German · Handy / Mobilfunk
You buy a prepaid SIM card at the operator's shop: what to say in German
You buy a prepaid SIM card at a provider's shop.
💡
How it's done. To buy a prepaid SIM in Germany you must show an ID: the provider registers the number; check the rates for calls abroad, including to Ukraine.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 eine Prepaid-SIM-Karte kaufen.
GOO-tayn tahk. Eekh MYOKH-teh IGH-neh pree-PAYT-zeem-KAHR-teh KOW-fayn.
Good day. I'd like to buy a prepaid SIM card.
Or say:Guten Tag, ich brauche eine SIM-Karte für mein Handy.
GOO-tayn tahk, eekh BROW-kheh IGH-neh zeem-KAHR-teh fyoor mighn KHAYN-dee.
THEY SAY
Gern. Haben Sie einen Ausweis dabei? Ich muss Sie registrieren.Gehrn. KHAH-bayn zee IGH-nayn OW-svighs duh-BIGH? Eekh moos zee reh-gees-TREE-rayn.
Gladly. Do you have ID with you? I have to register you.
They might also say:
Natürlich. Zeigen Sie mir bitte Ihren Ausweis zur Registrierung.
Nuh-TYOOR-leekh. TSIGH-gayn zee meer BEE-teh EE-rayn OW-svighs tsoor reh-gees-TREE-roong.
Of course. Please show me your ID for the registration.
2
YOU REPLY
Ja, hier ist mein Pass. Welche Tarife gibt es?
Yah, kheer eest mighn pahs. VEL-kheh tuh-REE-feh geept es?
Yes, here is my passport. Which plans are there?
THEY SAY
Wir haben Tarife mit zehn, zwanzig und vierzig Gigabyte pro Monat.Veer KHAH-bayn tuh-REE-feh meet tsayn, TSVAHN-tseekh oont FEER-tseekh GEE-guh-bight proh MOH-nuht.
We have plans with ten, twenty and forty gigabytes a month.
3
YOU REPLY
Ich brauche viel Internet, auch für Anrufe in die Ukraine.
Eekh BROW-kheh feel EEN-tehr-net, owkh fyoor AHN-roo-feh een dee Oo-kruh-EE-neh.
I need a lot of internet, also for calls to Ukraine.
THEY SAY
Dann nehmen Sie den Tarif mit zwanzig Gigabyte. Für Anrufe in die Ukraine gibt es Zusatzpakete.Dahn NEH-mayn zee dayn tuh-REEF meet TSVAHN-tseekh GEE-guh-bight. Fyoor AHN-roo-feh een dee Oo-kruh-EE-neh geept es TSOO-zuhts-puh-keh-teh.
Then take the plan with twenty gigabytes. There are extra packages for calls to Ukraine.
4
YOU FINISH
Dann nehme ich das. Danke für die Beratung!
Dahn NEH-meh eekh dahs. DAHN-keh fyoor dee beh-RAH-toong!
Then I'll take that. Thanks for the advice!
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
Prepaid-SIM-Karte
pree-PAYT-zeem-KAHR-teh
noun
prepaid SIM card
kaufen
KOW-fayn
verb
to buy
Gern
Gehrn
adverb
gladly
45 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?
Können Sie das bitte aufschreiben?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh OWFSH-righ-bayn?
Can you write it down, please?
Was bedeutet das?
Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
You want to cancel a mobile contract or change your planHandy / Mobilfunk · A2 in the app
→Your phone will not charge and you ask a repairmanHandy / Mobilfunk · A2 in the app
→Your phone screen is cracked and you go to a repair shopHandy / Mobilfunk · A2 in the app
→You want to photocopy documents at a copy shopCopyshop · A1 in the app
→Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report