Germany is one of the most popular tourist countries in the world. Unique architecture, traditions, national cuisine. All this attracts travelers from different parts of our planet. When going on a tour of Germany, we want to absorb more interesting information, immerse ourselves deeper in the atmosphere of a particular place, and perhaps even find new friends. How to do this without knowing the language?

The Germans, like many other Europeans, speak two languages ​​- English and their native Deutsch. But on your way you may meet people who do not speak English. In this case, linguists recommend compiling a walking dictionary/phrase book that will help you find a common language with your interlocutor. In this article, we will provide a list of the most common phrases that will be useful to you in various situations, and will introduce you to the 100 most common words necessary to be included in a traveler's vocabulary.

Why learn these words

Imagine the situation. You make a stop in a small German town. In the evening you go to a local restaurant for dinner. Sit down at a table, the waiter comes up and then you realize that your contact is not working out. The person does not speak English and does not understand what you want from him. This is where prepared stock phrases can come to the rescue, helping to explain your gastronomic intentions and correctly structuring a simple request to bring water.

The same applies to other important situations that tourists face:

• Call a taxi, communicate with the driver about planning the route you need, ask to wait or drive up to a specific place in half an hour.
• Buying souvenirs, things, products in the store. You may need to ask the seller to bring you larger trousers or find a shirt with a different print, or recommend delicious sweets or branded craft beer.
• Communication with passers-by. You get lost or can't figure out how to approach a building. Prepared phrases will help you understand the features of the area and find the right road on your tourist route.

Learning common words and phrases that will become your communication link is necessary for those who travel from a travel agency, and especially for travelers who prefer an independent holiday.

If in the first case, every day is clearly scheduled and contact with local residents is significantly reduced, then in the second option, on the contrary, the possibilities of communicating with the Germans are revealed to you. Meals, transfers, excursions - you will plan and implement all this yourself. You can't do without basic knowledge of the language.

How to learn these words

The task is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. Learning common communication words and phrases is quite easy. The main thing is to start preparing in advance, without haste. If you are planning a vacation for the summer, start the process in the spring. You are not required to have any special humanitarian abilities. Just read, understand and remember. If you want to go deeper into learning, buy self-instruction books. In a few months you will be able to master the basics of grammar.

5 easy ways to learn German words:

100 most necessary German words

Let us introduce you to the list of the 100 most commonly used German words, which you cannot do without when communicating with Germans:

• sein-be
  können– be able
• wollen- want
• nehmen- take
• denken- think
• haben- have
• fahren– to go/drive
• bekommen- receive
• werden– become
• wissen- know

heißen- to be called, to mean
sagen- speak
Kennen– know (+ object)
geben- give
stellen– put
legen- put
stehen- stand
erkennen- learn
mussen- be forced to
lesen- read

bringen- bring
erreichen- to reach, to catch
fehlen- to be absent, to be lacking
ziehen- pull, drag, blow
machen- do
fragen- ask
sitzen- sit
entwickeln- develop
ansehen- look
suchen- search

entstehen- to arise, to appear
leben– live (= be alive)
vorstellen- to present, to put before
gehören- belong, relate
aussehen- to look like
lassen- allow, leave
gelten- to be considered
arbeiten- work
versuchen- sample
erinnern- remind
zeigen– show
erzählen- tell
scheinen- seem
helfen- to help
tragen- wear, carry
entsprechen– correspond/respond
betreffen- touch
vergleichen- compare
darstellen- portray, perform

And the remaining 50:

folgen- follow; schreiben- write; erhalten– receive, store, contain; glauben- believe; treffen– to meet, to get; spielen- play; bedeuten– (to) mean; finden – to find; führen- lead, lead, manage; verlieren– lose, lose; brauchen- need; erwarten- expect; laufen– walk, run; verbinden– connect, connect; gehen– go/walk, work; fallen- fall, go down; erklären– explain, declare; ergeben– compose; nennen– call; schaffen– keep up, cope, create; halten- hold, stop; verstehen- understand; studieren- study; bleiben- stay; commen– come/arrive; setzen– plant, put (dispute); mögen- be in love; wohnen– live (= have a house/apartment somewhere); durfen– be able (= have permission); sehen- see; reden- talk; gewinnen– close; anbieten- suggest; liegen- lie; warten- wait; beginnen– begin(s); meinen- consider, think, mean; lernen– study, teach (language, profession); tun- do; bestehen– exist, pass (exam); interesting– interest; erscheinen– (to) appear; anfang– begin (informally); fühlen- feel, feel; bilden– form, build, create; biten– offer (at auction); sprechen– speak (in language, quickly/slowly); vergehen– pass (without object); zeigen– show; sollen- to be due.

The most common phrases in German

Include these sentences and phrases in your phrasebook, and it will not be difficult for you to express your thoughts and find a common language with local residents:

• Thank you and please- danke and bitte. These are perhaps the most frequently used words that polite tourists pronounce during verbal contact with Germans. If you want to leave a good impression of yourself and win over your interlocutor, include them in your vocabulary. The prefix schön in its meaning “large” enhances the effect. Moreover, in the original translation this word is translated as “beautiful”. It turns out to be a beautiful thank you. And the meaning of “very” is given by sehr (in transcription - zer).

