German · Supermarkt / Kasse
Your card is declined and the cashier suggests another way: what to say in German
The card does not go through and the cashier suggests another way.
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How it's done. Some shops take only German Girocard cards; with a Visa or Mastercard it is better to ask first.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
Die Karte wird leider nicht akzeptiert.Dee KAHR-teh veert LIGH-duh neekht uhk-tsep-TEERT.
The card is unfortunately not accepted.
They might also say:
Das hat leider nicht geklappt.
Dahs khaht LIGH-duh neekht geh-KLAHPT.
That unfortunately did not work.
YOU REPLY
Ach so. Können Sie es noch einmal versuchen?
Ahkh zoh. KYOH-nayn zee es nokh IGHN-muhl fehr-ZOO-khayn?
I see. Can you try once more?
Or say:Ich habe noch eine andere Karte.
Eekh KHAH-beh nokh IGH-neh AHN-deh-reh KAHR-teh.
THEY SAY
Gern. Bitte stecken Sie die Karte ein.Gehrn. BEE-teh SHTEH-kayn zee dee KAHR-teh ighn.
Gladly. Please insert the card.
They might also say:
Bitte halten Sie die Karte an das Gerät.
BEE-teh KHAHL-tayn zee dee KAHR-teh ahn dahs geh-RET.
Please hold the card to the device.
2
YOU REPLY
Das hat wieder nicht geklappt. Ich zahle bar.
Dahs khaht VEE-duh neekht geh-KLAHPT. Eekh TSAH-leh bahr.
That did not work again. I'll pay cash.
THEY SAY
Kein Problem. Das sind dann vierzehn Euro zehn.Kighn proh-BLEM. Dahs zeent dahn FEER-tsayn OY-roh tsayn.
No problem. That's fourteen euros ten, then.
3
YOU FINISH
Hier, bitte.
Kheer, BEE-teh.
Here you are.
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
Karte
KAHR-teh
noun
card
wird
veert
verb
becomes
leider
LIGH-duh
adverb
unfortunately
nicht
neekht
adverb
not
akzeptiert
uhk-tsep-TEERT
verb
accepted
so
zoh
adverb
so, like this
27 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?
Similar situations
You look for a product in a big shopSupermarkt / Kasse · A1 in the app
→In the queue you have only two items and ask to go aheadSupermarkt / Kasse · A1 in the app
→At the till the price is different from the shelfSupermarkt / Kasse · A2 in the app
→At the cheese and sausage counterSupermarkt / Kasse · A1 in the app
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