Today we speak about animals in German – which are native in Germany. Learn animals in German with Spring German!

1. Haustiere (pets)

For many of us, this is the category we get in touch with most. They live in our house, therefore they are called “Haustiere” – house animals. Many of us have

Hast du ein Haustier? (Do you have a pet?) Was ist dein Lieblingstier? (What is your favorite animal?) At the end of this video, I’m gonna reveal mein Lieblingstier (my favorite animal) and I guarantee you: Du wirst dich verlieben (You will fall in love).

For more phrases and chunks that Germans love to use frequently, check the link in the description. You’ll find our free essential German chunking kit, which you can download for free!

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

HERR WAGNER
Schatz, ich habe nachgedacht.
(Honey, I’ve been thinking.)

DAISY
Hm?
(Hm?)

HERR WAGNER
Wie wäre es, wenn wir uns einen süßen Hund anschaffen?
(How about getting a cute dog?)

DAISY
Ach Schatzi. Du weißt, dass ich allergisch gegen Pelztiere bin.
(Oh darling. You know that I am allergic to fur-bearing animals.)

HERR WAGNER
Wie wäre es mit einer Nacktkatze? Die hat kein Fell.
(How about a naked cat? It has no fur.)

DAISY
Das ist doch soviel Arbeit. Du musst das Tier füttern und saubermachen …
(That is so much work. You have to feed and clean the animal…)

HERR WAGNER
Naja, eine Katze frisst und putzt sich eigentlich selbst.
(Well, a cat actually eats and cleans itself.)

DAISY
Ach. Lass uns doch lieber einen Privatjet kaufen, hm?
(Oh. Let’s buy a private jet instead, hm?)

HERR WAGNER
Das frisst wesentlich mehr als ein Haustier, meine Liebe …
(Blow me down! That eats a lot more than a pet, my love…)

DAISY
Also ich wäre dafür.
(Well, I would be in favor for it.)

HERR WAGNER
Ich glaub, mich tritt ein Pferd!
(Blow me down!)

Ich glaub, mich tritt ein Pferd (Blow me down, lit.: I think, a horse is kicking me) is a phrase that means something along the lines of “I cannot believe this” or “I’ll be blowed”, which is probably what it would feel like to get kicked by a horse, hence the expression.

2. Bauernhoftiere (Farm animals)

A proper farmer must have at least a bunch of these guys:

MOTHER
Oh, Franziska! Du stehst ja mit den Hühnern auf!
(Oh, Franziska! You’re rising with the chickens!)

FRANZISKA
Ja, ich und Martin haben schon die Kühe gemolken.
(Yes, me and Martin already milked the cows.)

MOTHER
Der Esel nennt sich immer zuerst!
(The donkey always mentions itself first!)

Der Esel nennt sich immer zuerst! (The donkey always mentions itself first!) is a reprehensive proverb that is said when someone is mentioning themselves first in an enumeration of people, which is considered unmannered in the German-speaking countries. If you do that, you are rude wie ein Esel (like a donkey).

LISA is drinking coffee and reading.

FRANZISKA
Lisa, hast du die Gänse und Enten gesehen?
(Lisa, did you see the geese and ducks?)

LISA
Die sind im Nachbarsteich. Geh sie bitte holen. Ich habe heut schon genug gearbeitet.
(They’re in the neighbor’s pond. Please go fetch them. I have worked enough for today.)

Rises and walks away. Franziska is looking at the clock, it’s only half past 12.

FRANZISKA mumbling to herself.
Faule Sau.
(Lazy bastard (lit.: lazy sow).)

No farm is complete without Federvieh (poultry), like:

SAGA
Hi! Wohnst du auf dem Bauernhof?
(Hi! Do you live on a farm?)

FRANZISKA
Hi, ja, der Bauernhof gehört meinen Eltern.
(Hi, yes, the farm belongs to my parents.)

SAGA
Euch ist ein Huhn vom Hof entwischt. Wir haben es in unserem Garten entdeckt.
(A chicken escaped from your farm. We discovered it in our yard.)

FRANZISKA
Oh je! Immer diese dummen Hühner. Wo ist das Huhn jetzt?
(Oh dear. Always those stupid chickens. Where is the chicken now?)

SAGA
Auf unserem Misthaufen.
(On our dungheap.)

3. Heimische Waldtiere (native forest animals)

In a German forest, we may find:

I dare say that, apart from the occasional Wildschwein (wild boar) that becomes wild (wild), none of these animals really portray a threat to humans. It was different when the forests were still full of

Nowadays, Germany has no Bären (bears), and only few Wölfe (wolves) and Luchse (lynxes). When someone has very good hearing, we say they have Ohren wie ein Luchs (Ears like a lynx).

DAISY
Na, mein Schmusebär?
(Well, my cuddly bear?)

MAX
Bitte, lass das. Ich bin nicht verschmust.
(Please, don’t do that. I’m not cuddly.)

DAISY
Ach komm schon. Immer musst du den einsamen Wolf spielen.
(Oh, come on. You always have to play the lone wolf.)

4. Vögel (Birds)

If you pay attention, you can discover many species of Vögel (birds) in the garden, the forest, even in the cites. When looking into your garden, chances are you will see:

All of these are Vögel (birds) we see when looking above. But what will we find looking into the water?

5. Wasserlebende Tiere (waterliving animals)

Here we obviously find

Snakes can swim, too, so don’t get scared if you meet eine Schlange (a snake) during your Baden im See (bathing in the lake).

6. Reptilien (reptiles)

We have everything from cute:

7. Weichtiere (Invertebrates)

Weichtiere (Invertebrates, lit.: soft animals) literally means “soft animals”, which makes sense if you consider the consistency of:

8. Exotische Tiere (exotic animals)

In the savannah, we find animals such as:

And, of course, we should mention the relatives of our Hauskatze (domestic cat)!

9. Quiz for animals in German

Now, let’s see if you can guess my favorite animal. I give you three hints

1. It lives in the rainforest of Madagaskar.
2. It belongs to the species of Affen (monkeys)
3. It has a langer gestreifter Schwanz (long striped tail)

Ladies and Gentlemen, I present to you the cutest animal of all time: der Lemur (the lemur).

Was für ein Tier ist das? (What animal is this?) // Das ist ein Wolf. (This is a wolf).

Was für ein Tier ist das? (What animal is this?) // Das ist eine Ziege. (This is a goat).

Was für Tiere sind das? (What animals are these?) // Das sind Fische. (These are fish.)

//

Was für ein Tier ist das? (What animal is this?) // Das ist eine Eule. (This is an owl).

Was für Tiere sind das? (What animals are these?) // Das sind Kätzchen. (These are kittens.)

Was für ein Tier ist das? (What animal is this?) // Das ist eine Katze. (This is a cat).

Was für ein Tier ist das? (What animal is this?) // Das ist eine Schnecke. (This is a snail.)

Was für ein Tier ist das? (What animal is this?) // Das ist ein Eisbär (That is a polar bear.)

Was für Tiere sind das? (What animals are these?) // Das sind Gänse. (These are geese.)

Was für ein Tier ist das? (What animal is this?) // Das ist ein Hund. (This is a dog.)

Was für Tiere sind das? (What animals are these?) // Das sind Hühner. (These are chickens).

Was für ein Tier ist das? (What animal is this?) // Das ist ein Lemur. (This is a lemur.)

Are you as enchanted as me by these wonders of nature, or do you mainly enjoy animals in Form einer Bratwurst (in the shape of a sausage)? I’m not here to shame you… openly.

Ich bin Spring German Lehrerin Brunhild. Hier kommen fünf Tipps, wie du dich in Deutschland integrieren kannst. (Here are 5 tips on how to blend in Germany with perfect German behavior.)

1. Typisch deutsche Ausdrücke (Typical German expressions)

Here are some typical German chunks that Germans use all the time:

• Genau! (Right!) Which means like “hell yeah!” That’s what I just said. Genau.
• Quatsch! (Bullshit!) Bullshit. What are you talking about? Quatsch. That’s not true.
• Doch! (Yes!) Is too! Doch. “Doch” is impossible to translate! You’re reconfirming what you just said, which the other person is denying. How do I explain this? When you say something and someone else is like “No, that’s not true”, you can be like “doch”! So, when I say that my natural hair color is actually blonde, and you say “Quatsch”, I could be like “doch!”, you know?
• Naja. (Oh, well.) “Naja” can be used in very different contexts, I’m just realizing. It could be like naja, whatever. Or naja, it is important this topic, or how are you doing? Naja. Not well, not bad, something in between. There are a lot of uses for naja.
• Und jetzt? (Then what?) Why are you telling me this? Is this gonna change anything? Is this gonna make my life better or worse? When you miss the relevance in something someone says, you can say Und jetzt?
• Ist doch wurst. (Who cares.) I think most people say Ist doch wurscht with an “sch”. Wurscht. But you write it wurst. Ist doch wurst means “doesn’t matter, does it?”

