3 ways to order a beer in German that every beginner should know (2024)

3 ways to order a beer in German that every beginner should know (1)

When you want to order a beer in German, saying ein Bier, bitte is simply announcing that you are an absolute beginner.

Instead of saying that, use these 3 ways:

Start with ‘ich möchte…’ to order a beer in German

Ich möchte, which means I’d like, is the easiest way to say I want a beer in German.

Here are a few sentences to show you how it’s used:

    • Ich möchte eine Flasche Guinness, bitte. (I’d like a bottle of Guinness, please)
    • Ich möchte sechzehn Flaschen Märzen, bitte. (I’d like 16 bottles of Märzen, please)

3 ways to order a beer in German that every beginner should know (2)

Not hard, right?

And it gets even easier when you learn German for beginners.

You see, the sentence structure is very simple – to say I would like a beer in German, you begin with the word ich möchte, then the number, and finally the type of beer.

Ich möchte ——- (number of beers) ——- (type of beer) ——- , bitte.

‘Ich hätte gerne’ can also be used to order a beer in German

3 ways to order a beer in German that every beginner should know (3)

In the previous example, you have learned what to say when the waiter comes to you.

But what do you say when you walk up to the counter instead?

In that case you say ‘Ich hätte gerne’, which means I’d like...

Think of stopping by a McDonald’s and saying, I’d like a cheese burger and an ice-cold co*ke, then you’ll see the difference between ordering from the counter and talking to a waiter who has come to you.

    • Ich hätte gerne ein Guinness, bitte. (I’d like a Guinness, please)
    • Ich hätte gerne sechzehn Flaschen Märzen, bitte. (I’d like 16 bottles of Märzen, please)

And don’t worry about the umlauts. They are really easy to pronounce.

3 ways to order a beer in German that every beginner should know (4)

This phrase can be used to order beer in German when the other person you are with has ordered and now it’s your turn.

It is pretty straight forward, and it means…you guessed it – for me a….

Let’s look at the examples:

    • Ich hätte gerne ein Weissbier, bitte. (I’d like a Weissbier, please)
    • Für mich, ein Weissbier leicht, bitte. (For me, a Weissbier light, please)

Now let’s say you are three people at a table and the waitress is taking your orders:

3 ways to order a beer in German that every beginner should know (5)

Waitress: Was hätten Sie gerne zu trinken? (what would you {all} like to drink?)

Person A: Ich hätte gerne ein Kölsch. (I would like to drink a Kölsch)

Person B: Für mich bitte ein Märzen. (For me, a Märzen, please)

Waitress: Und was möchten Sie trinken? (And what will you drink?)

You: Für mich auch ein Märzen. (For me, a Märzen too)

Remember:

You should only use für mich when your friends have already ordered.

One more way to say I would like a beer in German

Now that you’ve known the most common ways of ordering beer in German, let me show you another way we like to use:

In this other way, the word to use is darf ich

It means ‘may I’

  • Darf ich bitte ein Bier haben? (May I have a beer, please?)

But remember, you have to specify which beer you want…

  • Darf ich bitte ein Märzen haben? (May I have a Märzen, please?)

And closely related to ‘darf ich’ is ‘kann ich’

  • Kann ich bitte ein Märzen haben? (Can I have a Märzen, please?)

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3 ways to order a beer in German that every beginner should know (2024)

FAQs

3 ways to order a beer in German that every beginner should know? ›

If you're ordering just after a friend, you could say Noch ein Bier, bitte! This translates as 'another beer, please! ' and is how native Germans would order.

How to order one more beer in German? ›

If you're ordering just after a friend, you could say Noch ein Bier, bitte! This translates as 'another beer, please! ' and is how native Germans would order.

What beer should I order in Germany? ›

  • Best Overall. Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier. ...
  • Best Oktoberfest. Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen. ...
  • Best Hefeweizen. Schneider Weisse Hefeweizen. ...
  • Best Kölsch. Gaffel Kölsch. ...
  • Best Pilsner. Rothaus Pils Tannenzäpfle. ...
  • Best Dunkel. Weltenburger Kloster Barock Dunkel. ...
  • Best Helles. Augustiner-Bräu Edelstoff. ...
  • Best Bock. Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel.

What do Germans say when drinking beer? ›

An important one to note is “Prost! ', your German version of “Cheers!”, which you can use in all types of situations. And don't forget your please and thank you in German when ordering a round. Cheers!

How to order shots in German? ›

In the older population (40+), a shot is generally called “ein Kurzer” (a short one), stemming from the height of the glass and the volume contained. However, most teenagers and young adults I have talked to simply call it “ein Shot”, identical to English.

What is beer German rule? ›

The Purity law required that “nothing other than barley, hops, and water” be used to produce beer. Yeast is the fourth ingredient that is allowed, but it's not listed in the original law because yeast's role in the fermentation process had not yet been discovered at the time that it was written.

How do you order beer like a true German? ›

1. How to order a beer in German: 10 ways to order like a local
  1. Ein Bier, bitte. (A beer, please) ...
  2. Ich hätte gern ein Bier. (I would like a beer) ...
  3. Könnte ich ein Bier haben? (Could I have a beer?) ...
  4. Ein großes Bier, bitte. ...
  5. Ein kleines Bier, bitte. ...
  6. Ein Helles, bitte. ...
  7. Ein Dunkles, bitte. ...
  8. Ein Weizenbier, bitte.
Nov 5, 2023

How do Germans order beer? ›

You see, the sentence structure is very simple – to say I would like a beer in German, you begin with the word ich möchte, then the number, and finally the type of beer. Ich möchte ——- (number of beers) ——- (type of beer) ——- , bitte.

What is Germany's number one selling beer? ›

The most popular beer brand in Germany is Krombacher from Krombach. Other leading names include Beck's and Warsteiner.

What is beer called in Germany? ›

Beer (German: Bier pronounced [biːɐ̯]) is a major part of German culture. Only water, hops, and malt are permitted as ingredients, and beers not exclusively using barley-malt, such as wheat beer, must be top-fermented.

What is the German beer code? ›

Written by Bavarian noblemen in the year 1516, the law says only water, barley and hops may be used to brew beer. Yeast was added to the list, known as the beer purity law or Reinheitsgebot, when scientists discovered the fermenting agent centuries later.

What does zum Wohl mean? ›

Zum Wohl! cheers/good health! 4. Speaking. Zum Wohl!

How to signal 3 in German? ›

For “1,” the thumb on the dominant hand (H1) is extended; for “2,” the thumb and index finger are extended; for “3,” the thumb, index finger, and ring finger are extended; for “4,” the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and pinkie are extended; and for “5,” all fingers of H1 are extended.

What does bitte ein bit mean? ›

The company slogan is, "Bitte ein Bit." This is literally, "Please, a Bit," or "A Bit, please." In the 1970s, a second slogan was introduced, "Abends Bit, morgens fit" ("Bit in the evening, fit in the morning") implying that the consumption would not lead to a hangover.

What do Germans say before they take a shot? ›

From the first drink to the fourth round, don't forget a quick “Prost!” or “Ein Prosit” before taking your first sip. Always make eye contact when toasting. Don't toast with water. It's considered bad luck in Germany.

How do I ask for two beers in German? ›

And it gets even easier when you learn German for beginners. You see, the sentence structure is very simple – to say I would like a beer in German, you begin with the word ich möchte, then the number, and finally the type of beer. Ich möchte ——- (number of beers) ——- (type of beer) ——- , bitte.

What does ein Bier bitte mean? ›

Translation of "Ein Bier bitte" in English. beer please. A beer, please.

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