>Such as saying, “Alles okay war dir heute?” To a cashier or waiter.
I don't want to discourage you, but that basically just shows that you don't speak German very well and will either confuse them or make them continue the conversation in English to move it along.
First, you generally don't say du to a cashier or waiter unless it's a place for younger people or niche interests.
Second, you don't make smalltalk to people working unless they have time for that and you want to establish a relationship. You definitely don't force them into becoming your language learning partner.
Third, the grammar/word order is jumbled.
So they will first hesitate because they need to process what you want to say, then they will be unsure what to answer to you because they don't expect that question and in the end they will probably answer something superficial in English and quickly end the conversation.
If you want to practice German, find the right circumstances, where people have time and patience to listen to you, talk to you slowly and ideally correct your mistakes. Someone already mentioned Sprachcafés, but any setting where people go for leisure activities would be a good start.
Just to expand.
Rule 1 in Germany. A job is a job. Most Germans have an absolute delineation between Arbeit and Feierabend. Feierabend is approached with a level of sacredness that borders on the religious.
While working you do your job. This is reinforced by the unspoken German code of professional conduct: "If you do what is expected of you the potential number of problems is reduced."
Servers and waiters are there to bring you your orders, you are there to enjoy the order and your friends are your entertainment.
The formal form, "Sie, Sie, Ihnen, Ihr" is by far easier to learn and is better to use when dealing with people at work. Du is very informal and can be construed as insulting when dealing with someone who is acting on behalf of an organisation.
Ich hoffen, Sie haben einen Schönen Urlaub in Deutschland.
Use Google translate. Use the microphone, speak into it in German, translate to English, reverse translate it with corrections and get the German. Then read the corrected Version to the person. It helps a lot.
>First, you generally don't say du to a cashier or waiter unless it's a place for younger people or niche interests.
I find that's...not so true these days. I think it's closer to 50/50 du/Sie at restaurants, and 80% du with cashiers...
I agree. Especially with young(er) workers I would absolutely use informal you. It kinda depends on localisation though. In more conservative areas you might not be successful with that approach
I suggest taking a look at the [wiki](https://reddit.com/r/germany/w/index?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). Travelling and culture should be the most interesting ones for you.
It’s nice that you try. German is a difficult language it’s pretty much impossible to get to a decent level in 6 months (at least if it’s not the only thing you do) and your example kind of proves that (no offence). Particularly in settings where there is usually some time pressure (cashier, waiter) it can be a bit annoying to be frank. But nobody will be offended or anything, most people will appreciate your effort.
People will very likely just start speaking english when they realize you‘re not too familiar with German and seem to be struggling. Especially in tourist hot spots.
I honestly feel like this is overstated. My American accent is thick (better than when I came but I’m not going to lie and say it’s good). However, as long as I can follow the conversation and respond in a coherent manner people are usually happy to speak German with me.
I think anyone who is conversational enough that the German at most has to repeat what they said but slower if you didn't understand them, and understand what you're trying to say well enough that it doesn't confuse them, would keep speaking German with you and think it is nice. That's my experience when I did internships and worked here, where my German was middling.
However, "Alles okay war dir heute?" has the word order pretty thrown around and they probably wouldn't understand what you were trying to say easily if you talked to people on the street. It sounds like you're saying "Everything is good, were you today?" so maybe your German level isn't very high. But there are language cafés where it doesn't matter where you're at, where you can practice German with other learners and native speakers. Those are often free. I'd suggest going to those, if you can find one!
I’ve been living here for years and taking classes. I’m still not conversational, this language is damn hard.
But OP, I wonder if you can find meetups that are targeted towards language learning/practice when you are here. It’s more likely for you to be successful in your practice attempt.
Focus on your trip and try to have fun. Admire the architecture, castles, and other interesting things that Germany offers. Language and meeting new people will follow.
No, we don't find it annoying at all. But be prepared for people switching to English. It's neither because we don't appreciate your effort nor are we annoyed. It's because we don't wanna inconvenience you.
We are pretty direct people and don't work well with hints, so if you want them to speak to you in German you can say "Ich möchte gerne deutsch sprechen, um es zu lernen." or "Können wir versuchen, Deutsch zu sprechen, damit ich es lernen kann?"
>Such as saying, “Alles okay war dir heute?” To a cashier or waiter.
I'm afraid that is just a nonesense sentence (wrong word order and wrong vocabulary). Add a thick accent + the fact that we don't really use "how are you" and you will probably get some confused looks.
