Introduction

You know what's funny? Most German courses throw hundreds of words at you, but only a handful get used over and over in real life. I'm talking about the words Germans actually say when they're chatting with friends, ordering coffee, or complaining about the weather.

Here are 60 words that'll come up again and again once you start listening to German. No fancy vocabulary lists—just the stuff you'll hear walking down the street in Berlin or Munich.

Greetings & Basic Interactions

1. Hallo (Hello)

The go-to greeting. Works everywhere, any time of day.

Examples:

  • Hallo! Wie geht's? (Hello! How are you?)
  • Hallo zusammen! (Hello everyone!)

Memory tip: Sounds just like the English "hello" but with a sharper 'a' sound.

2. Tschüss (Bye)

Your everyday goodbye. Way more common than "auf Wiedersehen."

Examples:

  • Okay, tschüss! (Okay, bye!)
  • Bis später, tschüss! (See you later, bye!)

Memory tip: Pronounce it like "choose" but with a 'ts' at the start.

3. Danke (Thanks)

Short, sweet, essential.

Examples:

  • Danke schön! (Thank you very much!)
  • Danke für deine Hilfe. (Thanks for your help.)

Memory tip: Think "donkey" but with an 'ah' sound instead of 'oh.'

4. Bitte (Please / You're welcome)

Does double duty—use it when asking for something AND when someone thanks you.

Examples:

  • Ein Kaffee, bitte. (A coffee, please.)
  • Danke! – Bitte! (Thanks! – You're welcome!)

Memory tip: Rhymes with "bitter" without the 'r.'

5. Entschuldigung (Excuse me / Sorry)

A mouthful at first, but you'll use it daily.

Examples:

  • Entschuldigung, wo ist der Bahnhof? (Excuse me, where's the train station?)
  • Entschuldigung! (Sorry!)

Memory tip: Break it down: ent-SHUL-di-gung.

Essential Questions

6. Was (What)

The most basic question word you'll need.

Examples:

  • Was ist das? (What is that?)
  • Was machst du? (What are you doing?)

Memory tip: Sounds like "voss."

7. Wo (Where)

Asking for locations? This is your word.

Examples:

  • Wo bist du? (Where are you?)
  • Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?)

Memory tip: Rhymes with "go."

8. Wann (When)

Time-related questions start here.

Examples:

  • Wann kommst du? (When are you coming?)
  • Wann fängt der Film an? (When does the movie start?)

Memory tip: Like "van" with a 'w' sound.

9. Warum (Why)

Kids use this word a thousand times a day. So do adults.

Examples:

  • Warum nicht? (Why not?)
  • Warum bist du so müde? (Why are you so tired?)

Memory tip: Sounds like "var-OOM."

10. Wie (How)

How things work, how you're doing—it all starts with "wie."

Examples:

  • Wie geht's? (How are you?)
  • Wie viel kostet das? (How much does that cost?)

Memory tip: Rhymes with "see."

Common Verbs

11. Sein (To be)

You can't speak German without this verb. Seriously.

Examples:

  • Ich bin müde. (I am tired.)
  • Das ist toll! (That is great!)

Memory tip: Pronounced like "zine."

12. Haben (To have)

Second most important verb. Period.

Examples:

  • Ich habe Hunger. (I have hunger / I'm hungry.)
  • Hast du Zeit? (Do you have time?)

Memory tip: Like "haben" in "have been" but German-style.

13. Machen (To do / To make)

The workhorse verb for getting things done.

Examples:

  • Was machst du heute? (What are you doing today?)
  • Ich mache Hausaufgaben. (I'm doing homework.)

Memory tip: Sounds like "makh-en."

14. Gehen (To go)

Movement, plans, asking how someone's doing—"gehen" covers it all.

Examples:

  • Ich gehe nach Hause. (I'm going home.)
  • Wie geht es dir? (How are you? / Lit: How goes it to you?)

Memory tip: Like "gay-en."

15. Kommen (To come)

The opposite of going.

Examples:

  • Kommst du mit? (Are you coming along?)
  • Ich komme gleich. (I'm coming right away.)

Memory tip: Like "come-en."

16. Sagen (To say)

Talking about what people said? You need this.

Examples:

  • Was sagst du? (What are you saying?)
  • Er sagt immer die Wahrheit. (He always tells the truth.)

Memory tip: Sounds like "zag-en."

17. Wissen (To know [facts])

When you know something factual.

Examples:

  • Ich weiß es nicht. (I don't know.)
  • Weißt du seinen Namen? (Do you know his name?)

Memory tip: Pronounced "viss-en."

18. Können (Can / To be able to)

Talking about abilities and possibilities.

Examples:

  • Ich kann Deutsch sprechen. (I can speak German.)
  • Kannst du mir helfen? (Can you help me?)

Memory tip: Like "kern-en."

19. Müssen (Must / To have to)

When something's necessary.

Examples:

  • Ich muss gehen. (I have to go.)
  • Du musst das probieren! (You have to try this!)

Memory tip: Sounds like "moose-en."

20. Wollen (To want)

Express your desires.

