What does company policy say about customers who are factual say "your worker is risking diabetes if he does not change his diet" What would be company policy do/say to the customer?
Denmark here. You can get by with English well enough if you're a tourist or a visiting professional, but unless you learn the language, there's a social glass ceiling you'll never break, a secret level, and you might never even know it's there. Failing to learn the language is by far the biggest reason expats throw in the towel and go home.
And it barrs you from playing to the fine lines of nonverbal social or economic fabrics which simply remain invisible without a certain level of adjusting to the local ways of conduct.
@@jimbeam4736 True, but to a varying degree. In Denmark you typically make friends in your teens and early twenties and keep those friends for life. After that, your social set closes up, and the only way to break in, is through marrying in. It's very hard, even for native Danes, to find new friends after they're thirty.
@@ErikBramsen Very much the same here in Germany, regardless of sexual orientation... at least that's what I experienced. Finding friends beyond 30 is also difficult, even in Cologne, a city whose inhabitants are commonly regarded as being easy-going and talkative. I think that probably also the Internet has aggravated this during the last decades, not to forget the recent pandemic... generally, digital media based on per-click ad revenues are training us to fear each other rather than to encourage openness (because fear and paranoia click well!). Increased immigration and thus more frequently encountering people with hardly mutually intelligible language (no, there is no "lingua franca" in Germany, at least not yet, and many immigrants not even speak English) does not help either...
@@maverick7291 Not really. After two generations, the Turks and Arabs get just as many (few) children as the Germans, because their education and income increases, meaning they place their careers before getting children. In other words, they become "German" themselves.
I am a Chinese who don’t live in Germany,but learn it by interest. When I went to Germany and was speaking German through custom ,the officer was so impressed and greeted and talked to me warmly. Also all the German in the street,I had been treated so well and with respect.
As a German myself, east Asians (Namely Chinese and Japanese) will, regardless of wether or not being able to speak German (Which is certainly a big plus) have my respect, because that is what I have received from them anytime I have interacted with one here. The officer probably had the same mindset. I can't think of any culture or peoples that is more respectful to us that I can think of right now, to be quite frank.
@@Fuerwahrhalunke Hi, Bruder, I want to move to Germany for my bachelors. But I see lots of negative, depressing comments about experience living there. I'm not looking for the perfect country, there is none. But i'm looking for somewhere I can at least have a good time most of the time. Is it really that bad to live there?
If you learn the language and you are willing to respect the culture, traditions and way of life you are welcome but if you act like many Americans without respect for us stay at home. I think this is true for everyone everywhere. I'm a German woman living in France since 24 years and I learned first language, history and traditions of France. I know that I have to adapt to France and their way of life.@@rationcode
I am German myself, so unfortunately I can say that in order to live and be successful in Germany, you need to know the German language. Many people don't know English. They have never needed it. Another point is the German bureaucracy. It's difficult to manage, even for Germans. Likewise, without German language skills, you are left out of many job opportunities.
Haha I'm German also and must say compared to other countries I've lived in except maybe Switzerland, german bureaucracy works really well. And efficient. True you have to fill out dense forms but nowadays it's pretty straightforward to know what is asked and once you are in the system it usually just works like a charm. France for example is horrible and I don't know how they manage to achieve anything... Forms get lost, you have to go back to agencies to find out they want something from you science a few months... None of this in Germany
No sympathy whatsoever. Not in the slightest, with people who struggle with the german language even after lengthy stays and then blame the language or the Environment or both. You have either been not ambitious/ busy enough or too stupid. Possibly both.
Agreed. Don't see the point of moving to a new country long-term and not learning the language and making an effort to fit in with the locals. I live here in Malaga and there are thousands of British people who live in the towns roundabout. Most of them make no effort to learn Spanish. They live in a sort of ghetto of retirees who seem to live in a parallel world.
Nah, this can totally make sense. For example for tax reasons (Bitcoin), or others. That said, some populous countries are less likely to have everyone speaking English well.
@@gwh99 Amen. I live in Medellin Colombia and I studiously avoid other “ex-pat Anglo’s”, as you say. If I wanted to be bored to death by them, I would have stayed in the USA.
@@jeffschueler1182 Agreed. I live in the Mediterranean coat of Spain. Lots of anglos living here, most of them of retirement age and very few of them have even basic fluency in Spanish. They have acquired a bad reputation for not learning the language, not making much effort to mix with local people and generally sticking to their own ghettos. I avoid them like the plague.
As an American living in Germany for 2+ years, I can say-sure, you don’t HAVE to learn German to get by, but you will always be an outsider and cannot fully absorb and enjoy experiences being had with Germans. I lived in Hamburg for one year and now live in a small northern city where it is even more important for me to keep learning German. It’s a struggle (to learn) but I see it as a necessity.
It’s not. The point he was making wasn’t that you shouldn’t learn German but you increasingly don’t need to. Is it going to be beneficial for making connections? Definitely. Could it be a boost for your career opportunities? Sure. Do you absolutely need it? No.
American living in Germany for 25 plus years. 🙋🏻♀️Moved here for my husband, we were happily married, but he died a few years ago and now I find myself reevaluating my stay here. The advantages: First off, my job is secure, my health insurance is fantastic, and my German friends are my friends for life. I still get taken aback by German "honesty" which I view as tactlessness. Gotta have a thick skin, but I give as good as I get. 😊 Learning German is, I think, essential...it opens SO many avenues. Sounds like I'm staying here. 🤔
Sorry to hear that you are confronted with German tactlessness. I, as a German, know what you mean. 😀Just an idea: It is not always honesty but often a humor that is so "dry" that it hurts. I have an American friend who still struggles with our sarcasm and often feels offended. I hope you are going to stay and feel well. ✌
@@andreadee1567 oh, I have a sarcastic streak in me, too 🙃 and I think I can feel out if someone is attempting humour that may have fallen flat. It's just sometimes total honesty isn't required or requested. If I ask for an opinion, and someone provides a brutally honest remark, then, okay. Fair play. It's those times when I was NOT seeking someone's opinion that those comments occasionally left me slack-jawed. I'm not saying that someone should be superficially dishonest, but rather have a care as to how this information will be received. My criteria before offering criticism: is it necessary, is it honest, and is it unkind. Just my opinion. 🤓
@@AmiAbroad I absolutely agree, esp. with your last sentences. If it should be the case that Americans tend to be "superficially dishonest", (which for me is just a stereotype, because I never had this experience with Americans) than Germans are guilty to be "superficially honest". Not caring about how criticism could be received is at least laziness, or worse.
I have no problems with with tourists, or people who live and work one or two years. But in case of someone who lives here for 10 years and does not know German, he or she will be ignored.
The point is that the more people speak English, in Germany or elsewhere, the harder it becomes to get fluent in the local language. I picked up Spanish in Chile within half a year, without major effort. On the flipside, I'm still struggling with Dutch after living in the country for years. The main difference being that almost no Chilean spoke decent English at that time and almost every Dutch person I meet is fluent in English.
@@pamphletier I think this is definitely a contributing factor. The fact that you can survive much better without the language of the country you live in and fall back on English in situations where you're out of your depth means you learn way less quickly. Nevertheless, there's a huge difference between those who learn, but learn less quickly, and those who don't learn at all. I would say it has taken me 3-4 years to be even reasonably comfortable with German, whereas it would take me 1-2 years in another country. I've met quite a few Americans in particular who honestly look at me like I'm crazy when I mention my efforts to learn. They just reply "why?". Hard to believe that attitude!
I once knew a Canadian guy, who had lived in Germany for two years and didn´t bother to learn the language. He defended his not learning of German by " I will not live here forever, so it is not worth while." Apart from being very intelectually lazy, it also is English language chauvinism to expect and force everyone around you to speak English ( I am not talking about tourists of course, I will gladly speak English to them). When the Canadian complained that he had only international and no German friends I told him honestly that it is no wonder : Imagine a group of several Germans talking to each other in Germany....and than a random Canadian comes along and wants them ALL to talk in English, so he would understand....that means Germans talking English to other Germans. No country in the world would accept this.
Or simply reverse the roles and have a purely German speaker arrive in Canada and expect everyone to accommodate them by speaking German instead of English. Seeing the whole situation from that angle is all it takes but some people are too narcissistic and immature to actually do that.
Living there for a few years does not oblige you to learn the language. It's upto each individual how they choose to live in a foreign country. I mean you Germans who go for a few months to Mallorca for decades and can barely speak Spanish. But he shouldn't complain about not having German friends. I find this constant refrain about English language chauvinism amusing. Who forced you to learn English and use it? No one. It is just the global language of commerce and international relations just as other languages once were. It would be best if some Europeans dropped the weird inferiority complex they have towards the English language.
@@dirtyace1668 Too bad your analogy sucks since German is not a global language of business and commerce ie the default language. That's why in Canads it would be strange to speak German but I actually live in Canada. We don't have a problem with people not speaking English - when renewing my driver's license I saw one of the officials communicating in Spanish with an applicant from Latin America. And it's routine to hire people with different language skills to serve the many immigrants that Canada welcomes each year.
@@vmoses1979 I m German and used to live on Mallorca and don't know ANY German who lived there or still does who doesn't, at the very least, speak C1+ Spanish, if not also Mallorquín/ Catalan fluently. The type that you talk about are nouveau riche intellectually chavvy types,which I suppose is the category that Anglos who live in Germany without bothering to learn any German fall into, then. No wonder they can't make any German friends.
@@vmoses1979 First to get something out of the way. Why are you being so abrasive? Are you 14 years old? If you are though, then I completely understand the rudeness and immaturity. Hopefully you'll grow out of it. Ok, next thing. Despite English being the default global language of business, there are still over 200 countries in the world with their own official languages and for you to expect someone to just show up from another country and expect everyone to care to your whims is simply delusional. I'm also saying this as an immigrant to US. I immigrated from Ukraine (over 30 years ago) and yes, while here they will also accommodate you with a translator or other resources, it is still done so to a certain degree as to truly integrate into the country and culture, you need to learn the official language which is English. I've met other immigrants from Ukraine who refuse to learn it and of course, they never really integrate but simply limited to staying within their own little communities/cliques where they can simply speak Ukrainian or Russian.
Why on Earth would anyone move to a country and not learn the language there? If I had to live in Germany, I would grab onto the opportunity to learn German. It would be so much more comprehensive than learning it on Duolingo or in a classroom.
Because they might work with numbers and be a sought-after professional while having a general speech disability even in their own language. It is extremely difficult if not impossible to learn a foreign language in this case. I am not trying to deny the necessity of learning a language of a country one lives in. I just wanted to raise awareness of why exceptions exist and should be allowed to exist.
@@yaroslavaliashenko5948 I "work with numbers" and both my degrees and jobs were in German. It's not that hard. Like, look, if Chinese people can torture themselves to learn English in order to "work with numbers" in America, I'm sure any person in the sciences or computer science or mathematics or engineering can do the same with German (esp. going from from one Germanic language like English to another one).
I'm assuming the main point is that you don't need to learn German immediately/before moving to Germany just to survive. Which is, indeed, a big plus if you're planning to move countries _right now_. Or maybe only planning to move somewhere short term. But also... learning a laguage is hard. Just because you're in a country doesn't necessarily make it much easier, you certainly don't pick it up magically just by being in the country. I know people who lived in Germany for some time, who would have _liked_ to learn German properly, but weren't able to beyond essentially duolingo. Time and money are still a factor. Yes, once you're at intermediate say B1 level you can start learning a lot by just immersion which might be easier in the country, but before that it's a lot harder to learn without proper lessons.
It's outrageous that if you move to a new country, you wouldn't want to learn the language (and culture). It's the most basic respect and should be an essential commitment from every immigrant.
I'd argue that the culture is, or at least should be, a huge reason why you move to a different country - at least if you want to be happy in that country. Like if I wouldn't like rice and fish and fried stuff and Asian cuisine, didn't like tiny homes, crowded places, learning a different alphabet, if I didn't like anime, manga or anything really about Japanese culture, why would I want to move there? I do get the language thing - to a degree. Learning a new language is always tricky. For some it's easier than for others. And if you're not sure if you want to stay, I do understand that you might not want to make the effort to learn the language. All cool. But if you've been here for multiple years and didn't even try to learn at least the basics, you've pretty much lost me
And yet, British and Americans professional migrants, migrate to many countries worldwide without the slightest plan to learn the local language. Some live abroad for decades without learning the local language.
Our son is in Germany (grad school- program delivered in English). Six months in, he's working in a bar where only German is spoken. He's fully committed to learning the language and is already well on his way. Although he's plenty aware of some of the cultural differences raised here ,overall he values the culture.
And when he leaves Germany, all of that time is wasted....and for what? He could have spent that time learning how to take apart and reassemble a car and/or bake a cake. The Germans will continually try and get you to submit to doing things their way. You know why Germans were so often petulant, nasty and childish about Brexit? Because it was a rejection of Germany's claim that it knows best and that all others must follow.
Thanks a lot for this video. I am German, living in Germany, and it helps to be reminded from time to time on how “external” people view Germany and its culture. And: Your English is so pleasant to listen to. I understood every word clearly, and I was feeling like sitting in front of you having an interesting and mindful conversation. Thanks again and have a good day.🦋
@@klarasee806 He knows that he is addressing an international audience which consists not exclusively of native speakers of English. A totally different experience is listening to videos of "Wolters World". He clearly addresses only native speakers of (American) English and speaks very fast. Or take John Oliver (to name someone who was brought up in Britain) with his show _Last Week Tonight._ Speaking very fast and not aimed at learners.
I am American and have lived in Germany since 1985. I can with all honesty that it was the best decision I've ever made. Most Germans are not rude as it seems you insinuate. I was fortunate enough to have had a good paying job working in IT during my career and was lucky enough in my bad fortune with a failed operation to be able to retire at the age 57. I had to fight for this through the courts but came out victorious. When I see what is going on in America I know I made the right choices in life. I am collecting a very good pension and never have to worry about not being able to pay my medical bills. The health providers are having their issues, but I still think I have it better than the average American. All in all I would say Germany has treated me well and I appreciate it. It is not for everyone, especially if you don't learn the language. Once language is no longer a burden life can be sweet. It took me many years to learn the language and know what it's like to feel left out in conversation. Good luck!
Easy to say that as a white American, not sure your experiences would be the same if you were Turkish or Eastern European - The racism is still strong here.
@@sjwbond2 Some Arabs, Turks and Eastern Europeans repeatedly stand out for their lack of integration, i.e., they live in parallel societies and hardly speak any German, even though they have been living in Germany for decades. This does not go unnoticed by Germans.
@@sjwbond2 It depends on where you settle down in Germany. Racism, unfortunately, exists all over the world even in 2024. America is one of the biggest sinners when it comes to racism. I remember as I was a child and Martin Luther King was shot and killed how racism caused riots in the streets. That was in the 60s and America still has major issues today.
@@ettoreatalan8303 sorry, I’ve been living in Germany long enough, and in one of the least racist places here to understand that there is a dark underbelly. It’s not all Germans, but there is a serious problem here, I’m very lucky that most of my neighbours don’t have a xenophobic attitude (I live in a suburb of Düsseldorf where it is basically all white Germans). have you ever stopped to think that the German attitude to immigrants is part of the problem? The state basically treated them like second class citizens until recently (gastarbeiter).
I had the opportunity to spend 3 days in München (it was love from first sight) but before that I spent 4 years learning german, so visiting germany was like a final test, I was very nervous because I was invited to a party of only germans, but once i started to interact with the dudes and notice how they understood my german and I understood everything they said I felt like I was inside of a movie, everybody was so kind and easygoing, we played beerpong and well it was one of the best moments of my life, I really like germany and I hope to visit again
Learn the language! At least if you want to stay for more than a year. It does not need to be perfect, but some German words (A2 maybe B1) will change the way you experience Germany and help you understanding the culture. I did that with French, and I cannot emphasize enough how much it changed my experience with French people, even though English is the official language at work. And it is fun to learn a language, keeps the brain flexible. I even made friends, when they started to help me understand some idioms etc.. And as for business - I once had a project team with one Englisch native speaker who did not speak any German at first. So we spoke Englisch. Even though most colleagues were quite fluent, it reduced the team‘s performance in meetings by (I guess) 20%. While some might almost have a native level and speak effortless, most of us need to spend quite some effort to express their ideas in a foreign language, some even struggle to an extent where they stay quiet. I sometimes organized smaller meetings without the englisch speaking colleague to discuss and prepare complex issues. However, listening is easier than speaking, and after a year our colleague could understand German quite well, so we started to speak German while he spoke English - it immediately went much better. I do the same thing today in France - the colleagues may speak French (they slow down a bit and try to avoid „argot“), and I switch to English whenever it gets too complicated for me in French. I can also laugh about my own mistakes and I learn a lot. I am convinced that this is the reason I got invited to after work events at some point. As a German, I might sometimes hesitate to invite the British colleague, if that meant that English had to be the language in the Biergarten.
I'm planning to relo to Albania for the long term, and if you live in a big city, the locals even say if you speak english don't bother with the language. I probably will just because I'm weird, at least enough to get around and chitchat.