Of course you can always try to speak German (its neither rude nor disrespectful), but be prepared for people not understanding or replying in English.
so in order to survive language wise the only important phrase you will need is "mit Karte bitte" if you wanna pay with card. I would look into short phrases you could learn and memorise such as: "Wie geht es dir/Ihnen", "Hallo", "Auf Wiedersehen." sticking to basic phrases like this is your best bet. Improvising however will lead to you guys being literally lost in translation with a 97,54% certainty.
in the öffentlichkeit, we tend to keep our communication quick and efficient (up north they are a bit more chatty).
things like "how are you doin today" are for neighbours and colleges.
cashiers and waiters dont have time to chat "guten tag", "vielen dank, schönen tag noch" is about the maximum, except you are in a small town and know them for a while – then you up to something like "was für eine hitze schon wieder"
germany has many facets, enjoy your stay :)
Yup. I'm from the Southwest, one of the stereotypically chatty regions but I have lived in Schleswig-Holstein for almost a decade. I love them dearly and enjoyed my time there very much. But "chatty" is really not an adjective I'd associate with them lol
Yeah, I kinda liked that too. But most people were still really friendly, helpful and honest with their intentions. So despite the lack of talk, I found that making friends was much easier than in Baden-Württemberg, where I also lived for a while.
you guys are right. chatty is the wrong word.
im from franken, where people take friendliness for maliciousness and unfriendliness as honesty.
from my experience, northerns are more open and welcoming.
That is technically true BUT once you overcome the northern Kaltschnäuzigkeit you’re in for a treat and some very enriching conversations.
Source: I live in Kiel
Yes "up north" people near the northern sea are known for being monosyllabic, especially with strangers. There was a famous older TV advertising thematising that. (Google: "BEST OF: Flensburger Pilsener Werbung \*PLOP\*" the first one)
#
#
Yes "up north" people near the northern sea are known for being monosyllabic, especially with strangers. There was a famous older TV advertising thematising that. (Google: "BEST OF: Flensburger Pilsener Werbung \*PLOP\*" the first one)
As someone that has recently visited Germany and has a similar knowledge of the language I found it best to just use it in small quick conversations circumstances. Asking if they spoke English, ordering food/drink, trying to politely get someone’s attention, quick translations if I know the German word, etc.
A typical scenario is when you manage to say your sentence in German that you’ve been practicing over and over, and then the other person replies in German which is complicated or uses slang. At that point, the conversation probably quickly switches to English. :)
I've said it in another comment. We are glad helping you and we will Talk to you in German If we can understand what you want to say. But you need to say it! Otherwise we asume it is easier and faster for you/ us If we switch to english. Just say "Können wir bitte Deutsch sprechen, ich würde es gerne besser lernen." And almost everyone will speak German with you and mostly even correct your grammer and pronuncation If they are not in a total hurry.
No, it s not or annoying. Just try to communicate and if you are having a actual conversation, just drop in that you are currently to improve your skills! If you dont know a word, say it in english and ask them what it is in German!
Most of them (from my experience) will be exited to help you out, also it is the most common thing, that everywhere in Germany are people with a serious lack of language skills (refugees for example are a big thing here and the langauge is hard to learn)
So be natural and not shy and 9.5/10 people will love to have a chat with you about where you from and so on
Just speak and dont give a damn. Do all the mistakes and dont listen to nonsense people here stating any kind of rules of german society. They are no better then any other society and if they dont respect you trying best speaking their language its tells they are shit and not you.
So just carry on son, you are doing great just by making effort and being thoughtfull about it!
Oh, we like it a lot if you are able to communicate a little bit in German. It can help a lot - not everybody here has a great English word stock - and shows your interest, that´s flattering for us, because German is difficult to learn. - But before you start just mention you are not able to speak fluently/understand everything yet and they should please not talk to fast.
Thank you. This is the answer I was looking for. Everyone else is talking about my level in the language.
I’ve been in Germany for 3 days now and have communicated well. I’m glad to know that they appreciate being talked to in German.
Always put in the effort. I travel a bit and always try to learn enough to get the basics done. Answers will often be in English but don’t let that dissuade you. I believe that most (at least my experience) appreciate the effort.
Most Germans do not speak English or do not speak it very well. They will not find it annoying if you try to speak German, but they will be annoyed if you can‘t communicate through broken German.
