20 German Compliments: Guide To Giving And Receiving Compliments In German

Picture this: You’re strolling through Berlin, you hear the melody of a street violinist. You want to compliment them, but the German words escape you.

Frustrating, right?

Fear not, Sprachfreund! You’re about to become a compliment expert. This guide will show you 20 German compliments that’ll sparkle in any conversation.

First, let’s check out Easy German’s video on how to compliment in German:

From personality praises warmer than Glühwein (one of the must-knows of German traditions) to appearance accolades brighter than Christmas markets, we’ve got you covered.

Personality compliments in German when you want to compliment someone

1. Du bist sehr nett. (You’re very nice.)

This is a neutral, all-purpose compliment.

It can be used in most social situations, whether formal or informal. It’s a safe choice for complimenting someone you don’t know very well.

Anna: “Danke, dass du mir bei meinem Umzug geholfen hast. Du bist sehr nett.” (Thanks for helping me with my move. You’re very nice.)
Max: “Gerne! Das mache ich doch gern für Freunde.” (You’re welcome! I’m happy to do that for friends.)

2. Du hast einen tollen Sinn für Humor. (You have a great sense of humor.)

It’s best used among friends or in casual settings. It’s a great way to make someone feel good about their personality.

Lisa: “Dein Witz war so lustig! Du hast einen tollen Sinn für Humor.” (Your joke was so funny! You have a great sense of humor.)
Tim: “Danke! Ich freue mich, dass ich dich zum Lachen bringen konnte.” (Thanks! I’m glad I could make you laugh.)

3. Du bist so geduldig. (You’re so patient.)

This neutral compliment means “You’re so patient.”

It can be used in different contexts, from professional to personal, and is appropriate for most situations.

Lehrer: “Du bist so geduldig mit den Schülern. Das ist eine wichtige Eigenschaft für einen Lehrer.” (You’re so patient with the students. That’s an important quality for a teacher.)
Kollegin: “Vielen Dank. Ich versuche, jeden Schüler individuell zu unterstützen.” (Thank you very much. I try to support each student individually.)

Give compliments for someone’s look

4. Du siehst gut aus! (You look good!)

This is a casual, friendly compliment.

It’s good and can be used in many situations, but it’s more common among friends or in informal settings.

Markus: “Wow, du siehst gut aus! Gehst du auf eine Party?” (Wow, you look good! Are you going to a party?)
Julia: “Danke! Ja, ich treffe mich mit Freunden zum Essen.” (Thanks! Yes, I’m meeting friends for dinner.)

5. Ich mag dein Lächeln. (I like your smile.)

This is a sweet, somewhat personal compliment. It’s more intimate and is usually used between close friends or in romantic contexts.

David: “Weißt du, was ich an dir am meisten mag? Ich mag dein Lächeln.” (You know what I like most about you? I like your smile.)
Sarah: “Oh, das ist so süß von dir. Danke!” (Oh, that’s so sweet of you. Thank you!)

6. Dein neuer Haarschnitt steht dir ausgezeichnet. (Your new haircut suits you excellently.)

Another neutral compliment. It’s appropriate for different settings and is a great way to compliment someone’s appearance without being too personal.

Frau Schmidt: “Dein neuer Haarschnitt steht dir ausgezeichnet, Herr Müller.” (Your new haircut suits you excellently, Mr. Müller.)
Herr Müller: “Vielen Dank, Frau Schmidt. Ich war mir nicht sicher, ob es mir steht.” (Thank you very much, Mrs. Schmidt. I wasn’t sure if it suited me.)

Best compliments in German for achievements

7. Das hast du toll gemacht! (You did that great!)

This enthusiastic compliment means “You did that great!”

It’s perfect for both formal and informal situations and is used to praise someone’s work or accomplishment. It’s really good to hear this from your boss 😉

Chef: “Der Projektbericht war hervorragend. Das hast du toll gemacht!” (The project report was excellent. You did that great!)
Mitarbeiter: “Danke schön. Ich habe hart daran gearbeitet.” (Thank you. I worked hard on it.)

8. Ich bin stolz auf dich. (I’m proud of you.)

This is a warm, personal compliment.

It’s usually used by family members, close friends, or mentors to express pride in someone’s achievement.

Mutter: “Du hast dein Examen bestanden! Ich bin stolz auf dich.” (You passed your exam! I’m proud of you.)
Sohn: “Danke, Mama. Das bedeutet mir viel.” (Thanks, Mom. That means a lot to me.)

9. Du hast dich selbst übertroffen. (You’ve outdone yourself.)

This German compliment is used to express that someone has performed even better than expected. When you did something perfectly and went even beyond that, you can use this compliment.

Trainer: “Deine Leistung heute war unglaublich. Du hast dich selbst übertroffen.” (Your performance today was incredible. You’ve outdone yourself.)
Athlet: “Vielen Dank. Ich habe in letzter Zeit viel trainiert.” (Thank you very much. I’ve been training a lot lately.)

Learn appropriate compliments for work

10. Tolle Arbeit! (Great work!)

This simple, enthusiastic compliment means “Great work!”

It’s versatile and can be used in various professional settings, from offices to classrooms.

Kollege: “Ich habe deinen Bericht gelesen. Tolle Arbeit!” (I read your report. Great work!)
Anna: “Danke sehr. Ich freue mich, dass er dir gefallen hat.” (Thank you very much. I’m glad you liked it.)

