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German (Deutsch)

German is a West Germanic language spoken mainly in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Belgium, Luxembourg and Italy. It is recognised as a minority language in Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Namibia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, South Africa, Vatican City and Venezuela. There are also significant German-speaking communities in the USA, Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Australia, South Africa, Chile, Paraguay, New Zealand and Peru.

Number of speakers

Standard German (Hochdeutsch) has around 90 million native speakers, and other varieties of German have some 30 million. There are about 80 million people who speak German as a second language, and many others study it as a foreign language.

Written German

The earliest known examples of written German date from the 8th century AD and consist of fragments of an epic poem, the Song of Hildebrand , magical charms and German glosses in Latin manuscripts. A short Latin-German dictionary, the Abrogans , was written during the 760s.

German at a glance

• Native name : Deutsch [ˈdɔʏtʃ]
• Language family : Indo-European, Germanic, West Germanic, High German
• Number of speakers : c. 200 million
• Spoken in : Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Lichtenstein
• First written : AD 760s
• Writing system : Latin script
• Status : official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy (South Tyrol), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Belgium and the EU; recognised minority language in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Namibia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, South Africa, Vatican City and Venezuela

German literature started to take off during the 12th and 13th centuries in the form of poems, epics and romances. Well-known examples include the epic Nibelungenlied (the Song of the Nibelungs) and Gottfried von Straßburg's Tristan . The language used is now known as mittelhochdeutsche Dichtersprache (Middle High German poetic language). During this period Latin was gradually replaced by German as the language of official documents.

Varieties of German used in writing

High german (hochdeutsch).

High German began to emerge as the standard literary language during the 16th century. Martin Luther's translation of the Bible, which he completed in 1534, marks the beginning of this process. The language he used, based partly on spoken German, became the model for written German.

Swiss German (Schweizerdeutsch or Schwyzerdütsch)

A variety of German spoken by about 4 million people in Switzerland, occasionally appears in writing in novels, newspapers, personal letters and diaries.

Pennsylvania Dutch/German (Deitsch / Pennsylvania Deitsch / Pennsilfaanisch Deitsch)

Pennsylvania Dutch is a variety of German spoken by about 250,000 mainly in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana in the USA, and in Ontario in Canada. The Pennsylvania Dutch newspaper Hiwwe wie Driwwe publishes poetry and prose in Pennsylvania Dutch, and there are a number of other publications featuring the language. Pennsylvania German is commonly referred to as Pennsylvania Dutch, however it is not a variety of Dutch.

Regional varities of German, or Mundarten , also occasionally appear in writing; mainly in 'folk' literature and comic books such as Asterix .

Written German script styles

Sütterlin.

Sütterlin was created by the Berlin graphic artist L. Sütterlin (1865-1917), who modelled it on the style of handwriting used in the old German Chancery. It was taught in German schools from 1915 to 1941 and is still used by the older generation.

Sample text in Sütterlin

Download a font for Sütterlin (TrueType, 56K)

Other versions of the Latin alphabet

Archaic Latin alphabet , Basque-style lettering , Carolingian Minuscule , Classical Latin alphabet , Fraktur , Gaelic script , Merovingian , Modern Latin alphabet , Roman Cursive , Rustic Capitals , Old English , Sütterlin , Visigothic Script

Modern German alphabet

Hear the German alphabet with example words:

• The last four letters are officially considered separate letters of the German alphabet.
• In Austria J is known as je [jeː]; Q is known as qwe [kveː], and the name of the Y is pronounced [ʏˈpsiːlɔn].
• In Austria and Southern German ß is known as scharfes S . The capital version of this letter is rarely used: SS is usually used instead.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_orthography#Alphabet

German pronunciation

Hear how to pronounce German:

• b = [p] at the end of a syllable or before s or t, [b] before a vowel
• ch = [χ] after a, o or u, [k] when followed by a, o or u at the beginning of a word, [ç] elsewhere.
• chs = [ks] except in words where ch and s are pronounced separately, e.g. wachsam /'vaχ.zam/, höchst /'høç.st/
• d = [t] at end of a syllable or before s or t, [d] before a vowel
• e = [ə] in unaccented syllables
• er = [ɐ] at the end of the syllable in an unstressed syllable, e.g. Lehrer /ˈle:ʀɐ/
• g = [k] at end of a syllable or before s or t,[g] before a vowel, [ʒ] in some loanwords, ig = [iç] at the end of a word
• h makes the vowel long when appearing after a vowel or morpheme boundry, [h] elsewhere
• j = [ʒ] in loan words, [j] elsewhere
• nk = [ŋk], e.g. trinken /ˈtʁiŋkən/
• ng = [ŋ], e.g. bringen /ˈbʁɪŋən/
• r = [ɐ] between a vowel (except a) and a consonant, e.g. Kurs /kʊɐs/ or between a vowel (except a or unstressed e), and the end of the word, e.g. der /dɛɐ/ or Futur /fʊˈtuːɐ/ - silent between a and a consonant, e.g. Markt /makt/ or between a and the end of the word, e.g. Haar /ha:/ - [ʁ] at the beginning of words and between a consonant and a vowel, e.g. trinken /ˈtʁiŋkən/ - [ʀ] between two vowels, e.g. hören /ˈhø:ʀən/
• s = [z] between vowels or before a vowel at the beginning of a word, [ʃ] before t or p at the beginning of words and [s] elsewhere. sk = [ʃ] in Ski [ʃi:]
• t = [ts] in the -tion of Latin loanwords, e.g. Intention [ɪntɛn'tsɪo:n]
• v = [v] in loan words
• y = [y] in words derived from Greek, [i] or [j] elsewhere
• dsch, ph, qu and y only appear in loan words

Download an alphabet chart for German (Excel)

Sample text in German

Alle Menschen sind frei und gleich an Würde und Rechten geboren. Sie sind mit Vernunft und Gewissen begabt und sollen einander im Geist der Brüderlichkeit begegnen.

Hear a recording of this text

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. (Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Sample videos in German

Information about German | Fraktur script | Useful phrases | Silly phrases | Numbers | Colours | Family words | Time | Weather | Tongue twisters | Tower of Babel | Articles | Links | Learning materials

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Find German Tutors, Teachers and Lesson Help

Information about the German language http://www.lowlands-l.net/anniversary/deutsch-info.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_language https://www.clozemaster.com/blog/topics/language-learning/learn-german/ https://www.howtolearnalanguage.info/languages/german/alphabet

Online German courses http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/german/ http://www.deutsch-lernen.com http://www.deutschakademie.de/online-deutschkurs/english/ http://www.deutsched.com http://www.yesgerman.com/ http://learn-german-easily.com http://leicht-deutsch-lernen.com http://polymath.org/german.php http://ilovelanguages.org/german.php http://ablogaboutlanguages.blogspot.co.uk/p/free-german-lessons-overview.html http://www.studying-in-germany.org/learn-german/ http://www.hit-tuner.net/de/podcast/deutsch_lernen.html https://www.lingoda.com/en/german/learning-material/cefr/A1.1 https://besser-deutsch.com/ http://www.germanpod101.com/

Germanic languages

Afrikaans , Alsatian , Bavarian , Cimbrian , Danish , Dutch , Elfdalian , English , Faroese , Flemish , Frisian (East) , Frisian (North) , Frisian (Saterland) , Frisian (West) , German , Gothic , Gottscheerish , Gronings , Hunsrik , Icelandic , Limburgish , Low German , Luxembourgish , Mòcheno , Norn , Norwegian , Old English , Old Norse , Pennsylvania German , Ripuarian , Scots , Shetland(ic) , Stellingwarfs , Swabian , Swedish , Swiss German , Transylvanian Saxon , Värmlandic , Wymysorys , Yiddish , Yola , Zeelandic

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 26.04.22

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Writing : appropriate and elegant

Alpha ARD Educational Channel - Punctuation

Nancy Thuleen - Practise Writing in German

Schlaukopf.de - Spelling Rules

Mittelschulvorbereitung - Upper- and Lowercase Spelling

Mittelschulvorbereitung - Drafting German Texts

Online-lernen - Spelling and Dictations

Online Lernen - Discussions, Interpretations, and More

Orthographietrainer - Spelling Exercises and More

Mein Deutschbuch - Practise with Dictations

Deutschfoerdern.de - Interactive Exercises

Linguee - Learn Phrases in Context

YouTube: Alina Sonnenschein - Learn how to Write and Pronounce New Words

Related pages

Expand your vocabulary and strengthen it with a range of targeted exercises!

Stories, informative reports and poetry – here you can find an extensive assortment of texts in German!

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Dictionaries

Quick, easy and multimedia-based dictionaries – online dictionaries are the perfect tutor for learning German!

How to Improve your German Writing Skills in 6 Steps

Boost your German writing skills in six simple steps, and see how your knowledge of the language improves.

Read and Read and Read

Find a pen pal or chat in german, write regularly, and make it interesting, start simple, and move to advanced topics, revise your writing and work on weak spots, take additional german lessons, or get a tutor, bottom line.

Poor German writing skills can be caused by many reasons related to different areas of your language knowledge. This could be anything from grammar and spelling mistakes to a small vocabulary to simply a lack of practice. Fortunately, there are several simple steps you can take to fill these gaps and ensure that your German writing gets better and better over time.

In the article below, you'll find a quick guide with straightforward tips for improving your writing skills in the German language. Use these regularly and consistently, and you'll be able to see progress in no time.

Discover how to learn words 3x faster

Learn German with Langster

The first and main step to improving your German writing skills is reading in German as much as possible. Not only will this broaden your vocabulary, but it will also help you get used to German spelling, which can be really challenging sometimes.

After all, learning the German alphabet is the first thing every learner does, but seeing how different letters and words can be combined takes them to a whole other level. And regular reading practice is essential for that.

To get the most out of your reading, focus on reading texts that are at or slightly above your current level of fluency. This will challenge you but also allow you to make progress relatively quickly.

In addition, it's important to read a variety of different types of texts. If you only read novels, for example, you'll miss out on essential practice with other genres such as newspapers, essays, academic texts, or even web articles.

Try to mix things up as much as possible so that you can improve your overall writing skills. This will give you exposure to a wide variety of language styles and grammar structures in written German. This, in turn, will help you to become more comfortable with writing.

Finding a pen pal can be a great way to get regular writing practice. Writing letters in German to someone and then receiving a reply in return is an excellent way to improve your vocabulary, spelling, and grammar. It can also help you to become more comfortable writing in a variety of different contexts and styles.

If you don't know anyone who can be your pen pal, there are plenty of language exchange websites where you can find someone who is interested in learning your native language and knows German. This can be a great way to get started, as both of you can help each other out with your language skills.

Another option is to chat with someone in German online – this will be perfect if you don't like writing physical German letters. You can check out Facebook groups or the websites of German schools, which can help you get in touch with interested people.

Messaging online is a great way to get used to casual modern German and German slang. You also get a chance to see how differently native speakers use the language as opposed to the standard German you’re learning.

The main benefit of this approach is that not only do you practice regularly and talk to real people, but you also get feedback from them. Your pen pal can point out your mistakes in spelling or usage and suggest edits or give advice on how to improve.

