First Phrases

Language café · Deutsch

Language café in German: 10 phrases for tonight

You are there to practise, so mistakes are the point. Say what you are learning, ask people to slow down, and ask them to correct you.

Register: Informal (friendly). "Du" is normal in language cafés. With staff or an older person, use "Sie".

How to read the sounds: kh = the ch of Scottish 'loch' (after a, o, u) or a soft hiss like 'h' in 'huge' (after i, e). ue = ü (say 'ee' with rounded lips), oe = ö. z = ts, v = f, w = v. Stress is in CAPITALS.

10 phrases, door to goodbye

  1. 01 · Arriving
    Hallo! Schön, euch kennenzulernen.
    Say it like: HAH-loh! shoen oykh KEN-en-tsoo-LER-nen
    Hi! Nice to meet you all.
  2. 02 · Saying you're new
    Ich bin zum ersten Mal hier und lerne Deutsch.
    Say it like: ikh bin tsoom ERS-ten mahl heer oont LER-neh doytsh
    It's my first time here and I'm learning German.
  3. 03 · Asking how it works
    Wie läuft das ab? Sprechen wir in Gruppen nach Sprachen?
    Say it like: vee loyft dahs ahp? SHPREKH-en veer in GROOP-en nahkh SHPRAKH-en
    How does it work? Do we talk in groups by language?
  4. 04 · Small talk
    Wie lange lernst du schon Sprachen?
    Say it like: vee LAHNG-eh lernst doo shohn SHPRAKH-en
    How long have you been learning languages?
  5. 05 · Small talk
    Was ist deine Muttersprache?
    Say it like: vahs ist DINE-eh MOOT-er-shprakh-eh
    What's your mother tongue?
  6. 06 · Small talk
    Welche Sprache findest du am schwierigsten?
    Say it like: VEL-kheh SHPRAKH-eh FIN-dest doo ahm SHVEE-rikh-sten
    Which language do you find hardest?
  7. 07 · Slow down
    Kannst du bitte etwas langsamer sprechen?
    Say it like: kahnst doo BIT-eh ET-vahs LAHNG-zah-mer SHPREKH-en
    Could you speak a little more slowly, please?
  8. 08 · Asking for a word
    Wie sagt man "slow" auf Deutsch?
    Say it like: vee zahkt mahn "slow" owf doytsh
    How do you say "slow" in German?
  9. 09 · Being corrected
    Korrigierst du mich, wenn ich etwas falsch sage?
    Say it like: ko-ri-GEERST doo mikh, ven ikh ET-vahs fahlsh ZAH-geh
    Will you correct me if I say something wrong?
  10. 10 · Leaving & keeping in touch
    Danke fürs Üben. Wollen wir uns mal zum Tandem treffen?
    Say it like: DAHN-keh fuers UE-ben. VOL-en veer oons mahl tsoom TAN-dem TREF-en
    Thanks for practising. Shall we meet for a language tandem some time?

3 things you will probably hear

  1. H1 · You may hear
    Welche Sprache möchtest du üben?
    Say it like: VEL-kheh SHPRAKH-eh MOEKH-test doo UE-ben
    Which language would you like to practise?
  2. H2 · You may hear
    Lass dir Zeit, ich verstehe dich.
    Say it like: lahs deer tsite, ikh fer-SHTAY-eh dikh
    Take your time, I understand you.
  3. H3 · You may hear
    Alle zehn Minuten wechseln wir die Sprache.
    Say it like: AH-leh tsayn mi-NOO-ten VEK-seln veer dee SHPRAKH-eh
    Every ten minutes we switch language.

Go and try it

Find language cafés on speak.comealone.app

Quick answers

What do I say when I arrive alone at a language café in German?

Start with: "Hallo! Schön, euch kennenzulernen." (Hi! Nice to meet you all.). Then say you are new: "Ich bin zum ersten Mal hier und lerne Deutsch." (It's my first time here and I'm learning German.)

Should I use informal or formal German at a language café?

"Du" is normal in language cafés. With staff or an older person, use "Sie".

How do I ask to meet again after a language café in German?

Try: "Danke fürs Üben. Wollen wir uns mal zum Tandem treffen?" (Thanks for practising. Shall we meet for a language tandem some time?)

Same evening, another language

Español Français Deutsch Português Italiano Suomi

German, another evening

Pub quiz Padel & pickleball Run club Sauna Book club Dinner with strangers Language café

All 7 × 6 cards · Phrases for a specific event near you

How it works

  1. Pick the evening and the language people will speak.
  2. Read the ten phrases in order: they follow the evening from the door to goodbye. Tap the speaker to hear each one in your device's voice.
  3. Print the card or keep it open on your phone. Native-speaker review is still pending; a "check" mark flags a phrase we are least sure of.
  4. Find the event on Come Alone, open it in Meet & Mint to see who else is going, and say the first phrase for real.

firstphrases.app/tonight/cafe/de/ · Meet & Mint