Speaking Practice - Role Play: Everyday Transactional Scenarios

The role-play task 🎤

In the Speaking exam you act out a short **role play**: an everyday situation such as ordering in a café, buying something in a shop, or asking at a station. You will need polite phrases, the right level of formality, and the correct **question words**. This module gives you all three.

Du and Sie 🗣️

German has two words for "you", and choosing the right one matters: - **du** is informal, for a friend, a family member or someone your own age. - **Sie** (always a capital S) is formal or polite, for an adult you do not know, such as a shopkeeper or waiter. In a role play with a stranger, use **Sie**.

Du or Sie?

You are in a shop, speaking to a shopkeeper you do not know. Should you use du or Sie?

• Sie (formal, for someone you do not know)
• du (informal, for friends and family)
• It never matters which you use
• wir (we)

Polite phrases 🙏

A few chunks make you sound polite and score marks: - **ich möchte** = I would like - **bitte** = please - **danke** = thank you - **die Rechnung** = the bill

Match each German phrase to its meaning

Question words ❔

To ask for what you need, learn the key question words: - **wie viel** = how much / how many - **wo** = where - **wann** = when - **um wie viel Uhr** = at what time

Match each question word to its meaning

Ask the price

Which words do you use to ask how much something costs?

• wie viel
• wo (where)
• wann
• danke

Order in a café

An interactive activity.

Useful role-play phrases

Select the THREE phrases that would be useful in a transactional role play.

• Ich möchte... (I would like)
• Haben Sie...? (Do you have?)
• Wo ist...? (Where is?)
• Der Hund ist blau (The dog is blue)
• Sie sind ein Tisch (You are a table)
• Guten Tag wie viel Pizza Katze

At the station 🚉

Travel scenarios come up often. A few essentials: - **eine Fahrkarte** = a ticket - **der Bahnhof** = the station - **die Straße** = the street - **Wo ist...?** = Where is...?

Buy a ticket

Which phrase asks for a train ticket?

• Eine Fahrkarte, bitte
• Einen Kaffee, bitte
• Die Rechnung, bitte
• Danke schön

Complete the role play

To order politely: Ich _____ einen Kaffee, bitte. To ask the price: Wie _____ kostet das? To ask for the bill: Die _____, bitte. To say thanks: _____.

Role-play summary

In the role play, use _____ (not du) with someone you do not know. Say ich _____ to order politely, and _____ for please. Ask wie _____ to find out the price.