Essential Viennese Phrases For Your Austria Trip

Planning a trip to Vienna, Austria? It's always good to know some local phrases to help you fit in with the locals and get around with ease. While German is widely spoken in Austria, there are some unique phrases and slang words that are commonly used in Vienna and across the country. From ordering food and drinks to navigating social situations, here are some essential phrases to know:

- Grüß Gott – This phrase, meaning Greet God, is a common greeting used in place of Guten Tag or Hallo.

- Servus – A versatile greeting that can be used as both a casual hello and goodbye.

- Bussi, Baba – This cheerful phrase is the Austrian way of saying Kisses, see you later!

- Oida – This word, similar to dude in English, can be used to express excitement, judgement, or aggression depending on the context.

- Leiwand – This word means cool and is often used to describe something positive or enjoyable.

- Sackerl – Instead of asking for a Tüte (plastic bag), Austrians use this word for a small bag when shopping.

- Semmel – If you're looking for a bread roll, this is the word to know. Austrians use Semmel instead of Brötchen.

- Jausn – This word refers to a snack or a light meal, perfect for when you're out exploring the city.

- Bankl reißen – Literally meaning to tear a bench, this phrase is used humorously to express being extremely full after a big meal.

- Reparaturseidl – This is a fun phrase for a hangover cure, referring to a small beer to help you recover from a night out.

These are just a few examples of the unique phrases and slang you might come across in Vienna. Learning these will not only help you navigate daily situations but also give you a deeper understanding of Austrian culture and connect with the locals.

Greeting people

For the rest of the day, Austrians use the religiously inspired 'Grüß Gott', which translates to 'God's greeting'. This is a more traditional and formal way of greeting someone. 'Guten Tag' and 'Guten Abend' are not very common. In an informal context, you can say 'Hallo', 'Servus', or 'Grüss dich'.

'Servus' is also used as an informal way of saying goodbye, along with 'Tschüss' and 'Pfiat di'. The formal version of saying goodbye is 'Auf Wiedersehen' or 'Auf Wiederschauen'.

When greeting people in Austria, it is important to note the difference between the formal and casual ways of addressing someone. In German, there are two ways of saying 'you': 'du' (casual) and 'Sie' (formal). If you are not familiar with German, it is best to learn the phrases in their formal form to avoid sounding rude.

Ordering food and drink

Coffee Culture

Coffeehouses are an integral part of Viennese culture, and ordering a coffee is a must when in Vienna. Here are some coffee terms to help you navigate the menu:

• Melange: Similar to a cappuccino but usually without cocoa powder, topped with half hot milk and half foamed milk.
• Cappuccino: Typically topped with whipped cream instead of milk.
• Americano: Ask for a verlängerter ("longer" in English).
• Coffee with cream: Order a brauner.
• Espresso or double espresso: Known as schwarzer.
• Franziskaner: Similar to a melange but topped with whipped cream instead of foamed milk.
• Mozart: A double espresso served with a large mound of whipped cream and a small glass of sherry—a true dessert coffee!

Some recommended cafes to try in the city centre include Cafe Pruckel, Cafe Landtmann, Cafe Central, Cafe Hawelka, and Cafe Ritter.

Traditional Food

Viennese cuisine offers a variety of delicious traditional dishes that will satisfy any appetite. Here are some essential phrases and tips for ordering traditional food:

• Wiener Schnitzel: One of Austria's national dishes, it is made from a thin veal or pork cutlet, breaded, and pan-fried in butter or oil. It is typically served with a simple salad, Austrian potato salad, or steamed potatoes/French fries.
• Tafelspitz: A national dish made with tender beef or veal boiled in broth with root vegetables and spices. It is often served in courses, starting with the broth as a soup, followed by the marrow spread on bread, and finally the meat and vegetables.
• Knödel: Dumplings that can be found in soups, as a side dish with meat, or as a sweet dessert.
• Sausages: Ubiquitous and sold at booths around the town and sporting events. The Käsekrainer is considered the "queen of sausages."
• Kaiserschmarrn: Shredded pancake with plum compote, a favourite of Emperor Franz Joseph.
• Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel): A delicate pastry filled with apples, sugar, raisins, rum, cinnamon, and cloves, often garnished with powdered sugar.
• Sachertorte: A dense chocolate cake with a layer of apricot jam and coated in dark chocolate icing. It is considered Austria's most famous dessert.
• Goulash (Rindsgulasch): Tender beef chunks slow-cooked in a rich onion gravy, often served with potatoes or spaetzle.
• Stelze: Pork knuckle, or the knee of a pig, served on the bone with crispy crackling skin.
• Eiernockerl: Tiny dumplings made of flour, water, and eggs, cooked in a pan with eggs and onions, and served with chives and a green salad.
• Käsespätzle: Dumplings baked in the oven with cheese and topped with fried onions, similar to mac and cheese.