As a foreigner, in my opinion, you might be able to survive in Germany without speaking german but you won't be accepted fully as a member of the society and can face quite alot of struggles. It's totally understandable cause german is still the official and native language of the country and I or we have to adjust as someone trying to live in a foreign country(cause it's our choice). But still it's quite a challenge cause learning a new language especially being fluent with it takes time.
I totally agree. I know many people who have mostly friends international friends and the German friends they do have are also “internationally inclined” but still that doesn’t change the fact that you miss out on so much
@@britingermany Yup social relationships and also for the job market. The country being international does'nt mean they they don't prefer someone who speaks their language. Communication is essential in every way on the job market and you could gain significantly more opportunities if you speak it and if you are integrated with the society.
I'm German. I consider it disrespectful to my culture if foreigners assume they may communicate with me on German soil in English without being invited to do so. Wherever Brits and Americans use their own mother tongue abroad without asking, that's cultural imperialism.
If you invite s.o. to a (say) barbeque who doesn't speak german then everybody you have invited has to try to speak english. That's really very uncomfortable bc not everybody is used to speak english. So you might be dismissed the next time.
@@ernesto003plus, to be fair, many people do try to speak German but it is the Germans that answer back in English because they want to use that opportunity to practice their English. At least that has anecdotally been the case for me. I said "dreimal Erwachsene bitte" and the ticket officer just replied back "single or return journey".
Great Video. As a german i strongley agree with the comments. If you want to be a part of the german society and german cultur you need to learn German!
Just the idea of thinking that you'll come by without learning a word in local language is extreeeemely naive to me. Ppl don't commit to anything nowadays smh
@@magadguiteIf you know you only stay a few years for a certain project and you only know the language somewhat well once you leave, is it worth learning?
I can’t believe some people really think they can live in a place without speaking the local language. That’s unthinkable to me, living in a bubble all the time. That’s why I know that I’ll probably never be an expat in Korea or Japan, because I don’t see myself learning Korean or Japanese.
I’m a 60yr old Scottish woman living in Germany for the past 16 years. I went to college when I first arrived. Personally I found the language complicated but persevered. My German isn’t perfect but I get by. I have a lovely family here and many friends, I love it here. However if you come here to work I would think you would certainly need an understanding.
Maybe it's what you meant, but I want to heavily underline, that you should learn German If you plan to have a social life here. You can easily work and live here, just speaking English or very basic German. But a get-together of friends will be held in the Language of the majority. A group of international students may all be speaking English, but if you want to integrate into a group of Germans, you have to at least understand German - no one will care if you anwser in English, this is fine, but they will talk in German. Of course there will be occasions where a small group or a short meeting will be held in English just for you. And for a chance some Germans like to use their English skills. But doing it for a long period is exhausting. At work I have very complicated topics to talk about, doing it in English won't make it easier for me. And in personal settings doing smalltalk in English is fine, but Germans generally do not like small talk and our English might not be trained enough to talk about deep personal feelings - heck, the topics I like to talk about even are too complicated for my German - let alone my English. And understanding German on a social level means phrases, jokes, cultural things as well as understanding it when it is talked fast and over each other in a group with several conversation side by side. Otherwise you might be perceived as "a bit slow" This is of course the end goal of living in Germany as a foreigner, and anyone may chose, what their expectations of integration is. All I want to say is, you will get along without German, but you will miss out on so many things. And it is WAY more important to understand German than to speak or write it perfectly. So if you can, tell Germans to answer in German even if you ask something in English.
If you just come here to study or work for 2 or 3 years you can just stay in your bubble of International people. But if you have a family, kids you will want to learn german or your family will be somewhat lonely and you'll have trouble with the school, especially if want to have a more in deapth conversation with your coparents or teachers. Or if you want to attend events at the school or have friends of your kids over at your house. But everyone can do as they wish. Just don't cry that it's hard to make german friends.
I remember a situation at some friends' house. My husband and I are used to speaking English, just like the couple we were visiting. All of us also speak German at C2 level, but English comes as natural to us. Actually there was one US American, one Spanish (teaching business at a university in English), one Jamaican and me, a German (certified translator), and another German friend with a decent, but not professional level of English. Somehow we got carried away chatting in English so fast, that the German friend gave up after a while. He told us later that he had been hearing the four of us well, but couldn't really follow the whole conversation. What I want to say, is that you are among people sharing a common language, and you are the only outsider not being fluent, sooner or later you will be left out. Germans won't talk for hours in English to each other, just because there is a single person around not having mastered the language. I think this is true elsewhere as well. It's just natural. The situation I described above is a bit unusual in Germany, as somehow the English language took over the conversation, but it's still true that you have to be able to understand the language of the people you want to get in touch with.
@@HolgerJakobs oh, I can vividly picture the situation. And am reminded of ones from way back. Just imagine the situation when you and your friends are ok to switch to another language - in this case English, but someone has a SO with him or her who isn't comfortable speaking English.... This can be a whole can of worms and is not as simple as the question "did you have English in school" Also even if you are quite good in a language, you might need some warming up to get past the "and what do yo do for a living" type of conversations.
I cannot stand it when I go into a restaurant, want to order, and the waiter does not speak German. It is simply disrespectful. If someone wants to live and work here they f*cking need to learn the language. This coming from a english mother tongued immigrant
I think it is because the restaurant and other service sectors cannot get qualified (IOW German speaking) staff. I too noticed that many of the people working at restaurants in Austria can understand English better than German. Some of the younger staff come from Ukrania, CzechR. Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia where they have learnt English and are quite good, but struggle still with German. If they stay on a bit longer (not only a summer job) they will eventually learn German.
I think it's better to be liberal in that matter; perhaps that person doesn't feel confident yet or is only there for a short time. You never know their history. And when communicating doesn't work, you'll still have hands and feet to work that out. I live in an official bilingual city plus English as the most common denominator and nobody ever (unless you run into an asshole) means any disrespect. It's just that not everyone is made to speak multiple languages or had parents that cared enough. I think it's fine not to like it, but that doesn't mean it's disrespectful.
Come to a country for a limited amount of time (such as for holiday trips or specific work projects)? Don't need to learn the language (other than maybe greetings, yes/no, name, age and so on). Work in a country for a longer-but-limited amount of time, in a specialised area of expertise, potentially in a multi-national team of other highly-trained experts? Same as above, probably. Plan to stay for a long amount of time OR working with direct contact to bog-standard citizens of that country OR outside of specialised, multi-national teams OR receiving sweet welfare benefits? You better make a concentrated effort to aquire at least some B1 level skills as fast as possible. Otherwise it's very disrespectful, in my opinion.
It depends on what you want. There are now enough people living here form all over the world that you can have a great life without speaking the language. I am not saying this is a good thing. I’m saying this is the reality. I think maybe people don’t realise just how much demographics have changed here in the last few years…
@@britingermany There surely are places where you will find those "bubbles" - and I agree, that's a good thing -:but you can't find (or expect) them everywhere - and that's a good thing too.
@@britingermany I think not being able to speak German in Germany is like not being able to read. And I think the importance of both has changed in a similar way over time. In the past not being able to read would mean you wouldn't be able to do a lot of the jobs and would be forced to work a rather low income job. You probably would be screwed over with contracts and struggle to do a huge majority of bureaucracy. Not being able to read had a huge impact on your life, just as not being able to speak German had at the time. Today not being able to read still sucks - but with modern technology you can get by a lot better. Screen readers can help you get by, smartphones can read to you what's written down, and even in jobs you can get by easier than you used to. But there's a glass ceiling. Something that you might not see at first, but will experience every once in a while. Jokes you won't get when you're watching a movie together because something funny is written down and you cannot use your smartphone. Certain careers and even career steps are still locked for you when you cannot read. And that's the same for not being able to speak German. Yes, you can get by without it - and much easier than you used to. But not being able to speak German means you're constantly slightly behind. You're not completely left behind, but you're also not completely a part of something. And I'm going to add an example because you've mentioned that you have a friend that's married to a German but doesn't speak German. And they probably live a happy and fulfilling life and they'll come by without one of them speaking German, etc. But I'm also 100% sure that they're not part of their German friends groups 100% - even the German part of the couple. Having someone in a group that's not being able to speak your language causes problems. Yes, sure, you can cater to their needs or the partner can translate, but that also causes problems. The group of friends might want to watch a german comedian who only does comedy in Germany. Are they going to invite the EN/GER-couple? Probably not because she doesn't get the jokes, he cannot translate all the time, and they also don't want to invite half of the couple, so both of them are left out. And this will happen over and over again because having to have conversations in English as a native German speaker can be exhausting after a while. And having to wait for translations is also not great. I honestly don't think that you can really enjoy your stay here in Germany for long if you don't at least try to learn the language.
@@britingermany Moving to a country, living there, working there and not even to be bothered to learn the basic of the language where you decided to live reeks of laziness, unwillingness to integrate and arrogance/entitlement (especially from native English speakers). Don't expect the locals to help you all the time and to adjust to you because you are unwilling. I wouldn't move to for example to London and expect them to speak my native language and not adjust. People would call me mad and arrogant. Yes, i know you learned the language and the usage of you was more of addressing the general people.
I lived in Köln in the late nineties. I had learned German from childhood to college (my grandparents were German). Most Germans spoke English to me for various reasons, some just didn’t like my “bad” German and said so, though their English was not much better. I was definitely lacking in modern slang, and several people commented that I spoke like a 1970s secretary (I was in high school in the 70s; also I used a lot of old German since the first German I learned was from my grandparents who left there in the 1920s). On the other hand I could read “Alte Schrift” which none of my friends could. But still I cannot read a German newspaper very easily. Yet I did have friends who did not speak English and it really made for a richer deeper experience for me. Also in is invaluable for dealing with bureaucracy, things move much more quickly and positively if you speak German. And the Germans are much more funny in their own language than English.
Well, I'm marrying a German. We live in Berlin. But even in Berlin I really need German in order to survive. There is no English speaking Apple Care call centre. Getting technical support from Telekom is near impossible in English. Nobody at my local Edeka or Rewe can speak English, so if I want to know if they have any stock of something, I'm out of luck if I can't ask them in German. My doctor might know English, even my dentist, but my podiatrist, not a word of English. Most of my local restaurants are German only. Bascally, I would say, it's imperative that you learn German in order to survive. Everything you need, the bureaucracy, the contracts you will need to sign, the emergency services, are all in German. You might be able to wing it for a short while, but eventually, you are going to have to learn the language. English just really isn't that common outside of tiny areas. Out of my fiancé's friends, only one of them can speak English all that well and all of them are high ranking Beamtin. In order to socialise with them all, I have had to learn enough German. Most Germans are very forgiving and patient if you're new and are only just starting to learn the language, but in my experience, that patience will run very thin after a while if they know you've been living in Germany for a year and still can't string a sentence together. They are going to wonder if there's something wrong with you. I would say it's really bad advice to give, to suggest to anyone, moving to any country, that they don't need the native language to survive. It's setting them up for absolute failure.
you got to be kidding me having that problem in Berlin, the most english speaking city in germany. I can in the small german city find someone in supermarkt that speaks english. And doctors that i know all knew english "ein bisschen" but thats mean more then enought. Thay just dont want to speak english particuly with you. But when they see they have no choice - they immidiatly start speak english, its hilarius. Noticed few times
Many older people don’t speak English. Those who grew up in the former east learnt Russian in school. Most of them that grew up in the west forgot the English they had to learn 50 or 60 years ago. I can understand, that they get upset, when they go to a restaurant in Berlin and the staff doesn’t speak German.
Both in Essen and Frankfurt I was served at hotels by women that could not speak German. I was genuinely shocked, and surprised they even could hold such a job
where I live there are lots of Russians and they don't speak English. Problem is, our accents when we speak German are very different and they don't really understand me and I don't understand them. You can get by but not for any close relationship
I'm from Ukraine and have visited Germany, however, I'm not an immigrant or a refuge there. I've found Germans easy to get along with and understand because my own culture and upbringing had many similarities, such as sincerety, honesty and just overall straightforwardness. On the other hand, I've met Brits as well and while they are good people overall, most came off with a sort of "clown" like demeanor. Perhaps it is this sense of cynicism that's described in the video, but it was as if every conversation has these thick layers of sarcasm. Personally, i can be sarcastic myself without a problem but to me it has it's place to a certain extent instead of having an almost constant presence. I've also encountered similar behavior in US but it's more subdued and therefore better, in my opinion. Sarcasm is great and all but it's should be something that is added as an extra flavor to the conversation instead of it simply be the main flavor of it. Anyway, just my 2 cents.
I worked as craftsman in Germany, a social class which aren't particularly correct but still highly professional in my country. Germans doesn't understand or accept irony and banter! If you fall out of their accepted way of behaviour you'll feel the heat immediately. Might even be excluded on different abstract levels. German humour is no fun... Be prepared to take a verbal fight what ever happens. Basically they only respect winners of whatever daily societal contest you are participating in!
I worked as craftsman in Germany, a social class which aren't particularly correct but still highly professional in my country. Germans doesn't understand or accept irony and banter! If you fall out of their accepted way of behaviour you'll feel the heat immediately. Might even be excluded on different abstract levels. German humour is no fun... Be prepared to take a verbal fight what ever happens. Basically they only respect winners of whatever daily societal contest you are participating in!
Brits of the lower and middle classes seem addicted to 'banter' as a social glue; it's a way both of forming friendships and keeping a distance. The distance stays until the banter has tested the personalities for mutual 'suitability'. Upper classes in my experience do not 'do' banter; they establish their bona fides through accents, and they do not befriend the lower classes. All very subtle, tacit. The sarcasm is the harsh, sharp, weaponised edge of banter. In Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Spain, sarcasm can be welcome in some situations but around strangers it's often taken as a sign of frustration and inadequacy. So people there, in my experience, restrain themselves as a wise defensive measure. And yes, in my experience too, it's much easier to have good conversations with 'continental' peoples. Brits too easily default to the comedy routine and try to strip-mine every subject for laughs.
That's interesting when you talk about a "sort of clown demeneor". That's the impression I get sometimes when watching videos of Brits on various topics. I wonder: are they joking, are they making fun of us, or are they serious?
@@tic-tacdrin-drinn1505 This feeling, coming from a Ukrainian, is probably strenghthened by the fact that most people east and southeast of Germany are somewhat a bit more reserved with strangers and open up later. Therefore they can perceive a stranger who is too friendly, sarcastic or joking around as either being clown, trying to fool, con or trick you or even being rude or hostile. Germany is somewhat in between these two extremes, I think somewhat closer to the more eastern/southeastern countries with, of course, some of it's own peculiarities and also local differences (people in the north being much more restrained, people in the Rhineland and Ruhrgebiet being more open and sarcastic but friendly, Bavarians being also more open but less sarcastic, Berliners beeing blunt etc.). My parents are from southeastern Europe but I was born and raised in Germany and happen to be a bit too open (still in the acceptable range in Germany) and was constantly reminded to be more serious, since people might think of me as a fool.
I'm American and my ex-husband is from Germany. His 2 sisters were married to Americans. We all lived near each other here, in the US. When my husband and his sisters' parents came from Germany to visit yearly, we would all speak German, including us Americans. Although his parents could speak English well, they were flattered by us Americans speaking German with them. When I visited Germany with my sisters-in-law, I insisted on speaking German. The Germans were really friendly and appreciated that I spoke German with them. It really broke the ice. 😊
Having lived in Germany for years l can tell you that most Germans are far more interested in you helping them with their English than they are helping you with German.
This is exactly what I find irritating about english speakers, we expect everybody to cater for us. I find it quite selfish TBH. I'm a Handwerker in Hamburg and very few colleagues speak english. A few think that they can, but it's often no more than a handful of phrases painfully pronounced. I find it's mostly the university educated Germans that speak english well, although not exclusively.
@@jakobthelibrarycard6261 I think they meant that us Teutons just switch the conversation to English, even if the other person doesn't want us to & is trying to learn German. This is very often true. =\
I had a different experience when I was an exchange student in Germany (I also spoke German quite well before arriving). Upon meeting me, lots of Germans said they wanted to practice their English with me. However, in practice, they never did it, at all. I don't think anyone ever practiced their English with me the entire year I was there. I spoke German with everyone, all the time, except the one Canadian-German guy in the group who spoke English at home. One of my best friends straight-up refused to ever speak a single sentence of English with me, even when I begged him to. I went abroad again in college and had a similar experience. The only time I spoke English with Germans was in settings where someone didn't speak any German. I think there's a big diversity in Germany when it comes to how eager people are to speak English with you, and it ends up being a self-fulfilling prophecy. People who only speak English are excluded from contexts where the preferred language is German and only really get exposed to English-friendly ones. Therefore they overestimate how English-friendly Germany is as a whole.
YES, YOU NEED TO LEARN GERMAN. ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST DISRESPECT. I do not respect any foreigner who doesn't make a serious effort to learn the language of the country he is living in. Here or elsewhere.
@@NoidoDev The only nonsense is not even beeing bothered to learn the native langague if you move/migrate to a country. If you can't be bothered to do the bare minium for integration stay in your country.
