German Phrase
Was gibt's heute für Specials?
Meaning
Literally: 'What is there today for specials?' It is a casual way to ask a waiter, barista, or shop clerk which special dishes, drinks, or offers are available on that particular day.
When to use
Use this sentence when you are at a restaurant, café, bar, or market and want to know the day's special menu items or promotional offers. It works best in informal or semi‑formal settings.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Wasgibt'sheutefürSpecials?
Was (interrogative pronoun)
Used to ask 'what' in a question; it stays unchanged regardless of case.
gibt's (gibt es)
Contraction of the verb geben + dummy pronoun es; means 'there is/are'.
heute (adverb of time)
Places the action in the present day; can be moved for emphasis.
für (preposition)
Introduces the object of the question; here it means 'for' or 'regarding'.
Specials (loanword)
Plural of the English loanword 'Special'; common in hospitality to mean 'special dishes/offers'.
🗨In Conversation
Was gibt's heute für Specials?
What specials are there today?
Heute haben wir frische Tagliatelle mit Trüffelöl und ein Lachs‑Tagesmenü.
Today we have fresh tagliatelle with truffle oil and a salmon daily menu.
✕Common Mistakes
Was gibts heute für Specials?
The correct contraction is *gibt's* (short for *gibt es*). The verb form *gibts* does not exist.
Was gibt's heute von Specials?
Learners sometimes replace *für* with *von*, which changes the meaning to 'from specials' instead of 'regarding specials'.
Was gibt's heute für Spezialitäten?
If you want a more native‑sounding term, use *Sonderangebote* or *Tagesgerichte*; *Specials* sounds anglicized but is still common in hospitality.
↔Alternatives
Was gibt es heute an Sonderangeboten?
What special offers are there today?
Welche Spezialitäten gibt es heute?
Which specialties are there today?
Was haben wir heute im Angebot?
What do we have on offer today?
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking restaurants the word *Specials* is borrowed from English and is perfectly acceptable in casual conversation. In more formal contexts you might hear *Tagesgerichte* (daily dishes) or *Sonderangebote*. Also, Germans often appreciate a polite *Bitte* before the question: *Bitte, was gibt's heute für Specials?*