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How to Say ‘So, what are you drinking?’ in German

Sag mal, was trinkst du da?

zahk mahl vahs TRINKST doo dah

[zahk mahl vahs TRINKST doo dah]

🇩🇪 In Germany: In bars, younger people usually say du to each other straight away. Starting with Sie would make you sound oddly stiff.

Phrase Breakdown

Sag mal,

zahk mahl

tell me / say

A casual opener that grabs attention before a question. Pause briefly at the comma.

Example

Sag mal, wie heißt du?

Tell me, what's your name?

Words in this phrase

Sag

[zahk]

say / tell

Informal command form of 'sagen' (to say), used to start a question casually.

Example

Sag mir die Wahrheit.

Tell me the truth.

mal

[mahl]

go on / a bit

A common modal particle that makes the request sound casual and friendly.

Example

Erzähl mal, wie die Idee aussieht.

Go on, tell me what the idea looks like.

was trinkst du da?

vahs TRINKST doo dah

what are you drinking there?

A simple W-question. Say it smoothly in one breath with a rising tone at the end.

Example

Was trinkst du da? Kaffee?

What are you drinking there? Coffee?

Words in this phrase

was

[vahs]

what

Used to inquire about something.

Example

Was machst du?

What are you doing?

trinkst

[TRINKST]

drink

To consume liquid by swallowing.

Example

Er trinkt Bier.

He drinks beer.

[doo]

you (singular/informal)

Used when speaking to one person informally.

Example

Wie fühlst du dich heute Abend?

How do you feel this evening?

[dah]

there

In, at, or to that place or position.

Example

Da ist etwas.

There is something.

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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