German · Friseur
At the barber's you want a haircut and a beard trim: what to say in German
At the barber you want a haircut and a beard trim.
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How it's done. At the barber say an den Seiten kurz (short at the sides), oben länger (longer on top), mit der Maschine (with the clippers); a beard trim costs extra.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
Guten Tag. Ich möchte die Haare schneiden und den Bart trimmen lassen.
GOO-tayn tahk. Eekh MYOKH-teh dee KHAH-reh SHNIGH-dayn oont dayn bahrt TREE-mayn LAH-sayn.
Good day. I'd like a haircut and a beard trim.
Or say:Guten Tag, kann ich einen Haarschnitt und einen Bartschnitt bekommen?
GOO-tayn tahk, kahn eekh IGH-nayn KHAHRSH-neet oont IGH-nayn BAHRTSH-neet beh-KOH-mayn?
THEY SAY
Gern. Setzen Sie sich bitte. Wie möchten Sie die Haare?Gehrn. ZEH-tsayn zee zeekh BEE-teh. Vee MYOKH-tayn zee dee KHAH-reh?
Gladly. Please sit down. How would you like your hair?
They might also say:
Nehmen Sie bitte Platz. Wie soll ich schneiden?
NEH-mayn zee BEE-teh plahts. Vee zol eekh SHNIGH-dayn?
Please take a seat. How shall I cut?
2
YOU REPLY
An den Seiten kurz und oben etwas länger, bitte.
Ahn dayn ZIGH-tayn koorts oont OH-bayn EH-tvuhs LAYN-guh, BEE-teh.
Short at the sides and a bit longer on top, please.
THEY SAY
Und der Bart? Soll er kurz bleiben, oder möchten Sie eine Form?Oont dehr bahrt? Zol ehr koorts BLIGH-bayn, OH-duh MYOKH-tayn zee IGH-neh form?
And the beard? Should it stay short or would you like a shape?
3
YOU REPLY
Nur etwas kürzer, mit der Maschine, bitte.
Noor EH-tvuhs KYOOR-tsuh, meet dehr muh-SHEE-neh, BEE-teh.
Only a bit shorter, with the clippers, please.
THEY SAY
Gut. Das dauert etwa eine halbe Stunde.Goot. Dahs DOW-ehrt EH-tvuh IGH-neh KHAHL-beh SHTOON-deh.
Good. That takes about half an hour.
4
YOU FINISH
Danke, das ist perfekt.
DAHN-keh, dahs eest pehr-FEKT.
Thanks, that's perfect.
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
Guten
GOO-tayn
adjective
good (in greetings)
Tag
tahk
noun
day
möchte
MYOKH-teh
verb
would like
Haare
KHAH-reh
noun
hair
schneiden
SHNIGH-dayn
verb
to cut
Bart
bahrt
noun
beard
39 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
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