Which German phrases matter most here?

“Wie sind Ihre Öffnungszeiten?” (What are your opening hours); “Wann machen Sie auf?” (What time do you open); “Wann machen Sie zu?” (What time do you close). 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 asking about opening hours in Germany

Ask “Wie sind Ihre Öffnungszeiten?”, or “Wann machen Sie auf?” and “Wann machen Sie zu?”. Times come in 24-hour style (“bis achtzehn Uhr”), so “Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?” helps. Check the lunch break with “Machen Sie mittags zu?”. In Germany most shops are closed on Sundays.

Try it · about two minutes

In a small shop you ask when it opens, whether it closes at lunchtime and if it is open on Sunday.

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

How does the conversation usually go?

Shop assistant
Wer ist als Nächstes dran?
Who is next?
You
Ich glaube, ich bin dran.
I think it’s my turn.
Shop assistant
Wie kann ich Ihnen helfen?
How can I help you?
You
Wie sind Ihre Öffnungszeiten?
What are your opening hours?
Shop assistant
Montag bis Freitag von neun bis dreizehn Uhr und von vierzehn bis achtzehn Uhr. Samstags bis vierzehn Uhr. Sonntags haben wir geschlossen.
Monday to Friday from nine to one and from two to six. Saturdays until two. We’re closed on Sundays.
You
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
Can you repeat that, please?
Shop assistant
Ich schreibe es Ihnen auf.
I’ll write it down for you.
You
Dann machen Sie mittags zu, und sonntags auch?
So you close at lunchtime, and on Sundays too?
Shop assistant
Darf es sonst noch etwas sein?
Can I get you anything else?
You
Das ist alles, danke.
That’s all, thank you.

Which German phrases do you need?

Wie sind Ihre Öffnungszeiten?
What are your opening hours?
Wann machen Sie auf?
What time do you open?
Wann machen Sie zu?
What time do you close?
Haben Sie heute geöffnet?
Are you open today?
Ist der Laden jetzt geöffnet?
Is the shop open now?
Wann schließt der Laden heute?
When does the shop close today?
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
Can you repeat that, please?
Bitte sprechen Sie langsamer.
Please speak more slowly.
Ich schreibe es Ihnen auf.
I’ll write it down for you.
Wer ist als Nächstes dran?
Who is next?

What is worth knowing in Germany?

Reading the sign

Opening hours (Öffnungszeiten) are usually on the door or in the window, written like “Mo–Fr 9–13 und 14–18 Uhr”. Germans write times on the 24-hour clock, and in speech “halb drei” means half past two, not half past three.

Wie sind Ihre Öffnungszeiten?

What are your opening hours?

Sundays and holidays

Most shops, supermarkets included, are closed on Sundays and public holidays. Bakeries, restaurants, petrol stations and some shops at big stations are the usual exceptions, so Saturday is the day to stock up.

Haben Sie sonntags geöffnet?

Are you open on Sundays?

Lunch breaks and rest days

Small independent shops, and shops in smaller towns, often close for an hour or two at midday. Cafés and restaurants often have a weekly Ruhetag (rest day), so it is worth checking before you make the trip.

Machen Sie mittags zu?

Do you close at lunchtime?

Questions about this situation

Which German phrases matter most here?: “Wie sind Ihre Öffnungszeiten?” (What are your opening hours); “Wann machen Sie auf?” (What time do you open); “Wann machen Sie zu?” (What time do you close). 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.