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How to Say ‘Please eat something light.’ in German

Essen Sie bitte etwas Leichtes.

ES-sen zee BIT-eh ET-vahs LYEKH-tes

[ES-sen zee BIT-eh ET-vahs LYEKH-tes]

🇩🇪 In Germany: German doctors routinely give diet advice for stomach trouble, usually meaning plain foods like rusks, rice, bananas and herbal tea.

Phrase Breakdown

Essen Sie bitte

ES-sen zee BIT-eh

Please eat

This is the formal imperative: the verb comes first, followed by 'Sie'. 'Bitte' makes it polite.

Example

Essen Sie bitte langsam.

Please eat slowly.

Words in this phrase

Essen

[ES-sen]

eat

Verb 'essen' (to eat), here in the formal imperative.

Example

Essen Sie langsam.

Eat slowly.

Sie

[zee]

you

The formal 'you' used in polite professional conversations.

Example

Ich freue mich, Sie hier auf der Jobmesse zu sehen.

I am pleased to see you here at the job fair.

bitte

[BIT-eh]

please

Polite word for requests.

Example

Einen Moment, bitte.

One moment, please.

etwas Leichtes.

ET-vahs LYEKH-tes

something light.

After 'etwas', an adjective becomes a capitalized noun ending in '-es'. The 'ch' in 'Leichtes' is a soft hissing sound, like a whispered 'h'.

Example

Ich möchte etwas Süßes.

I'd like something sweet.

Words in this phrase

etwas

[ET-vahs]

something, anything

Indefinite pronoun for an unspecified thing.

Example

Brauchen Sie etwas?

Do you need anything?

Leichtes

[LYEKH-tes]

something light

Adjective 'leicht' used as a noun after 'etwas'; easy-to-digest food.

Example

Abends esse ich gern etwas Leichtes.

In the evening I like to eat something light.

Guides for German learners

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