Wie geht’s in German (How are you?) is commonly used.

Of course, you can use it, but maybe you should mix it up from time to time. In this Spring German lesson,

We will give you 5 alternatives for wie geht’s in German!

1. Wie geht es dir / Ihnen? (How are you? formal / informal)

DENISA
Hey, wie geht es dir?
(Hey, how are you?)

VANESSA
Alles super. Und dir?
(All good, and you?)

DENISA
Auch alles gut, danke.
(Same, thank you.)

This one is the most obvious one for the beginning.

It’s very known, too, because it’s the formal version of “Wie geht’s?” (How are you?) and is used to ask how someone is doing. Here are some possible responses:

But there is another form when talking to elderly people:

If you want to show respect to an elder person, a stranger, or someone in a professional setting, you say “Ihnen” (you, formal) which is the formal you. We have a whole lesson about how to decide whether to address someone formally or informally: du vs Sie.

If you want to learn more chunks in German, check our free essential German chunking kit. The link is in the description.

Cheat Sheet with 53 Essential German Chunks: chunks and words you’ll hear and use in every German conversation

Tips on how to speak German WITHOUT thinking about grammar

A German Chunking Tutorial showing you the 1 technique that’ll help you make 100% of the German from our videos roll off the tongue in just 5 minutes a day (you’re probably only using 50% of our lessons’ potential right now…)

Yes! Send me my FREE German Chunking Kit

2. Alles klar? / Alles gut? (Everything alright?)

Alles klar? (Is everything alright?) means “Is everything okay?” and is a casual way of greeting someone.

It’s used by everyone, so it doesn’t matter how old you are. Maybe you shouldn’t use this with business partners, but you can use it with everyone else, so with your family, friends, colleagues and so on.

If you have the feeling that something is wrong or the person might be sad/ill etc., you can ask “Ist alles gut bei dir?” (Is everything okay with you?).

Stay tuned because at the end of the lesson we will give you two slang alternatives often used by younger people.

3. Was gibt’s Neues? (What’s new?)

This alternative is used when you haven’t seen a friend or colleague for a long time. So instead of saying “Wie geht’s?” (How are you?) you ask “Was gibt’s Neues?” (What’s new?). This is a great conversation beginner. Similar to “Was gibts Neues?” (What’s new?) is “Was macht die Arbeit?” (How’s work?).

Here you can also ask other things like:

Literally, “Was machen die Kinder?” means “What are the children doing?”.

Of course, you don’t want to know what the children are doing at the moment, but you want to know in general how they are doing. You could translate this question as “What’s up with the children?”.

So remember these two alternatives when you already know the person in front of you: “Was gibts Neues?” (What’s new?) and “Was macht die Arbeit?” (How’s work?)

4. Wie läuft’s?”(How’s it going?)

Wie läuft’s? (How’s it going?) means “How’s it going?” and is a more casual way of asking how someone is doing.

It’s used in familiar situations with friends. You shouldn’t use this one in business meetings or official appointments in general.

This phrase is commonly used among friends in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

5. Was geht (ab)? (What’s up?)

This is a very common slang or teenage used chunk which means “what’s up”. It’s used as a greeting or as an alternative for “Wie geht’s?” (How are you?).

Some people leave the “ab” (up) away, so they just say “Was geht?” (What’s going on?). It is commonly used among friends as a way to start a conversation and inquire about the other person’s current situation or mood.

6. Summary for the 5 alternatives of wie geht’s in German

Here is a summary for you.

If you want to be able to talk more with the person in front of you, then you need to learn all the basics for small talk. We have a whole video about it here. See you there!

Who doesn’t enjoy liebevolle Umgangsformen (tender modes of behavior)?

Plus, everybody knows that being selbstbewusst (self-confident) and able to talk about our Gefühle (feelings) is sexy! So here we go, a lesson to teach us how to use German love language.

Today, we’ll talk about love and romantic conversations in German.

1. Arten der Liebe (Kinds of love in the German love language)

First of all, what kinds of love are there even?

Well, if you ever have been verliebt (in love), you know this one:

In a real German conversation, that could also be good as German basics for beginners:

VANADIS
Was ist los? Hast du Liebeskummer?
(What’s the matter? Are you lovesick?)

YLVIE
Ich bin in Max verliebt.
(I’m in love with Max.)

VANADIS
Das ist doch schön! Hast du ihm deine Liebe gestanden?
(That’s nice! Have you confessed your love to him?)

YLVIE
Ja. Er meinte, seine Zuneigung ist platonisch.
(Yes. He said his affection is platonic.)

VANADIS
Platonische Liebe ist auch etwas Schönes.
(Platonic love is also something beautiful.)

YLVIE
Er findet mich bestimmt dumm und hässlich!
(He surely thinks I’m stupid and ugly!)

VANADIS
Vielleicht solltest du erstmal an deiner Selbstliebe arbeiten.
(Maybe you should work on your self-love first.)

Platonic and romantic love have one thing in common. In both cases, you feel a strong:

YLVIE
Meinst du, ich habe einen Korb bekommen, weil ich mich selbst nicht liebe?
(Do you think I was turned down because I don’t love myself?)

This expression comes from the Middle Ages, when the Fräulein (damsel) would lower a basket from the tower window in order to then secretly pull her loved one up.

However, if this was not welcome, the young lady would lower a basket with a broken bottom or no bottom. It is said that this later became the custom of ladies handing annoying admirers a little basket in order to show them symbolically: “Dich ziehe ich nicht rauf!” (I ain’t pulling you up!) I ain’t pulling you up!

Pss! For more funny chunks like “einen Korb kriegen” (getting rejected), feel free to download the link in the description. You’ll find our free essential German chunking kit which you’ll learn to talk like a native faster! And you can also check the Spring German YouTube channel for more chunks!

Cheat Sheet with 53 Essential German Chunks: chunks and words you’ll hear and use in every German conversation

Tips on how to speak German WITHOUT thinking about grammar

A German Chunking Tutorial showing you the 1 technique that’ll help you make 100% of the German from our videos roll off the tongue in just 5 minutes a day (you’re probably only using 50% of our lessons’ potential right now…)

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There are two ways of being verliebt (in love). To be glücklich verliebt (happily in love) and to be unglücklich verliebt (unhappily in love).

We all have been on both receiving ends, haven’t we?

The girl in the dialogue was unglücklich verliebt (unhappily in love). She confessed her love to the boy and hat einen Korb bekommen (was rejected). But how did she confess her love then? Let’s have a look!

2. Liebesgeständnisse (love confessions in German)

BRUNHILD
Du bedeutest mir sehr viel.
(You mean a lot to me.)

CAT
Miau!
(Meow!)

Here are some ways of expressing your love:

BRUNHILD to DOG
Wir sind füreinander bestimmt!
(We’re meant for each other!)

