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German Phrase

Bist du zum ersten Mal hier?

/bɪst duː t͡sʊm ˈeːɐ̯stən maːl hiːɐ̯/
Meaning"Are you here for the first time?"
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Meaning

The sentence asks whether the listener is experiencing the place for the first time. It is a friendly, informal way to start a conversation with someone you just met.

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When to use

Use it when you meet a newcomer in a city, a shop, a class, or any setting where you want to know if it’s their first visit. It works well in casual contexts with friends, classmates, or tourists you address with ‘du’.

✦Grammar Breakdown

BistduzumerstenMalhier?

1

Bist (sein)

‘Bist’ is the 2nd‑person singular present of ‘sein’. In yes/no questions the verb comes first (inversion).

2

du (personal pronoun)

Informal ‘you’. Use ‘Sie’ for formal situations.

3

zum = zu + dem

‘Zum’ is the contraction of the preposition ‘zu’ + dative article ‘dem’. It always governs the dative case.

4

ersten (ordinal in dative)

‘Ersten’ is the dative form of the ordinal ‘erst‑’. With ‘Mal’ (neuter) the dative singular ending is –en.

5

Mal (noun, neuter)

‘Mal’ means ‘time/occasion’. In the expression ‘zum ersten Mal’ it denotes the first occurrence.

6

hier (adverb of place)

‘Hier’ means ‘here’. It does not change with case.

🗨In Conversation

A

Bist du zum ersten Mal hier?

Are you here for the first time?

Ja, ich bin gerade erst angekommen.

Yes, I just arrived.

B

✕Common Mistakes

  • Ist du zum ersten Mal hier?

    ‘Sein’ must agree with the subject ‘du’; the correct form is ‘bist du’.

  • Bist du zu dem ersten Mal hier?

    In spoken German the contraction ‘zum’ is preferred; ‘zu dem’ sounds overly formal.

  • Bist du zum erster Mal hier?

    ‘Mal’ is neuter and requires the dative ‘ersten’, not the nominative ‘erster’.

  • Bist du zum ersten Mal hier?

    If you use the formal ‘Sie’, the verb must also be conjugated accordingly: ‘Sind Sie …’.

↔Alternatives

  • Bist du hier zum ersten Mal?

    Are you here for the first time?

  • Ist das dein erstes Mal hier?

    Is this your first time here?

  • Kommst du zum ersten Mal hierher?

    Are you coming here for the first time?

de

Cultural Tip

In German the informal ‘du’ is used with people you already know or with peers, especially among younger speakers. If you’re unsure, start with the formal ‘Sie’: ‘Sind Sie zum ersten Mal hier?’. The phrase ‘zum ersten Mal’ is very common in everyday speech and can be used for anything from a restaurant visit to a concert.