Essential German Greetings and Numbers
Ever wondered how to introduce yourself in German? It's actually quite straightforward once you know the key phrases. "Hallo" means hello (just like in English!), and "Wie heißt du?" asks "What's your name?"
When someone asks your name, you respond with "Ich heiße..." followed by your name. This literally means "I am called..." and is the most common way Germans introduce themselves. "Guten Tag" is a more formal way to say hello, perfect for talking to teachers or adults.
To ask how someone is, say "Wie geht's?" (How are you?). You can respond with "Gut, danke" (Fine, thanks) or "Nicht schlecht" (Not bad). When it's time to leave, use "Tschüs" for a casual bye or "Auf Wiedersehen" for a more formal goodbye.
The German numbers 1-19 follow a clear pattern: eins, zwei, drei, vier, fünf, sechs, sieben, acht, neun, zehn for 1-10. Then elf, zwölf for 11-12, and dreizehn through neunzehn for 13-19 adding"−zehn"tothebasicnumbers.
Quick Tip: Practice saying these greetings out loud - German pronunciation is more predictable than English once you get the hang of it!