Hier kommt ein Beispiel, wie du diese Wörter im Alltag verwenden kannst. (Here is an example for how to use these expressions in your everyday life.)

KIM
Du liest zu viel.
(You read too much.)

ZELDA
Naja. Lesen bildet! Wusstest du, dass das erste gedruckte Buch Europas auf Deutsch war?
(Well. Reading educates! Did you know that the first book ever printed in Europe was in German?)

KIM
Quatsch!
(No way!)

ZELDA
Doch, die Gutenberg-Bibel 1455. Tja.
(Yes, the Gutenberg Bible in 1455. Well.)

KIM
Heißt das, Deutschland war seiner Zeit voraus?
(Does that mean, Germany was ahead of its time?)

ZELDA
Genau!
(Precisely!)

KIM
Naja, und jetzt? Ist doch wurst!
(Well, and then what? It doesn’t matter!)

What?

Here you have that word again. Doch (yes), which means something along the lines of yes, but there is no literal translation for that word. This is a word that actually doesn’t exist in English, and I miss it a lot. Doch (yes). One Erklärung (explanation) for this expression is the sausage itself. It has two endings and it’s just “wurst” where you start. It doesn’t matter. It’s all sausage anyway. Es ist Wurst! (It doesn’t matter!)

Another Erklärung (explanation) is that the expression comes from back in the days, when Metzger (butchers) processed all the parts of Fleisch (meat) that could not be used for anything else, which we call Schlachtabfälle (remains) into Wurst (sausage). That’s still the case, by the way. Thus, the question of what to do with the so called Schlachtabfälle (remains of the slaughtered pieces) was always answered with In die Wurst damit! (“Into the sausage with it”).

So still today, whenever people don’t know exactly what to do or are indifferent to a matter, we say “Ist wurst” – It’s sausage.

ANNA
Meister! Was mache ich mit den Schweinefüßen?
(Master! What shall I do with the pig feet?)

MEISTER
In die Wurst damit!
(Into the sausage with it!)

ANNA
Und mit dem Schweineschwanz?
(And with the pigs tail?)

MEISTER
In die Wurst!
(Into the sausage!)

ANNA
Und mit den Augen und Ohren?
(And with the eyes and ears?)

MEISTER
Alles Wurst!
(It’s all sausage!)

2. Deine Kleidung (The clothes you wear)

I remember taking my friend from Stockholm (Stockholm) to Nürnberg (Nuremberg) the first time, and him being super shocked about the way people dress. I quote: Wow. Den Leuten hier ist es wirklich egal, wie sie aussehen. (Wow. People around here really don’t care about how they look!)

Here’s what he criticized:

There you go! That’s a recipe for how to dress like a German who just doesn’t care. Aber kein Stil ist auch ein Stil (no style is also a style), right?

But of course the residents in some cities are more concerned about grooming than others. In my hometown, München (Munich), for example, which is very anspruchsvoll und teuer (sophisticated and expensive), people like to express their sophistication through their appearance as well. So, in cities like München (Munich) or Frankfurt am Main (Frankfurt am Main), you can also pass as normal (normal) with a Louis Vuitton Handtasche (Louis Vuitton handbag) and a Versace Anzug (Versace suit).

Of course, that’s not the whole story, the truth is that there are all kinds of styles in Deutschland (Germany). And unlike some Scandinavian countries, the whole purpose of dressing is not just to look nice and blend in, but rather das Gegenteil (the opposite): The point is to stick out to express Identität (identity) and eine Meinung (an opinion), of which Germans have many.

3. Zu allem eine Meinung haben (Having an opinion about everything)

Germans are people with Meinungen (opinions), zu allem (About everything). Which may not be so odd. I guess the part where we differ is when we feel the urge to express our Meinungen (opinions) to each and everybody. Shamelessly, mind you!

I remember discussing the usage of Plastiktüten (plastic bags) with the German party chairman Christian Lindner once. I felt that it was more than right that he should face my Kritik (criticism). And that’s exactly the self-evident attitude you need to have to pass like a true German!

KIM
Schatz, ich habe so Hunger! Können wir einen Döner holen?
(Darling, I am so hungry! Can we get a doener?)

DÖNER SALESMAN
Der Nächste, bitte!
(Next, please!)

EVA
Ich wollte Käsespätzle kochen!
(I was going to make spaetzle)

KIM
Du immer mit deinen vegetarischen Gerichten. Langweilig.
(Always you and your vegetarian dishes. Boring.)

DÖNER SALESMAN
Ihr braucht viel zu lange! Wollt ihr einen Döner oder nicht?
(You’re taking way to long! Do you want a doener or not?)

EVA
Nein! Ich finde das total unethisch, was Sie hier treiben. Massentierhaltung ist Tierquälerei, verbraucht zu viele Ressourcen und deutsches Fleisch…
(No! I find what you are doing here totally unethical. Industrial life stock farming is cruelty to animals, takes too many resources and German meat…)

KIM
…enthält zu viel Antibiotika bla bla bla.
(…contains too many antibiotics etc etc.)

EVA
Genau.
(Exactly.)

DÖNER SALESMAN
Der Nächste, bitte!
(Next, please!)

STRANGER IN LINE
Oh Gott. Dann wandern Sie doch aus, wenn es Ihnen nicht passt!
(Oh god. So then emigrate if you don’t like it here!)

DÖNER SALESMAN
Sie brauchen viel zu lange!
(You’re taking way too long!)

EVA
Wer hat jetzt Sie um Ihre Meinung gebeten?
(Who asked for your opinion?)

DÖNER SALESMAN
Wollt ihr einen Döner oder nicht?
(Do you want a doener, or not?)

EVA breathing in to reply. KIM cutting her off.
Ja passt, lass uns Käsespätzle kochen. Hauptsache, weg von hier.
(Fine, let’s cook spaetzle. As long as we get out of here.)

DÖNER SALESMAN
Der Nächste, bitte!
(Next, please!)

The good thing here is that they separated before it got really heated! People interfering in your Gespräch (conversation) like that is not unusual in Deutschland (Germany), and there are two ways how to handle it. One is to make it clear that interference is not wished.

You could say:

The second and much more common way of handling it, though, is to listen to their perspective and then yell at them.

Because as much as you are bothered by somebody sticking their nose into your business, the temptation of striking back with a counterargument should be bigger. After all, as a German, you believe in what you say von ganzem Herzen (With all your heart) and you need to defend your position, and it doesn’t matter if it’s to ein Fremder (a stranger), ein Familienmitglied (a family member), Freunde (friends), you are going to take that Diskussion (discussion)!

And that brings me to my next point.

4. Sich mit Leidenschaft unterhalten (conversing with passion)

It doesn’t matter if you’re discussing Politik (politics), which Germans love to do by the way, or if you’re just talking about your day. Germans have Emotionen (emotions) and Meinungen (opinions), and they’re not afraid of discussing them whenever they seem fit, doesn’t matter with whom, doesn’t matter where they are, doesn’t matter in front of whom they are.

It just needs to get out.

Like watch:

LAURA
In dem Bikini seh ich sicher fett aus.
(I’m sure I look fat in this bikini.)

MOTHER
Ernähre dich lieber gesünder, anstatt es auf den Bikini zu schieben!
(Eat healthier instead of blaming the bikini!)

LAURA
Wie soll ich mich gesund ernähren, wenn du immer so fettig kochst!
(How am I supposed to eat healthy, if you always cook so fatty!)

MOTHER
Koch doch selber! In deinem Alter könnte man das längst erwarten!
(Cook yourself then! At your age, one could expect that long ago!)

SALES GIRL
Kann ich Ihnen helfen?
(Can I help you?)

MOTHER
Ja, meine Tochter ernährt sich schlecht und möchte jetzt den ganzen Sommer nicht baden gehen. Was sagen Sie dazu?
(Yes, my daughter has a bad diet and now does not want to go swimming all summer. What do you say to that?)

SALES GIRL
Ich weiß nicht, was Sie haben. Sie haben beide eine super Figur.
(I don’t know. You both have a great physique.)

MOTHER
Siehst du?
(See?)

