Learning a new language can be both exciting and challenging. German, with its rich history and unique structure, is no exception. For beginners, reaching the A1 level in German is a significant milestone. At this level, learners should be able to understand and use everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at satisfying concrete needs. They should also be able to introduce themselves and others, ask and answer questions about personal details, and interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly. To help you get started on your journey to mastering A1 level German, here are some essential words and phrases you need to know.

Basic Greetings and Farewells

When starting to learn German, one of the first things you will encounter are basic greetings and farewells. These are essential for any social interaction.

– Hallo (Hello)
– Guten Morgen (Good morning)
– Guten Tag (Good day)
– Guten Abend (Good evening)
– Gute Nacht (Good night)
– Auf Wiedersehen (Goodbye)
– Bis später (See you later)
– Tschüss (Bye)

Introducing Yourself and Others

Introducing yourself and getting to know others is a fundamental part of any language. Here are some basic phrases to help you with introductions.

– Ich heiße… (My name is…)
– Wie heißt du? (What is your name?)
– Ich bin… (I am…)
– Woher kommst du? (Where are you from?)
– Ich komme aus… (I come from…)
– Das ist… (This is…)
– Freut mich (Nice to meet you)

Common Questions and Answers

In daily conversations, asking and answering questions is crucial. Here are some common questions and their typical responses.

– Wie geht’s? (How are you?)
– Gut, danke. (Good, thank you.)
– Und dir? (And you?)
– Was machst du? (What are you doing?)
– Ich arbeite. (I am working.)
– Wie spät ist es? (What time is it?)
– Es ist… (It is…)
– Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?)
– Ich wohne in… (I live in…)

Numbers and Counting

Being able to count and understand numbers is vital in any language. Here are the numbers from one to twenty in German.

– Eins (One)
– Zwei (Two)
– Drei (Three)
– Vier (Four)
– Fünf (Five)
– Sechs (Six)
– Sieben (Seven)
– Acht (Eight)
– Neun (Nine)
– Zehn (Ten)
– Elf (Eleven)
– Zwölf (Twelve)
– Dreizehn (Thirteen)
– Vierzehn (Fourteen)
– Fünfzehn (Fifteen)
– Sechzehn (Sixteen)
– Siebzehn (Seventeen)
– Achtzehn (Eighteen)
– Neunzehn (Nineteen)
– Zwanzig (Twenty)

Days of the Week

Knowing the days of the week is essential for planning and understanding schedules.

– Montag (Monday)
– Dienstag (Tuesday)
– Mittwoch (Wednesday)
– Donnerstag (Thursday)
– Freitag (Friday)
– Samstag (Saturday)
– Sonntag (Sunday)

Months of the Year

Understanding the months is important for dates and planning events.

– Januar (January)
– Februar (February)
– März (March)
– April (April)
– Mai (May)
– Juni (June)
– Juli (July)
– August (August)
– September (September)
– Oktober (October)
– November (November)
– Dezember (December)

Basic Vocabulary

Here are some essential nouns, verbs, and adjectives that are commonly used in everyday conversations.

Nouns

– das Haus (house)
– der Tisch (table)
– der Stuhl (chair)
– das Buch (book)
– die Schule (school)
– das Auto (car)
– der Freund (friend – male)
– die Freundin (friend – female)
– die Familie (family)
– das Wasser (water)

Verbs

– sein (to be)
– haben (to have)
– gehen (to go)
– kommen (to come)
– machen (to do/make)
– sehen (to see)
– lesen (to read)
– schreiben (to write)
– sprechen (to speak)
– essen (to eat)

Adjectives

– gut (good)
– schlecht (bad)
– groß (big)
– klein (small)
– alt (old)
– jung (young)
– schön (beautiful)
– hässlich (ugly)
– kalt (cold)
– warm (warm)

Useful Phrases

Here are some everyday phrases that can help you navigate simple conversations and situations.

