German Phrases
from "German Phrase
Book" November 30, 1943
TM 30-606
Special Points
Here are a few points to note:
| AI | as in aisle, ice, right. Example: "NAIN" meaning "no." |
| EE | when underlined, as in bee, need, feel but said with the lips rounded. Example: "G'MEE-az" meaning "vegetables." |
| I | when underlined, as in hit, lick, dim but said with the lips rounded. Example:"tsoo-RIK" meaning "back" or "backward." |
| ER | when underlined, something like the sound in her, serve, fern but said with the lips rounded. Example: "TSVERLF" meaning "twelve." |
| a | when in italics, as in sofa, vanilla, china. Example: "HIL-fa" meaning "help." |
| KH | like the sound you make when you
clear your throat to spit. Example:"ROUKH-en" meaning "to smoke." |
In each section you will find a number of questions, each one so phrased that the German speaker will answer Yes or No, point out the direction, give you a number, etc. If you don't get an answer you can understand, use one of the following expressions:
| English | Pronunciation | German Spelling |
| Answer Yes or No | AHNT-varwr-ten zee YA o-der NAIN | Antworten Sie Ja oder Nein |
| Show me | TSAI-gen zee meer | Zeigen Sie mir |
| Write it | SHRAI-ben zee ess OUF | Schreiben Sie es auf |
| Write the nubmer | SHRAI-ben zee dee TSAHL OUF | Schreiben Sie die Zahl auf |
| The word for"please" is "BIT-a." For example | ||
| Please show me | BIT-a TSAI-gen zee meer | Bitte zeigen Sie mir |
Asking Help
| English | Pronunciation | German Spelling |
| Help! | HIL-fa! | Hilfe! |
| Help me | HEL-fen zee meer | Helfen Sie mir |
| Bring help! | Ho-len zee HIL-fa! | Holen Sie Hilfe! |
| I want to eat | ish mersh-ta ESS-en | Ich möchte essen |
| I want water | ish mersh-ta VA-ser | Ich möchte Wasser |
| Where can I get water? | Vo kahn ish et-vahss tsoo ESS-en B'KAWM-en? | Wo kann ich etwas zu essen bekommen? |
| I am wounded | ist bin fer-VOON-det | Ich bin verwundet |
| Take me to a doctor | BRING-en zee mish tsoo ai-nem ARTST | Bringen Sie mich zu einem Arzt |
| Bring a doctor | HO-len zee ai-nen ARTST | Holen Sie einen Arzt |
| Do you understand? | fer-SHTAY-en zee? | Verstehen Sie? |
| Yes | YA | Ja |
| No | NAIN | Nein |
| I don't understand | ish fer-SHTAY nisht | Ich verstehe nicht |
| Speak slowly | SHPRESH-en zee LAHNK-zahm | Sprechen Sie langsam |
| Say it again | vee-der-HO-len zee | Wiederholen Sie |
| Please | BIT-a | Bitte |
Finding Your Way
| English | Pronunciation | German Spelling |
| I am lost | ish HA-ba mish fer-LOU-fen | Ich habe mich verlaufen |
| I am an American | ish bin ah-may-ree-KA-ner | Ich bin Amerikaner |
| We are American Soldiers | veer zint ah-may-ree-KA-nish-a zawl-DA-ten | Wir sind amerikanische Soldaten |
| Where are American soldiers? | VO zint ah-may-ree-KA-nish-a zawl-DA-ten? | Wo sind amerikanische Soldaten? |
| How can I get there? | VEE kahn ish dawrt HIN-kawm-en? | Wie kann ich dort hinkommen? |
| You will be rewarded | ish vayr-da een-en GELT gay-ben | Ich werde Ihnen Geld geben |
Warnings
| English | Pronunciation | German Spelling |
| Danger! | G'FAR! | Gefahr! |