11. Deine Präsentation war sehr überzeugend. (Your presentation was very convincing.)

This more formal compliment means “Your presentation was very convincing.”

It’s perfect for professional settings, especially after meetings or conferences.

Manager: “Deine Präsentation war sehr überzeugend. Die Kunden waren beeindruckt.” (Your presentation was very convincing. The clients were impressed.)
Mitarbeiter: “Das freut mich zu hören. Ich habe viel Zeit in die Vorbereitung investiert.” (I’m glad to hear that. I invested a lot of time in preparation.)

12. Du bist eine echte Bereicherung für unser Team. (You’re a real asset to our team.)

This thoughtful compliment means “You’re a real asset to our team.”

It’s more formal and is typically used in professional settings to express appreciation for a colleague’s contributions.

Abteilungsleiterin: “Deine Ideen sind immer so innovativ. Du bist eine echte Bereicherung für unser Team.” (Your ideas are always so innovative. You’re a real asset to our team.)
Teammitglied: “Vielen Dank für die Anerkennung. Ich arbeite gern mit diesem Team.” (Thank you very much for the recognition. I enjoy working with this team.)

Learn German compliments you can give in a restaurant

13. Das Essen schmeckt wunderbar! (The food tastes wonderful!)

This one is a common and appreciated compliment in restaurants, suitable for both casual and fine dining experiences.

Gast: “Das Essen schmeckt wunderbar! Mein Kompliment an den Koch.” (The food tastes wonderful! My compliments to the chef.)
Kellner: “Vielen Dank. Ich werde es in der Küche weitergeben.” (Thank you very much. I’ll pass it on to the kitchen.)

14. Die Atmosphäre hier ist sehr gemütlich. (The atmosphere here is very cozy.)

This one is a nice way to compliment the overall ambiance of a restaurant or café.

Lisa: “Das ist ein schönes Restaurant. Die Atmosphäre hier ist sehr gemütlich.” (This is a nice restaurant. The atmosphere here is very cozy.)
Thomas: “Ja, das stimmt. Es ist perfekt für einen entspannten Abend.” (Yes, that’s true. It’s perfect for a relaxed evening.)

How to receive compliments and respond to German compliments

15. Danke schön! (Thank you in German)

Danke schön is always good for responding to compliments in almost any situation, whether formal or informal.

Max: “Dein Deutsch hat sich sehr verbessert!” (Your German has improved a lot!)
Laura: “Danke schön! Ich übe jeden Tag.” (Thank you! I practice every day.)

16. Das freut mich zu hören. (I’m glad to hear that.)

This neutral response means “I’m glad to hear that.”

It’s a modest way to accept a compliment while expressing appreciation for the kind words.

Chef: “Ihre Präsentation heute war ausgezeichnet.” (Your presentation today was excellent.)
Angestellter: “Das freut mich zu hören. Ich habe viel Zeit in die Vorbereitung investiert.” (I’m glad to hear that. I invested a lot of time in preparation.)

17. Wie nett von dir, das zu sagen. (How kind of you to say that.)

A friendly response and a warm way to acknowledge a compliment, especially good for more personal or informal situations.

Freundin: “Du siehst heute wirklich toll aus!” (You really look great today!)
Anna: “Wie nett von dir, das zu sagen. Du bist immer so aufmerksam.” (How kind of you to say that. You’re always so attentive.)

18. Du bist zu freundlich. (You’re too kind.)

A modest and a humble way to accept a compliment while gently deflecting excessive praise.

It can be used in both formal and informal settings.

Kollege: “Dein Vortrag war brillant. Du bist ein echtes Naturtalent!” (Your talk was brilliant. You’re a real natural!)
Speaker: “Du bist zu freundlich. Ich habe einfach ein interessantes Thema.” (You’re too kind. I just have an interesting topic.)

19. Das bedeutet mir viel. (That means a lot to me.)

It’s a sincere way to show that you truly appreciate the compliment, often used for more meaningful or personal praise.

Mentor: “Ich bin wirklich stolz auf deine Entwicklung in diesem Jahr.” (I’m really proud of your development this year.)
Schüler: “Danke, das bedeutet mir viel. Ihre Unterstützung war sehr wichtig für mich.” (Thank you, that means a lot to me. Your support was very important to me.)

20. Gleichfalls! (Likewise!)

This response means “Likewise!” or “Same to you!”

It’s a friendly way to return a compliment, especially useful when someone compliments you on something you both share or have in common.

Nachbar: “Du hast einen wunderschönen Garten!” (You have a beautiful garden!)
Gartenbesitzer: “Vielen Dank! Gleichfalls! Deine Rosen sind besonders schön.” (Thank you very much! Likewise! Your roses are especially beautiful.)

Practice worksheet – give German compliments effortlessly

Give German compliments effortlessly in your German conversations. We made a practice worksheet just for you, so you can practice it!

And don’t worry! We’ve got more: just click the button now, and you’ ll get access to our Full Practice Worksheet Library.

Learn German compliments you always want to tell and hear with Conversation Based Chunking

You can learn these German compliments by repeating them to yourself, or… you can use the Conversation Based Chunking method. It’s a special approach that breaks down longer German sentences into manageable chunks.

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