39 flirty German pick up lines to make you laugh, cringe & swoon

Love is complicated enough but love in different languages gets even more complicated. If you’re an English-speaker romantically interested in a German-speaker, it’s a great idea to learn their language.

Flirting can be tricky when language barriers and cultural differences are involved, but we’ll help you to bridge these, as we walk you through some German pick up lines from sweet to silly - as well as cultural do’s and don’ts when it comes to flirting with Germans.

How to say flirt in German 

“To flirt” in German is “flirten”, an expression we took from English because it’s not that common. In German-speaking countries, we’re just not known to be particularly flirty people.

There are some old-fashioned terms for the practice of wooing someone though:

  • Schäkern
  • Poussieren
  • Tändeln 
  • Liebäugeln (literally: to eye someone nicely)
  • Herausmausern (originally used for the courting of birds)

How to flirt in German with natural conversation 

The best way of flirting is always the one that doesn’t seem like flirting. Break the ice by saying “hi”, introducing yourself to the other person and talking about everyday topics like your hobbies or the weather. This is how a standard conversation could go.

  • Introducing yourself

Start simple. Just say hallo and ask the other person for their name.

  • Asking how they are, and enquiring about their welfare

Then find out how they’re doing to make sure they’re feeling good about talking to you. Be receptive to their emotions. Only continue if they’re also in a flirty, chatty mood.

  • Talking about where you’re from

Next up, you can tell them a little bit about yourself and get to know them, too. Ask where they’re from and learn about their background.

  • Talking about the weather

Whenever you run out of ideas, you can always talk about the weather in German. That’s probably the safest and easiest conversation topic. 

  • Buying someone a drink

If the conversation is going really well, you can offer to buy them a drink of their choice. Just make it clear that this can also be a coffee or a fruit juice. You don’t want to give the impression that you’re trying to get them drunk. That’s not cool in any country. 

For some inspiration on what to try and order, check out our fresh guide on German drinks.

A diverse man and woman are having coffee on a date, after he tested German pick up lines on her.

39 pick up lines in German to use: Good, cheesy, & cringeworthy

Cringy German pick up lines

Let’s be honest. Most pick up lines are at least a little cringy. So you can either use this as a list of what not to say, or you can use them jokingly.

EnglishGermanIPA
Spotify should name you this week’s hottest single.Spotify sollte dich zum heißesten Single der Woche ernennen.[sbʃpo:ti:fʏ ˈzɔltə dɪç t͡sʊm haɪ̯szəʃtən zɪŋlə de:ɐ̯ vɔxə ɛɐ̯nɛnən]
I lost my phone number. Can I have yours?Ich hab meine Telefonnummer verloren. Kann ich deine haben?[ɪç ha:p ˈmaɪ̯nə te:ləˈfo:nnʊmɐ fɛɐ̯ˈlo:ʁən. kan ɪç ˈdaɪ̯nə ˈha:bən]
Is it you or is it hot in here?Liegt es an dir oder ist es heiß hier drin?[li:kt ɛs an di:ɐ̯ ˈo:dɐ ɪst ɛs haɪ̯s hi:ɐ̯ ˈdʁɪn]
I want to follow my dreams. Can I have your Instagram?Ich will meinen Träumen folgen. Kann ich dein Instagram haben?[ɪç vɪl ˈmaɪ̯nən ˈtʁɔʏ̯mən fɔlgən. kan ɪç ˈdaɪ̯n ˈɪnsta:gʁam ˈha:bən]
Tell me your name, and I'll tell you what you’re called.Nenn mir deinen Namen und ich sag dir wie du heißt.[nɛn mi:ɐ̯ ˈdaɪ̯nən ˈna:mən ʊnt ɪç zak di:ɐ̯ vi:du: haɪ̯sʃt]
Are you an electrician? Because you’re definitely lighting up my day/night!Bist du ein Elektriker/in? Du erhellst definitiv meine/n Tag/Nacht![bɪst du: aɪ̯n e:ˈlɛktʁɪkɐ/ ɪn? du: ɛɐ̯ˈhɛlst ˈde:fɪnɪti:f ˈmaɪ̯nə ˈɛn ta:k / naxt
Are you a magician? Every time I look at you, everyone else disappears.Bist du Magier/in? Jedes Mal, wenn ich dich ansehe, verschwinden alle anderen.[bɪst du: ˈma:gi:ɐ/ɪn?ˈje:dəs ma:l vɛn ɪç dɪç ˈanze:ə fɛɐ̯ˈʃvɪndən ˈalə ˈandəʁən]

Funny German pick up lines

These are silly but if you can can make the other person laugh, that’s a great start!