| Don't smoke! | nisht ROUKH-en! | Nicht rauchen! |
| Careful! | FOR-zisht! | Vorsicht! |
| Look out! | OUF-pa-sen! | Aufpassen! |
| Lie down! | HIN-lay-gen! | Hinlegen! |
| Down! | NEE-der! | Nieder! |
| Take cover! | DEK-oong nay-men! | Deckung nehmen! |
| Don't shoot! | nisht SHEE-sen! | Nicht schiessen! |
| Don't move! | kai-na B'VAY-goong! | Kein Bewegung! |
| Don't try any tricks! | MA-khen zee kai-na G'SHISH-ten! | Machen Sie keine Geschichten! |
| Obey or I'll fire! | ven zee nisht G'HAWR-shen, SHEE-sa ish! | Wenn Sie nicht gehorchen, schiesse ich! |
Commands
| English | Pronunciation | German Spelling |
| Wait here! | VAR-ten zee HEER! | Warten Sie hier! |
| Stand up! | OUF-shtay-en! | Aufstehen! |
| Quiet! | ROO-a! | Ruhe! |
| Come forward! | FOR-tray-ten! | Vortreten! |
| Quickly! | SHNEL! | Schnell! |
| Right away! | zo-FORT! | Sofort! |
| Move back! | tsoo-RIK! | Zurück! |
| Turn around! | ROOM-dray-en! | Rumdrehen! |
| Go ahead! | FOR-vayrts! | Vorwärts! |
| Follow me! | FAWL-gen zee meer! | Folgen Sie mir! |
| Follow him! | FAWL-gen zee eem! | Folgen Sie ihm! |
| Go slow! | LAHNK-zahm gay-en! | Langsam gehen! |
| Hurry! | RAHSH! | Rasch! |
| Stop! or Halt! | HAHLT! | Halt! |
| Who's there? | VAYR DA? | Wer da? |
| Advance! | FOR-tray-ten! | Vortreten! |
| Identify yourself! | TSAI-gen zee meer ee-ren OUSS-vaiss! | Zeigen Sie mir Ihren Ausweis! |
| Surrender! | er-GAY-ben zee zish! | Ergeben Sie sich! |
| Throw down your arms! | VA-fen nee-der-lay-gen! | Waffen niederlegen! |
| Raise your hands! | HEN-da hoakh! | Hände hoch! |
| Line up! here there |
AHN-tray-ten HEER DAWRT |
Antreten! hier dort |
Greetings
| English | Pronunciation | German Spelling |
| Hello | HA-lo | Hallo |
| Good morning | goo-ten MAWR-gen | Guten Morgen |
| Good day or Good afternoon | goo-ten TAHK | Guten Tag |
| Good evening | goo-ten AH-bent | Buten Abend |
| Good night | goo-ta NAHKHT | Gute Nacht |
| How are you? | vee GAYT ess ee-nen? | Wie geht es Ihnen? |
| I am well | ess gayt meer GOOT | Es geht mir gut |
| Thank you | DAHN-ka | Danke |
| You're welcome | BIT-a | Bitte |
| Please | BIT-a | Bitte |
| Pardon me | fer-TSAI-oong | Verzeihung |
| Sir | main HAYR | Mein Herr |
| Madam | G_NAY-dig-a FROW | Gnädige Frau |
| My name is ___ | ish HAI-sa ___ | Ich heisse ___ |
| Glad to meet you | ZAYR AHN-g'naym | Sehr angenehm |
| Come in | hay-RAIN | herein |
| Sit down here there |
ZET-sen zee zish HEER_hayr DAWRT-hin |
Setzen Sie sich hierher dortin |
| Make yourself comfortable | MA-khen zee ess zish B'KVAYM | Machen Sie es sich bequem |
| Will you have a cigarette? | VAWL-en zee ai-na tsig-ah-RET-a? | Wollen Sie eine Zigarette? |
| Do you have a light? | HA-ben zee FOY-er | Haben Sie Feuer? |
| Are you ___? hungry thirsty |
HA-ben zee ___? HOONG-er DOORST |
Haben Sie ___? Hunger Durst |
| See you tomorrow | ouf MAWR-gen | Auf morgen |
| See you soon | ouf BAHLT | Auf bald |
| Good luck | AH-less GOO-ta | Alles Gute |
Questioning
| English | Pronunciation | German Spelling |
| Show your identification | TSAI-gen zee ee-ren OUSS-vaiss | Zeigen Sie Ihren Ausweis |