Here come three phrases, that I personally, if they come from the heart, appreciate very much:

Now, if you really love someone and are ever so grateful for their existence, you could say

• Du bist das Beste, was mir je passiert ist.

BRUNHILD to BABY
Du bist das Beste, was mir je passiert ist.
(You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.)

But the simplest and clearest of all phrases still has to be: Ich liebe dich (I love you).

Now, to address our beloved, we most certainly need a romantic nickname, which we call Kosenamen (nickname).

3. Kosenamen (nicknames in German)

BRUNHILD to CAT
Mausi!
(Mousy!)

Now, to address our beloved, we most certainly need a romantic nickname, which we call Kosenamen (nickname). Here are the most popular ones related to animals:

• Schnecke (snail), which is mostly used for girls
• Hasi or Hase (bunny), which is mostly used for guys
• Mausi (mousy) or simply Maus (mouse), which is also used for girls

BRUNHILD to DOG
Du süße Maus!
(You sweet mouse!)

These were some animal-related nicknames, which are cute.

But the classics are, however:

• Schatz (treasure)
• Liebling (darling)
• Süßer / Süße (sweetie)

DAISY
Hase, liebst du mich?
(Bunny, do you love me?)

HUSBAND
Natürlich, Mausi. Du bist mein allergrößter Schatz.
(Of course, mouse. You are my biggest treasure.)

DAISY
Danke, Süßer. Das wärmt.
(Thanks, sweetie. That warms my heart.)

HUSBAND
Komm her, Schnecke! Lass dich küssen.
(Come here, snail! Let me kiss you.)

DAISY
Schatzi! Doch nicht vor all Leuten!
(Darling! Not in front of all these people!)

4. Komplimente (compliments in German)

BRUNHILD to DOG
Du bist zuckersüß!
(You’re sweet as sugar!)

We certainly should shower our loved ones with compliments, like:

BRUNHILD to DOG
Du bist einzigartig!
(You’re on of a kind!)

5. Liebe macht blind (Loves makes blind)

Liebe macht blind (Love makes you blind) is a saying, you hear a lot when it comes to love. In the beginning of a relationship, people are said to be wearing eine rosarote Brille (rose-colored glasses) which is believed to cloud your vision.

YLVIE looking at a photo
Max ist einfach perfekt.
(Max is simply perfect.)

KIM
Niemand ist perfekt. Das wirkt nur so durch die rosarote Brille.
(Nobody is perfect. It just seems that way through the rose-colored glasses.)

What do you think? Macht Liebe blind? (Does love make you blind?)

6. Quiz about German love language

Einen Korb bekommen – what does that mean?

• a) to receive a basket, you know, for mushroom collecting and stuff
• b) to get rejected

Literally a) is correct, but we hardly ever use this phrase in a literal sense, so mostly b), to get rejected, is how this phrase is gonna be used. But a) would be a nice custom as well!

What am I saying to my baby when I say:

BRUNHILD to BABY
Du bist das Beste, was mir je passiert ist.

• a) We need to change your diapers soon.
• b) You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.

The correct answer is b), although surely both are true.

How do I tell my dog that she’s sweet as sugar?

• a) Du bist so klug.
• b) Du bist zuckersüß.

While “klug” means smart, zuckersüß means sweet as sugar, so b) is correct.

BRUNHILD to DOG
Du bist zuckersüß!
(You’re sweet as sugar!)

Now you know how to express your deepest feelings! Which is maybe not the first thing you wanna do. To test the waters, you may wanna start with some harmless flirting first!

The 4 cases in German are called:
• Nominativ
• Genitiv
• Dativ
• Akkusativ.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to tell them apart and when to use every single one of them. And the end of this lesson, we’ll also do a quiz.

But keine Sorge (no worries) if you watch this lesson carefully, it will be easy for you. Let’s start with the first one.

Los geht’s!

1. Nominativ in German

In English, this is equivalent to the subject of a sentence. In the following dialogue, I underlined every noun that is in the Nominativ in German or the subject in the sentence.

DENISA
Wie viel verdienst du eigentlich?
(How much money do you actually make?)

ALINA
Das geht dich nichts an.
(That’s none of your business.)

DENISA
Ach, komm schon.
(Oh, come on.)

ALINA
Daniel verdient zwanzig Euro die Stunde. Er ist ein Jahr länger in der Firma als ich.
(Daniel makes 20 euros per hour. He is one year longer than me in the company.)

So how do you now recognize the first case?

The first case is called Nominativ and you can ask with “Wer oder was?” (Who or what?) is doing something.

• Wer verdient zwanzig Euro die Stunde? → Daniel (Who makes 20 euros per hour? → Daniel)
• Was geht dich nichts an? → Das (What is none of your business? → That)

Here are some other examples:

• Der Junge sitzt auf dem Stuhl. → Wer oder was sitzt auf dem Stuhl? -> der Junge (The boy sits on the chair. → Who or what sits on the chair? the boy)
• Morgens geht mein Papa zur Arbeit. → Wer oder was geht morgens zur Arbeit? -> mein Papa (In the morning, my dad goes to work. → Who or what goes to work in the morning? my dad)
• Das Mädchen spielt Fußball. → Wer oder was spielt Fußball? → das Mädchen (The girl plays soccer. → Who or what plays soccer? → the girl)

So remember that the first case is called “Nominativ” and is used to indicate the subject of a sentence.

If you want to learn more helpful chunks like this, check our free essential German chunking kit. The link is in the video’s description.

Cheat Sheet with 53 Essential German Chunks: chunks and words you’ll hear and use in every German conversation

Tips on how to speak German WITHOUT thinking about grammar

A German Chunking Tutorial showing you the 1 technique that’ll help you make 100% of the German from our videos roll off the tongue in just 5 minutes a day (you’re probably only using 50% of our lessons’ potential right now…)

Yes! Send me my FREE German Chunking Kit

2. Genitiv in German

The second case is called Genitiv and you ask for it with “Wessen?” (whose?).

This case is used to indicate possession or a relationship between two nouns. In English, this is usually indicated by using an apostrophe and the letter “s”, for example “John’s car”.

Let’s look at this dialogue:

DENISA
Das ist das Oberteil. Ist es nicht schön?
(That’s the top. Isn’t it pretty?)

VANESSA
Ja, aber wessen Oberteil ist das?
(Yes, but whose top is that?)

DENISA
Das ist das Oberteil meiner Schwester. Ich hab’s mir ausgeliehen.
(That’s my sister’s top. I borrowed it.)

You don’t need to know it all by heart, but chunks will help you to remember the right declination.

A common mistake is to say “Das ist das Kleid meine Schwester” (That’s my sister’s dress).

So remember: when the noun is feminine like die Schwester (the sister), you have to add an R to meine (my), so it’s Das ist das Kleid meiner Schwester (That’s my sister’s dress). When the noun is masculine or neuter, an S is added.

