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Learn German ten words at a time

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Ten short games: the 102 most useful German words and expressions you could live on for years, from greetings and ordering food to numbers, small talk and getting around. Play a lesson in the box beside its words, and the next one starts itself.

Half-timbered houses and medieval towers along the Plönlein in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Challenge
German challenge
12 questions from the 102 phrases, new every time
Francisco Conde Sánchez, CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
German · 0 of 10 lessons passed

Greetings and politeness

Hello, please, thank you, sorry: the ten openers everything else builds on.

HalloHAH-loh
Hello
Guten MorgenGOO-ten MOR-gen
Good morning
Guten AbendGOO-ten AH-bent
Good evening
Auf Wiedersehenowf VEE-der-zayn
Goodbye
Tschüsschewss
See you
BitteBIT-teh
Please
DankeDAHN-keh
Thank you
Gern geschehenGERN geh-SHAY-en
You're welcome
Tut mir leidtoot meer LITE
Sorry
Entschuldigungent-SHOOL-dee-goong
Excuse me
Freut michFROYT mikh
Nice to meet you
The rocky summit of the Zugspitze in the Bavarian Alps
Greetings and politeness
11 words · 20 seconds each · 9 of 11 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
Octagon, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Order anything by pointing

I would like, this one, how much, the bill: survive any counter or menu.

Ich hätte gern...ikh HET-teh GERN
I would like...
Dieses hierDEE-zes HEER
This one
Was kostet das?vas KOS-tet das
How much is it?
Die Rechnung, bittedee REKH-noong, BIT-teh
The bill, please
Mit Kartemit KAR-teh
By card
BarBAR
In cash
WasserVAS-er
Water
KaffeeKAF-ay
Coffee
Teetay
Tea
BierBEER
Beer
Ohne...OH-neh
Without...
The Berlin Wall and its guarded border strip in 1986
Order anything by pointing
11 words · 20 seconds each · 9 of 11 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
Noir, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Yes, no and the essentials

The small words that carry half of every conversation, and the ones that rescue it.

JaYAH
Yes
NeinNINE
No
Okayoh-KAY
Okay
Ich verstehe nichtikh fer-SHTAY-eh nikht
I don't understand
Sprechen Sie Englisch?SHPREKH-en zee ENG-lish
Do you speak English?
Können Sie das wiederholen?KUR-nen zee das vee-der-HOH-len
Can you repeat that?
Langsamer, bitteLAHNG-zah-mer, BIT-teh
Slowly, please
Was ist das?vas IST das
What is this?
Ich brauche...ikh BROW-kheh
I need...
Können Sie mir helfen?KUR-nen zee meer HEL-fen
Can you help me?
A historic edition of the Luther Bible in German
Yes, no and the essentials
10 words · 20 seconds each · 8 of 10 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
Torsten Schleese, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Counting to ten

One to ten, for prices, platforms, rooms and how many beers.

EinsINES
One
ZweiTSVYE
Two
DreiDRY
Three
VierFEER
Four
FünfFUENF
Five
SechsZEKS
Six
SiebenZEE-ben
Seven
AchtAKHT
Eight
NeunNOYN
Nine
ZehnTSAYN
Ten
The Semperoper opera house on Theaterplatz in Dresden
Counting to ten
10 words · 20 seconds each · 8 of 10 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
Avda, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Shops and hotels

Open, closed, a bag, the wifi password: the checkout and the front desk.

Haben Sie...?HAH-ben zee
Do you have...?
Wo ist...?voh IST
Where is...?
Geöffnetgeh-URF-net
Open
Geschlossengeh-SHLOS-en
Closed
Eine Tüte?EYE-neh TUE-teh
A bag?
Zu teuertsoo TOY-er
Too expensive
Ich habe eine Reservierungikh HAH-beh EYE-neh reh-zer-VEER-oong
I have a reservation
Ist das Frühstück inbegriffen?ist das FRUE-shtuek IN-beh-grif-en
Is breakfast included?
Wie ist das WLAN-Passwort?vee ist das VAY-lahn PAS-vort
What's the wifi password?
Darf ich...?DARF ikh
Can I...?
Frankfurt’s financial district and skyline beside the River Main
Shops and hotels
10 words · 20 seconds each · 8 of 10 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
Dr. Thomas Liptak, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cafe and restaurant

A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen.

