German for Beginners: Asking About Guided Tours in English
Learn to ask 'Is there a guided tour in English?' in German, understand tour times, and distinguish a guided tour from an audio guide.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you visit a museum, castle or old town in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, you often have two different options: a guided tour with a real person, or an audio guide you listen to on your own. This lesson teaches you how to ask whether a guided tour is available in English and how to understand the times you are given. You will also learn the key German words that keep these two services apart, so you do not accidentally book the wrong one.
By the end, you can…
- ask whether a guided tour is available in English.
- understand and repeat simple tour times in German.
- distinguish a guided tour (Führung) from an audio guide (Audioguide).
- ask a follow-up question about when the next tour starts.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Gibt es eine Führung auf Englisch?
Is there a guided tour in English?
geept es EYE-nuh FUEH-roong owf ENG-lish
The standard, polite way to ask at a ticket desk or information counter. 'Führung' means a tour led by a person.
Wann ist die nächste Führung?
When is the next guided tour?
vahn ist dee NAYCH-stuh FUEH-roong
Use this after you know that tours exist. 'Nächste' means 'next'.
Die Führung dauert eine Stunde.
The guided tour lasts one hour.
dee FUEH-roong DOW-ert EYE-nuh SHTOON-duh
A typical answer you will hear. 'Dauert' means 'lasts'; 'eine Stunde' means 'one hour'.
Gibt es einen Audioguide?
Is there an audio guide?
geept es EYE-nen OW-dee-oh-gyte
This is a different service: a device or app you use alone, without a guide. Do not confuse it with 'Führung'.
Um zwei Uhr, bitte?
At two o'clock, please?
oom tsvy oo-uh BIT-tuh
A short way to confirm a time. Replace 'zwei' with any number: 'um drei Uhr' (at three), 'um halb vier' (at half past three).
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core question is 'Gibt es ...?' (Is there ...?). Add the thing you want in the accusative case. For a feminine noun such as 'die Führung', the form stays 'eine Führung': 'Gibt es eine Führung auf Englisch?' For a masculine noun such as 'der Audioguide', it becomes 'einen Audioguide': 'Gibt es einen Audioguide?' This small change matters in German, so learn each phrase with its article.
When to use it
Use 'Führung' when a person walks or talks with the group. Use 'Audioguide' when you get a device or app and explore alone. At a ticket desk you can say: 'Gibt es eine Führung auf Englisch?' If the answer is 'Nein, nur auf Deutsch', you can ask 'Gibt es einen Audioguide auf Englisch?' Times are usually given with 'um': 'Die Führung beginnt um zehn Uhr' (The tour begins at ten o'clock). In Austria and southern Germany you may also hear 'die Führung' pronounced with a slightly different rhythm, but the word is the same.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Guten Tag, gibt es eine Führung auf Englisch?
Hello, is there a guided tour in English?GOO-ten tahk, geept es EYE-nuh FUEH-roong owf ENG-lishJa, die nächste Führung ist um zwei Uhr.
Yes, the next guided tour is at two o'clock.yah, dee NAYCH-stuh FUEH-roong ist oom tsvy oo-uhDanke. Und gibt es auch einen Audioguide?
Thank you. And is there also an audio guide?DAHN-kuh. oont geept es owkh EYE-nen OW-dee-oh-gyteJa, aber der Audioguide ist auf Deutsch.
Yes, but the audio guide is in German.yah, AH-ber dair OW-dee-oh-gyte ist owf doychA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, 'Führung' almost always means a live guide, while 'Audioguide' is a recorded device or app. Many museums offer English tours only at fixed times, so asking 'Wann ist die nächste Führung?' is very useful. At smaller sites, staff may answer in German even if they understand English; a polite 'Guten Tag' first is appreciated. In Austria, 'Grüß Gott' is a common friendly greeting; in Switzerland, 'Grüezi' is standard in many regions.
One thing to watch for
Using 'Führung' to mean an audio guide, as in 'Gibt es eine Führung auf Englisch?' when you actually want a device.
Try this instead: Use 'Audioguide' for the device and 'Führung' for a live tour. Say 'Gibt es einen Audioguide auf Englisch?' for the device, and 'Gibt es eine Führung auf Englisch?' for a person-led tour.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask 'Is there a guided tour in English?' in German?
Show a sample answer
Gibt es eine Führung auf Englisch?
This uses 'Gibt es ...?' plus the feminine accusative 'eine Führung'. 'Auf Englisch' means 'in English'.
2You want a device you can use alone. Which word do you need?
Show a sample answer
Audioguide
'Audioguide' is the recorded device or app. 'Führung' would mean a live guided tour, which is a different service.
3The clerk says 'Die Führung beginnt um drei Uhr.' What time does the tour start?
Show a sample answer
At three o'clock.
'Um drei Uhr' means 'at three o'clock'. 'Beginnt' means 'begins' or 'starts'.
Ask 'Gibt es eine Führung auf Englisch?' for a live tour, and 'Gibt es einen Audioguide?' for a device. Listen for 'um' plus a time to catch when the tour starts.
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