# Helpful German Phrases



## JSpira (Oct 21, 2002)

chaz58 said:


> I hear "Wie Geht's Ihnen" all of the time - can't remember hearing Wie geht es Sie


That´s because you won´t hear it. You need the dative case (Ihnen) not accusative or nominative (both ,,Sie``).


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## Boxer19 (Apr 28, 2007)

jvogt1 said:


> I've already learned a few phrases which I hope will help me fit in on my ED this May. I can say "Gutten tag", "Wie geht's?" and "Sprechen sie Englisch?" like a native (of Mexico!:bigpimp. But, I am thinking I need some more situation specific help. If one of the 'fest's German speaking members could translate these, I would appreciate it.
> 
> "Sorry, I don't speak German. I studied Spanish in school." - I could use the Spanish language translation for this too - yeah, it was public school.:dunno:
> 
> ...


Try Gruss Gott........means God greet you or something like that. I used it all the time as a greeting meaning like: "Morning". Makes everyone friendly.


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## Boxer19 (Apr 28, 2007)

Boxer19 said:


> Try Gruss Gott........means God greet you or something like that. I used it all the time as a greeting meaning like: "Morning". Makes everyone friendly.


I forgot, it is used mostly in the north. Might mean something different in the south.:yikes:


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## gjwilson (Apr 28, 2007)

Northcar said:


> Read the comments on the reviews though. While fun and entertaining to the student of German language, it is not meant to be literally used as a phrase book. Apparently, even asking, "Wie Geht's Ihnen?" to a stranger is verboten until some sort of relationship has been established.





Northcar said:


> Read the comments on the reviews though. While fun and entertaining to the student of German language, it is not meant to be literally used as a phrase book. Apparently, even asking, "Wie Geht's Ihnen?" to a stranger is verboten until some sort of relationship has been established.


I've been listening to Deutches Welle's Learn German course. One of the lesson scenes touches on this. The scene involves a hotel porter (Andreas) talking to various guests.

When greeting a guest, Herr Meier, who is close to his own age, Andreas uses "Wie geht's?".

When greeting an older guest, Herr Dr Thurman, Andreas uses the more formal "Wie geht es Ihnen?"

You can read the transcript of the lesson here

or listen to it at http://mp3.dw-world.de/dwelle/sprachkurse/english/eng-113.mp3

Wie geht es dir? uses the less formal or "du" form. (dative of du = dir, dative of Sie = Ihnen).

I read somewhere that you don't use the contraction (geht's for geht es) if there is an object. (ie you would not use Wie geht's Ihnen or Wie geht's dir). However, I'm not sure if this applies to written German, spoken German or both

Also the capital I on Ihnen is important (in written German) as ihnen would refer to "them"


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## Alfred G (Apr 1, 2007)

Boxer19 said:


> I forgot, it is used mostly in the north. Might mean something different in the south.:yikes:


Grüss Gott is more common in the *South*, I would say: south of the Danube.

You can say it all day long.

North of the Danube you need to use

Guten Morgen (perhaps untill 11 a.m.)
Guten Tag (until 5 p.m.)
Guten Abend after that


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## chaz58 (Sep 11, 2007)

Deutsche Welle has some good stuff for practicing and learning German. Which course is that from? I listen to Alltags Deutsch - it give some good background information on the origin of words that Native speakers sometimes don't know.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,2142,2233,00.html


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## Hammerwerfer (Aug 8, 2003)

Around here "Guten Tag" is often replaced with just a grunted "Gute" or "Moya". 

In the Eifel is seems to morph into "Moin". 

Probably like the Luxembourgisch "Moyenne"

I'll be starting an intensive deutsch course soon!


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## MG67 (Aug 19, 2003)

chaz58 said:


> Where the heck to you come up with things like this???
> 
> "Schoen ist das Madchen, klein ist das loch, gross ist der Schmertz aber rein geht er doch..."