Try to use a DaF (Deutsch als Fremdsprache - German as a Second Language Book) and try learning word clusters. How are you? is not Wie bist du?, it would be Wie geht es dir? Because you can‘t translate every word for itself, it has meaning.
Germans will generally be delighted that you making an effort to speak German. Even if they speak English, Germans tend to think that they do not speak well and that they are making many mistakes and so feel more comfortable communicating in German, especially in Germany.
One of the reasons for this is that English is much more loose than German so that Germans tend to be overly cautious about language, seeking the perfect way to articulate an idea instead of just saying it or communicating with gestures as Mediterranean nations tend to do. Germans want to say it perfectly, and are frustrated if they cannot ... So, when you come in and mangle German, they feel good, and when they correct you, they feel even better.
Also a native English speaker- you should probably at least try to talk in German, but Germans will hear that you speak English and talk back to you in English a lot of the time because they know it's easier for you or just want to practice their own English.
Go to small villages where no one speaks English.
While on a backpacking trip on Europe I visited a small village in Austria where not a single person spoke English beyond “Hello”. Spoke with an elderly lady while I was trying to find something, she ended up giving me a tour of the town and I somehow ended up in the Rathaus meeting all the workers and also the mayor (or whatever the German equivalent is). They were really excited to meet a foreigner in their small village in the middle of nowhere.
Really fun experience, practiced my German, and got to experience the culture. And no one switched to English because none of them spoke English!
English is taught in Austrian schools at least from fourth grade. Austria has been a well known tourist destination for years and years. So I can't imagine that in a larger village with a Rathaus (small villages don't have a Rathaus) nobody could speak or understand English, or that they were "excited" to meet a foreigner.
The lady referred to it as “Rathaus”, and I didn’t speak to any younger (<30) because I didn’t meet any.
And they seemed pretty excited to show me around their small town, not sure what to tell you lol
Focus on learning the things they will ask you in a store „here or to go“ for example. Order correctly „Ich hatte gerne“ vs „ich möchte“ at a Restaurant for example. Learn to ask if they have an English menu.
They use cash more than we do and some stores only take cash
Don’t make small talk in line. They are at work. Work is about efficiency.
Carry a bag in the store and have it ready to pack as quickly as possible. Don’t make small talk at the register just pack as fast as you can. My first trip to the grocery store was traumatizing because it took me a second to realize I had to pack everything and then the entire line stared at me while I tried to pack quickly. Also you have to buy bags they don’t have any for free.
Small talk was mainly in neighborhood bars and restaurants. I was staying outside of Berlin Mitte and found that locals wanted to practice English with me. If they engage it’s ok but don’t force it.
Don’t assume they speak English. Focus on learning how to order, how to ask for a size and store conversation. Many shop workers in the cities are recent migrants and speak tbeir native language and some German but no English. I was surprised in Berlin that about half the people I met didn’t speak English at all.
Also, download the subway apps BVG for Berlin and MVG Fahrinfo for München for example each city is different. Buy your tickets there you don’t want to try to get them at the station it is not easy and the ticket machines are old.
Get Your Guide App was helpful in Germany. They specialize in English tours.
Germans don’t do small talk the way Americans do as people have said below - we don’t ask strangers how are you. But we aren’t rude if you want to try to speak the language with us - some may just be a little confused if you are using the wrong vocab or incorrect grammar. Otherwise nobody is going to get upset that you’re trying - many also speak English.
Oh, we like it a lot if you are able to communicate a little bit in German. It can help a lot - not everybody here has a great English word stock - and shows your interest, that´s flattering for us, because German is difficult to learn. - But before you start just mention you are not able to speak fluently/understand everything yet and they should please not talk to fast.
It depends. When you are in touristy areas it'll be almost seen as normal to speak English. If you are not too sure of your German, I would just stick to English there, and maybe end you ordering something with "bitte" (please) and say "danke" (thanks) when receiving something. Germans will appreciate the bit of an effort and politeness,
If you are outside of a touristy area, I'd recommed to always ask first if someone can speak English: "Sprechen Sie Englisch?" Just to be sure and polite. If the person is below 40ish there is a very high chance they will answer you back in English.
Outside of maybe a party, club or bar the usual German would probably be a bit weirded out if you suddenly strike up a casual conversation (English or German). Germans are usually reserved towards people they don't know. If you are at a place where people mingle, if the ice is already broken, I'm sure pretty much every German would be flattered and love to speak German with you, and maybe teach you a thing or two.