Examples for that are:

• Dort liegt das Buch des Schülers. -> Wessen Buch liegt dort? -> des Schülers (The student’s book is there. → Whose book is there? → the student’s)
• Das ist das Haus meines Vaters. → Wessen Haus ist das? → meines Vaters (That’s my father’s house. → Whose house is that? → my father’s.)
• Das ist das Auto meines Bruders. → Wessen Auto ist das? → meines Bruders (That is my brother’s car. → Whose car is that? → my brother’s)

Don’t forget that we will do a quiz at the end, so stay tuned!

3. Dativ in German

This case is used to indicate the indirect object of a sentence. It typically indicates the person or thing that is affected by the action of the verb. In English, this is usually indicated by using the preposition “to” or “for” (e.g. I gave the book to him).

You ask with the question word “Wem” (whom, who… to) to get the indirect object and the noun in the Dativ.

DENISA
Mein Geschenk ist fast fertig.
(My present is almost finished.)

VANESSA
Wem schenkst du das Bild?
(Who are you giving the picture to?)

DENISA
Das Bild schenke ich meiner Schwester. Sie hat bald Geburtstag.
(I’m giving this picture to my sister. Her birthday is coming up.)

VANESSA
Das ist süß. Sag ihr alles Gute von mir.
(That’s sweet. Wish here all the best from me.)

Wem (whom) can be translated as “whom” or “who … to”. This case has to come after verbs like:

There are other verbs, too, that need the Dativ, but you shouldn’t just learn them separately. Instead, try to learn with chunks.

Here are some other examples for the third case:

• Der Vater schenkt dem Sohn ein Buch. → Wem schenkt der Vater ein Buch? → dem Sohn (The father gives a book to the son. → Who is he giving the book to? → the son)
• Sie hilft ihrer Schwester bei den Hausaufgaben. → Wem hilft sie bei den Hausaufgaben? → ihrer Schwester (She helps her sister with her homework. → Whom is she helping with the homework? → her sister)
• Ich gebe dem Kind ein Geschenk. → Wem gebe ich ein Geschenk? → dem Kind (I give the present to the child. → Who do I give the present to? → the child

Here, you will notice that words with the articles der or das will get an “M” in the Dativ:

While feminine words, which you can determine by the article “die”, will get an “R” or the definite article changes to “der”.

Some examples:

4. Akkusativ in German

The Akkusativ is used to indicate the direct object of a sentence. In English, this is usually indicated by using the noun in its base form (e.g. I ate the sandwich).

In German, you ask for this case with the question Wen oder was? (Who or what?). Let’s see it in a dialogue:

VANESSA
Kommst du zu der Party heute Abend?
(Are you coming to the party today evening?)

DENISA
Ja. Ich bringe Kuchen mit.
(Yes. I’ll bring cake.)

VANESSA
Was bringst du mit?
(What are you bringing?)

DENISA
Kuchen. Außerdem rufe ich meine Schwester an. Vielleicht kommt sie mit.
(Cake. Also, I’ll call my sister. Maybe she’s coming along.)

VANESSA
Wen rufst du an? Entschuldige, die Verbindung ist schlecht.
(Who are you calling? Excuse me, the connection is bad.)

DENISA
Meine Schwester.
(My sister.)

VANESSA
Ah, cool. Ich freu mich auf euch.
(Oh, cool. I’m looking forward to seeing you.)

Here are some other examples in German:

• Ich esse einen Apfel. → Was esse ich? → einen Apfel (I eat an apple. → What do I eat? → an apple)

Einen Apfel (an apple) is in the accusative case, because it is the direct object of the verb “essen” (to eat).

• Sie hat das Buch gelesen. → Was hat sie gelesen? – Das Buch (She has read the book. → What has she read? → the book)

Das Buch (the book) is in the accusative case, because it is the direct object of the verb “lesen” (to read).

• Ich sehe den Mann. → Wen sehe ich? → den Mann (I see the man. → Who do I see?→ the man)

Den Mann is the direct object of the verb “sehen” (to see).

The Akkusativ case doesn’t change anything whenever the object is feminine, neuter or plural.

But did you realize how the article changed a bit with the masculine object?

It’s not der Mann (the man (masculine)) anymore, but den Mann (the man). That’s because when the object is masculine, the article gets an “N” added.

Before we get to the summary of all of this, let’s do a quick quiz.

5. Quiz: 4 cases in German

Now we will show you some sentences with all the cases in it. We hope you get them all.

You can actually pause the Spring German video for some extra time.

VANESSA
Hallo! Ich bin heute mit dem Zug aus Berlin gekommen.
(Hello! I arrived from Berlin by train today.)

Is “Ich” (I) in this sentence the first case Nominativ or the fourth case Akkusativ? Yes. It’s the first case Nominativ because Ich (I) the subject of the sentence.

VANESSA
Das ist das Buch meines Vaters. Er hat es mir empfohlen.
(That’s my father’s book. He suggested it to me.)

Is meines Vaters (My father’s) in the second case Genitiv oder the third case Dativ? It’s Genitiv because it’s indicating the possession and you ask Wessen Buch ist das? (Whose book is that?)

Last question: We will show you the first sentence again in a second: we want to know in which case “dem Zug” (the train) stands?

VANESSA
Hallo! Ich bin heute mit dem Zug aus Berlin gekommen.
(Hello! I arrived from Berlin by train today.)

It’s the third case Dativ because it’s the indirect object in this sentence.

There is nothing wrong with saying danke in German (thanks).

But maybe we should switch it up from time to time. There are more alternatives depending on the context.

Let’s look at 5 of them.

Spring German teacher Denisa will explain everything you need to know about saying danke in German!

1. Danke schön (Thank you very much)

VANESSA
Wir waren mal zusammen im Disneyland. Weißt du noch?
(We were together in Disneyland. Do you remember?)

DENISA
Ja?
(Yes?)

VANESSA
Ich habe hier noch ein kleines Geschenk für dich.
(I have a gift for you here.)
DENISA
Wow, danke schön. Das war doch nicht nötig.
(Wow, thank you very much. This wasn’t necessary.)

“Danke schön” (thanks a lot) literally translates to “thank you very much” or “thanks a lot” in English. It is a more enthusiastic and appreciative way of expressing gratitude, compared to just “danke” (thank you).

For example:

• Weißt du noch, als wir Kinder waren? (Do you remember when we were kids?)

It’s often used um in Erinnerungen zu schwelgen (to indulge in memories/ to reminisce).

Germans often use it after the context and just say Weißt du noch? (Do you remember?).

• Paul ist einmal auf den Kopf gefallen. Weißt du noch? (Paul once fell on the head. Do you remember?)

For more helpful chunks, check our free essential German chunking kit.

