Germans have a reputation for skipping small talk, and with strangers it's partly true. But at the bus stop, over the garden fence or in the office kitchen, a short chat about the weather or the weekend happens all the time. It's how neighbours become people who'll take in your parcel or lend you a ladder.
Here are the phrases for those chats: an opener, a few replies, and a polite way out after two minutes.
Talking About the Weather
Nice weather today, isn't it?
Schönes Wetter heute, oder?
What weather!
Was für ein Wetter!
It's so hot today.
Heute ist es so heiß.
Finally some sun!
Endlich mal Sonne!
It's supposed to rain tomorrow.
Morgen soll es regnen.
It's really muggy.
Es ist ganz schön schwül.
Typical April weather.
Typisches Aprilwetter.
What miserable weather.
So ein Schmuddelwetter.
It's freezing.
Es ist eiskalt.
Practice these words
Schönes Wetter heute, oder?
Oder? at the end of a sentence works like "isn't it?" in English. It invites the other person to agree, and it turns a statement into a conversation: Ganz schön kalt heute, oder?
Soll in Morgen soll es regnen means "is supposed to", as in according to the forecast. It's how Germans pass on the weather report without taking responsibility for it.
Easy Replies
Yes, totally!
Ja, total!
True.
Stimmt.
Exactly.
Genau.
Oh well.
Na ja.
Could be worse.
Es könnte schlimmer sein.
I don't mind it.
Mich stört's nicht.
Let's hope it stays like this.
Hoffentlich bleibt es so.
Practice these words
Ja, total!
You'll hear Genau constantly, often several times a minute. It means "exactly", but in conversation it mostly signals "I'm listening, go on".
The Weekend and Holidays
How was your weekend?
Wie war dein Wochenende?
Any plans for the weekend?
Hast du am Wochenende was vor?
Nothing special.
Nichts Besonderes.
It was relaxing.
Es war erholsam.
We went on a trip.
Wir haben einen Ausflug gemacht.
Where are you going on holiday?
Wohin fährst du in den Urlaub?
We're staying at home this year.
Wir bleiben dieses Jahr zu Hause.
Where did you go on holiday?
Wo warst du im Urlaub?
Practice these words
Wie war dein Wochenende?
Good to know: on Monday mornings Wie war dein Wochenende? is almost a greeting. On Fridays it becomes Hast du am Wochenende was vor? Holidays are a big topic too: many Germans plan and book their summer trip months ahead, so asking about it is safe almost any time of year.
With Neighbours and Strangers
Is this seat free?
Ist hier noch frei?
The bus is late again.
Der Bus ist mal wieder zu spät.
It's really busy today.
Ganz schön voll heute.
Have you lived here long?
Wohnen Sie schon lange hier?
Lovely garden!
Schöner Garten!
Your dog is sweet.
Ihr Hund ist süß.
We've just moved in.
Wir sind gerade eingezogen.
Practice these words
Ist hier noch frei?
Sie with strangers: with neighbours you don't know well, people in a queue and anyone older, stay with Sie. If a neighbour offers du, take it. The rules are in du or Sie.
A shared complaint is the classic opener. A late train, a long queue or the same grey sky gives two strangers something to agree on, and agreeing is the whole point.
Ending the Chat
I need to get going.
Ich muss dann mal los.
Nice talking to you.
War schön, mit Ihnen zu reden.
See you around!
Man sieht sich!
Have a nice day!
Schönen Tag noch!
Enjoy the sunshine!
Genießen Sie die Sonne!
Practice these words
Ich muss dann mal los.
Ich muss dann mal los is the polite exit everyone understands. The little words dann mal make it sound relaxed rather than rushed.
Why the Weather Works
Weather is the perfect topic because it's shared, safe and endlessly changeable. Germans complain about it with real enthusiasm: too hot, too wet, too grey, never quite right.
Two expressions you'll meet:
- Es gibt kein schlechtes Wetter, nur schlechte Kleidung. "There's no bad weather, only bad clothing." Usually said by someone in a rain jacket.
- wetterfühlig: sensitive to weather changes. Plenty of people blame a headache on a change in air pressure, and saying Ich bin heute wetterfühlig gets sympathy, not raised eyebrows.