How to learn Useful German Expressions

Useful German Expressions

German Expressions.I’m sure you have been in this situation: when meeting a German speaker, you’d like to try to speak with him/her. You are listening attentively and want to confirm you are understanding her/him… but how?

1. Saying hi

Hallo: You can use this one every time of the day all over the German speaking countries.
Hi/hey: We use these English/American greetings very often in Germany.
Moin (moin): Typical in northern Germany but it has already spread to the south. (It’s not an abbreviation of Morgen, it comes from low Germ/Dutch mooi[en] meaning “[I wish you a] beautiful [day]”.)
Grüß dich!: Literally “(I) greet you”, we use it to say hi or when we are introduced to someone new (“nice to meet you”).
Servus: This one is used in Austria instead of hallo (you can use hallo as well) in an informal way.
Grüß Gott: This expression is used in Bavaria and Austria. It is a bit more formal than servus. (It’s like saying guten Morgen/Tag in northern Germany.)

Those are the best German Expressions to use.

2. Asking “how are you?”

Wie geht’s (dir)?: Standard informal way to ask “how are you?”
Wie läuft’s (bei dir)?: More general question asking “how is it going?”
Alles klar/ok (bei dir)?: Meaning “everything ok?”
Was gibt’s Neues?: Is for asking “Any news?”
Wie geht’s, wie steht’s?: Informal (rhyming) question to ask “how are you?”
Wie war dein Wochenende/dein Tag…?: “How was your weekend/day…?”

3. Starting questions or conversations

Sag mal, …: Is meant to attract the other person’s attraction (“tell me…”).
Und, …?: Is useful for asking to continue telling.
Was ist mit (+ dative)…?: “What about…?”
Was ich dich noch fragen wollte…: “What I wanted to ask you…”
Und dann/danach?: “And after that?/What happened after?”

4. Starting telling something

Also…: You can use it to start anything you want to tell or you point of you (“well,…”).
Übrigens,…: Very useful if you want to add something new or something you forgot to tell (“by the way”).
Was ich dir (noch) erzählen wollte…: “What I wanted to tell you…”
Ach…: You can add this interjection before the sentence above or use it alone meaning “What I’ve forgotten/before I forget”.

5. Expressing agreement

Genau!: “Exactly!, That’s it!”
Natürlich!/Na klar!: “Of course!”
(Völlig) klar!/Logisch!/Verständlich!: “(Absolutely) logical/understandable!”
(Das) stimmt.: “That’s right.”
Richtig/korrekt: “Right.”
Da hast du recht.: “You’re right.”
You can add ja (“yes”) before each one.
Na gut.: “Ok, you can do it/you’re right.”

6. Expressing disagreement

Nein!/Nee!: “No!” (The 2nd is more informal.)
Nö!: Means also “no” but adds a nuance of “I don’t feel like it/I’m not in the mood.”
(Das) stimmt nicht!: “That’s not right/wrong.”
Gar nicht wahr!: “Absolutely not true.”
Leider nein/nicht: “Unfortunately no(t).”
(So ein) Quatsch!: “What a nonsense!”

7. Expressing amazement

Echt?/Wirklich?/Im Ernst?: “Really?”
Das gibt’s doch nicht!: “This/that can’t be true!”
Unglaublich!/Unfassbar: “Unbelievable/incredible!”
Ich weiß gar nicht, was ich sagen soll!: “I don’t know what to say!”
Da bin ich (aber) platt!/Ich fasse es nicht!: “I can’t believe what you’re telling me!”
Alter Schwede!: The same as above but in slang.
Boah!: wow!

8. If you are not understanding

Wie bitte?: The most typical and polite way to ask “pardon?”
Was?: The same as above but informal.
Ich verstehe nicht…: “I don’t understand.”
(Das) verstehe ich nicht!: The same as above but emphasizing a spacial fact/aspect that you don’t understand.
Sorry?/Entschuldigung?: “Pardon?”
Wie jetzt?: Slang meaning “I’m lost.”