By Joe Warnimont Last updated: March 18, 2024

How to Flirt in German: 30 Foxy Phrases to Confidently Score a Date

You know a bit of German, or maybe you even consider yourself quite fluent, but even fluent people have trouble when it comes to flirting.

From ice breakers to talking on dates, you need to prepare certain statements and understand the intricacies of the German dating scene first before diving in.

That’s why we put together a comprehensive guide on how to flirt in German that will bring you confidence when approaching people you like!

Contents

• Walking up to Someone You Like in German
• Arranging a Date in German
• Keeping German Conversation Going on a Date
• German Phrases for the Bold Flirter
• Complimenting Others While Flirting in German
• Making Them Laugh or Getting Cheesy in German
• How German Flirting Differs from the Rest of the World
• And One More Thing...

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Walking up to Someone You Like in German

You see a girl or guy that you’re attracted to, but you haven’t the slightest idea of what to say.

In general, Germans have the same type of small talk you would find in an English speaking country, so here are a few go-to statements to break the ice with your crush across the room.

Ich habe mich gefragt, ob du vielleicht weißt, wo ich X finde.
(I was wondering if you know where I could find X.)

Ich habe mich gefragt, ob du mir vielleicht helfen könntest.
(I was wondering if you could help me.)

Ich habe gesehen, dass du ein Buch von X liest. Ich bin ein großer Bewunderer von ihm.
(I saw you reading a book from X. I’m a big admirer of his.)

Mein Name ist…
(My name is…)

Woher kommst du?
(Where are you from?)

Arranging a Date in German

If you make traction with your first few flirtation lines, consider asking the person on a date.

This way, you can get to know each other better and speak even more German! Consider the following phrases to get someone to go out with you.

Wollen wir uns in diesem Restaurant treffen?
(Should we meet up at this restaurant?)

Feel free to replace “this restaurant” with just about any place in the above phrase.

Möchtest du was essen? Leckere Nudeln vielleicht?
(Would you like to eat something? Delicious pasta, perhaps?)

Willst du ein Bier?
(Want to get a beer?)

Soll ich dich abholen?
(Shall I pick you up?)

Um wie viel Uhr sollen wir uns treffen?
(When should we meet?)

Lass uns etwas trinken gehen.
(Let’s have a drink somewhere.)

Lass uns ins Kino gehen.
(Let’s go to the movies.)

Lass uns in einen Club gehen. 
(Let’s go clubbing.)

Ich freue mich auf unser Treffen!
(I’m looking forward to our date!)

Keeping German Conversation Going on a Date

You’ve navigated through the most gut-wrenching part of flirting, but now it’s time to woo the other person at your date. Here are a few German phrases to keep in your back pocket.

Sag mal, was hältst du von dem Essen / Kaffee hier?
(Tell me, what do you think of the food / coffee here?)

Ich habe eine gute Zeit.
(I’m having a good time.)

Du machst mich glücklich.
(You make me happy.)

Mit dir kann ich am besten lachen.
(With you I can laugh the most.)

This is the literal translation, but it basically means that you enjoy laughing with them.

Du siehst schön aus.
(You look nice.)

If you’d like to see more conversational phrases in action or want to improve your German in general, you could try checking out FluentU. 

German Phrases for the Bold Flirter

All right, this isn’t for everyone, but sometimes it works to be upfront and reveal that you are solely interested in flirting. You can say something like this. 

Ich habe mich gefragt, ob ich mich vielleicht zu dir setzen darf.
(I was wondering if I could sit next to you.)

Ich habe dich da sitzen sehen, und musste dich einfach ansprechen.  
(I saw you sitting here and I just had to say hello.)

Note: although it varies from person to person, I would argue that being bold is best for German women, since men tend to be a little shy in Germany.

Not to mention, German women aren’t known for liking machismo or cockiness from men.

Complimenting Others While Flirting in German

Eventually it’s nice to compliment the other person you’re on a date with. You can also use these flirting phrases when walking up to a person you like or while at a party or some other type of social function.

Du hast wunderschöne Augen.
(You have beautiful eyes.)

Ich mag, wie du tanzt.
(I like the way you dance.)

Du siehst gut aus.
(You look good.)

Ich mag deine Kleider.
(I like your clothes.)

The cool part of this last statement is that you can exchange Kleider with anything you want.

Note: German women probably won’t take you seriously if you compliment their looks, but it can draw a smile and break the ice. I talk about this a bit more below.

Making Them Laugh or Getting Cheesy in German

If all else fails, go for the corniest pick-up line you can think of and try to make the person laugh. You can ask her the following.

Ist dein Vater ein Dieb?
(Is your father a thief?)

Warum?
(Why?)

Weil er die Sterne vom Himmel gestohlen und sie dir in die Augen gesetzt hat.
(Because he stole the stars from the sky and put them in your eyes.)

Yes, it seems super lame, but it may just work on that special someone. Here are some other classics.

Du kommst mir bekannt vor. Kann es sein, dass du die Frau/der Mann aus meinen Träumen bist? 
(I think I know you. Can it be that you are the woman/the man of my dreams?)

Ich habe meine Handynummer verloren, kann ich deine haben? 
(I lost my number, can I have yours?)

Handy in German is “mobile phone,” so make sure you don’t use it as an adjective unless you want to make some people very confused.

Keep trying these tactics for how to flirt in German and you will become a smooth operator in no time.

How German Flirting Differs from the Rest of the World

How Germans flirt and interact

If your goal is to bring your flirting game to Germany, it’s wise to consider a few differences in the way Germans flirt and interact.

• Guys generally start the interaction, but it’s not a bad thing if a girl likes a guy and they initiate it. 
• Unlike other countries, German flirting usually starts with a guy giving a subtle glance or smile to a girl.
• After that, it’s often the responsibility of the woman to decide whether or not she wants to go chat with the guy.
• This illustrates the importance of eye contact in German culture, since you should also try to hold that eye contact while going on a date.
• If you’re meeting up with someone, the first rule to follow is punctuality. If you’re ten minutes too early or too late, this is seen as disrespectful.

Generalized tips

Note: these are not rules, since everyone is different, they just come from my own experience.

• German men are rather shy.
• German women have grown up in a culture where they are considered equals.
• Because of this, German men often come off as more reserved than other cultures.
• If a man compliments a woman’s appearance, she will probably not take it seriously, but may laugh and consider it a joke.
• In short, German women are assertive and just as confident, if not more confident than men. They often run their houses, party just as much as men and work with more zeal.

Being respectful, fun and cheerful can take you a long way, just like many other cultures.

So there you have it! Now all you have to do is go out there and start talking to people. You never know, you might find love while speaking German. Good luck to you!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)