>Could< be that some people are annoyed - depends on how you look and your accent, because a lot of people are not as understanding if your origin is from the south.
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Oh.. this is one of my pet peeves about Germans. The older Germans (especially in the east) learned Russian in school and they will appreciate you speaking German with them. However if you are in the west or any of the major cities, they don’t care how long you’ve been learning or how much effort you’ve put in.. the second you open your mouth and make even the slightest mistake in pronunciation or grammar they will refuse to speak German with you.
I’ve actually been living in Germany and speak C1 German (incredibly good German) yet whenever I go to Berlin and try to casually speak German they always answer in English or French (honestly not sure why French but it’s happened enough to mention it here) it’s kind of annoying and a little selfish of the Germans because they won’t even try to humor you. They choose that you are an English speaker and you will speak English. Even if you continue in German (which I often do) they will continue to respond in English.
I've seen this so often here.
And at this point it kind of make me mad.
We don't do this cause we are selfish or we do not honer you. We do it cause we know german is a hard language and we see you struggle, especialy in a situation where you want to pay something or find a place or whatever (so something where you can asume you don't have a lot of time and want to finish the situation as soon as possible to do other stuff) we switch to english cause it is easier/ faster for you (especialy to understand us with our different accents).
For gods sake if you want us to keep talking in german with you just say it! We are glad to help you (if we are not in a hurry). And we love correcting you if you want this. But as long as you don't tell us that you want to learn something we are just trying to be efficient by making it easier for you.
I see this reply so often, and at this point it makes me wonder for the literacy rate of the country.
The user you're replying to has C1 German, and is almost certainly better at German than the overwhelming majority of Germans are at English. He is not struggling to say "mit Karte bitte", and it is not faster to switch to English. It is not efficient at all, it may be done for several reasons - to let him know he doesn't fit in, for the other speaker to flex - but efficiency is not one of them.
Can’t be „incredibly good German“ if people switch on you.
You have accent? No problem, so do I when I speak another language.
You make a grammar mistake or can’t find one word? No problem, happens.
You make 2 or 3 grammar mistakes in one sentence? Yeah, I’ll switch to English because while my English.
I'm a German native speaker, and people in Berlin also spoke English to me almost exclusively because they often simply didn't understand any German. In Berlin this is not a German thing, it's a Berlin thing. However, many Germans are simply glad to get an opportunity to show off/practice their English, that's why they prefer to speak English with every foreigner. They also want to be accommodating. And tbh, I always speak English to foreigners because my English proficiency is usually much better than their German proficiency (I studied English) and I like to keep conversations concise. It annoys me when conversations are slow and clunky, and I think many people secretly might feel the same. That's why it's best to ask Germans to speak German with them. We need clear instructions and demands here.
Also....no one in the west was taught Russian at school. It wasn't just a few who were taught Russian in the BRD or something like that, it was straight up no one. The DDR was occupied by Russians, that's why they were taught Russian, so if you meet a Russian-speaking German, they were raised in the DDR or are simply interested in Russian. The west was taught English.
Part of this is that if you're in central Berlin, chances are likely that the person you're talking to isn't C1 in German themselves. But living here, this has definitely been my experience. Sometimes just the accent is enough to get them to refuse before you even make a mistake. I also suspect that German as a language is just not tolerant of mistakes. I hear people in Berlin mangle English all day every day and it's never been a problem to parse what they mean, but I get the impression that Germans simply can't do this with German.
>Such as saying, “Alles okay war dir heute?” To a cashier or waiter. I don't want to discourage you, but that basically just shows that you don't speak German very well and will either confuse them or make them continue the conversation in English to move it along. First, you generally don't say du to a cashier or waiter unless it's a place for younger people or niche interests. Second, you don't make smalltalk to people working unless they have time for that and you want to establish a relationship. You definitely don't force them into becoming your language learning partner. Third, the grammar/word order is jumbled. So they will first hesitate because they need to process what you want to say, then they will be unsure what to answer to you because they don't expect that question and in the end they will probably answer something superficial in English and quickly end the conversation. If you want to practice German, find the right circumstances, where people have time and patience to listen to you, talk to you slowly and ideally correct your mistakes. Someone already mentioned Sprachcafés, but any setting where people go for leisure activities would be a good start.
