Im Hotel einchecken
Checking into a hotel · a free German immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Guten Tag, ich habe eine Reservierung unter dem Namen Müller.
Hello, I have a reservation under the name Müller.
Literal Good day, I have a reservation under the name Müller.
A polite, direct way to announce yourself at reception. 'Ich habe eine Reservierung' is the essential phrase for confirming a booking.
- 'eine Reservierung' uses the accusative case with the indefinite article
- 'unter dem Namen' uses the dative case after the preposition 'unter'
Könnten Sie mir bitte Ihre Buchungsbestätigung zeigen?
Could you please show me your booking confirmation?
Literal Could you please show me your booking confirmation?
This is a phrase the receptionist might say to you. 'Könnten Sie...' is the Konjunktiv II (subjunctive II) form of 'können', making it more courteous than 'Können Sie...'
- 'Könnten Sie' is Konjunktiv II of 'können', used for polite requests
- 'mir' is the dative of 'ich', functioning as the indirect object
Ich hätte gerne ein Zimmer mit Blick auf den Garten.
I would like a room with a view of the garden.
Literal I would have gladly a room with view onto the garden.
'Ich hätte gerne...' is a polite, natural way to express a wish or preference. It is the standard phrase for requesting something specific at a hotel.
- 'hätte gerne' is Konjunktiv II of 'haben', expressing a polite desire
- 'auf den Garten' uses the accusative after 'auf' when expressing direction or orientation
Haben Sie WLAN, und wie lautet das Passwort?
Do you have Wi-Fi, and what is the password?
Literal Have you Wi-Fi, and how reads the password?
'Wie lautet...?' means 'What is...?' and is the idiomatic way to ask for codes, names, or passwords in German. 'WLAN' is pronounced 'VEE-lan'.
- 'Haben Sie' inverts subject and verb to form a yes/no question
- 'Wie lautet' is a fixed phrase for asking what a specific word, code, or name is
Das Zimmer ist sehr schön, aber die Heizung funktioniert nicht.
The room is very nice, but the heating is not working.
Literal The room is very beautiful, but the heating functions not.
A polite way to report a maintenance issue. In German, 'nicht' (not) typically comes at the end of the clause when negating a verb.
- 'aber' is a coordinating conjunction connecting two main clauses
- 'funktioniert nicht' — negation with 'nicht' follows the finite verb at clause end
Könnten Sie mir bitte noch ein Handtuch bringen?
Could you please bring me another towel?
Literal Could you please yet one more towel to me bring?
'Noch ein' means 'one more / another'. This polite request structure with 'Könnten Sie mir bitte...' + infinitive at the end works for almost any hotel need.
- 'Könnten Sie mir bitte' sets up a polite dative request: 'mir' is the indirect object
- 'noch ein' means 'one more' and takes accusative adjective endings
Würden Sie mir ein gutes Restaurant in der Nähe empfehlen?
Would you recommend a good restaurant nearby?
Literal Would you me a good restaurant in the vicinity recommend?
'Würden Sie...' is another Konjunktiv II form used for polite suggestions and recommendations. The infinitive 'empfehlen' goes to the end of the sentence.
- 'Würden Sie' is Konjunktiv II of 'werden', used for polite requests and suggestions
- 'in der Nähe' uses dative after 'in' for a static location
Um wie viel Uhr ist der Checkout morgen?
What time is checkout tomorrow?
Literal At how many o'clock is the checkout tomorrow?
'Um wie viel Uhr...?' is the standard German phrase for asking at what time something happens. 'Der Checkout' is widely used as a loanword in modern German hospitality.
- 'Um wie viel Uhr' is a fixed phrase for asking about the time of an event
- Verb-second order (V2): 'Um wie viel Uhr' occupies the first position, so the finite verb 'ist' must follow as the second element, placing the subject 'der Checkout' after it
Ich brauche ein zusätzliches Kissen für das zweite Bett.
I need an extra pillow for the second bed.
Literal I need an additional pillow for the second bed.
'Ich brauche...' is a clear, polite way to state a need. 'Zusätzlich' (extra/additional) is very practical for hotel requests. The adjective ending changes to match the noun's gender and case.
- 'ein zusätzliches Kissen' — neuter accusative; adjective takes '-es' ending after indefinite article
- 'für das zweite Bett' — accusative after 'für'; 'zweite' is an ordinal adjective with '-e' ending
Herzlichen Dank für Ihre Hilfe — wir hatten einen wunderbaren Aufenthalt!
Thank you very much for your help — we had a wonderful stay!
Literal Heartfelt thanks for your help — we had a wonderful stay!
'Herzlichen Dank' is a warm, sincere thank-you, more personal than 'Danke schön'. 'Hatten' is the simple past (Präteritum) of 'haben', which is preferred over Perfekt in more formal speech.
- 'Herzlichen Dank' — accusative in a fixed expression of thanks
- 'hatten' is simple past (Präteritum) of 'haben', used for completed past events in formal contexts
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
die Reservierung
the reservation / booking
Ich habe eine Reservierung auf den Namen Schmidt.
I have a reservation under the name Schmidt.
