10 Everyday German Phrases That Textbooks Don’t Teach You
- Daniel Lingcademy
- Sep 6
- 2 min read
When you start learning German, textbooks are great for building vocabulary and grammar. But once you step into real conversations with native speakers, you’ll quickly notice that people often use expressions you’ve never seen in class.
In this article, you’ll discover 10 everyday German phrases that will make you sound more natural, help you connect with locals, and boost your confidence.
Na, alles klar?
Meaning: “Hey, everything good?” / “How’s it going?”
A very casual greeting, mostly among friends.
Doesn’t literally mean “everything clear” in this context.
Example:
Na, alles klar? – Ja, passt schon!
Bock haben (auf etwas)
Meaning: To feel like (doing something).
Equivalent to “to be in the mood for.”
Example:
Hast du Bock auf Kino? – Klar, warum nicht?
Das macht Sinn.
Meaning: “That makes sense.”
Strict grammarians used to argue about this phrase, but it’s completely accepted in everyday German.
Example:
Ah, jetzt verstehe ich. Das macht Sinn.
Quatsch!
Meaning: “Nonsense!” / “No way!”
Used when you don’t believe something or think it’s ridiculous.
Example:
Ich habe gestern zehn Pizzen gegessen. – Quatsch!
Krass!
Meaning: “Wow!” / “Unbelievable!”
Can be positive (Wow, that’s amazing!) or negative (Whoa, that’s intense!), depending on tone.
Example:
Ich habe die Prüfung mit 100% bestanden. – Krass!
Echt jetzt?
Meaning: “Seriously?” / “For real?”
A common, informal way to show surprise or disbelief.
You’ll hear it all the time in casual conversations.
Example:
Ich habe schon wieder gewonnen. – Echt jetzt?
Geht so.
Meaning: “So-so.”
A neutral answer when someone asks how you’re doing.
Example:
Wie geht’s? – Geht so.
Ach so!
Meaning: “Oh, I see!” / “Got it!”
Used when you suddenly understand something.
Example:
Wir treffen uns morgen, nicht heute. – Ach so!
Kein Ding!
Meaning: “No worries!” / “No problem!”
A casual alternative to Kein Problem.
Very common in spoken German, especially with friends.
Example:
Danke fürs Mitnehmen! – Kein Ding!
Mal schauen.
Meaning: “We’ll see.”
Often used instead of giving a direct yes or no.
Example:
Kommst du heute Abend mit? – Mal schauen.
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