How many words are in this list?

This page gives 100 German words on “Politeness and small talk”. The full topic holds 129 in the KoKo app: 51 at the easy level, 45 at the medium level and 33 at the hard level.

Which words should I start with?

With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.

How can I remember this German vocabulary?

By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.

Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?

Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.

German vocabulary: greetings and polite phrases

Hello, thank you, please, sorry, see you soon: the polite German phrases for greeting, thanking and starting a conversation.

Here are 100 German words on “Politeness and small talk”, translated into English and sorted from easiest to hardest.

Level 1: easy 39 words

German	English
nach Ihnen	after you
Prost	cheers
viel Glück	good luck
gute Nacht	good nightWhen parting to go to sleep
auf Wiedersehen	goodbye
alles Gute zum Geburtstag	happy birthday
frohes neues Jahr	happy New Year
schönen Abend noch	have a good eveningWhen leaving someone early in the evening
guten Tag	helloGreeting on arrival, during the day
hallo	hiInformal greeting
wie sagt man	how do you say
ich weiß nicht	I do not know
ich verstehe nicht	I do not understand
macht nichts	it does not matter
nur Mut	keep it up
fühlen Sie sich wie zu Hause	make yourself at home
kann ich Ihnen helfen	may I help you
nein	no
kein Problem	no problem
nichts zu danken	not at all
selbstverständlich	of course
einverstanden	okay
einen Moment	one moment
bis später	see you shortly
bis bald	see you soon
umso besser	so much the better
es tut mir leid	sorryApology
danke	thank you
das ist schade	that is a pity
sich kennenlernen	to get acquainted
vorstellen	to introduce
sich vorstellen	to introduce oneself
bis zum nächsten Mal	until next time
Achtung	watch out
was bedeutet	what does it mean
was gibt es Neues	what is new
mit Vergnügen	with pleasureEnthusiastic acceptance
ja	yes
keine Ursache	you are welcomeEveryday use

Level 2: medium 35 words

German	English
Entschuldigung	apology
beste Wünsche	best wishes
Gespräch	conversation
könnten Sie	could you
Diskussion	discussion
sprechen Sie Englisch	do you speak English
guten Appetit	enjoy your meal
entschuldigen Sie	excuse me
lebe wohl	farewell
folgen Sie mir	follow me
gute Besserung	get well soon
guten Abend	good eveningGreeting on arrival, from late afternoon onwards
Händedruck	handshake
schönes Wochenende	have a good weekend
helfen Sie mir	help me
ich hätte gern	I would like
Vorstellung	introduction
Einladung	invitation
frohe Weihnachten	merry Christmas
langsamer	more slowly
auch egal	never mind
bitte	please
erfreut, Sie kennenzulernen	pleased to meet you
Vorwurf	reproach
tausend Dank	thanks a million
das ist nett	that is kind
sich entschuldigen	to apologise
ansprechen	to approach someone
grüßen	to greet
einladen	to invite
wünschen	to wish
Empfang	welcomeNoun, the act of receiving someone
wie schade	what a shame
wie heißen Sie	what is your name
gern geschehen	you are welcomeFormal register

Level 3: hard 26 words

German	English
erlauben Sie mir	allow me
peinliches Schweigen	awkward silence
kommen Sie herein	come in
Trost	comfort
Kompliment	compliment
Ermutigung	encouragement
Siezen	formal address
Gruß	greeting
hallo	helloOn the phone, when picking up
warten Sie	hold on
unhöflich	ill mannered
Missverständnis	misunderstanding
mein herzliches Beileid	my condolences
sehr erfreut	nice to meet you
bitte warten Sie	please hold on
Höflichkeitsformel	polite formula
höflich	politely
Höflichkeit	politeness
wiederholen Sie	repeat
Grobheit	rudeness
setzen Sie sich	sit down
gratulieren	to congratulate
stören	to disturb
unterbrechen	to interrupt
auf die Wange küssen	to kiss on the cheek
duzen	to use informal address

Mini quiz

5 words from this page, picked at random. Find their translation.

Frequently asked questions

How many words are in this list?: This page gives 100 German words on “Politeness and small talk”. The full topic holds 129 in the KoKo app: 51 at the easy level, 45 at the medium level and 33 at the hard level.
Which words should I start with?: With level 1: these are the easiest words of the topic. Move on to level 2 once they come to you without thinking, then to level 3.
How can I remember this German vocabulary?: By seeing each word again at longer and longer intervals, just before you forget it: that is spaced repetition. The KoKo app does it for you and tells you each day which words to review.
Can I print this list or save it as a PDF?: Yes. The “Print the list” button at the top of the page opens your device’s print dialog: choose to save as PDF to keep the 100 words and their translation, with nothing else around them.