McDonald's
In German, the phrase mcdonald's is translated as McDonald's. If unsure, use McDonald's. Wiktionary also lists Mäckes.
Meaning: fast-food restaurant (name)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| McDonald's | ||
| Mäckes | /ˈmɛkəs/ | masculine |
Both terms refer to the fast-food restaurant chain McDonald's.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Mäckes is a common colloquial shortening used in Germany.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The variation Mäcces is used in regions like Saxony and Thuringia.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a specific restaurant location, McDonald's is treated as a masculine noun, such as in the phrase ein McDonald's. The colloquial form Mäckes is also used with the masculine article der.
Did you know?
- While many people think of English brands as neutral, the German shortening Mäckes sounds almost like a nickname for a person named 'Maik' or 'Matthias'.
- The transition from the formal McDonald's to the slang Mäckes often signals a shift in the entire conversation's register, moving from 'Standarddeutsch' to 'Jugendsprache' or youth language.
- While English speakers treat the name as a proper noun, Germans often use the masculine article der with McDonald's because they categorize it as der Laden meaning 'the shop'.
Examples in context
- Gibt's hier irgendwo ein McDonald's?Is there a McDonald's around here?The sentence is useful for asking if there is a McDonald's nearby.Tatoeba #13460379 by Vortarulo, translation #4329027 by monahxo
- Ich habe bei McDonald's einen Hamburger gegessen.I ate a hamburger at McDonald's.The sentence is useful for describing eating a hamburger at McDonald's.Tatoeba #8616343 by Luiaard, translation #3601111 by CK
- Ich arbeite bei McDonald's.I work for McDonald's.The sentence is useful for stating that one works at McDonald's.Tatoeba #424768 by MUIRIEL, translation #606317 by CK
- Entschuldigen Sie, wo ist McDonald's?Excuse me, where is McDonald's?
- Ich treffe Sie in der McDonald's Filiale um 19 Uhr.I'll meet you at the McDonald's branch at 7 p.m.
- Lass uns zu McD gehen und einen Burger essen.Let's go to McD and have a burger.
- Hast du Lust auf Mäcci? Ich kann dich abholen.Do you fancy some Mäcci? I can pick you up.
- Ich warte auf dich bei Mäcces um 18 Uhr.I'll be waiting for you at Mäcces at 6 p.m.
- Holst du mir etwas von McDees mit?Can you get me something from McDees?
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are deciding where to eat lunch.
- MaximilianGehen wir heute zu McDonald's?Are we going to McDonald's today?
- SarahJa, ich habe Lust auf Pommes.Yes, I feel like having fries.
- MaximilianAlles klar, dann lass uns gehen.All right, then let's go.
- SarahSuper, ich habe großen Hunger.Great, I am very hungry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mcdonald's” translations and entries Mäckes, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
