German At the Supermarket Vocabulary
This set covers the vocabulary you actually need standing in a German supermarket: der Einkaufswagen you push around, die Kasse you pay at, and der Kassenbon that lands in your hand afterward. One trap here is der Automat, which looks like it should mean "automation" but just means vending or ticket machine. Another is die Lebensmittel, always plural in this everyday sense, literally "means of life," and used where English just says "groceries" or "food."
Learn these 14 words
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All 14 words
plural: die Automaten
vending machine
Die Fahrkarten gibt es nur am Automaten. — The tickets are only available at the vending machine.
to shop
Ich muss noch für morgen einkaufen. — I still need to shop for tomorrow.
plural: die Einkaufslisten
shopping list
Ich schreibe zuerst eine Einkaufsliste. — I write a shopping list first.
plural: die Einkaufswagen
shopping trolley
Sie schiebt den Einkaufswagen durch den Supermarkt. — She pushes the shopping trolley through the supermarket.
plural: die Kassen
checkout/till
Zahlen Sie bitte an der Kasse. — Please pay at the checkout.
plural: die Körbe
basket
Für kleine Einkäufe nehme ich einen Korb. — For small purchases I take a basket.
groceries
Lebensmittel bekommen Sie im Supermarkt. — You get groceries at the supermarket.
plural: die Kassenbons
receipt
Bitte nehmen Sie Ihren Kassenbon mit. — Please take your receipt with you.
plural: die Kassierer
cashier
Der Kassierer zählt schnell das Wechselgeld. — The cashier quickly counts the change.
plural: die Supermärkte
supermarket
Ich kaufe oft im Supermarkt ein. — I often shop at the supermarket.
plural: die Einkäufe
purchase, shopping
Achten Sie beim Einkauf auf Sonderangebote. — Pay attention to special offers when shopping.
plural: die Tüten
bag, paper bag
Brauchen Sie eine Tüte für den Salat? — Do you need a bag for the salad?
in stock
Dieses Produkt ist immer auf Lager. — This product is always in stock.
plural: die Besorgungen
an errand / purchase
Ich habe die Besorgung für meinen Vater übernommen. — I took on the errand for my father.
How to learn this set
Notice that der Einkaufswagen and die Einkaufsliste both build on einkaufen (to shop), so once you've got that verb down, the compounds practically translate themselves: Wagen (cart) plus Einkaufs- gives you the trolley, Liste plus Einkaufs- gives you the list. Der Einkauf itself is just the bare noun form of the same verb, so drill all four together as one family instead of memorizing them separately. Separately, group der Korb, die Tüte, and der Kassenbon as the three things you physically carry away from a checkout, that's a natural set for flashcards or a mental image. Auf Lager is worth learning as a fixed phrase rather than word-by-word, since Lager here means "stock" or "storage," not "camp" or "warehouse building" as you might guess from other contexts.
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Frequently asked questions
Is der Markt the same as der Supermarkt?
No. Der Markt is an open-air or farmers' market with stalls, while der Supermarkt is the enclosed store with aisles and a checkout. Germans keep these separate in daily speech, so don't use Markt when you mean the grocery store.
What's the difference between der Kassierer and die Kasse?
Die Kasse is the checkout counter or till itself, the place and machine where you pay. Der Kassierer is the person working there; if that person is a woman, she's die Kassiererin.
Why is der Einkaufswagen masculine when der Korb is also masculine?
Both happen to be der words, but that's not because they're related in meaning. Einkaufswagen is masculine because Wagen (cart, vehicle) is masculine, and it stays masculine in every compound built on it.
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