One of the best ways to improve your writing skills is to write regularly. Set aside some time every day or week to sit down and write in German, even if it’s just ten minutes. The more you do it, the better you'll get.

But, how can you make it interesting so that you actually want to do it? Here are a few ideas:

• Use online platforms that provide writing tasks or prompts . This will give you a variety of different topics to write about and help you to stay focused.
• Write a diary in German. This is a great way to practice your writing skills on a regular basis, and you can also look back at your progress over time.
• Take part in writing contests or challenges. This is a great way to push yourself and see how your skills stack up against other learners.
• Write for fun. If you don't like English essays, try writing fiction, poetry, or even just simple blog posts about your day-to-day life. The possibilities are endless!

The key is to find something that interests you and makes you want to write in German more often. If you can find a way to make it fun, you'll be much more likely to stick with it in the long run.

If you’re just beginning your journey with writing in German, it's important to start with simpler topics, and work your way up.

Don’t be overly ambitious – start by writing about familiar or everyday topics, such as describing your day or explaining a recent event. Use words and grammar you’re comfortable with, and get used to your current level.

As you become more comfortable and confident, try tackling harder subjects or using more advanced German words and grammar structures. Write longer sentences, use more complex syntax, and switch between different tenses.

Consider including topics related to learning German into your writing practice. For example, explore the German spelling reform , compare native German words to vocabulary in other Germanic languages, or dive into the topic of German culture. This will allow you to understand the language better as well as boosting your writing skills.

You can also try practicing specific elements of writing, such as writing formal letters or discussing the advantages and disadvantages of a certain topic. This will help you become more comfortable with different types of writing styles, learn academic vocabulary, and prepare for any exams in the near future.

It's important to go back and revise your writing regularly, especially if you're not getting feedback from a native speaker. Look for common mistakes or weak spots in your grammar or spelling, and make a note to work on them in the future.

You can use a German grammar checker for that purpose, or go for a more traditional method. Print out your text, get your textbook, and start checking it sentence by sentence, correcting the mistakes as you go. A great fix here would be to rewrite the edited text to help your brain and hands get used to the correct spelling and grammar.

Just remember: don’t be afraid to make mistakes. After all, they are a normal part of the learning process! The more you practice and revise, the more mistakes you correct, and the better your writing skills will become.

Taking additional lessons with a teacher or getting a tutor is an excellent way to learn German and improve your German orthography skills. A good teacher will help you with any specific areas that you struggle in, give personalized feedback on your writing, and provide guidance on how to improve.

If traditional classes or individual tutoring aren't possible for you, there are also plenty of online resources available. You can try language apps, take online courses, or find a virtual tutor to work with one-on-one.

At the end of the day, improving your writing skills in German (or any language!) takes time and practice. Don’t give up if you don’t see results right away – keep exploring new methods, practicing regularly, and seeking guidance or feedback when needed.

Before long, you'll be confidently crafting sentences and expressing yourself fluently in written German. Viel Erfolg! (Good luck!)

Beata Hardzei

Beata Hardzei loves languages and shares this passion through her writing. Speaking English, Polish, Russian, and French, she explores the nuances of foreign languages, aiming to make learning feel more like a journey than a task. Beata's background as a teacher and translator enriches her insights, helping you see language learning as an accessible, enriching experience.

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German writing: how to write in German

German writing practice-a must.

The most difficult skill to master when learning German is writing texts. There are quite a few problems to overcome before one can produce a readable or even enjoyable text. Let me do a quick analysis of the difficulties that you will come across and then present to you what I think is an excellent tool to get started with your German writing practice: Dictations!

Could you spell it please?

One of the main two problems of written language is the fact that German is spoken differently than it is written. The word ‚Vater‘ e.g. is spoken ‚farter‘. The ‚r‘ is never pronounced at the end of a syllable. Also in everyday’s communication Germans tend to ignore the second last ‚e‘  like in ‚kaufen‘ e.g. which then sounds like ‚cow-fn‘. Or the ‚ig‘ in ‚mutig‘ turns into an ‚ich‘ just because it is at the end of the syllable making it indistinguishable from the ‘ich’ in ‘glücklich’. There are surely many more examples and the good news is that in German the gap between the spoken and the written language is much narrower than in English. But yet the differences certainly will cause you trouble. Please see also the article about how to practice listening comprehension to understand the physiological side of this issue.

Upside down

The other big challenge is the German sentence structure that often differs from the English one (or your native language’s structure). As you have already internalized your mother tongue’s patterns and melodies you will find it hard to switch to something totally different. Let me illustrate:

Maria geht ins Kino. Gestern  ging Maria ins Kino. Maria goes to the cinema. Yesterday, Maria went to the cinema. >> identical structure           >> different word order

Or the side-clauses: Ich fahre nicht in Urlaub, weil ich kein Geld habe . I don’t go on holiday, because I have no money.

and when you put the sideclause in front: Weil ich kein Geld habe , fahre ich nicht in Urlaub. Because I have no money, I don’t go on holiday.

Understand that your mind will always be tempted to use the structures that it got used to over the last twenty to forty years. It will take quite some effort from you to overcome this tendency.

Dictations will help you to overcome these problems

You might remember dictations from your time at a regular school. I never really liked them that much as I wasn’t really the king of orthography at that time. But later on, while learning French, I realized that writing dictations helped me to improve my writing skills. Nevertheless, it took me many years to realize why it helped me and why I should use it in my classes. A dictation has several benefits:

• You train several skills at once: vocabulary, reading, listening, writing and structuring
• They can be done on your own.
• They reveal your progress almost instantly

I won’t go into detail here as I would like you to simply try it for a few minutes a day for just one week and then see for yourself if what I have experienced also is true for you.

How to do proper dictations

Before you start listening and writing, prepare the text that you are going to work with. That means, read it, mark the new words, write them in a list and look them up in your dictionary. Then read the text again until you get 80% of its content. You may use your vocabulary list in the beginning.

Only when you understand what you are listening to, can you learn from it. That’s why I do not recommend listening to the radio as it provides too little backup for beginners to work with. When you are clear about the text, get ready for the dictation. There are a few steps that you should always follow to establish a working routine:

• Note the time when you start with the following routine.
• First listen to the whole text. Do not write anything at that stage.
• Listen a second time but this time: sentence by sentence or at least part by part. Listen as many times to a sentence (part) as you need to get a grip on what is being said. Later on you will widen your attention span automatically. Pause after what you consider a fair amount of words and write down what you have  just heard.
• When you are through with the text, take a deep breath, or take a one minute break and then listen to the text again while going over what you have written. Correct mistakes that become clear to you.
• Now take the original text and compare with your work. Mark the mistakes with a highlighter. Do not use a pencil or simple blue pen. Your mistakes have to  be clearly visible. Don’t listen to those who claim that one shouldn’t mark mistakes but the correct words. That’s nonsense. You are a smart human being and can easily differentiate. To learn from your mistakes you must notice your mistakes.
• Write the number of mistakes and the time that you needed until step 5 onto the paper.
• Write it again after several hours or better one day break.
• Repeat this routine until you are only making a few minor mistakes.

This is it. Give it one week with one text. Check this link to get to the links with the dictation material. I wish you success and would love to read about your experience with dictations in the comments.

More to come as often as I find time. Don’t forget to subscribe to be up to date.

Yours Michael Schmitz

Writing Texts in German

Improve your written German with the Lingolia Writing School.

Get answers to burning questions like: is it wie gehts or wie geht’s? Are German quotation marks really written like that? And the age-old question: Do I really need a capital letter with all German nouns? (Spoiler: yes, you do).

The answers to these questions and many more are explained below so that you can avoid typical mistakes and write German texts like a pro.

Commas (,) let us divide up elements in a sentence to make it more readable. Although German often uses commas in the same way as English, there are some key differences.

Apostrophes

Apostrophes (’) are used much less in German than in English. Learn to avoid typical mistakes with German apostrophes with Lingolia.

Quotation Marks

Quotation marks („ ”) in German are used in the same way as in English: for direct speech, titles and emphasis. However, the opening quotation marks are placed low down and both sets of quotation marks have the 99 form .

Stylistic Devices

Stylistic devices (also known as rhetorical devices) like alliteration, metaphor and onomatopoeia help make your writing more interesting.

How good is your German?

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6 Tips to Master Writing in German

Vanessa Richie

Writing poses its own unique set of benefits and issues for German language learners . Since you have time to think and review what you want to say, there are better odds that you can learn the grammar and other aspects of German. Once you hit send though, all of those mistakes are etched in stone. It can feel like a lot of pressure, and makes it less likely that you’ll send whatever you have written.

Like written English, written German is more structured and formal . This means that the rules that you learned always apply, so it’s a great way of practicing what you learn in a class or after a lesson.

Finding a level of comfort can help you to improve your German writing. Just like with speaking, the more confident you are, the more you will learn and improve.

Here are 6 tips and tricks to help you master writing in German.

1. Don’t Start by Translating from English

When you start to learn German, you are probably asked to translate from English to German. Workbooks and practices will give you a sentence, then ask you to translate it into the few German words you know. This creates a bad habit of relying on your knowledge of English to write in German. You may think the words in English, but that doesn’t mean you should write them in English, and then translate them. Instead, think of what you want to say, then try to write it in German.

When you start by writing your thoughts in German, you don’t have to worry about getting it right. Get your thoughts down in as close to the right sentence structure and vocabulary as you can. Once you have it written down, then you can break out the assistance sites, books, and dictionary to correct it.

For most of us, this is how we write anyway. What you put down in English isn’t going to be what you send anyway (unless you are texting). Do the same thing with German. Sure, there will be more cleanup than with English, but that will change over time.

2. Capitalization Is Important

One of the hardest things to do when writing in German is remembering that all nouns are capitalized, not just the ones that are proper names. This is one of the easiest stumbling blocks to clear though – you already have to worry about the conjugation of the article. Compared to getting the article right, capitalizing the noun is incredibly easy.

Der Hund rennt um der Tisch. The dog runs around the table. Das neue Haus hat einen roten Postfach. The new house has a red mailbox.

Apart from nouns, the only other words that are capitalized are the first words to a sentence and actual names. You don’t capitalize words when they are adjectives, even if the words indicate a proper noun.

Der französische Kuchen ist einen Tag alt. The French cake is a day old.

It may take some time to get accustomed to this, but once you do, you may wish that English followed rules with such reliability.

3. Practice Daily, Especially for New Lessons

Just as it is important to practice speaking German when you learn a new lesson, you should practice writing it. Since this is an activity you can do on your own with no one else around, writing in German can help you reinforce what you’ve learned.

When you learn something new, the best way to practice it is to repeat it. This is why writing is perfect – you get a chance to both think about what you want to say and to see it. By using several different methods of practicing the language, you help yourself to absorb what you learned.

The warning for this suggestion is to be careful and make sure that you have verification that your writing is correct. You don’t want to reinforce the wrong method or learn something incorrectly because it can be difficult to unlearn it.

