# 100 Most Common German Words With English Translations

By Max Yoko · Learning German · Updated 2026-10-19 · https://guide.germanyfastlane.com/100-most-common-german-words-with-english-translations

**Short answer:** The 100 most common German words make up almost half of all the words you see in German texts. I sorted them into 10 categories and every word comes with its English meaning and one simple example sentence.

## Key takeaways

- Knowing the 100 most common German words helps you understand almost half of the words in German texts.
- Learn the three where words together: wo (where), woher (from where) and wohin (where to).
- German has three forms of you: du for one person informally, ihr for several people informally, and Sie in formal situations.
- Always learn nouns with their article (der, die or das), for example das Haus instead of just Haus.
- German verbs change with the subject, so sein becomes ich bin, du bist and er ist.
- Vocabulary alone is not enough: you also need grammar, pronunciation, listening practice and a structured plan.

The 100 most common words in German make up almost half of all the words you see in German texts.

So if you know these words, you will see and hear them again and again. 

If you are a beginner, start with learning the 100 words first. I've divided them into 10 categories, and for every word, you'll find the English meaning and one simple German example sentence.

## **1. German Greetings and Everyday Expressions**

Let's start with some basic expressions you'll hear and use almost every day.

| **German** | **English** | **Example Sentence** |
|---|---|---|
| Hallo | Hello | Hallo, wie geht es dir? (Hello, how are you?) |
| Tschüss | Bye | Tschüss, bis morgen! (Bye, see you tomorrow!) |
| Danke | Thank you | Danke für deine Hilfe. (Thank you for your help.) |
| Bitte | Please / You're welcome | Ein Wasser, bitte. (A water, please.) |
| Entschuldigung | Excuse me / Sorry | Entschuldigung, wo ist der Bahnhof? (Excuse me, where is the train station?) |
| Ja | Yes | Ja, das ist richtig. (Yes, that is correct.) |
| Nein | No | Nein, danke. (No, thank you.) |
| Guten Tag | Good day | Guten Tag, Jonas. (Good day, Jonas.) |
| Guten Morgen | Good morning | Guten Morgen, Anna! (Good morning, Anna!) |
| Gute Nacht | Good night | Gute Nacht, bis morgen! (Good night, see you tomorrow!) |

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## **2. The 10 Most Important German Question Words**

Question words are essential for having basic conversations in German.

| **German** | **English** | **Example Sentence** |
|---|---|---|
| Was | What | Was machst du? (What are you doing?) |
| Wer | Who | Wer ist das? (Who is that?) |
| Wo | Where | Wo wohnst du? (Where do you live?) |
| Wann | When | Wann kommst du? (When are you coming?) |
| Warum | Why | Warum lernst du Deutsch? (Why are you learning German?) |
| Wie | How | Wie geht es dir? (How are you?) |
| Welche / welcher / welches | Which | Welches Buch möchtest du? (Which book would you like?) |
| Wie viel | How much | Wie viel kostet das? (How much does that cost?) |
| Woher | From where | Woher kommst du? (Where are you from?) |
| Wohin | Where to | Wohin gehst du? (Where are you going?) |

> **Quick Tip:** 
Remember the difference between *wo* (where), *woher* (from where), and *wohin* (where to). These three words are especially useful in everyday conversations.


## **3. German Personal Pronouns and Basic Words**

These words help you talk about yourself and other people.

| **German** | **English** | **Example Sentence** |
|---|---|---|
| ich | I | Ich komme aus Deutschland. (I'm from Germany.) |
| du | You (informal singular) | Du bist sehr nett. (You are very nice.) |
| er | He | Er wohnt in Berlin. (He lives in Berlin.) |
| sie | She | Sie spricht Deutsch. (She speaks German.) |
| es | It | Es ist sehr kalt. (It is very cold.) |
| wir | We | Wir lernen Deutsch. (We are learning German.) |
| ihr | You (informal plural) | Ihr seid meine Freunde. (You are my friends.) |
| sie | They | Sie wohnen in München. (They live in Munich.) |
| Sie | You (formal) | Sprechen Sie Englisch? (Do you speak English?) |
| mein / dein | My / Your | Das ist mein Buch. Ist das dein Buch? (This is my book. Is that your book?) |

> **Quick Tip:** 
German has different forms of "you". Use *du* with one person informally, *ihr* with multiple people informally, and *Sie* in formal situations.