• Greetings. You can't do without them. Good afternoon - Guten Tag. Good evening - Guten Abend. Good morning - Guten Morgen. But, as a rule, in spoken German there are truncated versions: simply tag, abend and morgen. If you want to pass for one, you can answer without guten. You will also hear something similar to the English word - hallo. The meaning is synonymous (hello). The informal analogue of hallo is tschüs (in transcription - chus). In dialogue with Germans you can hear bis bald, which translates as “see you soon.” The classic “goodbye” in Deutsch - Auf Wiedersehen.
• Apology. The word is difficult to reproduce, but very important in application. Sorry in German - entschuldigung (in transcription - entschuldigung). Learn it as a tongue twister and use it as needed.
• I do not understand- Ich verstehe nicht (in transcription - ish vershtehe nicht). It’s also not easy to pronounce, but it may be necessary in cases where the interlocutor expects a response from you, and you do not speak the language properly.
• How many? This question may be asked in shops, cafes, and street shops. This way you can find out the cost of the goods and services you are interested in: Wie viel? In transcription - Vi fil?
• More beer! This is one of the most common exclamations in beer halls in German restaurants, to which waiters react immediately. Noch ein Bier! (in transcription - nokh ain bia). And it's better to speak louder.

German phrases for situations

Let's look at specific cases in which the use of appropriate words and phrases will be required:

In the shop

You have no cash left. This situation occurs very often. You should ask the seller if you can pay for your purchase with a credit card. It sounds like this: Kan mit credit card tsalen? In the original in German - Kann Ich mit kreditkarte zahlen? All you have to do next is take the card out of your wallet and insert it into the terminal, say danke (thank you) and auf wiedersehen (goodbye).

• If, on the contrary, you only have cash in your hands, you tell the seller: Nein, nur Bargeld. We transcribe - nain, nua bargeld.

You may also be asked: Haben Sie Kleingeld? There is no need to get lost; there is nothing terrible in the question. The seller is only interested in whether you have change. If there is, but you need to dig into your wallet, answer: Ich brauche (which in translation - I'm looking for, in transcription - looking for brauche).

When you need to indicate the completion of your shopping and your intention to pay for the goods, the phrase should be like this: Ich möchte zahlen. We lay it out according to the transcription - Looking for a place of purpose. Means: Can I pay for my purchase?

At the restaurant

The first question with which a visit to a restaurant begins: Haben Sie einen freien Tisch? So, having crossed the threshold of the establishment, you ask the hostess if there are free tables. In transcription it sounds like Haben zi einen fryen tisch? You will be escorted to your seat and helped to get comfortable.

• If you like a particular table, you can ask: Kann Ich dort drüben sitzen? What does that mean - can I sit over there? Transcribe: kan isch board druben sitzen?

The phrase with which your conversation with the waiter will begin will most likely be: Etwas zu trinken? They kindly ask you if you would like something to drink. Here you should act according to individual preferences.

Once you have read the menu and are ready to voice your choice to the waiter, say: Ich möchte eine Bestellung aufgeben, which translated means “I am ready to order.” And you don’t have to bother pronouncing each of the positions of the dishes. It is enough to indicate the desired line in the menu.

On the street interacting with passers-by

What do tourists usually look for on their way? Of course, places of essentials: where you can eat, withdraw money, buy groceries, relax. If you see a trustworthy German, stop, smile and ask: Wo ist das nächste Hotel? In this case, you are wondering where the nearest hotel is. By changing the last word, the subject of your search can be a bank, restaurant, store: bank, restaurant, supermarkt. And don't forget to say hello first: Guten Tag.

• If a dialogue starts between you, you can ask what the name of the interlocutor is: Wie heißen sie? (translated into transcription - vi haisen zi). The answer to the question will be: Ich heiße... Which means “my name is...”. You may also be asked where you come from: Woher kommen Sie? You need to say that you are from Russia: Ich bin aus Russland.

• If you are lost and need help coordinating the area, the best way to start a conversation with a German is: Könnten Sie mir helfen? Which literally means “Could you help?”

Knowing these important words and phrases, you will always find a common language with the locals, have a delicious dinner, buy beautiful souvenirs, and get to the desired point on your route. Compile a travel dictionary, including communicative sentences. Forgot the word - a cheat sheet should always be at hand.

Why do I need these words?

If you decide learn german words, but for one reason or another you cannot create a dictionary of them yourself, then in this case we have prepared a list of the most common words with a translation into German.

On what basis were these obtained? frequently used words?

The list of popular words for learning foreign languages ​​was formed as a result of comparing various dictionaries, phrase books, lists of words compiled by the users themselves, and analysis of books. This took into account the frequency of use of words for different languages ​​and the degree of need to know the translation of these words from Russian into foreign languages.