Cheat Sheet with 53 Essential German Chunks: chunks and words you’ll hear and use in every German conversation

Tips on how to speak German WITHOUT thinking about grammar

A German Chunking Tutorial showing you the 1 technique that’ll help you make 100% of the German from our videos roll off the tongue in just 5 minutes a day (you’re probably only using 50% of our lessons’ potential right now…)

Yes! Send me my FREE German Chunking Kit

2. Danke dir / Danke Ihnen (Thank you (informal / formal))

KELLNERIN
Hier ist dein Kuchen. Guten Appetit.
(Here’s your cake. Enjoy your meal.)

DENISA
Danke dir.
(Thank you.)

Danke dir (thank you) means “thank you” in a more informal context and is used when addressing someone you know well, like a friend, family member, or someone your age. In this dialogue the waitress was my age, so I said Danke dir (thank you).

If someone is older than you, or you don’t know them well, you can say “Danke Ihnen” (thank you (formal)). This comes from the formal pronoun Sie (you (formal)). Brunhild made a whole lesson about this topic, which you can check out right here:

Now, let’s see how you say thank you when the person is older than you or a stranger.

3. Danke sehr (Thanks a lot)

KELLNER
Hier ist dein Salat. Guten Appetit.
(Here’s your salad. Enjoy your meal.)

DENISA
Danke sehr.
(Thanks a lot.)

“Danke sehr” (thanks a lot) translates to “thanks a lot” in English.

It is a polite and formal way to express gratitude, suitable for addressing strangers, elders, or people you want to show respect to.

There are two words for “much” in German: sehr und viel (much and much)

Now you learned danke sehr (Thank you very much). But you can also say vielen Dank (many thanks).

4. Vielen Dank / Herzlichen Dank (Many thanks / warm thanks)

• “vielen Dank” (many thanks) means “many thanks” or “thank you very much.”
• “herzlichen Dank” (warm thanks) translates to “heartfelt thanks” or “warm thanks.”

Both phrases are formal and are used to express deep appreciation in various contexts. They can also both be used in the same context as Danke sehr (thank you very much). They are all more formal versions than just danke (thanks).

BOSS
Ich gratuliere zur Beförderung.
(I congratulate you to your promotion.)

DENISA
Vielen herzlichen Dank.
(Thank you very very much.)

See what we just did there?

We mixed them both to express my gratitude. If you want to sound really fluent, you can also use “Tausend Dank” (lit. a thousand of thanks). This is used the same as Herzlichen Dank (warm thanks) or Vielen Dank (many thanks).

Now over to our slang alternative.

5. Merci dir (Thank you) – A slang alternative for danke in German

Let’s look at a slang alternative: Merci dir (Thank you).

This one we stole from the French. It’s used informally, especially in regions near the French border or in areas with a strong French influence. In Bavaria, for example, you will hear it a lot.

DENISA
Hier Michael, dein Bier.
(Here Michael, your beer.)

MICHAEL
Merci dir.
(Thank you.)

Fun fact:

A lot of young people write Danke (thanks) with two or three “e’’s (Dankeee) to show how thankful they are. Some even replace the e with ö or ä which looks like this: Danköö or Dankää

But remember, they only use it when writing, so don’t use it in a conversation.

If you want to show that you’re thankful without using Danke (thanks) in any kind of way, you can say sentences like:

„Ich heiße” is a chunk you learn in every German textbook.

It’s absolutely correct to use ich heisse in German. However, you should also know alternatives to sound like a native speaker.

Here are 4 alternatives for you. Ready? Let’s go!

1. Ich bin … (I am…)

VANESSA
Hallo. Ich bin Vanessa.
(Hello. I am Vanessa.)

DENISA
Hallo Vanessa. Ich bin Denisa.
(Hello Vanessa. I am Denisa.)

VANESSA
Und wer ist das?
(And who is that?)

MORITZ
Hallo. Ich bin Moritz.
(Hello. I am Moritz.)

“Ich bin” is our chunk for today. You can also use it for jobs or adjectives.

Here are some examples:

You can say a lot with “ich bin,” so you should remember this chunk! Can you think of anything else? Write it in the video’s comments.

If you want to learn more chunks, download our “free essential German chunking” kit. It’s free and very helpful.

Cheat Sheet with 53 Essential German Chunks: chunks and words you’ll hear and use in every German conversation

Tips on how to speak German WITHOUT thinking about grammar

A German Chunking Tutorial showing you the 1 technique that’ll help you make 100% of the German from our videos roll off the tongue in just 5 minutes a day (you’re probably only using 50% of our lessons’ potential right now…)

Yes! Send me my FREE German Chunking Kit

Plus, you can also always check our Spring German YouTube channel for more chunks!

2. Mein Name ist … (My name is…)

DENISA (doing a presentation)
Hallo zusammen. Mein Name ist Denisa. Ich möchte Ihnen heute etwas über Interkulturelle Beziehungen erzählen.
(Hello all. My name is Denisa. Today, I want to tell you some things about intercultural relationships.)

TEACHER
Willkommen Denisa. Dann fangen Sie doch gerne mal an.
(Welcome Denisa. Then you can start.)

The alternative ”Mein Name ist…” can always be used. It just sounds a bit unnatural when you’re among friends.

However, in appointments or presentations, ”Mein Name ist..” is a good alternative.

Now, let’s learn 2 interesting or funny alternatives.

3. Ich werde … genannt (I am called …)

DENISA
Ich werde „Sonnenschein” genannt.
(I am called “sunshine”.)

VANESSA
Ist das dein Spitzname?
(Is that your nickname?)

DENISA
Ja. Weil ich viel lache. Wie wirst du genannt?
(Yes. Because I laugh a lot. What are you called?)

VANESSA
Ich werde „Krümelmonster” genannt. Weil ich immer alles dreckig mache.
I am called “Cookie Monster”. Because I always make everything messy.

This alternative is not for everyday use. You can say this when you talk about your nicknames. Interesting, isn’t it?

Now, let’s move on to an alternative that you’ve probably never heard before. Stay tuned until the end.

4. Hallo. Denisa.

DENISA (shaking someone’s hand)
Hi. Denisa.
(Hi. Denisa.)

When you meet someone new, you can just say your name. You don’t have to say “I’m…” or “My name is…”.

VANESSA
Aber das geht nur unter Freunden, oder?
But that is only possible among friends, right?

DENISA
Nein. Du kannst das auch in offiziellen Terminen machen.
(No. You can also do that at official appointments.)

VANESSA
Wow. Das ist viel einfacher als das, was ich gelernt habe.
(Wow. That’s much simpler than what I’ve learned.)

I’m sure you haven’t heard of this alternative before. It’s much easier than what you learn in school or courses. You’ll sound like a native speaker when you introduce yourself this way.