4. Read Your Writing Aloud

You can do this as you write, after you write, or go back over what you wrote a few months to years ago. This not only helps you to listen to German when you don’t have someone to talk to, but it lets you see how far you’ve come.

If you want, you can think of new ways to say the thoughts that you had previously. Perhaps you started writing German over a year ago and you had an idea that you wanted to put down in writing, but didn’t have the vocabulary or knowledge to write complex thoughts. Maybe you’ll be able to do that now.

Reading over your writings, regardless of how old they are, can help you to hear the way the language flows and gives you more confidence in the grammar so that you can focus on aspects like pronunciation and speed.

5. Set up a Germanic Keyboard on Your Computer

Most apps and software programs allow you to change the language of a particular file or user. For example, you can change a language that you use with an app on your phone (usually in Settings), so you can practice writing in German and get some real time checks on your grammar and spelling.

If you want to start your own journal, you can save a file in Word and change the language to German . This will give you the same kinds of checks in German that you are have in English. Just keep in mind that it isn’t perfect, so you can’t rely on it – especially in the beginning. It’s really more to help you catch mistakes when you write, such as the spelling of a certain word.

6. Finding Tools to Help

Most tools and apps focus on helping you learn to speak German. This is partly because most people learn another language so they can speak it. However, by learning to write, you can improve your knowledge of German, practice in your own time, and reinforce what you know. It’s also a great way to see how far you’ve come in learning the language.

There are a number of tools out there (like iA Writer ) that can help, some that can help you improve your English just as much as your German. For example, Worliga actively works to find and change the use of a feature like passive voice. This isn’t help that you are going to get from traditional tools, so it provides a way of writing in an active voice, regardless of the language you are using.

Get Started Writing and See How Far You Can Go

It’s easy to neglect the writing aspect of learning German because we tend to want to jump into speaking it right away. However, writing in another language is one of the best ways to learn how to organize your thoughts and then express them in a way that is grammatically correct – especially in a language as complicated as German. As you speed up your writing, you’ll find that your mind is better able to start putting together thoughts in German. It may not translate to easier speaking, at least not initially, but it will mean that you are more likely to come up with what you want to say with greater accuracy.

Writing should be fun, and it doesn’t always have to make sense. You can write silly thoughts and nonsense in an effort to practice what you’ve learned. The focus in on enjoying what you’ve learned, and writing is just one tool that can be done in your own time.

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How to Write a Letter in German

Last Updated: April 2, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Language Academia . Language Academia is a private, online language school founded by Kordilia Foxstone. Kordilia and her team specialize in teaching foreign languages and accent reduction. Language Academia offers courses in several languages, including English, Spanish, and Mandarin. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 191,851 times.

Whether you're doing business, writing to a friend, or practicing for a class or self-study, writing a letter in German requires a little attention to detail. Make sure to address your letter correctly and to use proper salutations and closings. Above all, follow the rules of etiquette that vary depending on whether your letter is informal or formal.

Corresponding Formally

• Frau (Ms.--use "Herr" for Mr.) Marianne Mülller, Zeughofstrasse 23, 1121 Berlin, Deutschland

• 13. April 2017
• Berlin, 13.04.2017
• Berlin, den 13. April 2017

• Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren (Dear Sir or Madam)
• Sehr geehrte Damen (Dear Madam)
• Sehr geehrte Herren (Gentlemen)
• Sehr geehrte Frau Müller (Dear Ms. Müller)
• Sehr geehrter Herr Mülller (Dear Mr. Mülller)
• Sehr geehrte Frau Bundeskanzlerin (Dear Ms. Chancellor)
• Sehr geehrter Herr Professor Müller (Dear Professor Müller)
• Sehr geehrte Frau Dr. Mann, sehr geehrter Herr Mann (Dear Dr. Mann, dear Mr. Mann)

• Start the body of your letter with a brief introduction (identify yourself, greet the addressee, briefly explain the purpose of your letter). Unlike in English, you do not capitalize the first word in the body of your letter.
• Follow this by writing in detail about the purpose of your letter. Be clear about what you are requesting, explaining, or inquiring about (for example, registering a complaint or asking about a business opportunity).
• End the body of your letter with a short closing that summarizes the purpose of your letter, explains if/how you would like the addressee to follow up, and thanks them for their time.

• Mit freundlichen Grüssen (Yours sincerely)
• Mit freundlichem Gruss (Sincerely)
• Freundliche Grüsse (Kind regards)
• Mit den besten Grüsssen (With best regards)
• Beste Grüsse aus Berlin (Best regards from Berlin)
• Herzliche Grüsse (Warm greetings)

Writing an Informal Letter

• Guten Tag, Frau Müller (Good day, Ms. Müller)
• Liebe Frau Müller (Dear Ms. Müller)
• Lieber Heinrich (Dear Heinrich)
• Hallo, Andreas (Hi Andreas)
• Mein lieber Schatz (My dear honey)
• Hallo mein Liebling (Hello my darling)
• Hallo meine Süße (Hello sweetie - female)
• Hallo mein Süßer (Hello sweetie - male)

• Remember that you do not need to capitalize the first word of the body of your letter.

• Herzlichst (Cordially)
• Viele Grüße (Lots of regards)
• Liebe Grüße (Lots of love)
• Alles Liebe (Lots of love)
• Dein (Yours - male)
• Deine (Yours - female)
• In Liebe (With love - for romantic relationships)

Sending Your Letter

• Herr Dr. Tomasz Mann, Zeughofstrasse 23, 1121 Berlin, Deutschland

Formal and Informal German Letter Templates

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://blogs.transparent.com/german/writing-a-letter-in-german-informal-letters/
• ↑ https://www.deutschepost.de/de/b/briefe-in-deutschland.html

About This Article

If you’re writing a letter in German, the style requirements will differ depending on whether your letter is formal or informal. For a formal letter, write the address in the top left-hand corner and the date in the top right. For example, write “Frau Marianne Muller, Zeughofstrasse 23, 1121, Berlin.” You should begin your letter with a formal greeting, such as “Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,” which means “Dear sir or madam.” In the body of your letter, introduce yourself in a brief paragraph and explain the purpose of the letter. Close with a formal salutation, such as “Mit freundlichen Grüßen,” which means “Yours sincerely.” If your letter is informal, you can just write the address on the envelope. Try using an informal greeting, like “Liebe Heinrich,” which means “Dear Heinrich.” To close your letter less formally, try something like “Liebe Grüße, which means “Lots of love.” For tips on how to send your letter, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to start, write and end a letter in German [formal + informal]

Marie Schmoll

“Dear reader,

Today i picked up my pen to write to you about the long lost art of letter writing.”.

We all know how to text and send quick emails full of abbreviations but when was the last time you sat down to write someone a letter with pen and paper? Taking the time to do this will show the other person you’ve put in some real effort, which is likely to get you what you want - whether you’re trying to impress a German love interest, writing a complaint letter to a German company or asking that nice German-speaking sales rep about the delicious perfume you didn’t get the chance to buy.

Getting those letters right demonstrates your commitment to effective cross-cultural communication and impresses the other person. So we’ll teach you exactly how to write a letter in German.

Why learn how to write a letter in German?

In German-speaking countries, it’s still fairly common to write letters, especially to formal offices or your bank. These are often the kind of important letters you want to get just right - but watch out! Writing a letter in German is not just like writing an English letter in a different language.

There are a number of things to take into account that will be different - starting with the size. In Germany, all standard mail comes in the size A4, not letterbox. It’s what people print their documents on and the size you’ll see in all stationery.

Next up, you wanna get your format and tone of voice right, and make sure your greeting and sign off are appropriate. Luckily there are a number of fool-proof words and phrases you can learn or copy and once you get them right, you’ll come off as a sophisticated German-speaker.

Key letter writing vocabulary to keep in mind

Let’s get started with these important letter-related words.

Formatting a letter in German

If you’re talking to a friend or a loved one, you can obviously relax about formatting your letter - but for any other purposes, try to stick to the common format, with this step by step guide on how to write a formal or a business letter in German:

• Start by placing your address on the top left corner of the page
• Next, add the recipient's address, aligned on the top right corner. Remember to include their name, street, postal code, and city.
• On the top right, write the date in long format (19. Juni 2023)
• If you’re using reference numbers, include them below the recipient's address, on the right-hand side and feel free to put them in parentheses or square brackets
• Add a polite salutation like “ Sehr geehrter/ Sehr geehrte ” if you’re addressing a stranger, followed by “ Herr/Frau ” and the person’s last name
• State what you want. No matter how long German words usually are, keep your content short and to the point by avoiding unnecessary fluff
• Sign off with a greeting like “ Mit freundlichen Grüßen ”, plus your name, and make sure you sign the letter by hand, even if you typed out the rest

How to write the date on a letter in German

German dates are a little different from the American standard:

• The conventional date format is DD.MM.YYYY. So, if today is June 10, 2023, you would write it as 10.06.2023
• When writing dates within a paragraph, remember to capitalize the days of the week (Montag, Dienstag, etc.) and months (Januar, Februar, etc.)
• Also, Germans use a dot (.) as the separator, not of a comma (,)

How to write a formal or business letter in German

Formal letters in German require a professional tone and adherence to proper etiquette. When writing a formal letter to a stranger in German, remember to:

• Use the appropriate formal pronouns, such as " Sie " instead of " du "
• Maintain a clear and concise structure
• Stick to polite and respectful language, avoid slang
• Learn about German business vocab and etiquette

Formal letter greetings

How to start a formal letter in german.

When it comes to crafting a formal letter, keep in mind why you’re writing the letter and what you’re hoping to get from the recipient.

Whether you’re applying for a job, writing an apology or trying to sell a product, we’ve collected just the right phrases to start your letter in German.

Cover letters when applying for a job

Letter of enquiry, letter of complaint, letter of apology.

For more ways to apologize in German, check out this helpful guide !

Letter of response

Letter of sales / promotion, how to sign off or end a formal letter in german.

If you need more inspiration for signing off a letter or an email, head to our guide on saying goodbye in German !

Example of a formal letter in German

Absender: Sophie Schaller An der Welle 3 60486 Frankfurt am Main

Empfänger: Frau Milena Eichbaum Leiterin der Parfumabteilung Drogeriegeschäft Kranz Hauptstraße 5 10178 Berlin

Frankfurt am Main, den 7. Juni 2023

Betreff: Anfrage bezüglich eines bestimmten Parfums

Sehr geehrte Frau Eichbaum,

Ich hoffe, diese Zeilen erreichen Sie in bester Gesundheit und Stimmung. Vor Kurzem hatte ich das Vergnügen, Ihr Geschäft zu besuchen, wo ich in den Genuss Ihrer exzellenten Beratung in der Parfumabteilung kam.

Zu meinem Bedauern musste ich meine Suche nach dem perfekten Duft unterbrechen, da ich einen unerwarteten Anruf erhielt und das Geschäft vorzeitig verließ. Da wir während meiner Beratung mehrere Parfums ausprobiert haben, ist mir leider der Name des Parfums entfallen, das mir so gut gefiel.