## **4. The 10 Most Important German Verbs**

Verbs are the foundation of German sentences. These are some of the most useful ones to learn first.

| **German** | **English** | **Example Sentence** |
|---|---|---|
| sein | To be | Ich bin müde. (I am tired.) |
| haben | To have | Ich habe ein Auto. (I have a car.) |
| machen | To do / Make | Was machst du heute? (What are you doing today?) |
| gehen | To go | Ich gehe nach Hause. (I am going home.) |
| kommen | To come | Ich komme morgen. (I am coming tomorrow.) |
| können | Can / To be able to | Ich kann Deutsch sprechen. (I can speak German.) |
| wollen | To want | Ich will nach Hause. (I want to go home.) |
| müssen | Must / Have to | Ich muss heute arbeiten. (I have to work today.) |
| brauchen | To need | Ich brauche Hilfe. (I need help.) |
| möchten | Would like | Ich möchte einen Kaffee. (I would like a coffee.) |

> **Quick Tip:** 
German verbs change depending on the subject. For example, *sein* becomes *ich bin*, *du bist*, and *er ist*. This is called verb conjugation.


## **5. German Words for Everyday Activities**

These verbs describe common activities like eating, working, and studying.

| **German** | **English** | **Example Sentence** |
|---|---|---|
| essen | To eat | Ich esse eine Pizza. (I am eating a pizza.) |
| trinken | To drink | Ich trinke Wasser. (I drink water.) |
| schlafen | To sleep | Ich schlafe acht Stunden. (I sleep for eight hours.) |
| arbeiten | To work | Ich arbeite in München. (I work in Munich.) |
| lernen | To learn | Ich lerne jeden Tag Deutsch. (I learn German every day.) |
| sprechen | To speak | Sprichst du Englisch? (Do you speak English?) |
| verstehen | To understand | Ich verstehe dich. (I understand you.) |
| sehen | To see | Ich sehe einen Hund. (I see a dog.) |
| kaufen | To buy | Ich kaufe Brot. (I am buying bread.) |
| bezahlen | To pay | Ich bezahle mit Karte. (I pay by card.) |

Try to use these words to describe your daily routine in German. Even a few simple sentences are great practice.

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## **6. German Words for Time and Daily Life**

You'll need these words when talking about your schedule, making plans, or describing your day.

| **German** | **English** | **Example Sentence** |
|---|---|---|
| heute | Today | Heute arbeite ich nicht. (I am not working today.) |
| morgen | Tomorrow / Morning | Morgen gehe ich zur Schule. (Tomorrow I am going to school.) |
| gestern | Yesterday | Gestern war ich zu Hause. (Yesterday I was at home.) |
| jetzt | Now | Ich muss jetzt gehen. (I have to go now.) |
| später | Later | Ich rufe dich später an. (I will call you later.) |
| immer | Always | Ich trinke immer Kaffee. (I always drink coffee.) |
| oft | Often | Ich gehe oft ins Fitnessstudio. (I often go to the gym.) |
| manchmal | Sometimes | Manchmal koche ich zu Hause. (Sometimes I cook at home.) |
| nie | Never | Ich trinke nie Alkohol. (I never drink alcohol.) |
| die Zeit | Time | Ich habe keine Zeit. (I have no time.) |

> **Quick Tip:** 
*morgen* means "tomorrow" and *der Morgen* means "morning". The meaning depends on the context.


## **7. Common German Adjectives and Descriptive Words**

These words help you describe people, places, and everyday situations.

| **German** | **English** | **Example Sentence** |
|---|---|---|
| gut | Good | Das Essen ist gut. (The food is good.) |
| schlecht | Bad | Das Wetter ist schlecht. (The weather is bad.) |
| groß | Big | Das Haus ist groß. (The house is big.) |
| klein | Small | Mein Zimmer ist klein. (My room is small.) |
| neu | New | Ich habe ein neues Handy. (I have a new phone.) |
| alt | Old | Das Auto ist alt. (The car is old.) |
| schön | Beautiful / Nice | München ist sehr schön. (Munich is very beautiful.) |
| einfach | Easy / Simple | Die Aufgabe ist einfach. (The task is easy.) |
| sehr | Very | Ich bin sehr müde. (I am very tired.) |
| vielleicht | Maybe | Vielleicht komme ich morgen. (Maybe I will come tomorrow.) |