That’s what Germans do. You just fight. You fight it out. So next time you are at the mall or on a German train or wherever in the world, don’t forget to speak laut und leidenschaftlich (loudly and passionately). It’s the German thing to do. But be prepared that random strangers might contribute with their opinions, which is also normal (normal).

I actually have a very up-to-date example of how normal (normal) it is. The other day I was in a store to try on some bikinis, and the shop lady just approached me and said: Ich würde den Roten nehmen. Der steht Ihnen viel besser. Der Blaue macht sie so blass. (I would take the red one, it suits you much better. The blue one makes you so pale.) I didn’t ask for her opinion, I didn’t even talk to her. Still, I got her feedback. Which I personally think is awesome. Its always nice to get eine Zweitmeinung (a second opinion). But I know a lot of people think it’s nervig (annoying). But you know, this is the thing about the Offenheit (openness) that you have in Germany. If you find it nervig (annoying), you can just say that.

That’s your Meinung (opinion). And then you can be prepared for them to say their Meinung (opinion), too, that and then you can say your Meinung (opinion). And in the end everybody wins or loses. That’s how you start a conversation in Germany. Sometimes. Toll oder? So gibt es keine Missverständnisse (Great, right? That way there won’t be any misunderstandings).

Was ist deine Meinung? (What is your oppinion?) Do you find it nervig (annoying) to get feedback from strangers or do you, maybe like me, find it hilfreich und interessant (helpfull and interesting). Let me know!

5. Beobachte und imitiere (Observe and imitate)

This is probably the most given but most valuable tip I can give you. Beobachte, was die anderen machen und mache es nach (Watch, what the others are doing and imitate it.)

To help you pick up on subtle behaviors, watch this video about typical German behavior:

In this lesson, I will walk you through all the strange things you could encounter during a normal day in Deutschland (Germany)!

Mein Name ist Spring German Lehrerin Brunhild. Hier kommen 10 Dinge, die du über Deutschland wissen solltest! (Here are ten things, that you should know when coming to Germany!)

1. Bargeld (Cash)

Let’s start in the morning, You’re heading to the Bäckerei (bakery) to buy some Brezeln (pretzels) but you realize there is no Kartengerät (card machine)!

ALEXANDRA
Guten Morgen! Zwei Brezeln und zwei Brötchen, bitte.
(Good morning! Two pretzels and two buns, please. )

BAKERY GIRL
Das macht dann zwei Euro, bitte.
(That makes €2, please.)

ALEXANDRA
Wo stecke ich die Karte rein?
(Where do I put my card?)

BAKERY GIRL
Wir nehmen keine Karte. Nur Bargeld.
(We don’t take card. Only cash.)

ALEXANDRA
Kein Kartengerät? Sind wir hier im Mittelalter?
(No card machine? Are we in the Middle Ages?)

In Deutschland regiert das Bargeld! (In Germany, cash is king!): While in Scandinavia the Bargeld (cash) is almost gone, in Germany you still can’t pay by card in many places! So make sure you can access some fluid dough and make the cash flow.

For more playful and typical German chunks, check out our free essential German chunking kit in the link down below!

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. Links gehen, rechts stehen (Walking to the left, standing to the right)

Don’t we all love the people blocking the Rolltreppe… No. We hate them, actually. Imagine the following scenario: You didn’t have breakfast because your card was no good to the pretzel lady, and now you’re late for work, and there’s people blocking the Rolltreppe (rolling stairs).

I am close to wrestle the Vollidiot (moron) in front of me down the stairs every single time. Sometimes I wish I had a Megaphon (megaphone), with which I could shout into the escalator blockers ear: Links gehen, rechts stehen! (Walking on the left, standing on the right!)

Germany is all about efficiency! There is absolutely no reason not to turn a Rolltreppe (rolling staircase) into a little Autobahn (autobahn) for humans. Where the ones who are in a hurry can run for their life and the ones who wanna chill their life can do so, but on the right side where it is their right to do so!

That way, everyone gets what they want! I’m sure you can guess which one I would be in the scenario, I am always the one running for my life on the left, and that brings me to my next point.

3. Pünktlichkeit (punctuality)

Germans are, in general, punctual people. I’m not, but I also don’t like Bier und Wurst (Beer and Sausage), so I don’t count. Guess who I would be in the following dialogue:

ALEXANDRA
Wo bleibst du? Wir sollten uns schon vor zwei Minuten treffen!
(Where are you? We were supposed to meet 2 minutes ago already!)

LENA
Hi! Du, ich bin ein bisschen verspätet. Der Bus ist mir vor der Nase weggefahren. Und der Nächste kommt erst in zehn Minuten!
(Hi! I am a bit late. The bus left right in front of my nose. And the next one comes in 10 minutes!)

ALEXANDRA
Wieso bist du eigentlich immer spät dran?
(Why are you always late?)

LENA
Was?
(What?)

ALEXANDRA
Kann es sein, dass du meine Zeit nicht respektierst?
(Could it be that you don’t respect my time?)

LENA
Nein, überhaupt nicht! Ich hab mich extra beeilt!
(No, not at all! I really hurried!)

ALEXANDRA
Weißt du was? Fahr wieder heim. Ich werde dieses Mal nicht auf dich warten.
(You know what? Go back home. I am not going to wait for you this time.)

LENA
Hallo?
(Hallo?)

Well, I’m certainly not the one refusing to see her friend because of two minutes. Or ten. But it’s a possible scenario! So don’t count on anyone’s leniency. If you still happen to be late, just

Just kidding, nobody will chop your head off! They will however chop your head off, if you do the following:

4. Bei Rot stehen, bei Grün gehen (Stay when it’s red, walk when it’s green)

When it’s about traffic lights, forget everything I said about efficiency. No jaywalking! Unless there is nobody around to see. Otherwise you might get scolded…

SANDRA crossing the street on red. ALEXANDRA shouting
Stop! Bei Rot stehen, bei Grün gehen!
(Stop! Red means standing, green means walking!)

SANDRA
Es sind doch keine Autos in Sicht!
(There are no cars in sight!)

ALEXANDRA
Halten Sie sich einfach an die Verkehrsregeln! Ist das so schwer?
(Just stick to the traffic rules! Is that so hard?)

Puh! Rough day! Let’s go home and have some dinner to forget about all of this. Except that dinner might not be what you’re expecting…

5. Abendbrot (dinner)

Abendbrot means dinner, but it literally means evening bread… and guess why that is! That’s because it actually is bread that you’re eating in the evening! Okay, obviously you can eat whatever the heck you want, and people do so, but the classical German dinner is served cold. Mostly consists of

Before you turn up your nose, Germany has amazing, delicious, fresh fragrant crunchy medieval farmers bread, which is delish, and if you have any respect of the German prehistoric culture, you will embrace it.

But if you’re struggling that much, you can always flush it down with some nice beer. Just keep the following point in mind:

6. Mit Blickkontakt anstoßen (Toasting without eye contact)

Make sure you look people you’re cheering with straight in the Augen (eyes). Otherwise it’s seven years bad luck in your lovelife or something like that.

SONJA
Prost!
(Cheers!)

KATHA
Prost!
(Cheers!)

SONJA
Wo schaust du hin? Du musst mir in die Augen schauen! Nochmal! Prost.
(Where are you looking? You have to look me in the eyes! Again! Cheers.)

KATHA
Prost?
(Cheers?)

After all that Bier und Brot (beer and bread), you could ask: “Entschuldigung, wo finde ich die Toilette?” (Excuse me, where do I find the bathroom?), where the next surprise is already waiting for you!

7. Die Toiletten (The toilets)

Germans love beautiful constructions, even the ones we make… without even using tools…. you get it. That’s why we have a little shelf in our toilets.

That serves two purposes: 1. We don’t need to feel the splash of the water reaching us down there, which is gross, and 2. We can marvel at our creation before flushing it down. Which is amazing. So If you’re open to widening your horizon and want to learn more about yourself, have a closer look next time you’re visiting a properly engineered German toilet.

8. Ruhestörung (Disturbance of the peace)

So now we had Abendbrot (dinner) and it’s already 10pm and pretty late, which means that the Nachtruhe (night peace) begins. Quiet hours last from 10pm to 8 am. Oh what? Is it Sunday tomorrow? Then the quiet hours actually last… the entire day! Because Sonntag (Sunday) is ein Ruhetag (a day of rest)in Germany, which means that most stores remain geschlossen (closed), and any noise is considered Lärmbelästigung (noise pollution) or Ruhestörung (disturbance of the peace).

