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Getting a Haircut in German | 10+ Useful German Phrases

Getting a Haircut in German

Getting a haircut in a new country is not the problem. Leaving the hair salon and also feeling great about your hair is. Let's explore some German phrases for getting a haircut that won't make you look like Krusty the clown.

Last Updated: 02.08.2025
This article is part of our German blog posts series. Also make sure to check out our German texts and our German vocab lists.

Getting a haircut in a foreign country can be intimidating, especially if you don't speak the language fluently. In Germany, as in any country, it's important to be able to communicate with your hairdresser to make sure you get the cut you want.

Here are some useful phrases to help you communicate with your German hairdresser.

General Vocab

der Friseur
hairdresser / barber (male)
die Friseurin
hairdresser (female)
der Friseursalon
hair salon
der Haarschnitt
haircut
die Frisur
hairstyle
die Haare
hair

Making an Appointment

Before you can get your hair cut, you'll need to make an appointment. Here are some phrases to help you schedule your appointment:

Ich möchte einen Termin machen.

I’d like to make an appointment.
Haben Sie heute noch einen Termin frei?

Do you have any appointments available today?
Wann wäre der nächste freie Termin?

When is the next available appointment?
Ich habe einen Termin um 14 Uhr.

I have an appointment at 2pm.

Describing Your Desired Cut

Once you've made your appointment, it's time to describe the cut you want. Here are some phrases to help you communicate your desired style:

Ich hätte gern einen Haarschnitt.

I’d like a haircut.
Nur die Spitzen, bitte.

Just the ends, please.
Bitte nicht zu kurz.

Please not too short.
Können Sie es an den Seiten kürzer machen?

Can you make it shorter on the sides?

Hair Color and Styling

If you want more than a basic haircut, here is the vocabulary to talk about coloring, washing, drying, and styling.

färben
to dye / to color
tönen
to tone (semi-permanent color)
strähnen
to highlight
der Farbton
shade / color tone
waschen
to wash
föhnen
to blow-dry

Questions your Hairdresser will ask

Your hairdresser will probably ask you one or more of these questions. It helps to understand them, so you can answer clearly.

Wie hätten Sie es gern?

How would you like it?
Darf es ein bisschen kürzer sein?

Shall I take a little more off?
Sollen die Seiten ausrasiert werden?

Should the sides be shaved?
Möchten Sie es föhnen lassen?

Would you like it blow-dried?

Asking for Advice

If you're not quite sure what you want, it's okay to ask for advice from your hairdresser. Here are some phrases to help you get their opinion:

Was empfehlen Sie?
What do you recommend?
Was würde mir gut stehen?
What would look good on me?
Denken Sie, dass ich kürzer gehen sollte?
Do you think I should go shorter?

During the Cut

While getting your hair cut, you may need to communicate with your hairdresser to make sure everything is going well. Here are some phrases to help you during the cut:

Können Sie oben noch ein bisschen mehr abschneiden?
Could you take a little more off the top?
Können Sie bitte hinten ein bisschen trimmen?
Could you please trim the back a little?
Ich denke, das ist kurz genug, danke.
I think that's short enough, thank you.

At the End of the Appointment

Once your hair is cut, you may need to communicate about styling or payment. If you like your haircut, you might also want to say something nice about it. Here are some phrases to help you after the cut:

Können Sie bitte meine Haare föhnen?

Can you blow dry my hair, please?
Wie viel schulde ich Ihnen?

How much do I owe you?
Vielen Dank, ich liebe es!

Thank you, I love it!
Das sieht super aus, danke!

That looks great, thank you!

Some More Useful Phrases

Können Sie mir bitte eine neue Frisur schneiden?
Can you please cut me a new hairstyle?
Können Sie bitte meine Haare schneiden?
Can you please cut my hair?
Können Sie bitte meine Seiten kürzen?
Can you please shorten the sides?
Gibt es einen Stil, den Sie empfehlen können?
Is there a style you can recommend?
Können Sie meine Haare schneiden und färben?
Can you cut and color my hair?
Können Sie bitte meine Pony schneiden?
Can you please cut my bangs?

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