Examples:

  • Ich will Kaffee. (I want coffee.)
  • Was willst du machen? (What do you want to do?)

Memory tip: Like "voll-en."

Time Words

21. Heute (Today)

The present moment.

Examples:

  • Was machst du heute? (What are you doing today?)
  • Heute ist Montag. (Today is Monday.)

Memory tip: Sounds like "HOY-tuh."

22. Morgen (Tomorrow)

The day ahead.

Examples:

  • Bis morgen! (See you tomorrow!)
  • Morgen habe ich Zeit. (Tomorrow I have time.)

Memory tip: Like "MORE-gen."

23. Gestern (Yesterday)

The day that just passed.

Examples:

  • Gestern war schön. (Yesterday was nice.)
  • Ich habe dich gestern gesehen. (I saw you yesterday.)

Memory tip: "Guess-tern."

24. Jetzt (Now)

Right this moment.

Examples:

  • Ich muss jetzt gehen. (I have to go now.)
  • Jetzt verstehe ich! (Now I understand!)

Memory tip: Rhymes with "etzt."

25. Später (Later)

Not now, but soon-ish.

Examples:

  • Bis später! (See you later!)
  • Ich rufe dich später an. (I'll call you later.)

Memory tip: "Shpay-ter."

26. Immer (Always)

Every single time.

Examples:

  • Er kommt immer zu spät. (He always comes too late.)
  • Ich bin immer hier. (I'm always here.)

Memory tip: Like "immer" in "glimmer."

27. Nie (Never)

The opposite of always.

Examples:

  • Ich gehe nie dorthin. (I never go there.)
  • Das habe ich nie gesagt. (I never said that.)

Memory tip: Rhymes with "see."

28. Oft (Often)

Frequently, but not always.

Examples:

  • Ich gehe oft spazieren. (I often go for walks.)
  • Wie oft machst du Sport? (How often do you exercise?)

Memory tip: Sounds exactly like "oft."

People & Pronouns

29. Ich (I)

You'll start almost every sentence about yourself with this.

Examples:

  • Ich bin Student. (I am a student.)
  • Ich liebe Musik. (I love music.)

Memory tip: Like "ish."

30. Du (You [informal])

Talking to friends, family, kids, pets.

Examples:

  • Wo bist du? (Where are you?)
  • Kommst du mit? (Are you coming along?)

Memory tip: Rhymes with "do."

31. Er (He)

When talking about a guy.

Examples:

  • Er ist nett. (He is nice.)
  • Wo ist er? (Where is he?)

Memory tip: Like "air."

32. Sie (She / They / You [formal])

Gets tricky because it means three things. Context tells you which.

Examples:

  • Sie ist schön. (She is beautiful.)
  • Sie kommen morgen. (They are coming tomorrow.)
  • Wie heißen Sie? (What is your name? [formal])

Memory tip: Sounds like "zee."

33. Wir (We)

The group you're part of.

Examples:

  • Wir gehen ins Kino. (We're going to the cinema.)
  • Wir haben Zeit. (We have time.)

Memory tip: Like "veer."

34. Mann (Man)

A male person.

Examples:

  • Der Mann dort drüben. (The man over there.)
  • Ein junger Mann. (A young man.)

Memory tip: Sounds like "mon."

35. Frau (Woman / Mrs.)

A female person, or a title.

Examples:

  • Die Frau ist freundlich. (The woman is friendly.)
  • Guten Tag, Frau Schmidt. (Good day, Mrs. Schmidt.)

Memory tip: Like "frow" (rhymes with "cow").

36. Kind (Child)

Any kid.

Examples:

  • Das Kind spielt. (The child is playing.)
  • Kinder lernen schnell. (Children learn quickly.)

Memory tip: Sounds like "kindt."

Common Adjectives

37. Gut (Good)

The all-purpose positive word.

Examples:

  • Das ist gut! (That's good!)
  • Guten Morgen! (Good morning!)

Memory tip: Like "goot."

38. Schlecht (Bad)

When things aren't going well.

Examples:

  • Das Wetter ist schlecht. (The weather is bad.)
  • Mir geht's schlecht. (I'm not feeling well.)

Memory tip: "Shlekht."

39. Groß (Big / Tall)

Size matters.

Examples:

  • Ein großes Haus. (A big house.)
  • Er ist sehr groß. (He is very tall.)

Memory tip: Like "gross" but with a soft 's.'

40. Klein (Small / Short)

The opposite of big.

Examples:

  • Eine kleine Katze. (A small cat.)
  • Mein Bruder ist klein. (My brother is short.)

Memory tip: Rhymes with "shine."

41. Neu (New)

Fresh and recent.

Examples:

  • Mein neues Auto. (My new car.)
  • Was gibt's Neues? (What's new?)

Memory tip: Like "noy."

42. Alt (Old)

Not new or young.

Examples:

  • Ein altes Buch. (An old book.)
  • Wie alt bist du? (How old are you?)

Memory tip: Sounds like "alt."

43. Schön (Beautiful / Nice)

Describing pretty much anything positive.

