German · A1 (Beginner)
Shopping in German: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful German words for shopping are kaufen (to buy), bezahlen (to pay) and der Preis (the price). The full German shopping phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential German vocabulary for shopping, with example sentences and English translations. This is A1 (Beginner) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning German to live, work, or settle abroad.
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Key shopping vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|---|
| kaufen | to buy |
| bezahlen | to pay |
| der Preis | the price |
| teuer | expensive |
| billig | cheap |
| die Kasse | the checkout / cashier |
| der Euro | the euro |
| das Geld | the money |
| der Markt | the market |
| das Geschäft | the shop |
Example sentences
Ich möchte diese Jacke kaufen.
I would like to buy this jacket.
Wo kann ich bezahlen?
Where can I pay?
Was ist der Preis für dieses Buch?
What is the price for this book?
Das ist zu teuer!
That is too expensive!
Das ist sehr billig!
That is very cheap!
Bitte zahlen Sie an der Kasse.
Please pay at the checkout.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
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