prosit” before taking your first sip. Always make eye contact when toasting. Don't toast with water. It's considered bad luck in Germany.

Das Auge isst mit

Literally, "your eyes eat along with you," this implies that presentation is key when it comes to food preparation. Your eyes should delight in what you are about in ingest, just as your palate does.

Scheiße. One of the most common bad words in German, scheiße, has several creative constructions that mirror the English use of “sh*t.” Oh Scheiße! Oh sh*t!

In Germany there is a thing, that when someone burps you have to say “Schulz”. The last one gets slapped on the forehead! #german #tiktokgermany #fyp.

What do Germans say when they toast? ›

Prost, it rhymes with toast! Prost us a quick and easy way to toast your drinks, while still adding a bit of German flair to the occasion. You can also say, “ein Prost!” which means, “a toast!”

Mahlzeit is a German salutation. It is the short form of a more formal salutation, "Gesegnete Mahlzeit" (archaic term, de: Blessed mealtime).

It is somewhat traditional to say “Herr Ober” (Mr. Waiter). To get the attention of a waitress, “Fräulein” (Miss) is acceptable, although it should be noted that the term Fräulein, a diminutive of Frau (woman), is rarely used these days and some believe it doesn't recognize a woman's full autonomy.

"Guten Tag" (Good day) or “Hallo” (Hello) are the most common verbal greetings used in Germany. In the South, some people may say “Grüß Gott” (literally translating as 'Greet God'). In formal situations, one should address another person with their title and last name, “Herr” (Mr.) for men and “Frau” (Mrs.)

In regular German word order, German follows the rule of Subject - Verb - Object, which means, the subject usually comes first, then the verb describing what the subject is doing, then the object that is being "verbed". This is the same in English.

It is rude to chew gum or keep one's hands in one's pockets whilst talking with someone. Cross your legs by putting one knee over the other. It is impolite to rest your feet on furniture. Tight punctuality (Pünktlichkeit) is expected in most professional and social situations.

It's considered impolite to leave food on your plate. If you aren't sure what to do, watch what others are doing. Also feel free, as a stranger in a strange land, to ask your host discreetly about what is appropriate.

What is the German beer rule? ›

It is the oldest regulation related to food and drink in the world. To achieve a consistent level of quality in beer brewing, the German Beer Purity Law dictate that the ingredients for beer must be water, barley malt and hops. The important role that yeast plays in brewing was only recognised in the 19th century.

Oans, zwoa, g'suffa!

You probably know that the German word for “cheers” is “prost!”, but as Oktoberfest is more of a Bavarian thing, you should also learn how to clink your glasses with a Bavarian drinking cry. “Oans, zwoa, g'suffa!” is the Bavarian dialect for “eins, zwei, getrunken!”, meaning “one, two, drunk!”.

Starting with an expression you're likely to hear a lot at Oktoberfest, this is how to say 'cheers!

Breakfast (Frühstück)

Breakfast is one the most important meal in German households. Start off with a warm beverage such as coffee, tea or hot cocoa.

Germany. When you walk into most German restaurants, seat yourself instead of waiting to be directed to a table. Once you get dinner rolls, you should break them apart by hand, but that is the only time Germans allow eating with your hands — even fruit and sandwiches are eaten with a fork and knife in Germany.

“guten Appetit!”

Ficken means to f*ck, mit jemandem ficken = to f*ck someone etc. Germans use ficken only in a sexual sense.

When exclaimed alone, the closest English translation would be “Damn!” or “Damn it!” Its use is so ubiquitous, that it's even common to hear children uttering it amongst their friends. Scheiße, or misspelled as shiza, can be exclaimed in numerous situations, from when you stub a toe to when you miss the bus.

German. Interestingly, Gesundheit, the German response to a sneeze, is also the most common expression for English speakers who prefer not to say “bless you.” It simply means “health,” which is used in a number of languages when someone sneezes (makes sense).

1. Quatsch! Pronounced like “Kvatch,” this is one of the more commonly used terms when showing your angry side.

Why do Germans say Schulz? ›

The word Schulz originates from the local official title of Schultheiß or (Dorf-)Schulz(e), meaning village headman or constable/sheriff in the medieval sense (akin to today's office of mayor). In East Central Germany and Silesia, the "u" was often replaced by "o"; see also Scholz and Scholtz.

You've had a long day at work, and you're sitting down to enjoy a drink with one of your German friends. Before you take your first sip of sweet, sweet Helles, you raise your glass, as humans have done across the world since time immemorial. You clink glasses with your friend and utter a hearty "Prost!".

Maintaining eye contact when toasting is a long-standing tradition in Germany. Not only is it considered especially rude, but it can also have some serious effects on your life - particularly your sex life. As the old adage goes, if you don't maintain eye contact when toasting you will suffer seven years of bad sex.

Die Mahlzeit (which sounds like this) is made up of the words Mahl - meal - and Zeit - time, so it refers to the time that you eat (meal time), although it's not strictly limited to that. It is often used as a general greeting around lunchtime (say, 11am until 2pm).

“Friday” in German: Freitag

“Friday” in German is Freitag. You can spot the obvious connection between the English and German words.

Guten Abend is generally spoken at the beginning of the evening, around 6 PM is a good rule of thumb. Gute Nacht, meaning good night, can also be said from 5 PM on, but usually means one of two things: Goodbye - for the rest of the day, because we're leaving work, the bar, etc.

German: “Die Rechnung, bitte”

After enjoying your meal in Germany, to request the check so that you can pay, you'll ask for “Die Rechnung, bitte.” Pronunciation of the phrase sounds like “dee RECH-nung, BITT-uh,” and, as you may recall, the “bitte” at the end is the German word for “please.”

Now order your drink like this: Einen Kaffee, bitte / Einen Tee, bitte / Eine heiße Schokolade, bitte. A coffee, please. / A tea, please. / A hot chocolate, please.

If you are trying to attract the attention of one person in particular, use Herr xxx or Frau xxx. Entschuldigen Sie, Herr Schumm!

Greetings and goodbyes such as Hallo “hello”, Guten Abend “good evening” or Willkommen “welcome” as well as Tschüss, “goodbye”, or Bis bald “see you soon” are often used to say nice to meet you.

What is the most formal German greeting? ›

In general, it is best to stick with a formal greeting like “Guten Tag” when talking to a professional acquaintance, whereas with friends you can use informal greetings like “Na?” or “Hallo!”.

Very often people just reply with the same thing that has been said to them. Guten Morgen, Franz! – Guten Morgen, Helmut! Good morning, Franz!

In general, it is best to stick with a formal greeting like “Guten Tag” when talking to a professional acquaintance, whereas with friends you can use informal greetings like “Na?” or “Hallo!”.

Rinderkennzeichnungsfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz: The official longest German dictionary word.

Jennifer: Guten Morgen!

You might have guessed it, Freund/Freundin is the most common word to say friend in German. While Freund refers to the male form, Freundin refers to the female form. Freund/Freundin describes a close friendly relationship with the person.

Geil. Used across all age groups, geil is a tricky one. The most accurate translation of this term would be something along the lines of “terrific”, “cool” or “awesome”. German speakers also use it to compliment on someone's appearance (similar to the English slang term “hot”).

What does Digga mean in Germany? ›

Digga is simply word you use when addressing a friend, like “mate”, “dude” or “bro”.