Basic requests and instructions | Learn German in English

German lesson set in a contemporary Berlin everyday setting: A beginner practices six useful English phrases about basic requests and instructions..

EN → DE / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Basic requests and instructions to practice German conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Bitte kommen Sie herein.

BIT-tuh KOM-un zee heh-RINE. Please come inside.
B

Bitte setzen Sie sich hier hin.

BIT-tuh ZET-sun zee zikh HEER hin. Please sit here.
A

Bitte warten Sie hier.

BIT-tuh VAHR-tun zee HEER. Please wait here.
B

Bitte schauen Sie hierher.

BIT-tuh SHOW-un zee HEER-hair. Please look here.
A

Bitte hören Sie aufmerksam zu.

BIT-tuh HUR-un zee OWF-mairk-zahm tsoo. Please listen carefully.
B

Bitte sprechen Sie langsam.

BIT-tuh SHPREKH-un zee LAHNG-zahm. Please speak slowly.

Word by Word

Bitte “Bitte” means “please” here and marks each sentence as a polite request. Use it at the beginning of a request, as in “Bitte kommen Sie herein”. You would use it when asking someone politely to do something.
kommen “kommen” means “come” in this request to move toward the speaker or the inside. With formal “Sie”, it forms a polite request such as “kommen Sie herein”. Use it when inviting someone to enter or approach.
Sie “Sie” means “you” when addressing one or more people formally. Its capital letter identifies the formal form in the dialogue. Use it with polite requests to a person you address respectfully, such as a guest or customer.
herein “herein” means “inside” or “in this direction” in the request to come in. It shows movement toward the inside where the speaker is or is indicating. Use it with “kommen” when inviting someone to enter.
setzen “setzen” means “sit down” in the request “setzen Sie sich hier hin”. Its meaning here comes from the reflexive sitting expression, not from placing an object. Use it with “sich” when politely asking someone to take a seat.
sich “sich” is the reflexive pronoun used with “setzen” when the addressed person sits down. It shows that the person performs the action on themselves. Keep it with the sitting expression when asking someone to take a seat.
hier “hier” means “here” and identifies the place where the person should sit or wait. It points to the location indicated by the speaker. Use it to specify a nearby place, as in “Bitte warten Sie hier”.
hin “hin” adds direction toward the place named by “hier” in “hier hin”. It helps express moving or directing oneself to that place. Use it with a place expression when telling someone where to move or sit.
warten “warten” means “wait” in the polite request to remain in place. With “hier”, it asks the person to wait at the indicated location. Use it when asking someone to pause or remain until something happens.
schauen “schauen” means “look” in the request to direct one’s eyes toward something. With “hierher”, it asks the person to look toward the speaker’s indicated direction. Use it when directing someone’s attention to a place or point.
hierher “hierher” means “to here” or “in this direction”. In the dialogue, it tells the listener where to direct their gaze. Use it when indicating that something is toward the speaker or the place being pointed out.
hören “hören” contributes the action of listening or hearing in the request to pay attention. Together with “zu”, it forms the listening expression used in the dialogue. Use it when asking someone to listen to spoken information.
aufmerksam “aufmerksam” means “carefully” or “attentively” here and describes the way the person should listen. It tells the listener to give close attention to what is being said. Use it when asking someone to pay careful attention.
zu “zu” is the directional particle that completes the German listening verb together with “hören”. In this dialogue, it helps turn the action into a request to listen attentively. Keep it with the listening verb when asking someone to listen.
sprechen “sprechen” means “speak” in the polite request. With “langsam”, it asks the person to speak at a slower pace. Use it when asking someone to speak, especially when you need clearer or easier-to-follow speech.
langsam “langsam” means “slowly” here and describes how the person should speak. It changes the requested pace of speaking without changing the action itself. Use it to ask someone to speak more slowly.

Grammar Points

Imperativ mit Sie: Verb + Sie + …

Kommen Sie herein.

KOM-un zee heh-RINE.

Come inside.

For formal commands, use the infinitive before Sie. The polite pronoun is always capitalized.

Trennbare Verben im Imperativ: Verb + … + Präfix

Hören Sie aufmerksam zu.

HUR-un zee OWF-mairk-zahm tsoo.

Listen attentively.

With a separable verb, the prefix moves to the end of the sentence in a command.

German Vocabulary

aufmerksam adv
OWF-mairk-zahm attentively; carefully

Bitte hören Sie aufmerksam zu.

herein adv
heh-RINE inside; in

Bitte kommen Sie herein.

hier adv
HEER here

Bitte setzen Sie sich hier hin.

hierher adv
HEER-hair here; this way

Bitte schauen Sie hierher.

kommen verb
KOM-un to come

Bitte kommen Sie herein.

langsam adv
LAHNG-zahm slowly

Bitte sprechen Sie langsam.

schauen verb
SHOW-un to look

Bitte schauen Sie hierher.

sich hinsetzen verb
zikh HIN-zet-sun to sit down setzen Sie sich hier hin

Bitte setzen Sie sich hier hin.

Sie pron
zee you (formal)

Bitte sprechen Sie langsam.

sprechen verb
SHPREKH-un to speak

Bitte sprechen Sie langsam.

warten verb
VAHR-tun to wait

Bitte warten Sie hier.

zuhören verb
TSOO-hur-un to listen hören Sie aufmerksam zu

Bitte hören Sie aufmerksam zu.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Please come inside.

Show AnswerBitte kommen Sie herein.

Please sit here.

Show AnswerBitte setzen Sie sich hier hin.

Please wait here.

Show AnswerBitte warten Sie hier.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

inside; in

Show Answerherein

attentively; carefully

Show Answeraufmerksam

to wait

Show Answerwarten

to look

Show Answerschauen