German for Hosting: Invite Someone to Dinner at Home and Suggest a Time
Learn to invite someone to dinner at your home in German and suggest a time, using natural phrases and the verb 'essen'.
By MarcusFood & cafés · Yapr Learn
Inviting someone to dinner at your home is different from asking them to a restaurant. In German, you often use the phrase 'Möchtest du ...?' or 'Hast du Lust ...?' to extend a home invitation. This lesson teaches you how to ask 'Would you like to come for dinner?' and suggest a time, focusing on home hosting. You'll learn key phrases, a useful pattern with 'zu mir/uns', and how to handle responses. We'll also cover a common mistake and practice with realistic examples.
By the end, you can…
- invite someone to dinner at my home in German.
- suggest a specific time for dinner.
- respond to a dinner invitation.
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Möchtest du zum Abendessen zu mir kommen?
Would you like to come to my place for dinner?
MUR-shtest doo tsoom AH-bent-es-en tsoo meer KOM-en
Standard polite invitation for one person. Use 'zu uns' for 'to our place'.
Hast du Lust, heute Abend bei mir zu essen?
Do you feel like eating at my place tonight?
hast doo loost, HOY-te AH-bent by meer tsoo ES-en
More casual, common among friends. 'bei mir' means 'at my place'.
Wie wäre es mit sieben Uhr?
How about seven o'clock?
vee VAY-re es mit ZEE-ben oo-uh
Use to suggest a time. 'Wie wäre es mit ...?' is very common.
Passt es dir um acht?
Does eight o'clock work for you?
passt es deer oom akht
Asks if a time is convenient. 'dir' is informal singular.
Ich würde mich freuen, wenn du kommst.
I would be glad if you came.
ikh VOOR-de mikh FROY-en, ven doo komst
Warm closing to an invitation. Use 'Sie' instead of 'du' for formal.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To invite someone to your home, use 'zu mir' (to my place) or 'zu uns' (to our place) with the verb 'kommen' or 'essen'. For example: 'Möchtest du zu mir zum Abendessen kommen?' (Would you like to come to my place for dinner?). You can also use 'bei mir' (at my place) with 'essen': 'Hast du Lust, bei mir zu essen?' (Do you feel like eating at my place?). The preposition 'zu' takes the dative case, so 'mir' and 'uns' are correct. For a formal invitation, the verb changes to the 'Sie' form: 'Möchten Sie zu mir zum Abendessen kommen?' The phrase 'zu mir' stays the same, because it refers to your own home, not the guest's. Note that 'zu Ihnen' would mean 'to your (formal) place', i.e. the guest's home, so it is not used when you are the host.
When to use it
Use these phrases when you want to invite someone to your home for dinner, not a restaurant. For a restaurant, you would say 'Möchtest du mit mir ins Restaurant gehen?' (Would you like to go to a restaurant with me?). For home hosting, emphasize 'zu mir/uns' or 'bei mir/uns'. Suggest a time with 'Wie wäre es mit ...?' or 'Passt es dir um ...?'. If you're inviting a group, use 'euch' instead of 'dich': 'Möchtet ihr zu uns zum Abendessen kommen?' (Would you like to come to our place for dinner?). Always consider politeness: 'Möchtest du' is friendly and standard; 'Hast du Lust' is casual. For formal situations, use 'Möchten Sie'.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hallo Anna! Möchtest du am Freitag zum Abendessen zu mir kommen?
Hi Anna! Would you like to come to my place for dinner on Friday?HAH-loh AH-nah! MUR-shtest doo am FRY-tahk tsoom AH-bent-es-en tsoo meer KOM-en?Oh, gerne! Um wie viel Uhr?
Oh, gladly! At what time?oh, GAIR-ne! oom vee feel oo-uh?Wie wäre es mit sieben Uhr? Ich koche etwas Leckeres.
How about seven o'clock? I'll cook something delicious.vee VAY-re es mit ZEE-ben oo-uh? ikh KOKH-e ET-vas LEK-er-es.Sieben Uhr passt gut. Ich freue mich!
Seven o'clock works well. I'm looking forward to it!ZEE-ben oo-uh passt goot. ikh FROY-e mikh!A little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, inviting someone to your home for dinner is a common way to socialize, especially among friends and family. Punctuality is valued, so arriving on time is expected. If you're invited, it's polite to bring a small gift like wine, flowers, or dessert. When extending an invitation, 'Möchtest du' is standard and polite, while 'Hast du Lust' is more casual. For formal occasions, use 'Möchten Sie'. In Austria and Switzerland, similar phrases are used, but 'zu mir' and 'bei mir' are standard everywhere. Note that in Switzerland, 'Abendessen' is often called 'Nachtessen'.
One thing to watch for
Using 'bei mir' with 'kommen' when inviting someone to your home, e.g. 'Kommst du zum Abendessen bei mir?'
Try this instead: Use 'zu mir' with 'kommen', because 'zu' expresses direction (to my place): 'Kommst du zum Abendessen zu mir?' or 'Kommst du zu mir zum Abendessen?'. 'Bei mir' expresses location (at my place) and is used with verbs like 'essen' or 'sein': 'Hast du Lust, bei mir zu essen?' or 'Ich bin bei mir'. So: 'Komm zu mir' (Come to my place) vs. 'Iss bei mir' (Eat at my place).
Your turn
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1How would you invite your friend to your home for dinner in German?
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Möchtest du zum Abendessen zu mir kommen?
This is a standard polite invitation. 'Hast du Lust, bei mir zu essen?' is also correct and more casual.
2Suggest 7 o'clock as a time for dinner.
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Wie wäre es mit sieben Uhr?
This phrase is common for suggesting a time. 'Passt es dir um sieben?' is another valid option.
3What is the difference between 'zu mir' and 'bei mir' in dinner invitations?
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'Zu mir' means 'to my place' (direction), used with 'kommen'. 'Bei mir' means 'at my place' (location), used with 'essen'.
For example: 'Komm zu mir' (Come to my place) vs. 'Iss bei mir' (Eat at my place). Both are used in invitations, but with different verbs.
To invite someone to dinner at your home in German, use 'Möchtest du zu mir zum Abendessen kommen?' or 'Hast du Lust, bei mir zu essen?' Suggest a time with 'Wie wäre es mit sieben Uhr?' Remember: 'zu mir' for direction, 'bei mir' for location.
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