EnglishGermanIPA
Hey hotty, are you taken already? (Literally: Hey sandwich, are you buttered, yet?)Na Schnitte, schon belegt?[na ˈʃnɪtə, ʃo:n bəˈle:kt]
You're not just amazing, you're the whole toolbox. (Literally: You're not just the hammer, you're the whole toolbox.)Du bist nicht nur der Hammer, du bist der ganze Werkzeugkasten.[du: bɪst nɪçt nu:ɐ̯ de:ɐ̯ ˈhamɐ, du: bɪst de:ɐ̯ ˈgant͡sə vɛɐ̯kˈt͡sɔʏ̯kkastən]
Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk by once more?Glaubst du an Liebe auf den ersten Blick oder soll ich nochmal vorbeigehen?[glaʊ̯pst du: an li:bə aʊ̯f de:n ɛɐ̯stən blɪk o:dɐ zɔl ɪç ˈnɔxma:l fo:ɐ̯ˈbaɪ̯ge:ən]
I think you owe me a drink. When I saw you, I dropped mine.Ich glaube, du schuldest mir einen Drink. Ich hab meinen fallen gelassen, als ich dich gesehen hab.[ɪç ˈglaʊ̯bə du: ˈʃʊldəst mi:ɐ̯ ˈaɪ̯nən dʁɪŋk. ɪç ha:p ˈmaɪ̯nən ˈfalən gəˈlasən als ɪç dɪç gəˈze:ən ha:p]
Sorry, what pick up line would you respond to most positively?Entschuldigung, auf welchen Anmachspruch würdest du noch am positivsten reagieren?[ɛnˈtʃʊldɪgʊŋ, aʊ̯f ˈvɛlçən ˈanmakʃpʁʊx ˈvʏɐ̯dəst du: nɔx am ˈpo:zɪti:vʃtən ʁɛaˈgi:ʁən]
Kiss me if I’m wrong but dinosaurs still exist, right?Küss mich, wenn ich falsch liege, aber Dinosaurier gibt es doch noch, oder?[kʏs mɪç vɛn ɪç falʃ li:gə abɐ ˈdɪno:zaʊ̯ʁi:ɐ gi:pt ɛs dɔx nɔx ˈo:dɐ]

All out - German pick up lines

If you’ve gotten to know a person a little bit, it’s nice to compliment them, preferably on their personality. Find out how you do that - in our helpful guide on German compliments.

Or, if you’re ready to make a big move and go all out with your pick up line, consider one of these.

EnglishGermanIPA
Is your father a thief? It looks like he stole some diamonds and hid them in your eyes…Ist dein Vater ein Dieb? Es sieht so aus, als hätte er ein paar Diamanten gestohlen und sie in deinen Augen versteckt...[ɪst daɪ̯n ˈfa:tɐ aɪ̯n di:p? ɛs zi:t zo: aʊ̯s als ˈhɛtə e:ɐ̯ aɪ̯n pa:ɐ̯ di:amantən gəʃto:lən ʊnt zi: ɪn daɪ̯nən aʊ̯gən fɛɐ̯ʃtɛkt]
Did it hurt when you fell from the sky? You look like you must be an angel…Hat es weh getan, als du vom Himmel gefallen bist? Du siehst aus, als wärst du ein Engel...[hat ɛs ve: gəta:n als du: fɔm hɪməl ˈgəfalən bɪst? du: zi:st aʊ̯s als vɛ:ɐ̯st du: aɪ̯n ɛŋəl]
What sights are there in the city - besides you?Welche Sehenswürdigkeiten gibt es in der Stadt – außer dir?[ˈvɛlçə ˈze:ənsvʏɐ̯dɪçkaɪ̯tən gi:pt ɛs ɪn de:ɐ̯ ʃtat - ˈaʊ̯szɐ di:ɐ̯]
Do you believe in fate?Glaubst du an Schicksal?[glaʊ̯pst du: an ˈʃɪkza:l]
I hope you know CPR, because you just took my breath away!Ich hoffe, du kannst Erste Hilfe, denn du hast mir gerade den Atem geraubt![ɪç hɔfə du: kanst ˈɛɐ̯stə ˈhɪlfə dɛn du: hast mi:ɐ̯ ˈgəʁa:də de:n ˈa:təm gəˈʁaʊ̯pt]
Sorry, I don't know my way around here. Can you show me the way to your heart?Entschuldigung, ich kenne mich hier nicht so gut aus. Kannst du mir den Weg zu deinem Herzen zeigen?[ɛntˈʃʊldɪgʊŋ ɪç ˈkɛnə mɪç hi:ɐ̯ nɪçt zo: gu:t aʊ̯s kanst du: mi:ɐ̯ de:n ve:k t͡su: ˈdaɪ̯nəm ˈhɛɐ̯t͡sən ˈt͡saɪ̯gən]
I noticed that you’re the most beautiful man / woman in the room.Mir ist aufgefallen, dass du der schönste Mann / die schönste Frau im Raum bist.[mi:ɐ̯ ɪst ˈaʊ̯fgəfalən das du: de:ɐ̯ ˈʃø:nstə man / di: ʃø:nstə fʁaʊ̯ ɪm ʁaʊ̯m bɪst]
No wonder the sky is gray. All the color is in your eyes.Kein Wunder, dass der Himmel grau ist. Die ganze Farbe ist in deinen Augen.[kaɪ̯n ˈvʊndɐ das de:ɐ̯ ˈhɪməl gʁaʊ̯ ɪst. di: ˈgant͡sə ˈfaɐ̯bə ɪst ɪn ˈdaɪ̯nən ˈaʊ̯gən]
When God made you, he was seriously showing off.Als Gott dich schuf, wollte er echt angeben.[als gɔt dɪç ʃʊf ˈvɔltə e:ɐ̯ ɛçt ˈange:bən]
If beauty were time, you’d be eternity.Wenn Schönheit Zeit wäre, wärst du die Ewigkeit.[vɛn ˈʃø:nhaɪ̯t t͡saɪ̯t ˈvɛ:ʁə vɛ:ɐ̯st du: di: ˈe:vɪçkaɪ̯t]

