Table of Contents
Being Polite in German
In German, polite expressions are very important in everyday life. They show respect and make conversations friendly and smooth. At A1 level, you only need a small but powerful set of phrases, which you will use again and again when you introduce yourself, ask for information, or talk to strangers.
Formal and Informal "You"
In English you say "you" to everyone. In German, you must choose between a formal and an informal form.
Informal "you" is "du." You use "du" with friends, family, children, or people your age if you agree to be informal.
Formal "you" is "Sie" with a capital S. You use "Sie" with strangers, teachers, in shops, at work, and in all official situations. At A1 level, it is safer to use "Sie" if you are not sure.
Important rule:
Use Sie (formal) with adults you do not know well. Use du only with people who clearly invite you to do so or with family and close friends.
Compare:
| English | Informal German | Formal German |
|---|---|---|
| How are you? | Wie geht es dir? | Wie geht es Ihnen? |
| And you? | Und dir? | Und Ihnen? |
| Do you speak German? | Sprichst du Deutsch? | Sprechen Sie Deutsch? |
Always remember that "Sie" is written with a capital S when it means "you" in the formal way.
Saying "Please" and "Thank You"
Two of the most useful words in German are "bitte" and "danke." They appear in many polite expressions.
"Bitte" can mean "please," "here you are," or "you are welcome," depending on the context.
"Danke" means "thank you."
Some common combinations are:
| Situation | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| Asking politely | Bitte. | Please. |
| Being extra polite | Bitte schön. / Bitte sehr. | Here you are. / You are welcome. |
| Simple thanks | Danke. | Thanks. |
| More polite thanks | Danke schön. / Danke sehr. | Thank you very much. |
| Answer to "Danke" | Bitte. / Bitte schön. / Gern geschehen. | You are welcome. |
Key idea:
Use bitte to make your request polite. Use danke to show gratitude.
Saying danke without any extra words is already polite.
Excuse Me and I Am Sorry
When you need to get attention or to say sorry, you need different expressions.
"Entschuldigung" is very flexible. It can mean "excuse me" or "sorry."
"Es tut mir leid" means "I am sorry" in a more emotional way.
Use them like this:
| Situation | German | English |
|---|---|---|
| Getting attention (in a shop, on the street) | Entschuldigung. | Excuse me. |
| Saying sorry for a small mistake | Entschuldigung. | Sorry. |
| Stronger apology | Es tut mir leid. | I am sorry. |
| Extra polite version | Entschuldigen Sie bitte. | Excuse me, please. / I am sorry. |
In formal situations, add "Sie" to be more polite:
"Entschuldigen Sie" or "Entschuldigen Sie bitte" is a polite way to speak to a stranger or a person in a service situation.
Polite Questions and Requests
In German, polite questions usually include "bitte" or a softening phrase like "können" or "könnten." At A1 you mainly need simple structures, but you can already sound polite.
Very short polite requests:
"Bitte" at the end of a request or question makes it polite:
"Ein Wasser, bitte."
"Die Speisekarte, bitte."
"Langsamer, bitte."
These are all friendly ways to ask.
Polite questions with "können":
| German question | English |
|---|---|
| Können Sie mir helfen, bitte? | Can you help me, please? |
| Können Sie das wiederholen, bitte? | Can you repeat that, please? |
| Können Sie langsamer sprechen, bitte? | Can you speak more slowly, please? |
Here "Sie" shows formality, and "bitte" makes the question polite.
Informal versions with "du" exist, but at A1 focus on formal expressions in public life.
Useful formula:
Können Sie + infinitive + bitte?
Example: Können Sie mir helfen, bitte?
You will learn verb forms and word order in other chapters. Here you only need to recognize this polite pattern and use it as a fixed phrase.
Polite Greetings and Small Talk
Some greetings are already covered in the greetings chapter, but there are polite ways to open and close small talk when you first meet someone.
Useful polite questions when you meet someone:
"Wie geht es Ihnen?" means "How are you?" formally.
"Und Ihnen?" means "And you?" formally.
With "du" they are:
"Wie geht es dir?"
"Und dir?"
You often add "danke" when you answer:
"Wie geht es Ihnen?"
"Danke, gut. Und Ihnen?"
This sounds friendly and respectful.
You can also use:
"Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen."
This means "Nice to meet you" in a polite way.
In an informal context it is:
"Freut mich, dich kennenzulernen."
Polite Endings and Leave-taking
At the end of a short conversation, a visit to a shop, or a phone call, you can use polite endings to sound friendly.