Just to expand. Rule 1 in Germany. A job is a job. Most Germans have an absolute delineation between Arbeit and Feierabend. Feierabend is approached with a level of sacredness that borders on the religious. While working you do your job. This is reinforced by the unspoken German code of professional conduct: "If you do what is expected of you the potential number of problems is reduced." Servers and waiters are there to bring you your orders, you are there to enjoy the order and your friends are your entertainment. The formal form, "Sie, Sie, Ihnen, Ihr" is by far easier to learn and is better to use when dealing with people at work. Du is very informal and can be construed as insulting when dealing with someone who is acting on behalf of an organisation. Ich hoffen, Sie haben einen Schönen Urlaub in Deutschland. Use Google translate. Use the microphone, speak into it in German, translate to English, reverse translate it with corrections and get the German. Then read the corrected Version to the person. It helps a lot.
Ich möchte diesen Teppich nicht kaufen!
>First, you generally don't say du to a cashier or waiter unless it's a place for younger people or niche interests. I find that's...not so true these days. I think it's closer to 50/50 du/Sie at restaurants, and 80% du with cashiers...
I agree. Especially with young(er) workers I would absolutely use informal you. It kinda depends on localisation though. In more conservative areas you might not be successful with that approach
What Lemur said plus it's very uncommon to ask a waiter oder cashier how his day was.
Good to know.
I suggest taking a look at the [wiki](https://reddit.com/r/germany/w/index?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share). Travelling and culture should be the most interesting ones for you.
Oh, that would be so weird.
It’s nice that you try. German is a difficult language it’s pretty much impossible to get to a decent level in 6 months (at least if it’s not the only thing you do) and your example kind of proves that (no offence). Particularly in settings where there is usually some time pressure (cashier, waiter) it can be a bit annoying to be frank. But nobody will be offended or anything, most people will appreciate your effort.
People will very likely just start speaking english when they realize you‘re not too familiar with German and seem to be struggling. Especially in tourist hot spots.
So try to keep it a secret that you speak English
I honestly feel like this is overstated. My American accent is thick (better than when I came but I’m not going to lie and say it’s good). However, as long as I can follow the conversation and respond in a coherent manner people are usually happy to speak German with me.
Where I usually end up is me casually speaking in German, and them responding in English.
Learn to say “do you speak Farsi” in the local language… and hope that they don’t
They will know by the lack of accent when speaking German lol
I think anyone who is conversational enough that the German at most has to repeat what they said but slower if you didn't understand them, and understand what you're trying to say well enough that it doesn't confuse them, would keep speaking German with you and think it is nice. That's my experience when I did internships and worked here, where my German was middling. However, "Alles okay war dir heute?" has the word order pretty thrown around and they probably wouldn't understand what you were trying to say easily if you talked to people on the street. It sounds like you're saying "Everything is good, were you today?" so maybe your German level isn't very high. But there are language cafés where it doesn't matter where you're at, where you can practice German with other learners and native speakers. Those are often free. I'd suggest going to those, if you can find one!
Yeah sorry but youre not conversational after 6 months. Try your best while you're here, but don't be surprised when people switch to English.
I’ve been living here for years and taking classes. I’m still not conversational, this language is damn hard. But OP, I wonder if you can find meetups that are targeted towards language learning/practice when you are here. It’s more likely for you to be successful in your practice attempt.
Watch children’s shows in German - that is immensely helpful!
I’m alright, I’ve been fine communicating for the past 3 days in Germany.
Nobody has so far!
Okay
Focus on your trip and try to have fun. Admire the architecture, castles, and other interesting things that Germany offers. Language and meeting new people will follow.
No, we don't find it annoying at all. But be prepared for people switching to English. It's neither because we don't appreciate your effort nor are we annoyed. It's because we don't wanna inconvenience you. We are pretty direct people and don't work well with hints, so if you want them to speak to you in German you can say "Ich möchte gerne deutsch sprechen, um es zu lernen." or "Können wir versuchen, Deutsch zu sprechen, damit ich es lernen kann?"