Cute German pick up lines

Some lines can actually be quite sweet. I'd go so far as to say opening with sweet potatoes or octopuses can only be the start of a great conversation.

EnglishGermanIPA
If you were a potato, you’d be a sweet potato.Wenn du eine Kartoffel wärst, wärst du eine Süßkartoffel.[vɛn du: aɪ̯nə ˈkaɐ̯tɔfəl vɛ:ɐ̯st vɛ:ɐ̯st du: aɪ̯nə ˈzy:skaɐ̯tɔfəl]
Don't your legs hurt? You've been on my mind all evening. (Literally: Don't your legs hurt? You’ve been walking through my head all night.)Tun dir die Beine nicht weh? Du gehst mir schon den ganzen Abend durch den Kopf.[tu:n di:ɐ̯ di: ˈbaɪ̯nə nɪçt ve: du: ge:st mi:ɐ̯ ʃo:n de:n ˈgant͡sən ˈa:bənt dʊɐ̯ç de:n kɔp͡f]
Do we have a mutual friend who might introduce us to each other?Haben wir einen gemeinsamen Freund, der uns vielleicht einander vorstellen könnte?[ha:bən vi:ɐ̯ ˈaɪ̯nən gəˈmaɪ̯nzamən fʁɔʏ̯nt de:ɐ̯ ʊns fi:ˈlaɪ̯çt aɪ̯nˈandɐ ˈfo:ɐ̯ʃtɛlən ˈkœntə ]
Can I take a picture of you? I'd love to stick it on my wish list to Santa.Kann ich ein Foto von dir machen? Ich würd das gern auf meinen Wunschzettel an den Weihnachtsmann kleben.[kan ɪç aɪ̯n ˈfo:to: fɔn di:ɐ̯ ˈmaxən ɪç vʏɐ̯t das gɛɐ̯n aʊ̯f ˈmaɪ̯nən vˈʊnʃt͡sɛtəl an de:n ˈvaɪ̯naxtsman kle:bən]
I noticed that you didn't notice me.Mir ist aufgefallen, dass ich dir nicht aufgefallen bin.[mi:ɐ̯ ɪst ˈaʊ̯fgəfalən das ɪç di:ɐ̯ nɪçt ˈaʊ̯fgəfalən bɪn]
If I were a cat, I’d spend all nine of my lives with you.Wenn ich eine Katze wäre, würde ich alle sieben Leben mit dir verbringen.[vɛn ɪç aɪ̯nə ˈkat͡sə ˈvɛ:ʁə ˈvʏɐ̯də ɪç alə ˈzi:bən ˈle:bən mɪt di:ɐ̯ ˈfɛɐ̯bʁɪŋən]
If I was an octopus, all my 3 hearts would beat for you.Wenn ich ein Oktopus wäre, würden alle meine 3 Herzen für dich schlagen.[vɛn ɪç aɪ̯n ˈɔkto:pu:s ˈvɛ:ʁə ˈvʏɐ̯dən ˈalə ˈmaɪ̯nə dʁaɪ̯ ˈhɛɐ̯t͡sən fy:ɐ̯ dɪç ˈʃla:gən]
Do you know how heavy a polar bear is? - Heavy enough to break the ice.Weißt du, wie schwer ein Eisbär ist? – Schwer genug, um das Eis zu brechen.[vaɪ̯sʃt du: vi: ʃve:ɐ aɪ̯n ˈaɪ̯sbɛ:ɐ̯ ɪst ʃve:ɐ gənu:k ʊm das aɪ̯z t͡su: ˈbʁɛçən]

A cute couple are at the train station and showing us flirty body language and how to flirt in German

Starting a conversation in German

These aren’t exactly pick up lines but sometimes it’s best to start a conversation without revealing your intentions of hitting on the other person. So it comes in handy to have an excuse like asking them for the time.

