Convenience Store

1. Bis wann haben Sie geöffnet?

   Until what time are you open?

   Usage

   Germany has no Japanese-style convenience stores; Berlin's Spätis (Spätkauf) and street kiosks fill the gap. Closing times vary wildly, and some stay open until 2am

   Grammar Note

   "Geöffnet haben" is the idiom for "to be open for business", with the participle at the end. The formal "Sie" is always capitalised

2. Haben Sie sonntags geöffnet?

   Are you open on Sundays?

   Usage

   Germany's shop-closing law bans supermarkets from trading on Sundays. Only Spätis, station shops and petrol stations open, making them a traveller's lifeline

   Grammar Note

   Lower-casing a weekday and adding -s makes a habitual adverb: "sonntags", "montags". For one specific day use "am Sonntag"

3. Wir nehmen nur Bargeld

   We only take cash

   Usage

   Said by staff. Germany remains cash-minded and many Spätis and kiosks still take nothing else, so keep small notes on you at all times

   Grammar Note

   "Bargeld" as a means of payment takes no article. Signs usually read simply "Nur Barzahlung"

4. Gibt es einen Mindestbetrag für Kartenzahlung?

   Is there a minimum amount for card payment?

   Usage

   Even shops that do take cards often impose a floor such as "Kartenzahlung ab 10 €" — a single drink will be refused

   Grammar Note

   "Es gibt" always governs the accusative, turning "der Mindestbetrag" into "einen Mindestbetrag"; "für" is likewise accusative

5. Ich möchte die Flaschen zurückgeben

   I'd like to return these bottles

   Usage

   Germany's Pfand system adds a deposit to the price which you reclaim by returning the empties — and you can hand them in at any shop, not just where you bought them

   Grammar Note

   "Zurückgeben" is separable, but after the modal "möchte" it stays whole as an infinitive at the end of the clause

6. Auf die Flasche kommen fünfundzwanzig Cent Pfand

   There's a twenty-five cent deposit on this bottle

   Usage

   Said by staff. Plastic bottles and cans carry 25 cents, beer bottles 8 and glass jars 15. The receipt lists "Pfand" as a separate line

   Grammar Note

   "Auf" is two-way: here it expresses adding onto something, so accusative "die Flasche"; a static sense would take dative "der Flasche"

7. Wo ist der Pfandautomat?

   Where is the bottle return machine?

   Usage

   Supermarkets have a reverse vending machine that prints a voucher when you feed in containers; you then cash it at the till or set it against your shopping

   Grammar Note

   Compounds ending in "-automat" are masculine: der Geldautomat, der Fahrkartenautomat. The refund voucher is "der Pfandbon"

8. Darf ich bitte Ihren Ausweis sehen?

   May I see your ID, please?

   Usage

   Said by staff. Germany allows beer and wine from 16 but spirits only from 18, and anyone looking young is always asked for ID

   Grammar Note

   The formal possessive "Ihr" is always capitalised, and the masculine accusative "Ausweis" forces the ending "Ihren"

9. Soll ich die Flasche aufmachen?

   Shall I open the bottle for you?

   Usage

   Said by staff. Drinking in public is legal in Germany, so Späti staff will pop the cap off your beer at the counter. Decline with "Nein danke, ich nehme sie mit"

   Grammar Note

   "Sollen" in a first-person question makes an offer. The separable "aufmachen" stays intact at the end because a modal governs it

10. Eine Tüte, bitte

    A bag, please

    Usage

    Germany banned lightweight plastic bags in 2022, leaving only paid paper or cloth bags. Bringing your own is the default, and nothing appears unless you ask

    Grammar Note

    Dropping the verb and saying "noun + bitte" is a complete request. Feminine "die Tüte" keeps "eine" in the accusative

11. Brauchen Sie eine Tüte? Die kostet zwanzig Cent

    Do you need a bag? It costs twenty cents

    Usage

    Said by staff, with the charge stated in the same breath. Answer "Nein danke" or "Ja, bitte"

    Grammar Note

    Spoken German picks up a known noun with the demonstrative "die" rather than "sie". "Cent" stays singular after a number

12. Verkaufen Sie BVG-Tickets?

    Do you sell public transport tickets?

    Usage

    Many Berlin Spätis and kiosks sell BVG transport tickets — a useful fallback when the station machine is broken or cash-only

    Grammar Note

    Compounds joining an abbreviation to a noun take a hyphen: BVG-Ticket, S-Bahn-Station. Other cities use HVV, MVV and so on

13. Haben Sie belegte Brötchen?

    Do you have filled bread rolls?

    Usage

    The standard snack at a German kiosk or station shop is a roll filled with ham or cheese. There are no boxed meals and no heating service at the till

    Grammar Note

    Diminutives in "-chen" are always neuter and unchanged in the plural. An adjective before a bare plural takes the strong ending "-e"

14. Wie lange ist das haltbar?

    How long does this keep?

    Usage

    German labels show "Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum" (a quality date) and "Verbrauchsdatum" (a hard safety deadline). Always check the latter on fresh goods

    Grammar Note

    The suffix "-bar" matches English "-able": essbar (edible), trinkbar (drinkable)

15. Möchten Sie den Kassenbon?

    Would you like the receipt?

    Usage

    Said by staff. Germany has required receipts to be issued since 2020, though taking one is up to you — decline with "Nein danke"

    Grammar Note

    Masculine "der Kassenbon" becomes "den" in the accusative. "Kassenzettel" is a synonym, while "Quittung" leans towards a formal receipt

16. Haben Sie Kaffee zum Mitnehmen?

    Do you have coffee to take away?

    Usage

    Many Spätis and station kiosks have a coffee machine, and some knock money off if you bring your own reusable cup ("Mehrwegbecher")

    Grammar Note

    A nominalised infinitive after "zum" expresses purpose. The opposite is "zum Hiertrinken" (to drink here)

17. Darf ich das Bier hier draußen trinken?

    Am I allowed to drink this beer outside here?

    Usage

    Public drinking is generally legal in Germany, and standing outside a Späti with a beer is an everyday sight — though some cities ban it in stations and certain zones

    Grammar Note

    "Dürfen" is about permission and "können" about ability. Neuter "das Bier" keeps "das" in the accusative

Browse all TravelPhrases languages