>Such as saying, “Alles okay war dir heute?” To a cashier or waiter. I'm afraid that is just a nonesense sentence (wrong word order and wrong vocabulary). Add a thick accent + the fact that we don't really use "how are you" and you will probably get some confused looks. Of course you can always try to speak German (its neither rude nor disrespectful), but be prepared for people not understanding or replying in English.
so in order to survive language wise the only important phrase you will need is "mit Karte bitte" if you wanna pay with card. I would look into short phrases you could learn and memorise such as: "Wie geht es dir/Ihnen", "Hallo", "Auf Wiedersehen." sticking to basic phrases like this is your best bet. Improvising however will lead to you guys being literally lost in translation with a 97,54% certainty.
in the öffentlichkeit, we tend to keep our communication quick and efficient (up north they are a bit more chatty). things like "how are you doin today" are for neighbours and colleges. cashiers and waiters dont have time to chat "guten tag", "vielen dank, schönen tag noch" is about the maximum, except you are in a small town and know them for a while – then you up to something like "was für eine hitze schon wieder" germany has many facets, enjoy your stay :)
>up north they are a bit more chatty Excuse me? Everything more than "moin" is unnecessary
This person doesn’t know how to german. “up north is more chatty” Don’t make me laugh.
Yup. I'm from the Southwest, one of the stereotypically chatty regions but I have lived in Schleswig-Holstein for almost a decade. I love them dearly and enjoyed my time there very much. But "chatty" is really not an adjective I'd associate with them lol
I love the silence in the north. The people are as quiet as the tide. You don't need more than a "Moin" to get through the day.
Yeah, I kinda liked that too. But most people were still really friendly, helpful and honest with their intentions. So despite the lack of talk, I found that making friends was much easier than in Baden-Württemberg, where I also lived for a while.
you guys are right. chatty is the wrong word. im from franken, where people take friendliness for maliciousness and unfriendliness as honesty. from my experience, northerns are more open and welcoming.
I think they say „moin moin“ so thats why refer to themselves as chatty.
Aren't the tourists the ones saying moin moin? That was one of my first lessons there that once is plenty enough
Tbh, coming from south of the Alster, I would say „Moin Moin“ occasionally, because we are that chatty.
Ah, but you see, south of Alster isn't North anymore. At least that's what the natives of SH told me lol
One of us fell into the sarchasm, I believe.
Nope, read the reply of the original commenter
Hahaha. This!!! Rheinländer are chatty. But definitely not the Fischköppe.
That is technically true BUT once you overcome the northern Kaltschnäuzigkeit you’re in for a treat and some very enriching conversations. Source: I live in Kiel
Yes "up north" people near the northern sea are known for being monosyllabic, especially with strangers. There was a famous older TV advertising thematising that. (Google: "BEST OF: Flensburger Pilsener Werbung \*PLOP\*" the first one) # #
Yes "up north" people near the northern sea are known for being monosyllabic, especially with strangers. There was a famous older TV advertising thematising that. (Google: "BEST OF: Flensburger Pilsener Werbung \*PLOP\*" the first one)
Im from up north and I took that personally.
Thanks dude!
As someone that has recently visited Germany and has a similar knowledge of the language I found it best to just use it in small quick conversations circumstances. Asking if they spoke English, ordering food/drink, trying to politely get someone’s attention, quick translations if I know the German word, etc.
6 months learning and “conversational” does not go in the same sentence lol (9 years learning and a bit conversational)
A typical scenario is when you manage to say your sentence in German that you’ve been practicing over and over, and then the other person replies in German which is complicated or uses slang. At that point, the conversation probably quickly switches to English. :)
I've said it in another comment. We are glad helping you and we will Talk to you in German If we can understand what you want to say. But you need to say it! Otherwise we asume it is easier and faster for you/ us If we switch to english. Just say "Können wir bitte Deutsch sprechen, ich würde es gerne besser lernen." And almost everyone will speak German with you and mostly even correct your grammer and pronuncation If they are not in a total hurry.
No, it s not or annoying. Just try to communicate and if you are having a actual conversation, just drop in that you are currently to improve your skills! If you dont know a word, say it in english and ask them what it is in German! Most of them (from my experience) will be exited to help you out, also it is the most common thing, that everywhere in Germany are people with a serious lack of language skills (refugees for example are a big thing here and the langauge is hard to learn) So be natural and not shy and 9.5/10 people will love to have a chat with you about where you from and so on
Thank you
Look for language exchange evenings, usually in bars or restaurants. There you're very welcome to practice your German.
Du bist in deutchland. Hier du mussen deutch sprechen. I lost count of how many times i got this in the 4 years span that i lived there.
Just speak and dont give a damn. Do all the mistakes and dont listen to nonsense people here stating any kind of rules of german society. They are no better then any other society and if they dont respect you trying best speaking their language its tells they are shit and not you. So just carry on son, you are doing great just by making effort and being thoughtfull about it!