– Ich verstehe nicht. (I don’t understand.)
– Können Sie das bitte wiederholen? (Can you please repeat that?)
– Wie sagt man … auf Deutsch? (How do you say … in German?)
– Ich spreche nur ein bisschen Deutsch. (I speak only a little German.)
– Entschuldigung (Excuse me)
– Bitte (Please)
– Danke (Thank you)
– Ja (Yes)
– Nein (No)

Food and Drinks

When dining out or shopping for groceries, knowing the names of common foods and drinks is very helpful.

Foods

– das Brot (bread)
– die Butter (butter)
– der Käse (cheese)
– das Fleisch (meat)
– das Gemüse (vegetables)
– das Obst (fruit)
– der Apfel (apple)
– die Banane (banana)
– die Kartoffel (potato)
– der Salat (salad)

Drinks

– das Wasser (water)
– der Kaffee (coffee)
– der Tee (tea)
– die Milch (milk)
– der Saft (juice)
– das Bier (beer)
– der Wein (wine)

Shopping and Money

Understanding how to communicate while shopping and dealing with money is another essential skill.

– Wie viel kostet das? (How much does that cost?)
– Das ist teuer. (That is expensive.)
– Das ist billig. (That is cheap.)
– Ich möchte… (I would like…)
– Haben Sie… (Do you have…)
– Die Rechnung, bitte. (The bill, please.)
– Ich bezahle bar. (I pay in cash.)
– Ich bezahle mit Karte. (I pay with card.)

Directions and Transportation

Getting around in a German-speaking country will require you to understand and give directions, as well as use public transportation.

– Wo ist…? (Where is…?)
– Wie komme ich zu…? (How do I get to…?)
– links (left)
– rechts (right)
– geradeaus (straight ahead)
– die Straße (street)
– die Bushaltestelle (bus stop)
– der Bahnhof (train station)
– die U-Bahn (subway)
– das Taxi (taxi)

Health and Emergencies

In case of emergencies, knowing some basic health-related vocabulary can be very important.

– Ich brauche einen Arzt. (I need a doctor.)
– Es tut mir weh. (It hurts.)
– die Apotheke (pharmacy)
– das Krankenhaus (hospital)
– die Polizei (police)
– Hilfe! (Help!)
– der Unfall (accident)
– die Krankheit (illness)
– die Medizin (medicine)
– die Notaufnahme (emergency room)

Family and Relationships

Talking about family and relationships is a common topic in everyday conversations.

– die Mutter (mother)
– der Vater (father)
– die Schwester (sister)
– der Bruder (brother)
– die Eltern (parents)
– die Großeltern (grandparents)
– der Freund (boyfriend)
– die Freundin (girlfriend)
– der Ehemann (husband)
– die Ehefrau (wife)

Weather

Discussing the weather is another everyday topic that you will likely encounter.

– Wie ist das Wetter? (How is the weather?)
– Es ist kalt. (It is cold.)
– Es ist warm. (It is warm.)
– Es regnet. (It is raining.)
– Es schneit. (It is snowing.)
– die Sonne (the sun)
– der Regen (the rain)
– der Schnee (the snow)
– der Wind (the wind)
– die Wolken (the clouds)

Time and Dates

Being able to tell time and understand dates is fundamental for managing your daily schedule.

– Wie spät ist es? (What time is it?)
– Es ist … Uhr. (It is … o’clock.)
– die Stunde (hour)
– die Minute (minute)
– der Tag (day)
– die Woche (week)
– der Monat (month)
– das Jahr (year)
– heute (today)
– morgen (tomorrow)
– gestern (yesterday)

Conclusion

Reaching the A1 level in German is an exciting step in your language learning journey. By mastering these essential words and phrases, you’ll be well-equipped to handle basic conversations and navigate everyday situations in a German-speaking environment. Remember, practice is key! Keep using these words and phrases in your daily life, and you’ll find yourself becoming more comfortable and confident with the German language. Viel Erfolg! (Good luck!)