Use at least 25 essential German words and phrases for greetings, courtesy, numbers, food, transport, accommodation, and directions.
Introduce yourself and state basic needs using simple memorized sentences.
Ask for and understand basic information about prices, times, locations, and directions.
Handle a short hotel, restaurant, shop, or transportation interaction using simple German and appropriate polite forms.
German survival language is built from short, polite phrases. Use “Guten Tag” for “Hello/Good day,” “Danke” for “Thank you,” and “Bitte” for both “Please” and “You’re welcome.” To introduce yourself, say “Ich heiße …” or “Ich bin …” For a basic need, use “Ich möchte …” (I would like …) or “Ich brauche …” (I need …). “Sprechen Sie Englisch?” asks, “Do you speak English?”
Useful travel questions include “Wie viel kostet das?” (How much does that cost?), “Wo ist …?” (Where is …?), and “Wann fährt der Zug?” (When does the train leave?). Important direction words are “links” (left), “rechts” (right), “geradeaus” (straight ahead), “hier” (here), and “dort” (there). “Der Bahnhof” means the train station, “die Bushaltestelle” the bus stop, and “das Hotel” the hotel.
In a restaurant, say “Eine Speisekarte, bitte” (A menu, please), “Ich möchte einen Kaffee” (I would like a coffee), and “Die Rechnung, bitte” (The bill, please). In a shop, “Wie viel kostet das?” and “Ich nehme das” (I’ll take that) are useful. At a hotel, say “Ich habe eine Reservierung” (I have a reservation) and “Mein Name ist …” (My name is …). Numbers such as “eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf” help with prices, room numbers, and times. When you do not understand, say “Ich verstehe nicht” or “Noch einmal, bitte” (Again, please).
