A2 · 42 words
Shopping and money in German
What things cost, how you pay for them, and the phrases a German shop expects to hear.
German shops run on a short set of fixed phrases, and knowing them is worth more than a long list of nouns. Ich hätte gern to ask for something, haben Sie ...? to ask whether they stock it, was kostet das? for the price, and zusammen oder getrennt? when a waiter wants to know whether one person is paying for everybody. Two practical things worth knowing before the vocabulary. Cash is still common and many small places do not take cards — nur Bargeld is a sign you will see. And shops close on Sundays across Germany and Austria, with very few exceptions, which is why the Saturday evening supermarket is what it is.
The words
Verb (13)
einkaufento shop, to do the shoppingVerbA1
Separable. "kaufen" alone is to buy one thing.
zahlento payVerbA1
"Zahlen, bitte" is what you say to a waiter.
besorgento get, to pick upVerbA2
Inseparable, so no ge- in the participle.
aussuchento choose, to pick outVerbA2
Separable, and often reflexive in the dative.
liefernto deliverVerbA2
The noun is "die Lieferung".
empfehlento recommendVerbA2
du empfiehlst, er empfiehlt; empfohlen. Inseparable, so no ge-.
vergleichento compareVerbB1
vergleichen – verglich – verglichen.
sparento saveVerbA2
ausgebento spendVerbA2
Separable: du gibst aus, ausgegeben.
kaputtgehento break, to stop workingVerbA2
Separable and with "sein".
reklamierento complain, to return a faulty itemVerbB1
No ge- in the participle, because of -ieren.
wechselnto change; to exchangeVerbA2
tauschento swap, to exchangeVerbA2
Noun (23)
das GeldmoneyNounA1
No plural.
das BargeldcashNounA2
No plural. A compound: bar plus Geld.
die KartecardNounA1
Plural: die Karten. Also a map, a ticket and a menu.
der EuroeuroNounA1
Stays singular after a number.
der CentcentNounA1
Stays singular after a number.
das Kleingeldchange, small coinsNounA2
No plural.
der KassenbonreceiptNounA2
Plural: die Kassenbons. Also "der Beleg" or "die Quittung".
die QuittungreceiptNounB1
Plural: die Quittungen. More formal than Kassenbon.
der MarktmarketNounA1
Plural: die Märkte.
die BäckereibakeryNounA1
Plural: die Bäckereien. Feminine, because of -ei.
die Metzgereibutcher'sNounA2
Plural: die Metzgereien. Called "Fleischerei" in the north.
die Drogeriechemist (toiletries)NounA2
Plural: die Drogerien. Sells no medicines — those are at the Apotheke.
die Öffnungszeitenopening hoursNounA2
Plural only.
das Angebotoffer, specialNounA2
Plural: die Angebote.
das RegalshelfNounA2
Plural: die Regale.
die TütebagNounA2
Plural: die Tüten. Plastic bags cost money almost everywhere.
der EinkaufswagentrolleyNounA2
Plural: die Einkaufswagen.
das PfanddepositNounA2
No plural. Returned at a machine in the supermarket.
die FlaschebottleNounA1
Plural: die Flaschen. Feminine measures do take a plural after a number.
die Packungpacket, packNounA2
Plural: die Packungen.
das StückpieceNounA1
Stays singular after a number.
das Haltbarkeitsdatumbest-before dateNounB1
Plural: die Haltbarkeitsdaten. A compound of four parts.
die Garantieguarantee, warrantyNounB1
Plural: die Garantien.
Adjective (5)
geöffnetopenAdjectiveA1
A participle used as an adjective. The everyday word is "offen".
geschlossenclosedAdjectiveA1
reduziertreducedAdjectiveA2
kostenlosfree of chargeAdjectiveA2
The -los suffix means "without", like English -less.
frischfreshAdjectiveA1
Adverb (1)
getrenntseparatelyAdverbA2
The question every German waiter asks a group. Also the participle of "trennen", to separate.
This list belongs to Work, money and business — 53 lists and 2132 words that can also be practised as a whole.
Practise this list
From these 42 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.