How to Say Please and Thank You in German: Formal and Informal Everyday Use
Learn German please and thank you: bitte, danke, bitte schön, danke schön, and how to respond when someone thanks you.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
German has two small words that carry most everyday politeness: bitte and danke. In this lesson you will learn what each one means, how to use them with friends and with strangers, and how to answer when someone says danke to you. You will also see how bitte changes meaning depending on the situation, and which forms sound formal, neutral, or casual. Keep the focus on these two expressions and their common combinations.
By the end, you can…
- say please and thank you in German in formal and informal situations.
- respond appropriately when someone thanks me in German.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Bitte.
Please. / You're welcome.
BIT-tuh
The basic word for please. It also means you're welcome when said in reply to danke.
Danke.
Thank you. / Thanks.
DAHN-kuh
The basic word for thank you. It works in both formal and informal situations.
Bitte schön.
Here you are. / You're welcome.
BIT-tuh shurn
A friendly, slightly more polite form. Common when handing someone something or replying to danke.
Danke schön.
Thank you very much.
DAHN-kuh shurn
A warmer, more polite thank you. Useful with strangers, shop staff, or older people.
Vielen Dank.
Many thanks. / Thank you very much.
FEE-lun dahnk
A formal and appreciative thank you. Common in business, emails, and polite conversation.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
Bitte and danke often appear in short fixed combinations. Bitte alone means please or you're welcome. Bitte schön is warmer and often used when handing something to someone. Danke alone is neutral. Danke schön and vielen Dank are more polite. In a shop, for example, the seller may say Bitte schön when giving you your change, and you can answer Danke schön. These pairs are very common and easy to reuse.
When to use it
Use du and informal tone with friends, family, classmates, and children. Use Sie and more polite forms with strangers, officials, older people, and in professional settings. Danke works everywhere, but vielen Dank sounds more formal. Bitte is safe in most situations. If someone thanks you, reply with Bitte, Bitte schön, or Gern geschehen. Gern geschehen means you're welcome and sounds friendly and slightly more formal than just bitte.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Guten Tag! Hier ist Ihr Kaffee.
Good day! Here is your coffee.GOO-tun tahk! heer ist eer KAH-fayDanke schön.
Thank you very much.DAHN-kuh shurnBitte schön.
You're welcome.BIT-tuh shurnVielen Dank. Auf Wiedersehen!
Many thanks. Goodbye!FEE-lun dahnk. owf VEE-der-zay-enA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, danke and bitte are used often but usually briefly. A short danke is normal and polite; long emotional thanks can sound unusual in small everyday situations. In Austria and parts of southern Germany, you may also hear servus as a casual greeting or goodbye, but it is not a please or thank you word. Regional forms like merci exist in some areas, especially near French-speaking regions, but danke remains the standard.
One thing to watch for
Using bitte only as please and forgetting that it also means you're welcome.
Try this instead: Bitte has two common jobs. It means please in a request, as in Ein Wasser, bitte. It also means you're welcome after danke, as in Danke! — Bitte! The situation tells you which meaning is intended.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1A friend hands you a pen and says Hier, bitte. What is a natural short reply?
Show a sample answer
Danke.
Danke is the standard short thank you and works with friends. Danke schön is also possible, but it sounds a little more polite or warmer.
2You are in a formal office and want to thank a colleague politely. Which phrase fits best?
Show a sample answer
Vielen Dank.
Vielen Dank is a polite, slightly formal thank you. Danke alone is also correct, but vielen Dank sounds more appreciative in a professional setting.
3Someone says Danke schön to you. What can you reply?
Show a sample answer
Bitte schön.
Bitte schön is a natural reply to danke schön. Bitte alone or Gern geschehen are also correct, depending on how friendly or formal you want to sound.
Use bitte for please and for you're welcome, and danke for thank you. Add schön for warmth, and use vielen Dank when you want to sound more formal or appreciative.
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