Top 50 phrases to get by Germany (Advanced): Getting around and shopping

💬 Adding -er to a describing word gives you "more ___": langsam "slow" becomes langsamer. Same with lauter "louder" or billiger "cheaper".

💬 The h after a vowel is silent and just makes the vowel long: (BAHN-hohf). Same in Uhr "clock" and fahren "to drive".

💬 German glues words together: Bus + Haltestelle "stop". The last part decides the gender, which is why it's die.

🇩🇪 Public toilets in stations and motorway stops often cost 50 cents to a euro, so keep coins handy. Signs often just say WC.

💬 The verb is abbiegen "to turn off", but the ab jumps to the end of the sentence. Swap in rechts "right" for Biegen Sie rechts ab.

🇩🇪 There are often no barriers on local transport, but inspectors do check. Some paper tickets must be stamped in a machine before you ride, and riding without a valid ticket means an on-the-spot fine.

🇩🇪 On most local transport there are no barriers. Buy and often stamp your ticket before boarding, because inspectors fine riders on the spot.

💬 Use nach for cities and most countries. For buildings and places you use zu instead, as in zum Bahnhof "to the station".

🇩🇪 At the counter, expect to be asked einfach "one-way" or hin und zurück "return". You can add it yourself to speed things up.

💬 ei is said like the English word "eye": (glice). The reverse, ie, sounds like "ee".

💬 German z sounds like "ts", and a final g is said like k: (tsook).

💬 abfahren is a separable verb, so the ab moves to the end: Der Zug fährt ab. You'll see the same split in ankommen → Wann kommt der Zug an?.

🇩🇪 Hailing taxis on the street is uncommon. People usually go to a taxi rank, called a Taxistand, or phone or book one through an app.

💬 After zu, diese "this" becomes dieser. The same thing happens after mit "with": mit dieser Karte "with this card".

💬 verlaufen means lost on foot. If you got lost driving, say Ich habe mich verfahren.

🇩🇪 Almost all shops are closed on Sundays. Stock up on Saturday, or look for shops in train stations, which often stay open.

🇩🇪 This is the polite standard at bakeries and counters. Ich will "I want" sounds blunt, like a demand.

💬 For more than one item, the verb changes: Wie viel kosten die? "How much do those cost?"

🇩🇪 Prices in shops are fixed, so this won't start a haggle. It's simply a polite way to decline. Flea markets are the exception.

💬 To ask a yes/no question, just put the verb first. Haben Sie Wasser? means "Do you have water?"

🇩🇪 Bags usually cost extra at the till, so locals bring their own. In supermarkets you're also expected to pack your own shopping quickly.

🇩🇪 Cash is still widely used, and some cafés, bakeries and small shops take cash only. Carry some just in case.

💬 Karte is any card-like thing: a bank card, but also a menu, a map, or a ticket. The context tells you which one is meant.

🇩🇪 Many cafés, bakeries and small shops are still cash-only. Ask before ordering, or look for a Nur Bargeld "cash only" sign.

💬 After mit, the article changes: die Karte becomes mit Karte. The same thing happens in mit dem Bus and mit meiner Familie.

🇩🇪 Useful because card payment is common but not guaranteed everywhere in Germany, especially in smaller places. Asking before ordering can save awkwardness.

💬 German often uses the plain present for things about to happen: ich zahle covers "I'll pay".

💬 der Kassenbon becomes den Kassenbon when it's the thing you're asking for. Only der words change like this: die and das stay the same.

💬 The verb is umschauen "to look around", and its um moves to the end. That's also why mich "myself" is there: it's part of how this verb works.