Ich erinnere mich noch vage daran, dass es eine blaue Flasche hatte und herrlich nach Jasmin und Vanille duftete, mit einer weiteren Note, die mich an den Strand erinnerte. Ich wäre Ihnen sehr dankbar, wenn Sie mir helfen könnten, dieses spezielle Parfum zu identifizieren.

Ich freue mich auf Ihre Antwort und bedanke mich im Voraus für Ihre Hilfe!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Sophie Schaller

Translation:

Sender: Sophie Schaller An der Welle 3 60486 Frankfurt am Main

Recipient: Frau Milena Eichbaum Leiterin der Parfumabteilung Drogeriegeschäft Kranz Hauptstraße 5 10178 Berlin

Frankfurt am Main, June 7, 2023

Subject: Inquiry regarding a specific perfume

Dear Mrs. Eichbaum,

I hope these lines reach you in the best of health and spirits. I recently had the pleasure of visiting your store, where I had the honor of receiving your excellent advice in the perfume department.

To my regret, I had to interrupt my search for the perfect fragrance as I received an unexpected phone call and left the store early. Unfortunately, since we tried several perfumes during my consultation, I forgot the name of the perfume that I liked so much.

I vaguely remember that it had a blue bottle and smelled delightfully of jasmine and vanilla, with another note that reminded me of the beach. I would be very grateful if you could help me identify this particular perfume.

I look forward to your reply and thank you in advance for your help!

With kind regards,

How to write an informal letter in German

If you have German-speaking friends, I’m sure it would absolutely make their day if they got a handwritten letter from you!

It can be to a new acquaintance you met in transit at the Frankfurt airport or the coworker from your company’s German team that you’ve recently befriended.

Or you can go online and find a German-speaking pen pal, which is a super fun way to practice your German language skills !

Informal letters give you the liberty to write in a more personal and relaxed tone. They commonly start with a friendly greeting like " Liebe/r " (Dear) or " Hallo " (Hello) and end with casual sign-offs such as " Viele Grüße " (Many Greetings) or " Bis bald " (See you soon) - and in between you can get creative and say whatever comes to mind.

Informal letter greetings

When crafting an informal letter to a friend or a loved one, don’t worry about a formal greeting!

How to start an informal letter in German

You’re not trying to open a new bank account or complain about a service. This is a letter to a regular person in your life, so just write the way you’d talk to them!

How to sign off or end an informal letter in German

Sign off your letter with one of these phrases and don’t forget your name after that!

How to write an email in German

If this all sounds like a little too much work and you’re wondering how to write a German email instead, keep these things in mind:

• Punctuality: Most Germans value punctuality, so try to respond to emails in a timely manner
• Formality: Even in emails, it's common to use formal greetings and sign-offs if you don’t know the other person well
• Structure: Like traditional letters, German emails also tend to follow a specific structure with a greeting, body, and conclusion
• Politeness: Germans generally prefer directness in communication, but it's essential to stay polite. Consider using phrases like " Ich würde mich freuen, wenn... " (I would appreciate it if...) to make requests more courteous
• Fonts: Stick to professional, easy-to-read fonts such as Arial or Times New Roman. Avoid colored fonts and excessive use of bold or italic text
• Emojis: Generally avoid emojis in formal emails to strangers but if you do know the other person, go ahead. Using emojis in writing is like smiling while talking!

“Alles Liebe”

As you set out to write your own letters and emails in German, remember that each one of them is an opportunity to deepen connections, express your thoughts, and participate in a cultural exchange. So, grab that pen or start typing, and let your words brighten someone’s day!

P.S.: If you’re looking for more inspiring articles that all read like little love letters to the German language, find our German vocabulary blog!

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How to Write an Email in German: 5 Essential Elements [With Sample Emails]

If you’re learning German, you’ve surely seen a lot of grammar rules, vocabulary words and sentence structures .

But have you learned how to write an email in German?

This is an incredibly practical thing to know how to do, but one that’s often missed by German courses and other learning resources. 

In this article, you’ll learn how to write a proper German email with the appropriate level of formality, common greetings and sign-offs and some useful words and phrases. 

5 Important Elements of a German Email 

1. how to start an email in german, 2. the body of a german email , 3. how to end an email in german, 4. useful words and phrases, 5. grammar and level of formality, proper etiquette for emails in german, sie versus du, first name vs. last name, two examples of emails in german, sample formal email, sample informal email , and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

In the following sections, you’ll learn some important rules and general suggestions for the five main elements of a German email. 

All these rules apply for letters as well. You may think that you won’t need to write a letter in German in today’s modern world, but think again. Germany actually still relies on snail mail for many matters of official business.

For a formal email

Formal emails (and letters) in German start in an equally formal manner: Sehr geehrte (most esteemed/very dear) so-and-so. Make sure to use the correct case endings for  sehr geehrte (it is an adjective, after all).

So if you’re writing to Ms. or Mrs. Fischer, you would write Sehr geehrt e Frau Fischer , but if you’re addressing your email to Mr. Brandt, you would write Sehr geehrt er Herr Brandt.

Here are a few more examples:

• Sehr geehrter Herr Weber, (Esteemed Mr. Weber,)
• Sehr geehrte Frau Schmidt, (Esteemed Mrs. Schmidt,)
• Sehr geehrter Herr Professor Becker, (Esteemed Professor Schmitz,)
• Sehr geehrte Frau Doktor Meyer, (Esteemed Doctor Freud,)
• Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren (Dear Sir or Madam,)

For a slightly less formal greeting that would still be appropriate for most professional emails, you can use Guten Tag (Good day). For example:

• Guten Tag Herr Müller, (Good day Mr. Müller,)
• Guten Tag Frau Walter, (Good day Mrs. Walter,)

For an informal email

For an email outside of a formal business setting , you can use the greeting Liebe , or “dear.” Just make sure to use the correct endings for this one as well, writing  Lieb e for a woman and Lieb er for a man.

For example:

• Lieber Herr Wagner, (Dear Mr. Wagner,)
• Liebe Frau Bauer, (Dear Ms. Bauer,)
• Lieber Simon, (Dear Simon,)
• Liebe Michelle, (Dear Michelle,)

For very informal emails, you can say Hallo! (hello), which is basically the equivalent of opening your email with “Hi!” For example, you can say

• Hallo Emma und Paul! (Hi Emma and Paul!)
• Hallo Marie , (Hi Marie,)

What to avoid

What’s the biggest mistake you might make with the opening? The adjective endings! Make sure you get those right.

There’s nothing worse than getting off on the wrong foot with your new boss, colleague or teacher by making a basic German mistake in the very first few words of your email.

The biggest point to remember when writing the body is to keep it formal. It’s really important to make the proper impression since Germany really is more concerned with politeness and etiquette that might seem old-fashioned to an American.

This means not using any slang vocabulary . Keep your message brief and to the point, and make sure all grammar and vocabulary are correct.

You have a lot more leeway with emails when you’re exchanging them with friends. In an email with a German buddy you’ve known for a while, or even with a tandem partner you’ve met with a few times, you can drop the overly formal air and use slang, emoticons, the whole nine yards.

Here’s a small but major difference between German emails and English emails. With German emails and letters, you don’t capitalize the first sentenc e after the greeting. So where in English, you would write,

Dear Mrs. Jones,

I’m writing…

In German, you would write:

Sehr geehrte Frau Jones,

ich schreibe…

Capitalizing that first word will mark you as a non-native speaker right off the bat!

These are all perfectly acceptable sign-offs for formal emails. Just make sure to pay attention to those endings!

• Mit freundlichem Grüßen (with friendly regards)
• Mit besten Grüßen (best regards)
• Mit herzlichen Grüßen (with kind regards/best wishes)
• Ihr(e) (yours) — Ihr if you’re male and Ihre if you’re female

Here are a few more ways you can close your formal email:

• Ich bedanke mich bei Ihnen im Voraus. (I thank you in advance.)
• Vielen Dank für Ihre schnelle Antwort. (Thank you for your quick response.)
• Vielen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit. (Thank you for your attention.)
• Ich würde mich freuen, bald von Ihnen zu hören. (I look forward to hearing from you soon.)

Friends and family in Germany typically sign emails with Viele Grüße or Liebe Grüße (both meaning “pleasant regards” or “best wishes,” basically). If you want to get really informal, you can sign off with VG or LG . I would recommend this for friends with whom you’ve corresponded a few times.

Here are a few more informal email sign-offs you can use: 

• Alles Liebe   (All the best)
• mit Liebe (With love)
• Dein(e)  (Yours)
• Bis bald (See you soon)

Germans don’t use a comma after their closing, the way you do in English. So instead of saying:

Best wishes, Kat

You would say:

If you’re writing a business email, you need to know the attendant vocabulary. Some email and business vocabulary includes:

• Bcc—Empfänger hinzufügen (Bcc—add recipient)
• Cc—Empfänger hinzufügen (Cc—add recipient)
• Dateien anhängen (Attach files)
• Betreff (Subject line)

Some phrases that might prove useful while writing are:

• Es tut mir leid, dass… (I’m sorry that…)
• Ich möchte mich bedanken (I would like to thank…)
• Sich freuen über… (to be happy about)

The words and phrases you’ll use in the body of an informal email obviously depend on your purpose for writing. Maybe you want to wish someone a happy birthday , invite them somewhere or just see how they’re doing. Here are some useful phrases you can use:

• Wie geht’s?   (How’s it going?)
• Ich würde dich genre einladen zum/zur… (I’d like to invite you to…)
• Ich hoffe dir geht es gut. (I hope you’re doing well.)
• Ich würde mich freuen wenn wir uns bald mal wieder treffen.  (I’d love to get together soon.)
• Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! (Happy birthday!)

Make sure to double-check your vocabulary and endings before you hit send. I often use dict.cc to reverse-translate some of my phrases just to be sure they make sense!

The grammar of your email will really be tied to whether you decide to use Sie (you – formal) or du (you – informal) —more on this below . With a formal email, you’ll want to use Sie . That means all verbs should be conjugated with Sie  and any imperatives should be written in Sie form.

Remember that Sie form verbs look the same as infinitives. For example, “You write” is Sie schreiben.

For an informal email, you should typically use du . Again, that means that all verb conjugations and imperatives should be in du form (verbs will generally end in -st .)

There are, of course, other important grammar rules to keep in mind such as using the right German pronouns when talking about other people or things. 

The most common grammar mistakes in German emails are the same as in German writing and speaking in general. These include mixing up “die,” der” or “das,” choosing the wrong German case and conjugating verbs incorrectly.

Before we jump into some examples of German emails, here are two important points to keep in mind while composing your email.

As mentioned above, choosing to address someone as Sie or du is a tricky matter of etiquette. You may think you could play it safe and always call a person Sie, but Sie can offend people sometimes if they don’t feel they’re old enough to be addressed that way. Therefore, make sure you give proper consideration to which of these forms to use.

Lots of people who work at tech start-ups or other ultramodern institutions are more likely to use du . But you don’t want to switch to d u too soon. Generally, a good rule of thumb is to call your friends du , and call your colleagues, employers and anyone of your parents’ generation Sie , unless they invite you to do otherwise.