So unless you’re a child, whose noises are a “socially acceptable” Ausnahme (exception), you should respect the Sonntag (Sunday). If staying quiet is hard for you, you can always go somewhere else – in die Sauna (the sauna) for example. You can get there by car, which brings me to my next point.

9. Die Autobahn (The autobahn)

If there is one place where you don’t have to worry about noise any time of the day or the year, it’s die deutsche Autobahn (The German Autobahn). Not only can you turn it up as loud as you want, you can also drive as fast as you want. This is the reason for why Germany builds amongst the fastest and most reliable middle class cars. You don’t wanna have a car failure at 160 km/ hour, or 220 km/h, or any speed really.

10. In der Sauna ist man nackt (You’re naked in the sauna)

Now we arrived at today’s final destination, in der Sauna (in the sauna.) In case you’ve always wondered if the rumors about Germans lovin to run around naked a lot are true, the answer is yes. We love it very much. Apparently. So don’t say yes to that Saunabesuch (sauna visit) unless you’re ready to take off those clothes!

SONJA
Kommst du mit in die Sauna?
(Are you coming to the sauna with us?)

ALEXANDRA
Ach, ich weiß nicht. Ich mach mich nicht gern nackt vor anderen Leuten.
(Well, I don’t know. I don’t like getting naked in front of other people.)

SONJA
Wieso denn nicht? Jeder ist nackt. Das ist doch normal hier in Deutschland.
(Why not? Everybody is naked. After all, that is normal here in Germany.)

So, were any of these points shocking to you, or did you already know all of this?

By the way, speaking of normal hier in Deutschland! (normal here in Germany!) There is some typical German behavior which visitors might find strange, but you will know exactly how to interpret them, once you watched this video by spring german teacher Denisa:

Hallo! Ich bin Spring German Lehrerin Denisa (Hello! I’m Spring German teacher Denisa), and in this lesson, you will learn all the chunks you related to German at home, and this is what you will hear when in a German-speaking household.

Be it as a guest or a family member.

Los geht’s! (Let’s go!)

1. German at home: typical food in a German household

In a German household, there are typically three meals a day:

Also, it’s important to eat together, mostly at dinner.

MUTTER
Hast du schon gegessen?
(Have you eaten already?)

TOCHTER
Ja. Ich war bei einer Freundin.
(Yes. I was with a friend.)

MUTTER
Du weißt doch, dass wir zusammen zu Abend essen.
(You know that we eat together for dinner.)

TOCHTER
Entschuldigung, Mama.
(I’m sorry, mum.)

MUTTER
Komm, setz dich an den Tisch mit uns.
(Come, sit at the table with us.)

It’s considered as rude to not sit at least at the table with the family when eating, no matter if you are a guest or family member.

Here are some typical German at home dinners for you:

Abendbrot (light evening meal) is something a lot of foreigners have to get to used to. It’s a dinner where you eat bread, maybe with salad and some leftovers. For Frühstück (breakfast), we eat Brot (bread) a lot, too. Or Brezeln (pretzels).

Other alternatives are:

If you want to learn more chunks for using German at home, check our free essential German chunking kit. Here you can learn a lot of helpful chunks. 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. Commands in German at home

So far it seemed that everything is pretzels and love. Aber nein! (But no!) An average German grews up listening to the following chunks.

Next common command in a German household:

Mach … aus (Turn off…)

Or other examples:

Vergiss nicht … (Don’t forget…)

3. Typical German mom (and her German expressions)

When a mom calls you, she might say simply: Komm her. (Come here.)

When she says that, I was terrified because in 99% of the cases, she showed me something that I messed up.

Also, you weren’t allowed to say “Was?” (what?) or “Was ist?” (What is it?), you have to say “Wie bitte?” (Excuse me?) because it’s more polite. This is important for everyday life for German at home, and even outside it.

MUTTER
DENISA! Komm her!
(DENISA! Come here!)

DENISA
Was?
(What?)

MUTTER
Es heißt nicht “Was?” , es heißt “Wie bitte?”
(You shouldn’t say “what?”, it’s “excuse me?”)

Other sentences of a typical German mom are:

While Ich liebe dich (I love you) is reserved for a romantic relationship, a softer form for family or friends is “Ich hab dich lieb” (I love you).

4. Common German questions at home

The following exchange is a recreation of 70% of my childhood:

DENISA
Darf ich mich mit Annika treffen?
(Can I meet up with Annika?)

MUTTER
Hast du dein Zimmer aufgeräumt?
(Did you clean your room?)

DENISA
Ja.
(Yes.)

MUTTER
Bist du dir sicher?
(Are you sure?)

DENISA
Ja, Mama.
(Yes, mum.)

MUTTER
Wenn ich jetzt hochgehe und Dreck finde, was mache ich dann mit dir?
(When I go up now, and I will find dirt, what do I do to you?)

DENISA
Ich schau lieber nochmal.
(I better look again.)

Wenn ich jetzt hochgehe und Dreck finde, was mache ich dann mit dir? ((When I go up now, and I will find dirt, what do I do to you?) That phrase is magical! The moment my mom says that phrase, dirt just appears!

Did you have discussions like that with your mom too?

Other questions would be:

5. German at home requests

Oh!

This is so embarrassing when it happens! Have you ever ran out of toilet paper and you had to ask someone for it?

Let me know in the video’s comments.

Learn this one:

Now, learn more really important German chunks when speaking about a German family.

Willkommen bei Spring German (Welcome to Spring German)! Ich bin Denisa. Los geht’s! (Let’s go!)

1. Gönnen (To allow yourself, to be happy for someone)

DENISA
Ich hab mir dieses neue Kleid gegönnt.
(I bought myself this new dress.)

VANESSA
Wow. Sieht super schön aus.
(Wow. It looks really great.)

DENISA
Danke. Eigentlich brauche ich es nicht, aber …
(Thanks. Actually, I don’t need it but…)

VANESSA
Manchmal muss man sich auch etwas gönnen.
(Sometimes you got to treat yourself.)

DENISA
Das stimmt. Ich hol mir jetzt ein Bier. Willst du auch eins?
(You’re right. I’m getting a beer. Do you want one, too?)

VANESSA
Nein, danke. Aber gönn es dir!
(No, thanks. But treat yourself!)

As you could see in the dialogue, “gönnen” (to treat oneself) is commonly used to express the idea of allowing oneself or someone else the enjoyment of something. It’s something that older people wouldn’t say but maybe people until their mid 30’s.

Chunk alert!

Gönn es dir! (Treat yourself!) is a chunk you can remember. When someone buys something, wants to take a break or just is treating oneself, you can encourage them by saying: Gönn es dir! (Treat yourself!). It also includes that you are happy for that person.

For more helpful chunks, 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. Läuft bei dir (Things are going well for you)

DENISA
Ich muss dir unbedingt etwas erzählen.
(I really need to tell you something.)

VANESSA
Was denn?
(What is it?)

DENISA
Ich habe eine neue Wohnung gefunden.
(I found a new apartment.)

VANESSA
Wow, wie cool. In welchem Stadtteil?
(Wow, how cool. In which area?)

DENISA
In der Innenstadt. Und sie ist relativ billig. Und der Vermieter ist super nett.
(In the inner city. And it’s pretty cheap. And the landlord is super nice.)

VANESSA
Läuft bei dir!
(Things are going well for you!)

“Läuft bei dir” (Things are going well for you) is an expression that is commonly used to convey a sense of positive or successful outcomes in someone’s life. When someone has passed their exams, found a cheap apartment, won the lottery and so on, you can answer: Läuft bei dir! (Things are going well for you!).

Now, let’s go over to number three.

3. Mukke (Music)

VANESSA
Hörst du das?
(Do you hear that?)

DENISA
Was meinst du?
(What do you mean?)

VANESSA
Die Mukke. Da kriegt man richtig Bock zu tanzen.
(The music. You really feel like dancing.)

DENISA
Ja, stimmt.
(Yes, you’re right.)

In German, “Mukke” (music) is a colloquial way to refer to music. In my opinion, it’s more often used by Millennials than by Gen Z. But if you have other experiences, let me know in the comments below.

Other examples are:

4. Digga, Alter (Dude/Bro)

BEN
Hey Alter, wie geht’s?
(Hey bro, how are you?)

PAUL
Digga, mir geht’s gut, aber ich hab’ kaum geschlafen. Und dir?
(Dude, I’m fine, but I have barely slept. And you?)

BEN
Oh, Mann, okay. Was hast du heute vor?
(Oh, man okay. What are you doing today?)