Lass uns jetzt alle Alternativen auf Englisch zusammenfassen. (Let’s now summarize all the alternatives together.)

5. Zusammenfassung (Summary for Ich heisse in German)

All of these Ich heisse in German expressions are awesome if you want to sound like a native German speaker, and can be useful if you want to start a small talk in German.

So, time to summarize!

Tschüß in German is the right word for you if you want to say goodbye. But there are more ways to say farewell.

This is Denisa from Spring German. Today, in this lesson, we’re going to show you five alternatives.

Are you ready? Let’s get started!

1.Bis später/Bis bald/Bis dann (See you later/Until then/See you then)

Are you going to see your friend again later?

Then you can say “bis später” or “bis bald.” You can also say “bis dann.” For example, when you see your friend again at a party.

Here’s an example for you:

VANESSA
Gehst du heute Abend auf diese Party?
Are you going to this party tonight?

DENISA
Ja, auf jeden Fall! Ich freu mich schon.
Yes, definitely! I’m looking forward to it.

VANESSA
Ich mich auch. Das wird toll! Ich muss los, bis dann.
Me too. That will be great! I have to go, see you then.

DENISA
Bis später!
See you later!

“Bis dann” is in English “till then.” Have you heard these alternatives before?

After “bis,” you can also say other words, like:

and so on.

Other phrases before you say goodbye are:

But “ich muss los” is often said. Remember this chunk. Then you’ll speak like a native speaker!

Do you want to learn more German chunks? We have the free Essential German Chunking Kit for you.

Cheat Sheet with 53 Essential German Chunks: chunks and words you’ll hear and use in every German conversation

Tips on how to speak German WITHOUT thinking about grammar

A German Chunking Tutorial showing you the 1 technique that’ll help you make 100% of the German from our videos roll off the tongue in just 5 minutes a day (you’re probably only using 50% of our lessons’ potential right now…)

Yes! Send me my FREE German Chunking Kit

The three alternatives “Bis später”, “bis bald” and “bis dann” are used when knowing you will see that person in a while, next Tuesday or even that night again. Also, you can say “Ich muss los” before you say goodbye.

Use these chunks to sound like a native speaker!

2. Auf Wiedersehen (Goodbye)

Tschüss is a good way to say goodbye. But what do you say to your boss? At work, you should say “Auf Wiedersehen.”

It is more polite.

DENISA
Also, ich geh jetzt nach Hause, ja? Auf Wiedersehen!
(So I’m going home now, alright? Goodbye!)

BOSS
Auf Wiedersehen Frau Wagner. Bis morgen.
(Goodbye, Mrs. Wagner. See you tomorrow.)

“Auf Wiedersehen” literally means “until we see each other again.” Interesting, isn’t it?

When you’re talking with your boss or with people in business meetings or other official appointments, use “Auf Wiedersehen” to say goodbye. That’s more formal and polite.

3. Mach’s gut (Take care)

Many Germans say “Mach’s gut” when saying farewell. The English translation is “take care” or literally “do it good.”

It is often said when you won’t see each other for a long time. You can say it to friends and family.

Sometimes Germans then respond with a funny saying.

VANESSA
Mach’s gut, Denisa.
Goodbye (lit. do it well), Denisa.

DENISA
Mach’s besser.
Do it better.

This is simply meant to humorously outdo the other person.

Mach’s gut is a caring alternative for “Tschüss”. It translates to take care in English and can be said to friends and family. Sometimes Germans make a joke and respond with “Mach’s besser”. This can be translated to “do it better”.

Germans love making jokes when saying goodbye. At the end of the lesson, we’ll show you another funny response. Stay tuned!

4. Bye! (Bye)

This alternative is the easiest because it also exists in English. You say “bye” to friends and family. It is used just like “tschüss.”

It is more commonly used by younger people.

DENISA
Ich muss los. Bis bald.
I have to go. See you soon.

VANESSA
Bye!
Bye!

Bye is a perfect alternative for “Tschüss” because it’s used in the same way. It’s often used by younger people, and you can address friends and family with.

5. Ciao – an Italian alternative for Tschüß in German

Another alternative is “ciao.”

We’ve taken this from the Italians. But the Italians also say “ciao” when they greet someone; in Germany, it is only used for saying goodbye.

Here, young people have again made a funny alternative out of it.

VANESSA
Ciao Denisa.

DENISA
Ciao mit V!

“Ciao mit V” rhymes but has no meaning. It’s just for fun! Have you ever heard “Ciao mit V”? Write it down in the comments.

While we have stolen this alternative from the Italien, it is in Germany only used to say goodbye. Also, younger people made up the rhyme “Ciao mit V” which has no meaning at all, it’s just said for fun.

Did you know that there are many alternatives for “ich heiße“? Read that on our blog, too!

Flirting in German has to be learned! So, let’s learn it!

Here are 3 tips for flirting in German. Los geht’s!

1. Sei aufmerksam (Be attentive)

Before we get into the sexy phrases, we’d like to point out how far you can come by simply paying attention.

At the end of the day, that is what impresses people the most.

MAX
Hey! Du warst lange nicht in der Schule! Wie geht es dir?
(Hey! You haven’t been in school for a while! How have you been?)

VANADIS
Ehrlich gesagt, ein wenig gestresst. Meine Oma ist krank und ich pflege sie.
(A little stressed, to be honest. My grandma is sick and I take care of her.)

MAX
Das wundert mich nicht.
(I’m not surprised.)

VANADIS
Wie meinst du das?
(How do you mean?)

MAX
Du wirkst wie jemand, der sich viel um andere kümmert.
(You seem like the type of person who cares about others.)

VANADIS
Hm… ja. Das stimmt.
(Hm … yes. That’s true.)

MAX
Das ist sehr schön von dir. Du hast ein gutes Herz.
(That is very nice of you. You have a good heart.)

VANADIS
Schön, dass du mich so wahrnimmst.
(It’s nice that you perceive me that way.)

MAX
Ich habe dich schon immer interessant gefunden.
(I have always noticed that you are interesting.)

The boy in the dialogue is smart. He serves a need that everyone has – to be seen. Ich habe dich schon immer interessant gefunden. (I have always noticed that you are interesting.) is a nice compliment which shows that you had your eye on someone for a while.

You could also say:

Here is another great line from the dialogue that shows that you paid attention, without jumping to a compliment right away.

It can be used with people you barely know but want to know better:

MAX
Hey! Du warst lange nicht in der Schule! Wie geht es dir?
(Hey! You haven’t been in school for a while! How have you been?)

This chunk means that you noticed someone else being away for a while, which shows you paid attention. You could say:

Make sure to follow the statement up with a “Wie geht es dir?” (How are you doing?), so that it doesn’t come across as an accusation rather than an honest interest in how they are doing.

Who knows, maybe hearing that someone cares about their well-being is exactly what that person needs to hear.

