German for Casual Invitations: "Lust auf einen Kaffee?"
Learn to invite friends spontaneously in German with "Lust auf ...?" and "Hast du am Wochenende Zeit?" — low-pressure, casual plans with time and activity.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In German, casual invitations between friends often use the question "Lust auf ...?" — literally "desire for ...?" — which works like "Want to ...?" or "Up for ...?". It is short, friendly, and low-pressure. You can combine it with an activity in the accusative case: "Lust auf einen Kaffee?" (Want to grab a coffee?). To suggest a specific time, use "Hast du am Samstag Zeit?" (Do you have time on Saturday?). This lesson teaches you to make spontaneous, casual invitations with a time and an activity, and to respond naturally. It does not cover formal invitations, which use different wording and polite forms.
By the end, you can…
- invite a friend casually using "Lust auf ...?" with an activity.
- ask if someone has time on a specific day using "Hast du am ... Zeit?".
- accept or decline a casual invitation politely.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
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Lust auf einen Kaffee?
Want to grab a coffee?
loost owf EYE-nen KAH-feh
Very common casual invitation. Use with friends or people you already know well. The activity noun takes the accusative: einen Kaffee (masculine).
Hast du am Wochenende Zeit?
Are you free this weekend?
hahst doo ahm VOKH-en-en-deh tsyt
Asks about availability on a specific time. "am Wochenende" means "on the weekend". Use "am" for days and weekends.
Hast du am Samstag Zeit?
Are you free on Saturday?
hahst doo ahm ZAHMS-tahk tsyt
Replace "Samstag" with any day: Montag, Dienstag, etc. "Samstag" is standard throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland; "Sonnabend" is also used for Saturday in parts of eastern and northern Germany.
Ja, gerne!
Yes, gladly! / Yes, I'd love to!
yah GAIR-neh
Standard friendly acceptance. "Gerne" is very common and polite without being formal.
Tut mir leid, da habe ich keine Zeit.
Sorry, I don't have time then.
toot meer lyt dah HAH-beh ikh KY-neh tsyt
A polite decline. "da" means "then" or "at that time". You can add an alternative: "Aber nächste Woche?" (But next week?).
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
"Lust auf + accusative" is the core pattern for casual invitations. The noun after "auf" changes if it is masculine: "Lust auf einen Kaffee?" (a coffee), "Lust auf einen Film?" (a movie). Feminine and neuter nouns do not change: "Lust auf eine Pizza?" (a pizza), "Lust auf ein Bier?" (a beer). You can also use a verb: "Lust, etwas zu trinken?" (Want to drink something?). For time, use "Hast du am ... Zeit?" with days of the week or "am Wochenende". Example: "Hast du am Freitag Zeit? Lust auf einen Kaffee?"
When to use it
Use these phrases with friends, classmates, or colleagues you know well. They are spontaneous and low-pressure. Do not use them with your boss or in formal situations; instead use "Hätten Sie Zeit?" or "Würden Sie gerne ...?". If you want to suggest a specific time and activity together, say: "Hast du am Samstag Zeit? Lust auf einen Kaffee?" This is natural and friendly. If you are not sure, you can soften it: "Vielleicht Lust auf einen Kaffee?" (Maybe want to grab a coffee?).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hey, hast du am Samstag Zeit?
Hey, are you free on Saturday?hay hahst doo ahm ZAHMS-tahk tsytJa, warum?
Yes, why?yah vah-ROOMLust auf einen Kaffee?
Want to grab a coffee?loost owf EYE-nen KAH-fehJa, gerne! Um drei?
Yes, gladly! At three?yah GAIR-neh oom dryA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, casual invitations are often direct and uncomplicated. "Lust auf ...?" is very common and does not require a long explanation. Punctuality matters, so if you agree on a time, try to be on time. For Saturday, "Samstag" is standard throughout Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, while "Sonnabend" is also used in parts of eastern and northern Germany. Regional food and snack traditions vary widely — for example, "Znüni" in Switzerland refers to a mid-morning snack, not specifically a casual meeting. Accepting with "Gerne!" is friendly and normal.
One thing to watch for
Saying "Willst du einen Kaffee?" to mean "Want to grab a coffee?"
Try this instead: "Willst du einen Kaffee?" means "Do you want a coffee?" and often sounds like you are offering a coffee right now, not inviting someone out. For a casual invitation, use "Lust auf einen Kaffee?" instead. Example: "Lust auf einen Kaffee?" = "Want to grab a coffee?"
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you casually ask a friend if they want to grab a coffee?
Show a sample answer
Lust auf einen Kaffee?
This uses the casual pattern "Lust auf + accusative". "Einen Kaffee" is correct because "Kaffee" is masculine. You could also say "Lust auf 'nen Kaffee?" in very casual speech.
2Translate: "Are you free on Sunday?"
Show a sample answer
Hast du am Sonntag Zeit?
Use "am" with days of the week. "Sonntag" is Sunday. You could also ask "Hast du Sonntag Zeit?" without "am" in casual speech, but "am Sonntag" is standard.
3How do you politely decline a casual invitation and suggest another time?
Show a sample answer
Tut mir leid, da habe ich keine Zeit. Aber nächste Woche?
This declines politely with "Tut mir leid" and offers an alternative. You could also say "Schade, da kann ich nicht. Aber nächste Woche?" (Too bad, I can't then. But next week?).
Use "Lust auf ...?" for spontaneous, friendly invitations, and "Hast du am ... Zeit?" to ask about time. Keep it short, use "gerne" to accept, and save formal language for formal situations.
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