Some recommended restaurants for traditional food include Figlmüller, Gmoakeller, Plachutta, and Restaurant Ofenloch.

Drinks

In addition to coffee, Vienna offers a variety of unique drinks to quench your thirst:

• Almdudler: A national treasure in Austria, this herbal lemonade is made with apple juice and a blend of 32 natural alpine herbs.
• Beer: Vienna has a thriving beer culture, with local breweries and craft beer locations. To order a large beer, say "Ich hätt gern a Hoibe, bitte!"
• Wine: Vienna has a significant regional wine industry, with vineyards, wine taverns, and a long tradition of winemaking. Be sure to try the local Gruner Veltliner white wine.

Useful Phrases

• I'd like to order: _Ich möchte bestellen._
• I'd like: _Ich hätte gern._
• I am a vegetarian: _Ich bin Vegetarier._
• I am a vegan: _Ich bin Veganer._
• The bill, please: _Die Rechnung, bitte._
• Cheers: _Prost._

Navigating the menu

When it comes to eating out in Vienna, you'll find a whole host of options, from Austrian classics to global imports. Here are some tips to help you navigate the menu and order like a local.

Traditional Austrian Dishes

If you're looking to sample traditional Austrian cuisine, there are some dishes you're likely to find on most menus.

• Wiener Schnitzel – the classic choice, traditionally made with veal, but you may also find variations with pork or chicken.
• Erdäpfelsalad – a potato side salad, often served with the main course.
• Schweinsbraten – a giant leg of pork wrapped in crackling, served with mustard, horseradish and potato salad.
• Fiakergulasch – a Viennese twist on Hungarian goulash, this is a beef ragout with paprika spices, topped with eggs and sausage, and served with a gherkin.
• Tafelspitz – a fancy Viennese specialty where a fillet of beef is boiled and served with broth.
• Backhendlsalat – fried chicken served on a leafy salad, often with potato salad, and drizzled with pumpkin seed oil.
• Zwiebelrostbraten – roast beef with onions and gravy.

Where to Find the Best Austrian Food

For an authentic, atmospheric experience, seek out the cosy beisl pubs, which are traditional Austrian taverns. Some popular options include:

• Wratschko Gastwirschhaft – a cosy beisl in the 7th district, serving up traditional dishes to a local crowd. The menu is handwritten and unintelligible to most, so your best bet is to ask the waiter for the specials of the day.
• Zwölf Apostkeller – located in a centuries-old cellar in the 1st district, this beer hall serves hearty Austrian fare. The menu is available in English, making it a good option for travellers.
• Gastwirtschaft Steman – a bustling, wood-panelled locale in the 6th district, serving classic Austrian dishes. The schnitzel and Kasierschmarrn are particularly recommended.
• Griechenbeisl – said to be Vienna's oldest restaurant, dating back to the 1500s. It has multiple decorated rooms, each with its own unique history, and is a great place to spot celebrities, past and present.

Alternative Options

If you're looking for something a little different, Vienna also has a lot to offer, from modern twists on traditional dishes to international cuisine.

• Hausbar – located next to Karlsplatz, this restaurant serves a seven-course menu of contemporary international dishes with Austrian influences.
• Lugeck – a gastro-pub take on a wine tavern, serving Austrian classics with a contemporary spin, such as Wiener schnitzel and Tafelspitz.
• Motto – elegant takes on traditional favourites like Tafelspitz and strawberry nougat dumplings, served in a stylish, stripped-back setting in the 5th district.
• Bruder – a focus on unusual nuances, subtle flavours and fermented drinks. Expect pickles, homemade bitters and liqueurs, and fermented foods like homemade vinegars and pickled vegetables.
• Maka Ramen – a hip, artsy, tiny restaurant serving up colourful, out-of-this-world ramen and Japanese tapas.
• Mochi – one of the city's best-loved Japanese fusion restaurants, specialising in sushi, sashimi and donburi bowls.
• Mama Liu & Sons – great-value dim sum, hot pot and noodles in a loft-style dining room.

