German for Beginners: Ask for a City Map at the Tourist Office
Learn to ask for a city map in German, understand the reply, and read basic map vocabulary. Includes polite phrases, a short dialogue, and practice.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
When you arrive in a German-speaking town, the tourist office (Tourist-Information) is the best place to get a free city map. In this lesson you will learn how to ask for one politely, how to say what kind of map you need, and how to understand simple directions and map features. You will also learn the difference between the informal du and the formal Sie, so you can choose the right tone. All phrases are standard German, with notes on regional differences where they matter.
By the end, you can…
- ask for a city map at a tourist office using a polite question.
- understand and respond to simple questions about which map I need.
- recognize basic German map vocabulary such as Stadtplan, Altstadt, and U-Bahn.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Haben Sie einen Stadtplan?
Do you have a city map?
HAH-ben zee AHY-nen SHTAT-plahn
Use Sie with strangers, officials, and staff. This is the standard polite question. The word Stadtplan is masculine, so the accusative form is einen Stadtplan.
Ich hätte gern einen Stadtplan.
I would like a city map.
ikh HET-te gern AHY-nen SHTAT-plahn
Very common and polite in shops and offices. Ich hätte gern is softer than Ich will (I want). Use it when you are ready to take one.
Auf Deutsch oder auf Englisch?
In German or in English?
owf DOYTSH oh-der owf ENG-lish
Staff may ask this. You can answer: Auf Englisch, bitte. (In English, please.) or Auf Deutsch, bitte. (In German, please.)
Haben Sie auch einen U-Bahn-Plan?
Do you also have a subway map?
HAH-ben zee owkh AHY-nen OO-bahn-plahn
U-Bahn means subway/metro and is the usual word in Germany and Austria (in Vienna the network is die U-Bahn). In Switzerland, the metro is usually called Metro; U-Bahn is not the standard Swiss term.
Wo ist die Altstadt?
Where is the old town?
voh ist dee ALT-shtat
Altstadt means old town/historic center. On many maps it is marked as Altstadt or Innenstadt. Use Wo ist ...? to ask for a location.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask if something is available, use: Haben Sie ...? (Do you have ...?). The item goes in the accusative case. For masculine nouns like Stadtplan, der changes to einen: Haben Sie einen Stadtplan? For neuter nouns like das Prospekt (a brochure), it stays ein: Haben Sie ein Prospekt? For feminine nouns like die Karte (a map/card), it stays eine: Haben Sie eine Karte? If you want to be more polite, start with Entschuldigung (Excuse me): Entschuldigung, haben Sie einen Stadtplan?
When to use it
Use Haben Sie ...? with staff in tourist offices, hotels, or shops. Use the informal Hast du ...? only with friends, family, or people your age in casual settings. For example, to a friend: Hast du einen Stadtplan? To a staff member: Haben Sie einen Stadtplan? If you need a specific map, add the type: einen Stadtplan, einen U-Bahn-Plan, eine Radkarte (a cycling map). At the end, say Danke or Vielen Dank. If you need help reading it, ask: Können Sie mir das zeigen? (Can you show me that?)
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Guten Tag! Haben Sie einen Stadtplan?
Hello! Do you have a city map?GOO-ten tahk! HAH-ben zee AHY-nen SHTAT-plahn?Ja, natürlich. Auf Deutsch oder auf Englisch?
Yes, of course. In German or in English?yah, nah-TUER-likh. owf DOYTSH oh-der owf ENG-lish?Auf Englisch, bitte. Und wo ist die Altstadt?
In English, please. And where is the old town?owf ENG-lish, BIT-te. unt voh ist dee ALT-shtat?Hier, auf der Karte. Die Altstadt ist im Zentrum.
Here, on the map. The old town is in the center.heer, owf dair KAR-te. dee ALT-shtat ist im tsen-TROOM.A little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, tourist offices are usually called Tourist-Information or Touristeninformation. Staff are used to speaking English in big cities, but trying German is appreciated. Use Sie with staff unless they offer du. In Austria, a city map is also called Stadtplan, and the historic center is often die Altstadt or der 1. Bezirk in Vienna. In Switzerland, you may see Plan instead of Stadtplan in some regions, and the metro is usually called Metro. Free maps are common, but some offices charge a small fee (e.g., 1–2 euros) for detailed maps. It is polite to say Danke or Vielen Dank when you receive one.
One thing to watch for
Saying Ich will einen Stadtplan (I want a city map) or Haben Sie einen Stadtplan? with the wrong article, such as Haben Sie ein Stadtplan?
Try this instead: Use Ich hätte gern einen Stadtplan or Haben Sie einen Stadtplan? Stadtplan is masculine, so the accusative form is einen, not ein. Ich will can sound demanding; Ich hätte gern is polite and standard.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you politely ask a tourist office staff member if they have a city map?
Show a sample answer
Haben Sie einen Stadtplan?
This uses the polite Sie form and the correct accusative masculine article einen. You could also say Entschuldigung, haben Sie einen Stadtplan? to be extra polite.
2You want a subway map as well. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Haben Sie auch einen U-Bahn-Plan?
This adds auch (also) and the masculine noun U-Bahn-Plan, so the article remains einen. In some cities, you might ask for a Netzplan (network map) instead.
3A staff member asks: Auf Deutsch oder auf Englisch? You prefer English. What do you say?
Show a sample answer
Auf Englisch, bitte.
This directly answers the choice question. You could also say Englisch, bitte. If you prefer German, say Auf Deutsch, bitte.
To get a city map in German, use Haben Sie einen Stadtplan? or Ich hätte gern einen Stadtplan. Remember einen for masculine Stadtplan, and use Sie with staff. Add bitte and Danke for politeness.
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