I am a nonwhite person, not an EU citizen living in Germany for 10 years. I have lived both in Southern and Northern Germany. Yeah, I took the time to learn German and I use it every single day. I work in a company and pay my taxes. Nevertheless, even if I apply for German citizenship, I will never be seen as an equal because of my looks or because of my origins. It is a very old mentality country, whose principal value is "security", therefore many rules and anything that try to disrupt this, they will trigger them. Yeah, Germany is not for everybody. However, I am still amused that they need to have workers. Still, they are not welcoming to them to allow them not only to learn the language but to navigate their complicated system, but to expect they will figure it out by themselves in no time. I am not complaining, but that is the reality, especially if your looks do not match those of other European folk.
I was in Cologne and Frankfurt a few weeks ago. Plenty of smaller and cheaper hotels outside city centres still don't have English speaking staff. Staff at the post office and at the OBI hardware store I visited near downtown Frankfurt didn't speak English either. Even staff the Main Tower didn't speak English, and that's one of Frankfurt's main tourist attractions. Ironically in my travels I found the second generation immigrants to be least likely to speak English. One East-Asian waitress at a bar in Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof couldn't understand English at all. Same with the Turkish(?) couple that owned the hotel I stayed at in Leverkusen, whereas native Germans are often able to understand English to some degree, even if they can't speak it. It may be that English is becoming a more popular language in Germany, but right now they still have a long way to go before English speakers can get around without any barriers. In a way this is not necessarily a bad thing, because thanks to the language barrier much of the toxic elements within the culture of the anglosphere hasn't yet gone across to infect the Germans from what I've seen, and I hope it stays that way.
Totally agree. I am German and it baffles me, that ( compared to e.g. the Netherlands or Scandinavia) so many of us struggle to understand or even speak a decent level of English.
Many Germans start to feel being a stranger in Germany. I personally do not switch to English anymore because somebody who lives here does not speak German. I strongly believe that it is impolite to not speak German here. I am happy to help a tourist but not sombody who works here for more than one or two years.
Personally, I find it a little annoying when someone switches to English. I started learning German when I was over 40 so I just have to open my mouth and people know I am English because of my accent. Sometimes with friends, depending on the subject we might switch now and then but when I am out shopping or whatever I want to speak German
Good for you. I do think it's outrageous when people move to a country and make no attempt to learn the native language. As an English speaker, I actually agree with the commenter above however and found it quite frustrating myself trying to practice my German in Germany. Anyone i spoke German to when i visited would always answer me in perfect English which really knocked my confidence. 😅
I know of people who lived in Germany for thirty years and speak about three words of German... other migrants (who make an effort) are fluent within five years*. Thats the reason I don't like to speak English with them. Tourists are different of course.
What a lovely selection of photographs. You’ve got the knack of presenting Germany at its best. Try Schleswig Holstein for your next summer holiday. Friedrichstadt, the rivers Eider and Treene. You ll love the way people speak/live. Thank you for making me enjoy my home country.
I just spent 4 weeks in Bavaria, and I gotta say, I absolutely loved the weather there. After living in Israel for most of my life, and in Spain for the past 6 years, I wholeheartedly welcome some cool, fresh air and some rain in summer. Not to mention the blessed absence of the sticky, oppressive humidity of Tel Aviv and Barcelona.
As an Australischer informatiker with a deutsche Frau, I appreciate your objectivity from your subjective experience of Germany, which is very similar to my own. I love the German directness, such a contrast to the years I spent working and living in London, Surrey and the West Midlands. Sorry to say it (pun intended), the Brits are so polite, but insincere. The Germans are neutral, professional, helpful, respectful and, in your words sincere. I love it here...
@@britingermany I would have mentioned about the refugees, y about the refugee and the "so called refugees" problems in Germany, would have been interesting. Sweden , got it really bad . A shame whats been happening in Europe. If you want me to explain what I mean by refugees and "So called refugees" I will be happy to do so, in 2016 it was really bad , in terms of people being attacked, That put a lot off people who don't live in Europe put them off , going to Germany but I think people need to do more research into the refugees , that came over (and the so called refugees that are the problem )
I bought a house in Croatia. I am 66 and an aplied Mathematican - not that stupid, i guess. But I am not able to learn Croatian - first there is no incentive, everybody speaks German or English, and second, I am just not able to. I know variations of a chess opening I learned 45 years ago, but I can't remember words I heared a few moments ago. Sad, but reality.
@@gerhardrasch8234 It doesn't work like that. I am 27, i am learning german for like maybe 4 years and only noticed improvement once i ditched english when talking to germans no matter how bad my german was and started reading books in german that i translated with phone. I can now mostly understand and the stuff i dont know, i piece together from word parts i recognize and the context. Atleast you should look into interslavic language, it should cover the basics for all slavic languages and isn't as expansive as natural languages are.
@@gerhardrasch8234 I once met an engineer, who had big problems to learn a foreign (my) language. But a language is not a construction, which fails, when you make one mistake in your calculations but a system with multiple redundancies. Therefore you can produce a lot of mistakes and you can still be understood. Maybe you must fight against your shyness. But I know, it's more a question of someones personality and not of his intelligence and therefore it's very difficult to change that.
@@gerhardrasch8234 I have always been very good at Maths and started working as a Mathematical Engineer. I find learning languages difficult and like you just don't remember the words
Consider moving back to rhe UK. I did after 11 years abroad. Lovely community, landscape, friends, family and pubs. The weather, politics and the potholes pass me by. Find a location and get involved in the community. Everywhere has it's problems.
I’ve lived in Los Angeles for 35 years. I’m still amazed when I find people who have lived here for decades and decades, and still don’t speak the language they survive, but only within their own culture they don’t simulate. They are not a part of they are separate from ,that is a fact.
I came from Hong Kong and now I live in Munich. My 30+ experience told me how unequal the thing is: Westeners expat working in Hong Kong for many years never speak Cantonese or just not able to use it and Hong Kong people will not consider this is rude. English is so popular in Hong Kong and people are so open minded to expats that not speaking Cantonese! FYI the total world population using Cantonese is larger than German! Now I live in Germany for more than two years, on my way to learn and integrate and I am still using mostly English. I dont find any problem here.
You're right, it does upset. While it might be more convenient for an English speaker to not have to know any German to get by in Germany it makes Germany less German. If I go to Germany I want to experience Germany not Africa or the Middle East...or even England or America.
Every country in Europe is really for the natives. Only Anglo-Saxon countries and especially the US is so open that even people who are clearly foreign don’t necessarily hit a glass ceiling.
Germany here. Learn the language! Well, if you're an IT specialist and your company is only sending you to Germany for a few months, it's not necessary. But if you're moving here to live and work for longer, it's essential. I have an American acquaintance who has been in Germany for a decade, is in a steady partnership with a German woman and doesn't speak a word of German. At least he doesn't; he probably understands quite a bit. Family celebrations are crazy. The parents-in-law speak practically no English, the daughter translates everything. The rest of the party speaks moderate or poor English. Creepy. Everyone wants to please him kindly. Making American small talk for an entire evening is really difficult for Germans. I have given up. Phew... Now his job is going down the drain and he can't find a new one: no German qualifications, no language skills. And now? Young colleagues tell me that because of the many students from abroad, some university seminars are now held in English, in subjects such as sociology or - attention - philosophy! That's a joke! Talking about Kant and Hegel in English. If you can't speak German, you're lost anyway. And German students have to write seminar papers in English in their own country. That's really going too far for me. Please don't misunderstand: I'm not one of those people on the far right. But I believe that understanding the language not only helps you to have a nice evening with beer and wine, but also to understand the mentality of the people who speak it.
Native English speaker - its pretty rude not to learn the local language of any other country you might move to, not to mention the practical advantages of speaking with everyone.
Yet in countries like Thailand, the locals assume you can't speak their language and just talk to you in English. Same attitude among expats, few of them speak more than basic Thai
My son has been interested in attending university in Germany, so he started studying German when he was in the 5th grade. Unfortunately, we moved countries and there were no school programs in our area that offered German (of course he could have been studying on his own, and we tried that with private lessons, but it didn't last). I've been exploring if it's still possible for him to study there without having sufficient language skills (university level skills). I really appreciated your overview here. I moved to the US from Ukraine when I was 12 and found reading between the lines of the polite exterior really difficult. When I moved back to Ukraine in my thirties I found the honesty jarring and a bit upsetting :) I've told all my friends that I wish there was a middle ground. In the US I'm the most blunt person most people know, and in Ukraine I'm confusingly polite.
Depends on what he wants to study I'd say, but there are a lot of international courses now so classes will be in English. Contact the unis he's interested in, they will be able to help you.
Speaking as somebody who went to university in Germany I'd say that unless his German is of a fairly high standard he would have no change of getting through it. German standards are very high. I went to university aged 36 and had already lived there for 13 years and it was still tough going. Yes I graduated with fairly good marks but it was no picnic in the park.
Dear Benjamin, I'm German and a meanwhile retired GP. I got my vocational Training in Liverpool Manchester and Exeter 1988-92. I do want to tell you, that I am very impressed by your correct description of the German Communication Culture. There is only one aspect I should like to ad . Additionally to my experience with German and English behaviour, I had quite some experience wih working and living in Switzerland for 10 years. After that, I was able to appreciate a British and German gem. An advantage in the cultures of these two , that stick out like a sore thumb, once you came to know the swiss conduct in meeting foreigners. The Germans and the Brits are a very warm hearted friendly lot. You easily find contact, you can have fun in chats about anything with people you meet in Shops or on High Street. This is a wonderful experience, that only comes into focus, once you miss it. That helps the future of Europe and will bring the UK back to Europe I bet. Keep up your Great work. Kind regards Klaus
You might get along without knowing german in germany, but if you plan to stay, you will NEED to learn german to integrate. And it is expected by most germans that people that come to stay will learn german. Many germans can speak english, and will happily do so, but you will always remain a foreigner if you refuse to learn the language.
Thanks for the updates. Last time I was in Germany traveling through as a tourist... all I can say is, knowing German and several dialects fluently made all the differences, when communicating with the locals no matter what region of Germany I was visiting. Yes that also means I had previously lived in Germany, Switzerland and Austria for several years. I made the efforts to learn local customs, culture and language nuances. Years later, I do not feel as though I am a stranger in another country.
Language is so much more than communication. It’s about truly understanding your surroundings. Yes, German is truly hard to learn, but if you’re going to live there you have to. And, it’s a beautiful language one’s you get into it! “Bald ruhest Du auch”
I tried to stay in Britain for awhile, only speaking german: "Guten Tag! Wie geht's? Ich möchte zehn Brötchen, bitte!" All I got as a response: "Go home Fritz!"
Again, if italian was the lingua franca and you went to Britain most Brits would be fine with it, German is not, and never will be an international language, so of course people are going to tell you to piss off if you come over speaking German, it would be the same if you rocked up speaking greek or hindi.
France here. I have lived and worked 15 years in Bavaria. I would never ever have gotten the opportunities I got if I wouldn't have spoken German at the very first place. This is actually the main reason I got my first job, because I belonged to the rare ones applying on this job who could speak German, and my tailor was not very rich as I started working at the end of the 90s, it took years before I felt more comfortable and could express myself fluently... and always with my french accent. I was in sales and all conversations were made in German, and approaching smaller companies, you had to understand the different dialects because speaking German does not mean you understand Bavarian or other dialects. I made a lot of friends because I could speak German and speaking the language of my region is for me the most important thing to consider living abroad. Don't consider for granted everybody speaks English in Germany (or french which is even less spoken even if we're neighbors), or is simply willing to speak it, because it's not true, a lot of people are not confident at speaking it, even if it is the first foreign language learnt. At the end of the day, you'll be more up to make authentic relationships and friend speaking German with them, because the distance is narrowing. Learning other languages is the best thing you can do in your life.
I used to live in Canada, long time ago...And people told me, how impolite it is, if we: A friend of mine and I where talking in German (because sometimes I didn´t unterstand ) So...I guess...its polite if you at least try to learn the Language...in the Country you stay in...Politness and interest ... It shows Respect...I guess we Germans have forgotten, how beautiful our Language is...and that means...it would be nice and kind, if people would try to unterstand...and learn it...Every country does it...If you like Germany...than go ahead....we help you...Its a difficult Language, but beautiful.....We reach you a hand.... Willkommen in Deutschland.....
You recognize the world and the people in the language you think and dream in, or at least can speak and understand. In my opinion most foreigners do not understand German humour, e.g., is, because it gets lost in mental translation. It might sound bizarre, but don't underestimate the influence of the language you think and dream in, on your reception of the world and the meaning of behavier of people. If you are not only want to visit. but to stay in Germany for a longer period of time, it is highly recommended to learn the language up to a certain point. This applies, of course, for every country/culture you want to stay in. It will make your life there much easier and will help you to avoid traps and "pitfalls".
All good points, and I concur. As a German who lived more than 2 decades in the US and returned, I am flabbergasted at how much the Germans in Germany complain about things, totally oblivious to how much better things still are, compared to other comparable places. 🙄😅 And yes, German and British humour are quite similar - in the US I often got blank stares whenever I made sarcastic jokes, and I even got told that they were unsure if I was being serious or not. Germany sure has changed during the time I was away. I indeed noticed the changing demographic and lingual variety you mentioned.
@@matt47110815 Thankyou for your comment. As a Kiwi, I can't get over how much serious complaining I have heard or more often read from German people. Down here in New Zealand, it is totally not cool to complain. We like to spread good vibes and not make things gloomy and depressing. I am trying to imagine what "sarcastic jokes" are, and if it's the same as how blokes talk with their mates here and in Oz. (That's Australia & NZ). Blokes will know they are accepted when other guys call them names, usuallg swear words. I think if they are polite to a newcomer, he may not yet have been accepted, although that would be very rare. I never considered using the word "sarcastic" to describe that kind of banter. I thought sarcasm was not the word to describe what is done among mates. But a way of speaking that is nasty and unnecessary. Do you think your "sarcastic" jokes are similar to this banter that is commonly done by Aussies, Brits and Kiwis, and others too? I can imagine people from some other countries could be very confused by it.
This was a fascinating vlog, I am really fed up of the English drinking culture and I love Europe so I’m definitely going to look into moving there, thank you for this insightful take on Living in Germany.😊
Me too. It must be especially tough for a recovering alcoholic who doesn't want to attend AA meetings or become religious. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just the odd drink but many now preload before going out in the evening so are already drunk by the time they arrive at a party or restaurant and often these people can be verbally or even physically abusive when drunk. Add street drugs into the mix and they are even more likely to get violent. Some will get violent even if you walk away from them.
I am an American and lived in Germany (Munich) in '91-92, working as a software engineer. I had had a year of German in college but only spoke and understood German to a minimal degree when I moved there. The toughest time I had not speaking German was applying for my residency permit. The guy who interviewed me refused to speak English. Otherwise, I had no problem not speaking much German. I even had my California-registered car with me and could deal with administrivia related to that. In 2007, I attended a conference just outside of Berlin and again had no problem. And in 2020 (just before COVID), i did a road trip around Germany that I made up as I went along and again had no problems. A little broken German can get you far. As far as the other topics raised in this video, I didn't find any of the stuff mentioned to be much of a problem. I liked working with them and would love the opportunity to live in Germany again (though I failed to convince my family that we should move).
To be fair to the guy in Munich in 1992 it wasn't unlikely he genuinely didn't speak a word across the border (the Bavarian one). The overall level of English in the country has gone up by quite a significant margin since then.
why on earth should he speak English with somebody who wants to live in Germany? I doubt very much that any official in the US or the UK would speak German with an applicant from Germany ....
@@imeldaweingart3385 That't the thing. They have a responsibility to be enversed in the official language of the country. Having said that, as an official they also have a responsibility to help an inhabitant of their city and do their work properly. Consciously refusing to speak a language that they're knowledgeable in, is also a tad ... arrogant and quite unhelpful. However, considering the situation I rather think they genuinely didn't speak English. French perhaps (considering West German basic education). It was certainly not common at the time.
A) For all of the flack that Americans get for only speaking American English, government agency folks, particularly in California, are multilingual. B) It wasn’t exactly my choice to go there without my “fixer”. I moved there a week after I got back to the US from the job interview. I was the company’s first employee in Germany (the company was based in France) and they hadn’t worked many (any?) of the details yet.
Frankly, it seemed to me like the guy was enjoying watching me struggle to find the words. He clearly understood what so was saying as I was trying to work out the German word. Also, my employer had made some presumptions on the legality of me working in Germany that ended up not being the case. Even if I was fluent in German I wouldn’t have been able to explain it. (Except for the last month my entire time in Germany was under a temporary residency permit and extensions to that permit. I got the official permit for the last month because I was leaving in a month anyway.)
A Great summary of living in Germany. I have been here 5 years and agree that my inability to speak much German has become easier. I can go shopping in German but I am very fortunate that my health care takes place nearly all in English. I hope to get citizenship so I am working on my German but it does not come easily to an engineer who sees the world in pictures not words. Thanks for sharing!
Benjamin is an excellent advertisement for both cultures. Considered, experienced, fair, erudite and contemplative. A balm for the soul - please keep it up. His comments on being an expat are always on the mark. I will say as a British bloke whose best mate is a German (who I met in China) he is also right about the direct, superficial lack of introspection innate to most Germans - perhaps until the beers start flowing.....and then the questions of destiny rear their head - at least that is my experience.