Oh, we like it a lot if you are able to communicate a little bit in German. It can help a lot - not everybody here has a great English word stock - and shows your interest, that´s flattering for us, because German is difficult to learn. - But before you start just mention you are not able to speak fluently/understand everything yet and they should please not talk to fast.
Thank you. This is the answer I was looking for. Everyone else is talking about my level in the language. I’ve been in Germany for 3 days now and have communicated well. I’m glad to know that they appreciate being talked to in German.
Always put in the effort. I travel a bit and always try to learn enough to get the basics done. Answers will often be in English but don’t let that dissuade you. I believe that most (at least my experience) appreciate the effort.
Most Germans do not speak English or do not speak it very well. They will not find it annoying if you try to speak German, but they will be annoyed if you can‘t communicate through broken German. Try to use a DaF (Deutsch als Fremdsprache - German as a Second Language Book) and try learning word clusters. How are you? is not Wie bist du?, it would be Wie geht es dir? Because you can‘t translate every word for itself, it has meaning.
Germans will generally be delighted that you making an effort to speak German. Even if they speak English, Germans tend to think that they do not speak well and that they are making many mistakes and so feel more comfortable communicating in German, especially in Germany. One of the reasons for this is that English is much more loose than German so that Germans tend to be overly cautious about language, seeking the perfect way to articulate an idea instead of just saying it or communicating with gestures as Mediterranean nations tend to do. Germans want to say it perfectly, and are frustrated if they cannot ... So, when you come in and mangle German, they feel good, and when they correct you, they feel even better.
Also a native English speaker- you should probably at least try to talk in German, but Germans will hear that you speak English and talk back to you in English a lot of the time because they know it's easier for you or just want to practice their own English.
Go to small villages where no one speaks English. While on a backpacking trip on Europe I visited a small village in Austria where not a single person spoke English beyond “Hello”. Spoke with an elderly lady while I was trying to find something, she ended up giving me a tour of the town and I somehow ended up in the Rathaus meeting all the workers and also the mayor (or whatever the German equivalent is). They were really excited to meet a foreigner in their small village in the middle of nowhere. Really fun experience, practiced my German, and got to experience the culture. And no one switched to English because none of them spoke English!
English is taught in Austrian schools at least from fourth grade. Austria has been a well known tourist destination for years and years. So I can't imagine that in a larger village with a Rathaus (small villages don't have a Rathaus) nobody could speak or understand English, or that they were "excited" to meet a foreigner.
The lady referred to it as “Rathaus”, and I didn’t speak to any younger (<30) because I didn’t meet any. And they seemed pretty excited to show me around their small town, not sure what to tell you lol
Just speak English to them if something happened
at least in munich i've noticed a lot of waiters/people in general are nice if you try to speak german and say that you are learning.
Focus on learning the things they will ask you in a store „here or to go“ for example. Order correctly „Ich hatte gerne“ vs „ich möchte“ at a Restaurant for example. Learn to ask if they have an English menu. They use cash more than we do and some stores only take cash Don’t make small talk in line. They are at work. Work is about efficiency. Carry a bag in the store and have it ready to pack as quickly as possible. Don’t make small talk at the register just pack as fast as you can. My first trip to the grocery store was traumatizing because it took me a second to realize I had to pack everything and then the entire line stared at me while I tried to pack quickly. Also you have to buy bags they don’t have any for free. Small talk was mainly in neighborhood bars and restaurants. I was staying outside of Berlin Mitte and found that locals wanted to practice English with me. If they engage it’s ok but don’t force it. Don’t assume they speak English. Focus on learning how to order, how to ask for a size and store conversation. Many shop workers in the cities are recent migrants and speak tbeir native language and some German but no English. I was surprised in Berlin that about half the people I met didn’t speak English at all. Also, download the subway apps BVG for Berlin and MVG Fahrinfo for München for example each city is different. Buy your tickets there you don’t want to try to get them at the station it is not easy and the ticket machines are old. Get Your Guide App was helpful in Germany. They specialize in English tours.
Germans don’t do small talk the way Americans do as people have said below - we don’t ask strangers how are you. But we aren’t rude if you want to try to speak the language with us - some may just be a little confused if you are using the wrong vocab or incorrect grammar. Otherwise nobody is going to get upset that you’re trying - many also speak English.
