German Speaking & Talking Vocabulary
This set covers the everyday business of talking: erzählen, sprechen, and reden all get translated as "to talk" or "to speak" in English, but German keeps them apart. Sprechen is the neutral verb for speaking a language or speaking at all, reden is more about talking at length or making a speech, and erzählen is for telling a story or recounting something. There's also a distinction English doesn't bother with: sagen and erzählen both cover "tell," but sagen wants a short fact or statement while erzählen wants a narrative.
Learn these 37 words
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All 37 words
- erzählenA1
to tell; narrate
Wir müssen euch etwas erzählen! — We need to tell you something!
- sagenA1
to say
Sag mal, wie geht es dir denn? — Tell me, how are you doing?
- sprechenA1
speak
Kann ich (mit) Herrn Klein sprechen? — Can I speak to Mr Klein?
to pronounce; express
Wie spricht man das Wort aus? — How do you pronounce that word?
answer
Können Sie meine Frage bitte beantworten? — Can you please answer my question?
- beratenA2
advise, consult
Unsere Sekretärin berät Sie gern, wenn Sie Fragen haben. — Our secretary is happy to advise you if you have questions.
describe
Kannst du mir den Weg zum Bahnhof beschreiben? — Can you describe the way to the station to me?
- deutlichA2
clear, distinct
Sprechen Sie bitte deutlich! — Please speak clearly!
plural: die Gespräche
conversation
Das Gespräch mit Frau Kunz ist um 14 Uhr. — The conversation with Ms. Kunz is at 2 pm.
has discussed
Sie hat das Thema ausführlich mit ihren Kollegen diskutiert. — She has discussed the topic extensively with her colleagues.
- meinenA2
mean/think
Wie meinst du das? Erklär mir das bitte genauer! — What do you mean by that? Please explain it to me more precisely!
- nennenA2
to name, call
Mein Freund heißt Alexander, aber alle nennen ihn Alex. — My friend is named Alexander, but everyone calls him Alex.
- redenA2
talk, speak
Mit meiner Freundin kann ich über alles reden. — I can talk about everything with my girlfriend.
- rufenA2
call, shout
Rufst du bitte die Kinder? Das Essen ist fertig. — Will you please call the children? The food is ready.
address, speak to
Gestern hat mich unsere neue Nachbarin im Treppenhaus angesprochen. — Yesterday our new neighbor spoke to me in the stairwell.
claim, assert
Er behauptet, unsere Meinung sei nicht wichtig. — He claims that our opinion is not important.
inform, notify
Kannst du mir bis morgen Bescheid geben? — Can you let me know by tomorrow?
inform, let know
Ich erkundige mich nach den Terminen und sage Ihnen dann Bescheid. — I'll find out about the dates and let you know.
plural: die Dialoge
dialogue
Sie hören jetzt einen Dialog. — You are now listening to a dialogue.
- schreienB1
shout, scream
Kinder, hört bitte auf, so laut zu schreien. – Ich muss arbeiten. — Children, please stop shouting so loudly. - I have to work.
to sound out
Die Journalistin versuchte, die Wahrheit auszuhorchen. — The journalist tried to sound out the truth.
to inculcate = instill with persistent instruction
Die Eltern schärfen ihren Kindern Respekt ein. — The parents inculcate respect in their children.
to tune in
Sie stimmte in seinen Plan ein. — She tuned in to his plan.
plural: die Gespräche
conversation/talk/call
Das Gespräch mit ihm war sehr interessant. — The conversation with him was very interesting.
to state more precisely / specify
Der Autor präzisiert seine These im zweiten Kapitel. — The author specifies his thesis in the second chapter.
- quasselnB2
to blather / jabber / rattle on
Er quasselt ständig über unwichtige Themen. — He constantly jabbers about unimportant topics.
plural: die Redewendungen
phrase / idiom
Diese Redewendung ist in der deutschen Sprache sehr verbreitet. — This phrase is very common in the German language.
plural: die Rücksprachen
consultation
Vor der Entscheidung nahmen wir Rücksprache mit dem Chef. — Before the decision, we consulted with the boss.
to chatter / gossip / babble
Die Nachbarn schwatzen gerne über andere Menschen. — The neighbors like to gossip about other people.
plural: die Strafpredigten
a reprimand / dressing-down / lecture
Der Chef hielt dem Mitarbeiter eine Strafpredigt. — The boss gave the employee a dressing-down.
- raunenC1
to murmur / whisper
Die Leute raunen über die Skandale. — People whisper about the scandals.
plural: die Umschweife
beating around the bush / circumlocution
Rede ohne Umschweife: Was ist deine Antwort? — Speak without circumlocution: What is your answer?
plural: die Unterredungen
talks / discussion
Die Unterredung zwischen den Ministern war produktiv. — The talks between the ministers were productive.
plural: die Unterstellungen
an insinuation
Die Unterstellung, dass ich lüge, ist falsch. — The insinuation that I am lying is false.
to die away / fade away
Seine Stimme verklingt langsam in der Ferne. — His voice fades away slowly in the distance.
audible / clear
Die Stimme war vernehmlich bis zur hinteren Reihe. — The voice was audible to the back row.
plural: die Wortschwälle
a torrent of words / tirade
Sein Wortschwall ermüdete alle Zuhörer. — His torrent of words exhausted all listeners.
How to learn this set
Several words here share the same root with a prefix bolted on: sprechen becomes aussprechen (pronounce, speak out) and ansprechen (address someone directly), while sagen shows up inside the fixed phrase Bescheid sagen. Drill these in pairs, not alone, so you feel what the prefix changes: sprechen vs. aussprechen vs. ansprechen. For Bescheid geben and Bescheid sagen, learn them as whole chunks rather than translating word by word, since Bescheid itself barely means anything on its own.
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Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between reden and sprechen?
Sprechen is the general, neutral verb for speaking, used for languages and simple statements. Reden leans toward talking at length, giving a speech, or chatting, and often implies more words than sprechen does.
Is das Gespräch masculine or neuter?
Das Gespräch is neuter, which trips up a lot of learners since conversation-related nouns feel like they should be feminine. It takes the plural die Gespräche.
What's the difference between Bescheid geben and Bescheid sagen?
They're nearly interchangeable and both mean to let someone know or keep them informed. Bescheid geben is slightly more common in formal or work contexts, while Bescheid sagen feels a touch more casual.
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