What does "a thousand words" mean?

We have compiled more than 3000 of the most common german words and divided them according to the frequency of use and requests into the first thousand, second and third.

You can add 1000 popular German words to your personal dictionary: the first thousand contain the most requested and commonly used words; they are usually of an everyday nature and the easiest to learn.

And in the second and third thousand there are, basically, more specific words necessary for understanding various texts and communicating in different areas.

Where did the numbers come from: 1000 words, 3000?

We believe that when learning a foreign language you can't help but learn words. They themselves will not be remembered at the initial stage, no matter what immersion technique you use.

To be able to expand your vocabulary by reading books, watching films and talking with native speakers, you need to at least know some initial number of words. I wonder how much?

ON THE. Bonk (http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonk,_Natalya_Alexandrovna) included 1250 words and expressions in her classic textbook. This is for the very entry level. Bonk is a classic of the genre; the entire Soviet Union studied from her textbooks, and she can be considered an authority; she is not some newfangled guru.

We decided to focus on the three thousand words that turned out to be the most popular as a result of our analysis.

And what will happen if I learn all these three thousand German words?

First of all, we do not insist on studying these specific words and in such quantities, but offer them as an option.

If you learn so many words, then it will be quite easy, for example, to read books in the language you are learning and expand your vocabulary from them, as well as speak the language in various situations, at least at the level of a migrant worker from Tajikistan.

And how to learn these words?

Here, whatever one may say, you will have to work at least a little. And our site will, in any way it can, help you brighten up the process of memorizing words.

Actually, passing a word test is something like working with cards for learning German words: you are prompted to enter the translation of the word, and then after entering your answer you see the correct answer and a picture and sound for this word.

Thus, in the event of an erroneous answer (and in the case of a correct one too), you have the opportunity to once again carefully look at the translation of the word, at the picture illustrating it, and listen to its pronunciation. Well, repetition, as you know, is the mother of learning. And the word will inevitably be remembered.

Although, of course, the practice of memorization is purely individual. Some people have a special penchant for this. Some people use various associations to learn words.

There is also a method for memorizing German words. If the word denotes a material object, then use all 5 senses to remember it. Close your eyes. Try to imagine what this object looks like. Smell it. Touch it with your tongue. Touch it in your imagination. And after each presented sensation, say the word you are studying to yourself or out loud. And also just write it.

Hello to all lovers of the German language. Today you will find an interesting selection that can be called BASIC for the German language. There’s already a huge dictionary with German words lying around somewhere on the site, but I still need to work on the design. It has already become a tradition on the site to collect huge creations of a thematic and non-thematic nature (, and others).

The database of English dictionaries and collections has increased significantly during this time, but the German language still needs work. The 1000 most common German words? This selection was the ultimate dream, because finding the most necessary vocabulary is not an easy task. If it weren’t for Andrey Pereverzev, we would have waited a long time for the appearance of German vocabulary to be studied. In general, I would like to say that German materials for studying have become rare, and in RuNet it is difficult to find really good thematic collections of words with Russian translation.

We need to solve this problem. Although at a slow pace, we are moving for the better. 1000 basic German words with translation are a good basis for beginner and intermediate levels of language proficiency. I have already discussed the number of words studied in the article, but of course no one will say the exact number. In one comment they wrote that 800 - 900 words will be enough to understand the most important basics of oral speech. This is true, because we all speak with active vocabulary, and not with archaic forms and expressions. Some may say that you cannot learn a language with words alone, and this is true. No one claims that once you learn the card, you will be able to speak freely with Germans. Only a combination of different techniques and your desire to know the language will help you master a foreign language. In any case, the 1000 most common German words are useful information for any fan of useful information. Andrey has done a lot of work in compiling the collection, which you will use completely free of charge. This is known to me and other compilers of German cards, and now I will try to explain why:

das Haus, dieHauser — house, building, structure — Haus der Freundschaft - House of Friendship (GDR, Berlin)

der Haushalt, -e — household — den Haushalt besorgen - do housework, do housekeeping

We have words being studied Haus. As we see, the word comes with an article, which means that Andrey himself introduced the correct article + plural form dieHauser. Only 1000 German words with such forms will be enough to claim the usefulness of the material, but we still have a Russian translation and an example.

This is what he writes himself

947 cards according to the German textbook “Themen Aktuell”, for the first part. It corresponds to level A1 according to the Common Standard of Language Proficiency of the Council of Europe. That is, this dictionary can be called “My first thousand.” I hope it will be useful to those who study using this publication.

Thanks to Andrey for such a collection of useful information.

I will not forget my German language courses at the branch of the Goethe Institute. We studied there using books from Hueber. It is interesting and informative, so I advise everyone to use the books of this publication.

The dictionary was created in Lingvo x3, so you can download two versions: for Lingvo 12 and Lingvo x3.

Selection in WORD format

Selection in format for Lingvo Tutor 12

Selection in format for Lingvo Tutor X3