MAX
Du wirkst wie jemand, der sich viel um andere kümmert.
(You seem like the type of person who cares about others.)

VANADIS
Hm… ja. Das stimmt.
(Hm… yes. That’s true.)

This is a smart move, because, again, it shows attentiveness and interest. The chunk

• Du wirkst wie jemand, der… (You look like the type of person that…): can also be used with people you don’t know very well. You can add anything nice that applies right after. Like:
  • Du wirkst wie jemand, der sich viel um andere kümmert. (You seem like the kind of person who cares about others.)
  • Du wirkst wie jemand, der Abenteuer mag. (You seem like the kind of person who likes adventures.)
  • Du wirkst wie jemand, der sehr viel weiß. (You seem like the kind of person who knows a lot.)

Wie würdest du gerne wirken? (How would you like to seem?)

MAX
Ich fahre am Wochenende in die Berge. Willst du mitkommen?
(I’m going to the mountains this weekend. Would you like to come?)

KUNDRY
Wieso fragst du ausgerechnet mich?
(Why are you asking me of all people?)

MAX
Ich weiß nicht. Du wirkst wie jemand, der Abenteuer mag.
(I don’t know. You seem like the kind of person who likes adventures.)

Powerful flirting tool this one! Another trust building phrase is…

MAX
Das ist sehr schön von dir. Du hast ein gutes Herz.
(That is very nice of you. You have a good heart.)

VANADIS
Schön, dass du mich so wahrnimmst.
(It’s nice that you perceive me that way.)

The chunk Das ist sehr (positive adjective) von dir (That is very (positive adjective) of you) shows appreciation, so you can use it when you want the other person to feel good about themselves.

Obviously, these also work as a way of saying “Thank you”.

MAX
Alles Gute zum Namenstag!
(Happy names day!)

SAGA
Dankeschön! Das ist sehr aufmerksam von dir!
(Thank you! That’s very attentive of you!)

If love is one of your motivations for learning German, you’re not alone. Das ist wahrscheinlich einer der besten Gründe um Sprachen zu lernen. (It’s probably one of the best reasons to learn languages.)

Of course, this flirting lesson will only get you to the door, but once you’ve opened it, you will have to learn a lot more German. That’s why we’re offering you our free Essential German Chunking Kit, which contains easy chunks and phrases that make you sound like a native right away. And you can always learn and find more chunks on Spring German YouTube channel!

Cheat Sheet with 53 Essential German Chunks: chunks and words you’ll hear and use in every German conversation

Tips on how to speak German WITHOUT thinking about grammar

A German Chunking Tutorial showing you the 1 technique that’ll help you make 100% of the German from our videos roll off the tongue in just 5 minutes a day (you’re probably only using 50% of our lessons’ potential right now…)

Yes! Send me my FREE German Chunking Kit

So now that we have showed that we’re trustworthy people who care, let’s jump to the hot stuff.

2. Flirting in German: Komplimente (Compliments)

To say it straight away: we’re not a fan of superficial compliments by strangers, which is pretty much anything we say to someone we don’t know yet, right?

Äußerliche Komplimente gehen da rein und da raus. (External compliments enter here and exit there). But for the sake of completeness, let’s leave you with at least some chunks for you to compliment someone.

Let’s start with appearance.

STRANGER AT A BAR
Wow! Du hast wunderschöne Augen!
(Wow! You have beautiful eyes!)

EVA
Danke! Mir gefällt deine Jacke.
(Thank you! I like your jacket.)

STRANGER AT A BAR
Was macht so eine hübsche Frau wie du alleine hier?
(What is a pretty woman like you doing here all by herself?)

EVA
Aber ich bin ja gar nicht alleine…
(But I am not really alone, am I … ?)

This guy didn’t waste a second and jumped straight to the compliment. Du hast wunderschöne Augen. (You have beautiful eyes.) Instead of Augen, you can insert any feature or clothing or whatever.

Like:

You can also say Mir gefällt etwas. (I like something), like:

Obviously, complimenting on physical traits risks to come across as superficial as it is. So make sure to really mean what you say, to make it at least genuine.

To be more subtle, you can use this phrase:

STRANGER AT A BAR
Was macht so eine hübsche Frau wie du alleine hier?
(What is a pretty woman like you doing here all by herself?)

This is a conversation starter disguised as a compliment, or a compliment disguised as a question. Instead of hübsche Frau (pretty woman)you can insert anything, like…

Complimenting someone on their appearance may be obvious. But sometimes it pays off to be a little more original and highlight more personality-related characteristics.

Be generous in praise, but sparsam in der Frequenz (but sparing in frequency) to stay credible.

As you can see, there is so much to say about compliments! It’s a little science on its own.

3. Flirting in German with cute pet names

Once you know someone a bit better and have a friendly connection, you can go for nicknames and pet names!

They’re quite genius, because they create intimacy without having to get physically very close. Using verbal intimacy can seem like a much easier and maybe more natural step to take, depending on who you are and what the situation is.

Also, it’s a safe bet, because even friends can use them on one another, like watch:

MARIE
Wow. Du siehst fantastisch aus! Wunderschön, wie ein Engel.
(Wow. You look ravishing! Beautiful, like an angel.)

MONIKA
Danke Mausi. Leihst du mir deinen Kajal?
(Thank you, mousie. Can I borrow your eyeliner?)

MARIE
Klar, Süße. Hier.
(Of course, sweetie. Here you go.)

MONIKA
Mausi, du bist ein Engel.
(Mausi, you are an angel.)

Did you count the pet names?

As you can see, their work great, even between friends. The ones we just heard may actually be amongst the most popular ones in Germany.

• Mausi (mousie), mostly used for girls. If you want to make it even cuter, you can turn it into / Mausilein / Mäuslein or /Mäuschen
• Süße (sweetie) for girls and / Süßer for guys
• Engel (angel) or, even cuter, / Engelein / Engelchen

The endings ...chen and …lein, like in Mausilein or Engelchen, can be used on any noun to make it sound a bit smaller, a bit sweeter, a bit more innocent. That is why pet names can also disarm potentially stressful situations.

Other cute gender-neutral nicknames are:

Watch how petnames can make a stressfull situation more relaxed:

HUSBAND
Wo bist du, Schnuffel?
(Where are you, snuffle?)

DAISY
Schätzchen, welchen Blazer willst du heute Abend anziehen? Den hier oder den hier?
(Treasure, which blazer would you like to wear tonight? This one or this one?)

HUSBAND
Entscheide du, mein Schnuckiputz!
(You decide, my sweetie pie!)

DAISY
Ich weiß nicht. Die sind beide gut.
(I don’t know. They’re both good.)

HUSBAND
Ich vertraue dir, mein Schnuckiputz!
(I trust you, my sweetiepie.)

DAISY
Schätzchen, du siehst doch sowieso toll aus.
(Treasure, you look great either way.)

