German Small Talk in a Café — Introducing Yourself
After this lesson you can introduce yourself and keep a short conversation going.
Do this first: sein — to be
Übungen
Eight exercises on what you just watched. Get 80% and the lesson is marked done and added to your A1 progress.
1 / 8 · Type the missing word
2 / 8 · Type the missing word
3 / 8 · Word order
Put the words in the right order.
I'm from Austria.
4 / 8 · Word order
Put the words in the right order.
What do you do for work?
5 / 8 · Choose
How do you ask someone's name informally?
6 / 8 · Choose
How do you say "I'm from Ireland"?
7 / 8 · Choose
How do you say "I live in Berlin"?
8 / 8 · Choose
How do you say "I'm a teacher"?
In short
A German introduction is four lines: Ich heiße … (my name is), Ich komme aus … (I'm from), Ich wohne in … (I live in), Ich bin … von Beruf (I'm a … by trade). Address strangers as Sie until they offer du.
How it works
German small talk is shorter and more direct than the English version. There is less warm-up, questions are asked plainly, and Wie geht's? is a real question — answer it with something true rather than an automatic "fine".
The four building blocks all use verbs you already have. Ich heiße Anna for your name (German says how you are called, not what your name is). Ich komme aus Irland for origin. Ich wohne in Berlin for where you live now — the two are separate questions in German and mixing them is a common slip. And Ich bin Lehrerin for your job, with no article.
The one thing to get right is du versus Sie. With a stranger, a shop assistant, an official or anyone older, use Sie and their surname. With friends, family, children, students and — increasingly — anyone under about thirty in a casual setting, du. If in doubt, start with Sie: being slightly too formal is invisible, being too familiar is not. When someone offers Wir können uns duzen, the switch has been made.
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Ich heiße Anna. | My name is Anna. |
| Ich komme aus Irland. | I'm from Ireland. |
| Ich wohne in Berlin. | I live in Berlin. |
| Ich bin Lehrerin. | I'm a teacher. |
| du (informal) | Sie (formal) | English |
|---|---|---|
| Wie heißt du? | Wie heißen Sie? | What's your name? |
| Woher kommst du? | Woher kommen Sie? | Where are you from? |
| Wo wohnst du? | Wo wohnen Sie? | Where do you live? |
| Was machst du beruflich? | Was machen Sie beruflich? | What do you do for work? |
| Wie geht's? | Wie geht es Ihnen? | How are you? |
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Einen Kaffee, bitte. | A coffee, please. |
| Ich hätte gern einen Cappuccino. | I'd like a cappuccino. |
| Zusammen oder getrennt? | Together or separately? (paying) |
| Zahlen, bitte. | The bill, please. |
| Stimmt so. | Keep the change. |
Examples
- Hallo, ich heiße Lena. Und du?Hello, my name is Lena. And you?
- Ich komme aus Österreich.I'm from Austria.
- Ich wohne seit zwei Jahren in Hamburg.I've lived in Hamburg for two years.
- Was machst du beruflich?What do you do for work?
- Ich bin Ingenieurin.I'm an engineer.
- Freut mich!Nice to meet you!
- Einen Kaffee, bitte.A coffee, please.
- Wie geht es Ihnen?How are you? (formal)
- Wir können uns gern duzen.We can use du if you like.
- Zahlen, bitte. — Zusammen oder getrennt?The bill, please. — Together or separately?
Mistakes to avoid
✗ Was ist dein Name?
✓ Wie heißt du?
German asks *how* you are called. Was ist dein Name? is understood but sounds translated and stiff.
✗ Ich bin eine Lehrerin.
✓ Ich bin Lehrerin.
No article with jobs or nationalities. Ich bin Lehrerin, ich bin Irin.
✗ Using du with a stranger
✓ Using Sie until it is offered
Being slightly too formal passes unnoticed; being too familiar does not. Let the other person offer the switch.
✗ Ich komme aus Berlin (meaning "I live there")
✓ Ich wohne in Berlin.
kommen aus is where you are originally from; wohnen in is where you live now. German keeps them apart.
Wortschatz
The words from this lesson.
| heißen | to be called | |
| kommen aus | to come from | |
| wohnen in | to live in | |
| der Beruf | occupation, profession | |
| Freut mich! | Nice to meet you! | |
| duzen | to address someone as du | |
| siezen | to address someone as Sie | |
| der Kaffee | coffee | |
| zusammen | together | |
| getrennt | separately |
Kulturnotiz
Zusammen oder getrennt? — "together or separately?" — is asked at almost every table, and splitting the bill down to the individual item is completely normal, not awkward. Waiting staff will happily total four separate amounts. Tipping is modest: round up, or add about 5–10%, and say the total you want to pay as you hand the money over rather than leaving coins on the table.
Common questions
+When do I use du and when Sie?
Sie for strangers, officials, shop and restaurant staff, and anyone noticeably older. Du for friends, family, children and casual peer settings. If unsure, start with Sie and wait to be offered du.
+How do I ask someone's name?
Wie heißt du? informally, Wie heißen Sie? formally. German uses wie ("how"), not was ("what") — you are asking how someone is called.
+What is the difference between kommen aus and wohnen in?
Kommen aus is origin — where you are from. Wohnen in is your current home. Ich komme aus Irland, aber ich wohne in Berlin.
+Do I tip in Germany?
Yes, but modestly — round up or add 5–10%. Say the total as you pay (for a €8.60 bill: "Neun Euro, bitte"). Leaving coins on the table is less usual than in the UK or US.