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How to Say ‘Would you like to get a coffee sometime?’ in German

Hättest du Lust, mal einen Kaffee zu trinken?

HET-test doo loost mahl EYE-nen ka-FAY tsoo TRING-ken

[HET-test doo loost mahl EYE-nen ka-FAY tsoo TRING-ken]

💬 Usage Tip: The little word mal "sometime" softens the request so it sounds casual rather than pushy. Swap the activity freely: Hättest du Lust, mal essen zu gehen? "...to go out to eat sometime?"

🇩🇪 In Germany: Coffee is the classic low-stakes first date in Germany. It's easy to say yes to and easy to keep short.

Phrase Breakdown

Hättest du Lust,

HET-test doo loost

would you like

A polite, friendly invitation. Pause slightly at the comma.

Example

Hättest du Lust, mitzukommen?

Would you like to come along?

Words in this phrase

Hättest

[HET-test]

would you have

Conditional form of 'haben' used to ask politely about availability or possibility.

Example

Hättest du nächste Woche kurz Zeit für ein Gespräch?

Would you have a little time next week for a conversation?

[doo]

the informal 'you' (du form)

As a noun, 'das Du' means the informal way of addressing someone.

Example

Wir sind jetzt per Du.

We now use first names / informal 'you'.

Lust

[loost]

desire / feel like

Noun; 'Lust haben' means to feel like doing something.

Example

Hast du Lust auf Kino?

Do you feel like going to the cinema?

mal einen Kaffee

mahl EYE-nen ka-FAY

sometime a coffee

'Mal' softens the request ('sometime', 'just'). 'Einen' is used because 'Kaffee' is masculine accusative.

Example

Trinken wir mal einen Kaffee.

Let's have a coffee sometime.

Words in this phrase

mal

[mahl]

(softener) just

A small particle that makes a request or question sound casual and friendly.

Example

Komm mal her!

Come here for a sec!

einen

[EYE-nen]

Indefinite article before a masculine accusative noun.

Example

Ich plane einen kurzen Austausch nächste Woche.

I am planning a short exchange next week.

Kaffee

[ka-FAY]

coffee

Often used as shorthand for an informal coffee meeting.

Example

Lass uns auf einen Kaffee treffen.

Let's meet for a coffee.

zu trinken?

tsoo TRING-ken

to drink

'Zu' + infinitive goes at the end of the clause.

Example

Hast du was zu trinken?

Do you have something to drink?

Words in this phrase

[tsoo]

Used to indicate direction or purpose.

Example

Ich habe es zu tun.

I have to do it.

trinken

[TRING-ken]

to drink

The basic form of the verb 'to drink'.

Example

Ich will Kaffee trinken.

I want to drink coffee.

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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