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GERMAN LANGUAGE

What you need to know about getting a haircut in Germany

There’s nothing quite like the feeling of having a new haircut, but it can be a bit daunting going to a hairdressers if you don’t speak the language fluently. Here’s what you need to know about visiting a hair salon in Germany.

Published: 26 July 2022 17:11 CEST
Updated: 9 August 2022 09:47 CEST
A hairdresser blow dries her customer's hair.
A hairdresser blow dries her customer's hair. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Magdalena Troendle

How to find a hair salon

Like with most other services, Google Maps is a pretty reliable source for finding hair salons in your local area.

The German word for hairdresser is (der) Friseur, and just typing Friseur into Google Maps while walking down the street will usually bring up several places to choose from.

Another popular app for beauty treatments in Germany is Treatwell which you can use to search for making appointments, choosing services and paying in advance without having to call anybody.

The harder part is picking a good, trustworthy salon. For this, it’s advisable to read Google reviews and also the customer reviews on Treatwell.

Making an appointment

For women’s haircuts, you will need to make an appointment at most salons.

If you find a salon that you like the look of, usually you can just make an appointment on their website or on by phoning them.

Don’t expect your hairdresser to be able to speak English, however, and prepare yourself for the conversation beforehand by looking through our vocabulary list below.

They might ask you to specify exactly what you would like done to your hair (what type of cut or colour; whether you want a blowdry; etc).

What about pricing?

Prices vary, and the price for a cut and colour will depend on the length of your hair – the shorter your hair the less expensive typically. Most hairdressers will list their prices on their websites. 

If you’re having highlights (Stränchen) done, most hairdressers will also list the price for an individual highlight, or for having a full (ganzer Kopf) or half head (halber Kopf) of highlights. 

You can count on spending a minimum of €25-30 for just a cut (Schnitt), and this will be considerably more expensive at fancier salons. A cut and blowdry (with a hair wash) often costs around €60 in Berlin. 

People get their hair cut in Kordel, Rhineland-Palatinate.

People get their hair cut in Kordel, Rhineland-Palatinate. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Harald Tittel

In almost all salons in Germany, you will be asked beforehand if you want your hair to be washed before cutting. For non-German customers, this might seem like a purely rhetorical question but bear in mind that this is something you will also be charged for.

However, it’s advisable not to try and get around the cost of having your hair washed by turning up with already soaking wet hair. Not only will it probably get you off on the wrong good with your hairdresser, but it will prevent them from getting an idea of what your hair usually looks like. 

Tipping

If you’re happy with your haircut, then tipping your stylist between 5 and 15 percent is encouraged. A lot of salons have a piggy bank or box at the cash register with the stylists’ names on them where you can deposit your tip.

Common phrases you might use:

A wash and cut – Einmal waschen und schneiden.

Only trim the ends – Nur die Spitzen schneiden.

I’d like a new hair colour – Ich möchte eine neue Haarfarbe .

I’d like to have highlights – Ich möchte gerne Strähnchen haben.

I would like to have my roots dyed – Ich möchte meinen Ansatz färben lassen.

I would like to have layers cut in my hair – Ich möchte meine Haare stufig schneiden lassen.

I’d like it to be shorter on the sides and long on top –  Ich möchte es seitlich kurz und oben etwas länger.

I’m not sure. What haircut would look good on me? – Ich bin mir nicht sicher. welcher Schnitt würde mir gut passen?

I’d like a perm –  Ich möchte eine Dauerwelle.

Can you straighten it? – Können Sie es glätten?

Can you touch up my roots? – Können Sie mir den Ansatz nachfärben?

I’d like blond overtones/highlights – Ich hätte gerne ein paar blonde Highlights.

I need an elegant hairdo for a wedding – Ich brauche eine elegante Frisur für eine Hochzeitsfeier.

I’d like it to be shorter on the sides and longer on top – Ich möchte es seitlich kurz und oben etwas länger.

The key terms

hair treatment – (die) Haarkur / die Haarmaske

hair – (die) Haare

der Frisur (m)/Die Friseurin (f) –  hairstylist

wash and cut – waschen und schneiden

schneiden und föhnen – cut and blow dry

short hair – kurze Haare 

long hair – lange Haare

straight – glatt 

curly – lockig

fringe – (der) Pony

ponytail – (der) Pferdeschwanz

cut in layers – stufig

electric shaver – der Rasierapparat

ends – (die) Spitze

parting – (der) Scheitel

highlights – (die) Stränchen

blowdry – föhnen 

Toner (a semi-permanent colouring treatment) – die Abmattierung

Member comments

  1. The most important thing you need to know about hairdressers in Germany is that THEY ARE REALLY, REALLY BAD.

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GERMAN LANGUAGE

‘Umpf’: Six noises to help you sound like a German

You may think fancy vocab is the only way to impress your friends in German, but these quirky noises could actually be the key to sounding like a local.

