Speaking German may seem difficult when it really isn't. A few important sentences and phrases will be of great help to you, especially if you are trying to communicate with a new friend from Germany, or when you are traveling all over Germany. Keep reading to find out how to make a great impression in Germany.
Step
Part 1 of 4: Describing Yourself in German
Step 1. Learn how to talk to people about your age and birthday
- Ich bin_Jahre alt=""Image" – I am _ years old</li" />
- Ich bin am _ 19_ geboren – I was born on _ 19_
- Mein Geburtstag ist am _ – My birthday is on _
Step 2. Talk about your height
Here are general statements about height. Keep in mind that Germany uses the metric system, just like Indonesia, so if you want to be more accurate there shouldn't be a problem as you don't need to convert.
- Ich bin groß/klein – I'm tall/short
- Ich bin ziemlich groß/klein – I'm a bit tall/short
Step 3. Tell others about your hair and eye color
- Ich habe braune/blaue/grüne Augen – I have brown/blue/green eyes
- Ich habe braune/blonde/schwarze/rote Haare – I have brown/blonde/black/red hair
Step 4. Describe how you feel and some of your personality traits
Being able to say something more personal about yourself can form a connection with the person you're talking to.
- Ich bin müde – I'm tired
- Mir ist kalt – I'm cold
- Mir ist warm – I feel warm
- Ich bin froh – I'm happy (about something)
- Ich bin traurig – I'm sad
- Ich bin nervös – I'm nervous
- Ich bin geduldig – I am patient/I am a patient person
- Ich bin ungeduldig – I'm impatient/I'm an impatient person
- Ich bin ruhig – I am calm/I am a calm person
- Ich bin unruhig – I'm restless
Part 2 of 4: Describing Your Family in German
Step 1. Familiarize yourself with the vocabulary to describe each family member
If you want to give your German acquaintances and friends an overall picture of yourself, knowing how to talk about your immediate family can add a level of completeness to the picture.
- Meine Mutter – My mother
- Mein Vater – My dad
- Mein Brother – My brother
- Meine Schwester – My sister
- Mein Mann – My husband
- Meine Frau – My wife
Step 2. Talk about the physical and personality attributes of your family members
Here, you can use the same vocabulary that you previously used to describe yourself. If you're still a little awkward speaking German, just use the following explanation.
- Meine Mutter/Schwester/Frau ist groß/klein – My mother/sister/wife is tall/short
- Sie hat braune/blaue/grüne Augen – He has brown/blue/green eyes
- Mein Vater/Brother/Mann ist groß/klein – Father/Brother/My husband is tall/short
- Er hat braune/blaue/grüne Augen – He has brown/blue/green eyes
- Meine Mutter/Schwester/Frau ist freundlich – My mother/sister/wife is friendly
- Mein Vater/Brother/Mann ist lustig – My dad/Brother/Husband is funny
Part 3 of 4: Meeting People in Germany
Step 1. Greet someone politely, even if you know them well
Keep in mind that Germans tend to be more formal and polite, so be careful. Here are some proper ways to greet someone.
- Guten Tag – Hello (formal)/Good afternoon
- Guten Abend – Hello (formal)/Good evening
- Hello – Hello (informal)
Step 2. Introduce yourself and ask questions of the people you interact with
Remember to stay formal here too, until you get to know someone well. Germans also distinguish between you (informal) and you (formal), so make sure you remember them well.
- Hello, ich bin_. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen – Hello, I'm _. Nice to meet you
- Wie heisen Sie? - What is your name?
- Wie geht es Ihnen? - How are you?
- Mir geht es gut, danke – I'm fine, thanks
- Woher kommen Sie? - Where do you come from?
- Ich komme aus _ – I come from_
Step 3. Never forget to say goodbye when you leave your German-speaking interlocutor
As already explained, Germans tend to pay attention to formality and you don't want to give a negative impression.
- Auf Wiedersehen – Goodbye (quite formal)
- Tschüß – Dah (somewhat informal)
- Bus bald – See you soon
Step 4. Memorize some polite sentences
Keep the following short phrases in mind as they will come in handy in a variety of situations.
- Entschuldigun – Sorry
- Ich möchte gern_ – I want_
- Vielen Dank – Thank you very much
- Nein, danke – No thanks
- Verzeihen Sie – I'm sorry (pretty formal)
- Ja, gerne – Yes, please
- Naturlich – Of course
- Es tut mir leid – I'm sorry
Part 4 of 4: Asking Questions in German
Step 1. Learn how to ask for directions
We all know how important it is to know where, for example, the next toilet or train station is. Memorizing the following standard questions can be of great help to you.
- Wo ist die Toilette? – Where is the toilet/washroom?
- Wow ist der Bahnhof? – Where is the train station?
- Wow is it dead Bank? – Where are the banks?
- Wo ist das Krankenhaus? – Where is the hospital?
Step 2. Know how to ask for help
This is especially useful if you are traveling to countries that speak German. Knowing how to ask for a bill, or knowing where the restroom is, can make your trip or visit more enjoyable.
- Sprechen Sie English? - Do you speak English?
- Die Rechnung bitte – Please ask for the bill
- Konnten Sie mir bitte helfen? - Can you help me?
Step 3. Learn how to report an emergency
If you need urgent help, it can be very useful to remember the following phrases.
- Ich brauche dringend Hilfe – I need urgent help
- Ich brauche einen Krankenwagen – I need an ambulance
- Ich bin sehr crank – I'm so sick