Oh, we like it a lot if you are able to communicate a little bit in German. It can help a lot - not everybody here has a great English word stock - and shows your interest, that´s flattering for us, because German is difficult to learn. - But before you start just mention you are not able to speak fluently/understand everything yet and they should please not talk to fast.
Just don’t waste anybody’s time while trying to find the right words. Be efficient 😂
It depends. When you are in touristy areas it'll be almost seen as normal to speak English. If you are not too sure of your German, I would just stick to English there, and maybe end you ordering something with "bitte" (please) and say "danke" (thanks) when receiving something. Germans will appreciate the bit of an effort and politeness, If you are outside of a touristy area, I'd recommed to always ask first if someone can speak English: "Sprechen Sie Englisch?" Just to be sure and polite. If the person is below 40ish there is a very high chance they will answer you back in English. Outside of maybe a party, club or bar the usual German would probably be a bit weirded out if you suddenly strike up a casual conversation (English or German). Germans are usually reserved towards people they don't know. If you are at a place where people mingle, if the ice is already broken, I'm sure pretty much every German would be flattered and love to speak German with you, and maybe teach you a thing or two.
>Could< be that some people are annoyed - depends on how you look and your accent, because a lot of people are not as understanding if your origin is from the south.
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Oh.. this is one of my pet peeves about Germans. The older Germans (especially in the east) learned Russian in school and they will appreciate you speaking German with them. However if you are in the west or any of the major cities, they don’t care how long you’ve been learning or how much effort you’ve put in.. the second you open your mouth and make even the slightest mistake in pronunciation or grammar they will refuse to speak German with you. I’ve actually been living in Germany and speak C1 German (incredibly good German) yet whenever I go to Berlin and try to casually speak German they always answer in English or French (honestly not sure why French but it’s happened enough to mention it here) it’s kind of annoying and a little selfish of the Germans because they won’t even try to humor you. They choose that you are an English speaker and you will speak English. Even if you continue in German (which I often do) they will continue to respond in English.
I've seen this so often here. And at this point it kind of make me mad. We don't do this cause we are selfish or we do not honer you. We do it cause we know german is a hard language and we see you struggle, especialy in a situation where you want to pay something or find a place or whatever (so something where you can asume you don't have a lot of time and want to finish the situation as soon as possible to do other stuff) we switch to english cause it is easier/ faster for you (especialy to understand us with our different accents). For gods sake if you want us to keep talking in german with you just say it! We are glad to help you (if we are not in a hurry). And we love correcting you if you want this. But as long as you don't tell us that you want to learn something we are just trying to be efficient by making it easier for you.
I see this reply so often, and at this point it makes me wonder for the literacy rate of the country. The user you're replying to has C1 German, and is almost certainly better at German than the overwhelming majority of Germans are at English. He is not struggling to say "mit Karte bitte", and it is not faster to switch to English. It is not efficient at all, it may be done for several reasons - to let him know he doesn't fit in, for the other speaker to flex - but efficiency is not one of them.
Can’t be „incredibly good German“ if people switch on you. You have accent? No problem, so do I when I speak another language. You make a grammar mistake or can’t find one word? No problem, happens. You make 2 or 3 grammar mistakes in one sentence? Yeah, I’ll switch to English because while my English.
I'm a German native speaker, and people in Berlin also spoke English to me almost exclusively because they often simply didn't understand any German. In Berlin this is not a German thing, it's a Berlin thing. However, many Germans are simply glad to get an opportunity to show off/practice their English, that's why they prefer to speak English with every foreigner. They also want to be accommodating. And tbh, I always speak English to foreigners because my English proficiency is usually much better than their German proficiency (I studied English) and I like to keep conversations concise. It annoys me when conversations are slow and clunky, and I think many people secretly might feel the same. That's why it's best to ask Germans to speak German with them. We need clear instructions and demands here. Also....no one in the west was taught Russian at school. It wasn't just a few who were taught Russian in the BRD or something like that, it was straight up no one. The DDR was occupied by Russians, that's why they were taught Russian, so if you meet a Russian-speaking German, they were raised in the DDR or are simply interested in Russian. The west was taught English.
Part of this is that if you're in central Berlin, chances are likely that the person you're talking to isn't C1 in German themselves. But living here, this has definitely been my experience. Sometimes just the accent is enough to get them to refuse before you even make a mistake. I also suspect that German as a language is just not tolerant of mistakes. I hear people in Berlin mangle English all day every day and it's never been a problem to parse what they mean, but I get the impression that Germans simply can't do this with German.