The idea
Many people in Germany bring a Mitbringsel when invited to someone’s home: flowers, a bottle of wine, chocolates, something homemade or a small plant. Traditional etiquette guides say to unwrap flowers before handing them over, although many people no longer do this. A gift is customary rather than required, and hosts sometimes say “Bring bitte nichts mit”, which most people take at face value or answer with something very small. Grammar: “gefallen” works the other way round from English “like”: the thing is the subject, the person is dative.
Other ways to say it
“Kann ich dir etwas mitbringen?” – Open, casual offer that lets the host choose.
“Worüber würdest du dich freuen?” – Asks directly what would please the host; sich freuen über.
“Darf ich Ihnen eine Kleinigkeit mitbringen?” – Formal Sie version for hosts you do not know well.
Examples
- Würde dir eine kleine Pflanze als Mitbringsel gefallen?Would you like a small plant as a gift when I visit?
- Für Pflanzen habe ich gerade wenig Platz.I currently have little space for plants.
- Dann bringe ich nichts mit, das dir Mühe macht.Then I will not bring anything that creates work for you.
- Einfach dein Besuch reicht mir völlig.Your visit alone is quite enough for me.
- Danke, dann halte ich mich an deinen Wunsch.Thank you; then I will follow your preference.
- So ist das Mitbringsel keine Pflicht für dich.That way bringing a gift is not an obligation for you.
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Watch out
“Würdest du eine kleine Pflanze gefallen?” → “Würde dir eine kleine Pflanze gefallen?”: Learners copy English “Would you like”, making the person the subject. With “gefallen”, the plant is the subject (so “würde”) and the person is dative (“dir”).
Try it yourself
Translate into German: Would you like a small plant as a gift when I visit?
Show answer or example answer
Würde dir eine kleine Pflanze als Mitbringsel gefallen?
“Würde … gefallen” is the polite conditional. The subject is “eine kleine Pflanze”, “dir” is dative, and “als Mitbringsel” names the role of the plant.
Put the words in order: bringe / Dann / das / dir / ich / macht / mit / Mühe / nichts
Show answer or example answer
Dann bringe ich nichts mit, das dir Mühe macht.
“Mitbringen” splits in the main clause: “bringe … mit”. The relative clause “das dir Mühe macht” refers to “nichts”; in careful written German, “was” is preferred after nichts, while “das” is heard in speech.
Write this sentence in German: That way bringing a gift is not an obligation for you.
Show answer or example answer
So ist das Mitbringsel keine Pflicht für dich.
“So” opens the sentence with the meaning “in this way”, followed by the verb “ist”. “Keine Pflicht” negates the noun, and “für dich” is accusative.
Practice round
Answer three questions, then rebuild three German sentences. We keep your score.
Translate into German: Would you like a small plant as a gift when I visit?
Würde dir eine kleine Pflanze als Mitbringsel gefallen?
Put the words in order: bringe / Dann / das / dir / ich / macht / mit / Mühe / nichts
Dann bringe ich nichts mit, das dir Mühe macht.
Write this sentence in German: That way bringing a gift is not an obligation for you.
So ist das Mitbringsel keine Pflicht für dich.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
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You are invited to dinner at a new acquaintance’s home. Write a short message thanking them and asking whether you may bring something, using the Sie form.