@@britingermany 8 years in China old chap - married a Chinese girl - now in KSA as a British ex serviceman who has only worked in his 'home' for 5 years of the last 40. Your self professed mixed feelings about the U.K are ones I share - to me and perhaps you as well - I love the nice bits but hate the bad bits and what we consider both, change as we age and where that happens. On British sarcasm I also agree....what I hate most is that you constantly feel like your 'out' of an 'in' joke.
A minimum of 80% of people are Sensors in very country. The Introverted Intuition explored by Carl Jung overlaps with maybe the top 5% of IQ, and you don't really find much of it outside of Northern and Central Europe.
Hello Ben! Very beautiful video. If you've been filming the scenes I'd like to congratulate to you for moving the camera in such comfortable speed, calmly and steadily.
Germany is not even on my list of Countries I would want to travel to. It is not all that developed and their immigration is too strict. I would rather choose Brazil over Germany as a tourist from California, USA.
I migrated to Germany 15 years ago. I come from a EU country and English is not my native language. I will agree with all those saying that if you want to actually live here, it's imperative you learn the language. When I first moved here my German was basic, order-food-and-don't-die basic. I can't even begin to describe the sense of helplessness and despair of my first years when receiving an official document by post, going to the doctor, applying for anything, or even that night I had to go to ER. Learn the language to make your life easier, and to eventually feel like you belong.
This time I just would like to compliment you on your skills of capturing the beauty of Germany as well as of the UK. Besides your thought provoking content I greatly enjoy watching all the sites you capture. It often reminds me to revisit places (around FFM) or even to explore new ones. Thanks for that
I loved Germany from the moment I got there, from Cape Town, South Africa. I worked as au pair for almost 2 years in Munich & Hamburg, about 20 years ago. I started learning German from the start and can still understand and speak better than basic German. I was also amazed at the many U-bahn and bus stations in close proximity of where I lived in both cities. One U-bahn station was literally on my doorstep as I walked out of our Munich apartment building. I loved the food and cakes too. The Germans I met were very nice overall and very straightforward which was sometimes a bit of a shocker for a South African conservative young woman, but also very refreshing. I wish I could have stayed longer especially in Hamburg, but my au pair visa ran out and had to go back to SA and start adulting 😪
Thank you for the warm-hearted video. It's always a pleasure to see things from a different perspective. My son lives in Frankfurt. He's going to settle there. Let's hope we can shape the future positively.
Speaking personally, I had to literally flee the country 😅🙈 Germany was absolutely not for me. I like warm, friendly people, sunny weather and low taxes. The whole lifestyle was not for me. So I’m really happy, I left and I never had any regrets about my decision.
My German mother adopted Scotland as her homeland, so much so she requested her ashes scattered in Loch Awe, Argyll , much preferring the Scottish culture/ mentality. She found Germany stifling and sterile: there is more to life than being efficient !
@@nichotto Bochum/Dortmund is the industrial heartland of Germany, i.e. not the nicest area to live. Generally speaking you'll find the warmest Germans in the Rhineland and the most reserved ones the further North you travel. But I agree that our culture is special. Being from the Rhineland myself I find many other Germans quite reserved and unfriendly. They often even look surprised when you greet them in passing.
I still feel that learning the language of the country you move to is a huge sign of respect and earnestness about assimilating into the society. Maybe you don't necessarily need to learn German anymore, but it will definitely go a long way in receiving respect for yourself and in advancing your opportunities and gaining good relationships. Not to mention, it's just good sense in case you find yourself in an emergency situation and you happen to be somewhere where there aren't any English speakers around. Also? It is my understanding that pretty much all legal undertakings are completely in German - i.e. forms, applications, contracts, etc.
I'm from the US, lived in Germany for a while, and then settled in the UK. I found Germany (in the 1980s, so...) much more polarised than the UK. I'm kind of on the edge of counter-culture/alternative/hippie. In the UK it's easy to be part of that, and part of the mainstream. In the US or Germany it seems much more polarised. I think this plugs into the thing about outward sincerity vs cynicism. In the US, people also turn everything into a moral question in their surface conversation. They're in your face about religion. No one does that in the UK.
I travelled to Germany and fell in love with the county - I'm currently furthering my studies and learning German so that I will have a better chance to immigrate to Germany
Interesting how things look differently from different perspectives. As a Russian moved to Germany, the indirectness of Germans and their general politeness was one of the first things to strike me, and one I'm still struggling with after 12 years in Germany. Wonder how I would have felt in the UK.
Well, I don't think that Germans are rude, and I don't find the language difficult. But then, I was born and grew up in the Netherlands, a short drive from the German border. The infrastructure bit surprised me a bit. Either the infrastructure in the UK is _really_ bad, or perhaps it's not as bad in Germany as I thought. One thing that I equate with driving on the Autobahn is the plethora of 'Baustellen'. I have a hypothesis that it is impossible to drive a non-trivial distance over the Autobahn without encountering at least one 'Baustelle', complete with counterflow. This, by the way, was already the case as far back as I can remember, which must have been the late 1970s. German trains have a woeful punctuality record, especially when compared to neighbouring countries. The Netherlands somehow manage to have the busiest rail network in Europe, and yet manage a 95% punctuality rate. Another neighbouring country is Switzerland, and, well, let's not go there. I suspect that the reason that they get 'only' 98% punctuality is because some trains come from neighbouring countries - such as Germany. Finally, there is the patchy mobile network, and the broadband internet connections that lag behind neighbouring countries in both speed and penetration. Don't get me wrong, I quite like Germany. My favourite uncle is a German. And while the people tend to be formal and somewhat distant at first, I've never felt unwelcome in Germany - quite unlike the UK, where I get the vibe that they think of me as some sort of inferior species. Not everybody, of course, but too many for it to be a coincidence. I don't think that it's a coincidence that the acceptance and prevalence of English has boomed in the past three, four years. It coincides with when the UK finally left the EU. _Everybody_ on the continent has tried to benefit from it. And if the sentiment in the UK is to keep foreigners out as much as possible, it can be easier to settle in a country that, at least for now, has a more open attitude. Because that's another thing: the anti-EU, anti-foreigner sentiment is absolutely spreading all over Europe. My own experience as an immigrant - I moved from the aforementioned Netherlands to Malta - is that it's difficult, it can be very stressful, but it's also incredibly enriching. Plus, you gain a different perspective on your native country: if nothing else, its flaws become more obvious from a distance.
Language is one factor but one's age is another. People in their 30's and older are settled in their social networks already: they have friends, jobs, partners and they rarely want change and become friends with new people. Until the area is full of immigrants who are also seeing social integration and friendship, you don't have many chances to enter already closed social circles. Marrying a local or working in a local company might help to get some new friends but it's not guaranteed. Work colleagues usually don't become friends for life, it's school and college time when we create the most of long-term friendships.
Excellent summing up of life and work in Germany in 2024. As someone who lived there in the 80's and tries to keep abreast of events, this brief summary has been a useful update.
From a German: you DEFINITELY NEED to learn German. Apart from the major cities (especially true for eastern Germany), there are not many people, who speak English that well or at all. And people in not so metropolian areas are also more closed of to foreigners and value german culture more. So not true! Old habits die hard!
Yes, I have been in the same house 20 years and a few people in the street see me as one of them but not all. People from the same village will be shocked with my accent, when speaking for the first time, as they would have assumed I was German. Even when my children were in school the teachers did not speak English.
@@froileinchaos4648 you need to learn Turkish or arabic. Why learn a language of a dying people who will be replaced by Turks and Arabs in several decades?
I live in Japan and actively avoid "gaijin hangouts", even though my Japanese is terrible. I didn't come here to live in a mashup of America / Britain / Ireland only with better sushi.
I lived with two German guys whilst a student at Cambridge - one guy was from Oldenburg and the other from the south, near Kufstein but still in Germany. Very different guys, but both very funny!
As autistic person I love Deutschland. it's like around me my autistic friends, no small talks, no fake smiles, not even greetings, it's perfect place where I live.😊
I always find it fascinating that there are people from English speaking countries living here for years that don’t speak any German whatsoever I’ve met an American last year that moved here in 2006 and apart from the typical stuff like Autobahn, Blitzkrieg, Gesundheit he didn’t speak ANY German..
Not sure cynicism is necessarily related to irony or sarcasm. Rather that irony = saying something which means the opposite of its literal meaning, often humorously, conveyed by intonation or other expression, as a generalised comment on life or a situation. Sarcasm, on the other hand = irony that is directed at another person with intent to taunt, mock or wound. I believe the origin of the word is in Greek, meaning “to strip off flesh”. I think American English often struggles to differentiate between the two - eg when Americans refer to British humour as being “sarcastic” when what they are describing is irony.
@@davidpaterson2309 interesting aspect. And I think those terms are getting confused in German quite often, too. I did too until someone complained to me that I meant "sarcastic" when I said cynical. He insisted that cynicism was a personal attitude and sarcasm and irony were modes of spoken expression. I think that distinction can be quite helpful.
@@michaelburggraf2822 I think that’s right. Cynicism is an outlook rather than a behaviour or way of expression - a kind of “exaggerated scepticism” that presumes everything to be suspect and probably corrupt until it proves otherwise and seeks to deal only in demonstrated truth, stripped of belief or sentiment. To combine the concepts of cynicism and irony, look no further than that master of the ironic aphorism, Oscar Wilde, who said that “A cynic is someone who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.”
Oh I thought also, he doesn't live where I do! Where I am I have been told gets the highest rainfall in Germany. We get a lot of rain. Lippe. Different than England though, we get amazing storms which I rather enjoy
I go between Austria and the US frequently as my husband is from Vienna. Most native Viennese know some English, but for me not only is learning German enjoyable but it is a sign of respect. I feel it puts people at ease as they all are not comfortable speaking English even if they know some. I get it. I think it is important if you want to be a participant at the table when a group of people are conversing to show that you are open to trying. I have found that people open up and get comfortable with me when I show the effort. At the end of the day I retreat back to my mother tongue as my brain can get overloaded, but otherwise, for me speaking their mother tongue in their country is important.
Bro, tried to install the Munich parking app to pay for parking without a bag of coins this summer and it was a total failure. Ok, locals were nice and helped with translating what the app was asking and cryptic error messages, and the failure was on the app ultimately not accepting the rental car license plate (German plates), but without language it's tough. Couldn't tell what's a zip code and what is a state field in the form. You need German to do these basic things like mobile apps and access web info.
I used to have the issue with my friendly British colleagues - I never was sure if they were just ironic or serious, when they occasionally called something I did or said "brilliant". I strongly suspect the former. But nevertheless, it was always a pleasure to work with them.
I (Canadian) lived in Germany for 10mo in the 90s and learned German. I've since brought my wife and kids there every couple years for visiting old and new friends. We love it! Every time. One of my kids is on the autism spectrum and he finds socializing so relaxing in Germany compared to home. He appreciated the honesty. He really struggles with 'trying to figure out what this person actually means' and German culture relaxes his social anxiety. There is more structure to the culture than here, but the upside is things are more predictable generally and relaxing if you can rest into routine. We'd happily live there, at least for a couple years! Rent is cheaper, food is cheaper too.
We've been in Germany for 13 years now. I agree with everything in this video, but a lot of it applies to city living. We've always lived in four small adjacent villages in Franconia, and things are somewhat different. Many people who come to live in Germany do, of course, settle in a town or city, which is fine and easier. We occasionally see a social media post from an expat who complains they have been here for over a year and still don't have many friends. I believe it is much harder to achieve that in a city. In the villages, we have almost been the local celebrities as they have so few, if any, Englanders living there. So many locals have wanted to sit and talk to us. Many have helped us with things, especially German form filling! But we have had to learn at least rudimentary German. We still need to improve, but we get by and they appreciate that we try. We made friends by going every single local beer fest held by all the local clubs and organisations. That would be hard to do in a city. If you are coming here have a big think about where you want to live - city or village.
In smaller towns you can also join local clubs (whatever they are, there's always some) which will boost your integration tenfold. This also applies to Germans by the way, if you move to a smaller town or village.
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What does company policy say about customers who are factual say "your worker is risking diabetes if he does not change his diet" What would be company policy do/say to the customer?
Fuck off you go to uk 🇬🇧 we germans don't need you
Denmark here. You can get by with English well enough if you're a tourist or a visiting professional, but unless you learn the language, there's a social glass ceiling you'll never break, a secret level, and you might never even know it's there. Failing to learn the language is by far the biggest reason expats throw in the towel and go home.
That´s true for most countries.
@@jimbeam4736 except round Malaga in Spain where there are loads of Brits.
And it barrs you from playing to the fine lines of nonverbal social or economic fabrics which simply remain invisible without a certain level of adjusting to the local ways of conduct.
@@jimbeam4736 True, but to a varying degree.
In Denmark you typically make friends in your teens and early twenties and keep those friends for life. After that, your social set closes up, and the only way to break in, is through marrying in.
It's very hard, even for native Danes, to find new friends after they're thirty.
@@ErikBramsen
Very much the same here in Germany, regardless of sexual orientation... at least that's what I experienced. Finding friends beyond 30 is also difficult, even in Cologne, a city whose inhabitants are commonly regarded as being easy-going and talkative. I think that probably also the Internet has aggravated this during the last decades, not to forget the recent pandemic... generally, digital media based on per-click ad revenues are training us to fear each other rather than to encourage openness (because fear and paranoia click well!). Increased immigration and thus more frequently encountering people with hardly mutually intelligible language (no, there is no "lingua franca" in Germany, at least not yet, and many immigrants not even speak English) does not help either...
If you do not speak the local language, you will forever be a tourist.
Not if your Turkish or Arab. In that case you're replacing the old dying German natives.
Not really. I'm around for 6 years, have a english speaking job and I'm far from being a tourist. However, one won't socialise with locals that much.
@@maverick7291what a racist comment is this?! The world is globalised, there’s everywhere multi cultures. Don’t be an a-hole!
@@maverick7291 Not really. After two generations, the Turks and Arabs get just as many (few) children as the Germans, because their education and income increases, meaning they place their careers before getting children. In other words, they become "German" themselves.
@@maverick7291 In that case you are an invader, just following your 'book'.
I am a Chinese who don’t live in Germany,but learn it by interest. When I went to Germany and was speaking German through custom ,the officer was so impressed and greeted and talked to me warmly. Also all the German in the street,I had been treated so well and with respect.
As a German myself, east Asians (Namely Chinese and Japanese) will, regardless of wether or not being able to speak German (Which is certainly a big plus) have my respect, because that is what I have received from them anytime I have interacted with one here. The officer probably had the same mindset. I can't think of any culture or peoples that is more respectful to us that I can think of right now, to be quite frank.
Every German knows the language to be difficult, the higher the respect is when you speak as a foreigner.
@@Fuerwahrhalunke Hi, Bruder, I want to move to Germany for my bachelors. But I see lots of negative, depressing comments about experience living there. I'm not looking for the perfect country, there is none. But i'm looking for somewhere I can at least have a good time most of the time. Is it really that bad to live there?
If you learn the language and you are willing to respect the culture, traditions and way of life you are welcome but if you act like many Americans without respect for us stay at home. I think this is true for everyone everywhere. I'm a German woman living in France since 24 years and I learned first language, history and traditions of France. I know that I have to adapt to France and their way of life.@@rationcode
I am German myself, so unfortunately I can say that in order to live and be successful in Germany, you need to know the German language. Many people don't know English. They have never needed it. Another point is the German bureaucracy. It's difficult to manage, even for Germans. Likewise, without German language skills, you are left out of many job opportunities.
Haha I'm German also and must say compared to other countries I've lived in except maybe Switzerland, german bureaucracy works really well. And efficient. True you have to fill out dense forms but nowadays it's pretty straightforward to know what is asked and once you are in the system it usually just works like a charm.
France for example is horrible and I don't know how they manage to achieve anything... Forms get lost, you have to go back to agencies to find out they want something from you science a few months... None of this in Germany
German system is hard to get in but once you're in, your ass is covered. Greetings from Munich.
Replace the word German with Spanish. I wonder if it makes a difference?
It's not unfortunate, this should be a law if people wish to live in our countries.
No sympathy whatsoever. Not in the slightest, with people who struggle with the german language even after lengthy stays and then blame the language or the Environment or both. You have either been not ambitious/ busy enough or too stupid. Possibly both.
Moving to Germany and not trying to learn German, only existing among a bunch of ex-pat Anglos, just seems like a waste to me.
Agreed. Don't see the point of moving to a new country long-term and not learning the language and making an effort to fit in with the locals. I live here in Malaga and there are thousands of British people who live in the towns roundabout. Most of them make no effort to learn Spanish. They live in a sort of ghetto of retirees who seem to live in a parallel world.
@@baltasarnoreno5973they’re old people enjoying what remains of their lives, they have no big plans for the future. Let’s be realistic
Nah, this can totally make sense. For example for tax reasons (Bitcoin), or others. That said, some populous countries are less likely to have everyone speaking English well.