Language Tips

While German and English are widely spoken in Austria, learning a few local phrases can be helpful and will make you feel more like a local. Here are some phrases to help you navigate the menu and dining experience:

• Oida – this versatile word is often used in the same way that 'dude' is used in English. It can be used to express excitement, judgement or aggression, depending on the context.
• Leiwand – translating to 'cool', this is another very commonly used word, usually expressed earnestly, but sometimes ironically.
• Sackerl – meaning a plastic or paper bag, this is the word to use when asking for a bag in a shop.
• Semmel – a bread roll.
• Wuascht/Wurscht – meaning 'sausage', this is also used to express indifference, in the same way that the English phrase 'I don't care' is used.
• Bussi, Baba – a casual way of saying goodbye to someone, similar to 'see you soon' in English.
• Schau ma Mal – this phrase means 'we'll see' or 'let's see', and is indicative of a relaxed, laid-back attitude to life.

With these tips in mind, you're ready to navigate the menus of Vienna and enjoy some delicious Austrian cuisine!

Asking for the bill

First of all, it's important to note that in German, the word for bill is 'Rechnung', but you can also simply say 'zahlen, bitte!' which means 'the bill, please!'

If you want to be extra polite, you can say 'Danke' (thank you) and 'Bitte' (you're welcome) when you receive the bill.

If you're paying for your meal in cash, you'll need to let the waiter know the total amount you want to pay, including the tip. You can do this by saying 'Auf [number], bitte' (keep the change). For example, if your meal is 11.20 euros, you can say 'dreizehn' (thirteen) and the waiter will deduct that amount from the bills you give them.

If you have the exact change or you're rounding up to a round number, you can simply hand over the money and say 'Stimmt so' (keep the change).

If you want to ask for change, you can say 'Geben Sie mir bitte [number] Euro zurück' (please give me [number] euros back).

So, to summarise, here are some useful phrases for asking for the bill in a restaurant in Vienna:

• 'Rechnung, bitte!' (the bill, please)
• 'Zahlen, bitte!' (the bill, please)
• 'Danke' (thank you)
• 'Bitte' (you're welcome)
• 'Auf [number], bitte' (keep the change)
• 'Stimmt so' (keep the change)
• 'Geben Sie mir bitte [number] Euro zurück' (please give me [number] euros back)

Transport

Vienna has an excellent public transport system, which is cheap, frequent, fast, clean, efficient, and rarely overcrowded. The four main forms of transport are U-Bahn (subway), Schnellbahn or S-Bahn (local train), Straßenbahn (tram) and Autobus (bus).

The transport system works on an honesty basis, with no ticket barriers at stations and no formal, permanent ticket checks. However, you may encounter a conductor wandering down the city train, or run into spot checks at the end of a subway platform. Travelling without a ticket incurs a fine, so it is important to buy one. Nearly all forms of public transport fall under the same municipal organisation, Wiener Linien, so the tickets or network passes you buy are independent of your mode of travel.

Tickets can be purchased from ticket offices in the main stations, ticket machines in stations, the Wiener Linien online store or app, and from Trafik newsagents/tobacconists. Some tickets need to be validated in a stamping machine before boarding. This can be done by putting the ticket face up into the yellow or orange slot on the small boxes found in trams and buses, and at the entrances to U-Bahn and S-Bahn stations and platforms.

Some useful phrases to know when using public transport in Vienna are:

• "Wo ist der (die)...?" ("Where is the...?")
• "Können Sie mir bitte auf der Karte zeigen?" ("Can you please show me on the map?")
• "Ist es weit von hier?" ("Is it far from here?")
• "Geradeaus" ("Straight ahead")
• "Links" ("Left")
• "Rechts" ("Right")

When purchasing tickets, you can ask for:

• "Ein Ticket nach [destination], bitte" ("A ticket to [destination], please")
• "Welche Linie fährt zum/zur [destination]?" ("Which line goes to [destination]?")
• "Wo ist die Haltestelle/Bahnstation?" ("Where is the stop/train station?")

If you want to rent a car or bike, you can use the following phrases:

• "Ich möchte ein Auto/ein Fahrrad mieten" ("I would like to rent a car/a bike")
• "Was kostet es pro Tag?" ("How much does it cost per day?")
• "Gibt es eine Versicherung inklusive?" ("Is insurance included?")

Frequently asked questions