German · Real conversations
Meeting people: German conversation practice
Start a friendly exchange and find a connection. Read the exchange, reveal the translations when you need them, then try your part before looking at the sample answers.
A1 · Read and rehearse
Your role: A guest meeting someone at a small social gathering.
Goal: Start a friendly exchange and find a connection.
Read the conversation
Partner
Hallo, ich bin aus einer anderen Stadt zu Besuch.
Show English translation
Hello, I'm visiting from another town.
You
Was führt dich hierher?
Show English translation
What brings you here?
Partner
Anna hat mich eingeladen. Sie ist eine alte Freundin.
Show English translation
Anna invited me. She's an old friend.
You
Woher kennst du Anna?
Show English translation
How do you know Anna?
Partner
Wir haben uns an der Uni kennengelernt. Ich muss mich hier noch zurechtfinden.
Show English translation
We met at university. I'm still finding my way around.
You
Bist du zum ersten Mal hier?
Show English translation
Is this your first time here?
Partner
Ja, ich bin zum ersten Mal hier. Anna hat gesagt, dass sie dich kennt.
Show English translation
Yes, it's my first visit. Anna said she knows you.
You
Ich habe viel von dir gehört.
Show English translation
I've heard a lot about you.
Partner
Das ist schön! Du kommst mir auch bekannt vor.
Show English translation
That's nice! You look familiar, too.
You
Haben wir uns schon einmal getroffen?
Show English translation
Have we met before?
Try your part first
Partner says: Hello, I'm visiting from another town. Your goal: What brings you here?
Reveal a sample reply
Was führt dich hierher?
What brings you here?
Partner says: Anna invited me. She's an old friend. Your goal: How do you know Anna?
Reveal a sample reply
Woher kennst du Anna?
How do you know Anna?
Partner says: We met at university. I'm still finding my way around. Your goal: Is this your first time here?
Reveal a sample reply
Bist du zum ersten Mal hier?
Is this your first time here?
Partner says: Yes, it's my first visit. Anna said she knows you. Your goal: I've heard a lot about you.
Reveal a sample reply
Ich habe viel von dir gehört.
I've heard a lot about you.
Partner says: That's nice! You look familiar, too. Your goal: Have we met before?
Reveal a sample reply
Haben wir uns schon einmal getroffen?
Have we met before?
Make it your own
- Change where you met.
- Mention a different mutual friend.
- Discover you have met before.
Keep the useful expression and change the detail. There can be several appropriate answers; the revealed replies are examples to learn from.
This rehearsal in other languages
A note on speaking German
Use Sie for formal address and du with people you address informally. Könnten Sie …? is a useful polite request. Keep noun capitals and the verb position shown in each complete sentence.
The examples preserve German accents and ß. Read a full sentence before replacing a detail: a subordinate clause can move the verb to the end, and case can change an article or pronoun.