@@gwh99 Amen. I live in Medellin Colombia and I studiously avoid other “ex-pat Anglo’s”, as you say. If I wanted to be bored to death by them, I would have stayed in the USA.
@@jeffschueler1182 Agreed. I live in the Mediterranean coat of Spain. Lots of anglos living here, most of them of retirement age and very few of them have even basic fluency in Spanish. They have acquired a bad reputation for not learning the language, not making much effort to mix with local people and generally sticking to their own ghettos. I avoid them like the plague.
You don't need german to survive in Germany, but you need german to thrive in Germany.
As in any other country - language is the key
@@Piggelgesicht true!
German is easy 😀
Who @@mausgrauwhat's to speak German?
I am a native speaker of German and have two uni degrees, yet I still struggle to get by.
As an American living in Germany for 2+ years, I can say-sure, you don’t HAVE to learn German to get by, but you will always be an outsider and cannot fully absorb and enjoy experiences being had with Germans. I lived in Hamburg for one year and now live in a small northern city where it is even more important for me to keep learning German. It’s a struggle (to learn) but I see it as a necessity.
Hi from Hamburg 😊
Du schaffst das!
Which small town do you live in now? Hi from Bremen!
In my experience you will be an outsider with or without German
@@stuartwalker8755 It depends on where his ancestory came from. Other Europeans are very easily integrated.
Sorry, saying one doesn't need to learn German is a very bad advice.
I agree 100%. Move there long term,, learn the language.
he isn't wrong. Depending where he lives, speaking arabic, turkish or english will be more useful than german.
He was stating a fact, I knkw Ilived there as a child and as an adult. I love Germany.
It’s not. The point he was making wasn’t that you shouldn’t learn German but you increasingly don’t need to. Is it going to be beneficial for making connections? Definitely. Could it be a boost for your career opportunities? Sure. Do you absolutely need it? No.
@@ja_uyou must live in a rather exclusive bubble, with that arrogant self harming opinion ...
American living in Germany for 25 plus years. 🙋🏻♀️Moved here for my husband, we were happily married, but he died a few years ago and now I find myself reevaluating my stay here. The advantages: First off, my job is secure, my health insurance is fantastic, and my German friends are my friends for life. I still get taken aback by German "honesty" which I view as tactlessness. Gotta have a thick skin, but I give as good as I get. 😊 Learning German is, I think, essential...it opens SO many avenues. Sounds like I'm staying here. 🤔
Sorry to hear that you are confronted with German tactlessness. I, as a German, know what you mean. 😀Just an idea: It is not always honesty but often a humor that is so "dry" that it hurts. I have an American friend who still struggles with our sarcasm and often feels offended. I hope you are going to stay and feel well. ✌
My condolences for your loss ❤
@@andreadee1567 oh, I have a sarcastic streak in me, too 🙃 and I think I can feel out if someone is attempting humour that may have fallen flat. It's just sometimes total honesty isn't required or requested. If I ask for an opinion, and someone provides a brutally honest remark, then, okay. Fair play. It's those times when I was NOT seeking someone's opinion that those comments occasionally left me slack-jawed. I'm not saying that someone should be superficially dishonest, but rather have a care as to how this information will be received. My criteria before offering criticism: is it necessary, is it honest, and is it unkind. Just my opinion. 🤓
@@calumtorn1340 thank you. I miss my German mathematician. 😢
@@AmiAbroad I absolutely agree, esp. with your last sentences. If it should be the case that Americans tend to be "superficially dishonest", (which for me is just a stereotype, because I never had this experience with Americans) than Germans are guilty to be "superficially honest". Not caring about how criticism could be received is at least laziness, or worse.
I have no problems with with tourists, or people who live and work one or two years. But in case of someone who lives here for 10 years and does not know German, he or she will be ignored.
Haha, welcome to Japan: Thousands of expats here for 30+ years and they still only know about 10 words. Americans are the worst for that.
The point is that the more people speak English, in Germany or elsewhere, the harder it becomes to get fluent in the local language. I picked up Spanish in Chile within half a year, without major effort. On the flipside, I'm still struggling with Dutch after living in the country for years. The main difference being that almost no Chilean spoke decent English at that time and almost every Dutch person I meet is fluent in English.
@@pamphletier I think this is definitely a contributing factor. The fact that you can survive much better without the language of the country you live in and fall back on English in situations where you're out of your depth means you learn way less quickly. Nevertheless, there's a huge difference between those who learn, but learn less quickly, and those who don't learn at all. I would say it has taken me 3-4 years to be even reasonably comfortable with German, whereas it would take me 1-2 years in another country. I've met quite a few Americans in particular who honestly look at me like I'm crazy when I mention my efforts to learn. They just reply "why?". Hard to believe that attitude!
@@bluerisk ...like in any other country. Try this, for example, in Italy. GOOD LUCK!
Ah come on, also German speaking foreigners are being ignored. "Man sieht sich" ;)
I once knew a Canadian guy, who had lived in Germany for two years and didn´t bother to learn the language. He defended his not learning of German by " I will not live here forever, so it is not worth while." Apart from being very intelectually lazy, it also is English language chauvinism to expect and force everyone around you to speak English ( I am not talking about tourists of course, I will gladly speak English to them). When the Canadian complained that he had only international and no German friends I told him honestly that it is no wonder : Imagine a group of several Germans talking to each other in Germany....and than a random Canadian comes along and wants them ALL to talk in English, so he would understand....that means Germans talking English to other Germans. No country in the world would accept this.
Or simply reverse the roles and have a purely German speaker arrive in Canada and expect everyone to accommodate them by speaking German instead of English.
Seeing the whole situation from that angle is all it takes but some people are too narcissistic and immature to actually do that.
Living there for a few years does not oblige you to learn the language. It's upto each individual how they choose to live in a foreign country. I mean you Germans who go for a few months to Mallorca for decades and can barely speak Spanish. But he shouldn't complain about not having German friends.
I find this constant refrain about English language chauvinism amusing. Who forced you to learn English and use it? No one. It is just the global language of commerce and international relations just as other languages once were. It would be best if some Europeans dropped the weird inferiority complex they have towards the English language.
@@dirtyace1668 Too bad your analogy sucks since German is not a global language of business and commerce ie the default language. That's why in Canads it would be strange to speak German but I actually live in Canada. We don't have a problem with people not speaking English - when renewing my driver's license I saw one of the officials communicating in Spanish with an applicant from Latin America. And it's routine to hire people with different language skills to serve the many immigrants that Canada welcomes each year.
@@vmoses1979 I m German and used to live on Mallorca and don't know ANY German who lived there or still does who doesn't, at the very least, speak C1+ Spanish, if not also Mallorquín/ Catalan fluently. The type that you talk about are nouveau riche intellectually chavvy types,which I suppose is the category that Anglos who live in Germany without bothering to learn any German fall into, then. No wonder they can't make any German friends.
@@vmoses1979 First to get something out of the way. Why are you being so abrasive? Are you 14 years old? If you are though, then I completely understand the rudeness and immaturity. Hopefully you'll grow out of it.
Ok, next thing. Despite English being the default global language of business, there are still over 200 countries in the world with their own official languages and for you to expect someone to just show up from another country and expect everyone to care to your whims is simply delusional. I'm also saying this as an immigrant to US. I immigrated from Ukraine (over 30 years ago) and yes, while here they will also accommodate you with a translator or other resources, it is still done so to a certain degree as to truly integrate into the country and culture, you need to learn the official language which is English. I've met other immigrants from Ukraine who refuse to learn it and of course, they never really integrate but simply limited to staying within their own little communities/cliques where they can simply speak Ukrainian or Russian.
Why on Earth would anyone move to a country and not learn the language there? If I had to live in Germany, I would grab onto the opportunity to learn German. It would be so much more comprehensive than learning it on Duolingo or in a classroom.
Because they might work with numbers and be a sought-after professional while having a general speech disability even in their own language. It is extremely difficult if not impossible to learn a foreign language in this case.
I am not trying to deny the necessity of learning a language of a country one lives in. I just wanted to raise awareness of why exceptions exist and should be allowed to exist.
My parents immigrated to Canada from Germany. No question, they had to learn English.
@@yaroslavaliashenko5948 I "work with numbers" and both my degrees and jobs were in German. It's not that hard. Like, look, if Chinese people can torture themselves to learn English in order to "work with numbers" in America, I'm sure any person in the sciences or computer science or mathematics or engineering can do the same with German (esp. going from from one Germanic language like English to another one).
I'm assuming the main point is that you don't need to learn German immediately/before moving to Germany just to survive. Which is, indeed, a big plus if you're planning to move countries _right now_. Or maybe only planning to move somewhere short term.
But also... learning a laguage is hard. Just because you're in a country doesn't necessarily make it much easier, you certainly don't pick it up magically just by being in the country.
I know people who lived in Germany for some time, who would have _liked_ to learn German properly, but weren't able to beyond essentially duolingo. Time and money are still a factor.
Yes, once you're at intermediate say B1 level you can start learning a lot by just immersion which might be easier in the country, but before that it's a lot harder to learn without proper lessons.
@@KarolaTea
80 to 90 % of Germans speak english
It's outrageous that if you move to a new country, you wouldn't want to learn the language (and culture). It's the most basic respect and should be an essential commitment from every immigrant.
I'd argue that the culture is, or at least should be, a huge reason why you move to a different country - at least if you want to be happy in that country. Like if I wouldn't like rice and fish and fried stuff and Asian cuisine, didn't like tiny homes, crowded places, learning a different alphabet, if I didn't like anime, manga or anything really about Japanese culture, why would I want to move there?
I do get the language thing - to a degree. Learning a new language is always tricky. For some it's easier than for others. And if you're not sure if you want to stay, I do understand that you might not want to make the effort to learn the language. All cool. But if you've been here for multiple years and didn't even try to learn at least the basics, you've pretty much lost me
And yet, British and Americans professional migrants, migrate to many countries worldwide without the slightest plan to learn the local language. Some live abroad for decades without learning the local language.
Purely optional. If a person wants to live in an English bubble while enjoying specific aspects of a foreign country then they should feel free.
True. I speak Scots Gaelic and Scots. Wonder how many people coming to the UK learn these languages besides English?
@@Peatingtune True, but in my book, that is an incomplete life.
I spent a lot of time in Munich, Mainz and the Ruhr gebiet. I loved every minute. Learning the language was part of the experience.
Mainz is beautiful. Me and my wife travelled down the Rhine in 2022.
I have toured Germany three times and I always want to use the little German I have learned and know as a tourist. It's certainly respectful to try.
Help me get to Germany please through study route
Our son is in Germany (grad school- program delivered in English). Six months in, he's working in a bar where only German is spoken. He's fully committed to learning the language and is already well on his way. Although he's plenty aware of some of the cultural differences raised here ,overall he values the culture.
Cool thing. I hope he has a great time there and enjoys it.
And when he leaves Germany, all of that time is wasted....and for what? He could have spent that time learning how to take apart and reassemble a car and/or bake a cake.
The Germans will continually try and get you to submit to doing things their way. You know why Germans were so often petulant, nasty and childish about Brexit? Because it was a rejection of Germany's claim that it knows best and that all others must follow.
Thanks a lot for this video. I am German, living in Germany, and it helps to be reminded from time to time on how “external” people view Germany and its culture. And: Your English is so pleasant to listen to. I understood every word clearly, and I was feeling like sitting in front of you having an interesting and mindful conversation. Thanks again and have a good day.🦋
Yes, excellent speaking. Proper enunciation, and not too fast. (Retired ESL teacher here.)
@@billTOEh, well, he is an actual English man.....
@@frankmcloughlin7076Haha, he is indeed! That's why it's so amazing that he speaks such clear, easy-to-understand English!
@@klarasee806 He knows that he is addressing an international audience which consists not exclusively of native speakers of English.
A totally different experience is listening to videos of "Wolters World". He clearly addresses only native speakers of (American) English and speaks very fast. Or take John Oliver (to name someone who was brought up in Britain) with his show _Last Week Tonight._ Speaking very fast and not aimed at learners.
@@HolgerJakobs Seeing John Oliver makes me want to throw my PC monitor out the window, so that's a hard pass.
I am American and have lived in Germany since 1985. I can with all honesty that it was the best decision I've ever made. Most Germans are not rude as it seems you insinuate.
I was fortunate enough to have had a good paying job working in IT during my career and was lucky enough in my bad fortune with a failed operation to be able to retire at the age 57. I had to fight for this through the courts but came out victorious. When I see what is going on in America I know I made the right choices in life. I am collecting a very good pension and never have to worry about not being able to pay my medical bills. The health providers are having their issues, but I still think I have it better than the average American.
All in all I would say Germany has treated me well and I appreciate it. It is not for everyone, especially if you don't learn the language. Once language is no longer a burden life can be sweet. It took me many years to learn the language and know what it's like to feel left out in conversation. Good luck!
Easy to say that as a white American, not sure your experiences would be the same if you were Turkish or Eastern European - The racism is still strong here.
@@sjwbond2 Some Arabs, Turks and Eastern Europeans repeatedly stand out for their lack of integration, i.e., they live in parallel societies and hardly speak any German, even though they have been living in Germany for decades. This does not go unnoticed by Germans.
@@sjwbond2 It depends on where you settle down in Germany. Racism, unfortunately, exists all over the world even in 2024. America is one of the biggest sinners when it comes to racism. I remember as I was a child and Martin Luther King was shot and killed how racism caused riots in the streets. That was in the 60s and America still has major issues today.
@@ettoreatalan8303 sorry, I’ve been living in Germany long enough, and in one of the least racist places here to understand that there is a dark underbelly. It’s not all Germans, but there is a serious problem here, I’m very lucky that most of my neighbours don’t have a xenophobic attitude (I live in a suburb of Düsseldorf where it is basically all white Germans). have you ever stopped to think that the German attitude to immigrants is part of the problem? The state basically treated them like second class citizens until recently (gastarbeiter).
@@FDS3rd no doubt America still has race problems, that doesn’t excuse racism in Germany today though.
I had the opportunity to spend 3 days in München (it was love from first sight) but before that I spent 4 years learning german, so visiting germany was like a final test, I was very nervous because I was invited to a party of only germans, but once i started to interact with the dudes and notice how they understood my german and I understood everything they said I felt like I was inside of a movie, everybody was so kind and easygoing, we played beerpong and well it was one of the best moments of my life, I really like germany and I hope to visit again
:)
Learn the language! At least if you want to stay for more than a year. It does not need to be perfect, but some German words (A2 maybe B1) will change the way you experience Germany and help you understanding the culture. I did that with French, and I cannot emphasize enough how much it changed my experience with French people, even though English is the official language at work. And it is fun to learn a language, keeps the brain flexible. I even made friends, when they started to help me understand some idioms etc..
And as for business - I once had a project team with one Englisch native speaker who did not speak any German at first. So we spoke Englisch. Even though most colleagues were quite fluent, it reduced the team‘s performance in meetings by (I guess) 20%. While some might almost have a native level and speak effortless, most of us need to spend quite some effort to express their ideas in a foreign language, some even struggle to an extent where they stay quiet. I sometimes organized smaller meetings without the englisch speaking colleague to discuss and prepare complex issues. However, listening is easier than speaking, and after a year our colleague could understand German quite well, so we started to speak German while he spoke English - it immediately went much better. I do the same thing today in France - the colleagues may speak French (they slow down a bit and try to avoid „argot“), and I switch to English whenever it gets too complicated for me in French. I can also laugh about my own mistakes and I learn a lot. I am convinced that this is the reason I got invited to after work events at some point. As a German, I might sometimes hesitate to invite the British colleague, if that meant that English had to be the language in the Biergarten.
I'm planning to relo to Albania for the long term, and if you live in a big city, the locals even say if you speak english don't bother with the language. I probably will just because I'm weird, at least enough to get around and chitchat.
Faber's 😮😮😮😮 Castellani 😮
As a foreigner, in my opinion, you might be able to survive in Germany without speaking german but you won't be accepted fully as a member of the society and can face quite alot of struggles. It's totally understandable cause german is still the official and native language of the country and I or we have to adjust as someone trying to live in a foreign country(cause it's our choice). But still it's quite a challenge cause learning a new language especially being fluent with it takes time.
I totally agree. I know many people who have mostly friends international friends and the German friends they do have are also “internationally inclined” but still that doesn’t change the fact that you miss out on so much
@@britingermany Yup social relationships and also for the job market. The country being international does'nt mean they they don't prefer someone who speaks their language. Communication is essential in every way on the job market and you could gain significantly more opportunities if you speak it and if you are integrated with the society.
I'm German. I consider it disrespectful to my culture if foreigners assume they may communicate with me on German soil in English without being invited to do so. Wherever Brits and Americans use their own mother tongue abroad without asking, that's cultural imperialism.
If you invite s.o. to a (say) barbeque who doesn't speak german then everybody you have invited has to try to speak english. That's really very uncomfortable bc not everybody is used to speak english. So you might be dismissed the next time.
@@ernesto003plus, to be fair, many people do try to speak German but it is the Germans that answer back in English because they want to use that opportunity to practice their English. At least that has anecdotally been the case for me.
I said "dreimal Erwachsene bitte" and the ticket officer just replied back "single or return journey".
