German · A1 · Family moment
Breakfast time in German
Simple German phrases for breakfast together. Use these with one child, and practise ich möchte (I would like) to ask politely for food and drinks.
What you'll learn
- Tell your child that breakfast is ready.
- Offer a choice of drinks.
- Use simple, friendly instructions at the table.
- Ask for food and drinks with ich möchte.
German phrases for breakfast time
Das Frühstück ist fertig.
Breakfast is ready.
A natural way to announce that breakfast is ready to eat.
Möchtest du Milch oder Saft?
Do you want milk or juice?
Literally, “Would you like milk or juice?” Möchtest du is a gentle way to offer a choice.
Setz dich bitte hin.
Please sit down.
Use this when speaking to one child. Learn setz dich hin as a phrase.
Iss langsam.
Eat slowly.
Iss is the instruction form of essen (to eat) for one child.
Noch einen Bissen.
One more bite.
A short phrase used to encourage another bite.
Schmeckt's dir?
Is it tasty?
A common spoken form of Schmeckt es dir? It asks whether your child likes the taste.
Wisch dir bitte den Mund ab.
Wipe your mouth, please.
German naturally uses dir den Mund here rather than “your mouth.”
Alles fertig!
All finished!
A cheerful way to signal that breakfast is over.
Hear these phrases and practise them
Tildi plays every phrase out loud, tests you in five-minute lessons and builds them into bedtime stories from your own picture books.
Try it free for 7 daysKey words
das Frühstück
breakfast
German nouns begin with a capital letter.
die Milch
milk
Usually used without an article when offering a drink: Möchtest du Milch?
der Saft
juice
Apfelsaft means apple juice.
bitte
please
Makes a request or instruction more polite.
langsam
slowly
Use with iss to encourage slower eating.
der Bissen
bite; mouthful
Noch einen Bissen means one more bite.
der Mund
mouth
Den Mund is the object form used in the wiping instruction.
fertig
ready; finished
The meaning depends on context: breakfast can be ready, or a person can be finished.
Saying “I would like” and “I want”
Use ich möchte for a polite “I would like.” Ich will means “I want” and sounds more direct; it does not mean the English future “I will.” With du (you), use möchtest or willst.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Polite request | Ich möchte + food or drink. | Ich möchte Milch. — I would like milk. |
| Direct wish | Ich will + food or drink. | Ich will Saft. — I want juice. |
| Polite offer | Möchtest du + food or drink? | Möchtest du Brot? — Would you like bread? |
| Offer a choice | Möchtest du … oder …? | Möchtest du Milch oder Saft? — Would you like milk or juice? |
Simple instructions for one child
For an instruction to one child, use the informal singular command form and normally leave out du. Add bitte for politeness. With separable verbs such as hinsetzen and abwischen, the small prefix goes at the end.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| essen → iss | Iss + how. | Iss langsam. — Eat slowly. |
| sich hinsetzen → setz dich hin | Setz dich bitte hin. | Setz dich bitte hin. — Please sit down. |
| abwischen → wisch … ab | Wisch dir bitte den Mund ab. | Wisch dir bitte den Mund ab. — Wipe your mouth, please. |
More examples
Ich möchte bitte Saft.
I would like juice, please.
A polite request to model for your child.
Ich möchte noch etwas Milch.
I would like some more milk.
Noch etwas means some more.
Möchtest du ein Ei?
Would you like an egg?
Das Ei means egg; use ein Ei here.
Ich will kein Brot.
I don't want any bread.
A direct statement. Kein means no or not any before a noun.
Ich bin fertig.
I'm finished.
A natural way for your child to say they have finished eating.