German · A1 · Family moment
Out and about in German
Simple German for safe outings, bus trips and shopping with your child. Learn short instructions and how to say where you are going.
What you'll learn
- Give simple safety instructions to one child.
- Say where you are going and where you are now.
- Recognize useful bus and shopping words.
- Ask politely for two tickets.
German phrases for out and about
Halt meine Hand.
Hold my hand.
A natural instruction to one child. “Halt” is the short command form of “halten” (to hold).
Wir gehen zum Laden.
We are going to the shop.
“Zum” means “to the” with masculine and neuter nouns. “Gehen” usually suggests going on foot here.
Warte, bis die Ampel grün ist.
Wait for the green light.
A natural German safety instruction: literally, “Wait until the traffic light is green.”
Schau nach links und rechts.
Look left and right.
Use “nach links” and “nach rechts” for looking in these directions.
Der Bus kommt.
The bus is coming.
German uses the simple present “kommt” for “comes” and “is coming.”
Zwei Fahrkarten, bitte.
Two tickets, please.
“Fahrkarten” are travel tickets. This short request is polite with “bitte.”
Wir sind hier.
We are here.
“Wir sind” means “we are”; “hier” means “here.”
Gehen wir nach Hause.
Let's go home.
Putting “gehen” before “wir” makes this a suggestion to do something together.
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
die Hand
hand
“Meine Hand” means “my hand.”
der Laden
shop
“Zum Laden” means “to the shop.”
die Ampel
traffic light
“Die Ampel ist grün” means “The traffic light is green.”
links
left
“Nach links schauen” means “to look left.”
rechts
right
Often paired with “links” when checking for traffic.
der Bus
bus
“Mit dem Bus” means “by bus.”
die Fahrkarte
travel ticket
The plural is “die Fahrkarten.”
nach Hause
home; towards home
Use this for movement home. “Zu Hause” means “at home.”
Saying where you are going
In “We are going to the shop,” “going to” describes movement, not a future plan. German uses the present tense: “wir gehen.” Use “fahren” when travelling by vehicle.
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| To the shop | zum = zu + dem | Wir gehen zum Laden. — We are going to the shop. |
| To the bus stop | zur = zu + der | Wir gehen zur Haltestelle. — We are going to the bus stop. |
| Home on foot | gehen + nach Hause | Wir gehen nach Hause. — We are going home. |
| Home by vehicle | fahren + nach Hause | Wir fahren nach Hause. — We are going home by vehicle. |
Instructions and shared suggestions
For an instruction to one child, use the informal singular command without “du” (you). To suggest something together, put the verb before “wir.”
| Use | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hold | halten → Halt! | Halt meine Hand. — Hold my hand. |
| Wait | warten → Warte! | Warte hier. — Wait here. |
| Look | schauen → Schau! | Schau nach links. — Look left. |
| Let's go | Gehen wir … | Gehen wir nach Hause. — Let's go home. |
More examples
Wir gehen zum Supermarkt.
We are going to the supermarket.
“Der Supermarkt” uses “zum” when it is the destination.
Wir fahren mit dem Bus.
We are going by bus.
Use “fahren” for travelling by vehicle.
Eine Fahrkarte, bitte.
One ticket, please.
Use singular “Fahrkarte” for one ticket.
Warte hier, bitte.
Wait here, please.
Adding “bitte” makes the instruction gentler.
Wir sind zu Hause.
We are at home.
“Zu Hause” describes location, unlike “nach Hause” for movement home.