German word of the day: Bon
Shopping in a German supermarket can be stressful for people who aren't used to the fast pace of packing. This word is part of the German checkout experience.
Why do I need to know Bon?
Der Bon - short for Kassenbon, which sounds like this - is worth adding to your vocabulary because it's something you'll hear often while shopping in Germany.
What does it mean?
Bon is one of the words for a cash register receipt in German. It refers to the small slip of paper that serves as proof that a customer has paid for the purchased goods.
Sometimes it's tricky to pick up on the word at the cash desk because, as we mentioned above, it's short for Kassenbon (die Kasse means checkout or cash desk) - so it may catch you out, especially if you're new in Germany.
The other thing is that buying food items in Germany at the supermarket is notoriously stressful. Cashiers are known for putting the products through at top speed, and there's not usually a lot of small talk between the customer and shop assistant.
So even if a cashier has asked you if you wanted the receipt (you'll usually hear "den Bon?") you might have been too flustered to answer while trying to find where your onions and carrots have gone during the bag-packing Olympics.
READ ALSO: The complete German supermarket survival guide
The German word is said to come from one of the French words for voucher - le bon.
Bon isn't the only Gemran word for the little bit of paper you get as proof of purchase. Similarly, you might hear (der) Kassenzettel. (Der) Beleg - which also means 'proof' - and (die) Quittung also mean receipt. Sometimes a word is more commonly used depending on the region you live in.
A 'bon' on the table with coffee and cake. Photo:
picture alliance/dpa | Hauke-Christian Dittrich
Another word sometimes used for receipt is (die) Rechnung. However, that really means 'invoice' or 'bill' so you're more likely to hear that in a restaurant than in a shop.
Use it like this:
Hey, hast du den bon vom Supermarkt? Ich möchte etwas prüfen. (informal)
Hey, do you have the cash receipt from the supermarket? I want to check something.
Können Sie mir bitte den bon geben? Vielen Dank!
Can you please give me the receipt? Thanks a lot.
Nach dem Kauf von Lebensmitteln erhalten Sie eine Kassenbon.
You get a receipt after buying food.
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See Also
Why do I need to know Bon?
Der Bon - short for Kassenbon, which sounds like this - is worth adding to your vocabulary because it's something you'll hear often while shopping in Germany.
What does it mean?
Bon is one of the words for a cash register receipt in German. It refers to the small slip of paper that serves as proof that a customer has paid for the purchased goods.
Sometimes it's tricky to pick up on the word at the cash desk because, as we mentioned above, it's short for Kassenbon (die Kasse means checkout or cash desk) - so it may catch you out, especially if you're new in Germany.
The other thing is that buying food items in Germany at the supermarket is notoriously stressful. Cashiers are known for putting the products through at top speed, and there's not usually a lot of small talk between the customer and shop assistant.
So even if a cashier has asked you if you wanted the receipt (you'll usually hear "den Bon?") you might have been too flustered to answer while trying to find where your onions and carrots have gone during the bag-packing Olympics.
READ ALSO: The complete German supermarket survival guide
The German word is said to come from one of the French words for voucher - le bon.
Bon isn't the only Gemran word for the little bit of paper you get as proof of purchase. Similarly, you might hear (der) Kassenzettel. (Der) Beleg - which also means 'proof' - and (die) Quittung also mean receipt. Sometimes a word is more commonly used depending on the region you live in.
picture alliance/dpa | Hauke-Christian Dittrich
Another word sometimes used for receipt is (die) Rechnung. However, that really means 'invoice' or 'bill' so you're more likely to hear that in a restaurant than in a shop.
Use it like this:
Hey, hast du den bon vom Supermarkt? Ich möchte etwas prüfen. (informal)
Hey, do you have the cash receipt from the supermarket? I want to check something.
Können Sie mir bitte den bon geben? Vielen Dank!
Can you please give me the receipt? Thanks a lot.
Nach dem Kauf von Lebensmitteln erhalten Sie eine Kassenbon.
You get a receipt after buying food.
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