Polite German Phrases and Words

Navigating the world of etiquette is difficult enough in our own native language.

Little did we know, this is a set of skills that won’t necessarily transfer to other languages and cultures. We all have our own definitions of what being polite means, so cultural misunderstandings can occur.

That’s why it’s important for learners to become familiar with German etiquette and learn some key phrases.

Read on to find some essential polite German phrases, plus some useful tips to become superpolite German speakers!

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Make a Great First Impression: Meet and Greet in German

Whereas Hallo (Hello), Tschüß  (Bye) and Wie geht es dir?  (How are you?) are common among friends, you should make sure you remember the more formal greetings too. And never forget the handshake!

Small Words That Make a Big Difference

Similar to English, the magic words bitte (please) and danke (thank you) are indispensable in formal and casual conversations.

Bitte also means “you’re welcome,” which can sometimes sound a bit confusing to German learners.

A: Könntest du bitte ein Photo von mir machen?  (Could you please take a photo of me?)

B: Ja gerne! (Yes, of course!)

A: Danke!  (Thank you!)

B: Bitte!  (You’re welcome!)

Entschuldigung is another useful word to add to your vocabulary list since you’ll need it a lot.

Depending on the context, it can mean “Excuse me” or “I’m sorry” and is used in a range of different situations.

The phrase “I’m sorry” can also be translated as Es tut mir leid .

Could You Repeat That, Please? Polite Ways to Get Clarification

There are a number of ways to express that you didn’t understand what someone just said.

In less formal situations, you can simply use the phrase Wie bitte?  (Sorry?)

More Useful German Phrases for Casual Conversations

While in Germany, you never know when you might need assistance with your German studies or request your new friend’s phone number. Be ready with these phrases!

Sounding Polite over the Phone

German phone conversations can best be described as kurz und bündig  (short and concise). Again, unless you’re talking to a very good friend, you usually skip the small talk and get straight to the point.

If you’re unfamiliar with the number that’s calling, it’s pretty common for Germans to answer their phone by simply stating their last name. Once more, it’s not an act of rudeness, it’s just the German way to pick up a phone.

Again, don’t forget to address the people the right way and use the subjunctive mood for polite requests.

Here are two examples of short German phone conversations, one between friends and one between business associates:

Informal conversation:

A: Hallo, Paul. Na wie geht’s? (Hello, Paul. How are you?)

B: Mir geht’s gut, danke. Sag mal, ich glaub Lola schmeißt heute Nacht ‘ne Party. Kommst du mit?  (I’m fine, thanks. So, I think Lola is throwing a little party tonight. Are you coming?) 

A: Ich hab leider schon etwas vor! (I’ve already got plans, unfortunately!) 

B: Schade, dann ein anderes Mal. Tschüss! (That’s a shame. Well, another time! Bye!)

A: Tschüß. (Bye!)

Formal conversation:

A: Maier?

B: Guten Morgen, Herr Maier. Hier spricht Christian Huber. Aufgrund unvorhergesehener Umstände muss ich unseren Termin heute leider absagen. Wäre es möglich, ihn auf nächsten Dienstag zu verschieben? (Good morning, Mr. Meier. Christian Huber speaking. Unfortunately, I will have to cancel our meeting today. Could we postpone it to next Tuesday?)

A: Kein Problem, wie wäre es mit nächstem Dienstag um 16:30 Uhr? (No problem, how about next Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.?)

B: Ich danke für Ihr Verständnis. Ja, 16:30 ist für mich in Ordnung. Ich schicke Ihnen eine Bestätigung per Email. Auf Wiederhören! (Thank you for your understanding. Yes, 4:30 p.m. works for me. I’ll send you a confirmation via email. Goodbye!)

A: Auf Wiederhören! (Goodbye!)

Tips to Get Started on the Right Foot

Here are some tips for being polite when communicating in German.

1. Go ahead and skip the small talk

As a language student, you should always keep in mind that behaviors considered right in one culture might be inappropriate in another one. With that in mind, getting to know a country’s customs should be a key part of your language studies.

For example, Germans tend to be very direct and straight to the point. They often skip the small talk, especially with strangers. Starting a conversation about the weather with the cashier in the supermarket is very uncommon and people might think you’re strange.

2. Know when to use Du or Sie

However, what Germans do place a lot of emphasis on is addressing people correctly, especially in formal situations or when interacting with strangers or casual acquaintances.

You can address people formally by Herr / Frau (Mr./Ms.) + their last name (e.g., Herr Maier  or Frau Huber ). If they have a title (like “doctor” or “professor”), make sure you add this too (e.g., Herr Doktor Müller or Frau Professor Reiter ).

There’s also a formal and informal version of the word “you.”

Du is used to address friends, family and people of the same age or younger than you.

Kommst du heute Abend zur Party? (Are you coming to the party tonight?)

Sie is used in more formal situations or when talking to people you don’t know well. It’s always capitalized and conjugated as a plural word.

Nehmen Sie morgen am Meeting teil, Herr Maier? (Are you attending the meeting tomorrow, Mr. Maier?)

During recent years there’s been a tendency to reduce formality (especially among young people) and the use of Du has become more common. Listen to conversations between Germans and pay attention to how they use it. For example, you could watch German movies, or you could try an immersive language learning program like FluentU.

Just remember: If in doubt, call a person by their last name unless they introduce themselves with their first name and use the Sie until being offered Du.

3. Form polite German phrases correctly

Another key point for forming polite German phrases is the subjunctive II mode, which is, among many other uses, used to express wishes and form polite requests.

This tense softens the request, like the difference between the sentence “I want a soda,” and “I would like a soda.” If you want to sound extra polite, it’s best to add these types of sentences to your speaking repertoire (please).

And there you have it! Use these German phrases and words to sound superpolite but super charming!

Don’t worry if you’re feeling a little overwhelmed. We all know that the key to learning a new language is practice, practice and practice.

Just make sure you take every opportunity to hone your German communication skills and you’ll be on the right track to becoming a superpolite German speaker!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)