You might make a Sie/du mistake, but that’s okay. Chances are whoever you’re emailing knows that you’re not a native German speaker and will cut you some slack. The most important thing to remember is to use the formal Sie in a professional email.

Much like with Sie and du , you’ll have to decide whether to address the person by first name or title and last name. Germany is generally a more formal society than the United States, so proceed with caution before addressing someone by their first name—unless they’ve already addressed you in that way.

The best way to figure out how to use terms of address and tricky etiquette rules is to see and hear them in context. Reading novels and other texts in German can be a huge help, and should improve your writing skills overall. 

If you learn better from audio and images, TV shows and videos in German will better help you adjust to cultural norms. You can also use a language learning program like FluentU .

 Take a look at the following examples to see all five of these principles in action.

Sehr geehrte Frau Schmidt,

ich möchte wissen, ob mein Brief angekommen ist. Haben Sie den Brief gesehen? Wenn nicht, bitte rufen Sie mich an.

Vielen Dank.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen Frau Jones

Here’s the translation:

Dear Frau Schmidt,

I would like to know whether my letter has arrived. Have you seen the letter? If not, please give me a call.

Thanks very much.

Best regards, Mrs. Jones

wie geht’s? Ich hoffe, dass alles bei dir gut geht. Es gibt dieses Wochenende eine Party. Hast du Pläne? Du solltest kommen, wenn nicht! Bis bald.

How’s it going? I hope everything’s good with you. There’s a party this weekend. Do you have plans? If not, you should come! See you soon.

Best wishes, Hans

Now that you know how to write an email in German, you can conveniently stay connected with digital communication. 

With a bit of practice, you’ll be shooting off German emails with confidence and ease! 

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How to Write an Email in German

Learning German can be a challenge, but it’s completely doable with the right approach. However, speaking and writing like a native will require some effort. Rather than relying on inaccurate translation websites that make it difficult to clarify formality and gender, it’s important to learn some basics about writing an email in German. So, if you want to understand how to compose emails in the German language, you’ve come to the right place.

Whether you’re looking to fine-tune your German email greetings or you need to learn how to end an email in German, Tandem has you covered.

Throughout this post, we’ll cover the basics of German formal email, so you can write a letter to the Bundesamt or Finanzamt. We’ll also help you learn how to write emails in German using informal language so you can correspond with your German friends with ease.

Are you also learning French? Check out our blog post on how to sign off an email in French !

Your language learning journey will require some helpful tools and resources to gain fluency. That is why Tandem is here to help! With the Tandem app , we connect language learners to native speakers to help them speak any language, anywhere.

When learning how to write an email in German, one of the first things you need to do is determine formality. Written communication in German can sometimes be problematic due to the need to distinguish between formal and informal manners of address. However, formal email in German is a distinction that’s essential to learn. Let’s begin with the differences between “you.”

Before putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard), you need to understand to whom you are addressing and the nature of the relationship. Composing a formal German email is much different than informal letters.

The relationship of the person you’re writing to determines whether to address the person as Sie (formal “you”) or du (informal “you”), followed by the correct conjugation of the verb. When writing a formal email, German speaking natives will always use the word Sie. If you check your mail in German, chances are you’ll also be addressed in this manner.

A few notes to keep in mind…

Sie has an obligatory capital S at all times and other polite forms include Ihr(e) and Ihnen. Another note of importance is that Sie is the default form for business letters and all other types of German business communication. It’s one of the pillars of formal email in German.

First name Vs. last name

Another thing to remember when learning how to start a German email is that Germany is a more formal society. So, you also need to decide whether to address the person by their first name or title and last name. Much like with Sie and du, it’s best to err on the side of caution and adopt the more formal manner, unless they have stated otherwise. This is a good tip for learning how to start a formal email in German and will help you establish respect in your relationships.

Moral of the story, when in doubt, it's better to be more formal with email writing in German!

Start the email

Now, let’s dive into more information on how to start an email in German. The following suggestions also apply when writing a letter. While you may think that it’s not necessary to write a letter in German nowadays, Germany still relies on the good old fashioned Deutsche Post for many matters of official business.

In fact, you may find yourself sending letters more often than writing email in German, but the greetings and sign offs are the same. So, let’s explore some German email opening lines below.

Sehr geehrter Herr...,

This is a formal email Germans use when writing to a man whose name you know. You would include their surname after Herr.

Sehr geehrte Frau...,

This is the same email greeting in German as above, but to a woman whose name you know. You would include their surname after Frau.

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

This greeting is used when the addressee is unknown. Translated directly, sehr geehrte means “very honored” but serves the same purpose as “dear Sir or Madam” in English letter salutations. If you don’t know how to write formal email in German, this is a good place to start.

Hallo is a common way to begin German email greetings when you’re taking a more casual tone. Meaning “hello”, this can be used for both male and female addressees in an informal letter or email.

This is the most common opening for a German email or letter. It is the equivalent of "dear" in English. This is only used when addressing female friends or relatives.

When addressing male friends or relatives through email, German speakers use Lieber.

Note, however, that unlike in English, you start the body of the email with a lowercase letter in German. Furthermore, one common mistake that you do not want to make is to use the wrong adjective ending. This does not start the correspondence on the right foot!

Sign off the email

Before the official German email sign off or letter finalization, it can be nice to politely wrap up with a short sentence. This is a crucial step in learning how to sign off an email in German, as many people appreciate the additional sentiment.

Ich bedanke mich bei Ihnen im Voraus

I thank you in advance.

Ich würde mich freuen, bald von Ihnen zu hören

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Für weitere Auskünfte stehe ich Ihnen gerne zur Verfügung

I am readily available should you require additional information.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

One of the most popular and widely used closing for formal occasions literally translates to “with friendly greetings.” You might also see it as “mfg” as a form of email lingo which is used in more casual situations. In conjunction with the above greetings, you now know how to write a formal email in German.

Mit herzlichen Grüßen

This common formal term means “with best wishes”.

Mit besten Grüßen

This one translates to “best regards” or “with kind regards” in English.

Meaning “yours” in English, Ihre is used if you are female and Ihr if you are a male.

Viele Grüße or Liebe Grüße

These two are the most common and natural-sounding conclusions. You might also see it as “VG” or “LG” respectively in emails.

This is the equivalent of “regards” in English.

Mach's gut!

The English equivalent would be “take care!” or “take it easy!” and is typically only used in email.

Meaning “yours,” deine is used if you are female and dein if you are a male.

An important final note to remember that unlike in English, there is no comma after a concluding expression in German! We hope you’ve enjoyed learning about some of the most common email greetings in German! If you’ve enjoyed this guide, check out other similar ones on how to write an email in English or how to write an email in Portuguese .

If you want to further strengthen your German, don’t forget to download Tandem! Tandem is a unique language learning app that connects millions of like-minded individuals across the world. With over 300 languages to choose from, you can work on improving your fluency in whatever target language you’d like. All you need to do is download the Tandem app , match with a native speaker of your target language, and start communicating!

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How to Use German Dative Verbs

Master German dative verbs with a few helpful tips and examples. Learn which common German verbs always take the dative case with our comprehensive list.

How to Use the German Genitive Case

Learn how to use the German genitive case, including its use with nouns, pronouns, and prepositions. Master declension and how to show possession.

Mastering the Accusative Case in German

Master the German accusative case with this comprehensive guide! Learn how to identify and use the accusative case as the direct object of a sentence.

50 Useful German Essay Words and Phrases

by  fredo21  

January 9, 2019

2  Comments

Essay-writing is in itself already a difficult endeavor. Now writing an essay in a foreign language like German ---that’s on a different plane of difficulty.  

To make it easier for you, here in this article, we’ve compiled the most useful German essay phrases. Feel free to use these to add a dash of pizzazz into your essays. It will add just the right amount of flourish into your writing---enough to impress whoever comes across your work!

You can also download these phrases in PDF format by clicking the button below.

Now here’s your list!

What other German vocabulary list would you like to see featured here? Please feel free to leave a message in the comment section and we’ll try our best to accommodate your requests soon!

Once again, you can download your copy of the PDF by subscribing using the button below!

For an easier way to learn German vocabulary, check out German short stories for beginners!

A FUN AND EFFECTIVE WAY TO LEARN GERMAN

• 10 entertaining short stories about everyday themes
• Practice reading and listening with 90+ minutes of audio 
• Learn 1,000+ new German vocabulary effortlessly!

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Thank you for the good writeup. It in fact was a amusement account it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you! By the way, how can we communicate?

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Easy German Essays for Beginners: 8 Examples to Practice Your Language Skills

Are you a beginner in learning German and looking for ways to practice your language skills? One great way to do so is by writing essays in German. Writing essays not only improves your grammar and vocabulary but also helps you express your thoughts and ideas in the target language. In this article, we will provide you with eight easy German essays for Beginners with English translation and vocabulary to help you get started.

• Meine Familie (My family) – Write about your family, including their names, occupations, and hobbies.
• Mein Haus (My house) – Describe your house or apartment, including the number of rooms, furniture, and decorations.
• Meine Hobbys (My hobbies) – Talk about your favorite hobbies, such as playing sports, reading books, or listening to music.
• Meine Schule (My school) – Write about your school, including its location, teachers, and subjects you study.
• Meine Freunde (My friends) – Discuss your friends, including how you met them, their personalities, and what you like to do together.
• Meine Stadt (My city) – Describe your city or town, including its population, tourist attractions, and cultural events.
• Meine Reise (My trip) – Write about a recent trip you took, including the destination, transportation, and activities you did there.
• Meine Lieblingsessen (My favorite food) – Talk about your favorite foods, including traditional German dishes and other international cuisines.

Remember to use simple vocabulary and sentence structures while writing the essays. Good luck with your German learning journey!

Table of Contents

Meine familie (my family).

Ich heiße Maria und ich möchte euch gerne meine Familie vorstellen. Wir sind insgesamt vier Personen in meiner Familie. Mein Vater heißt Klaus und er arbeitet als Ingenieur. Meine Mutter heißt Petra und sie ist Hausfrau. Mein Bruder heißt Jan und er geht noch zur Schule.

(My name is Maria, and I would like to introduce you to my family. We are a family of four. My father’s name is Klaus, and he works as an engineer. My mother’s name is Petra, and she is a homemaker. My brother’s name is Jan, and he still goes to school.)

Vocabulary:

• Ich heiße Maria (My name is Maria)
• insgesamt (altogether)
• vier Personen (four persons)
• der Vater (father)
• arbeiten (to work)
• der Ingenieur (engineer)
• die Mutter (mother)
• Hausfrau (homemaker)
• der Bruder (brother)
• noch zur Schule gehen (still go to school)

Mein Vater arbeitet in einem großen Unternehmen als Ingenieur. Er ist sehr fleißig und verbringt viel Zeit im Büro. In seiner Freizeit geht er gerne joggen oder spielt Golf. Meine Mutter kümmert sich um den Haushalt und verbringt viel Zeit damit, leckere Mahlzeiten zu kochen. Sie liest auch gerne Bücher und geht regelmäßig zum Yoga.