Also 'die Buchung'; both are common in hotel contexts
das Zimmer
the room
Mein Zimmer liegt im dritten Stock.
My room is on the third floor.
Plural is identical: die Zimmer
die Rezeption
the reception / front desk
Bitte wenden Sie sich an die Rezeption.
Please contact the front desk.
'An der Rezeption' (at the desk) uses dative after 'an' for location
das Frühstück
breakfast
Das Frühstück wird von sieben bis zehn Uhr serviert.
Breakfast is served from seven to ten o'clock.
Literally 'early piece'; 'Frühstück inklusive' means breakfast is included
das Gepäck
luggage / baggage
Können Sie mein Gepäck aufbewahren?
Can you store my luggage?
Uncountable in German; use 'ein Gepäckstück' for a single item
das Handtuch
the towel
Ich brauche noch ein frisches Handtuch.
I need another fresh towel.
Plural: die Handtücher
das Kissen
the pillow / cushion
Hätten Sie noch ein Kissen für mich?
Would you have another pillow for me?
Plural is identical: die Kissen
die Heizung
the heating
Die Heizung in meinem Zimmer funktioniert nicht.
The heating in my room is not working.
From 'heizen' (to heat); 'die Klimaanlage' is air conditioning
der Aufenthalt
the stay
Wir wünschen Ihnen einen angenehmen Aufenthalt.
We wish you a pleasant stay.
'Aufenthaltsdauer' = length of stay; a classic hotel farewell phrase
empfehlen
to recommend
Würden Sie mir ein gutes Restaurant empfehlen?
Would you recommend a good restaurant to me?
Strong verb with vowel change: empfehle / empfiehlst / empfiehlt
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Familie Weber kommt nach einer langen Zugreise im Hotel Stadtblick an. Herr Weber tritt ruhig an die Rezeption und legt seine Buchungsbestätigung auf den Tresen. Die freundliche Rezeptionistin lächelt und erklärt, dass das Zimmer im vierten Stock liegt und einen wunderschönen Blick auf den Marktplatz bietet. Sie überreicht den Webers zwei Schlüsselkarten und wünscht ihnen einen erholsamen Aufenthalt.
Sentence by sentence
kommt nach einer langen Zugreise an
arrives after a long train journey
'Ankommen' is a separable verb (an + kommen); the prefix 'an' moves to the end. 'Nach' + dative provides the temporal/causal context.
tritt ruhig an die Rezeption und legt seine Buchungsbestätigung auf den Tresen
calmly steps up to the reception and places his booking confirmation on the counter
'Auf den Tresen' uses accusative after 'auf' for placement with movement. 'Buchungsbestätigung' = booking confirmation, a compound noun.
erklärt, dass das Zimmer im vierten Stock liegt
explains that the room is on the fourth floor
'Dass' introduces a subordinate clause and sends the verb 'liegt' to the end. 'Im vierten Stock' = dative phrase using 'in + dem' contracted to 'im'.
überreicht den Webers zwei Schlüsselkarten
hands the Webers two key cards
'Überreichen' means to hand over or present. 'Den Webers' is dative (the indirect object / recipient); 'zwei Schlüsselkarten' is the accusative direct object.
wünscht ihnen einen erholsamen Aufenthalt
wishes them a restful stay
'Wünschen' takes dative + accusative: 'ihnen' (them, dative) receives the wish; 'einen erholsamen Aufenthalt' (a restful stay, accusative) is what is wished.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Polite Requests with Könnten Sie... and Würden Sie...
German uses Konjunktiv II (subjunctive II) to make requests more courteous. 'Könnten Sie...' (Could you...?) and 'Würden Sie...' (Would you...?) are softer and more polite than the plain present-tense 'Können Sie...' (Can you...?). The infinitive always goes to the end of the clause. These two structures cover almost every polite request you will need at a hotel.
Könnten / Würden + Sie + [indirect object 'mir'] + [other elements] + [infinitive]?
Könnten Sie mir bitte ein Taxi bestellen?
Could you please order a taxi for me?
Würden Sie mir ein gutes Museum empfehlen?
Would you recommend a good museum to me?
Könnten Sie die Heizung reparieren lassen?
Could you have the heating repaired?
Würden Sie mein Gepäck bis zum Nachmittag aufbewahren?
Would you store my luggage until the afternoon?
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to German: "I have a reservation under the name Müller."
Hint Think about how to say 'under the name' — use 'unter dem Namen'.
What does this sentence mean? "Könnten Sie mir bitte noch ein Handtuch bringen?"
Hint 'Handtuch' is one of the vocabulary words from today's lesson.
Complete the sentence: "Das Zimmer ist sehr schön, aber die ________ funktioniert nicht."
Hint It's something you'd miss on a cold night — check your vocabulary list!
You want to politely ask the receptionist to recommend a good nearby restaurant. Which sentence is most appropriate?
Rewrite this request to make it polite using 'Könnten Sie': "Bringen Sie mir ein Kissen."
Hint Move the verb to the end and add 'Könnten Sie' at the start. A 'bitte' makes it even nicer!
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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