German · Studierendenwerk / Mensa
You go to the student canteen for the first time: what to say in German
It is your first time in the student canteen.
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How it's done. In the Mensa you pay with a card (Mensakarte) that you top up at a machine; you choose a dish and show the card at the till. Prices are lower for students.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, wie funktioniert die Mensa?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, vee foonk-tsee-oh-NEERT dee MAYN-zuh?
Excuse me, how does the canteen work?
Or say:Entschuldigung, wo kann ich hier bezahlen?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, voh kahn eekh kheer beh-TSAH-layn?
THEY SAY
Sie brauchen eine Mensakarte. Die laden Sie am Automaten auf.Zee BROW-khayn IGH-neh MAYN-zuh-kuhr-teh. Dee LAH-dayn zee ahm ow-toh-MAH-tayn owf.
You need a Mensa card. You top it up at the machine.
They might also say:
Sie bezahlen mit Ihrer Mensakarte. Den Automaten finden Sie am Eingang.
Zee beh-TSAH-layn meet EE-ruh MAYN-zuh-kuhr-teh. Dayn ow-toh-MAH-tayn FEEN-dayn zee ahm IGHN-gahng.
You pay with your Mensa card. You'll find the machine at the entrance.
2
YOU FINISH
Danke. Und was gibt es heute?
DAHN-keh. Oont vahs geept es KHOY-teh?
Thanks. And what is there today?
THEY SAY
Das steht auf der Tafel da vorne.Dahs shtet owf dehr TAH-fel duh FOR-neh.
It's on the board there in front.
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
wie
vee
adverb
how
funktioniert
foonk-tsee-oh-NEERT
verb
works
Mensa
MAYN-zuh
noun
canteen
brauchen
BROW-khayn
verb
to need
Mensakarte
MAYN-zuh-kuhr-teh
noun
canteen card
laden
LAH-dayn
verb
to load, to charge
19 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
You do not know how to top up your canteen cardStudierendenwerk / Mensa · A1 in the app
→You borrow a book from the university libraryBibliothek · A2 in the app
→You want to extend a loanBibliothek · A2 in the app
→You ask whether your credits from Ukraine can be recognisedImmatrikulation · A2 in the app
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