German Phrase
Wir haben uns beim Dessert noch nicht entschieden.
Meaning
The group has not yet chosen which dessert to order. It conveys that the decision is still pending, often because the options are tempting or the group is still discussing.
When to use
Use this sentence in a restaurant when the table is still debating dessert options, or more generally when a group has not reached a decision about a sweet course. It can also be used metaphorically for any undecided choice.
✦Grammar Breakdown
WirhabenunsbeimDessertnochnichtentschieden
Present Perfect (Perfekt)
The sentence uses the present perfect tense: auxiliary verb 'haben' + past participle 'entschieden' to describe a completed action with present relevance.
Reflexive Verb
‘sich entscheiden’ is a reflexive verb; the reflexive pronoun ‘uns’ matches the subject ‘wir’.
bei + dem → beim
‘beim’ is the contraction of ‘bei dem’, indicating the context (here: ‘when it comes to the dessert’).
Negation with ‘noch nicht’
‘noch nicht’ (still not) is placed before the past participle to negate the decision.
Word Order
In main clauses, the finite verb ‘haben’ occupies the second position; the past participle moves to the end.
🗨In Conversation
Was möchten wir zum Nachtisch?
What would we like for dessert?
Wir haben uns beim Dessert noch nicht entschieden.
We haven't decided on the dessert yet.
✕Common Mistakes
Wir haben uns beim Dessert nicht entschieden noch.
‘Noch nicht’ must stay together before the past participle; separating them changes the meaning.
Wir haben beim Dessert uns noch nicht entschieden.
The reflexive pronoun ‘uns’ must directly follow the auxiliary verb, not be placed after ‘beim Dessert’.
Wir entschieden uns beim Dessert noch nicht.
Using the simple past ‘entschied’ is uncommon in spoken German for this context; stick with the perfect ‘haben … entschieden’.
↔Alternatives
Wir haben uns noch nicht für ein Dessert entschieden.
We haven't decided on a dessert yet.
Wir wissen noch nicht, welches Dessert wir nehmen wollen.
We still don't know which dessert we want to take.
Wir sind uns beim Dessert noch unschlüssig.
We are still undecided about the dessert.
Cultural Tip
In German‑speaking countries the word ‘Dessert’ is common, but you’ll also hear ‘Nachspeise’, especially in more formal menus. When ordering, it’s polite to say ‘Wir würden gern das Dessert bestellen, sobald wir uns entschieden haben.’ Using the reflexive form ‘sich entscheiden für’ (e.g., ‘Wir entscheiden uns für das Tiramisu’) sounds natural. Avoid mixing ‘entschieden’ with ‘noch’ in the wrong order – the correct placement is ‘noch nicht entschieden’.