Your first German supermarket trip teaches you three things fast. Shops close on Sunday, all of them. The trolley needs a coin. And at the checkout, the cashier scans at a speed that makes packing your own bags feel like a competitive sport.
This page gives you the words for every part of that trip — the shops, the aisles, the labels, the checkout — plus the unwritten rules nobody tells you until you've broken one.
Where to Shop
supermarket
der Supermarkt
discount supermarket
der Discounter
bakery
die Bäckerei
butcher's
die Metzgerei
drugstore
der Drogeriemarkt
pharmacy
die Apotheke
drinks shop
der Getränkemarkt
weekly market
der Wochenmarkt
organic shop
der Bioladen
corner shop
der Kiosk
petrol station
die Tankstelle
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der Supermarkt
Quick notes:
- A Drogeriemarkt sells toiletries, cleaning products, baby food and cosmetics — but no medicine. Even basic painkillers are sold only in the Apotheke.
- A Getränkemarkt exists because Germans buy water and beer by the crate. It's also where you return the crates.
- Tankstellen and station shops are what's open on a Sunday. In Berlin, the late-night corner shop is a Späti.
In the Shop
shopping trolley
der Einkaufswagen
basket
der Korb
shelf
das Regal
chilled section
das Kühlregal
freezer
die Tiefkühltruhe
checkout
die Kasse
self-checkout
die SB-Kasse
conveyor divider
der Warentrenner
bag
die Tüte
receipt
der Kassenbon
loyalty card
die Kundenkarte
change (coins)
das Kleingeld
bottle return machine
der Leergutautomat
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der Einkaufswagen
Quick notes:
- The Einkaufswagen is locked to the others with a coin slot. You need a 50-cent, 1-euro or 2-euro coin, or a plastic Einkaufswagenchip — many people keep one on their keyring.
- SB stands for Selbstbedienung — self-service. You'll see SB-Kasse, SB-Tankstelle, SB-Bereich at the bank.
- Put the Warentrenner down after your items on the conveyor belt. Not doing it gets you a look from the person behind you.
The Aisles
fruit and vegetables
Obst und Gemüse
bread and baked goods
Brot und Backwaren
meat and cold cuts
Fleisch und Wurst
cheese
Käse
dairy products
Milchprodukte
frozen food
Tiefkühlkost
drinks
Getränke
sweets
Süßwaren
tinned food
Konserven
household goods
Haushaltswaren
toiletries
Drogerieartikel
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Obst und Gemüse
Quick note: Wurst in a supermarket sign doesn't just mean sausages — it covers all cold cuts. The Wursttheke is the deli counter where you order sliced ham and salami by weight.
Reading the Labels
special offer
das Angebot
reduced
reduziert
buy one get one free
2 für 1
best before date
das MHD (Mindesthaltbarkeitsdatum)
use by
zu verbrauchen bis
price per kilo
der Grundpreis
organic
Bio
regional
regional
lactose-free
laktosefrei
gluten-free
glutenfrei
deposit
das Pfand
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das Angebot
Quick notes:
- MHD means "best before" — food is usually fine after it. Zu verbrauchen bis means "use by," and that one you take seriously.
- The Grundpreis is the price per kilo or litre, printed small under the main price. It's required by law and it's the fastest way to compare two sizes.
- Pfand on a label means there's a bottle deposit included in the price. It has its own lesson, because it's the most German thing in the whole shop.
Amounts and Packaging
a piece, each
das Stück
a kilo
ein Kilo
500 grams
ein Pfund, 500 Gramm
100 grams
hundert Gramm
a pack
eine Packung
a bottle
eine Flasche
a can
eine Dose
a tub, a pot
ein Becher
a jar
ein Glas
a crate
ein Kasten
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das Stück
Quick note: at the market and the butcher's, people still say ein Pfund for 500 grams. Ein Pfund Tomaten, bitte is completely normal.
The Unwritten Rules
Everything closes on Sunday. German shop-opening laws keep almost all shops shut on Sundays and public holidays. In Bavaria, shops also close by 20:00 on weekdays and Saturdays. Plan your Saturday shop accordingly — and on the Saturday before a holiday, expect queues.
Pack fast, or step aside. At discount supermarkets the cashier scans at full speed and immediately starts on the next customer. The trick is to put everything straight back in the trolley and pack at the shelf by the exit, where there's space.
Bring a bag. Plastic bags cost money and single-use ones are largely gone. Most Germans carry a fold-up bag or a Jutebeutel (cotton tote) everywhere.
Three Mistakes to Avoid
Looking for medicine in the Drogerie. Painkillers, cold medicine and nasal spray are Apotheke territory — even ibuprofen.
Throwing away the receipt too fast. You'll need the Kassenbon for any exchange, and some shops only take things back with it.
Reading MHD as "throw away after." It's a quality guarantee, not an expiry date.
Next up: shopping and prices — asking for things, paying, and the phrases for returning something that didn't work out.