German course

Lesson 44 of 240

New here? This is lesson 44 of a free 240-lesson German course.

Start hereHow this works

Is it open in German

Priya tries the side door at Bäckerei Krause. It stays shut. That door is the exit, not the way in.

Renate calls her to the front. They are open. Anton sits at the corner table and does not help.

By the end, you'll ask if a place is open, when it opens or closes, and where the toilet or the exit is.

Haben Sie geöffnet is for staff. Keep it short at the door.

By the end of this lesson

Ask if a place is open, when it opens or closes, and where the toilet or the exit is.

  • Haben Sie geöffnet?Are you open?
  • Ab wann haben Sie geöffnet?What time do you open?
  • Wann machen Sie zu?What time do you close?
  • Wo geht's zum Ausgang?Which way is the exit?
  • Gibt es hier eine Toilette?Is there a toilet here?
  • Heute geschlossen.Closed today

Scene — the side door

Priya stops at the bakery side door on Fliederstraße. She pulls. It does not open.

Inside, the lamps are on. Renate is at the front counter. Anton sits on two chairs with a Milchkaffee he has not touched.

Priya pulls the bakery side door, while Renate and Anton are visible inside.

Learn — open, closed, exit, toilet

Six short lines cover open and closed, plus the exit and the toilet.

You'll ask staff with Sie, then read a closed sign.

  1. Priya knocks on the side-door glass and leans toward the lit bakery as Renate turns from the counter.

    Haben Sie geöffnet?

    Are you open?

    When to use it: Ask shop staff if the place is open now.

    Learn it as one piece at a door.

    Say it: The ö in geöffnet sounds like eh with rounded lips.

  2. Priya pauses beside the side door with her finger hovering near a blank hours plate.

    Ab wann haben Sie geöffnet?

    What time do you open?

    When to use it: Ask a shop what time it opens.

    Learn it as one piece for opening time.

  3. Priya walks around to the open front door as Renate waves her inside.

    Wann machen Sie zu?

    What time do you close?

    When to use it: Ask a shop what time it closes.

    Learn it as one piece for closing time.

    Say it: Machen uses the back ch sound, as in ach.

  4. Inside the bakery, Priya asks which way the exit is and Renate indicates the back passage.

    Wo geht's zum Ausgang?

    Which way is the exit?

    When to use it: Ask which way to go for the exit.

    Learn it as one piece when you need the exit.

    Say it: Ausgang puts the stress on the first syllable.

  5. Priya turns toward a plain interior door and asks Renate if there is a toilet here.

    Gibt es hier eine Toilette?

    Is there a toilet here?

    When to use it: Ask if a place has a toilet.

    Learn it as one piece in a café or shop.

    Say it: Toilette does not stress the first syllable.

  6. Anton looks toward the shut side door as Renate gestures to it, with Priya inside the bakery.

    Heute geschlossen.

    Closed today

    When to use it: Read or say that a place is closed today.

    Learn it as one piece on a shop door.

Story — the exit door

Watch Priya at the side door. It is the exit, and Renate wants her at the front.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Turn on Show English if you need it.

  1. Priya pulls the side door. It stays shut.
  2. PriyaEntschuldigung.Excuse me.
  3. Renate's voice comes from the front.
  4. PriyaHaben Sie geöffnet?Are you open?
  5. Renate waves her to the front. Priya walks round. The front door is open.
  6. RenateGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  7. Anton looks at the shut side door.
  8. AntonHeute geschlossen.Closed today.
  9. Priya is inside at the counter.
  10. PriyaWo geht's zum Ausgang?Which way is the exit?
  11. RenateDort entlang.That way.
  12. PriyaAb wann haben Sie geöffnet?What time do you open?
  13. Renate taps the clock. Six.
  14. PriyaWann machen Sie zu?What time do you close?
  15. The coffee machine hisses.
  16. PriyaGibt es hier eine Toilette?Is there a toilet here?

Practice — open or closed

Ten short prompts mix listening, gaps, swaps, and a line to build.

Work through them once, then say the lines out loud.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Haben Sie geöffnet?Drop the English here
    Wann machen Sie zu?Drop the English here
    Wo geht's zum Ausgang?Drop the English here
    Gibt es hier eine Toilette?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its German, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    You see a shop door and need to say it is closed today.

  4. Fill the gap

    Is there a toilet here?

    Gibt es hier eine ____?

  5. What does it mean?

    Wo geht's zum Ausgang?

  6. Swap the word

    It is late. Ask what time the shop closes.

    Wann machen Sie ____?

  7. True or false?

    Use this to ask if a shop is open.

  8. Build the line

    What time do you open?

    ?

    Tap the words in order.

  9. What do you say?

    You need to get the baker's attention at the door.

  10. Find the mistake

Say it — ask at the door

Now you're Priya at the side door. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap ▶ first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. RenateGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  2. Priya (you)Ask if they are open.

    Haben Sie geöffnet?

    Are you open?

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Haben Sie geöffnet?Are you open?
Ab wann haben Sie geöffnet?What time do you open?
Wann machen Sie zu?What time do you close?
Wo geht's zum Ausgang?Which way is the exit?
Gibt es hier eine Toilette?Is there a toilet here?
Heute geschlossen.Closed today
Next: lesson 45Where is the metro

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these shop questions handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps open, closed, and the exit ready.

Open Yak Cards