Shopping in a German-speaking country can be an amazing experience, whether you’re exploring souvenir shops, browsing local markets or hunting for deals in department stores. To make the most out of this time, knowing the language’s key phrases for going shopping in German is a must. 

That is why in this blog post we’ve selected eight useful and practical phrases for navigating the shopping scene with ease. Don’t forget to listen to the podcast to learn how to pronounce this essential vocabulary!

1. Kann ich euch helfen?

When you first enter a store, a friendly greeting sets the tone so don’t forget to use one of the forms of hello in German. That being said, the phrase Kann ich Ihnen helfen? which means, Can I help you? is definitely one that you’ll hear from a shop assistant when you walk into a store. If you are going shopping with a friend, you might also hear the plural form Kann ich euch helfen? 

Additionally, the assistant may ask: Suchen Sie etwas Spezielles? Are you looking for something specific?. Again, the plural form would be: Sucht ihr etwas Spezielles?

2. Ich gucke nur 

Now that you know what the shop assistant might ask you if you need help, it is also useful to know how to answer that question. In case you’re shopping on your own, you can politely let them know that you’re not ready to buy anything yet by saying Ich gucke nur. I’m just looking. 

In some regions of Germany, Ich schaue nur might also be used instead of gucke, but gucken is more commonly heard in everyday conversation.

3. Kann ich das anprobieren? 

One of the most useful phrases for going shopping in German for clothes or shoes is Kann ich das anprobieren? which translates to Can I try this on?. This sentence could be especially useful when you find an item that you’re interested in but want to check if it fits before making a purchase.

To this request, the shop assistant may respond with:

• Ja, natürlich! Die Umkleidekabinen sind dort drüben. Yes, of course! The fitting rooms are over there.
• Klar, hier ist eine Umkleidekabine. Sure, here is a fitting room.

4. Passt das? Passen die?

Once you’ve tried on a pair of shoes or clothing, the shop assistant might ask you Passt das? Does that fit? or Passen die? Do they fit? A straightforward answer to this question in German would be: 

• Ja, passt perfekt. Yes, fits perfectly. 
• Nein, nicht ganz. No, not quite. 

If you would like it in a different size, you might use the following phrase.

5. Haben Sie das/die in …

Another key phrase for going shopping in German is Haben Sie das/die in …? Do you have that/them in …?. It is a perfect way to ask about the availability of a product in a specific size, colour, or style. For example, if you are shopping for shoes and want to know if the store has a different size, you might ask:

• Haben Sie die auch in Größe 43? Do you also have them in size 43? 

Or if you are expressing preferences, you could say: 

• Haben Sie das in einer anderen Farbe? Do you have that in another colour?
• Ich hätte lieber das in Blau. I’d prefer that in blue. 

6. Wie viel kostet das? Wie viel kosten die? 

Once you’ve found the perfect item, another key skill to shopping in German is being able to ask for the price. Simply ask Wie viel kostet das? which means How much does that cost? or Wie viel kosten die? which is used for more than one item, like shoes.

 This is a crucial phrase to know while shopping to avoid any surprises at the checkout.

7. Das/Die nehme ich. 

When you’ve decided on your purchase, you can say, Das/Die nehme ich.. This translates to, I’ll take that/them. It’s a great way to let the shop assistant know you’ve made your decision and are ready to check out.

8. Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?

In many German stores, you’ll have the option to pay with a credit or debit card. To ask, Can I pay by card?, you can say: Kann ich mit Karte zahlen? This is an important question to ask when on the counter.

With these phrases under your belt, your shopping experience in German will go smoothly! After all, you’ll be able to navigate any store confidently and make your shopping experience much easier. From asking to try things on to paying for your purchases, you now have the essential vocabulary you need to enjoy your time shopping in a German-speaking country.

Since you already know how to go about shopping, how about learning to navigate any place by being able to ask for tourist information in a German-speaking city? Check out the article we prepared on the subject and also gain more insight into relative pronouns in German!