How to Ask About Internet Speed and Reliability in German
Learn to ask 'Is the internet fast?' in German, check whether a connection is reliable, and understand common answers about Wi-Fi, speed and outages.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you arrive at a hotel, café or new apartment in a German-speaking country, one of the first practical questions is about the internet. In this lesson you will learn how to ask whether the internet is fast, whether it is reliable, and how to understand simple answers. German uses the verb 'sein' (to be) for these questions, and the word for internet, 'das Internet', is a neutral noun. You will also meet 'das WLAN', which is the everyday word for Wi-Fi.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether the internet is fast in German.
- ask whether the connection is reliable.
- understand short answers about Wi-Fi, speed and outages.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ist das Internet schnell?
Is the internet fast?
ist das IN-ter-net shnell
The most direct way to ask about speed. Use it at a hotel reception or in a café.
Ist das WLAN hier gut?
Is the Wi-Fi good here?
ist das VAY-lahn heer goot
'WLAN' is the standard everyday word for Wi-Fi in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Ist die Verbindung zuverlässig?
Is the connection reliable?
ist dee fer-BIN-doong tsoo-fer-LESS-ikh
Use this when you care about stability, not just speed. 'Die Verbindung' is feminine.
Wie schnell ist das Internet?
How fast is the internet?
vee shnell ist das IN-ter-net
An open question that invites a number or a comparison.
Gibt es hier Internet?
Is there internet here?
geept es heer IN-ter-net
A simple yes-or-no question using the fixed phrase 'es gibt' (there is).
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
For yes-or-no questions in German, put the verb first: 'Ist das Internet schnell?' (Is the internet fast?). The subject follows the verb. To ask about a feminine noun, use 'die': 'Ist die Verbindung zuverlässig?' For a neutral noun, use 'das': 'Ist das WLAN gut?' You can also ask 'Wie schnell ist das Internet?' when you want more detail than yes or no.
When to use it
Use 'Ist das Internet schnell?' in everyday situations such as a hotel, café, hostel or a friend's flat. If you need a stable connection for work or a video call, ask 'Ist die Verbindung zuverlässig?' A short answer may be 'Ja, sehr schnell' (Yes, very fast) or 'Manchmal langsam' (Sometimes slow). If someone says 'Es gibt kein Internet', it means there is no internet at all.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Guten Tag. Ist das WLAN hier gut?
Hello. Is the Wi-Fi good here?GOO-ten tahk. ist das VAY-lahn heer gootJa, das WLAN ist schnell. Aber manchmal ist die Verbindung nicht zuverlässig.
Yes, the Wi-Fi is fast. But sometimes the connection is not reliable.yah, das VAY-lahn ist shnell. AH-ber MAN-khmal ist dee fer-BIN-doong nikht tsoo-fer-LESS-ikhWie schnell ist das Internet?
How fast is the internet?vee shnel ist das IN-ter-netEs ist ziemlich schnell, aber abends langsam.
It is quite fast, but slow in the evening.es ist TSEEM-likh shnell, AH-ber AH-bents LAHNG-zahmA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, 'WLAN' is the normal word in daily speech, while 'Wi-Fi' is understood but less common. In Austria and Switzerland, 'WLAN' is also standard. Germans often distinguish between 'das Internet' (the internet in general) and 'das WLAN' (the local wireless network). Asking about reliability is not rude; it is a practical question, especially in hotels and shared flats.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Das Internet ist schnell?' with normal word order to ask a question.
Try this instead: In a yes-or-no question, the verb must come first: 'Ist das Internet schnell?' If you keep 'Das Internet ist schnell?', it sounds like a surprised echo, not a neutral question.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Is the Wi-Fi good here?' in German?
Show a sample answer
Ist das WLAN hier gut?
This uses the verb-first question pattern with the neutral noun 'das WLAN'. 'Ist das Internet hier gut?' is also possible, but 'WLAN' is more specific to Wi-Fi.
2Which word means 'reliable' in 'Ist die Verbindung zuverlässig?'
Show a sample answer
zuverlässig
'Zuverlässig' means reliable. A valid alternative for 'stable' is 'stabil', as in 'Ist die Verbindung stabil?'
3What does 'Es gibt kein Internet' mean?
Show a sample answer
There is no internet.
'Es gibt' means 'there is' or 'there are', and 'kein' negates a noun. 'Es gibt hier kein WLAN' is a common alternative.
Ask 'Ist das Internet schnell?' for speed and 'Ist die Verbindung zuverlässig?' for reliability, and remember that 'WLAN' is the everyday German word for Wi-Fi.
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