11 Bavarian Phrases You Need To Own Oktoberfest

The world’s greatest beer festival is about to kick off. Over the next three weeks, around six million people will descend on the Bavarian capital for larger-fuelled hedonism, lederhosen, dirndl and traditional German cuisine. No matter if it’s your first time at ‘the fest’, or if you’ve revelled in the famous beer halls before, these Bavarian phrases will help you own Oktoberfest.

‘O’zapft is!’

Before any beer is spilled, Munich’s mayor has the honour of tapping the first barrel. His shout of ‘O’zapft is!‘ meaning ‘It’s tapped!’ is met with loud applause and cheers from the thirsty thousands assembled.

‘Oans, zwoa, g’suffa!’

Oktoberfest has an unofficial anthem which will be stuck in your head weeks after the last stein is finished. Ein Prosit der Gemütlichkeit is a toast to good company and ends with ‘Oans, zwoa, g’suffa!‘ or ‘One, two, drink!’, so nursing your stein is not an option.

If you want to tell someone how good they look in their dirndl or lederhosen, the traditional outfits worn during Oktoberfest, then say ‘Bist du a feschs Derndl!‘ to tell a woman she looks pretty and ‘Mei Bua, fesche Wadln host,’ to compliment a man on his calves.

One of the many beer tents at Oktoberfest

‘Mogst a Busserl?’

If your compliments lands and the love sparks are flying at Oktoberfest, you can ask ‘Mogst a Busserl?‘ which means ‘Would you like a kiss?’. If the lager has got you feeling feisty, you can shout it at the top of your lungs and see what happens.

‘Griasgood, is da no frei?’

If you don’t get to the beer tents early it’s unlikely you’ll find a table inside. Most people will post up for the entire day, but you can ask ‘Griasgood, is da no frei?‘ in the hope that a friendly Bavarian will offer you and your friends a seat.

You might also like: The Essential Guide to Oktoberfest’s Beers

‘Schleich di!’

If some rowdy Bavarians are ruining your vibe then you can ask them to leave by saying ‘Schleich di!‘. However, the atmosphere around the fest is generally very positive and there are people patrolling the tents to prevent any antisocial behaviour.

‘Ich muss schbei’m!’

After one too many pretzels and a few too many steins you’ll probably be feeling queasy. Shout ‘Ich muss schbei’m!‘ and someone will point you in the direction of the nearest toilet.

‘A brezn und a hendl, bitte!’

While you’re enjoying a Bavarian beer don’t forget to try the snacks. Order a pretzel (Brezn) and a grilled chicken (Hendl) to pair with your stein. Be warned, people don’t use cutlery so be prepared to get your hands dirty.

Crowds of people at Oktoberfest on Munich’s Theresienwiese

You might also like: The Essential Guide to Oktoberfest’s Beer Tents

‘An Guadn!’

This simple phase is used to wish everyone a good meal, and is a great ice breaker when mixing it up with the locals.

‘Olé, Olé, BVB Hurensöhne’

Munich is home to some of the most die-hard football fans on the planet. If you really want to show off then learn this song, which fans of Bayern Munich sing to insult their rivals at BVB Dortmund.

‘Liawa bsuffa und lusdig, ois nichdan und bläd’

One of the great sayings from Oktoberfest translates as ‘It’s better to be drunk and funny, than sober and stupid’. Remember that and you’ll be alright.

This article was created with help from original author Antonia Kuenzel.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.