## **8. German Words for Food, Money, and Everyday Objects**

These are some of the most useful German nouns for daily life.

| **German** | **English** | **Example Sentence** |
|---|---|---|
| das Wasser | Water | Ich trinke viel Wasser. (I drink a lot of water.) |
| das Essen | Food | Das Essen ist lecker. (The food is delicious.) |
| der Kaffee | Coffee | Ich trinke morgens Kaffee. (I drink coffee in the morning.) |
| das Brot | Bread | Ich esse Brot zum Frühstück. (I eat bread for breakfast.) |
| das Geld | Money | Ich habe kein Geld. (I have no money.) |
| das Handy | Phone | Mein Handy ist neu. (My phone is new.) |
| das Auto | Car | Mein Vater hat ein Auto. (My father has a car.) |
| das Haus | House | Das Haus ist groß. (The house is big.) |
| die Arbeit | Work | Ich gehe zur Arbeit. (I am going to work.) |
| die Hilfe | Help | Ich brauche deine Hilfe. (I need your help.) |

> **Quick Tip:** 
Always learn German nouns together with their articles (*der*, *die*, or *das*). For example, memorize *das Haus* instead of just *Haus*. This will make learning German grammar much easier later on.


## **9. German Words for Places and Transportation**

If you're planning to travel, study, or work in Germany, these words will be especially useful.

| **German** | **English** | **Example Sentence** |
|---|---|---|
| die Stadt | City | Berlin ist eine große Stadt. (Berlin is a big city.) |
| die Straße | Street | Die Straße ist lang. (The street is long.) |
| der Bahnhof | Train station | Wo ist der Bahnhof? (Where is the train station?) |
| der Zug | Train | Der Zug kommt um acht Uhr. (The train comes at eight o'clock.) |
| der Bus | Bus | Ich fahre mit dem Bus. (I go by bus.) |
| die Schule | School | Die Kinder gehen zur Schule. (The children go to school.) |
| der Supermarkt | Supermarket | Ich gehe zum Supermarkt. (I am going to the supermarket.) |
| das Restaurant | Restaurant | Wir essen im Restaurant. (We eat at the restaurant.) |
| die Toilette | Toilet / Bathroom | Wo ist die Toilette? (Where is the toilet?) |
| Deutschland | Germany | Ich wohne in Deutschland. (I live in Germany.) |

## **10. Small German Words That Make Sentences Work**

Finally, let's look at some small but extremely important German words that help connect sentences and ideas.

| **German** | **English** | **Example Sentence** |
|---|---|---|
| und | And | Ich spreche Deutsch und Englisch. (I speak German and English.) |
| aber | But | Ich bin müde, aber glücklich. (I am tired, but happy.) |
| oder | Or | Möchtest du Kaffee oder Tee? (Would you like coffee or tea?) |
| nicht | Not | Ich verstehe das nicht. (I do not understand that.) |
| auch | Also / Too | Ich komme auch. (I am coming too.) |
| noch | Still / Another | Ich bin noch zu Hause. (I am still at home.) |
| schon | Already | Ich bin schon fertig. (I am already finished.) |
| mit | With | Ich gehe mit meiner Freundin. (I am going with my friend.) |
| für | For | Das Geschenk ist für dich. (The present is for you.) |
| weil | Because | Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Deutschland wohne. (I am learning German because I live in Germany.) |

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## Frequently asked questions

### Is learning 100 German words enough to speak German?

These 100 words are a great start, but you also need grammar, pronunciation, listening practice and a structured learning plan to become fluent.

### What is the difference between morgen and der Morgen?

morgen means tomorrow, while der Morgen means morning. The meaning depends on the context.

### Should I learn German nouns with der, die or das?

Yes. Memorize the article with every noun, like das Haus instead of just Haus. This makes German grammar much easier later on.

### Which German verbs should I learn first?

Start with sein (to be), haben (to have), machen, gehen, kommen, können, wollen, müssen, brauchen and möchten. They are the foundation of most everyday sentences.

### When do I use du and when Sie in German?

Use du with one person you know informally and Sie in formal situations, for example with strangers or at an office. Use ihr when you talk informally to several people.