nach Hause gehen

You usually pair it with a subject like ich or wir. The verb gehen (to go/walk) stays at the end in some cases. In a normal sentence, it looks like Ich gehe nach Hause. If you are driving, you might swap gehen for fahren. Just remember that nach Hause always stays together as a unit. It acts like a single destination in your mind.

Use it when you are ready to leave a party. Tell your boss you are heading out after a long shift. It works perfectly when you are texting a partner to say you are on your way. If you are at a restaurant and the check is paid, this is your line. It is polite but firm. It signals that your social battery is officially drained.

Do not use this if you are going to someone else's house. For a friend's place, you use zu. If you say ich gehe nach Hause at a friend's door, they might think you live there! Also, do not use it if you are already inside your house. If you are just moving to another room, use nach oben or ins Zimmer instead.

Germans take their private time very seriously. The concept of Feierabend is the holy time after work ends. Nach Hause gehen is the ritual that starts this freedom. Your home is your castle and your sanctuary in German culture. Once you say this phrase, people usually respect your need for rest. It is the verbal boundary between public duty and private relaxation.

You will often hear nach Hause fahren if someone is driving. Young people might just say ich geh' heim which is more regional. Another fun one is ab nach Hause, which sounds like a command. If you are feeling lazy, you might say ich mache mich auf den Heimweg. But for A1, stick to the classic nach Hause gehen to be safe.