German · A1 · Family moment
Little Spoon Time in German
Gentle German phrases for sharing food and helping a child at mealtimes. These use the informal singular imperative: the command form used when speaking to one child.
What you'll learn
- Give short, friendly mealtime instructions.
- Name common mealtime objects and body parts.
- Use objects with informal commands.
- Recognize commands with a verb part at the end.
German phrases for little spoon time
Halt deinen Löffel.
Hold your spoon.
Halt is the command form of halten. Löffel is masculine, so 'your spoon' becomes deinen Löffel.
Nimm deinen Becher.
Take your cup.
Nimm is the irregular command form of nehmen. Becher is a cup without a handle, common for children.
Fass dein Lätzchen an.
Touch your bib.
Anfassen means 'to touch.' In this command, an goes at the end.
Mach deinen Mund auf.
Open your mouth.
Aufmachen means 'to open.' Mach ... auf is a natural everyday command.
Probier die Banane.
Try the banana.
Probier means 'try' or 'taste' when talking about food.
Gib mir den Löffel.
Give me the spoon.
Gib is the irregular command form of geben. Mir means 'to me'; den Löffel is the thing being given.
Stell den Becher hierhin.
Put the cup here.
Use stellen when placing something upright. Hierhin means 'here' as a destination; you can point to the spot.
Wisch dir die Hände ab.
Wipe your hands.
Abwischen means 'to wipe.' German naturally uses dir die Hände here to refer to your own hands.
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
der Löffel
the spoon
Masculine: den Löffel when it is the direct object.
der Becher
the cup
Masculine. Usually a drinking cup without a handle.
das Lätzchen
the bib
Neuter. German nouns ending in -chen are always neuter.
der Mund
the mouth
Masculine: deinen Mund means 'your mouth' as a direct object.
die Banane
the banana
Feminine: die Banane stays the same as a direct object.
die Hände
the hands
Plural of die Hand. Notice the vowel change: Hand → Hände.
hierhin
here; to this spot
Use it to show where something should be placed.
Commands for one child
Use the informal singular imperative when speaking directly to one child. Start with the verb and normally leave out du ('you'). A gentle voice makes these short instructions friendly; bitte ('please') can soften them further.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Regular command | probieren → Probier | Probier die Banane. |
| Irregular command | nehmen → Nimm | Nimm deinen Becher. |
| Irregular command | geben → Gib | Gib mir den Löffel. |
Objects after commands
The thing you hold, take, touch or move is the direct object. German uses the accusative case for this. Masculine der changes to den, and dein changes to deinen. Feminine die and neuter das stay the same.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Masculine | der Löffel → den Löffel; dein Löffel → deinen Löffel | Halt deinen Löffel. |
| Feminine | die Banane → die Banane | Probier die Banane. |
| Neuter | dein Lätzchen → dein Lätzchen | Fass dein Lätzchen an. |
Verbs that split
Some German verbs have a separable prefix. In these commands, the main verb comes first and the prefix goes at the end.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Touch | anfassen → Fass ... an | Fass dein Lätzchen an. |
| Open | aufmachen → Mach ... auf | Mach deinen Mund auf. |
| Wipe | abwischen → Wisch ... ab | Wisch dir die Hände ab. |
Small words: mir and dir
Mir and dir are dative pronouns. Mir identifies the person receiving something. With body care, dir often shows that the child is doing something to their own body.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient | mir = to me | Gib mir den Löffel. |
| Your own hands | dir die Hände = your hands in this expression | Wisch dir die Hände ab. |
More examples
Gib mir den Löffel.
Give me the spoon.
Hold out your hand to show where the spoon should go.
Stell den Becher hierhin.
Put the cup here.
Point to a safe spot on the table.
Wisch dir die Hände ab.
Wipe your hands.
Offer a cloth or napkin as you say this.