HUSBAND
Danke, Spatz!
(Thank you, sparrow!)

DAISY
Wir nehmen den hier.
(We’ll take this one.)

HUSBAND
Wie du willst, Mausi!
(As you want, mousie!)

4. Quiz for the best flirting in German

What is someone telling you when they say:

Mir gefällt dein Lächeln

• a) You have lovely lashes
• b) I like your smile

// b) is correct.

Mir gefällt dein Lächeln means “I like your smile”.

Imagine you work with your crush, but they haven’t come to the office in days. What could you say when they return to show that you care about them?

• a) Was macht so ein hübsches Ding wie du alleine hier im Büro?
• b) Hey, du warst lange nicht im Büro. Wie geht es dir?

a) means “What is such a cute thing like you doing in the office all by herself? Well. I don’t know… working maybe? Obviously, a) makes zero sense b) is correct.

Which of the following pet names is an animal?

• Schnuffel (snuffle)
• Schätzchen (darling)
• Schnuckiputz (snookie)
• Spatz (sparrow)

Spatz means sparrow! We love that one. You should use it.

Scenario: Your crush can’t decide for an outfit. How do you tell them that they look great either way?

• a) Du siehst doch sowieso toll aus.
• b) Das ist sehr aufmerksam von dir.

a) is correct!

Schätzchen, du siehst doch sowieso toll aus. (Treasure, you look great either way.)

Which of the following phrases do you agree with?

• Flirten auf Deutsch will gelernt sein! (Flirting in German has to be learned!) or
• Beim Flirten gibt es kein Richtig und Falsch. (When it comes to flirting, there is no right and wrong.)

Regardless of what your opinion is, all of the phrases we learned today are just conversation starters. Once it gets really hot, we suggest you forget everything you learned and just follow your Intuition (intuition)…

But at least now you got some tools to approach the German speaker of your dreams. If everything goes well, who knows! Soon you might advance from flirtatious phrases to love related phrases.

In this lesson, we’ll admit something: everyone makes mistakes.

Especially while learning a foreign language!

In this lesson, we will introduce you to the 5 most common mistakes in German that students make all the time. This way, you’ll be prepared and you can know how to avoid them.

Now, let’s start with the first one. Los geht’s!

1. Don’t mix up word gender in German!

The most common mistake is mixing up the articles, which is no wonder since there are three.

VANESSA
Drei?
(3?)

DENISA
Yes, der, die and das. Komm. Ich erklär es dir.
(Come. I’ll explain it to you.)

German has three articles:

• der,
• die
• das.

Their usage depends on the gender of the noun. It’s important to memorize the gender of each noun to avoid errors in article usage.

Try the color trick: memorizing the words in different colors, for example all masculine words in blau (blue), all feminine words in rot (red) and all neuter words in gelb (yellow).

Following up that mistake, beginners are mixing up er (he) & sie (she).

There are several languages in the world that do not have a distinction between “he” and “she” pronouns. Some examples of such languages are Turkish or Finnish. They have only one word for “he” and “she”, so only the context determines the gender of the person being referred to.

SELMA
Sie hat eine coole Jacke.
(She has a cool jacket.)

DENISA
Wen meinst du?
(Who do you mean?)

SELMA
Daniel.
(Daniel.)

DENISA
Ach so. Du meinst: Er hat eine coole Jacke.
(Oh I see. You mean: He has a cool jacket.)

SELMA
Ja, genau. Danke für die Verbesserung.
(Yes, exactly. Thanks for the correction.)

If you want to learn more about chunks in German, check our free essential German chunking kit.

Cheat Sheet with 53 Essential German Chunks: chunks and words you’ll hear and use in every German conversation

Tips on how to speak German WITHOUT thinking about grammar

A German Chunking Tutorial showing you the 1 technique that’ll help you make 100% of the German from our videos roll off the tongue in just 5 minutes a day (you’re probably only using 50% of our lessons’ potential right now…)

Yes! Send me my FREE German Chunking Kit

2. Don’t confuse the German word order

VANESSA
Ich heute ins Kino gehe.
(I go to the cinema today.)

DENISA
Du meinst: Ich gehe heute ins Kino.
(You mean: I go to the cinema today.)

VANESSA
Stimmt. Ich komme immer durcheinander. Danke für die Verbesserung.
(Right. I always get confused. Thanks for the correction.)

DENISA
Gerne. Ich versteh das.
(With pleasure. I understand that.)

We all get confused from time to time with the word order when learning a new language. Das Wichtige ist (The important thing is) to keep the subject and verb together and never separate them.

Some examples:

At the end of this lesson, we will show you one very common mistake that will already show in small talk in German. Stay tuned.

3. Don’t pronounce “ch” in German incorrectly

DENISA
Ich singe gerne.
( I like to sing.)

Ich tanze gerne.
(I like to dance.)

Ich spiele gerne Videospiele.
(I like to play video games.)

Which way is it correct? Ich (I) is the right pronunciation here. Other words with this pronunciation of ch are:

But when there are closed vowels like “a” or “o” in front of the “ch” it’s pronounced “ch”. Some examples:

To practice the pronunciation, you can repeat this sentence: Ich stehe in der Küche und koche. (I stand in the kitchen and cook.)

4. Don’t get confused with the false friends in German

DENISA
Was willst du nach deinem Studium werden?
(What do you want to become after studying?)
(Why?)

SELMA
Ich bekomme Ärztin.
(I become a doctor.)

DENISA
Du meinst: Ich werde Ärztin.
(You mean: I become a doctor.)

Using the word “bekommen” (to receive) instead of “werden” (to become) is a typical mistake German beginners do. False friends are words that appear to have the same meaning in two languages, but actually have different meanings.

Here are some examples of false friends for you:

• “aktuell” (currently) in German means “currently”, not “actual”.
• “Chef” (boss) in German means “boss” , not “cook”.
• “giftig” (poisonous) in German means “poisonous”, not “a gift”.

5. One of the most common mistakes in German learners make: Don’t say “Ich bin gut”, say this

DENISA
Hi. Wie geht’s dir?
(Hi. How are you?)

VANESSA
Ich bin gut. Dir?
(I’m good. And you?)

DENISA
Du meinst: Mir geht es gut.
(You mean: I’m good.)

VANESSA
Ja. Danke für die Verbesserung. Mir geht es gut.
(Yes. Thanks for the correction. I’m good.)

DENISA
Gerne. Mir geht’s auch gut, danke.
(With pleasure. I’m good, too, thanks.)

If you’re doing small talk with someone, and you want to say that you’re good, don’t say “Ich bin gut” which is literally translated “I’m good”.

However, in German, the correct phrase to express that you’re feeling good is “Mir geht es gut” (I’m good) or “Ich fühle mich gut” (I’m feeling good).

