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How to Say ‘What can I get you?’ in German

Was darf's sein?

vas darfs zine

[vas darfs zine]

💬 Usage Tip: darf's is darf es squeezed together, literally "may it be". Same squeeze in Wie geht's? "How's it going?"

🇩🇪 In Germany: The standard opener from bar and café staff. You can answer with just the drink and bitte.

Phrase Breakdown

Was

[vas]

what

Question word asking about a thing.

Example

Was machst du?

What are you doing?

darf's

[darfs]

may it

Short for 'darf es'; 'darf' means 'may', used in the polite service phrase 'what may it be?'

Example

Was darf's denn heute sein?

What will it be today?

sein

[zine]

Infinitive of the verb 'to be'.

Example

Das kann gefährlich sein.

That can be dangerous.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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