Great Video. As a german i strongley agree with the comments. If you want to be a part of the german society and german cultur you need to learn German!
Just the idea of thinking that you'll come by without learning a word in local language is extreeeemely naive to me. Ppl don't commit to anything nowadays smh
@ytsda for me too, but this is sadly reality. I once knew an American who couldn't speak German after a decade living here.
@@magadguiteIf you know you only stay a few years for a certain project and you only know the language somewhat well once you leave, is it worth learning?
I can’t believe some people really think they can live in a place without speaking the local language. That’s unthinkable to me, living in a bubble all the time. That’s why I know that I’ll probably never be an expat in Korea or Japan, because I don’t see myself learning Korean or Japanese.
Not everyone is a very social person.
Ive done it all over the world. its easy these days.
Come to Canada. It's the norm.
Lived in Frankfurt for 8 years and I don't regret leaving Manchester behind. The sincerity is still refreshing to this day :D
I’m a 60yr old Scottish woman living in Germany for the past 16 years. I went to college when I first arrived. Personally I found the language complicated but persevered. My German isn’t perfect but I get by. I have a lovely family here and many friends, I love it here. However if you come here to work I would think you would certainly need an understanding.
Maybe it's what you meant, but I want to heavily underline, that you should learn German If you plan to have a social life here. You can easily work and live here, just speaking English or very basic German. But a get-together of friends will be held in the Language of the majority. A group of international students may all be speaking English, but if you want to integrate into a group of Germans, you have to at least understand German - no one will care if you anwser in English, this is fine, but they will talk in German.
Of course there will be occasions where a small group or a short meeting will be held in English just for you. And for a chance some Germans like to use their English skills. But doing it for a long period is exhausting.
At work I have very complicated topics to talk about, doing it in English won't make it easier for me.
And in personal settings doing smalltalk in English is fine, but Germans generally do not like small talk and our English might not be trained enough to talk about deep personal feelings - heck, the topics I like to talk about even are too complicated for my German - let alone my English.
And understanding German on a social level means phrases, jokes, cultural things as well as understanding it when it is talked fast and over each other in a group with several conversation side by side. Otherwise you might be perceived as "a bit slow"
This is of course the end goal of living in Germany as a foreigner, and anyone may chose, what their expectations of integration is.
All I want to say is, you will get along without German, but you will miss out on so many things. And it is WAY more important to understand German than to speak or write it perfectly. So if you can, tell Germans to answer in German even if you ask something in English.
@@Schwuuuuup totally agree. In many ways you have to make even more of an effort to learn it these days but it’s still totally worth it
If you just come here to study or work for 2 or 3 years you can just stay in your bubble of International people.
But if you have a family, kids you will want to learn german or your family will be somewhat lonely and you'll have trouble with the school, especially if want to have a more in deapth conversation with your coparents or teachers. Or if you want to attend events at the school or have friends of your kids over at your house.
But everyone can do as they wish. Just don't cry that it's hard to make german friends.
@@marylacken4016 Very good point.I had my children here,who have their own children of school age now. All bi - lingual of course .
I remember a situation at some friends' house. My husband and I are used to speaking English, just like the couple we were visiting. All of us also speak German at C2 level, but English comes as natural to us. Actually there was one US American, one Spanish (teaching business at a university in English), one Jamaican and me, a German (certified translator), and another German friend with a decent, but not professional level of English.
Somehow we got carried away chatting in English so fast, that the German friend gave up after a while. He told us later that he had been hearing the four of us well, but couldn't really follow the whole conversation.
What I want to say, is that you are among people sharing a common language, and you are the only outsider not being fluent, sooner or later you will be left out. Germans won't talk for hours in English to each other, just because there is a single person around not having mastered the language. I think this is true elsewhere as well. It's just natural. The situation I described above is a bit unusual in Germany, as somehow the English language took over the conversation, but it's still true that you have to be able to understand the language of the people you want to get in touch with.
@@HolgerJakobs oh, I can vividly picture the situation. And am reminded of ones from way back. Just imagine the situation when you and your friends are ok to switch to another language - in this case English, but someone has a SO with him or her who isn't comfortable speaking English.... This can be a whole can of worms and is not as simple as the question "did you have English in school"
Also even if you are quite good in a language, you might need some warming up to get past the "and what do yo do for a living" type of conversations.
I cannot stand it when I go into a restaurant, want to order, and the waiter does not speak German. It is simply disrespectful. If someone wants to live and work here they f*cking need to learn the language. This coming from a english mother tongued immigrant
Haha to be honest I share your frustrations. I was shocked when I first started experiencing this
I think it is because the restaurant and other service sectors cannot get qualified (IOW German speaking) staff. I too noticed that many of the people working at restaurants in Austria can understand English better than German. Some of the younger staff come from Ukrania, CzechR. Hungary, Slovenia, Slovakia where they have learnt English and are quite good, but struggle still with German. If they stay on a bit longer (not only a summer job) they will eventually learn German.
I think it's better to be liberal in that matter; perhaps that person doesn't feel confident yet or is only there for a short time. You never know their history. And when communicating doesn't work, you'll still have hands and feet to work that out. I live in an official bilingual city plus English as the most common denominator and nobody ever (unless you run into an asshole) means any disrespect. It's just that not everyone is made to speak multiple languages or had parents that cared enough.
I think it's fine not to like it, but that doesn't mean it's disrespectful.
@@peterboil4064 …it is definitely disrespectful
Come to a country for a limited amount of time (such as for holiday trips or specific work projects)? Don't need to learn the language (other than maybe greetings, yes/no, name, age and so on).
Work in a country for a longer-but-limited amount of time, in a specialised area of expertise, potentially in a multi-national team of other highly-trained experts? Same as above, probably.
Plan to stay for a long amount of time OR working with direct contact to bog-standard citizens of that country OR outside of specialised, multi-national teams OR receiving sweet welfare benefits? You better make a concentrated effort to aquire at least some B1 level skills as fast as possible. Otherwise it's very disrespectful, in my opinion.
If you want to work in Germany you may not need to learn german, but if you want to live here, you do.
It depends on what you want. There are now enough people living here form all over the world that you can have a great life without speaking the language. I am not saying this is a good thing. I’m saying this is the reality. I think maybe people don’t realise just how much demographics have changed here in the last few years…
@@britingermany There surely are places where you will find those "bubbles" - and I agree, that's a good thing -:but you can't find (or expect) them everywhere - and that's a good thing too.
@@koschmx I know people who are married to Germans and don’t speak a word of German…
@@britingermany I think not being able to speak German in Germany is like not being able to read. And I think the importance of both has changed in a similar way over time.
In the past not being able to read would mean you wouldn't be able to do a lot of the jobs and would be forced to work a rather low income job. You probably would be screwed over with contracts and struggle to do a huge majority of bureaucracy. Not being able to read had a huge impact on your life, just as not being able to speak German had at the time.
Today not being able to read still sucks - but with modern technology you can get by a lot better. Screen readers can help you get by, smartphones can read to you what's written down, and even in jobs you can get by easier than you used to. But there's a glass ceiling. Something that you might not see at first, but will experience every once in a while. Jokes you won't get when you're watching a movie together because something funny is written down and you cannot use your smartphone. Certain careers and even career steps are still locked for you when you cannot read. And that's the same for not being able to speak German. Yes, you can get by without it - and much easier than you used to. But not being able to speak German means you're constantly slightly behind. You're not completely left behind, but you're also not completely a part of something.
And I'm going to add an example because you've mentioned that you have a friend that's married to a German but doesn't speak German. And they probably live a happy and fulfilling life and they'll come by without one of them speaking German, etc. But I'm also 100% sure that they're not part of their German friends groups 100% - even the German part of the couple. Having someone in a group that's not being able to speak your language causes problems. Yes, sure, you can cater to their needs or the partner can translate, but that also causes problems. The group of friends might want to watch a german comedian who only does comedy in Germany. Are they going to invite the EN/GER-couple? Probably not because she doesn't get the jokes, he cannot translate all the time, and they also don't want to invite half of the couple, so both of them are left out. And this will happen over and over again because having to have conversations in English as a native German speaker can be exhausting after a while. And having to wait for translations is also not great. I honestly don't think that you can really enjoy your stay here in Germany for long if you don't at least try to learn the language.
@@britingermany Moving to a country, living there, working there and not even to be bothered to learn the basic of the language where you decided to live reeks of laziness, unwillingness to integrate and arrogance/entitlement (especially from native English speakers).
Don't expect the locals to help you all the time and to adjust to you because you are unwilling.
I wouldn't move to for example to London and expect them to speak my native language and not adjust. People would call me mad and arrogant.
Yes, i know you learned the language and the usage of you was more of addressing the general people.
I lived in Köln in the late nineties. I had learned German from childhood to college (my grandparents were German). Most Germans spoke English to me for various reasons, some just didn’t like my “bad” German and said so, though their English was not much better. I was definitely lacking in modern slang, and several people commented that I spoke like a 1970s secretary (I was in high school in the 70s; also I used a lot of old German since the first German I learned was from my grandparents who left there in the 1920s). On the other hand I could read “Alte Schrift” which none of my friends could. But still I cannot read a German newspaper very easily.
Yet I did have friends who did not speak English and it really made for a richer deeper experience for me. Also in is invaluable for dealing with bureaucracy, things move much more quickly and positively if you speak German. And the Germans are much more funny in their own language than English.
Well, I'm marrying a German. We live in Berlin. But even in Berlin I really need German in order to survive. There is no English speaking Apple Care call centre. Getting technical support from Telekom is near impossible in English. Nobody at my local Edeka or Rewe can speak English, so if I want to know if they have any stock of something, I'm out of luck if I can't ask them in German. My doctor might know English, even my dentist, but my podiatrist, not a word of English. Most of my local restaurants are German only.
Bascally, I would say, it's imperative that you learn German in order to survive. Everything you need, the bureaucracy, the contracts you will need to sign, the emergency services, are all in German. You might be able to wing it for a short while, but eventually, you are going to have to learn the language. English just really isn't that common outside of tiny areas.
Out of my fiancé's friends, only one of them can speak English all that well and all of them are high ranking Beamtin. In order to socialise with them all, I have had to learn enough German.
Most Germans are very forgiving and patient if you're new and are only just starting to learn the language, but in my experience, that patience will run very thin after a while if they know you've been living in Germany for a year and still can't string a sentence together. They are going to wonder if there's something wrong with you.
I would say it's really bad advice to give, to suggest to anyone, moving to any country, that they don't need the native language to survive. It's setting them up for absolute failure.
I suspect the English gets better in the Western areas (Essen, etc), closer to Holland. I've heard Berlin is fairly "poor".
you got to be kidding me having that problem in Berlin, the most english speaking city in germany. I can in the small german city find someone in supermarkt that speaks english. And doctors that i know all knew english "ein bisschen" but thats mean more then enought. Thay just dont want to speak english particuly with you. But when they see they have no choice - they immidiatly start speak english, its hilarius. Noticed few times
Many older people don’t speak English. Those who grew up in the former east learnt Russian in school. Most of them that grew up in the west forgot the English they had to learn 50 or 60 years ago. I can understand, that they get upset, when they go to a restaurant in Berlin and the staff doesn’t speak German.
old people there are often dumb and ignorant. They frequently get angry.
I often pretend I don't speak German when I encounter them.
Both in Essen and Frankfurt I was served at hotels by women that could not speak German. I was genuinely shocked, and surprised they even could hold such a job
where I live there are lots of Russians and they don't speak English. Problem is, our accents when we speak German are very different and they don't really understand me and I don't understand them. You can get by but not for any close relationship
And this accounts for the AfD and Sara Wagenecht extreme left attracting the Ossie vote.
@@kaltenorden Because the average Germans don't want to do such jobs anymore.
I'm from Ukraine and have visited Germany, however, I'm not an immigrant or a refuge there. I've found Germans easy to get along with and understand because my own culture and upbringing had many similarities, such as sincerety, honesty and just overall straightforwardness.
On the other hand, I've met Brits as well and while they are good people overall, most came off with a sort of "clown" like demeanor. Perhaps it is this sense of cynicism that's described in the video, but it was as if every conversation has these thick layers of sarcasm. Personally, i can be sarcastic myself without a problem but to me it has it's place to a certain extent instead of having an almost constant presence.
I've also encountered similar behavior in US but it's more subdued and therefore better, in my opinion. Sarcasm is great and all but it's should be something that is added as an extra flavor to the conversation instead of it simply be the main flavor of it.
Anyway, just my 2 cents.
I worked as craftsman in Germany, a social class which aren't particularly correct but still highly professional in my country. Germans doesn't understand or accept irony and banter! If you fall out of their accepted way of behaviour you'll feel the heat immediately. Might even be excluded on different abstract levels.
German humour is no fun...
Be prepared to take a verbal fight what ever happens. Basically they only respect winners of whatever daily societal contest you are participating in!
I worked as craftsman in Germany, a social class which aren't particularly correct but still highly professional in my country. Germans doesn't understand or accept irony and banter! If you fall out of their accepted way of behaviour you'll feel the heat immediately. Might even be excluded on different abstract levels.
German humour is no fun...
Be prepared to take a verbal fight what ever happens. Basically they only respect winners of whatever daily societal contest you are participating in!
Brits of the lower and middle classes seem addicted to 'banter' as a social glue; it's a way both of forming friendships and keeping a distance. The distance stays until the banter has tested the personalities for mutual 'suitability'. Upper classes in my experience do not 'do' banter; they establish their bona fides through accents, and they do not befriend the lower classes. All very subtle, tacit.
The sarcasm is the harsh, sharp, weaponised edge of banter. In Germany, Czechia, Slovakia, Spain, sarcasm can be welcome in some situations but around strangers it's often taken as a sign of frustration and inadequacy. So people there, in my experience, restrain themselves as a wise defensive measure. And yes, in my experience too, it's much easier to have good conversations with 'continental' peoples. Brits too easily default to the comedy routine and try to strip-mine every subject for laughs.
That's interesting when you talk about a "sort of clown demeneor".
That's the impression I get sometimes when watching videos of Brits on various topics. I wonder: are they joking, are they making fun of us, or are they serious?
@@tic-tacdrin-drinn1505 This feeling, coming from a Ukrainian, is probably strenghthened by the fact that most people east and southeast of Germany are somewhat a bit more reserved with strangers and open up later. Therefore they can perceive a stranger who is too friendly, sarcastic or joking around as either being clown, trying to fool, con or trick you or even being rude or hostile.
Germany is somewhat in between these two extremes, I think somewhat closer to the more eastern/southeastern countries with, of course, some of it's own peculiarities and also local differences (people in the north being much more restrained, people in the Rhineland and Ruhrgebiet being more open and sarcastic but friendly, Bavarians being also more open but less sarcastic, Berliners beeing blunt etc.).
My parents are from southeastern Europe but I was born and raised in Germany and happen to be a bit too open (still in the acceptable range in Germany) and was constantly reminded to be more serious, since people might think of me as a fool.
I'm American and my ex-husband is from Germany. His 2 sisters were married to Americans. We all lived near each other here, in the US. When my husband and his sisters' parents came from Germany to visit yearly, we would all speak German, including us Americans. Although his parents could speak English well, they were flattered by us Americans speaking German with them. When I visited Germany with my sisters-in-law, I insisted on speaking German. The Germans were really friendly and appreciated that I spoke German with them. It really broke the ice. 😊
Having lived in Germany for years l can tell you that most Germans are far more interested in you helping them with their English than they are helping you with German.
True, but once you are fluent & can speak fast we'll just speak German with you & you will reach a new level of Germanness.
This is exactly what I find irritating about english speakers, we expect everybody to cater for us. I find it quite selfish TBH. I'm a Handwerker in Hamburg and very few colleagues speak english. A few think that they can, but it's often no more than a handful of phrases painfully pronounced. I find it's mostly the university educated Germans that speak english well, although not exclusively.
@@jakobthelibrarycard6261 I think they meant that us Teutons just switch the conversation to English, even if the other person doesn't want us to & is trying to learn German.
This is very often true.
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haha, so true!
I had a different experience when I was an exchange student in Germany (I also spoke German quite well before arriving). Upon meeting me, lots of Germans said they wanted to practice their English with me.
However, in practice, they never did it, at all. I don't think anyone ever practiced their English with me the entire year I was there. I spoke German with everyone, all the time, except the one Canadian-German guy in the group who spoke English at home. One of my best friends straight-up refused to ever speak a single sentence of English with me, even when I begged him to.
I went abroad again in college and had a similar experience. The only time I spoke English with Germans was in settings where someone didn't speak any German.
I think there's a big diversity in Germany when it comes to how eager people are to speak English with you, and it ends up being a self-fulfilling prophecy. People who only speak English are excluded from contexts where the preferred language is German and only really get exposed to English-friendly ones. Therefore they overestimate how English-friendly Germany is as a whole.
YES, YOU NEED TO LEARN GERMAN. ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST DISRESPECT. I do not respect any foreigner who doesn't make a serious effort to learn the language of the country he is living in. Here or elsewhere.
Best not to visit the UK then!
@@brunel23 I wouldn't be so proud of that.
Oh, the "disrespect" nonsense again. It's either useful or not.