Einen Tisch für zwei, bitteEYE-nen TISH fuer TSVYE, BIT-teh
A table for two
Die Speisekarte, bittedee SHPYE-zeh-kar-teh, BIT-teh
The menu, please
Was empfehlen Sie?vas emp-FAY-len zee
What do you recommend?
Ich esse kein...ikh ES-eh KINE
I don't eat...
Ich bin allergisch gegen...ikh bin ah-LER-gish GAY-gen
I'm allergic to...
FleischFLYSH
Meat
HähnchenHAYN-khen
Chicken
FischFISH
Fish
Es ist leckeres ist LEK-er
It's delicious
ProstPROHST
Cheers
Outdoor tables at Café Allegro in the Kreuzviertel district of Dortmund, Germany
Cafe and restaurant
10 words · 20 seconds each · 8 of 10 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
Joehawkins, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Meeting people

How are you, what is your name, where are you from, I like it: the first five minutes.

Wie geht es Ihnen?vee GAYT es EE-nen
How are you?
Mir geht es gutmeer GAYT es GOOT
I'm fine, thanks
Und Ihnen?oont EE-nen
And you?
Wie heißen Sie?vee HY-sen zee
What's your name?
Ich heiße...ikh HY-seh
My name is...
Woher kommen Sie?voh-HAIR KOM-en zee
Where are you from?
Ich komme aus...ikh KOM-eh ows
I'm from...
Das gefällt mirdas geh-FELT meer
I like it
Es ist wunderschönes ist VOON-der-shurn
It's beautiful
Willkommenvil-KOM-en
Welcome
Forested ridges and valleys seen from Hohfelsen in the Black Forest
Meeting people
10 words · 20 seconds each · 8 of 10 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
MWolf89, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Getting around

Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet.

Wo ist die Toilette?voh IST dee toy-LET-eh
Where is the toilet?
Wie komme ich zum...?vee KOM-eh ikh tsoom
How do I get to...?
Nach linksnakh LINKS
To the left
Nach rechtsnakh REKHTS
To the right
Geradeausge-RAH-deh-ows
Straight ahead
HierHEER
Here
BahnhofBAHN-hohf
Train station
BusBOOS
Bus
FlughafenFLOOK-hah-fen
Airport
Eine Fahrkarte, bitteEYE-neh FAR-kar-teh, BIT-teh
One ticket, please
A traditional Bavarian lunch in Germany
Getting around
10 words · 20 seconds each · 8 of 10 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
User: (WT-shared) Jakednb at wts wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 1.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Time and days

Now, later, tomorrow, what time it opens and one moment please.

JetztYETST
Now
SpäterSHPAY-ter
Later
HeuteHOY-teh
Today
MorgenMOR-gen
Tomorrow
Heute AbendHOY-teh AH-bent
Tonight
Wann?VAN
When?
Wann machen Sie auf?van MAKH-en zee OWF
What time does it open?
Einen Moment, bitteEYE-nen mo-MENT, BIT-teh
One moment, please
Minutenmee-NOO-ten
Minutes
StundenSHTOON-den
Hours
The Brandenburg Gate illuminated at dusk in Berlin
Time and days
10 words · 20 seconds each · 8 of 10 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Help and emergencies

The words you hope to never need.

Hilfe!HIL-feh
Help!
Rufen Sie einen ArztROO-fen zee EYE-nen ARTST
Call a doctor
Polizeipo-li-TSYE
Police
Apothekeah-po-TAY-keh
Pharmacy
KrankenhausKRAN-ken-hows
Hospital
Ich habe mich verlaufenikh HAH-beh mikh fer-LOW-fen
I'm lost
Mir ist nicht gutmeer IST nikht GOOT
I don't feel well
Es wurde gestohlenes VOOR-deh ge-SHTOH-len
It was stolen
Es ist ein Notfalles ist ine NOHT-fal
It's an emergency
Lassen Sie mich in RuheLAS-en zee mikh in ROO-eh
Leave me alone
Central Leipzig seen from the City-Hochhaus
Help and emergencies
10 words · 20 seconds each · 8 of 10 to pass
What it meansHow to say it
Derbrauni, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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