A1 Expression Informal

Komm her!

Come here!

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A direct, informal way to ask someone to move toward you immediately.

  • Means: 'Come here!' or 'Come over here!'
  • Used in: Casual settings with friends, children, or pets.
  • Don't confuse: Never use this with a boss or a stranger.
Person 🙋 + Motion 🏃 = Connection 🤝

Explanation at your level:

This is a very basic command. 'Komm' is from 'kommen' (to come). 'Her' means 'to me'. Use it with friends. It is short and easy to remember.
At this level, you learn that 'Komm her' is the imperative of the separable verb 'herkommen'. You can add 'mal' to sound more like a native speaker. It is only for people you know well.
You should understand the difference between 'her' (towards) and 'hin' (away). 'Komm her' is used in informal situations. For formal situations, you must transition to 'Kommen Sie bitte her' to maintain social distance.
Mastering the nuances of modal particles like 'mal', 'doch', and 'eben' with this phrase is key. 'Komm doch mal her' expresses a different level of urgency or invitation than the simple command. It's about controlling the social tone.
Linguistic analysis reveals 'her' as a deictic particle that centers the spatial orientation on the speaker. In literature or film, the use of this phrase can signal power dynamics or a shift from formal to intimate registers.
The phrase serves as a foundational example of the German 'Felder-Modell' in syntax, where the verb occupies the 'Linke Satzklammer' in imperatives. Its brevity contrasts with the complex socio-linguistic rules governing the German imperative mood and its pragmatic functions in various dialects.

Meaning

An imperative to approach the speaker.

🌍

Cultural Background

Directness is valued. 'Komm her' is not rude among friends, but the 'Du/Sie' distinction is a strict social rule. Often sounds slightly softer due to melodic intonation, but the grammar remains the same. In Swiss German, you might hear 'Chum her' (Chumme), which is the local dialect version. People might be even more brief, sometimes just saying 'Her!' in very informal, rough contexts (like working on a boat).

🎯

The 'Mal' Magic

Always add 'mal' (Komm mal her) to sound 10x more natural and friendly.

⚠️

Watch the Finger

In Germany, beckoning with one finger can be seen as rude. Use your whole hand or just the verbal command.

Meaning

An imperative to approach the speaker.

🎯

The 'Mal' Magic

Always add 'mal' (Komm mal her) to sound 10x more natural and friendly.

⚠️

Watch the Finger

In Germany, beckoning with one finger can be seen as rude. Use your whole hand or just the verbal command.

💬

Dog Commands

If you want to sound like a pro dog trainer, just shout 'Hier!' instead of 'Komm her!'

Test Yourself

Fill in the correct directional particle.

Komm bitte ____, ich zeige dir etwas.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: her

We use 'her' because the movement is toward the speaker.

Which sentence is correct for calling a group of friends?

You are calling three friends to come to you.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Kommt her!

'Kommt' is the imperative form for 'ihr' (you plural).

Complete the dialogue with the most natural phrase.

A: Wo bist du? B: In {der|m} Küche. ______ mal ____!

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Komm... her

The speaker is inviting the other person to their current location.

Match the phrase to the situation.

1. Calling a dog. 2. Asking a boss to come. 3. Calling a friend.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-b, 2-a, 3-c

Dogs get direct commands, bosses get formal 'Sie', friends get 'mal' to sound nice.

🎉 Score: /4

Visual Learning Aids

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

Yes, 'hierher' is a more emphatic version of 'her'. It's perfectly correct and very common.

Only if used with people you should address formally (Sie). With friends, it's normal.

It is 'Kommt her!' for a group of friends.

Because 'hier' describes where you are, but 'her' describes the movement toward you.

Related Phrases

🔗

Komm mit!

similar

Come with me!

🔗

Geh weg!

contrast

Go away!

🔗

Tritt näher!

specialized form

Step closer!

🔗

Komm mal rüber!

similar

Come over (to my side)!

🔗

Her damit!

builds on

Give it to me!

Where to Use It

🐕

At the park with a dog

Besitzer: Bello! Komm her!

Hund: (rennt zurück)

informal
📱

Showing a photo on a phone

Lukas: Komm mal her, schau dir dieses {das|n} Foto an!

Sarah: Oh, das ist ja lustig!

informal
🧒

Parent calling a child

Vater: Komm bitte her, wir müssen gehen.

Kind: Noch fünf Minuten!

informal
🍻

In a crowded bar

Jan: Hier ist noch ein {der|m} Platz! Komm her!

Tim: Super, ich komme!

informal
🫂

Offering a hug

Anna: Ich bin so traurig.

Ben: Komm her, lass dich drücken.

informal
📦

Asking for help with a heavy box

Marie: Komm mal kurz her und halt das mal.

Paul: Klar, kein Problem.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of a 'HERd' of sheep coming toward you. 'Komm HER' to the HERd!

Visual Association

Imagine a giant magnet in your hand pulling a friend toward you. The magnet is labeled 'HER'.

Rhyme

Bist du fern und nicht bei mir, komm her zu mir!

Story

You are standing by a beautiful {der|m} See (lake). You see your friend far away. You want to share your {das|n} Eis (ice cream). You wave your hand and shout 'Komm her!' so they can enjoy the view and the treat with you.

Word Web

herkommenhierhinmitkommenweggehenherkommen

Challenge

Next time you are with a friend or a pet, use 'Komm mal her!' instead of English. Try to say it with three different emotions: happy, curious, and strict.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

¡Ven aquí!

Spanish doesn't distinguish between 'here' (static) and 'hither' (directional) as strictly as German 'hier/her'.

French high

Viens ici !

French uses 'ici' where German requires the directional 'her'.

Japanese moderate

おいで (Oide)

Japanese has many levels of politeness; 'Kite kudasai' would be the neutral version.

Arabic high

تعال (Ta'al)

Gender-specific: 'Ta'al' for males, 'Ta'ali' for females.

Chinese high

过来 (Guòlái)

Mandarin doesn't have verb conjugation for imperatives.

Korean high

이리 와 (Iri wa)

Highly dependent on social hierarchy; you would never say this to an elder.

Portuguese high

Vem cá!

Uses 'cá' which specifically implies 'to this place near me'.

Russian moderate

Иди сюда (Idi syuda)

Uses the verb for 'go' (idti) rather than 'come' in many contexts.

Easily Confused

Komm her! vs Komm hier!

Learners use 'hier' (location) instead of 'her' (direction).

Remember: 'Hier' is a dot on a map; 'her' is an arrow pointing to you.

Komm her! vs Komm hin!

Using 'hin' (away from speaker) instead of 'her' (toward speaker).

Think 'H-E-R' = 'H-E-R-E' (to me).

FAQ (4)

Yes, 'hierher' is a more emphatic version of 'her'. It's perfectly correct and very common.

Only if used with people you should address formally (Sie). With friends, it's normal.

It is 'Kommt her!' for a group of friends.

Because 'hier' describes where you are, but 'her' describes the movement toward you.

Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!