bestellen
/bəˈʃtɛlən/
To order in German is bestellen. Wiktionary also lists ordern.
Meaning: to request some product or service (verb)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| bestellen | /bəˈʃtɛlən/ |
| ordern | /ˈɔrdərn/ |
The verb bestellen is used to request a product or service, such as ordering food in a restaurant, ordering items online or requesting goods from a supplier.
Which one should you use?
While bestellen is the standard verb for requesting goods, the word ordern also exists as a form of the verb.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The third person singular present tense of bestellen is bestellt. The past participle is bestellt, which is used to form the perfect tense or to act as an adjective.
How do you pronounce it?
/bəˈʃtɛlən/
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use Ordnung when you mean to request a product. Ordnung refers to organizational order or neatness, whereas bestellen is the correct verb for the action of ordering.
Did you know?
- While bestellen is used for products, if you want to 'order' someone to do something, you must use the verb befehlen. Using bestellen in this context would be nonsensical.
- The verb bestellen can also mean 'to appoint' or 'to appoint someone to a position'. For example, a government official might be bestellt to a specific office.
- The verb bestellen is built from the prefix be- and the word stellen, which means 'to place' or 'to put'.
Examples in context
- Kann ich einen bestellen?Can I order one?This sentence shows how to use bestellen to request a single item.Tatoeba #8257996 by driini, translation #3168284 by CK
- Kann ich jetzt bestellen?May I order now?This sentence shows how to use bestellen to ask if you can order now.Tatoeba #12025994 by mayabe, translation #9637152 by megamanenm
- Ich werde Essen bestellen.I'll order food.This sentence shows how to use bestellen when talking about ordering food.Tatoeba #4019881 by Zaghawa, translation #2247795 by CK
- Ich möchte bestellen.I would like to order.
- Ich will bestellen.I want to order.
- Kann ich bitte was bestellen?Can I please order something?
- Lass uns etwas bestellen!Let's order something!
- 80 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maximilian and Sarah are at a restaurant.
- MaximilianMöchtest du schon bestellen?Do you want to order already?
- SarahJa, ich möchte eine Pizza bestellen.Yes, I want to order a pizza.
- MaximilianIch werde auch etwas bestellen.I will also order something.
- SarahGut, der Kellner kommt gleich.Good, the waiter is coming soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “order” translations and entries bestellen, ordern, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bestellen, ordern, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
