German Supermarket Vocabulary: Words & Phrases for Shopping

In a German supermarket you need three practical skills: find what you want, ask staff when signs are unclear, and pay without fuss. This guide gives you the core German supermarket vocabulary and full phrases you can say out loud from day one.

Shopping for School Supplies in Germany #shorts to hear many of these words in real context. With the free dual-subtitles Chrome extension

For most trips, a few dozen supermarket phrases should suffice, as they belong to the high-frequency vocabulary. At A1 level, learners generally master about 600 active words, while those at A2 can handle around 1,300. Our free collection already comprises 7,812 words, but you may want to expand beyond the basics in the future.

Finding products and reading the signs

First, familiarize yourself with the German department names to ensure a direct route to your destination. Then, append a concise question to guide you to the specific shelf or display.

Once you know these, you can also scan the small signs above the shelves. They often use the same nouns you see on packaging, which builds your reading speed fast. For a broader starter set see the German A1 vocabulary list.

• der Supermarkt — the supermarket
• der Discounter — the discount supermarket (Aldi, Lidl, Penny…)
• der Gang — the aisle
• die Abteilung — the department / section
• Obst und Gemüse — fruit and vegetables
• die Kühltheke — the refrigerated counter
• die Tiefkühlkost — frozen food
• die Backwaren — bakery goods
• die Getränke — drinks
• die Haushaltswaren — household goods
• Wo finde ich …, bitte? — Where can I find …, please?
• In welchem Gang ist …? — Which aisle is … in?

Asking staff for help

Entschuldigung, you ask with short, polite questions that staff are used to. Keep your request simple and finish with bitte or danke

If the person does not know, they will usually point or walk you there. Practise the phrases below until they feel automatic; then you can focus on listening to the answer.

• Entschuldigung, haben Sie …? — Excuse me, do you have …?
• Ich suche … — I’m looking for …
• Können Sie mir helfen? — Can you help me?
• Gibt es das auch in Bio? — Is there an organic version of that as well?
• Ist das frisch? — Is this fresh?
• Haben Sie das in einer anderen Größe? — Do you have that in another size?
• Wo steht die Milch, bitte? — Where is the milk, please?
• Das ist alles, danke. — That’s everything, thanks. (useful when staff offer more help)

At the till: paying and packing

Before the total appears, have your payment ready; cash is still common, however some smaller stores prefer it or Girocard. While cards and contactless are widely accepted, it's best to pack your own bags, as most shops expect this.

Listen for the total and the simple yes/no questions the cashier asks. Reply with the short phrases below and you will sound natural even at A1 level.

• die Kasse — the till / checkout
• der Kassierer / die Kassiererin — the cashier
• der Bon / der Kassenbon — the receipt
• die Tüte / die Tragetasche — the carrier bag
• Einmal Tüte, bitte. — One bag, please.
• Ich habe eine eigene Tasche. — I have my own bag.
• Bar oder Karte? — Cash or card?
• Ich zahle bar. — I’ll pay cash.
• Ich zahle mit Karte. — I’ll pay by card.
• Kontaktlos, bitte. — Contactless, please.
• Kann ich trennen? — Can I split (the shopping / the bill)?
• Stimmen so. — Keep the change. (informal, when paying cash)
• Den Bon brauche ich nicht. — I don’t need the receipt.

Everyday product words and quantities

You will see these nouns on labels and hear them when staff weigh loose items. Pair them with simple numbers and pack sizes so you can answer “Wie viel?” without hesitation.

free dual-subtitles Chrome extension, tapping a word to save it for later review. You can also reinforce them with German flashcards and Anki decks

• das Brot — the bread
• die Milch — the milk
• die Eier — the eggs
• der Käse — the cheese
• das Obst — the fruit
• das Gemüse — the vegetables
• das Wasser (still / medium) — water (still / lightly sparkling)
• 500 Gramm davon, bitte. — 500 grams of that, please.
• Zwei Stück, bitte. — Two of them, please.
• Ein Pfund Äpfel, bitte. — A pound of apples, please. (often still used for 500 g)
• Zum Mitnehmen. — To take away. (for bakery or hot food)
• Zum Hieressen. — To eat here.