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Lesson 5 of 240

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Please and thank you in German

Priya wants a Schrippe at Bäckerei Krause. She starts a long polite sentence, and Renate does not wait.

Renate slides a roll across the counter and says Bitte schön. Here, it means here you go, not please.

You will ask for one thing with please, say thank you three ways, and answer with you're welcome.

Anton is at the corner table. His Milchkaffee is still untouched.

By the end of this lesson

Ask for something politely and say thank you and you're welcome.

  • Einmal ___, bitte.One ___, please
  • Danke.Thank you
  • Danke schön.Thank you very much
  • Vielen Dank.Thanks a lot
  • Bitte schön.Here you go
  • Gern geschehen.You're welcome

Scene — the bakery counter

Priya stands at the counter at Bäckerei Krause. Renate waits behind it, flour on her arms.

Anton sits at the corner table, using two chairs. His Milchkaffee is untouched.

Priya looks at the bread shelf and starts a very long, polite request. Renate is ready with a much shorter answer.

Priya hesitates as she begins a long request at the counter, while Renate waits and Anton sits at the corner table.

Learn — please and thank you

Six short lines cover a polite order, three ways to say thank you, here you go, and you're welcome.

Bitte schön is what you hear when the bread arrives.

  1. Renate gently interrupts Priya's long request with an expectant pause and a gesture toward the rolls.

    Einmal ___, bitte.

    One ___, please

    When to use it: Use this at a counter to ask for one item.

    Learn it as one piece for a short order.

  2. Renate passes a roll in an open paper bag to Priya across the counter.

    Danke.

    Thank you

    When to use it: Say this when someone gives you something.

    Learn it as one piece to say thank you.

  3. Priya holds the roll and gives Renate a deliberate grateful nod.

    Danke schön.

    Thank you very much

    When to use it: Say this for a warm thank you.

    Learn it as one piece for a warm thank you.

    Say it: Schön has a rounded ö sound.

  4. Renate places a Pfannkuchen before Anton as he turns toward her in thanks.

    Vielen Dank.

    Thanks a lot

    When to use it: Say this when you want to thank someone warmly.

    Learn it as one piece for a warm thank you.

  5. Renate acknowledges Anton's thanks with a relaxed open-handed gesture beside the corner table.

    Bitte schön.

    Here you go

    When to use it: Say this as you hand something over.

    Learn it as one piece when you pass something.

  6. Anton looks down at the untouched Milchkaffee without reaching for it.

    Gern geschehen.

    You're welcome

    When to use it: Say this after someone thanks you.

    Learn it as one piece after a thank you.

Story — she does not wait

Watch Priya begin a long, polite request at the bakery counter. Renate does not wait, and a Schrippe lands in front of Priya.

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

  1. The coffee machine hisses as Renate looks up from the counter.
  2. RenateGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  3. PriyaGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  4. Priya looks at the shelf and starts her request.
  5. PriyaKönnten Sie mir bitte vielleicht...Could you perhaps please...
  6. Renate does not wait for the rest.
  7. RenateWatt darf es sein?What will it be?
  8. PriyaEinmal Schrippe, bitte.One roll, please.
  9. RenateBitte schön.Here you go.
  10. PriyaDanke.Thank you.
  11. Priya decides to thank her more warmly.
  12. PriyaDanke schön.Thank you very much.
  13. Renate sets a Pfannkuchen down at Anton's table.
  14. AntonVielen Dank.Thanks a lot.
  15. RenateGern geschehen.You're welcome.
  16. Anton looks at his Milchkaffee. He still does not drink it.

Practice — here you go

Eleven quick items mix listening, matching, gaps, and building a line.

You will also answer at the counter after you hear here you go.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    German

    Einmal ___, bitte.Drop the English here
    Danke.Drop the English here
    Bitte schön.Drop the English here
    Gern geschehen.Drop the English here

    English

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

  3. What do you say?

    At the bakery counter, ask for one Schrippe. Name the roll you want.

  4. Pick the reply

    Renate says:

    Bitte schön.

    Here you go.

    And you reply with:

  5. Build the line

    Thanks a lot

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Fill the gap

    Thank you very much

    Danke ____.

  7. What does it mean?

    Guten Morgen.

  8. What did you hear?

  9. What do you say?

    Say a short hello to someone you meet.

  10. Pick the reply

    Anton says:

    Danke schön.

    Thank you very much.

    And you reply with:

  11. True or false?

    At the counter, this means please.

Say it — say thank you

Now you're Priya at the bakery counter. Listen for Renate's cue, then say your line when it is your turn.

Tap the microphone to record, or tap ▶ to hear a line first. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. RenateGuten Morgen.Good morning.
  2. Priya (you)Ask for one Schrippe. Name the roll you want.

    Einmal ___, bitte.

    One ___, please

0 of 4 said

Recap — what you can say now

GermanEnglish
Einmal ___, bitte.One ___, please
Danke.Thank you
Danke schön.Thank you very much
Vielen Dank.Thanks a lot
Bitte schön.Here you go
Gern geschehen.You're welcome
Next: lesson 6Excuse me, sorry

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep please and thank you handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps please and thank you ready for the counter.

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