Common polite endings:
"Schönen Tag noch." means "Have a nice day."
"Schönes Wochenende." means "Have a nice weekend."
"Auf Wiedersehen." is the standard formal "Goodbye."
"Auf Wiederhören." is used on the phone.
You can combine them:
"Auf Wiedersehen und einen schönen Tag noch."
This is very polite but still natural.
In more informal situations, you might say "Tschüss" or "Ciao," but with strangers "Auf Wiedersehen" is safer.
Polite Phrases When You Do Not Understand
At A1 level, you often do not understand everything. It is important to know how to say this politely.
Useful sentences:
"Ich verstehe nicht." means "I do not understand."
"Ich verstehe nur ein bisschen Deutsch." means "I understand only a little German."
To ask for help more politely:
"Bitte sprechen Sie langsam." means "Please speak slowly."
"Noch einmal, bitte." means "Once again, please."
"Wie bitte?" is a polite way to say "Pardon?" when you did not hear or understand.
You can combine apology and request:
"Entschuldigung, ich verstehe nicht. Können Sie das wiederholen, bitte?"
This is very polite and helpful in real communication.
Basic Politeness in Everyday Situations
In German-speaking countries, short polite words are expected in daily life. Here are some simple situations and typical phrases you can use at A1 level.
In a shop:
Customer: "Guten Tag."
Shop assistant: "Guten Tag."
Customer: "Ein Brot, bitte."
Shop assistant: "Bitte schön."
Customer: "Danke."
Shop assistant: "Gern geschehen. Auf Wiedersehen."
Customer: "Auf Wiedersehen."
On the street, asking for the time:
"Entschuldigung, wie spät ist es, bitte?"
"Danke schön."
"Bitte."
On the bus, asking if a seat is free:
"Ist hier frei?" means "Is this seat free?"
If you sit down, you can add: "Danke."
These small words create a polite tone even with simple grammar and vocabulary.
Politeness tip:
Use Guten Tag, bitte, danke, Entschuldigung, Auf Wiedersehen with strangers.
These words are small but very important.
Vocabulary List
| German | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| du | you (informal, singular) | use with friends, family |
| Sie | you (formal, singular/plural) | always capital S |
| Wie geht es dir? | How are you? (informal) | |
| Wie geht es Ihnen? | How are you? (formal) | |
| Und dir? | And you? (informal) | |
| Und Ihnen? | And you? (formal) | |
| sprechen | to speak | |
| Sprichst du Deutsch? | Do you speak German? (informal) | |
| Sprechen Sie Deutsch? | Do you speak German? (formal) | |
| bitte | please / you are welcome / here you are | meaning from context |
| bitte schön | here you are / you are welcome | very polite |
| bitte sehr | here you are / you are welcome | very polite |
| danke | thanks | |
| danke schön | thank you very much | |
| danke sehr | thank you very much | |
| Gern geschehen. | You are welcome. | |
| Entschuldigung. | Excuse me. / Sorry. | |
| Entschuldigen Sie bitte. | Excuse me, please. / I am sorry. | formal |
| Es tut mir leid. | I am sorry. | stronger apology |
| helfen | to help | |
| Können Sie mir helfen, bitte? | Can you help me, please? | formal |
| Können Sie das wiederholen, bitte? | Can you repeat that, please? | formal |
| Können Sie langsamer sprechen, bitte? | Can you speak more slowly, please? | formal |
| Wie geht es? | How is it going? | neutral / informal |
| Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen. | Nice to meet you. (formal) | |
| Freut mich, dich kennenzulernen. | Nice to meet you. (informal) | |
| Schönen Tag noch. | Have a nice day. | |
| Schönes Wochenende. | Have a nice weekend. | |
| Auf Wiedersehen. | Goodbye. | formal |
| Auf Wiederhören. | Goodbye. (on the phone) | formal |
| Tschüss. | Bye. | mostly informal |
| Ich verstehe nicht. | I do not understand. | |
| Ich verstehe nur ein bisschen Deutsch. | I understand only a little German. | |
| Bitte sprechen Sie langsam. | Please speak slowly. | formal |
| Noch einmal, bitte. | Once again, please. | |
| Wie bitte? | Pardon? / Sorry? (I did not understand) | polite |
| Ist hier frei? | Is this seat free? | |
| Guten Tag. | Good day. / Hello. | polite greeting |
| Guten Morgen. | Good morning. | |
| Guten Abend. | Good evening. | |
| Ciao. | Bye. / Ciao. | informal loan word |