10 Luxembourgish expressions, conversation guide

Moving to a new country can sometimes be difficult to understand and express yourself in a new language. In order to facilitate your integration in Luxembourg, you will find here the basic expressions to know, as well as a small guide of Luxembourgish conversation. Luxembourg natives will appreciate your effort to speak a little Luxembourgish.

It is important to know that more than 25,000 people arrive in Luxembourg every year. This represents nearly 4% of the population! It’s a good idea to speak a little Luxembourgish to facilitate contact and initial exchanges.

10 phrases to know in Luxembourgish

Moien/ Äddi

Even though it may seem a little trivial, knowing how to say “hello” and “goodbye” in the native language of the residents you are addressing is important. So, to get in touch more easily, remember these 2 very simple Luxembourgish words:“Moïen” for “hello” and “Äddi” for “goodbye”.

Wéi geet et Iech/dir ?

What better way to start a conversation than with the famous ” how are you? This welcoming expression translates into Luxembourgish as ” Wéi geet et Iech? This sentence will often be answered: ” Et geet mir gutt. A bäi dir?”. Which means: “I ‘m fine, how about you?”.

Villmools Thank you

You want to thank someone in Luxembourg? Use the expression ” Thank you ” or ” Villmols Thank you “. You will often be told ” Keng Ursaach ” or ” Gär geschitt” which means “You’re welcome ” and “You’re welcome ” respectively.

Wann ech gelift

“Wann ech gelift” is the equivalent of“please” .

This expression is used a lot in Luxembourg, beyond the only politeness formula to ask for something. It is especially used in the stores when you hand something to someone. This is the case for example when you pay for an item.

Ech heeschen (…)/ Ech si(nn)

When trying to start a conversation with someone, it is very important to introduce yourself! It is a key step to get in touch with your Luxembourgish interlocutor in the administration or in everyday life. So introduce yourself from the start, starting after a “Moses” with ” Ech heeschen ” followed by your first and last name.

You can also introduce yourself by saying“Ech sinn d’Madamm ... “(I am Mrs. ….) or“Ech si den Här ...”(I am Mr.… ) followed by your name

Et deet mer wierklech Leed

Would you like to apologize in Luxembourgish when you bump into someone in the street, or for any other reason? Use theLuxembourg apology expression “Et deet mir Leed“. It is the equivalent of our “sorry!

Ech sichen (…)

Are you lost in Luxembourg or are you looking for something in particular? To tell your Luxembourgish interlocutor that you are looking for something, use the expression “Ech sichen ” followed by the place, thing or person you are looking for. This sentence is synonymous with “I am looking for (…)”.

Kënnt Dir e bësse méi lues schwätzen, wann ech gelift?

Understanding native speakers when you arrive in a new country and learn the language can sometimes be complicated. If you want to ask your interlocutor to speak more slowly, here is the Luxembourgish phrase to use: “Kënnt Dir e bësse méi lues schwätzen, wann ech gelift?”. It means “Can you speak more slowly, please?”.
You can justify this request with ” Ech schwätzen e bësse Lëtzebuergesch” which means “I speak a little Luxembourgish “.

Kënnt Dir dat widderhuelen, wann ech gelift?

Understanding someone in a foreign language the first time can be very difficult. To ask someone to repeat what they have just told you in Luxembourgish, use ” Kënnt Dir dat widderhuelen, wann ech gelift?” which means “Could you please repeat that? ” .

Wéi seet een dat op Lëtzebuergesch?

If you are learning Luxembourgish, but don’t know the correct word to use for the thing you want to refer to, ask ” Wéi seet een dat op Lëtzebuergesch? ” which means “How do you say that in Luxembourgish? “

Wat kann ech fir Iech maachen?

This Luxembourgish phrase is the equivalent of “What can I do for you? This expression is very useful when someone asks you in Luxembourgish.

Luxembourgish conversation guide

You want to go further in your exchanges with Luxembourgish people? We have prepared a short conversation guide for you. It should help you in your first outings in Luxembourg or when looking for a job.

When you arrive in Luxembourg and in order to integrate more easily, here are some useful words and phrases.

In order to facilitate their integration, children who have been integrated into the Luxembourg school system receive language support courses from the moment they arrive. Within a few months, they will quickly become bilingual.

LOD – Lëtzebuerger Online Dictionary

The Lëtzebuerger Online Dictionnaire is a multilingual online dictionary, established by the Luxembourg Ministry of Culture. It lists the words of the Luxembourgish language and offers their translation in German, French, English and Portuguese.

The LOD also includes all the basic grammar and conjugations. It should be useful to everyone… You can consult it on the website www.lod.lu .
It is also available now as a downloadable app on iOS and Google Play.

The Spellchecker.lu platform also allows you to check the spelling of a word in Luxembourgish.

No more excuses to start learning Luxembourgish!

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