If you are trying to say that you are good at something, for example, “I am good at playing the piano”, you could say “Ich bin gut im Klavierspielen“(I am good at playing the piano) or “Ich spiele gut Klavier“(I am good at playing the piano).

In this context, “gut” (good) is used to describe your ability, rather than how you’re feeling.

If you want to learn more about small talk in German, check out that article, too. See you there!

But how do you order food in German?

Spring German teacher Brunhild will guide you through the process!

1. Ein Getränk bestellen (To order a drink)

Usually, the first question der Kellner (the waiter) will ask you, is:

That way, they can already prepare your drinks while you decide on food.

Chunks are word combinations often used by native speakers, which you can learn as a whole to sound like a local faster. Download our free essential German Chunking kit for more useful chunks!

Cheat Sheet with 53 Essential German Chunks: chunks and words you’ll hear and use in every German conversation

Tips on how to speak German WITHOUT thinking about grammar

A German Chunking Tutorial showing you the 1 technique that’ll help you make 100% of the German from our videos roll off the tongue in just 5 minutes a day (you’re probably only using 50% of our lessons’ potential right now…)

Yes! Send me my FREE German Chunking Kit

2. Essen bestellen (To order food)

To order anything, you have to study die Speisekarte (the menu). We already talked about ordering:

• ein Getränk (a drink), zum Beispiel ein Bier (a beer). But what food can we order? We can order
• eine Vorspeise (starters), zum Beispiel einen Salat (a salad)
• eine Hauptspeise (a main dish), zum Beispiel ein Schnitzel mit Pommes (a schnitzel with fries) and
• eine Nachspeise (a dessert), zum Beispiel einen Apfelstrudel (an apple strudel).

Many restaurants in Germany have “Ein Tagesgericht” (”A meal of the day”) which is on a separate Speisekarte (menu). Often in paper form or written on a blackboard somewhere, because it changes every day.

Das Tagesgericht (the meal of the day) is often served around lunchtime and is comparatively cheap, because there is a huge batch of it which doesn’t require extra preparation.

Now, how do you place an order? Let’s say you would like to order a pumpkin soup.

Here are three excellent ways how to do that:

The following example illustrates what it could look like in a very fancy restaurant.

Disclaimer!

The lady said “Herr Ober” (Mr waiter), which is a somewhat obsolete term for the waiter, which, if at all, only is used in very upscale restaurants.

It’s better if you don’t address the waiter by any designation and call them by just saying “Excuse me!”- “Entschuldigung!” (Excuse me!)

For more ways to catch someone’s attention, you might also enjoy this video about asking for help in Germany:

3. Die Nachspeise (The dessert)

When it’s time to clear the table, the waiter is likely to ask you something like:

If you weren’t satisfied with the food, you could say something like:

• Nein, es war zu wenig gewürzt. (No, it wasn’t seasoned enough.) or
• Nein, das Fleisch war zu zäh. (No, the meat was too chewy.)
  • However, in a case like this, we recommend that you give the waiter this feedback right away. In Germany, cooks are proud and prone not take you seriously if you eat the food and complain afterwards. If it wasn’t great, but not terrible enough to complain, either, you could say:
• Es war in Ordnung. (It was fine.) Which indicates that there’s room for improvement.

The waiter may also ask you if you would like a dessert:

In a real German conversation, this could go like:

4. Um die Rechnung bitten und bezahlen (Asking for the bill and paying)

When it’s time to leave, you can ask for the bill by saying:

Any of these work just fine.

Now, in a fancy restaurant, the waiter would usually just place a folder with the bill on the desk, so that you could then put the money. You wouldn’t talk about money out loud like in the following scene, but in order to learn, Iet’s watch them have an extensive discussion.

Yes, tipping the waiter is a must in Germany. But of course, you don’t have to tip as much as this guy. Around ten percent is a good tip.

5. Quiz on how to order food in German – or anything in a restaurant

How do you ask for a large Beer?

• a) Ich hätte gerne ein Glas Wasser.
• b) Ein großes Pils, bitte.

Okay, this one was too easy. It’s b). Instead of “Pils”, you could also be less specific and say “Ein großes Bier, bitte.” (A large beer, please.)

What does the waitress mean, when she says “Kommt sofort”?

• a) Go away.
• b) Coming right up.

Thankfully, it’s b). Kommt sofort (Coming right up) means: coming right up!

How can you let the waiter know, that you would like to pay?

• a) Ich möchte gern zahlen.
• b) Die Rechnung, bitte.

Both a) and b) are excellent ways to ask for the bill!

What does the waiter want to know, when he asks “Hat es Ihnen geschmeckt?

• a) He wants to know if he can bring you anything else.
• b) He wants to know if you liked the food.

Hat es Ihnen geschmeckt? (Did you enjoy the food?) literally means “Did it taste good to you?”, so b) is correct.

Spring German teacher Brunhild will explain everything you need to know about the body parts in German.

1. Der Kopf (The head)

An important bodypart inside of the head is das Gehirn (The brain).

The German language is full of chunks and figures of speech like this. Make sure to download our free essential German chunking kit to see more of them. The link is in the description!

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Now back to the head. Wichtige Körperteile am Kopf sind: (Important parts on the head are:)

Let’s see how all of this works in a real-life German conversation that’s aimed for beginners:

2. Das Gesicht (The face)

Dein Gesicht (your face) means “your face”. Zu deinem Gesicht gehören: (Your face includes:)

Lots of body parts to keep track of!

Now let’s linger on the mouth just a little bit. Der Mund (the mouth) deserves a closer look, because it contains many parts that come up in our daily lives, such as:

In a real German conversation:

3. Der Oberkörper (The upper body)

Neck down comes what we call: der Körper (the body). The upper part of the body is called: der Oberkörper (the torso).

Let’s take the different body parts n the order from top to bottom.

Attached to the Oberkörper (torso) are the arms!

4. Die Arme (The arms)

Die Arme sind die Gliedmaßen am Oberkörper. (The arms are the limbs attached to the torso). Zum Arm gehört: (The arm includes:)

At the end of the arm, we find the hands.

5. Die Hände (The hands)

Zu der Hand gehört (The hand includes):

Let’s see another convo:

What do you think?

Does Klavier spielen (playing the piano) really make lange Finger (long fingers)?

6. Der Unterleib (The abdomen)

This is the part between your Oberkörper (torso) and your legs. Der Unterleib (The abdomen). Here you find:

7. Die Beine (The legs)

The following parts are part of the leg:

8. Die Füße (The feet)

The following parts are part of the foot:

Let’s see some German sentences in a dialogue:

9. Das Körperteil-Lied (Body parts in German – a song)

I bet you all know the song “Head, shoulders, knees and toes! I’m going to do you a huge solid and sing this song in German, just because it’s so great to learn the body parts.

Here we go!