PAUL
Ich weiß noch nicht, Digga. Du?
(I don’t know yet, dude. You?)

BEN
Ich muss noch ein paar Sachen erledigen, Alter. Sollen wir uns später treffen?
(I need to finish up a few tasks, bro. Should we meet up later?)

PAUL
Klingt gut, Alter. Wir sehen uns!
(Sounds good, bro. See you later!)

These two slang expressions can be used in informal settings with friends, among younger people. You can either say Digga (dude) or Alter (man, bro). They can both replace one another, too. The term “Bro” is also used in Germany. Mostly men will use it while women tend to not use them as much.

However, it’s important to note that their usage will be considered inappropriate or disrespectful in more formal or professional contexts.

Stay tuned because at the end of this video, I will introduce a three-letter-word that describes something that is really exciting.

5. Flexen (To flex, to show off)

DENISA
Darf ich kurz flexen?
(Can I show off for a moment?)

VANESSA
Klar, was hast du dir gegönnt?
(Of course, what did you treat yourself with?)

DENISA
Meiner Mutter hat mir diese Ohrringe geschenkt.
(My mum gifted me these earrings.)

VANESSA
Wow, damit darf man schon mal flexen. Die sind super schön!
(Wow, you can show off with this one. They are really pretty!)

Here’s what ChatGPT tells us about the word “flexen” (to show off):

“In German, “flexen” is a slang term that is derived from the English word “flex” and is commonly used in informal conversations, especially among young people. It is often used to describe showing off, boasting, or flaunting something, usually in a confident or arrogant manner.“

If you don’t know yet what ChatGPT is or how you can use it for your German learning journey, check this video here. I made a whole video about it for you.

The formal version of flexen in German is angeben (to show off). The last sentence in the dialogue would then be:

VANESSA
Wow, damit darf man schon mal angeben. Die sind super schön!
(Wow, you can show off with this one. They are really pretty!)

6. Ghosten (To ghost, to ignore)

VANESSA
Was ist eigentlich aus Paul geworden?
(What did actually happen to Paul?)

DENISA
Er hat mich geghostet.
(He ghosted me.)

VANESSA
Er hat sich einfach nicht mehr gemeldet?
(He just hasn’t reached out anymore?)

DENISA
Ja, genau. Aber das macht nichts. Ich treffe mich jetzt mit Ben.
(Yes, exactly. But that’s alright. I’m meeting Ben now.)

“Ghosten” (to ghost, to ignore) is a slang term that has been borrowed from English and is commonly used in the context of modern dating or relationships. It refers to the act of abruptly cutting off communication with someone without explanation or warning.

The formal version of ghosten (to ghost) is ignorieren (to ignore). Some examples:

7. Lit (lit, cool, awesome)

Lit (lit, cool, awesome) is an English word that you can use the same in english. It’s used to describe something that is exciting or energetic. It conveys a sense of intense enjoyment or a vibrant atmosphere.

Do you know any other slang terms in German? Let me know in the comments below.

Now let’s look at the dialogue I prepared for you.

DENISA
Wie war’s auf dem Festival?
(How was the festival?)

VANESSA
Es war so lit! So viele coole Sänger und Sängerinnen sind da gewesen!
(It was so lit! So many cool singers were there!)

DENISA
Das hört sich gut an. Und die Mukke an sich?
(Sounds good. And what about the music?)

VANESSA
Es war alles lit. Die Menschen, die Mukke, das Wetter …
(Everything was lit. The people, the music, the weather…)

Lit (awesome) is used very commonly as a synonym to:

Also, when talking to Germans, they will not only talk in slang but maybe also use proverbs that you are unfamiliar with.

In this video, I will teach you 10 German names that you are probably mispronouncing. Aber keine Sorge (but don’t worry), that’s why I am here. Let’s start with my co-teacher from Spring German: Brunhild.

Los geht’s! (Let’s go!)

1. Brunhild

DENISA
Wie sprechen die Leute deinen Namen oft aus?
(How do people often pronounce your name?)

BRUNHILD
Brünhild, Brunhild, Bunhild, …

DENISA
Oh Mann. Und wie wird dein Name richtig ausgesprochen?
(Oh man. And how is your name pronounced correctly?)

BRUNHILD
Brunhild.
(Brunhild.)

Chunk alert!

If you are not sure how to pronounce a German name, just ask “Wie wird dein Name richtig ausgesprochen?” (How is your name pronounced correctly?).

Don’t forget that it is no problem to not be sure about things. The important thing is to not be afraid to ask, so you can learn new things. Wie wird dein Name richtig ausgesprochen? (How is your name pronounced correctly?)

Let me know in the comments what your experiences are.

If you want to learn more chunks, so word combinations or phrases, in German, check our free essential German chunking kit. You can learn a lot of helpful chunks there, and I repeat, it’s free. 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

Now you know how to pronounce Brunhild’s name. Let’s continue with the next one, which is this:

2. Jürgen

Can you try to pronounce it correctly? The correct pronunciation is Jürgen. The “Ü” is here the problem for most of the people. My tip for you would be to say “ee” as in “to see”. While saying the sound, round your lips. The resulting sound is the ü-sound.

DENISA
Schau mal, Jürgen macht Sport.
(Look, Jürgen does sports.)

VANESSA
Wow. Es ist erst 8 Uhr. Jürgen ist ganz schön fleißig.
(Wow. It’s only 8 a.m. Jürgen is really hard-working.)

DENISA
Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm.
(The early bird catches the worm.)

A popular German proverb you can remember is: Der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm. (The early bird catches the worm.) Here you can also find the ü-sound in “frühe” (early).

Other words with the ü-sound are:

3. Helene

Try to pronounce this name correctly. Here’s a dialogue for you:

DENISA
Hallo He… Wie wird dein Name richtig ausgesprochen?
(Hello He… How’s your name pronounced correctly?)

HELENE
Helene. Du bist Denisa, oder?
(Helene. You are Denisa, aren’t you?)

DENISA
Ja, genau. Danke. Hallo Helene.
(Yes exactly. Thanks. Hello Helene.)

The correct pronunciation is Helene.

• “heh”: The “h” is pronounced with a slight breath sound, similar to the English “h” in “hello.”
• “LEH”: The “e” is pronounced as a short “e” sound, similar to the “e” in “pet.”
• Also make sure to pronounce the last “e” in the name. In English, it’s often silent.
• Stress the second syllable when pronouncing the name Helene, Helene.

4. Matthias

This name is probably really hard to pronounce for you. The English version of this name is Matthew.

DENISA
Ich habe einen neuen Kollegen.
(I have a new colleague.)

VANESSA
Echt? Ist er nett?
(Really? Is he nice?)

DENISA
Ja, total. Er heißt Matthias.
(Yes, extremely. His name is Matthias.)

VANESSA
Wie schreibt man das?
(How is it spelled?)

There are different spellings for this name:

• Mathias
• Matthias
• Mattias

Also, most of them get the nickname “Matze” in German. But no matter how it’s spelled, here are some tips how to pronounce Matthias.

• “TEE”: The “T” is pronounced as it is in English, and the “EE” is pronounced as a long “ee” sound, similar to the “ee” in “see.”
• “us”: The “u” is pronounced as a short “u” sound, similar to the “u” in “bus”.

5. Stefan

VANESSA
Wer ist das?
(Who is that?)

DENISA
Das ist Stefan.
(That’s Stefan.)

VANESSA
Woher kennst du Stefan?
(How do you know Stefan?)

DENISA
Er war mit mir in der Schule.
(He went to school with me.)

Did you hear the right pronunciation of this typical German name? Yes, correct, it’s Stefan. Here you have to be careful with the “SCH”-sound. Normally “SCH” is written like this and you can find it in words like:

But you must pronounce an as “S” like “SCH” too when it’s followed by a “P” or “T”. Some examples:

There are also different spellings and variations of this name:

• Stephan
• Steffen
• or the female version: Stefanie

6. Can you guess the pronunciation?

I will quickly show you 5 other typical German names. Try to guess the pronunciation and stop the video for some extra time. Let me know how you did in the comments below.

• Sandra
• Lukas
• Hannah
• Jonas
• Gisela

So? I’m very curious how you did. Now to another topic:

DENISA
Das sind ja coole Schuhe!
(These are really cool shoes!)

VANESSA
Danke, die sind neu. Die sind von Adidas.
(Thanks, they’re new. They are from Adidas.)

DENISA
Ah. So spricht man das aus.
(Ah. This is how you say it.)

