German · Mülltrennung
You look for where to put plastic waste: what to say in German
You look for where to put plastic waste.
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How it's done. In Germany packaging (plastic, metal) goes into the gelber Sack or gelbe Tonne (yellow bag or bin), paper into the blue bin, organic waste into the brown and the rest into the black or grey one; check the collection schedule of your city.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Entschuldigung, wohin kommt Plastikmüll?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, voh-KHEEN komt PLAHS-teek-myool?
Excuse me, where does plastic waste go?
Or say:Entschuldigung, wo werfe ich Verpackungen weg?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, voh VEHR-feh eekh fehr-PAH-koon-gayn vek?
THEY SAY
Plastik und Verpackungen kommen in den gelben Sack oder in die gelbe Tonne.PLAHS-teek oont fehr-PAH-koon-gayn KOH-mayn een dayn GEL-bayn zahk OH-duh een dee GEL-beh TOH-neh.
Plastic and packaging go into the yellow bag or the yellow bin.
They might also say:
Das gehört in den gelben Sack.
Dahs geh-KHYORT een dayn GEL-bayn zahk.
That belongs in the yellow bag.
2
YOU REPLY
Wo bekomme ich einen gelben Sack?
Voh beh-KOH-meh eekh IGH-nayn GEL-bayn zahk?
Where do I get a yellow bag?
THEY SAY
Bei der Hausverwaltung oder im Rathaus. Manchmal liegen auch welche im Keller.Bigh dehr KHOWS-fehr-vuhl-toong OH-duh eem RAHT-khows. MAHNKH-muhl LEE-gayn owkh VEL-kheh eem KEH-luh.
From the property management or at the town hall. Sometimes there are some in the cellar too.
3
YOU REPLY
Und wann wird er abgeholt?
Oont vahn veert ehr AHB-geh-kholt?
And when is it collected?
THEY SAY
Alle zwei Wochen, am Donnerstag. Stellen Sie ihn am Vorabend raus.AH-leh tsvigh VOH-khayn, ahm DOH-nehrs-tuhk. SHTEH-layn zee een ahm FOH-ruh-baynt rows.
Every two weeks, on Thursday. Put it out the evening before.
4
YOU FINISH
Danke, das ist sehr hilfreich!
DAHN-keh, dahs eest zehr KHEEL-frighkh!
Thanks, that is very helpful!
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “German for life in Germany”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
wohin
voh-KHEEN
adverb
where to
kommt
komt
verb
comes
Plastikmüll
PLAHS-teek-myool
noun
plastic waste
Plastik
PLAHS-teek
noun
plastic
Verpackungen
fehr-PAH-koon-gayn
noun
packaging
kommen
KOH-mayn
verb
to come
43 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh vee-dehr-KHOH-layn?
Can you repeat that, please?
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
KYOH-nayn zee BEE-teh LAHNG-zuh-muh SHPREH-khayn?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Was bedeutet das?
Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
You want to take an old wardrobe to the recycling centreMülltrennung · A2 in the app
→You do not know which bin to put the rubbish inMülltrennung · A1 in the app
→You want to get rid of an old sofaMülltrennung · A2 in the app
→A neighbour says glass must not be thrown out in the eveningMülltrennung · A2 in the app
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