Here are some common German phrases for general conversation with people you already know.
Asking how someone is
Wie geht es dir? | How are you? |
Wie geht's | How's it going? (quite informal) |
Wie läuft's? | How's life? (quite informal) |
Mir geht es gut, danke | I'm fine, thanks |
Mir geht es ganz gut, danke | I'm OK, thanks |
Ganz gut, danke | Alright, thanks |
Geht so | So-so |
nicht so besonders or nicht so gut | Not so well |
Und dir? | And you? (in reply to wie geht es dir? or wie geht's) |
Und selbst? | And yourself? |
Asking what someone is or has been doing
Was machst du gerade? | What are you up to? |
Was hast du so gemacht? | What have you been up to? |
Viel gearbeitet | Working a lot |
Viel zu tun gehabt für die Uni | Studying a lot |
Ich habe viel zu tun gehabt | I've been very busy |
Alles wie immer | Same as usual |
Nicht viel | Not much |
Ich komme gerade aus … zurück | I've just come back from … |
Portugal | Portugal |
Asking where someone is
Wo bist du? | Where are you? |
Ich bin … | I'm … |
zu Hause | at home |
auf der Arbeit | at work |
in der Stadt | in town |
auf dem Land | in the countryside |
beim Einkaufen | at the shops |
im Zug | on a train |
bei Stefan | at Stefan's place |
Asking about someone's plans
Hast du schon Pläne für den Sommer? | Do you have any plans for the summer? |
Was machst du …? | What are you doing for …? |
an Weihnachten | Christmas |
an Silvester | New Year |
an Ostern | Easter |
Was machst du am Wochenende? | What are you doing at the weekend? |