If you’re buying something, booking an appointment, or signing up for a service, chances are you’ll hear this word — or be called it. Knowing how to say customer in German is essential for real-world interactions, whether you’re in a shop or writing an email.
The word is Kunde — pronounced “KOON-duh” (with a hard K and short “oo” like in put). It sounds polite and formal, and it comes up constantly in everyday speech.
Kunde is masculine, so it’s der Kunde. The plural is die Kunden. For female customers, the word becomes die Kundin, plural die Kundinnen. If you want help sorting out gender rules and patterns, my gender video lesson will make it easier to keep everything straight.
Kunde is one of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German, and it’s used far beyond the checkout line — in sales, marketing, support, and customer experience.
Examples in all four cases:
Nominative:
Der Kunde wartet an der Kasse.
The customer is waiting at the checkout.
Accusative:
Ich sehe den Kunden dort drüben.
I see the customer over there.
Dative:
Wir helfen dem Kunden sofort.
We’ll help the customer right away.
Genitive:
Die Zufriedenheit des Kunden ist uns wichtig.
The customer’s satisfaction is important to us.
Real-World Tips for Learners
Kunde shows up everywhere from the grocery store to your inbox. You’ll hear phrases like der Kunde ist König (the customer is king) and mit einem Kunden sprechen (to speak with a customer). It’s also a common placeholder word in training or workplace scenarios: Was tun, wenn der Kunde unzufrieden ist? (What to do when the customer is unhappy?)
For women, the word becomes Kundin — and in gender-inclusive writing or announcements, you'll often see Kundinnen und Kunden or even the neutral Kundschaft (clientele, customer base). So it’s useful to recognize all these forms even if you’re only using Kunde for now.
This word also appears in business names and phrases like:
Kundenservice – customer service
Kundenkarte – loyalty card
Kundenkonto – customer account
Kundenbewertung – customer review
Stammkunde – regular customer
Finally, don’t confuse Kunde with die Kunde (feminine), which is a poetic or archaic word meaning "tidings" or “news.” That version shows up in old texts and fairy tales, but it’s almost never used in spoken German.
Beginner dialogue using Kunde:
A: Kann ich Ihnen helfen?
B: Ja, ich bin Kunde hier und suche etwas Bestimmtes.
A: Can I help you?
B: Yes, I’m a customer here and I’m looking for something specific.
Now it’s your turn. Think of your answer and say it aloud using Kunde.
“In welchem Geschäft bist du Stammkunde — und warum?”
In which shop are you a regular customer — and why?
Say your answer out loud in German, and make sure to include Kunde in your sentence.
German Word of the Day
Now you know how to say customer in German — and how der Kunde helps you sound natural and polite in daily life and business.
Download the free illustrated PDF of the 1000 most frequently used nouns in German and get fluent with the words people actually use.
Ready for more German Words of the Day?
Check out Künstler — and express creativity with confidence.
Or revisit Laden — and learn how to talk about shops, slang, and everyday errands.