How do you say "What would you like?" in German?

"What would you like?" in German is "Was darf es sein?". This phrase is commonly used in Germany.

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How to Say ‘What would you like?’ in German

Q: What does "Was darf es sein?" mean in English?

"Was darf es sein?" means "What would you like?" in English. Usage tip: [Darf es sein?] is a fixed service phrase. Literally it's more like [may it be?], but in bars, cafés, and shops it means [What would you like?] or [What can I get you?].

Was darf es sein?

vahs darf ess zine

[vahs darf ess zine]

💬 Usage Tip: [Darf es sein?] is a fixed service phrase. Literally it's more like [may it be?], but in bars, cafés, and shops it means [What would you like?] or [What can I get you?].

🇩🇪 In Germany: This is a normal staff-to-customer phrase and sounds polite without being overly formal. You would usually hear it from the bartender or server, not say it as a customer.

Phrase Breakdown

Was

[vahs]

what

Question word used at the start of polite service questions.

Example

Was empfehlen Sie heute?

What do you recommend today?

Darf es sein

darf ess zine

may it be / what can it be

Polite phrase often used in shops or restaurants to ask what the customer wants.

Example

Was darf es sein, bitte?

What can I get for you, please?

Words in this phrase

darf

[darf]

may / can

Polite helper verb used when serving customers.

Example

Was darf ich Ihnen bringen?

What may I bring you?

[ess]

Neutral pronoun used in set phrases like ordering questions.

Example

Es kommt sofort.

It will come right away.

sein

[zine]

Verb meaning 'to be'; here part of a common ordering phrase.

Example

Soll es ein Bier sein?

Will it be a beer?

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