Which German phrases matter most here?

“Ist alles in Ordnung?” (Is everything all right); “Entschuldigung, bitte!” (Excuse me, please); “Wir warten schon vierzig Minuten auf unser Essen.” (We’ve been waiting forty minutes for our food). The full list is above.

Can I hear how they sound?

Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.

How can I practise this conversation?

Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in Germany. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

German phrases for complaining politely about your order in Germany

Stay calm and polite: catch the server’s eye with “Entschuldigung”, then name the problem plainly. Say “Wir warten schon vierzig Minuten auf unser Essen” or “Das Steak ist zu durch. Könnten Sie es zurücknehmen?”. Most servers reply “Das tut mir leid, ich kümmere mich sofort darum.” Thank them when it’s put right.

Try it · about two minutes

Your main course arrives late and cooked the wrong way, and you raise it without making a scene.

Sound on: the server speaks German. You choose what to say back, and Frasa tells you why it works.

How does the conversation usually go?

Server
Ist alles in Ordnung?
Is everything all right?
You
Wir warten schon vierzig Minuten auf unser Essen.
We’ve been waiting forty minutes for our food.
The server apologises, and ten minutes later your steak arrives. You ordered it medium, but it is cooked through. You call the server back.
You
Das Steak ist zu durch. Könnten Sie es zurücknehmen?
The steak is overcooked. Could you take it back?
Server
Das tut mir leid, ich kümmere mich sofort darum.
I’m sorry, I’ll sort it out right away.
You
Danke. Wie lange dauert das?
Thank you. How long will that take?
Server
Es dauert etwa zwanzig Minuten.
It will be about twenty minutes.
You
Das ist in Ordnung, danke.
That’s fine, thank you.
Server
Ist alles in Ordnung?
Is everything all right?
You
Danke, es schmeckt sehr gut.
Thank you, it’s very good.
Server
Noch einmal Entschuldigung für die Wartezeit. Das Dessert geht aufs Haus.
Sorry again for the wait. The dessert is on the house.
You
Das ist sehr freundlich, vielen Dank.
That’s very kind, thank you very much.

Which German phrases do you need?

Ist alles in Ordnung?
Is everything all right?
Entschuldigung, bitte!
Excuse me, please.
Wir warten schon vierzig Minuten auf unser Essen.
We’ve been waiting forty minutes for our food.
Ich glaube, bei meiner Bestellung ist etwas schiefgelaufen.
I think something went wrong with my order.
Das Steak ist zu durch. Könnten Sie es zurücknehmen?
The steak is overcooked. Could you take it back?
Die Suppe ist kalt. Könnten Sie sie bitte aufwärmen?
The soup is cold. Could you heat it up, please?
Das habe ich nicht bestellt.
This is not what I ordered.
Das tut mir leid, ich kümmere mich sofort darum.
I’m sorry, I’ll sort it out right away.
Es dauert etwa zwanzig Minuten.
It will be about twenty minutes.
Ich glaube, auf der Rechnung ist ein Fehler.
I think there’s a mistake on the bill.

What is worth knowing in Germany?

How to raise a problem

1
Catch the server’s eye and say Entschuldigung.
Excuse me, please.
2
Say what is wrong, plainly and calmly. One clear sentence is enough.
This is not what I ordered.
3
Accept the fix with a thank-you. A friendly end often brings a friendly gesture back.

Ask, don’t order

Polite request

Könnten Sie es bitte zurücknehmen?

Could you take it back, please?

Too blunt

Nehmen Sie das zurück.

Take that back.

A request that starts with “Könnten Sie” (could you) sounds polite in German. A bare command sounds cold, even with “bitte”.

Steak: medium or durch

When you order a steak, say how you want it. Medium is the same word as in English, and durch means well done. Saying it up front makes a mix-up easy to spot.

Questions about this situation

Which German phrases matter most here?: “Ist alles in Ordnung?” (Is everything all right); “Entschuldigung, bitte!” (Excuse me, please); “Wir warten schon vierzig Minuten auf unser Essen.” (We’ve been waiting forty minutes for our food). The full list is above.
Can I hear how they sound?: Yes: press the speaker next to a phrase to hear it, recorded for the Frasa app.
How can I practise this conversation?: Press “Start the conversation” above to play it through and choose your replies, with a note on why some fit better in Germany. Frasa, an iPhone app, lets you save these phrases and rehearse them out loud.

Related situations in German

All situations in German

Practise these phrases in Frasa

Frasa is an iPhone app for the conversations in front of you. Save phrases like these, rehearse them out loud, and they come back until they stick.

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AI-generated. May be inaccurate.