How to Ask If a Store Has a Specific Item

Learn how to ask if a store has a specific item

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Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do German by GermanPod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to ask if a store has something in German.

For example, "Is there any salt?" is

Haben Sie Salz?

Aron Ahrens is at a small grocery store and wants to buy some salt.

He gets the clerk's attention and asks if the store has some salt.

Before you hear the conversation, let's preview some of its key components.

Salz

"salt"

Salz

hier

"here"

hier

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Salz?

Ja, das Salz ist hier.

Once more with the English translation.

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Salz?

"Excuse me, do you have salt?"

Ja, das Salz ist hier.

"Yes, the salt is here."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Aron asks,

"Excuse me, do you have salt?"

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Salz?

First is Entschuldigung, meaning, "Excuse me." Entschuldigung. Entschuldigung.

Next is haben, meaning "have." haben. haben.

Next is Sie, "you," in formal German. Sie. Sie.

Note Sie literally means "they," but it's also a formal way to address a single person, as is the case here, where Aron is addressing the clerk.

After that is Salz, "salt." Salz. Salz.

All together, Entschuldigung, haben Sie Salz? This literally means "Excuse me, have you salt?" but translates as "Excuse me, do you have salt?"

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Salz?

Let’s take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how the shop clerk says,

"Yes, the salt is here."

Ja, das Salz ist hier.

This starts with the expression, ja, "yes." ja. ja.

It answers Aron 's question,

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Salz?

"Excuse me, do you have salt?"

After that is das Salz, "the salt." Das Salz.

Let’s start with Salz, "salt." Salz. Salz.

In German, all nouns have grammatical gender and are either singular or plural. Salz is neuter and singular — a fact which will determine the form of other words in the sentence.

Before Salz is the article das. Think of it like "the" in English. Das. Das.

Das is neuter, and singular to agree with Salz.

Together, das Salz, "the salt." Das Salz.

Next is ist, "is," as in "the salt is…" Ist. Ist.

Ist is from the verb sein, "to be." Sein.

Note: if the requested item is plural, such as die Eier, "the eggs," the verb ist is replaced with sind, as in Die Eier sind hier, "The eggs are here."

Last is hier, "here." Hier. Hier.

All together, it's Ja, das Salz ist hier. "Yes, the salt is here."

Ja, das Salz ist hier.

The pattern is

Haben Sie ITEM?

"Do you have ITEM?"

Haben Sie ITEM?

To use this pattern, simply replace the {ITEM} placeholder with the thing you’re looking for.

Note: This pattern requires a noun.

Imagine you’re looking for milk.

Milch. "Milk." Milch. Milch.

Say, "Do you have milk?"

Ready?

Haben Sie Milch?

"Do you have milk?"

Haben Sie Milch?

For this lesson, let’s review definite articles for singular nouns.

The definite article is like the English "the," as in "the milk." Die Milch.

The masculine definite article is der, as in der Zucker, "the sugar."

The feminine definite article is die, as in die Pizza, "the pizza."

The neuter definite article is das, as in das Salz, "the salt."

Some items are usually put into the plural form. For example, eggs. Die Eier. Die Eier.

Again, the key pattern is

Haben Sie ITEM?

"Do you have ITEM?"

Haben Sie ITEM?

Let's look at some examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Haben Sie Salz?

"Do you have salt?"

Haben Sie Salz?

Haben Sie Milch?

"Do you have milk?"

Haben Sie Milch?

Haben Sie Wasser?

"Do you have water?"

Haben Sie Wasser?

Haben Sie Eier?

"Do you have eggs?"

Haben Sie Eier?

Wo ist der Zucker?

"Where is the sugar?"

Wo ist der Zucker?

Did you notice how the native speaker used a slightly different pattern?

Wo ist der Zucker?

"Where is the sugar?"

With this question, you are presuming that the shop has sugar.

First is wo, "where." Wo. Wo.

Next is ist, "is." Ist.

Ist is from the verb sein, meaning "to be." Sein.

After this is der Zucker, "the sugar." Der Zucker.

Zucker, "sugar." Zucker. Zucker.

Zucker is masculine and singular.

Before this is der, "the." Der. Der.

Der is masculine and singular to agree with Zucker.

All together, Wo ist der Zucker? This literally means "Where is the sugar?"

Wo ist der Zucker?

This pattern is

Wo ist ITEM?

"Where is ITEM?"

You should be aware of this pattern, but you won’t need it for this lesson.

Let's review the new words.

Milch

"milk"

Milch

Wasser

"water"

Wasser

Eier

"eggs"

Eier

Eier.

Zucker

"sugar"

Zucker

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember the formal way to say

"Excuse me."

Entschuldigung.

And how to say "salt?"

Salz

Do you remember how Aron Ahrens asks,

"Excuse me, do you have salt?"

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Salz?

Do you remember how to say "yes?"

And how to say "here?"

hier

Do you remember how to say "the salt?"

das Salz

Do you remember how the clerk says,

"Yes, the salt is here."

Ja, das Salz ist hier.

Do you remember how to say "milk?"

Milch

And how to say "the milk?"

die Milch

Do you remember how to say "sugar?"

Zucker

And how to say "the sugar?"

der Zucker

Do you remember how to say "eggs?"

Eier

Do you remember how to say "the eggs?"

die Eier

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Aron Ahrens , and you're at the grocery store. Get the shopkeeper's attention and ask if they have milk, or Milch.

Ready?

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Milch?

Ja, die Milch ist hier.

Listen again and repeat.

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Milch?

Let's try another.

Imagine you’re Aylin Ahrens, and you’re at the grocery store to buy eggs, or Eier.

Ready?

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Eier?

Ja, die Eier sind hier.

Listen again and repeat.

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Eier?

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you’re Anouk Ahrens , and you’re at the grocery store to buy sugar, or Zucker.

Ready?

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Zucker?

Ja, der Zucker ist hier.

Listen again and repeat.

Entschuldigung, haben Sie Zucker?

In this lesson, you learned how to ask if a store has something. This plays an essential role in the larger skill of shopping at a grocery store. Let’s review.

Do you remember how to say "please?"

Bitte.

Do you remember how Aron says,

"This, please."

Das, bitte.

Imagine you're Jack Jones , and you're at a grocery store, and you'd like to buy something located close to the clerk.

Do you remember how to say "this" in German?

Das

Ask the clerk for "this."

Das, bitte.

Bitte.

Listen again and repeat.

Das, bitte.

You remembered that you also wanted to buy milk

Do you remember how to say "milk" in German?

Milch.

Now ask the clerk if the store has milk.

Ready?

Haben sie Milch?

Ja, die Milch ist hier.

Listen again and repeat.

Haben sie Milch?

Well done! This is the end of this lesson.

In this lesson, you learned how to ask if a store has something, an essential skill for shopping at a grocery store.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

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