Small talk in German includes using simple questions, answers, and phrases to chat about the weather, hobbies, and other everyday topics.
Small Talk Questions
Small talk in German often starts with simple questions about how someone is, what they are doing, or how their day is going.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wie geht es dir? | How are you? |
| Was machst du gerade? | What are you doing right now? |
| Wie war dein Tag? | How was your day? |
| Hast du Pläne für das Wochenende? | Do you have plans for the weekend? |
| Kommst du öfter hierher? | Do you come here often? |
| Bist du schon lange in der Stadt? | Have you been in the city long? |
| Was hast du gestern gemacht? | What did you do yesterday? |
| Wie war dein Wochenende? | How was your weekend? |
| Arbeitest du heute? | Are you working today? |
| Warst du schon mal in Deutschland? | Have you ever been to Germany? |
작은 대화 응답
이러한 간단한 응답은 다른 사람의 소통을 유지하는 데 도움이 됩니다.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Gut, danke. Und dir? | Good, thanks. And you? |
| Nicht schlecht. | Not bad. |
| Ganz okay. | Pretty okay. |
| Ich bin müde. | I’m tired. |
| Es läuft gut. | It’s going well. |
| Danke der Nachfrage. | Thanks for asking. |
| Ich war den ganzen Tag unterwegs. | I’ve been out all day. |
| Nichts Besonderes. | Nothing special. |
| Ich freue mich auf das Wochenende. | I’m looking forward to the weekend. |
| Ja, ich war letzte Woche dort. | Yes, I was there last week. |
Small Talk Topics
Small talk topics usually include weather, hobbies, and general life questions.
Weather
Talking about the weather is a common way to start small talk in German.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wie ist das Wetter heute? | How is the weather today? |
| Es ist sonnig. | It’s sunny. |
| Es regnet. | It’s raining. |
| Es ist kalt. | It’s cold. |
| Es ist warm. | It’s warm. |
| Der Himmel ist bewölkt. | The sky is cloudy. |
| Es wird morgen schneien. | It will snow tomorrow. |
| Der Wind ist stark. | The wind is strong. |
| Hattet ihr schönes Wetter? | Did you have nice weather? |
| Ich mag sonnige Tage. | I like sunny days. |
What is the German phrase for 'The sky is cloudy'?
Der Himmel ist bewölkt.
'Der Himmel ist bewölkt.' means 'The sky is cloudy.' in German.
Hobbies & Interests
Talking about hobbies is another common small talk topic.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Was sind deine Hobbys? | What are your hobbies? |
| Ich lese gern Bücher. | I like reading books. |
| Spielst du ein Instrument? | Do you play an instrument? |
| Ich gehe oft spazieren. | I often go for walks. |
| Ich mache Sport im Fitnessstudio. | I work out at the gym. |
| Malst du gern? | Do you like painting? |
| Ich treffe mich mit Freunden. | I meet up with friends. |
| Kochen macht mir Spaß. | I enjoy cooking. |
| Bist du ein Filmfan? | Are you a movie fan? |
| Reist du gern? | Do you like traveling? |
General Life Questions
These questions keep the conversation going and show interest in the other person’s life.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Wie läuft die Arbeit? | How’s work going? |
| Lernst du noch Deutsch? | Are you still learning German? |
| Wohnst du in der Nähe? | Do you live nearby? |
| Hast du Geschwister? | Do you have siblings? |
| Was machst du beruflich? | What do you do for a living? |
| Wie lange bleibst du hier? | How long are you staying here? |
| Gehst du gern aus? | Do you like going out? |
| Was hast du heute vor? | What are your plans for today? |
| Arbeitest du im Homeoffice? | Do you work from home? |
| Bist du schon mal verreist? | Have you ever traveled? |
How do you ask 'Are you still learning German?' in German?
Lernst du noch Deutsch?
'Lernst du noch Deutsch?' means 'Are you still learning German?'
Small Talk Phrases
These simple phrases help you keep the conversation flowing and sound more natural in German.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ach wirklich? | Oh really? |
| Das ist interessant. | That’s interesting. |
| Genau! | Exactly! |
| Kein Problem. | No problem. |
| Das kann ich verstehen. | I can understand that. |
| Wirklich schön! | Really nice! |
| Erzähl mir mehr. | Tell me more. |
| Das klingt gut. | That sounds good. |
| Genau so sehe ich das auch. | I see it the same way. |
| Das stimmt. | That’s true. |
| Übrigens… | By the way… |
| Vielleicht können wir uns mal treffen. | Maybe we can meet up sometime. |
| Es war nett, mit dir zu sprechen. | It was nice talking to you. |
| Ich muss jetzt los. | I have to go now. |
| Bis bald! | See you soon! |
Small Talk Tips
Some keys to good small talk in Germaninclude being polite, showing interest, and keeping it simple.
| Tip | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Sei freundlich. | Always be friendly and smile. |
| Stelle Fragen. | Ask questions to show interest. |
| Höre aktiv zu. | Listen actively and respond. |
| Halte es kurz. | Keep your answers brief. |
| Vermeide kontroverse Themen. | Avoid controversial topics. |
| Benutze einfache Sprache. | Use simple language. |
| Sei geduldig. | Be patient, especially if you’re learning. |
| Verwende Standardfloskeln. | Use standard phrases like „Wie geht’s?“ |
| Wiederhole wichtige Wörter. | Repeat key words to confirm understanding. |
| Übe regelmäßig. | Practice small talk regularly. |
Small talk vocabulary in German provides you with simple questions, answers, and phrases to help you chat about everyday topics like the weather, hobbies, and general life. It also offers tips for keeping the conversation polite and flowing naturally.
What does the German tip 'Halte es kurz.' mean in English?
Keep your answers brief.
'Halte es kurz.' literally means 'Keep it short,' advising brief responses.
Flashcards (1 of 65)
- English: How are you?
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
