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How to Say ‘May I take a photo of you?’ in German

Darf ich ein Foto von dir machen?

darf ikh ine FOH-toh fon deer MAH-khen

[darf ikh ine FOH-toh fon deer MAH-khen]

💬 Usage Tip: Germans "make" a photo with machen, and that verb goes to the very end after darf ich.

🇩🇪 In Germany: Always ask before photographing someone. Germans take privacy seriously, even at Carnival, though dressed-up revellers usually say yes happily.

Phrase Breakdown

Darf ich ein Foto

darf ikh ine FOH-toh

May I ... a photo

'Darf ich' is a polite way to say 'may I'. 'ein Foto' means 'a photo'. Link 'darf ich' smoothly.

Example

Darf ich ein Foto sehen?

May I see a photo?

Words in this phrase

Darf

[darf]

may / am allowed to

A polite modal verb used to ask permission.

Example

Bevor ich nach der Unternehmenskultur frage, sage ich: Darf ich fragen?

Before I ask about company culture, I say: May I ask?

ich

[ikh]

The pronoun 'ich' in nominative form.

Example

Ich bin da.

I am here.

ein

[ine]

The indefinite article 'ein'.

Example

Ich brauche ein Auto.

I need a car.

Foto

[FOH-toh]

photo

A picture taken with a camera.

Example

Das Foto ist sehr scharf.

The photo is very sharp.

von dir machen?

fon deer MAH-khen

take of you?

'von dir' means 'of you' (informal). German uses 'ein Foto machen' (make a photo) where English says 'take a photo'.

Example

Ich will ein Bild von dir machen.

I want to take a picture of you.

Words in this phrase

von

[fon]

Used in 'nett/lieb von dir' to say who did something kind.

Example

Das ist nett von dir.

That's nice of you.

dir

[deer]

you (dative, informal)

Dative form of 'du', used after prepositions like 'von' and 'mit'.

Example

Ich komme mit dir.

I'm coming with you.

machen

[MAH-khen]

to make / to take

General verb 'to make'; with 'Foto' it means to take.

Example

Wir machen eine Pause.

We are taking a break.

Guides for German learners

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