das Pfand das PFANT
the bottle/PET deposit
PFAND = a deposit on packaging, very typical of Germany. You pay an extra ~25 cents on a PET bottle or can (even more on returnable beer bottles). You bring the packaging back to the “Pfandautomat” and get the money back. DON'T throw away PET bottles — they're money!
die Kasse di KA-se
the checkout/till
At the checkout everything goes FAST — the cashier scans quickly and you have to grab your groceries just as fast. People often pay with “EC-Karte/Girocard” (debit card) or cash. Credit cards aren't accepted everywhere at discounters (Aldi/Lidl).
die Tüte di TÜ-te
the bag
The bag is NOT free — it costs ~15–25 cents and they always ask “Brauchen Sie eine Tüte?”. Many Germans bring their own bag (“der Beutel” / “die Stofftasche”). Quick answer: “Nein, danke” or “Ja, bitte”.
das Kleingeld das KLAIN-ghelt
the small change
“Haben Sie es klein?” = do you have exact/small change? — they often ask if you pay cash, so they don't give a lot of change. For the shopping cart you need a coin (1 € or 50 cents) as a “deposit” — you get it back.
der Pfandautomat der PFANT-au-to-mat
the bottle return machine
“Der Pfandautomat” = the machine where you insert empty bottles/cans. It prints a voucher (“der Pfandbon”) with the amount, which you hand in at the checkout to deduct from your total or get cash. It's near the entrance, often in the empties area (“Leergut”).
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