Examples:

  • Das ist schön! (That's beautiful!)
  • Schönes Wetter heute. (Nice weather today.)

Memory tip: Like "shern."

44. Viel (Much / Many / A lot)

Quantity talk.

Examples:

  • Viel Glück! (Good luck! / Lit: Much luck!)
  • Wie viel kostet das? (How much does that cost?)

Memory tip: Rhymes with "feel."

Everyday Nouns

45. Tag (Day)

A 24-hour period.

Examples:

  • Guten Tag! (Good day!)
  • Jeden Tag. (Every day.)

Memory tip: Like "tog."

46. Zeit (Time)

Hours, minutes, or just having time for something.

Examples:

  • Ich habe keine Zeit. (I don't have time.)
  • Wie spät ist es? (What time is it? / Lit: How late is it?)

Memory tip: Rhymes with "site."

47. Jahr (Year)

365 days.

Examples:

  • Ein Jahr hat zwölf Monate. (A year has twelve months.)
  • Nächstes Jahr. (Next year.)

Memory tip: Like "yar."

48. Haus (House)

Where people live.

Examples:

  • Mein Haus ist groß. (My house is big.)
  • Ich gehe nach Hause. (I'm going home.)

Memory tip: Like "house" but with a German accent.

49. Auto (Car)

The vehicle you drive.

Examples:

  • Ich fahre mit dem Auto. (I'm driving by car.)
  • Sein Auto ist neu. (His car is new.)

Memory tip: Same as "auto" in English.

50. Geld (Money)

Cash, currency, the stuff you need to buy things.

Examples:

  • Ich habe kein Geld. (I don't have any money.)
  • Geld verdienen. (To earn money.)

Memory tip: Like "gelt."

51. Arbeit (Work)

Your job or the act of working.

Examples:

  • Ich gehe zur Arbeit. (I'm going to work.)
  • Viel Arbeit heute. (A lot of work today.)

Memory tip: "Are-bite."

52. Essen (Food / To eat)

Both the noun and the verb.

Examples:

  • Das Essen schmeckt gut. (The food tastes good.)
  • Wir essen jetzt. (We're eating now.)

Memory tip: Like "essen" in "essence."

53. Wasser (Water)

The drink of life.

Examples:

  • Ein Glas Wasser, bitte. (A glass of water, please.)
  • Ich trinke viel Wasser. (I drink a lot of water.)

Memory tip: "Voss-er."

54. Bier (Beer)

Germany's favorite beverage.

Examples:

  • Ein Bier, bitte. (A beer, please.)
  • Deutsches Bier ist berühmt. (German beer is famous.)

Memory tip: Like "beer" in English.

Connecting Words

55. Und (And)

Connect two things.

Examples:

  • Ich und du. (Me and you.)
  • Kaffee und Kuchen. (Coffee and cake.)

Memory tip: Sounds like "oont."

56. Oder (Or)

Choose between options.

Examples:

  • Tee oder Kaffee? (Tea or coffee?)
  • Heute oder morgen? (Today or tomorrow?)

Memory tip: "Oh-der."

57. Aber (But)

Show contrast.

Examples:

  • Ich bin müde, aber glücklich. (I'm tired, but happy.)
  • Schön, aber teuer. (Nice, but expensive.)

Memory tip: "Ah-ber."

58. Auch (Also / Too)

Add something extra.

Examples:

  • Ich auch! (Me too!)
  • Das ist auch wichtig. (That's also important.)

Memory tip: Like "owkh."

59. Nicht (Not)

The negation word you'll use constantly.

Examples:

  • Ich weiß nicht. (I don't know.)
  • Das ist nicht gut. (That's not good.)

Memory tip: Like "nikht."

60. Sehr (Very)

Intensify what you're saying.

Examples:

  • Sehr gut! (Very good!)
  • Ich bin sehr müde. (I'm very tired.)

Memory tip: Like "zair."

Practice Time

Right, time to test what stuck. Don't stress if you don't nail everything—this is just to help you notice which words you've already picked up.

Fill in the Blanks

  1. ___ geht's? (How are you?)
  2. Ich ___ Hunger. (I'm hungry.)
  3. ___ ist das? (What is that?)
  4. Bis ___! (See you tomorrow!)
  5. Das ist ___ gut. (That's very good.)

Answers: 1. Wie, 2. habe, 3. Was, 4. morgen, 5. sehr

Quick Translation

Try putting these into German:

  1. I don't know.
  2. Where are you?
  3. Thank you!
  4. A coffee, please.
  5. That is beautiful.

Answers: 1. Ich weiß nicht. 2. Wo bist du? 3. Danke! 4. Ein Kaffee, bitte. 5. Das ist schön.

Wrapping Up

So there you have it—60 words that actually get used in everyday German. You won't become fluent overnight, but if you can recognize these when someone's speaking, you'll be miles ahead of where you started.

The trick? Start noticing them in real German content. Watch a show, listen to a podcast, or just eavesdrop on German conversations online. You'll be shocked how often these pop up.

Keep at it. You've got this.