(My father works in a large company as an engineer. He is very hardworking and spends a lot of time in the office. In his free time, he likes to go jogging or play golf. My mother takes care of the household and spends a lot of time cooking delicious meals. She also likes to read books and regularly attends yoga classes.)

• in einem großen Unternehmen (in a large company)
• sehr fleißig (very hardworking)
• viel Zeit (a lot of time)
• im Büro (in the office)
• in seiner Freizeit (in his free time)
• joggen (to go jogging)
• Golf spielen (to play golf)
• sich kümmern um (to take care of)
• der Haushalt (household)
• leckere Mahlzeiten kochen (cook delicious meals)
• gerne lesen (like to read)
• regelmäßig (regularly)
• zum Yoga gehen (go to yoga)

Mein Bruder Jan geht noch zur Schule und ist sehr sportlich. Er spielt Fußball im Verein und geht regelmäßig ins Fitnessstudio. In seiner Freizeit hört er gerne Musik und schaut Filme.

(My brother Jan still goes to school and is very sporty. He plays soccer in a club and regularly goes to the gym. In his free time, he likes to listen to music and watch movies.)

• sehr sportlich (very sporty)
• Fußball spielen (to play soccer)
• im Verein (in a club)
• ins Fitnessstudio gehen (to go to the gym)
• Musik hören (listen to music)
• Filme schauen (watch movies)

Ich studiere im Moment an der Universität und meine Hobbys sind Lesen, Reisen und Yoga. In meiner Freizeit gehe ich gerne in die Natur und genieße die frische Luft.

(I am currently studying at the university, and my hobbies are reading, traveling, and yoga. In my free time, I like to go into nature and enjoy the fresh air.)

• studieren (to study)
• an der Universität (at the university)
• die Hobbys (hobbies)
• Lesen (reading)
• Reisen (traveling)
• Yoga (yoga)
• die Freizeit (free time)
• in die Natur gehen (go into nature)
• genießen (enjoy)
• frische Luft (fresh air)

Das ist meine Familie. Wir haben viele verschiedene Hobbys und Interessen, aber wir verbringen auch gerne gemeinsam Zeit miteinander.

(This is my family. We have many different hobbies and interests, but we also enjoy spending time together.)

• das ist (this is)
• verschiedene Hobbys und Interessen (different hobbies and interests)
• gerne Zeit miteinander verbringen (enjoy spending time together)

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Mein Haus (My House)

Ich lebe in einem Haus mit drei Schlafzimmern und zwei Bädern. Das Haus ist zweistöckig und hat auch einen Keller. Im Erdgeschoss befinden sich das Wohnzimmer, die Küche und ein Esszimmer. Im Wohnzimmer haben wir ein bequemes Sofa und einen großen Fernseher. In der Küche gibt es eine Spülmaschine, einen Herd, einen Backofen und einen Kühlschrank. Das Esszimmer hat einen Esstisch mit sechs Stühlen.

(I live in a house with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The house is two stories and also has a basement. On the ground floor, there is the living room, kitchen, and a dining room. In the living room, we have a comfortable sofa and a large television. In the kitchen, there is a dishwasher, stove, oven, and refrigerator. The dining room has a dining table with six chairs.)

• das Haus (house)
• die Schlafzimmer (bedrooms)
• die Bäder (bathrooms)
• zweistöckig (two-storied)
• der Keller (basement)
• das Erdgeschoss (ground floor)
• das Wohnzimmer (living room)
• die Küche (kitchen)
• das Esszimmer (dining room)
• ein bequemes Sofa (a comfortable sofa)
• ein großer Fernseher (a large television)
• eine Spülmaschine (a dishwasher)
• ein Herd (a stove)
• ein Backofen (an oven)
• ein Kühlschrank (a refrigerator)
• ein Esstisch (a dining table)
• sechs Stühle (six chairs)

Im Obergeschoss befinden sich die Schlafzimmer und die Bäder. Mein Schlafzimmer hat ein großes Bett, einen Schreibtisch und einen Kleiderschrank. Das Badezimmer hat eine Badewanne und eine Dusche. In den anderen Schlafzimmern gibt es auch Betten und Schränke für Kleidung.

(Upstairs, there are the bedrooms and bathrooms. My bedroom has a large bed, a desk, and a closet. The bathroom has a bathtub and a shower. In the other bedrooms, there are also beds and closets for clothes.)

• das Obergeschoss (upper floor)
• das Schlafzimmer (bedroom)
• der Schreibtisch (desk)
• der Kleiderschrank (closet)
• das Badezimmer (bathroom)
• die Badewanne (bathtub)
• die Dusche (shower)
• die anderen Schlafzimmer (the other bedrooms)

Im Keller haben wir eine Waschmaschine und einen Trockner. Wir nutzen den Keller auch als Lager für Dinge, die wir nicht oft brauchen.

(In the basement, we have a washing machine and dryer. We also use the basement as a storage area for things we don’t need often.)

• die Waschmaschine (washing machine)
• der Trockner (dryer)
• als Lager nutzen (use as storage area)
• Dinge (things)

Wir haben auch einige Dekorationen im Haus. Im Wohnzimmer haben wir ein großes Gemälde an der Wand und im Esszimmer steht eine Vase mit Blumen auf dem Tisch.

(We also have some decorations in the house. In the living room, we have a large painting on the wall, and in the dining room, there is a vase of flowers on the table.)

• die Dekorationen (decorations)
• das Gemälde (painting)
• die Wand (wall)
• die Vase (vase)
• die Blumen (flowers)
• der Tisch (table)

Wir haben auch ein paar Teppiche im Haus, um den Boden zu bedecken. Das Wohnzimmer hat einen braunen Teppich, während die Schlafzimmer jeweils einen unterschiedlichen Farbton haben. Mein Schlafzimmer hat einen blauen Teppich, während das andere Schlafzimmer einen roten Teppich hat.

(We also have some carpets in the house to cover the floor. The living room has a brown carpet, while the bedrooms have a different color tone each. My bedroom has a blue carpet, while the other bedroom has a red carpet.)

• der Teppich (carpet)
• den Boden bedecken (to cover the floor)
• unterschiedliche Farbton (different color tone)

Insgesamt bin ich sehr glücklich mit meinem Haus. Es ist gemütlich und hat genug Platz für meine Familie und mich.

(Overall, I am very happy with my house. It is cozy and has enough space for my family and me.)

• insgesamt (overall)
• glücklich (happy)
• gemütlich (cozy)
• genug Platz (enough space)

Difference between ein, eine, einen, and einem in the German Language

Meine hobbys (my hobbies).

Ich habe einige Hobbys, die ich sehr gerne mache. Eines meiner Lieblingshobbys ist es, Sport zu treiben. Insbesondere mag ich es, Basketball zu spielen und Laufen zu gehen. Ich liebe es, im Freien zu sein und Sport zu treiben, weil es mir hilft, mich fit und gesund zu halten.

(I have some hobbies that I really enjoy doing. One of my favorite hobbies is doing sports. In particular, I like to play basketball and go running. I love being outdoors and doing sports because it helps me stay fit and healthy.)

• das Hobby (hobby)
• Sport treiben (to do sports)
• Basketball spielen (to play basketball)
• Laufen gehen (to go running)
• im Freien sein (to be outdoors)
• fit und gesund (fit and healthy)

Ein weiteres Hobby von mir ist das Lesen von Büchern. Ich lese gerne Romane und Sachbücher, besonders über Geschichte und Wissenschaft. Lesen ist für mich eine Möglichkeit, zu lernen und meine Vorstellungskraft zu erweitern.

(Another hobby of mine is reading books. I enjoy reading novels and non-fiction books, especially about history and science. Reading is a way for me to learn and expand my imagination.)

• das Lesen (reading)
• das Buch (book)
• der Roman (novel)
• das Sachbuch (non-fiction book)
• die Geschichte (history)
• die Wissenschaft (science)
• die Vorstellungskraft (imagination)

Außerdem höre ich gerne Musik. Ich mag viele verschiedene Genres wie Pop, Rock und Klassik. Musik kann meine Stimmung beeinflussen und mich entspannen.

(Additionally, I like to listen to music. I enjoy many different genres like pop, rock, and classical. Music can influence my mood and help me relax.)

• die Musik (music)
• das Genre (genre)
• Pop, Rock, Klassik (pop, rock, classical)
• die Stimmung (mood)
• sich entspannen (to relax)

Insgesamt bin ich sehr dankbar für meine Hobbys. Sie helfen mir, meinen Geist und Körper gesund zu halten und mich zu entspannen.

(Overall, I am very grateful for my hobbies. They help me keep my mind and body healthy and help me relax.)

• dankbar (grateful)
• der Geist (mind)
• der Körper (body)

German Essays on My Family: Meine Familie

Meine schule (my school).

Ich besuche eine Schule in der Nähe meines Hauses. Die Schule ist relativ groß und hat viele Schülerinnen und Schüler. Wir haben viele Lehrerinnen und Lehrer, die alle sehr nett und hilfsbereit sind.

(I attend a school near my house. The school is relatively large and has many students. We have many teachers who are all very kind and helpful.)

• besuchen (to attend)
• die Nähe (proximity)
• relativ (relatively)
• die Schülerin (female student)
• der Schüler (male student)
• viele (many)
• die Lehrerin (female teacher)
• der Lehrer (male teacher)
• nett (kind)
• hilfsbereit (helpful)

Die Schule bietet viele verschiedene Fächer an, einschließlich Mathematik, Geschichte, Englisch, Naturwissenschaften und Fremdsprachen. Mein Lieblingsfach ist Englisch, weil ich gerne Geschichten lese und schreibe. Ich denke, dass es wichtig ist, eine gute Ausbildung zu haben, um im Leben erfolgreich zu sein.

(The school offers many different subjects, including mathematics, history, English, science, and foreign languages. My favorite subject is English because I enjoy reading and writing stories. I believe that having a good education is important to be successful in life.)

• das Fach (subject)
• einschließlich (including)
• Mathematik (mathematics)
• Geschichte (history)
• Englisch (English)
• Naturwissenschaften (science)
• Fremdsprachen (foreign languages)
• das Lieblingsfach (favorite subject)
• die Geschichte (story)
• die Ausbildung (education)
• erfolgreich (successful)

Unsere Schule hat auch viele außerschulische Aktivitäten, wie zum Beispiel Sportmannschaften und Musikgruppen. Ich bin Mitglied des Schulfußballteams und wir haben viele Spiele gegen andere Schulen in der Gegend. Es macht mir viel Spaß und ich habe viele Freunde durch das Team kennengelernt.

(Our school also has many extracurricular activities, such as sports teams and music groups. I am a member of the school soccer team and we have many games against other schools in the area. It’s a lot of fun and I have made many friends through the team.)

• außerschulisch (extracurricular)
• die Aktivitäten (activities)
• die Sportmannschaften (sports teams)
• die Musikgruppen (music groups)
• das Mitglied (member)
• das Schulfußballteam (school soccer team)
• das Spiel (game)
• die Gegend (area)
• der Spaß (fun)
• der Freund (friend)

Insgesamt bin ich sehr glücklich auf meiner Schule und ich denke, dass ich hier eine gute Ausbildung bekomme. Ich hoffe, dass ich in Zukunft noch mehr von den vielen Möglichkeiten, die die Schule bietet, profitieren kann.