When visiting Germany, you will certainly have to go through a German airport. What do you need to know about the German airport vocabulary?

Ich bin Denisa von Spring German. Let’s find out in this video! Los geht’s!

1. Die Passkontrolle (Immigration)

When you arrive in Germany, you will have to go through immigration, where an officer will check your passport and possibly ask you a few questions about the purpose of your visit.

POLICE
Willkommen in Deutschland. Einmal Ihren Pass bitte.
(Welcome to Germany. Your passport please.)

DENISA
Danke. Hier, bitte.
(Thank you. Here it is.)

POLICE
Wie lange werden Sie in Deutschland bleiben?
(How long will you stay in Germany?)

DENISA
Eine Woche.
(1 week.)

POLICE
Alles klar. Einen schönen Urlaub noch.
(Alright. I wish you a pleasant vacation.)

Helpful chunks are:

After you collect your luggage, you will go through customs, where officers may inspect your belongings to ensure you are not bringing in prohibited items. Danach geht dein Urlaub richtig los! (After that, your vacation really starts!)

Let’s talk about the transportation options.

2. Ein Taxi oder den Bus nehmen (Taking the taxi or bus)

German airports have various transportation options available, such as

You can go to a Taxistand (taxi stand) or a Bushaltestelle (bus stop) to go to your hotel.

DENISA
Guten Tag. Einmal zum Hotel „Gold“ bitte. Wie lange wird es dauern?
(Good afternoon. To the hotel “Gold” please. How long will it take?)

TAXIFAHRER
Gerne. Wir brauchen zwanzig Minuten bis zum Hotel.
(With pleasure. We will need 20 minutes to the hotel.)

DENISA
Perfekt. Wieviel kostet es?
(Perfect. How much is it?)

TAXI FAHRER
Von hier bis zum Hotel kostet es ungefähr fünfundvierzig Euro.
(From here to the airport, it’s about 45 euros.)

Taking the taxi is expensive, so if you want a cheaper option, nimm den Bus (take the bus.)

Chunk alert!

Wieviel kostet es? (How much is it?) is a chunk you can memorize when visiting Germany. This phrase is commonly used when asking about the price of a product. You can ask, for example:

For more helpful chunks like this, check our free essential German chunking kit. The link is in the description.

Other helpful chunks for taking the taxi or bus are:

When arriving in Germany, whether it’s München, Berlin, Frankfurt (Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt) or another city, you can choose a lot of possible activities for your trip. You can, of course, look for them online, but if you want, feel free to ask the reception in your hotel for some tips. Sie sind dir gerne behilflich. (They are pleased to help you.)

3. Ankunft am Flughafen (Arriving at the airport)

After your vacation you will probably drive back to the airport with a taxi.

TAXI
So da sind wir. Das macht dann einundvierzig Euro.
(Now there we are. It’s 41 euros.)

DENISA
Vielen Dank. Hier das Geld. Machen Sie fünfundvierzig Euro.
(Thank you very much. Here’s the money. Let’s do 45 euros.)

TAXI
Vielen Dank. Eine gute Reise!
(Thanks. I wish you a good journey!)

What I just did here, is: Trinkgeld geben (to give a tip). Literally, this means “giving drinking money”.

When you are arriving at the airport, you need to make sure that you have your Pass und Tickets (passport and tickets) ready. You can also have an e-ticket on your phone, of course. You have to also go to the Gepäckabgabe (baggage drop off).

FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Guten Tag. Haben Sie ein Gepäckstück aufzugeben?
(Good afternoon. Do you have any luggage to check in?)

DENISA
Ja. Ich fliege um 10:30 Uhr nach Berlin. Kommt der Flug rechtzeitig an?
(Yes. I’m flying to Berlin at 10:30 a.m. Is the flight on time?)

FIGHT ATTENDANT
Der Flug ist leider verspätet, voraussichtlich um dreißig Minuten.
(Unfortunately, the flight is delayed, approximately by thirty minutes.)

DENISA
Oh, man. Okay, dafür können Sie nichts. Hier, meine Reisedokumente.
(Oh man. Alright, it’s not your fault. Here, my travel documents.)

Important chunks are:

4. Sicherheitskontrolle (Security check)

SECURITY
Haben Sie irgendwelche großen elektronischen Geräte bei sich, wie ein Laptop oder ein Tablet? Haben Sie irgendwelche Flüssigkeiten bei sich?
(Do you have any large electronic devices with you, like a laptop or tablet? Do you have any liquids with you?)

DENISA
Oh, stimmt. Hier.
(Oh, yes. Here.)

SECURITY
Gut. Schmuck und Gürtel haben Sie ausgezogen. Jetzt dürfen Sie durch.
(Good. You have taken off your jewelry and belt. Now you can go through.)

DENISA
Danke.
(Thanks.)

Sicherheitskontrolle (security check) is the German word for security check. Here you have to stand in line until it’s your turn. Then you put all your large elektronischen Geräte (electric devices) out of your bag. Also, you need to put deinen Gürtel und deinen Schmuck (your belt and your jewelry) in a bin that goes through the scanner.

Same as in other countries, you have to put away your liquids if they contain more than 1 liter. Only liquids of no more than 100 ml each and 1 liter in total are permitted. These include:

Important chunks for the Sicherheitskontrolle (security check) are:

5. Boarding

Gate is Flugsteig (Gate) in German, while Gate is also commonly used. But what about boarding or boarding pass?

DURCHSAGE
Das Boarding beginnt.
(Boarding is starting.)

FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Ihr Ticket bitte.
(Your ticket please.)

DENISA
Hier.
(Here.)

FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Und Ihren Pass brauch ich noch.
(I need your pass too.)

DENISA
Natürlich. Bitte schön.
(Of course. Here.)

FLIGHT ATTENDANT
Danke. Ich wünsche einen schönen Flug.
(Thanks. I wish you a pleasant flight.)

DENISA
Vielen Dank.
(Thank you very much.)

DURCHSAGE
Letzter Aufruf für das Boarding des Fluges SG1234 nach Berlin.
(Final boarding call for flight SG1234 to Berlin.)

Boarding is also the same in German, while we call the boarding pass Ticket (ticket). Also, passport is only Pass (passport) in German.

Helpful chunks for boarding are:

So now you arrived at your next hotel in Berlin, but how do you check in?

In this lesson, I will prepare you for your trip to Germany and everything around German hotels. What chunks do you need to know when checking-in at a German hotel? What is the German hotel vocabulary like?

Let’s find out. Los geht’s!

1. Anreise (arrival)

PAUL
Willkommen im Hotel „Gold”. Haben Sie eine Reservierung?
(Welcome to the hotel “Gold”. Do you have a reservation?)

DENISA
Ja. Auf den Namen “Spring”. Ich habe ein Doppelzimmer für drei Nächte gebucht.
(Yes. For the name “Spring”. I booked a double room for 3 nights.)

PAUL
Ihr Zimmer ist das Zimmer 56. Hier der Schlüssel. Haben Sie weitere Fragen?
(Your room is room 56. Here the key. Do you have further questions?)

DENISA
Ja. Wie lautet das WLAN-Passwort?
(Yes. What’s the Wi-Fi password?)

PAUL
Das Passwort ist ihr Geburtsdatum. Ich wünsche Ihnen einen angenehmen Aufenthalt.
(The password is your birthdate. I wish you a pleasant stay.)

DENISA
Vielen Dank.
(Thank you.)

In German hotels, it is still common to receive an actual key for your room, rather than a key card. This is changing in some newer hotels, but traditional keys are still widely used.

Chunk alert!

“Auf den Namen Spring” (on the name Spring) is a chunk you can learn by heart. Of course, with your actual name in it.

Normally we would have to split this up and talk about the grammar behind it if we were in a normal classroom. But the great thing about chunks is that you can just learn them by heart without the grammar behind it.

Auf den Namen… (on the name …) should be your answer as soon as the receptionist asks “Haben Sie eine Reservierung?” (Do you have a reservation?) or “Auf welchen Namen haben Sie reserviert?” (On which name have you reserved the room?)

If you want to learn more about the most common 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

Other important phrases you should know bei deiner Ankunft (at your arrival):

2. Frühstück, Mittagessen, Abendessen (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

DENISA
Ab wieviel Uhr gibt es Frühstück?
(Starting what time is breakfast?)

PAUL
Frühstück gibt’s von sieben bis zehn Uhr. Mittagessen bieten wir leider nicht an. Aber unser Abendbuffet steht ab 18 Uhr bereit.
(Breakfast is from 7 to 10 o’clock. Unfortunately, we don’t serve lunch. But our dinner buffet is ready at 6 p.m.)

