German · Car rides

German songs for car rides

Car rides are the one place where everyone is sitting still and listening. Because the songs are call-and-response, with words and lines sung in English and then in German (or the other way round), they work well as audio: your child hears what a word means right next to it, without needing to look at a screen.

Is it a good fit? Good for ages 2–8. In the car the songs work as audio: words are sung in English and German back to back, so kids can follow along without the screen.

Songs that match the window

Things that go, colors, counting: the view from a car is full of the words in these songs. Play the vehicle song and then spot buses and trains together.

Turn it into a game

Count red cars in German. Shout the German word every time you see a bus. Take turns naming a color you can see. Simple games keep the words going after the song ends.

Driver can join in

The driver doesn't need to look at anything: the English next to each German word or line tells you what it means. It's a good way for parents to learn too.

German words to start with

Words from the songs below that fit this moment. Tap one for pronunciation help and practice ideas.

English	German	Sounds like ≈
car, bus, train and plane	das Auto, der Bus, der Zug…	OW-toh, BOOS, TSOOK…
colors	die Farben	dee FAR-ben
numbers 1 to 10	eins, zwei, drei…	EYENS, TSVY, DRY…
goodbye	auf Wiedersehen	owf VEE-der-zay-en
cow	die Kuh	dee KOO

Good to know about German: German is mostly spelled the way it sounds once you know a few rules: w sounds like v, z like ts, ei like "eye" and ie like "ee".

German songs for car rides

Hand-picked from the German library. Songs marked Free are part of the free first unit; the rest are Premium.

Quick tips

Make a car playlist of 5–6 songs and keep it the same for a while.
Play "I spy" with colors in German.
Count cars, trucks or trees in German on longer drives.
Sing the goodbye song when you arrive.

Questions parents ask

Does it work without looking at the screen?

Mostly, yes. The songs pair German words and lines with English, so much of the meaning is in the audio. The on-screen lyrics and translations are there for when you're not driving.

Can I download songs for offline car trips?

The songs stream in the app, so you'll need a connection. Check the app for the current options before a long trip.

Sing it in German, free

The first unit, 6 greeting songs with lyrics and English translation, is free forever. No card needed. Premium unlocks all 134 songs.

Start free — no card