(Overall, I am very happy at my school and I think that I am getting a good education here. I hope that in the future, I can take advantage of even more of the many opportunities that the school offers.)

• die Möglichkeit (opportunity)
• profitieren (to take advantage of)

List of German adjectives with English meaning

Meine Freunde (My friends)

Ich habe viele Freunde, aber ich möchte über meine drei engsten Freunde sprechen. Wir haben uns alle in der Grundschule kennengelernt und sind seitdem unzertrennlich.

(I have many friends, but I want to talk about my three closest friends. We all met in elementary school and have been inseparable ever since.)

• die Freunde (friends)
• unzertrennlich (inseparable)

Mein erster Freund heißt Max. Er ist sehr sportlich und spielt gerne Fußball und Basketball. Max ist auch sehr lustig und hat immer eine positive Einstellung. Wir lieben es, zusammen Sport zu treiben oder Videospiele zu spielen.

(My first friend is Max. He is very athletic and likes to play soccer and basketball. Max is also very funny and always has a positive attitude. We love to exercise or play video games together.)

• sportlich (athletic)
• Fußball (soccer)
• Basketball (basketball)
• die Einstellung (attitude)
• lustig (funny)
• zusammen (together)
• Videospiele (video games)

Meine Freundin Anna ist sehr künstlerisch und liebt es zu malen und zu zeichnen. Sie hat auch ein großes Herz und ist immer bereit, anderen zu helfen. Anna und ich machen oft zusammen Kunstprojekte oder gehen ins Kino.

(My friend Anna is very artistic and loves to paint and draw. She also has a big heart and is always willing to help others. Anna and I often do art projects together or go to the movies.)

• künstlerisch (artistic)
• malen (to paint)
• zeichnen (to draw)
• das Herz (heart)
• bereit (willing)
• helfen (to help)
• das Kunstprojekt (art project)
• ins Kino gehen (to go to the movies)

Mein Freund Tom ist sehr intelligent und liebt es, neue Dinge zu lernen. Er ist auch sehr abenteuerlustig und geht gerne auf Reisen. Tom und ich haben viele spannende Abenteuer erlebt, wie zum Beispiel Campingausflüge oder Klettertouren.

(My friend Tom is very smart and loves to learn new things. He is also very adventurous and likes to travel. Tom and I have had many exciting adventures, such as camping trips or climbing expeditions.)

• intelligent (smart)
• abenteuerlustig (adventurous)
• die Reise (travel)
• die Abenteuer (adventures)
• der Campingausflug (camping trip)
• die Klettertour (climbing expedition)

Insgesamt bin ich sehr dankbar für meine Freunde und bin froh, dass ich sie habe. Wir haben so viele schöne Erinnerungen zusammen gemacht und ich freue mich auf viele weitere Abenteuer mit ihnen.

(Overall, I am very grateful for my friends and am glad to have them. We have made so many beautiful memories together and I look forward to many more adventures with them.)

• froh (glad)
• die Erinnerungen (memories)

Meine Stadt (My city)

Ich lebe in einer Stadt namens Hamburg in Deutschland. Hamburg ist die zweitgrößte Stadt Deutschlands und hat eine Bevölkerung von etwa 1,8 Millionen Menschen. Es ist eine Hafenstadt und liegt an der Elbe.

(I live in a city called Hamburg in Germany. Hamburg is the second largest city in Germany and has a population of about 1.8 million people. It is a port city and located on the river Elbe.)

• die Bevölkerung (population)
• der Hafen (port)
• die Elbe (river Elbe)

Hamburg ist bekannt für seine vielen Touristenattraktionen. Eines der bekanntesten ist der Hamburger Hafen, der einer der größten Häfen Europas ist. Es gibt auch den Fischmarkt, auf dem man frischen Fisch kaufen und lokale Spezialitäten probieren kann.

(Hamburg is known for its many tourist attractions. One of the most famous is the Port of Hamburg, which is one of the largest ports in Europe. There is also the Fish Market, where you can buy fresh fish and try local specialties.)

• die Touristenattraktionen (tourist attractions)
• bekannt (known)
• der Fischmarkt (fish market)
• frisch (fresh)
• lokale Spezialitäten (local specialties)

Außerdem gibt es viele kulturelle Veranstaltungen in Hamburg. Jedes Jahr findet das Hamburger Domfest statt, das größte Volksfest im Norden Deutschlands. Es gibt auch das Internationale Filmfest Hamburg, bei dem Filme aus der ganzen Welt gezeigt werden.

(Additionally, there are many cultural events in Hamburg. Every year, the Hamburg Dom Festival takes place, which is the largest folk festival in northern Germany. There is also the Hamburg International Film Festival, where films from all over the world are shown.)

• kulturelle Veranstaltungen (cultural events)
• das Domfest (folk festival)
• das Internationale Filmfest (international film festival)
• aus der ganzen Welt (from all over the world)

Insgesamt ist Hamburg eine lebendige und vielfältige Stadt, die für jeden etwas zu bieten hat.

(Overall, Hamburg is a vibrant and diverse city that has something to offer for everyone.)

• lebendig (vibrant)
• vielfältig (diverse)
• etwas zu bieten haben (to have something to offer)

My trip (Meine Reise)

Ich bin vor Kurzem mit meiner Familie nach Paris gereist. Wir sind direkt von unserer Stadt aus geflogen und kamen früh am Morgen in Paris an.

(I recently went on a trip to Paris with my family. We took a direct flight from our city and arrived in Paris early in the morning.)

• Vor Kurzem (recently)
• Die Reise (trip)
• Meine Familie (my family)
• Fliegen (to fly)
• Direkt (direct)
• Unsere Stadt (our city)
• Ankommen (to arrive)
• Früh (early)
• Am Morgen (in the morning)

Wir haben in einem Hotel im Herzen der Stadt gewohnt, in der Nähe vieler beliebter Sehenswürdigkeiten. Unser Hotelzimmer hatte eine tolle Aussicht auf den Eiffelturm, der nur einen kurzen Spaziergang entfernt war.

(We stayed in a hotel in the heart of the city, close to many popular tourist attractions. Our hotel room had a great view of the Eiffel Tower, which was just a short walk away.)

• das Hotel (hotel)
• die Stadt (city)
• die Nähe (proximity, closeness)
• die Sehenswürdigkeiten (tourist attractions)
• das Hotelzimmer (hotel room)
• die Aussicht (view)
• der Eiffelturm (Eiffel Tower)
• der Spaziergang (walk)

Während unseres Aufenthalts haben wir viele berühmte Wahrzeichen der Stadt besucht, darunter das Louvre-Museum und die Kathedrale Notre-Dame. Wir haben auch eine Bootsfahrt auf der Seine gemacht, was eine großartige Möglichkeit war, die Stadt aus einer anderen Perspektive zu sehen.

(During our stay, we visited many of the city’s famous landmarks, including the Louvre Museum and Notre-Dame Cathedral. We also went on a boat tour of the Seine River, which was a great way to see the city from a different perspective.)

• der Aufenthalt (stay)
• berühmte Wahrzeichen (famous landmarks)
• das Louvre-Museum (the Louvre Museum)
• die Kathedrale Notre-Dame (Notre-Dame Cathedral)
• die Bootsfahrt (boat tour)
• die Seine (the Seine River)
• aus einer anderen Perspektive (from a different perspective)

Eines der Highlights unserer Reise war das Probieren der köstlichen französischen Küche. Wir haben in vielen verschiedenen Restaurants und Cafés gegessen und alles von Croissants bis Escargots ausprobiert.

(One of the highlights of our trip was trying the delicious French cuisine. We ate at many different restaurants and cafes, and tried everything from croissants to escargots.)

• das Highlight (the highlight)
• die Reise (the trip)
• das Probieren (the trying/tasting)
• die köstliche französische Küche (the delicious French cuisine)
• das Restaurant (the restaurant)
• das Café (the café)
• alles (everything)
• der Croissant (the croissant)
• die Escargots (the escargots (snails))

Insgesamt war unser Trip nach Paris eine wunderbare Erfahrung. Wir haben die schönen Sehenswürdigkeiten, das leckere Essen und die reiche Kultur der Stadt genossen. Es war eine großartige Gelegenheit, Zeit mit meiner Familie zu verbringen und bleibende Erinnerungen zu schaffen.

(Overall, our trip to Paris was a wonderful experience. We enjoyed the beautiful sights, delicious food, and rich culture of the city. It was a great opportunity to spend time with my family and create lasting memories.)

• Insgesamt (Overall)
• Trip (trip)
• Paris (Paris)
• Eine wunderbare Erfahrung (A wonderful experience)
• Wir haben genossen (We enjoyed)
• Die schönen Sehenswürdigkeiten (The beautiful sights)
• Das leckere Essen (The delicious food)
• Die reiche Kultur der Stadt (The rich culture of the city)
• Eine großartige Gelegenheit (A great opportunity)
• Zeit mit meiner Familie zu verbringen (To spend time with my family)
• Bleibende Erinnerungen zu schaffen (To create lasting memories)

Meine Lieblingsessen (My favorite food)

Ich esse gerne viele verschiedene Arten von Essen und habe viele Lieblingsspeisen. Einige meiner Favoriten sind traditionelle deutsche Gerichte wie Schnitzel und Spätzle, Sauerkraut und Bratwurst.

(I like to eat many different types of food and have many favorite dishes. Some of my favorites are traditional German dishes like Schnitzel and Spätzle, Sauerkraut, and Bratwurst.)

• Lieblingsspeisen (favorite dishes)
• traditionelle deutsche Gerichte (traditional German dishes)
• Schnitzel (breaded and fried meat cutlets)
• Spätzle (soft egg noodles)
• Sauerkraut (fermented cabbage)
• Bratwurst (grilled or fried sausage)

Ich mag auch viele internationale Küchen, wie zum Beispiel italienische Pizza und Pasta, thailändisches Curry, indische Masala und japanisches Sushi.

(I also enjoy many international cuisines, such as Italian pizza and pasta, Thai curry, Indian masala, and Japanese sushi.)

• internationale Küchen (international cuisines)

Ein weiteres meiner Lieblingsessen ist mexikanisches Essen wie Tacos, Quesadillas und Guacamole. Die Kombination aus scharfen Gewürzen und frischen Zutaten macht das Essen zu einer Geschmacksexplosion.

(Another one of my favorite foods is Mexican cuisine like tacos, quesadillas, and guacamole. The combination of spicy seasonings and fresh ingredients makes the food a flavor explosion.)

• scharfe Gewürze (spicy seasonings)
• frische Zutaten (fresh ingredients)
• Geschmacksexplosion (flavor explosion)
• mexikanisches Essen (Mexican cuisine)
• Tacos (filled tortillas)
• Quesadillas (stuffed and grilled tortillas)
• Guacamole (dip made from mashed avocado)

Insgesamt genieße ich es, neue Gerichte und Küchen auszuprobieren und verschiedene Aromen und Texturen zu entdecken. Essen ist eine große Leidenschaft von mir und ich liebe es, zu kochen und neue Rezepte zu kreieren.