@@NoidoDev The only nonsense is not even beeing bothered to learn the native langague if you move/migrate to a country. If you can't be bothered to do the bare minium for integration stay in your country.
@@johnnykotletti4614
Not everyone needs a wants to be "integrated", and English should often be enough.
I am a nonwhite person, not an EU citizen living in Germany for 10 years. I have lived both in Southern and Northern Germany. Yeah, I took the time to learn German and I use it every single day. I work in a company and pay my taxes. Nevertheless, even if I apply for German citizenship, I will never be seen as an equal because of my looks or because of my origins. It is a very old mentality country, whose principal value is "security", therefore many rules and anything that try to disrupt this, they will trigger them. Yeah, Germany is not for everybody. However, I am still amused that they need to have workers. Still, they are not welcoming to them to allow them not only to learn the language but to navigate their complicated system, but to expect they will figure it out by themselves in no time. I am not complaining, but that is the reality, especially if your looks do not match those of other European folk.
Definitely true what you are commenting.
It is because our governments betray us, we never wanted mass migration. And as all people: Birds of a feather
I was in Cologne and Frankfurt a few weeks ago. Plenty of smaller and cheaper hotels outside city centres still don't have English speaking staff. Staff at the post office and at the OBI hardware store I visited near downtown Frankfurt didn't speak English either. Even staff the Main Tower didn't speak English, and that's one of Frankfurt's main tourist attractions. Ironically in my travels I found the second generation immigrants to be least likely to speak English. One East-Asian waitress at a bar in Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof couldn't understand English at all. Same with the Turkish(?) couple that owned the hotel I stayed at in Leverkusen, whereas native Germans are often able to understand English to some degree, even if they can't speak it.
It may be that English is becoming a more popular language in Germany, but right now they still have a long way to go before English speakers can get around without any barriers. In a way this is not necessarily a bad thing, because thanks to the language barrier much of the toxic elements within the culture of the anglosphere hasn't yet gone across to infect the Germans from what I've seen, and I hope it stays that way.
Totally agree. I am German and it baffles me, that ( compared to e.g. the Netherlands or Scandinavia) so many of us struggle to understand or even speak a decent level of English.
Many Germans start to feel being a stranger in Germany. I personally do not switch to English anymore because somebody who lives here does not speak German. I strongly believe that it is impolite to not speak German here. I am happy to help a tourist but not sombody who works here for more than one or two years.
Personally, I find it a little annoying when someone switches to English. I started learning German when I was over 40 so I just have to open my mouth and people know I am English because of my accent. Sometimes with friends, depending on the subject we might switch now and then but when I am out shopping or whatever I want to speak German
Good for you. I do think it's outrageous when people move to a country and make no attempt to learn the native language.
As an English speaker, I actually agree with the commenter above however and found it quite frustrating myself trying to practice my German in Germany. Anyone i spoke German to when i visited would always answer me in perfect English which really knocked my confidence. 😅
I know of people who lived in Germany for thirty years and speak about three words of German... other migrants (who make an effort) are fluent within five years*. Thats the reason I don't like to speak English with them. Tourists are different of course.
@@MissyL12789 If somebody struggles, I offer help. But I don't speak English if somebody wants to learn German.
Nobody cares.
What a lovely selection of photographs. You’ve got the knack of presenting Germany at its best. Try Schleswig Holstein for your next summer holiday. Friedrichstadt, the rivers Eider and Treene. You ll love the way people speak/live. Thank you for making me enjoy my home country.
I just spent 4 weeks in Bavaria, and I gotta say, I absolutely loved the weather there. After living in Israel for most of my life, and in Spain for the past 6 years, I wholeheartedly welcome some cool, fresh air and some rain in summer. Not to mention the blessed absence of the sticky, oppressive humidity of Tel Aviv and Barcelona.
As an Australischer informatiker with a deutsche Frau, I appreciate your objectivity from your subjective experience of Germany, which is very similar to my own.
I love the German directness, such a contrast to the years I spent working and living in London, Surrey and the West Midlands.
Sorry to say it (pun intended), the Brits are so polite, but insincere. The Germans are neutral, professional, helpful, respectful and, in your words sincere. I love it here...
I want to study Informatik there but those comments make me afraid 🥲
Have a great Sunday and being German I mean it.😁
Thanks you 😀
@@britingermany I would have mentioned about the refugees, y about the refugee and the "so called refugees" problems in Germany, would have been interesting. Sweden , got it really bad . A shame whats been happening in Europe. If you want me to explain what I mean by refugees and "So called refugees" I will be happy to do so,
in 2016 it was really bad , in terms of people being attacked, That put a lot off people who don't live in Europe put them off , going to Germany but I think people need to do more research into the refugees , that came over (and the so called refugees that are the problem )
@@minischembri9893 LOL. With you being a German, are you joking? Thought I'd better check.
A nice quiet Sunday. Cheers.
Now that you have to underline it I'm having doubts.
Who does not learn the language of the country, he is living, does not respect this country.
I bought a house in Croatia. I am 66 and an aplied Mathematican - not that stupid, i guess. But I am not able to learn Croatian - first there is no incentive, everybody speaks German or English, and second, I am just not able to. I know variations of a chess opening I learned 45 years ago, but I can't remember words I heared a few moments ago. Sad, but reality.
@@gerhardrasch8234 It doesn't work like that. I am 27, i am learning german for like maybe 4 years and only noticed improvement once i ditched english when talking to germans no matter how bad my german was and started reading books in german that i translated with phone.
I can now mostly understand and the stuff i dont know, i piece together from word parts i recognize and the context.
Atleast you should look into interslavic language, it should cover the basics for all slavic languages and isn't as expansive as natural languages are.
@@gerhardrasch8234 I once met an engineer, who had big problems to learn a foreign (my) language. But a language is not a construction, which fails, when you make one mistake in your calculations but a system with multiple redundancies. Therefore you can produce a lot of mistakes and you can still be understood. Maybe you must fight against your shyness. But I know, it's more a question of someones personality and not of his intelligence and therefore it's very difficult to change that.
@@gerhardrasch8234 I have always been very good at Maths and started working as a Mathematical Engineer. I find learning languages difficult and like you just don't remember the words
I lived in Germany, don't speak German, but that doesn't mean I don't respect the country. I was stationed in Ramstein Air Base.
Consider moving back to rhe UK. I did after 11 years abroad. Lovely community, landscape, friends, family and pubs. The weather, politics and the potholes pass me by. Find a location and get involved in the community. Everywhere has it's problems.
I’ve lived in Los Angeles for 35 years. I’m still amazed when I find people who have lived here for decades and decades, and still don’t speak the language they survive, but only within their own culture they don’t simulate. They are not a part of they are separate from ,that is a fact.
You mean they don't speak Spanish?
Right? I live in LA, and It's insulting. They're most likely the ones who live off of us taxpayers.
When I visited LA I found not being able to speak Spanish a bit of a problem.
I came from Hong Kong and now I live in Munich. My 30+ experience told me how unequal the thing is: Westeners expat working in Hong Kong for many years never speak Cantonese or just not able to use it and Hong Kong people will not consider this is rude. English is so popular in Hong Kong and people are so open minded to expats that not speaking Cantonese! FYI the total world population using Cantonese is larger than German! Now I live in Germany for more than two years, on my way to learn and integrate and I am still using mostly English. I dont find any problem here.
You're right, it does upset. While it might be more convenient for an English speaker to not have to know any German to get by in Germany it makes Germany less German. If I go to Germany I want to experience Germany not Africa or the Middle East...or even England or America.
Every country in Europe is really for the natives. Only Anglo-Saxon countries and especially the US is so open that even people who are clearly foreign don’t necessarily hit a glass ceiling.
Germany here. Learn the language! Well, if you're an IT specialist and your company is only sending you to Germany for a few months, it's not necessary. But if you're moving here to live and work for longer, it's essential.
I have an American acquaintance who has been in Germany for a decade, is in a steady partnership with a German woman and doesn't speak a word of German. At least he doesn't; he probably understands quite a bit. Family celebrations are crazy. The parents-in-law speak practically no English, the daughter translates everything. The rest of the party speaks moderate or poor English. Creepy. Everyone wants to please him kindly. Making American small talk for an entire evening is really difficult for Germans. I have given up. Phew... Now his job is going down the drain and he can't find a new one: no German qualifications, no language skills. And now?
Young colleagues tell me that because of the many students from abroad, some university seminars are now held in English, in subjects such as sociology or - attention - philosophy! That's a joke! Talking about Kant and Hegel in English. If you can't speak German, you're lost anyway. And German students have to write seminar papers in English in their own country. That's really going too far for me.
Please don't misunderstand: I'm not one of those people on the far right. But I believe that understanding the language not only helps you to have a nice evening with beer and wine, but also to understand the mentality of the people who speak it.
Native English speaker - its pretty rude not to learn the local language of any other country you might move to, not to mention the practical advantages of speaking with everyone.
The acceptable Anglophobia in Germany is also quite rude. Goes both ways.
@@mcarlsson74 I don't know what you are referring to, but I haven't gotten in contact with this so called Anglophobia yet.
@@mcarlsson74 very little and where I live in Lippe they are not even that keen on other Germans
Yet in countries like Thailand, the locals assume you can't speak their language and just talk to you in English. Same attitude among expats, few of them speak more than basic Thai
How is it "rude" exactly?
I don‘t know if you live in Bamberg but this was a lot of footage from my beautiful hometown, thank you☀️
Hi
My son has been interested in attending university in Germany, so he started studying German when he was in the 5th grade. Unfortunately, we moved countries and there were no school programs in our area that offered German (of course he could have been studying on his own, and we tried that with private lessons, but it didn't last). I've been exploring if it's still possible for him to study there without having sufficient language skills (university level skills). I really appreciated your overview here.
I moved to the US from Ukraine when I was 12 and found reading between the lines of the polite exterior really difficult. When I moved back to Ukraine in my thirties I found the honesty jarring and a bit upsetting :) I've told all my friends that I wish there was a middle ground. In the US I'm the most blunt person most people know, and in Ukraine I'm confusingly polite.
Depends on what he wants to study I'd say, but there are a lot of international courses now so classes will be in English. Contact the unis he's interested in, they will be able to help you.
Speaking as somebody who went to university in Germany I'd say that unless his German is of a fairly high standard he would have no change of getting through it. German standards are very high. I went to university aged 36 and had already lived there for 13 years and it was still tough going. Yes I graduated with fairly good marks but it was no picnic in the park.
Dear Benjamin,
I'm German and a meanwhile retired GP. I got my vocational Training in Liverpool Manchester and Exeter 1988-92. I do want to tell you, that I am very impressed by your correct description of the German Communication Culture. There is only one aspect I should like to ad . Additionally to my experience with German and English behaviour, I had quite some experience wih working and living in Switzerland for 10 years. After that, I was able to appreciate a British and German gem. An advantage in the cultures of these two , that stick out like a sore thumb, once you came to know the swiss conduct in meeting foreigners. The Germans and the Brits are a very warm hearted friendly lot. You easily find contact, you can have fun in chats about anything with people you meet in Shops or on High Street. This is a wonderful experience, that only comes into focus, once you miss it.
That helps the future of Europe and will bring the UK back to Europe I bet.
Keep up your Great work. Kind regards
Klaus
You might get along without knowing german in germany, but if you plan to stay, you will NEED to learn german to integrate. And it is expected by most germans that people that come to stay will learn german.
Many germans can speak english, and will happily do so, but you will always remain a foreigner if you refuse to learn the language.
You need Turkish to integrate into Germany. Why learn German, it's a language of a dying people who want to disappear as quickly as possible.
Thanks for the updates. Last time I was in Germany traveling through as a tourist... all I can say is, knowing German and several dialects fluently made all the differences, when communicating with the locals no matter what region of Germany I was visiting. Yes that also means I had previously lived in Germany, Switzerland and Austria for several years. I made the efforts to learn local customs, culture and language nuances. Years later, I do not feel as though I am a stranger in another country.
True
Language is so much more than communication. It’s about truly understanding your surroundings. Yes, German is truly hard to learn, but if you’re going to live there you have to. And, it’s a beautiful language one’s you get into it!
“Bald ruhest Du auch”
I tried to stay in Britain for awhile, only speaking german: "Guten Tag! Wie geht's? Ich möchte zehn Brötchen, bitte!"
All I got as a response: "Go home Fritz!"
This Sounds so totally not Made up.
and you didn't get your breadrolls either.
Meanspirited. They export that to USA. Arrogant😮
Again, if italian was the lingua franca and you went to Britain most Brits would be fine with it, German is not, and never will be an international language, so of course people are going to tell you to piss off if you come over speaking German, it would be the same if you rocked up speaking greek or hindi.
France here. I have lived and worked 15 years in Bavaria. I would never ever have gotten the opportunities I got if I wouldn't have spoken German at the very first place. This is actually the main reason I got my first job, because I belonged to the rare ones applying on this job who could speak German, and my tailor was not very rich as I started working at the end of the 90s, it took years before I felt more comfortable and could express myself fluently... and always with my french accent. I was in sales and all conversations were made in German, and approaching smaller companies, you had to understand the different dialects because speaking German does not mean you understand Bavarian or other dialects. I made a lot of friends because I could speak German and speaking the language of my region is for me the most important thing to consider living abroad. Don't consider for granted everybody speaks English in Germany (or french which is even less spoken even if we're neighbors), or is simply willing to speak it, because it's not true, a lot of people are not confident at speaking it, even if it is the first foreign language learnt. At the end of the day, you'll be more up to make authentic relationships and friend speaking German with them, because the distance is narrowing. Learning other languages is the best thing you can do in your life.
I used to live in Canada, long time ago...And people told me, how impolite it is, if we: A friend of mine and I where talking in German (because sometimes I didn´t unterstand ) So...I guess...its polite if you at least try to learn the Language...in the Country you stay in...Politness and interest ... It shows Respect...I guess we Germans have forgotten, how beautiful our Language is...and that means...it would be nice and kind, if people would try to unterstand...and learn it...Every country does it...If you like Germany...than go ahead....we help you...Its a difficult Language, but beautiful.....We reach you a hand.... Willkommen in Deutschland.....
You recognize the world and the people in the language you think and dream in, or at least can speak and understand. In my opinion most foreigners do not understand German humour, e.g., is, because it gets lost in mental translation. It might sound bizarre, but don't underestimate the influence of the language you think and dream in, on your reception of the world and the meaning of behavier of people.
If you are not only want to visit. but to stay in Germany for a longer period of time, it is highly recommended to learn the language up to a certain point. This applies, of course, for every country/culture you want to stay in. It will make your life there much easier and will help you to avoid traps and "pitfalls".
Years ago I asked my daughter what she thinks and dreams in, she does both, English and German. I thought that was great
All good points, and I concur.
As a German who lived more than 2 decades in the US and returned, I am flabbergasted at how much the Germans in Germany complain about things, totally oblivious to how much better things still are, compared to other comparable places. 🙄😅
And yes, German and British humour are quite similar - in the US I often got blank stares whenever I made sarcastic jokes, and I even got told that they were unsure if I was being serious or not.
Germany sure has changed during the time I was away. I indeed noticed the changing demographic and lingual variety you mentioned.
I can imagine that in 20 years many things have changed. Hope you have managed to settle right back in
I lived in India, USA, Colombia and Peru and returned to Germany 5 years ago. For me living here has great advantages but it's just me.
@@matt47110815 Thankyou for your comment.
As a Kiwi, I can't get over how much serious complaining I have heard or more often read from German people.
Down here in New Zealand, it is totally not cool to complain. We like to spread good vibes and not make things gloomy and depressing.
I am trying to imagine what "sarcastic jokes" are, and if it's the same as how blokes talk with their mates here and in Oz. (That's Australia & NZ).
Blokes will know they are accepted when other guys call them names, usuallg swear words. I think if they are polite to a newcomer, he may not yet have been accepted, although that would be very rare.
I never considered using the word "sarcastic" to describe that kind of banter.
I thought sarcasm was not the word to describe what is done among mates. But a way of speaking that is nasty and unnecessary.
Do you think your "sarcastic" jokes are similar to this banter that is commonly done by Aussies, Brits and Kiwis, and others too? I can imagine people from some other countries could be very confused by it.
@@matt47110815 I lived in the UK for 25 years, as from 1952, I am now 73 and can’t get rid of this bloody London accent
Das beste oder nichts
This was a fascinating vlog, I am really fed up of the English drinking culture and I love Europe so I’m definitely going to look into moving there, thank you for this insightful take on Living in Germany.😊
Me too. It must be especially tough for a recovering alcoholic who doesn't want to attend AA meetings or become religious. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just the odd drink but many now preload before going out in the evening so are already drunk by the time they arrive at a party or restaurant and often these people can be verbally or even physically abusive when drunk. Add street drugs into the mix and they are even more likely to get violent. Some will get violent even if you walk away from them.
I am an American and lived in Germany (Munich) in '91-92, working as a software engineer. I had had a year of German in college but only spoke and understood German to a minimal degree when I moved there. The toughest time I had not speaking German was applying for my residency permit. The guy who interviewed me refused to speak English. Otherwise, I had no problem not speaking much German. I even had my California-registered car with me and could deal with administrivia related to that. In 2007, I attended a conference just outside of Berlin and again had no problem. And in 2020 (just before COVID), i did a road trip around Germany that I made up as I went along and again had no problems. A little broken German can get you far.
