Signification
To meet someone or spend time drinking coffee.
Contexte culturel
The 'Kaffee und Kuchen' (Coffee and Cake) tradition is strongest on Sundays around 3 PM. Inviting someone for coffee often implies there might be cake involved. In Vienna, 'einen Kaffee trinken gehen' is an art form. You can sit for hours with a single 'Melange' and nobody will ask you to leave. The 'Kaffeepause' is a strictly observed ritual in Swiss offices, often more formal than in Germany. The rise of 'Third Wave Coffee' shops in cities like Berlin has made 'einen Kaffee trinken gehen' more about the quality of the bean and less about the traditional cake.
The 'Mal wieder' trick
Always add 'mal wieder' (once again) to make the invitation sound warmer, even if you just saw the person recently.
Don't say 'für'
Avoid 'Ich gehe für einen Kaffee'. It's a dead giveaway that you are translating from English.
Signification
To meet someone or spend time drinking coffee.
The 'Mal wieder' trick
Always add 'mal wieder' (once again) to make the invitation sound warmer, even if you just saw the person recently.
Don't say 'für'
Avoid 'Ich gehe für einen Kaffee'. It's a dead giveaway that you are translating from English.
Paying separately
Don't be offended if a German friend asks to pay separately ('Getrennt, bitte'). It's the standard, not a sign they didn't enjoy your company.
Teste-toi
Fill in the correct article and verb form.
Wollen wir morgen _______ Kaffee trinken _______?
Kaffee is masculine accusative (einen) and the modal verb 'wollen' requires the infinitive 'gehen' at the end.
Which sentence is in the correct past tense?
How do you say 'We went for a coffee'?
Gehen uses 'sein' (sind) and the past participle 'gegangen' comes at the end.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural phrase.
A: Ich habe dich lange nicht gesehen! B: Ich weiß! Wir müssen unbedingt mal wieder ________________.
'Unbedingt mal wieder einen Kaffee trinken gehen' is the most idiomatic way to express this sentiment.
Match the phrase to the formality level.
Match 'Lust auf 'nen Kaffee?'
The contraction ''nen' (for einen) and the lack of a full verb make this very informal.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesWollen wir morgen _______ Kaffee trinken _______?
Kaffee is masculine accusative (einen) and the modal verb 'wollen' requires the infinitive 'gehen' at the end.
How do you say 'We went for a coffee'?
Gehen uses 'sein' (sind) and the past participle 'gegangen' comes at the end.
A: Ich habe dich lange nicht gesehen! B: Ich weiß! Wir müssen unbedingt mal wieder ________________.
'Unbedingt mal wieder einen Kaffee trinken gehen' is the most idiomatic way to express this sentiment.
Match 'Lust auf 'nen Kaffee?'
The contraction ''nen' (for einen) and the lack of a full verb make this very informal.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
10 questionsNo! You can order tea, juice, or even a small snack. The 'Kaffee' is just the name of the social event.
It can be, but it's ambiguous. Context matters. If a stranger asks, it's likely a date. If a friend asks, it's platonic.
Because 'Kaffee' is masculine and it's the direct object (accusative case) of the verb 'trinken'.
Yes, but usually people would say 'etwas trinken gehen' (implying alcohol) in the evening. However, coffee is still acceptable.
'Kaffee trinken' can happen at home. 'Gehen' implies leaving the house to go to a cafe.
It's neutral. You can use it with your boss or your best friend, just adjust the surrounding words.
Typically 45 to 90 minutes. It's shorter than a dinner but longer than a quick chat.
You can say 'Ich trinke zwar keinen Kaffee, aber ich komme gerne mit!'
Yes, it's a cute diminutive used mostly in informal, cozy settings ('Ein Käffchen trinken').
Absolutely. It's the standard way to ask for an informal informational interview.
Expressions liées
auf ein Bier gehen
similarTo go for a beer
Kaffeeklatsch halten
specialized formTo have a gossip over coffee
einen Kaffee ausgeben
builds onTo treat someone to a coffee
zum Essen einladen
contrastTo invite for a meal
einen Coffee-to-go holen
similarTo get a coffee to go
