diff --git a/include/Telegram.h b/include/Telegram.h
index 87d50d9..62064df 100644
--- a/include/Telegram.h
+++ b/include/Telegram.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ struct TelegramCommand
 {
     const String command;
     String (*const functionPointer) (const String arguments);
+    const String description;
 };
 
 class Telegram
diff --git a/src/Telegram.cpp b/src/Telegram.cpp
index 66e1d27..244877b 100644
--- a/src/Telegram.cpp
+++ b/src/Telegram.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <Telegram.h>
 #include "secrets.h"
+#include <ArduinoJson.h>
 
 const char *Telegram::BOT_TOKEN = TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN;
 const unsigned long Telegram::BOT_MTBS = 1000; // mean time between scan messages
@@ -111,6 +112,33 @@ void Telegram::init()
         numNewMessages = bot.getUpdates(bot.last_message_received + 1);
     }
 
+    JsonDocument doc;
+    JsonArray commandsJsonArray = doc.to<JsonArray>();
+    String jsonString;
+    
+    // add all the commands to the list
+    for (uint32_t i = 0; i < cmdListCount; i++)
+    {
+        auto cmdObj = commandsJsonArray.add<JsonObject>();
+        
+        // remove the prepending slash as it is not needed here
+        String tmp = cmdList[i].command;
+        tmp.remove(0,1);
+        cmdObj["command"] = tmp;
+        cmdObj["description"] = cmdList[i].description;
+    }
+
+    // add generic commands to the list
+    auto helpObj = commandsJsonArray.add<JsonObject>();
+    helpObj["command"] = "help";
+    helpObj["description"] = "Zeigt einen Hilfstext an";
+    // auto startObj = commandsJsonArray.add<JsonObject>();
+    // startObj["command"] = "start";
+    // startObj["description"] = "Startet die Konversation";
+
+    serializeJson(doc, jsonString);
+    bot.setMyCommands(jsonString);
+
     bot.sendMessage(TELEGRAM_BOT_OWNER, "Hi I'm online.");
     bot_lasttime = millis();
 }
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 8cc6d72..6846917 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -129,12 +129,17 @@ String printText(String Args);
 String printLate15(String Args);
 String printLate30(String Args);
 
+#define OPEN_STRING "offen"
+#define CLOSED_STRING "leider zu"
+#define LATE15_STRING "Wir oeffnen 15 Minuten spaeter"
+#define LATE30_STRING "Wir oeffnen 30 Minuten spaeter"
+
 TelegramCommand myCmdList[]{
-    {"/open", printOpen},
-    {"/close", printClose},
-    {"/text", printText},
-    {"/late_15", printLate15},
-    {"/late_30", printLate30},
+    {"/open",    printOpen,   "Display zeigt \"" OPEN_STRING "\""},
+    {"/close",   printClose,  "Display zeigt \"" CLOSED_STRING "\""},
+    {"/text",    printText,   "(lange drücken) Display zeigt den Text hinter dem Kommando an"},
+    {"/late_15", printLate15, "Display zeigt \"" LATE15_STRING "\""},
+    {"/late_30", printLate30, "Display zeigt \"" LATE30_STRING "\""},
 };
 
 uint32_t myCmdListCnt = sizeof(myCmdList) / sizeof(myCmdList[0]);
@@ -399,7 +404,7 @@ void displayText(const char *text, bool background, int16_t x, int16_t y)
 
 String printOpen(String Args)
 {
-  Text = "offen";
+  Text = OPEN_STRING;
   publishOpen();
 
   return Text;
@@ -407,7 +412,7 @@ String printOpen(String Args)
 
 String printClose(String Args)
 {
-  Text = "leider zu";
+  Text = CLOSED_STRING;
   publishClose();
 
   return Text;
@@ -426,7 +431,7 @@ String printText(String Args)
 
 String printLate15(String Args)
 {
-  Text = "Wir oeffnen 15 Minuten spaeter";
+  Text = LATE15_STRING;
   publishClose();
 
   return Text;
@@ -434,7 +439,7 @@ String printLate15(String Args)
 
 String printLate30(String Args)
 {
-  Text = "Wir oeffnen 30 Minuten spaeter";
+  Text = LATE30_STRING;
   publishClose();
 
   return Text;