(Overall, I enjoy trying new dishes and cuisines and discovering different flavors and textures. Food is a big passion of mine, and I love to cook and create new recipes.)

• Aromen und Texturen (flavors and textures)
• Leidenschaft (passion)
• Rezepte (recipes)
• kochen (to cook)
• kreieren (to create)

Some Travel hacks when travelling in Europe

Conclusion:

In conclusion, writing essays in German can be a fun and effective way to improve your language skills. The eight essay examples provided in this article (Easy German Essays for Beginners) offer a range of topics that will help you practice your writing skills, expand your vocabulary, and gain confidence in your ability to express yourself in German. So why not try writing one of these essays today and see how much progress you can make in your German language journey?

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The Two German Past Tenses and How to Use Them

Talking About the Past in German

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Although both English and German use the  simple past tense  ( Imperfekt ) and the  present perfect tense  ( Perfekt ) to talk about past events, there are some major differences in the way each language uses these tenses. If you need to know more about the structure and grammar of these tenses, see the links below. Here we will focus on when and how to use each past tense in German .

The Simple Past ( Imperfekt )

We'll start with the so-called " simple past " because it's simple. Actually, it's called "simple" because it's a one-word tense ( hatte ,  ging ,  sprach ,  machte ) and isn't a compound tense like the present perfect ( hat gehabt ,  ist gegangen ,  habe gesprochen ,  haben gemacht ). To be precise and technical, the  Imperfekt  or "narrative past" tense refers to a past event that is not yet fully completed (Latin  perfect ), but I have never seen how this applies to its actual use in German in any practical way. However, it is sometimes useful to think of the "narrative past" as being used to describe a series of connected events in the past, i.e., a narrative. This is in contrast to the present perfect described below, which (technically) is used to describe isolated events in the past.

Used less in conversation and more in print/writing, the simple past, narrative past, or imperfect tense is often described as the more "formal" of the two basic past tenses in German and it is found primarily in books and newspapers. Therefore, with a few important exceptions, for the average learner it is more important to recognize and be able to read the simple past than to use it. (Such exceptions include helping verbs such as  haben ,  sein ,  werden , the modal verbs , and few others, whose simple past tense forms are often used in conversation as well as written German.)

The German simple past tense may have several English equivalents. A phrase such as, "er spielte Golf," can be translated into English as: "he was playing golf," "he used to play golf," "he played golf," or "he did play golf," depending on the context.

As a general rule, the farther south you go in German Europe, the less the simple past is used in conversation. Speakers in Bavaria and Austria are more likely to say, "Ich bin in London gewesen," rather than "Ich war in London." ("I was in London.") They view the simple past as more aloof and cold than the present perfect, but you should not be overly concerned about such details. Both forms are correct and most German-speakers are thrilled when a foreigner can speak their language at all!

Just remember this simple rule for the simple past: it is used mostly for narration in books, newspapers, and written texts, less in conversation. Which brings us to the next German past tense...

The Present Perfect ( Perfekt )

The present perfect is a compound (two-word) tense formed by combining an auxiliary (helping) verb with the past participle. Its name comes from the fact that the "present" tense form of the auxiliary verb is used, and the word "perfect," which, as we mentioned above, is Latin for "done/completed." (The  past perfect  [pluperfect,  Plusquamperfekt ] uses the simple past tense of the auxiliary verb.) This particular German past tense form is also known as the "conversational past," reflecting its primary use in conversational, spoken German.

Because the present perfect or conversational past is used in spoken German, it is important to learn how this tense is formed and used. However, just as the simple past is not used exclusively in print/writing, neither is the present perfect used only for spoken German. The present perfect (and past perfect) is also used in newspapers and books, but not as often as the simple past. Most grammar books tell you that the German present perfect is used to indicate that "something is finished at the time of speaking" or that a completed past event has results that "continue into the present." That can be useful to know, but it is more important to recognize some of the major differences in the way the present perfect is used in German and English.

For instance, if you want to express, "I used to live in Munich" in German, you can say, "Ich habe in München gewohnt." - a completed event (you no longer live in Munich). On the other hand, if you want to say, "I have lived/have been living in Munich for ten years," you can't use the perfect tense (or any past tense) because you're talking about an event in the present (you are still living in Munich). So German uses the present tense (with  schon seit ) in this situation: "Ich wohne schon seit zehn Jahren in München," literally "I live since ten years in Munich." (A sentence structure that Germans sometimes mistakenly use when going from German to English!)

English-speakers also need to understand that a German present perfect phrase such as, "er hat Geige gespielt," can be translated into English as: "he has played (the) violin," "he used to play (the) violin," "he played (the) violin," "he was playing (the) violin," or even "he did play (the) violin," depending on the context. In fact, for a sentence such as, "Beethoven hat nur eine Oper komponiert," it would only be correct to translate it into the English simple past, "Beethoven composed only one opera," rather than the English present perfect, "Beethoven has composed only one opera." (The latter incorrectly implies that Beethoven is still alive and composing.)

• German Regular Verbs: Past Tenses
• German Verbs: The Present Perfect Tense
• How to Conjugate Gehen in German
• How to Conjugate "Stehen" (to Stand) in German
• How to Conjugate the Verb "Helfen" (to Help)
• How to Conjugate "Geben" (to Give) in German
• How to Conjugate the German Verb "Heissen" (to Call)
• How to Conjugate the German Verb "Laufen" (to Run, Walk)
• German Verb Conjugations: Tun (To Do)
• How to Conjugate the German Verb 'Sein'
• German Verb Conjugation of Sprechen (To Speak)
• The Passive Voice in German
• How to Conjugate "Kommen" (to Come)
• The Simple Past in German
• How to Conjugate "Beginnen" (to Begin) in German
• What You Need to Know About German Modal Verbs

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I stopped apologising for my poor German, and something wonderful happened

After a decade in Germany, I was still anxious talking to native speakers – then I realised my language skills weren’t the problem

I have prefaced every conversation with, “ Entschuldigung, mein Deutsch ist noch nicht so gut ” (“I’m sorry, my German is still not very good”) since I moved to Hermsdorf, a little village in east Germany in 2015. Its purpose was to act as a disclaimer upfront so that the German person I was talking to wouldn’t expect me to articulate complicated ideas or respond promptly and accurately to everything that was said. But mostly, my opening line was a plea for mercy, a signal that I was still learning the language and would greatly appreciate it if they spoke more slowly and clearly. They would always graciously reply: “ Ja, Deutsch ist eine schwere Sprache. ” German is a difficult language, they all agreed. And for the longest time, that was true.

Growing up in Kuala Lumpur as Malaysian Chinese, I speak English almost natively, given that Malaysia was once a British colony. I also speak Malay, Malaysia’s official language, and Mandarin and Cantonese because I needed to communicate with my grandparents. Before moving to Germany, I already spoke Italian after working on board cruise ships for years alongside Italian officers, and conversational French after dating a Frenchman. Then, I met the man who would later become my husband in a bar on the 63rd floor of a building in Singapore and a thought occurred to me: “Wouldn’t it be funny if I have to learn German this time?”

Learning and speaking German was anything but funny. It wasn’t funny when I started learning the language from scratch and it still wasn’t funny when I finished C1, a level that allows me to study at a German university if I want to. When I was learning Italian or French, the words would somehow roll off my tongue, but in German the convoluted grammar made me choke. Even if I could technically write academic essays in German, the thought of calling a clinic to make an appointment would still induce debilitating anxiety. I would stammer during small talk with a mother I had never met before, while dressing my one-year-old at kindergarten; hide if I saw my neighbour take out the trash; or get my husband to call the ophthalmologist for an appointment. “Why don’t you do it yourself?” my husband would grumble. “How about you try picking up Malay and Mandarin?” I would always retort.

This went on for almost a decade until a month ago: I was home, telling my husband about a meeting I’d had at the Federal Employment Agency. As usual, I had started the meeting by apologising for my mediocre German skills. The lady behind the desk had looked at me somewhat perplexed: “But your German is great.” I cackled and rolled my eyes at my husband. As if. “She’s right, you know,” he said. “I don’t know why you still think you speak bad German. OK, it is not perfect, but who cares?” Who cares indeed.

When I was still learning elementary German, I remember being in awe of a Chilean woman in my class who, despite her poor grasp of German grammar, spoke confidently. While I was meek and often squeaked out my words, she commanded attention – all 4ft 9in of her. I asked her how I could be more like her. “After 10 years of living in Germany, I no longer care. I’m not trying to be Goethe,” she said.

I’ve been living in Germany for close to a decade now, so why do I still care so much? Was it my perfectionist tendencies that made me impose unrealistic goals on myself? Was it only me, not the Germans, who found my mediocre language skills appalling – the fact that in English I could be charming, convincing and persuasive, but was reduced to a mumbling mouse in German?

I have given birth twice here, have been to all doctors’ appointments on my own, and I have held two German-speaking jobs – were those not moments of triumph? Most Germans were nothing but encouraging and supportive at my efforts to speak their language, so why did I judge myself so harshly? Did I really need constant reassurance that I was being a good immigrant and that my German was actually quite decent? I finally saw the light. It was my fragile ego that I was trying to placate. I was getting nowhere by shrinking myself and letting myself feel inferior to native German speakers. I was only going to wear myself out.

Recently, when I found myself sitting across from a blond-haired woman who might be my future boss and I was waiting for the dreaded “Tell me about yourself” question to surface, the temptation to reach for my default opening line was strong. I was nervous and badly wanted to work for this startup. Apologising for my not-so-perfect German would have afforded me some leeway, but I did not. There were times where I fumbled in my responses, but I trudged on. That very afternoon, I was called back to meet the CEO, and still, when we shook hands, I didn’t mention anything about my less than perfect German skills. I didn’t have to: I was hired, crappy German and all.

Ying Reinhardt is a Malaysian writer living in Germany

• Social etiquette

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Russians expelled from NATO HQ in recent years, NATO says

B ERLIN (Reuters) - Comments by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg about expulsions of Russians from NATO headquarters referred to incidents from recent years, not recent months, as originally reported by German daily Bild, the alliance said on Friday.

Bild also issued a correction to its report, clarifying that Stoltenberg had not mentioned a timeframe when talking about the expulsions in an interview with the German outlet.

"Russia suspended its mission to NATO in October 2021. In an interview with Bild this week, the Secretary General referred to steps taken over recent years," a NATO official said.

In the interview, Stoltenberg said: "We have seen that Russian intelligence services have operated across European countries for many years. We’re also seeing attempts to step up their activities but of course, NATO allies are monitoring, following this very closely."

He said NATO "expelled, for instance, Russian personnel from NATO headquarters because we realized that they were carrying out activities that were not actually diplomatic work, but intelligence work."

In October 2021, NATO said it had expelled eight members of Russia's mission to the alliance who were "undeclared Russian intelligence officers".

(Writing by Friederike Heine and Andrew Gray, Editing by Andrey Sychev and Nick Macfie)