German · Verspätung / Störung
The train is late and you risk missing your connection: what to say in German
The train is late and you risk missing your connection.
💡
How it's done. If a delay exceeds a certain limit, passengers are entitled to a partial refund; keep the ticket and fill in a form in the app or at the station.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, mein Zug hat Verspätung. Ich verpasse meinen Anschluss.
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, mighn tsook khaht fehrsh-PEH-toong. Eekh fehr-PAH-seh MIGH-nayn AHNSH-loos.
Excuse me, my train is delayed. I'll miss my connection.
Or say:Entschuldigung, ich habe meinen Anschluss verpasst. Was soll ich tun?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, eekh KHAH-beh MIGH-nayn AHNSH-loos fehr-PAHST. Vahs zol eekh toon?
THEY SAY
Kein Problem. Der nächste Zug fährt in einer halben Stunde.Kighn proh-BLEM. Dehr NEKS-teh tsook fehrt een IGH-nuh KHAHL-bayn SHTOON-deh.
No problem. The next train leaves in half an hour.
They might also say:
Das kommt leider oft vor. Es gibt in einer Stunde einen anderen Zug.
Dahs komt LIGH-duh oft for. Es geept een IGH-nuh SHTOON-deh IGH-nayn AHN-deh-rayn tsook.
Unfortunately that happens often. There is another train in an hour.
2
YOU REPLY
Kann ich mein Ticket für diesen Zug benutzen?
Kahn eekh mighn TEE-ket fyoor DEE-zayn tsook beh-NOO-tsayn?
Can I use my ticket for this train?
THEY SAY
Ja, Ihr Ticket gilt auch für den nächsten Zug.Yah, eer TEE-ket geelt owkh fyoor dayn NEKS-tayn tsook.
Yes, your ticket is also valid for the next train.
3
YOU FINISH
Alles klar, vielen Dank!
AH-les klahr, FEE-layn dahnk!
Understood, thank you very much!
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
Zug
tsook
noun
train
hat
khaht
verb
has
Verspätung
fehrsh-PEH-toong
noun
delay
verpasse
fehr-PAH-seh
verb
I miss
Anschluss
AHNSH-loos
noun
connection, port
Problem
proh-BLEM
noun
problem
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?
Was bedeutet das?
Vahs beh-DOY-tet dahs?
What does this mean?
Similar situations
The train is cancelled and buses run insteadVerspätung / Störung · A2 in the app
→Your train is more than an hour late and you ask about compensationVerspätung / Störung · A2 in the app
→You ask the driver whether the bus goes where you needBus / U-Bahn / Tram · A1 in the app
→On the tram you ask whether a seat is freeBus / U-Bahn / Tram · 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