Knowing German makes your life easier

You don't have to speak like Goethe when you come to Germany. But knowing some German can make your life much easier.

Drei ausländische Deutschlerner, Bild: g.a.s.t./TestDaF-Institut

"Sehr geehrte Fahrgäste an Gleis 3! Aufgrund technischer Schwierigkeiten verkehrt der Regionalexpress 1, Abfahrtzeit 12 Uhr 57, heute abweichend auf Gleis 1. Ich wiederhole: Der Regionalexpress 1 verkehrt heute abweichend auf Gleis 1."

Did you understand that? Then you better get to platform 1 right now, otherwise you're going to miss your train and have to wait half an hour for the next one!

Dealing with daily life

Are you enrolled in an international degree programme, taught completely in English? If so, you might think there’s no need to speak any German when you’re here. However, you will need a little German to get through life in Germany. Not only can it help you get on the right bus or train, but it comes in handy in many other situations. For example, if you have to ask for directions, or want to order a coffee, or scour the papers for flats or you suddenly get sick and have to go to the doctor. If you can't speak German, it can be very difficult to find a part-time job in Germany – even office assistants, waiters and babysitters need to communicate with the people around them!

Enjoying the culture 

Studierender in der Bibliothek, Bild: g.a.s.t./TestDaF-Institut

Are you interested in literature and culture? Then that’s another reason to learn German. After all, German was spoken by Goethe, Kafka and Heine. And Germany is one of the world’s leading producers of new books after England, the US, China and Russia. Do you enjoy reading books and newspapers? Want to spend an evening at the theatre? Or are you up for a movie at the cinema? In Germany, knowing some German makes it all possible!

Getting to know Germany and its people

Young people, especially those living in larger German cities, usually understand and speak English to some extent. Most likely, you’ll discover that you can organise your courses and take care of formalities at the university quite well without German.

However, with a little German it’s easier to make contact with students, your neighbours and other Germans around you. Try making small talk with the saleswoman at the marketplace. Discuss the upcoming election with your flatmates. Or try figuring out the subtleties of German idioms. This will help you get to know the country and its people better and make you feel a little less foreign in a foreign country. 

German – a difficult language?

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When you come to Germany for the first time, you don’t have to understand Angela Merkel’s speeches or be able to speak like Goethe. German might not be an easy language, but it is very logical and has many words in common with English. With some discipline, you’ll quickly learn the most important aspects of the language. Here are some ideas to help you along the way. Use every opportunity to read and listen to German whenever possible. Via Internet, you can read German texts from your home, watch German films or listen to the radio – for example, the Deutsche Welle offers news spoken more slowly for foreign listeners on its website. You could even label each piece of furniture in your room with its German name so you can constantly read and learn the important vocabulary of daily life. 

If you are already in Germany, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Use all the German words and expressions you know as often as possible – for instance, when you’re shopping, taking the underground or eating with friends at the dining hall. Another good idea is to take a room in a student hall of residence or rent a room in a flat-share with Germans. Not only is it more fun than living alone, but it also gives you more chances to speak German!

Video: German for beginners