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Everyday German: 25 words for home, shopping and daily routine

🇩🇪 GermanA1–A225 words

Once you can greet people and order a coffee, the next step is talking about your day: getting up, shopping, cooking, cleaning and relaxing after work. These words describe a normal day in Germany, including a few very German ones like Feierabend, Pfandflasche and gemütlich.

Where you will use it: Home, shopping, neighbours and talking about your daily routine.

German words for everyday life — The word list

Meanings and translations are in English.

GermanMeaning and example
aufstehento get up“Ich stehe jeden Tag um sieben auf.”I get up at seven every day.
frühstückento have breakfast“Am Sonntag frühstücken wir lange.”On Sunday we have a long breakfast.
die Wohnungthe flat; apartment“Unsere Wohnung liegt im dritten Stock.”Our flat is on the third floor.
die Küchethe kitchen“Die Küche ist klein, aber hell.”The kitchen is small but bright.
das Badthe bathroom“Das Bad ist gleich links.”The bathroom is just on the left.
das Bettthe bed“Ich gehe heute früh ins Bett.”I'm going to bed early tonight.
der Kühlschrankthe fridge“Im Kühlschrank ist keine Milch mehr.”There's no milk left in the fridge.
einkaufento do the shopping“Ich kaufe nach der Arbeit ein.”I do the shopping after work.
kochento cook“Heute koche ich Nudeln mit Tomatensoße.”Today I'm cooking pasta with tomato sauce.
putzento clean“Am Samstag putzen wir die Wohnung.”On Saturday we clean the flat.
die Waschmaschinethe washing machine“Die Waschmaschine ist im Keller.”The washing machine is in the basement.
der Supermarktthe supermarket“Der Supermarkt hat bis 22 Uhr geöffnet.”The supermarket is open until 10 pm.
die Bäckereithe bakery“Die Bäckerei an der Ecke ist sehr gut.”The bakery on the corner is very good.
das Brötchenthe bread roll“Ich hole frische Brötchen zum Frühstück.”I'm getting fresh rolls for breakfast.
die Rechnungthe bill; invoice“Die Rechnung für den Strom ist gekommen.”The electricity bill has arrived.
der Müllthe rubbish; trash“Kannst du bitte den Müll rausbringen?”Can you take the rubbish out, please?
die Pfandflaschethe deposit bottle“Ich bringe die Pfandflaschen zum Supermarkt.”I'm taking the deposit bottles to the supermarket.
der Nachbarthe neighbour“Unser Nachbar hat ein Paket für uns.”Our neighbour has a parcel for us.
der Terminthe appointment“Ich habe morgen einen Termin beim Arzt.”I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow.
der Feierabendthe end of the working day“Nach Feierabend gehe ich joggen.”After work I go jogging.
das Wochenendethe weekend“Am Wochenende besuchen wir meine Eltern.”At the weekend we're visiting my parents.
spazieren gehento go for a walk“Nach dem Essen gehen wir spazieren.”After the meal we go for a walk.
gemütlichcosy; relaxed“Das Café ist klein und gemütlich.”The café is small and cosy.
pünktlichon time“Der Bus ist heute pünktlich.”The bus is on time today.
müdetired“Nach der Arbeit bin ich oft müde.”I'm often tired after work.

Tips for learning German words

  • Learn der, die or das with every nounThe article is part of the word: der Zug, die Fahrkarte, das Gleis. It decides the case endings and adjectives, so learn it from day one.
  • Type the umlauts and ßWrite ä, ö, ü and ß, not a, o, u or ss: schon means "already" but schön means "beautiful". Getting them right in WordNest trains your spelling.
  • Watch the verb positionIn a German main clause the verb comes second, and separable verbs split: "Ich rufe dich morgen an." Read each example aloud to feel the word order.

Standard German as used in Germany

German is spoken in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, and a few everyday words differ between them: a tomato is a Tomate in Germany and a Paradeiser in Austria, a bicycle is a Fahrrad rather than a Velo. These lists follow Standard German (Hochdeutsch) as used in Germany, and WordNest's examples, audio and AI corrections use the same standard. You will be understood in every German-speaking country.

Add five or six of these words a day rather than the whole list at once, keep the example sentence on the card, and review them when they come due. WordNest schedules each word across seven growing intervals — same day, then 1, 3, 7, 14, 30 and 60 days — so the list is still with you months later. Read how spaced repetition works if you want the reasoning behind those numbers.

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Questions about this list

Is this German from Germany, Austria or Switzerland?

Standard German (Hochdeutsch) as used in Germany. Where Austria or Switzerland usually use a different word, the list gives the one used in Germany, but every word is understood across the German-speaking world.

How do I practise German words for everyday life?

Start with five words, listen and say each example aloud. Then recall the German word, with its article, from its English meaning and review it over several days.

How many words are in this list?

This list contains 25 words and phrases with English meanings and example sentences. It is a starting set, not a complete course.

Study these words with spaced repetition

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