Basic Verbs

1. goen

   To go

   Usage

   The basic verb of going, on foot or in general

   Grammar Note

   Irregular: ginn, gees, geet, ginn, gitt, ginn. The perfect uses sinn (ass gaangen). Note that ginn also means "to give / become"

2. kommen

   To come

   Usage

   The basic verb for coming

   Grammar Note

   Present: kommen, kënns, kënnt, kommen, kommt, kommen. The perfect is sinn + komm (no ge-)

3. iessen

   To eat

   Usage

   The basic verb for eating; the noun d'Iessen is "meal"

   Grammar Note

   Present: iessen, ëss, ësst, iessen, iesst, iessen. The participle is giess, used with hunn

4. drénken

   To drink

   Usage

   The basic verb for drinking; Kaffi drénken can also mean having breakfast

   Grammar Note

   Present: drénken, drénks, drénkt. The participle is gedronk. Mind the é

5. kafen

   To buy

   Usage

   The basic verb for buying

   Grammar Note

   Present: kafen, keefs, keeft, kafen, kaaft, kafen. The participle is kaaft

6. gesinn

   To see

   Usage

   The verb for seeing; looking on purpose is kucken

   Grammar Note

   Present: gesinn, gesäis, gesäit, gesinn, gesitt, gesinn. The participle is gesinn

7. waarden

   To wait

   Usage

   The basic verb for waiting

   Grammar Note

   Present: waarden, waarts, waart. The Dir imperative is waart; the participle is gewaart

8. Ech wéilt goen

   I'd like to go

   Usage

   A polite way to say where you want to go; add a destination

   Grammar Note

   Wéilt is the polite conditional of wëllen (Ech wëll is blunt). The infinitive goes at the end

9. Ech wéilt iessen

   I'd like to eat

   Usage

   The standard way to say you would like to eat

   Grammar Note

   The infinitive iessen goes at the end after wéilt

10. Ech wéilt dat

    I'd like that

    Usage

    Used in a shop to say you want something you point at

    Grammar Note

    Wéilt is the polite "I would like" and can take an object

11. Ech brauch dat net

    I don't need it

    Usage

    Useful for politely turning down an offer

    Grammar Note

    The 1st person of brauchen is brauch. The object dat goes before net

12. Ech sichen dat

    I'm looking for it

    Usage

    Says what you are looking for

    Grammar Note

    The 1st person of sichen is sichen; the n stays before d (n-rule)

13. Ech hunn dat

    I have it

    Usage

    Says that you have something, for example when asked for a document

    Grammar Note

    Before the d of dat the n of hunn stays (n-rule)

14. Ech hunn dat net

    I don't have it

    Usage

    Says that you do not have something

    Grammar Note

    The n of hunn stays before d. The object dat goes before net

15. Ech wéilt Suen ophiewen

    I'd like to withdraw money

    Usage

    For a bank or cash machine (Bancomat)

    Grammar Note

    Ophiewen is a separable verb but stays as one infinitive at the end after wéilt. Suen is the plural "money"

16. Ech wéilt reservéieren

    I'd like to make a reservation

    Usage

    An opening for booking a restaurant or hotel

    Grammar Note

    Reservéieren keeps its n at the end of the sentence. The noun is Reservatioun

17. Kënnt Dir mir hëllefen?

    Can you help me?

    Usage

    The standard polite request for help

    Grammar Note

    Hëllefen takes the dative, so mir. The Dir form of kënnen is kënnt

18. Sot mir wannechgelift

    Please tell me

    Usage

    An opener before asking about a route or time; the question follows

    Grammar Note

    The Dir/plural imperative of soen is sot, with the person (mir) in the dative

Browse all TravelPhrases languages