Joe Warnimont Last updated: The 10 Best German Phrasebooks in 2024
German phrasebooks are an essential resource if you’re visiting a German-speaking country or just want to expand your vocabulary.
They can help you communicate and get around while traveling or pick up some common phrases to connect with native speakers.
In this post, you’ll get ten of the best German phrasebooks on the market, so you can spend your time practicing rather than scouring the internet for high-quality options.
These phrasebooks come from reputable authors and cover a wide range of material. Grab one and tuck it in your backpack for easy on-the-go communication!
Contents
- 1. “German Phrasebook & Dictionary” from Lonely Planet
- 2. “Rick Steves’ German Phrase Book & Dictionary”
- 3. “Easy German Phrase Book” from Lingo Mastery
- 4. “Fast Talk German” from Lonely Planet
- 5. “German Phrase Book” from Eyewitness Travel Guides
- 6. “Dirty German” by Daniel Chaffey
- 7. “German Phrasebook” from Penguin Books
- 8. “German Phrase Book & Dictionary” from Berlitz
- 9. “1001 Easy German Phrases” by M. Charlotte Wolf
- 10. Best Phrasebook Apps for Android and iOS
- Why You Need a German Phrasebook
- 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)
1. “German Phrasebook & Dictionary” from Lonely Planet
The Lonely Planet German Phrasebook has something super unique: A menu decoder for ordering the right meals. No more fumbling over ordering what you want in German!
Along with the decoder (and a two-way dictionary), this phrasebook covers topics such as practical phrases, social language, travel, food and much more.
It also has a strong focus on helping you understand the combination of small words into larger words in German. It breaks down some of those impossibly long words so that you can immediately recognize and understand them.
2. “Rick Steves’ German Phrase Book & Dictionary”
Have you ever watched Rick Steves on PBS? If not, you’re missing out, because this guy is the king of European travel guides.
His most popular books lead travelers through spots like Berlin and Munich, and the phrasebook pairs well with those. It contains unique and up-to-date elements, like rail transportation information and currency details.
It also includes an English-German and German-English dictionary and the phonetic spellings for each phrase.
3. “Easy German Phrase Book” from Lingo Mastery
This phrasebook provides a comprehensive collection of over 1,500 common phrases that cover a wide range of everyday situations and travel scenarios.
The book is organized into various sections, making it easy for readers to find phrases relevant to specific situations such as greetings, dining out, shopping, transportation, emergencies and more.
Each phrase is accompanied by its phonetic pronunciation. The book also contains essential information on German grammar, pronunciation and cultural insights. It’s suitable for both beginners and intermediate learners.
4. “Fast Talk German” from Lonely Planet
You’ll likely find this Lonely Planet book and its expert tips useful for overcoming your nerves and building confidence when trying to speak with Germans.
This phrasebook places a focus on helping you explore and get local recommendations when traveling so you can experience the best of each place you visit.
Learn how to find a local bar in Berlin, or ask around to find affordable tickets to the opera. It’s specifics like these that put Lonely Planet in a league of its own.
5. “German Phrase Book” from Eyewitness Travel Guides
This German phrasebook comes with a 2,000-word mini dictionary. It covers all the essential phrases relevant to hotels, travel, post offices, banks, sports and more.
The entire guide is organized by subject, so you can immediately find the words that are needed in any particular situation. Plus, all the vocabulary words and phrases come with pronunciations to help you out along the way.
The best part is that it’s lightweight and fits in your pocket, so you can easily take it with you wherever you go. There’s also a newer version with a free audio app available.
6. “Dirty German” by Daniel Chaffey
This book will give you all of the casual phrases you need, and some you hopefully won’t. Yes, it contains some curse words that you probably won’t learn in your typical German course. But that’s not all it offers.
It’s actually one of the most important phrasebooks you’ll find, since it covers slang and everyday chatter you may find in a bar, restaurant or sporting event.
After all, you and your friends don’t speak perfect English. So if you’re planning to hang out with German speakers, it’s wise to understand the lingo.
7. “German Phrasebook” from Penguin Books
This one is all about simplicity and is perfect for travelers. Everything is there for you to interact with other people, from pronunciation guides to basic grammar.
The layout starts with grammar lists that you would generally use for ordering food, hailing a cab and introducing yourself.
It then goes on to walk you through the pronunciations so that you don’t end up sounding silly while talking to people. But the coolest feature is that it’s small and compact enough to fit right in your pocket.
8. “German Phrase Book & Dictionary” from Berlitz
As one of the most popular phrasebooks on the market, it helps that this option from Berlitz fits in your pocket.
This option is unique because the entire book has images that correlate with the phrases, generating a sense of visual recognition for remembering the phrases more easily.
We can’t express how useful it is to have pictures and color coding along with your phrases, since these engage more than just one sense.
9. “1001 Easy German Phrases” by M. Charlotte Wolf
This is a great phrasebook if you’re planning to stay in Germany for a bit since it covers some rather interesting areas like medicine and emergency situations.
You’ll also notice that it includes idioms and slang phrases, helping you fit in with the cool kids.
The book is designed so that you can find phrases within seconds. If you’re trying to ask for directions or find a bank, the table of contents moves you directly to the areas that are most useful for these situations.
10. Best Phrasebook Apps for Android and iOS
If you have an Android device and want a handy phrasebook that doesn’t add any weight to your pack, check out the German Phrasebook by ZGdevelopment.
It’s free to download and contains over 3,000 phrases and terms. The phrases are organized into 15 main categories and additional subcategories, making it easy to find exactly what you need.
If you have an Apple device, you can download Simply Learn German – Travel Phrasebook for Germany or Learn German – Phrasebook. Both include audio recorded by native speakers with free and pro versions available.
Why You Need a German Phrasebook
With so much information available online, you might wonder if it’s really necessary to purchase a German phrasebook. Here are a few good reasons:
- These phrasebooks come from credible authors, so you can trust the information in them (unlike on the internet, where there are a lot of mistakes and incorrect information.) And they give you a concentrated compilation of high-quality material that you won’t easily find online.
- Phrasebooks force you to speak instead of read, improving your communication and pronunciation. They offer practical information that you can use when you need to interact, like when asking for directions or ordering something at the market.
- They put together multiple words to form phrases, sentences and questions that will serve you better than individual vocabulary words. And the phrases are common, so learning them will greatly improve your communication and use of the language.
You’ve got some great options, now it’s up to you to choose the best phrasebook for you and start practicing.
Keep it with you at all times so you can sneak in some study time on the go, and make use of it when you travel.
You’ll soon be communicating like a natural and getting around Germany with ease!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
And One More Thing...
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