DENISA
Super, vielen Dank.
(Great, thank you.)

In German hotels, breakfast is typically a large and important meal, with a wide range of options including:

Breakfast is often included in the room rate and is typically served in a communal breakfast room.

Helpful chunks here are:

3. Aktivitäten buchen (booking activities)

When you are in Germany, you, of course, want to explore the city you are in. Because I am in Bavaria, I will refer to Munich, but Berlin is a must-see, too. Here’s a possible conversation with your receptionist:

DENISA
Haben Sie Tipps für Aktivitäten in der Umgebung?
(Do you have tips for activities in the area?)

PAUL
Da gibt es viele. Wie wäre es mit dem Oktoberfest?
(There are a lot. How about the Oktoberfest?)

DENISA
Das klingt gut. Haben Sie einen Reiseführer da?
(That sounds good. Do you have a travel guide here?)

PAUL
Natürlich. Hier bitte.
(Of course. Here it is.)

If you want to book activities, you can either ask for a travel guide in your hotel or let them book a trip for you. If you don’t want to book them in your hotel, you can, of course, also book them online through TripAdvisor, GetYourGuide and other platforms, for example.

Helpful phrases here are:

4. Andere Anfragen (other requests)

What if you want to change the room because of problems, the towels are missing, or you want to find the smoking area? Here are possible phrases for you:

DENISA
Entschuldigung, kann ich bitte ein neues Zimmer haben? Ich habe ein Doppelzimmer gebucht. Ich habe aber ein Einzelzimmer bekommen.
(Excuse me, can I have a new room, please? I booked a double room. But I got a single room.)

PAUL
Natürlich. Entschuldigen Sie die Unannehmlichkeiten. Ich bereite Ihnen sofort ein neues vor.
(Of course. Sorry for the inconvenience. I will immediately prepare a new one for you.)

—

DENISA
Entschuldigung? In meinem Zimmer fehlen die Handtücher.
(Excuse me? The towels are missing in my room.)

PAUL
Das darf natürlich nicht sein. Hier haben Sie welche.
(Of course that shouldn’t be the case. Here you have some.)

—

DENISA
Entschuldigung, wo finde ich den Raucherbereich?
(Excuse me, where do I find the smoking area?)

PAUL
In unserem Hotel ist das Rauchen leider nicht gestattet. Sie können jedoch gerne vor unserem Hotel rauchen.
(In our hotel, smoking is forbidden. But you can smoke in front of our hotel.)

Smoking is generally not allowed in public areas of hotels in Germany, and many hotels have entirely non-smoking rooms. In contrast, some countries (such as Japan) may still allow smoking in certain areas of hotels.

If you have other requests, the important thing to remember is to start with “Entschuldigung” (Sorry) or “Entschuldigen Sie bitte” (Excuse me please). After that, you can say Kann ich bitte … (Can I please… ) and then your request.

Some examples:

Another important issue that can appear: Germany uses the Type F electrical plug, which has two round prongs. Make sure to bring an adapter if your devices use a different type of plug. Here you can ask:

• Haben Sie einen Adapter für die Steckdose? (Do you have an adapter for the plug?)

5. Abreise (departure)

PAUL
War alles in Ordnung?
(Was everything alright?)

DENISA
Ja, vielen Dank.
(Yes, thank you very much.)

PAUL
Möchten Sie bar oder mit Karte zahlen?
(Do you want to pay cash or with card?)

DENISA
Mit Karte bitte
(With card please.)

PAUL
Kein Problem. Brauchen Sie Hilfe mit ihrem Gepäck?
(No problem. Do you need help with your luggage?)

DENISA
Nein, danke. Das Taxi steht schon vor der Tür.
(No, thanks. The taxi is already in front of the door.)

In Germany, check-in times are usually in the mid-afternoon (3-4 pm) and check-out times are typically in the morning (10-11 am). This can be earlier than in some other countries.

Ich bin Denisa von Spring German. Here are my top 5 tips to be really motivated again! Go get your notebook to take notes. Los geht’s !

1. Du brauchst einen guten Grund, um motiviert zu bleiben (You need a good reason to stay motivated)

DENISA
Wieso willst du Deutsch lernen?
(Why do you want to learn German?)

VANESSA
Weil es im Lebenslauf gut aussieht?
(Because it looks good in the CV?)

DENISA
Das glaube ich dir nicht. Du musst einen Grund haben, der dich motiviert.
(I don’t believe you. You need a reason that motivates you.)

Motivation depends a lot on how good your reason is to learn German. If you just want to learn German to improve your Lebenslauf (CV), you won’t be successful because the reason is too weak. So if that’s the case, it’s important to look for better reasons to stay motivated long-term.

Chunk alert!

“Das glaube ich dir” (I believe you) can be translated to “I believe you” in English. It is often used to express trust or faith in what someone has said. You can, of course, not believe the person in front of you. In that case, you can say “Das glaube ich dir nicht” (I don’t believe you).

If you don’t know what chunks are: Chunks are word combinations or phrases that are commonly used by native speakers and that you can learn by heart without the grammar behind it. For more helpful chunks like this, 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

It’s not about passing a German course, it’s not about learning a ton of vocabulary at once.

Es geht um … (It’s about…) traveling to German-speaking countries and really get to know the people and culture! Es geht um… (It’s about… ) improving your relationship with your community, with your friends, and with that special someone.

2. Deutsch lernen muss relevant für dich sein (Learning german needs to be relevant to you)

DENISA
Du kannst zum Beispiel einen Trip nach Deutschland als Motivation nehmen.
(You can, for example, take a trip to Germany as your motivation.)

VANESSA
Ich kann leider nicht nach Deutschland. Ich muss arbeiten.
(Unfortunately, I can’t go to Germany. I have to work.)

DENISA
Das macht nichts …
(It doesn’t matter…)

VANESSA
Aber ich habe deutsche Freunde.
(But I have German friends.)

DENISA
Na schau! Das ist doch perfekt. Wenn du Deutsch mit denen sprichst, freuen sie sich bestimmt.
(Well, look at that! That’s perfect. If you talk to them in German, they will surely be pleased.)

You can try to make German more relevant to your life. If you don’t have the opportunity to live in a German-speaking country, maybe you can go there on a trip. If you can’t go on a trip, maybe you can go to the neighborhoods in your city where there are more German-speakers, mit denen du üben kannst (to practice with.)

If that’s not a possibility, make it a point to go to a German restaurant and order in German. Even if it’s something simple like: Ein Bier bitte. (A beer, please.)

The more relevant the language is for you, the easier it is to apply what you learned right away. And as a result, your motivation will go up.

3. Lokale Sprachentreffen (Local language meet-ups)

Find local groups to practice German with. Could be natives, but could also be other people that practice the language. You can find these type of gatherings more and more all around the world. Es lohnt sich, danach zu googeln. (It’s worth doing some googling about it.) Maybe you’ll find a coffee shop where people meet to practice German every week!

DENISA
Sollen wir mal nach Tandems in der Nähe googeln?
(Should we google for tandems close by?)

VANESSA
Ich denke, ich bin zu schüchtern dafür. Was ist, wenn sie viel besser sprechen als ich?
(I think I’m too shy for that. What if they speak way better than I do?)

DENISA
Das macht nichts. Aber wenn du dich wohler fühlst, kannst du auch erstmal online anfangen
(That doesn’t matter. But if you feel more comfortable with it, you can first start online.)

You can also find tandems online, of course, e.g. in tandem apps, or you book language tutors that you can find online. Interactions like that will keep you motivated.

Remember that a lot of German speakers want to practice their English, too!

4. Nutze Hilfsmittel, die dich interessieren (Use assistive devices that interest you)

DENISA
Welches Thema interessiert dich?
(Which topic interests you?)

VANESSA
Ich lerne gerade viel über das Gärtnern.
(I’m learning a lot about gardening at the moment.)

DENISA
Perfekt. Schaue YouTube-Videos oder Serien auf Deutsch darüber.
(Perfect. Watch YouTube videos or series in German about it.)

VANESSA
Das ist eine gute Idee.
(That’s a good idea.)

Find interesting material like YouTube videos, books, podcasts, series, Reddit threads, movies and songs. Having boring material or that simply doesn’t interest you is very bad for motivation.

Use material about subjects that already interest you. If you’re into gardening, Schaue Videos übers Gärtnern. (Watch videos about gardening.) If you’re into soccer, watch soccer matches but with commentary in German.