Hahah, I'm from the Netherlands (as in Dutch) I spent about 6 years in Germany in the Army and 4 years working for Cisco Systems in Germany... Those kinds of texts were spoken on the bar when you get ready to down a beer or some Apfle Corn... (our Garrison was coupled with a German Garrison so the Germans were teaching us all these bad things...)
My favorite phrase in German has to be "Mahlzeit" at anytime of the day...:thumbup: I walked up around 9am to the Pasport control in Frankfurt and said "Mahlzeit" the two agents behind the counter were laughing their asses off... (always nice to make a good impression...)


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## gjwilson (Apr 28, 2007)

chaz58 said:


> Deutsche Welle has some good stuff for practicing and learning German. Which course is that from? I listen to Alltags Deutsch - it give some good background information on the origin of words that Native speakers sometimes don't know.
> 
> http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,2142,2233,00.html


It's from the Deutsch - Warum Nicht? series at http://www.dw-world.de/dw/0,2142,2548,00.html.

(It seems to have been done pre Y2K)


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## Boxer19 (Apr 28, 2007)

Alfred G said:


> Grüss Gott is more common in the *South*, I would say: south of the Danube.
> 
> You can say it all day long.
> 
> ...


Whups.....Probably because I was upside down most of the time I was stationed there. Isn't Wuerzburg in the North?


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## Alfred G (Apr 1, 2007)

Boxer19 said:


> Whups.....Probably because I was upside down most of the time I was stationed there. Isn't Wuerzburg in the North?


Würzburg is a little north of the Danube, but still quite Southern - at least still in Bavaria.

It's appropriate to say Grüß Gott in Würzburg.


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## jvogt1 (Aug 29, 2007)

SailinSand said:


> Have a safe trip ... how are you doing your ED through? Bert Smith, Ferman, Reeves... just curious.
> 
> Reeves was the only local dealership that I could even get to discuss ED. The others I spoke to had no interest in helping me. Luckily, the Bimmerfest forum has a number of professional, capable people who are more than happy to help one through a no-hassle process. I'm working with Irv Robinson of Motor Werks. Nothing but the best treatment from him and his associates. :thumbup:


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## jvogt1 (Aug 29, 2007)

*Yoda says...*



kjboyd said:


> hmm, how bout...
> Wilst du mit mir schlafen... in case you run into a german dreamboat or st. pauli girl depending on your sexual preferences!


I think I might be very popular with the Star Wars crowd or someone at a Renaissanse festival if I use the translation of the above provided by Babel Fish - "Wilst you with me sleep". :rofl:


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## jvogt1 (Aug 29, 2007)

gjwilson said:


> I've been listening to Deutches Welle's Learn German course. You can read the transcript of the lesson here


Very nice! I only had to read the first paragraph and I've got the perfect pick-up line: "mein Geld; dein Hotel?".


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## Boxer19 (Apr 28, 2007)

Alfred G said:


> Würzburg is a little north of the Danube, but still quite Southern - at least still in Bavaria.
> 
> It's appropriate to say Grüß Gott in Würzburg.


Thanks Alfred!!! I used those words quite a lot so I feel better having not offended anyone.
One of the things that happens when getting drafted is you never seem to know where you are or where you are going


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## Alfred G (Apr 1, 2007)

Boxer19 said:


> Thanks Alfred!!! I used those words quite a lot so I feel better having not offended anyone.
> One of the things that happens when getting drafted is you never seem to know where you are or where you are going


You cannot offend anyone by saying Grüß Gott. But some smartass-North-Germans find it funny to hear that and react by the childish response "I will if I see him" because the literal translation of Grüß Gott is "Salute God".


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## MG67 (Aug 19, 2003)

Alfred G said:


> You cannot offend anyone by saying Grüß Gott. But some smartass-North-Germans find it funny to hear that and react by the childish response "I will if I see him" because the literal translation of Grüß Gott is "Salute God".


 Servus...


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## mrngorickets (Apr 25, 2011)

Hi,

Thanks very much for this comment. It help me to think about my ideals.

Tks again and pls keep posting.


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## pharding (Mar 14, 2004)

Every time I use my limited German phrases in Germany they just answer in English.


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## mgthompson (Oct 14, 2007)

pharding said:


> Every time I use my limited German phrases in Germany they just answer in English.


At least you tried. Usually that is really appreciated.


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