As far as the other topics raised in this video, I didn't find any of the stuff mentioned to be much of a problem. I liked working with them and would love the opportunity to live in Germany again (though I failed to convince my family that we should move).
To be fair to the guy in Munich in 1992 it wasn't unlikely he genuinely didn't speak a word across the border (the Bavarian one). The overall level of English in the country has gone up by quite a significant margin since then.
why on earth should he speak English with somebody who wants to live in Germany? I doubt very much that any official in the US or the UK would speak German with an applicant from Germany ....
@@imeldaweingart3385 That't the thing. They have a responsibility to be enversed in the official language of the country. Having said that, as an official they also have a responsibility to help an inhabitant of their city and do their work properly. Consciously refusing to speak a language that they're knowledgeable in, is also a tad ... arrogant and quite unhelpful. However, considering the situation I rather think they genuinely didn't speak English. French perhaps (considering West German basic education). It was certainly not common at the time.
A) For all of the flack that Americans get for only speaking American English, government agency folks, particularly in California, are multilingual.
B) It wasn’t exactly my choice to go there without my “fixer”. I moved there a week after I got back to the US from the job interview. I was the company’s first employee in Germany (the company was based in France) and they hadn’t worked many (any?) of the details yet.
Frankly, it seemed to me like the guy was enjoying watching me struggle to find the words. He clearly understood what so was saying as I was trying to work out the German word. Also, my employer had made some presumptions on the legality of me working in Germany that ended up not being the case. Even if I was fluent in German I wouldn’t have been able to explain it. (Except for the last month my entire time in Germany was under a temporary residency permit and extensions to that permit. I got the official permit for the last month because I was leaving in a month anyway.)
A Great summary of living in Germany. I have been here 5 years and agree that my inability to speak much German has become easier. I can go shopping in German but I am very fortunate that my health care takes place nearly all in English. I hope to get citizenship so I am working on my German but it does not come easily to an engineer who sees the world in pictures not words. Thanks for sharing!
Benjamin is an excellent advertisement for both cultures. Considered, experienced, fair, erudite and contemplative. A balm for the soul - please keep it up. His comments on being an expat are always on the mark. I will say as a British bloke whose best mate is a German (who I met in China) he is also right about the direct, superficial lack of introspection innate to most Germans - perhaps until the beers start flowing.....and then the questions of destiny rear their head - at least that is my experience.
Wow thanks a lot for your kind words Alexander. Haha yes alcohol does bring out some interesting aspects in people 😉. You were in China as well?
There is a great book about how cultural misunderstandings affect businesses in particular, "The Culture Map" by Erin Meyer.
@@bernmahan1162 thanks a lot for the recommendation. I’ll look into it
@@britingermany 8 years in China old chap - married a Chinese girl - now in KSA as a British ex serviceman who has only worked in his 'home' for 5 years of the last 40. Your self professed mixed feelings about the U.K are ones I share - to me and perhaps you as well - I love the nice bits but hate the bad bits and what we consider both, change as we age and where that happens. On British sarcasm I also agree....what I hate most is that you constantly feel like your 'out' of an 'in' joke.
A minimum of 80% of people are Sensors in very country. The Introverted Intuition explored by Carl Jung overlaps with maybe the top 5% of IQ, and you don't really find much of it outside of Northern and Central Europe.
Hello Ben! Very beautiful video. If you've been filming the scenes I'd like to congratulate to you for moving the camera in such comfortable speed, calmly and steadily.
@@michaelburggraf2822 hello Michael. Yes I did indeed film everything thanks a lot. I do my best 😉
@@michaelburggraf2822 Yes, it makes a difference, doesn't it?
Lovely scenery included in your video
Thanks you.It really takes time to get enough footage but now that I've been filming for a couple of years it's easier :)
Germany is not even on my list of Countries I would want to travel to. It is not all that developed and their immigration is too strict. I would rather choose Brazil over Germany as a tourist from California, USA.
I migrated to Germany 15 years ago. I come from a EU country and English is not my native language. I will agree with all those saying that if you want to actually live here, it's imperative you learn the language. When I first moved here my German was basic, order-food-and-don't-die basic. I can't even begin to describe the sense of helplessness and despair of my first years when receiving an official document by post, going to the doctor, applying for anything, or even that night I had to go to ER. Learn the language to make your life easier, and to eventually feel like you belong.
Counterpoint: I've never felt I belonged in English speaking countries either 🤣
You have a beautiful voice. So calming.
Thanks a lot
Agreed, very soothing.
Your pronounciation is valuable to listen for someone who wants to increase this english skills
This time I just would like to compliment you on your skills of capturing the beauty of Germany as well as of the UK. Besides your thought provoking content I greatly enjoy watching all the sites you capture. It often reminds me to revisit places (around FFM) or even to explore new ones. Thanks for that
I loved Germany from the moment I got there, from Cape Town, South Africa. I worked as au pair for almost 2 years in Munich & Hamburg, about 20 years ago. I started learning German from the start and can still understand and speak better than basic German. I was also amazed at the many U-bahn and bus stations in close proximity of where I lived in both cities. One U-bahn station was literally on my doorstep as I walked out of our Munich apartment building. I loved the food and cakes too. The Germans I met were very nice overall and very straightforward which was sometimes a bit of a shocker for a South African conservative young woman, but also very refreshing. I wish I could have stayed longer especially in Hamburg, but my au pair visa ran out and had to go back to SA and start adulting 😪
Behalte Deutschland in guter Erinnerung ❤️🇩🇪
Thank you for the warm-hearted video. It's always a pleasure to see things from a different perspective. My son lives in Frankfurt. He's going to settle there. Let's hope we can shape the future positively.
Speaking personally, I had to literally flee the country 😅🙈 Germany was absolutely not for me. I like warm, friendly people, sunny weather and low taxes. The whole lifestyle was not for me. So I’m really happy, I left and I never had any regrets about my decision.
My German mother adopted Scotland as her homeland, so much so she requested her ashes scattered in Loch Awe, Argyll , much preferring the Scottish culture/ mentality. She found Germany stifling and sterile: there is more to life than being efficient !
Did she live in protestant Germany?
@@deutschermichel5807 Bochum/Dortmund
@@deutschermichel5807 Lutherisch erzogen, einen katholischen Iren geheiratet.
@@nichotto Bochum/Dortmund is the industrial heartland of Germany, i.e. not the nicest area to live. Generally speaking you'll find the warmest Germans in the Rhineland and the most reserved ones the further North you travel. But I agree that our culture is special. Being from the Rhineland myself I find many other Germans quite reserved and unfriendly. They often even look surprised when you greet them in passing.
I agree...
Great overview of moving to Germany from an English speaking country/culture. Very similar experience moving from Australia to Germany 9 years ago.
Thanks jay. Hope you#re still enjoying it
I still feel that learning the language of the country you move to is a huge sign of respect and earnestness about assimilating into the society. Maybe you don't necessarily need to learn German anymore, but it will definitely go a long way in receiving respect for yourself and in advancing your opportunities and gaining good relationships. Not to mention, it's just good sense in case you find yourself in an emergency situation and you happen to be somewhere where there aren't any English speakers around. Also? It is my understanding that pretty much all legal undertakings are completely in German - i.e. forms, applications, contracts, etc.
For sure 👍🏻
I'm from the US, lived in Germany for a while, and then settled in the UK. I found Germany (in the 1980s, so...) much more polarised than the UK. I'm kind of on the edge of counter-culture/alternative/hippie. In the UK it's easy to be part of that, and part of the mainstream. In the US or Germany it seems much more polarised. I think this plugs into the thing about outward sincerity vs cynicism. In the US, people also turn everything into a moral question in their surface conversation. They're in your face about religion. No one does that in the UK.
I travelled to Germany and fell in love with the county - I'm currently furthering my studies and learning German so that I will have a better chance to immigrate to Germany
Germany is not for everyone.
Thank GOD
only "doctors an engineers" flood the country
Interesting how things look differently from different perspectives. As a Russian moved to Germany, the indirectness of Germans and their general politeness was one of the first things to strike me, and one I'm still struggling with after 12 years in Germany. Wonder how I would have felt in the UK.
People in the uk are way way friendlier. Service is better too.
@@stuartwalker8755 That's relatively easy to achieve ;)
Well, I don't think that Germans are rude, and I don't find the language difficult. But then, I was born and grew up in the Netherlands, a short drive from the German border.
The infrastructure bit surprised me a bit. Either the infrastructure in the UK is _really_ bad, or perhaps it's not as bad in Germany as I thought. One thing that I equate with driving on the Autobahn is the plethora of 'Baustellen'. I have a hypothesis that it is impossible to drive a non-trivial distance over the Autobahn without encountering at least one 'Baustelle', complete with counterflow. This, by the way, was already the case as far back as I can remember, which must have been the late 1970s.
German trains have a woeful punctuality record, especially when compared to neighbouring countries. The Netherlands somehow manage to have the busiest rail network in Europe, and yet manage a 95% punctuality rate. Another neighbouring country is Switzerland, and, well, let's not go there. I suspect that the reason that they get 'only' 98% punctuality is because some trains come from neighbouring countries - such as Germany.
Finally, there is the patchy mobile network, and the broadband internet connections that lag behind neighbouring countries in both speed and penetration.
Don't get me wrong, I quite like Germany. My favourite uncle is a German. And while the people tend to be formal and somewhat distant at first, I've never felt unwelcome in Germany - quite unlike the UK, where I get the vibe that they think of me as some sort of inferior species. Not everybody, of course, but too many for it to be a coincidence.
I don't think that it's a coincidence that the acceptance and prevalence of English has boomed in the past three, four years. It coincides with when the UK finally left the EU. _Everybody_ on the continent has tried to benefit from it. And if the sentiment in the UK is to keep foreigners out as much as possible, it can be easier to settle in a country that, at least for now, has a more open attitude. Because that's another thing: the anti-EU, anti-foreigner sentiment is absolutely spreading all over Europe.
My own experience as an immigrant - I moved from the aforementioned Netherlands to Malta - is that it's difficult, it can be very stressful, but it's also incredibly enriching. Plus, you gain a different perspective on your native country: if nothing else, its flaws become more obvious from a distance.
wonderful how you say things ! It shows again that Dutch people have the greatest sense of humour of all !!! want to write a book ?
Language is one factor but one's age is another. People in their 30's and older are settled in their social networks already: they have friends, jobs, partners and they rarely want change and become friends with new people.
Until the area is full of immigrants who are also seeing social integration and friendship, you don't have many chances to enter already closed social circles.
Marrying a local or working in a local company might help to get some new friends but it's not guaranteed. Work colleagues usually don't become friends for life, it's school and college time when we create the most of long-term friendships.
Excellent summing up of life and work in Germany in 2024. As someone who lived there in the 80's and tries to keep abreast of events, this brief summary has been a useful update.
From a German: you DEFINITELY NEED to learn German. Apart from the major cities (especially true for eastern Germany), there are not many people, who speak English that well or at all. And people in not so metropolian areas are also more closed of to foreigners and value german culture more. So not true! Old habits die hard!
Yes, I have been in the same house 20 years and a few people in the street see me as one of them but not all. People from the same village will be shocked with my accent, when speaking for the first time, as they would have assumed I was German. Even when my children were in school the teachers did not speak English.
@@froileinchaos4648 you need to learn Turkish or arabic. Why learn a language of a dying people who will be replaced by Turks and Arabs in several decades?
I live in Japan and actively avoid "gaijin hangouts", even though my Japanese is terrible. I didn't come here to live in a mashup of America / Britain / Ireland only with better sushi.
I lived with two German guys whilst a student at Cambridge - one guy was from Oldenburg and the other from the south, near Kufstein but still in Germany. Very different guys, but both very funny!
As autistic person I love Deutschland. it's like around me my autistic friends, no small talks, no fake smiles, not even greetings, it's perfect place where I live.😊
WOW, well done. He's got a voice I could listen to daily. Good presentation. Thank you for the Information and the scenes.👍
I always find it fascinating that there are people from English speaking countries living here for years that don’t speak any German whatsoever
I’ve met an American last year that moved here in 2006 and apart from the typical stuff like Autobahn, Blitzkrieg, Gesundheit he didn’t speak ANY German..
Yep. It is actually not uncommon in the larger cities
You mean like Germans in Majorca who don’t speak any Spanish and expect locals to speak German?
Cynicism vs. Sarcasm: Cynicism is the irony of the attacker, sarcasm is the irony of the victim. The latter is ok, the former isn't.
@@ReinholdOtto Interesting. I’ve never thought about it like that before. Thanks for giving me something to think about
Not sure cynicism is necessarily related to irony or sarcasm. Rather that irony = saying something which means the opposite of its literal meaning, often humorously, conveyed by intonation or other expression, as a generalised comment on life or a situation. Sarcasm, on the other hand = irony that is directed at another person with intent to taunt, mock or wound. I believe the origin of the word is in Greek, meaning “to strip off flesh”. I think American English often struggles to differentiate between the two - eg when Americans refer to British humour as being “sarcastic” when what they are describing is irony.
@@davidpaterson2309 interesting aspect. And I think those terms are getting confused in German quite often, too. I did too until someone complained to me that I meant "sarcastic" when I said cynical. He insisted that cynicism was a personal attitude and sarcasm and irony were modes of spoken expression. I think that distinction can be quite helpful.
@@michaelburggraf2822 I think that’s right. Cynicism is an outlook rather than a behaviour or way of expression - a kind of “exaggerated scepticism” that presumes everything to be suspect and probably corrupt until it proves otherwise and seeks to deal only in demonstrated truth, stripped of belief or sentiment. To combine the concepts of cynicism and irony, look no further than that master of the ironic aphorism, Oscar Wilde, who said that “A cynic is someone who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing.”
Cynicism is a complete negative sight on life, sarcasm has hope.
I think the weather thing is very regional. Here it is pretty similar to the North of England plus more wind.
Greeting from North Frisia
Oh I thought also, he doesn't live where I do! Where I am I have been told gets the highest rainfall in Germany. We get a lot of rain. Lippe. Different than England though, we get amazing storms which I rather enjoy
Having lived in the Midlands, I thought* that England wasn't as rainy as they said it would be. It was however very, very windy.
Many of my favorite german cities in your great video :). Where I start my life in Germany in Fulda… and where I live now. This country is amazing.
I go between Austria and the US frequently as my husband is from Vienna. Most native Viennese know some English, but for me not only is learning German enjoyable but it is a sign of respect. I feel it puts people at ease as they all are not comfortable speaking English even if they know some. I get it. I think it is important if you want to be a participant at the table when a group of people are conversing to show that you are open to trying. I have found that people open up and get comfortable with me when I show the effort. At the end of the day I retreat back to my mother tongue as my brain can get overloaded, but otherwise, for me speaking their mother tongue in their country is important.
Bro, tried to install the Munich parking app to pay for parking without a bag of coins this summer and it was a total failure. Ok, locals were nice and helped with translating what the app was asking and cryptic error messages, and the failure was on the app ultimately not accepting the rental car license plate (German plates), but without language it's tough. Couldn't tell what's a zip code and what is a state field in the form. You need German to do these basic things like mobile apps and access web info.
The Bamberg b-roll reminded me of my uni days there. Such a lovely city 😊
I used to have the issue with my friendly British colleagues - I never was sure if they were just ironic or serious, when they occasionally called something I did or said "brilliant". I strongly suspect the former. But nevertheless, it was always a pleasure to work with them.
@@ReinholdOtto 🤣🤣That’s what I’m talking about
I (Canadian) lived in Germany for 10mo in the 90s and learned German. I've since brought my wife and kids there every couple years for visiting old and new friends. We love it! Every time. One of my kids is on the autism spectrum and he finds socializing so relaxing in Germany compared to home. He appreciated the honesty. He really struggles with 'trying to figure out what this person actually means' and German culture relaxes his social anxiety. There is more structure to the culture than here, but the upside is things are more predictable generally and relaxing if you can rest into routine. We'd happily live there, at least for a couple years! Rent is cheaper, food is cheaper too.
We've been in Germany for 13 years now. I agree with everything in this video, but a lot of it applies to city living. We've always lived in four small adjacent villages in Franconia, and things are somewhat different. Many people who come to live in Germany do, of course, settle in a town or city, which is fine and easier. We occasionally see a social media post from an expat who complains they have been here for over a year and still don't have many friends. I believe it is much harder to achieve that in a city. In the villages, we have almost been the local celebrities as they have so few, if any, Englanders living there. So many locals have wanted to sit and talk to us. Many have helped us with things, especially German form filling! But we have had to learn at least rudimentary German. We still need to improve, but we get by and they appreciate that we try. We made friends by going every single local beer fest held by all the local clubs and organisations. That would be hard to do in a city. If you are coming here have a big think about where you want to live - city or village.
In smaller towns you can also join local clubs (whatever they are, there's always some) which will boost your integration tenfold. This also applies to Germans by the way, if you move to a smaller town or village.