Du magst zum Beispiel die Serie “Dark”. (For example, you like the series “Dark”.)

Once you binge-watched the whole thing, you can google articles in German about it. You’re going to read and understand much easier an article about that series.

5. Arbeite in kleinen Schritten (Work in small steps)

DENISA
Arbeite in kleinen Schritten.
(Work in small steps.)

VANESSA
Wieso ist das wichtig?
(Why is that important?)

DENISA
Weil du schneller deine Ziele erreichst und so motiviert bleibst.
(Because you reach your goals faster, and you stay motivated that way.)

It’s better to have small goals that can be reached within a week or 2 weeks. This keeps you motivated, and you get more often the feeling that you achieved something.

You can start with something small, for example:

6. Summary for the best motivation to learn German

Everyone is lazy from time to time. Das Wichtige ist (The important thing is) that you don’t give up. Learning language is your thing, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. Here is a little summary for you:

• Finde einen Grund, der dich motiviert. (Find a reason that motivates you). Of course, it looks good on your Lebenslauf (CV), but why do you really want this? Is your boyfriend or girlfriend from Germany or do you need it for your job? You need to find good reasons to stay motivated, and just learning for the CV isn’t enough.
• Es muss relevant für dich sein. (It needs to be relevant for you.) When you found your motivation, include it in your routine. Even if it’s just ordering ein Bier (a beer) in a German restaurant.
• Finde Leute zum Üben. (Find people to practice with.) You can go to local language meetings or practice online if you want. If you find the right people, it will keep you motivated and make it a lot more fun!
• Nutze Hilfsmittel die dich interessieren. (Use assistive devices that interest you.) It’s no shame to learn through social media, movies or series. Im Gegenteil (On the contrary), it will help you a lot using these tools to learn more about your hobbies, for example.
• Arbeite in kleinen Schritten. (Work in small steps.) You will not be a pro in a day. Sprachenlernen braucht Zeit. (Learning languages takes time.) Start small and Sei stolz auf dich (Be proud of you).

I’ve given more tips for your German learning journey in this video right here. See you there!

Ich bin Spring German Lehrerin Brunhild. Heute sprechen wir über Kleidung! (Today, we speak about clothes in German!)

1. Unterwäsche (Underwear)

Let’s start our Klamotten (clothes) journey by listing the clothes touching our skin. When we get dressed, we first put on Unterwäsche (underwear). Which means:

When I was little, I also used to wear a so called Unterhemd (chemise). But I haven’t worn that in years. Is that still a thing? Does anyone still wear those? Let me know, I am really curious.

LENA
Das sind aber schöne Socken!
(Those are nice socks!)

SAGA
Danke, die sind neu.
(Thanks, they’re new!)

LENA
Die stehen dir super!
(They look good on you!)

CHUNK ALERT!

“Die stehen dir super” or “Das steht dir super” (This looks great on you, lit.: This dresses you super) is something we say to compliment someone on their choice of outfit.

For more useful word combinations that natives use all the time, click the link in the description. You’ll find our essential German Chunking kit to download for free. Sounding like a native has never been easier!

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. Sommerkleidung (Clothes for the summer)

Im Sommer (In summer), we obviously are dressed a bit lighter. We could wear the following clothes on the torso:

And in more formal contexts, we might even add

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

HUSBAND
Welchen findest du besser?
(Which do you think is better?)

DAISY
Ich kann mich nicht entscheiden. Die sind beide gut.
(I can’t make up my mind. They’re both good.)

HUSBAND
Einer muss dir doch mehr zusagen.
(One must appeal to you more.)

DAISY
Schätzchen, du siehst doch sowieso toll aus. Wir nehmen den hier.
(Honey, you look great either way. We’ll take this one.)

Since walking around with bare butt or bare legs could get us unwelcomed attention, let’s have a look at what we can wear bellybutton down. In Summer, that could be:

SAGA
Wow! Ich mag dein Outfit heute! Das Kleid ist schön!
(Wo! I like your outfit today! That dress is beautiful!)

LENA
Danke! Hab ich bei Zalando gekauft.
(Thank you! I bought it from Zalando.)

SAGA
Zalando hat immer so schöne Sachen. Und wo hast du die Sonnenbrille gekauft?
(Zalando always has such nice things. And where did you buy the sunglasses?)

LENA
Die war ein Geschenk von meinem Freund.
(They were a gift from my boyfriend.)

SAGA
Behalte ihn.
(Keep him.)

The nice thing about Sommer (summer) is, that we can also just wear a single rag, like ein Sommerkleid (a summer dress) or ein Dirndl (a dirndl)!

SAGA
Hübsches Dirndl!
(Nice Dirndl!)

MARIE
Danke! Ich gehe auf das Oktoberfest! Möchtest du mitkommen?
(Thank you! I am going to the Oktoberfest! Are you joining?)

SAGA
Geht nicht. Ich hab kein Dirndl.
(I can’t. I have no Dirndl.)

Das Oktoberfest is a world-famous Volksfest (folk-festival), to which women wear a “Dirndl” (dirndl) and guys wear Lederhosen (Leather pants). What do you think, is it a pretty outfit? I think it’s very fesch (good-looking)!

3. Winterkleidung (winter clothes)

In Winter (winter) however, we might wanna wear something on top of all those Blusen (blouses) and Hemden (shirts) to be even warmer. It could be:

SALES GIRL
Guten Tag! Kann ich Ihnen helfen?
(Hello! May I help you?)

LENA
Guten Tag! Ich suche einen flauschigen Pullover für den Winter.
(Hello! I am looking for a fluffy sweater for the winter.)

SALES GIRL
Welche Größe haben Sie?
(What is your size?)

LENA
Sechsundreißig.
(36.)

SALES GIRL
Folgen Sie mir bitte.
(Follow me, please.)

Now, let’s not forget that keeping warm isn’t just about the Oberkörper (torso)! We also have a Kopf, Hals and Ohren (head, neck and ears)! Here we could wear:

And what do we wear bellybutton down? In winter, we could wear eine lange Hose (long pants) like Jeans (jeans) or eine Wollhose (wool pants).

4. Schuhe (shoes)

In summer, we can go barfuß (barefoot) or wear

5. Accessoires (accessoires)

LENA
Diese Brille ist sehr hübsch. Ich glaube, die nehme ich.
(These glasses are very pretty. I think I’ll take them.)

There are accessoires which fill a practical purpose, such as:

HUSBAND
Warum weinst du?
(Why are you crying?)

DAISY
Mir sind zwei Perlen aus meiner Armbanduhr rausgefallen. Schau!
(Two pearls fell out of my wristwatch. Look!)

HUSBAND
Das macht doch nichts. Dann kaufen wir eben eine neue!
(No worries. We’ll just buy a new one then!)

DAISY?
Die kannst du nicht einfach so neu kaufen. Die ist aus Kasachstan.
(You can’t just buy a new one. It’s from Kasachstan.)

What are you gonna do? Women love their Perlen (pearls)! Popular Schmuck (jewellery) is also:

DAISY
Bist du fertig?
(Are you ready)

HUSBAND
Fertig für was?
(Ready for what?)

DAISY
Hast du es vergessen? Wir müssen zum Juwelier. Ich brauche neue Ohrringe.
(Did you forget? We have to go to the jeweller. I need new earrings.)

HUSBAND
Ach so, ja, ganz vergessen. Ich hole meine Jacke.
(Oh, right, I completely forgot. I’ll get my jacket.)

DAISY
Ja, dann hopp.
(Well, then chop chop!)

6. Quiz about clothes in German

• Was trägt die Frau? (What is the woman wearing?) //
  • Die Frau trägt Socken. (The woman is wearing socks.)
• Was trägt der Mann? (What is the man wearing?) //
  • Der Mann trägt einen Gürtel. (The man is wearing a belt.)
• Was trägt die Frau? (What is the woman wearing?) //
  • Die Frau trägt einen Pullover. (The woman is wearing a sweater.)
• Was trägt der Mann? (What is the man wearing?) //
  • Der Mann trägt eine Krawatte. (The man is wearing a tie.)
• Was trägt die Frau? (What is the woman wearing?) //
  • Die Frau trägt eine Brille. (The woman is wearing glasses.)
• Was trägt die Frau? (What is the woman wearing?) //
  • Die Frau trägt ein Kleid. (The woman is wearing a dress.)
• Was trägt der Mann? (What is the man wearing? //
  • Der Mann trägt eine Armbanduhr. (The man is wearing a wristwatch.)

Great job! Now you know how to dress yourself according to every weather.