German · Supermarkt / Kasse
The self-checkout is not working properly and you call an assistant: what to say in German
The self-checkout does not work as it should and you call an employee.
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How it's done. At a Selbstbedienungskasse (self-checkout) you scan the goods yourself; if something goes wrong you call an employee; put your bag in the weighing area, otherwise the machine stops.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
THEY SPEAK FIRST
THEY SAY
Brauchen Sie Hilfe an der Selbstbedienungskasse?BROW-khayn zee KHEEL-feh ahn dehr ZELPST-beh-dee-noongs-kuh-seh?
Do you need help at the self-checkout?
They might also say:
Kann ich Ihnen helfen? Die Kasse hat ein Problem.
Kahn eekh EE-nayn KHEL-fayn? Dee KAH-seh khaht ighn proh-BLEM.
Can I help you? The till has a problem.
YOU REPLY
Ja, bitte. Das Gerät sagt, ich soll den Artikel in die Ablage stellen. Ich verstehe es nicht.
Yah, BEE-teh. Dahs geh-RET zahkt, eekh zol dayn AHR-tee-kel een dee AH-bluh-geh SHTEH-layn. Eekh fehrsh-TEH-eh es neekht.
Yes, please. The device says I should put the article on the shelf. I don't understand it.
Or say:Ja, die Kasse hört nicht auf zu piepen.
Yah, dee KAH-seh khyort neekht owf tsoo PEE-payn.
THEY SAY
Legen Sie den Artikel bitte in die Tüte, nicht auf die Waage daneben.LEH-gayn zee dayn AHR-tee-kel BEE-teh een dee TYOO-teh, neekht owf dee VAH-geh DAH-neh-bayn.
Please put the article in the bag, not on the scales next to it.
2
YOU REPLY
So? Jetzt geht es.
Zoh? Yehtst get es.
Like this? Now it works.
THEY SAY
Ja, genau. Jetzt scannen Sie weiter. Am Ende zahlen Sie mit Karte oder bar.Yah, geh-NOW. Yehtst SKAH-nayn zee VIGH-tuh. Ahm AYN-deh TSAH-layn zee meet KAHR-teh OH-duh bahr.
Yes, exactly. Now keep scanning. At the end you pay by card or cash.
3
YOU FINISH
Danke, das ist nett.
DAHN-keh, dahs eest net.
Thanks, that's kind.
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
Brauchen
BROW-khayn
verb
to need
Hilfe
KHEEL-feh
noun
help
Selbstbedienungskasse
ZELPST-beh-dee-noongs-kuh-seh
noun
self-checkout
Ja
Yah
adverb
yes
Gerät
geh-RET
noun
device
sagt
zahkt
verb
says
37 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 mir das zeigen?
KYOH-nayn zee meer dahs TSIGH-gayn?
Can you show me?
Similar situations
You cannot unlock a trolley outside the supermarketSupermarkt / Kasse · A1 in the app
→You see an expired product in the supermarket and say soSupermarkt / Kasse · A2 in the app
→At the supermarket checkout they ask about a card and a bagSupermarkt / Kasse · A1 in the app
→Your card is declined and the cashier suggests another waySupermarkt / Kasse · 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