25 Useful German Phrases for Everyday Conversations
Useful German phrases should help you continue an exchange, not only open it. Learn introductions, polite requests, clarification questions and simple replies as complete units. These 25 phrases cover those jobs, with English translations and formal or informal cues. Practise both sides of a short dialogue, then change one detail so the language becomes reusable.
Published 30 August 2026 · Updated 13 October 2026
A phrase list is most useful when it lets you do something: ask, answer, clarify or politely decline. These twenty-five lines give you those jobs. They are not a claim that twenty-five sentences cover every situation.
Start and finish an exchange
German phrase
English
Use
Hallo!
Hello!
General greeting.
Guten Tag!
Hello! / Good day!
More formal greeting.
Ich heiße …
My name is …
Introduction.
Wie heißen Sie?
What is your name?
Formal address.
Freut mich.
Pleased to meet you.
After an introduction.
Tschüss!
Bye!
Informal farewell.
Auf Wiedersehen!
Goodbye!
More formal farewell.
Ask politely and respond
German phrase
English
Bitte.
Please. / You’re welcome. / Here you are.
Danke.
Thank you.
Entschuldigung.
Excuse me. / Sorry.
Ich hätte gern einen Kaffee.
I’d like a coffee.
Kann ich mit Karte bezahlen?
Can I pay by card?
Wie viel kostet das?
How much does that cost?
Wo ist der Bahnhof?
Where is the station?
Haben Sie Zeit?
Do you have time?
Ja, gern.
Yes, gladly.
Nein, danke.
No, thank you.
Bitte does several jobs; its meaning follows the exchange. After thanks it means you’re welcome. With a request it means please. When handing something over it can mean here you are. Learn those moments rather than assigning it one permanent English translation.
Keep the conversation understandable
German phrase
English
Ich lerne Deutsch.
I’m learning German.
Ich verstehe das nicht.
I don’t understand that.
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
Could you repeat that, please?
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
Could you speak more slowly, please?
Was bedeutet das?
What does that mean?
Wie sagt man das auf Deutsch?
How do you say that in German?
Ich habe eine Frage.
I have a question.
Kein Problem.
No problem.
The Sie questions address someone formally. An informal singular version of the repetition request is Kannst du das bitte wiederholen? Changing Sie to du also changes können to kannst; do not swap only the pronoun.
A dialogue worth rehearsing
You:Entschuldigung. Wo ist der Bahnhof? Other person:Der Bahnhof ist dort. You:Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? Other person:Dort. Links. You:Danke. Other person:Bitte.
You asked where the station is, heard “there”, requested repetition and received “there, on the left”. Practise the response as well as the question. Otherwise your carefully prepared line ends exactly where understanding should start.
Turn a phrase into a pattern
Ich hätte gern einen Kaffee uses masculine accusative einen. With feminine die Frage, use Ich habe eine Frage. For a neuter water request, Ich hätte gern ein Wasser asks for a serving of water. Articles change with the noun; the sentence is not a template whose last word you can replace without checking.
Choose three lines and use them without looking. Your goal today is an understandable request, an understood reply and one clarification when needed. That is a conversation, even if it is a short one.