Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| nur zu | /nuːɐ̯ t͡sə/ (word by word) | |
| bitte | /ˈbɪtə/ | polite |
| los | /loːs/ (standard) /lɔs/ |
informal |
| na los | /na(ː) lɔs/ (word by word) |
Which one should you use?
The phrase nur zu is a neutral way to grant permission or encourage someone to proceed with an action they might be hesitant about. In contrast, los is more energetic and is often used to tell someone to start an action immediately or to 'get a move on'. The colloquial phrase na los adds a sense of prompting or mild pressure, similar to saying 'come on, do it'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For polite social situations, such as letting someone pass through a door, you can use bitte to mean 'go ahead' or 'after you'. If you need to be formal, you might use Bitte, gehen Sie vor for 'Please, go ahead', Fahren Sie fort to mean 'Carry on' or 'Proceed' or Sie können beginnen to say 'You may begin'. Informal options include los, nur zu and na los.
How do you pronounce it?
/nuːɐ̯ tsə/
When do people say it?
If you want someone to start speaking or asking a question immediately, it is common to use the idiom Schieß los!, which literally means 'Shoot!'
Did you know?
- The word los in the phrase na los is a linguistic relative of the English word 'loose'.
Examples in context
- Dann los rede!Go ahead and talk.This sentence shows how to use los to tell someone to start talking.Tatoeba #2146726 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #25783 by CK
- Schieß los! Ich höre.Go ahead. I'm listening.This sentence uses the idiomatic los to encourage someone to start speaking.Tatoeba #8100563 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #5667721 by Hybrid
- Dann mal los! Versüße mir den Tag!Go ahead, make my day.This sentence uses los in a way that translates to 'Go ahead, make my day'.Tatoeba #13817275 by Waldelfe, translation #10651000 by Igider
- Mach weiter und lass dich nicht aufhalten!Go ahead and don't let anyone stop you!
- Leg los! Es gibt keinen Grund zu warten.Go ahead! There's no reason to wait.
- Wenn du bereit bist, nur zu!If you're ready, go ahead!
- Bitte, gehen Sie vor. Ich warte hier.Please, go ahead. I'll wait here.
- Sie können beginnen, wenn Sie bereit sind.You can go ahead when you're ready.
- Hau rein! Zeig ihnen, was du kannst!Go ahead! Show them what you are capable of!
- Mach mal, ich warte hier.Go ahead, I'll wait here.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hannah wants to ask Felix a question.
- HannahDarf ich dich etwas fragen, Felix?Can I ask you something, Felix?
- FelixNur zu!Go ahead!
- HannahHast du Zeit für ein Telefonat?Do you have time for a phone call?
- FelixJa, jetzt passt es gerade.Yes, now is a good time.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “go ahead” translations and entries bitte, los, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (nur, zu, na, los) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bitte, los, na, nur, zu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