Published: 24 April 2024 17:23 CEST
Updated: 28 April 2024 08:39 CEST
'Umpf': Six noises to help you sound like a German

For most German-language learners, it’s a familiar scenario: you kick off your language journey with textbooks and courses and eventually start to get comfortable with the tricky grammar and vocabulary.

But as soon as you start talking to a native speaker, you’ll probably hear several words you’ve never heard before – and even a few confusing noises that are hard to decipher.

These funny sounds – which are usually described as discourse markers by linguists – can be used to express anything from exhaustion to surprise, or even to check whether the person you’re talking to is listening.

If you want to sound like a native, it’s worth getting familiar with these quirky noises and trying to incorporate them in your everyday speech.

The good news is that they’re a lot more fun to use than the tricky words you learn in language schools.

What’s more, they’re an easy way to add some natural flair and personality to your German.

READ ALSO: What are the different levels in German and how do I reach them?

Tja

Hearing this word can be confusing for foreigners, because it may sound an awful lot like “ja”, or yes.

But rather than being an affirmative response to a question, ‘tja’ is often used ahead of a contradiction or as an expression of scepticism, similar to the English word “well”.

You may also hear “tja”, or even “ja”, simply used as filler words for the speaker to buy time to think about what they’re saying. For example, if a stranger asks you if the next train to Dresden leaves from Platform 3, you may respond with “Ja… nein”, if you aren’t quite sure of the answer.

Another key meaning of ‘tja’ is best summed by a meme that defines it as a the typical German response to the apocalypse, nuclear war, alien attack or having no bread in the house.

When something catastrophic has happened – like the apolocalypse or an empty bread shelf – it can be taken to mean either “I told you so” or “sh*t happens”, casting an ironic light over the gloomy situation.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

Hä

This is a word you won’t read in the German textbooks, but “hä” is a sure-fire way to sound more German in your conversations.

Much like the English “huh?”, you can use “hä?” to express surprise or incomprehension. If a friend from your German course tells you they actually enjoy learning German grammar, then a disbelieving “hä?” is probably an apt response.

In a more banal context, if you haven’t quite understood what somebody’s said, a gentle “hä?” could stand in for the more polite and formal, “wie bitte?”.

A word of warning, though: “hä?” is viewed as very informal and can even be construed as rude in certain situations, so be sure to only use it among people you’re very friendly and familiar with.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

READ ALSO: German word of the day – Hä?

Ne

Whether you’re a fan of German podcasts or have a few German friends who enjoy to speak at length about the world, you’ve probably come across ‘ne’ at some point or other.

It’s generally used at the end of sentences to check that the other person is listening and has understood, similar to the English “right?” or “you know?”.

For that reason, it often has a high inflection, as if you’re asking a question – though you don’t necessarily expect a response.

So next time you embark on a long rant in German, try interjecting a “ne?” or two. This can add variety to your tone and at the very least ensure the other person hasn’t fallen asleep halfway through.

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

Auwa

When a German child trips and falls over at the Spielplatz, the first thing they may shout is, “Auwaaaaa!” before calling on their parents to come and comfort them.

But it’s not just the little ones who use this noise to express pain in Germany – adults will also emit an occasional “auwa!” if they accidentally stub their toe.

A sad teddy bear with broken arm

A sad teddy bear with a broken arm. “Auwa” is the most German way to respond to a painful accident. Photo: Photo by Trym Nilsen on Unsplash

An alternative to “auwa” is the more English-style “auch!”, which is pronounced the same as “ouch!” but spelled differently. This can also be used to respond to a comment that stings a little, as a good-natured way of letting someone know your feelings were hurt.

Here’s how “auwa” is pronounced.

Puh

Though hearing this word may bring some toilet humour to mind, “puh” has less to do with bodily functions than you might expect.

It’s actually more similar to the English word “phew”, which is used to express tiredness or relief.

One scenario you might use “puh” is after running to the bus stop to catch the last bus home. Once you sprint through the doors and sink into your seat, you may let out an exhausted “puh!” to show your relief at having made it.

Before you forget the more childish connotations entirely though, it’s worth knowing you can also use “puh” when encountering something disgusting.

If it’s your turn to take out the Biomüll and the rotten vegetables are starting to emit a foul odour, you might say, “Puh! Es stinkt!” (Ew! It stinks!”), before hurrying to the bins as fast as you can. 

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

READ ALSO: 12 colourful German expressions that’ll add swagger to your language skills 

Uff / Umpf

If you’ve ever eaten an entire bowl of Käsespätzle, you probably know the sensation of feeling so full you’re about to burst.

For precisely this situation, you’ll need to know “umpf” or “uff”. Both of these words neatly sum up that feeling of being stuffed to the brim with food – but not necessarily in a bad way.

A bit like “oof!” in English, “uff” and “umpf” are ways of showing that you’re both sated and a little bit sleepy after a big meal. With Germany’s very hearty cuisine, they’re both expressions that you’ll need in your life fairly often.

Here’s how “uff” is pronounced.

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