| What is your rank? | VEL-shen RAHNG ha-ben zee? | Welchen Rang haben Sie? |
| What is your outfit? | VEL-shess ist ee-ra AIN-hait? | Welches is Ihre Einheit? |
| What is your regiment? | VEL-shess is eer rayg-ee-MENT | Welches is Ihr Regiment? |
Radio
| English | Pronunciation | German Spelling |
| Calling ___ | ___ KAW-men | ___ kommen |
| Over (go ahead) | KAW-men | Kommen |
| Wait | VAR-ten | Warten |
| Correction | EE-roong | Irrung |
| Break | TREN-oong | Trennung |
| Verify | BIT-a PREE-fen | Bitte prüfen |
Numbers
| Numbers | Pronunciation |
| 1 | AINSS |
| 2 | TSVAI |
| 3 | DRAI |
| 4 | FEER |
| 5 | FINF |
| 6 | ZEKS |
| 7 | ZEE-ben |
| 8 | AHKHT |
| 9 | NOYN |
| 10 | TSAYN |
| 11 | ELF |
| 12 | TSVERLF |
| 13 | DRAI-tsayn |
| 14 | FEER-tsayn |
| 15 | FINF-tsayn |
| 16 | ZESH-tsayn |
| 17 | ZEEP-tsayn |
| 18 | AHKH-tsayn |
| 19 | NOYN-tsayn |
| 20 | TSVAHN-tsik |
| 21 | AIN-oont-tsvahn-tsik |
| 22 | TSVAI-oont-tsvahn-tsik |
| 30 | DRAI-sik |
| 40 | FEER-sisk |
| 50 | FINF-tsik |
| 60 | ZESH-tsik |
| 70 | ZEEP-tsik |
| 80 | AHKH-tsik |
| 90 | NOYN-tsik |
| 100 | HOON-dert |
| 1000 | TOUZ-ent |
| 1,000,000 | ai-na meel-YOAN |
Amounts
| English | Pronunciation | German Spelling |
| A few | AI-nig-a | Einige |
| Several | MAY-ra-ra | Mehrere |
| Many | FEE-la | Viele |
| Not many | NISHT FEE-la | Nicht viele |
| Very many | ZAYR FEE-la | Sehr viele |
Weapons & Ammunition
| English | Pronunciation | German Spelling |
| Ammunition | moo-nits-YOAN | Munition |
| Antitank gun | PAHK-g'sheets | Pakgeschütz |
| Bayonet | ZAI-ten-g'vayr | Seitengewehr |
| Bomb | BAWM-ba | Bombe |
| Cannon | ka-NO-na | Kanone |
| Carbine | ka-ra-BEE-ner | Karabiner |
| Cartridge | pa-TRO-na | Patrone |
| Gas | GAHSS | Gas |
| Grenade hand grenade rifle grenade |
HAHNT-gra-na-ta G'VAYR-gra-na-ta |
Handgranate Gewehrgranate |
| Gun | G'SHEETS | Geschütz |
| Howitzer | HOW-bit-sa | Haubitze |
| Machine gun | ma-SHEE-nen-g'vayr | Maschinengewehr |
| Mine | MEE-na | Mine |
| Mortar | gra-NAHT-vayr-fer | Granatwerfer |
| Pistol | piss-TO-la | Pistole |
| Rifle | G'VAYR | Gewehr |
| Shell | gra-NA-ta | Granate |
| Submachine gun | ma-SHEE-nen-piss-TO-la | Maschinepistole |
| Weapon | VA-fa | Waffe |
| Fire | FOY-er | Feuer (F) |
| Safe | ZISH-er | Sicher (S) |
Important Signs
| German | English |
| Halt | Stop |
| Langsam | Go Slow |
| Umleitung | Detour |
| Vorsich | Caution |
| Gefahr | Danger |
| Einbahnstrasse | One-way Street |
| Keine Durchfahrt | No Thoroughfare |
| Sackgasse | Dead End |
| Rechts fahren | Keep to the Right |
| Kurve | Dangerous Curve |
| Eisenbahn | Railroad |
| Kreuzung | Crossroad |
| Hochspannungsleitung | High Tension Lines |
| Männer or Herren | Men |
| Frauen or Damen | Women |
| Toilette | Lavatory |
| Rauchen verboten or Nichtraucher | No Smoking |
| Nicht ausspucken | No Spitting |
| Parken verboten | No Parking |
| Zutritt verboten | Keep Out |
| Offen | Open |
| Geschlossen | Closed |
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This page was last updated on
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