Also, na ja, genau: German filler words that make you sound natural

German filler words are the small words speakers use to react, gain time and keep a conversation flowing. The most common are also (so, well), na ja (well, hesitantly), genau (exactly, right), ähm, halt, eigentlich and the tags ne? and oder?. The most famous, genau, literally means "exactly", but in everyday talk it is simply a friendly "yes, that's right". Using a handful of these makes your German sound natural and gives you a moment to think.

#What are German filler words?

Filler words do not carry much information, but they do a lot of social work. They show you are listening, soften what you say, mark the start or end of a thought and fill the gap while you look for the next word. Every language has them: English has "well", "so", "like" and "you know".

Some German fillers overlap with modal particles, the small words such as doch, mal and ja that change the tone of a sentence. The difference is loose: particles sit inside a sentence, while most fillers stand at its edges or on their own. German modal particles covers the ones inside the sentence.

#What does genau mean?

Genau is the word learners notice first, because Germans say it all the time. It has a literal meaning and a conversational one.

Literally, it means exactly or precisely:

In conversation, it is a warm yes. People use it to agree, to confirm that someone has understood them correctly, or to show that they are following.

You will also hear people say genau to close their own point before moving on: Genau, und dann sind wir nach Hause gefahren. And ganz genau is an emphatic "absolutely right".

#How do you use also and na ja?

Also: so, well

German also is a false friend. It never means "also" (that is auch). It means so, well or therefore, and it is the most common way to start a thought or sum one up.

More words that trick English speakers are in German false friends.

Na ja: the hesitant well

Na ja (also written naja) says that your answer is not entirely positive, or that you are weighing something up. It is a gentle way to express doubt or disappointment.

#Which filler words buy you thinking time?

These are the most useful for a learner, because they keep the conversation open while you search for a word.

• Ähm or äh: the German "um" and "er".
• Moment or Moment mal: just a moment. Moment, ich muss kurz überlegen.
• Wie soll ich sagen ...: how shall I put it.
• Wie heißt das noch mal?: what's it called again?
• Wie sagt man das auf Deutsch?: how do you say that in German?
• Tja: a resigned well. Tja, da kann man nichts machen.
• Sag mal or, formally, Sagen Sie mal: to open a question. Sag mal, hast du morgen Zeit?

#Which small words make you sound more natural?

These words colour a sentence the way "kind of", "actually" or "basically" do in English. Use them lightly.

Ne? is especially common in the north, while oder? is heard everywhere. Both turn a statement into a request for agreement. For more on how real conversation differs from the textbook, see spoken German versus textbook German.

#How do you react while someone else is talking?

German listeners give short signals to show they are following. Using them makes you an active part of the conversation, even when you are mostly listening.

• Mhm, ja, genau: I'm with you.
• Ach so!: oh, I see (now I understand).
• Stimmt.: that's true, good point.
• Klar.: sure, of course.
• Echt? or Wirklich?: really?
• Ach ja?: oh really? (mild surprise or doubt)

These small words also carry a lot of melody. How you say na ja or ach so matters as much as the word itself, which is one reason the German pronunciation guide is worth reading alongside this one.

#How does Linota help with filler words?

Filler words are learnt by ear, and Linota gives you German as people speak it. The listening episodes, in which Mia and Jonas record a short German show made with your words, let you hear genau, also and na ja in natural speech. In the Missions you answer people in real situations, typed or spoken, so you get to use your own thinking-time phrases under a little pressure, with feedback on every reply. And in Places you can tap a person at the café or the station to see what you might say and hear there.

#The short version

• Genau means exactly, but in conversation it is a friendly yes.
• Also means so or well, never also (that is auch).
• Na ja is a hesitant, slightly doubtful well.
• Ähm, Moment and Wie heißt das noch mal? buy you thinking time.
• Eigentlich, halt, irgendwie and ne? or oder? make you sound natural; use them lightly.
• React while you listen: ach so, stimmt, klar, echt?

For the next step towards natural speech, read how to stop translating in your head.