EnglishGermanIPA
Hi, how are you?Hi, wie gehts?[hɪ, vi: gəhts]
Excuse me, can you tell me the way to…?Entschuldigung, kannst du mir den Weg zu … sagen?[ɛntˈʃʊldɪgʊŋ, kanst du: mi:ɐ̯ de:n ve:k t͡su: … ˈza:gən]
What’s the time?Wie spät ist es?[vi: ʃpɛ:t ɪst ɛs]
Do you have a lighter? (if you smoke)Hast du mal Feuer?[hast du: ma:l ˈfɔʏ̯ɐ]
Do you like this song?Magst du das Lied?[makst du: das li:t]
Do you come here often?Kommst du öfter her?[kɔmst du: ˈœftɐ he:ɐ]
The weather is so nice. I thought Germany was gonna be rainy.Das Wetter ist so schön. Ich dachte, in Deutschland würde es mehr regnen.[das ˈvɛtɐ ɪst zo: ʃø:n. Ɪç ˈdaxtəɪn ˈdɔʏ̯tʃlant ˈvʏɐ̯də ɛs me:ɐ ˈʁɛgnən]
How can I ever break the ice if it’s this cold?Wie kann ich jemals das Eis brechen, wenn es so kalt ist?[vi: kan ɪç ˈje:ma:ls das aɪ̯z ˈbʁɛçən vɛn ɛs zo: kalt ɪst]

Cultural tips for flirting in German-speaking countries

All the pick up lines mentioned here are pretty tame and safe to use on strangers. In the worst case scenario, the other person will walk away from you, and in the best case scenario, your pick up line was so bad that they start laughing - and humor is the best way to break the ice. Just keep a couple of things in mind before you approach someone:

  • Read the room. It’s often ok to approach someone at a bar or in a club if you feel like they’re open to it, but it’s not okay to use a pick up line on a coworker, for example. 
  • Germans tend to take their time. Establish something like a friendship base. Then you can compliment the other person, preferably on their personality. Find out how you do that - in our helpful guide on German compliments.
  • If they’re not openly flirting back right away, there’s still hope that they might be interested in you. Flirting is usually very subtle here.
  • At the same time, be aware of social cues and body language. If they’re leaning away from you or crossing their arms, you might want to give them some space. Keep in mind that even if they’re not directly telling you no, they might just be polite.
  • Refrain from big gestures and showing big emotions. Don’t tell them “ich liebe dich” right away. There’s a good chance they’ll reply with a firm “tschüß!”

Don’t be like Aurélie

The German band Wir Sind Helden has a hilarious song about a French girl called Aurélie who comes to Germany and entirely misreads the German flirting game because she’s used to French guys who are a lot more assertive. She’s just waiting to be approached and misses that the Germans do in fact like her.

Wir Sind Helden - Aurélie (Official Video): Lyrics

Aurélie, die Männer mögen dich hier sehr

Schau, auf der Straße schaut dir jeder hinterher

Doch du merkst nichts, weil sie nicht pfeifen

Und pfeifst du selbst, die Flucht ergreifen

Du musst wissen, hier ist weniger oft mehr

Ach, Aurélie, in Deutschland braucht die Liebe Zeit

Hier ist man nach Tagen erst zum ersten Schritt bereit

Die nächsten Wochen wird gesprochen

Sich auf's Gründlichste berochen

Und erst dann trifft man sich irgendwo zu zweit

Aurélie, so klappt das nie

Du erwartest viel zu viel

Die Deutschen flirten sehr subtil

Translation:

Aurélie, the men here like you very much

Look, on the street everyone is looking at you

But you don't notice because they don't whistle

And if you whistle yourself, they run away

You should know that here less is often more

Oh, Aurélie, in Germany love takes time

Here it takes days to take the first step

The next few weeks will be spent talking

We talk and talk and talk

And only then do we meet alone 

Aurélie, it'll never work out like this

You’re expecting way too much

The Germans are very subtle at flirting

So what if your pick up line works?

There’s a chance one of these pick up lines or tips on how to flirt in German will actually get you someone’s attention - and then what? Now it’s time to learn German. If “Kommst du öfter her?” is all you got, the conversation will be over pretty quickly, and with it, your dream of a German romance story. 

So make sure you keep reading our German language blog, and you and your love interest never run out of things to say.

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