German for Beginners: Ask 'Is This Fresh?' and 'When Was This Picked?'
Learn to ask about freshness and harvest time in German for markets and shops. Includes polite phrases, pronunciation, and a sample dialogue.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
When buying food in Germany, especially at a farmers' market or bakery, asking about freshness shows you care about quality. In this lesson, you'll learn two key questions: 'Is this fresh?' and 'When was this picked?' You'll also learn how to point at items, use polite forms, and understand typical answers. We'll focus on standard German (Hochdeutsch) and note regional differences where relevant.
By the end, you can…
- ask if a food item is fresh in German.
- ask when a fruit or vegetable was picked.
- understand simple answers about freshness and harvest time.
- use polite forms when speaking to a vendor.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ist das frisch?
Is this fresh?
ist dahs frish
Use for any item you're pointing at. 'Das' means 'this' or 'that'.
Wann wurde das gepflückt?
When was this picked?
vahn VOOR-duh dahs guh-PFLUECKT
Use for fruit or vegetables. 'Gepflückt' is the past participle of 'pflücken' (to pick).
Sind die frisch?
Are these fresh?
zint dee frish
Use for plural items, like berries or eggs. 'Die' is the plural definite article.
Wann wurden die gepflückt?
When were these picked?
vahn VOOR-duhn dee guh-PFLUECKT
Plural form of the question. Use for multiple items.
Sind die von heute?
Are these from today?
zint dee fon HOY-tuh
A common alternative to ask if something is fresh from today. Often used for bread or pastries.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask if something is fresh, use 'Ist das frisch?' for singular items and 'Sind die frisch?' for plural. For example, pointing at a single apple: 'Ist das frisch?' Pointing at a basket of strawberries: 'Sind die frisch?' To ask when something was picked, use 'Wann wurde das gepflückt?' (singular) or 'Wann wurden die gepflückt?' (plural). The verb 'wurde' is the past tense of 'werden' (to become), used here to form the passive voice. The participle 'gepflückt' comes from 'pflücken' (to pick).
When to use it
Use these questions at markets, farm stands, or in grocery stores when you want to know if produce is fresh. For baked goods, you can ask 'Sind die von heute?' (Are these from today?). If you're at a butcher or fish counter, you can ask 'Ist das frisch?' for a single piece. In Austria and Switzerland, you might hear 'Ist das frisch?' as well, but regional words for 'picked' can vary; for example, in Swiss German, 'gepflückt' might be pronounced differently. Stick to standard German for clarity.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Entschuldigung, ist das frisch?
Excuse me, is this fresh?ent-SHOOL-dee-goong, ist dahs frishJa, das ist heute Morgen gepflückt worden.
Yes, it was picked this morning.yah, dahs ist HOY-tuh MOR-guhn guh-PFLUECKT VOR-duhnUnd wann wurden die hier gepflückt?
And when were these picked?oont vahn VOOR-duhn dee heer guh-PFLUECKTDie sind von gestern, aber noch sehr gut.
Those are from yesterday, but still very good.dee zint fon GES-tuhn, AH-buh nokh zair gootA little context goes a long way
In Germany, it's common to ask about freshness at weekly markets (Wochenmärkte) or farm shops. Vendors are usually happy to answer. Use 'Entschuldigung' to get attention politely. In formal situations, use 'Sie' instead of 'du', but with vendors, 'du' is often acceptable if you're a regular. In Austria and Switzerland, 'Grüß Gott' or 'Grüezi' are common greetings instead of 'Guten Tag'.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Wann ist das gepflückt?' instead of 'Wann wurde das gepflückt?'
Try this instead: In German, to ask 'When was this picked?', use the passive voice with 'wurde': 'Wann wurde das gepflückt?' The form 'Wann ist das gepflückt?' is not standard for this meaning; it would mean 'When has this picked?' which is incomplete. Always use 'wurde' for past passive events.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Is this fresh?' for a single item?
Show a sample answer
Ist das frisch?
This is the standard singular question. For plural, you would say 'Sind die frisch?'
2How do you ask 'When were these picked?' for multiple items?
Show a sample answer
Wann wurden die gepflückt?
This uses the plural verb 'wurden' and the plural article 'die'. For singular, it would be 'Wann wurde das gepflückt?'
3What is a common alternative to ask if baked goods are from today?
Show a sample answer
Sind die von heute?
This literally means 'Are these from today?' and is often used for bread or pastries. You could also ask 'Ist das von heute?' for a single item.
To ask about freshness in German, use 'Ist das frisch?' for one item and 'Sind die frisch?' for several. For harvest time, say 'Wann wurde das gepflückt?' or 'Wann wurden die gepflückt?' Remember to use polite greetings like 'Entschuldigung' and adjust for regional greetings.
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