Can you go to Germany without knowing much German and still get around easily?
No. You don't get around easily. It is possible to enjoy a few days but it is by no means ‘easy’► Apart from major cities, very few people speak English, even if they have learned it well.► Some might feel very uncomfortable in speaking English because they don’t feel it is perfect. Thus, they will stick to German because they don’t like to speak it if isn’t perfect.► Even if some Germans speak English well, you might have to rely on their kindness, even to buy a simple bus ticket.► Sometimes, people who speak very good English might say that they don’t speak it because they don’t have any interest in helping a lost tourist. They have busy lives.You have to be prepared for this. You can very well enjoy your few days stay but do not expect people to speak English all the time. I’d suggest you to learn to adapt. It is very rude to demand Germans to speak English so that you can be comfortable. You might put people in an uncomfortable situation.Will one get around easily in the United Kingdom or the United States without knowing much English? Definitely not.Eventhough the situation, with regards to foreign language proficiency, is much better in Germany than the UK or the US, I still wouldn’t completely rely on it.On the other hand, if you are planning to live in Germany without trying to learn German, I’d have to say that you can survive but you can’t really live. Your life will be very lonely and unhappy if you don’t learn German while living in Germany.
What is it like to live in Vienna without speaking any German?
When I got to Vienna in Jan 2010, I literally only spoke a couple of words of German, learnt from old Commando WWII comics. I had the advantage of working in an international firm, with English as the official language of business, and it was passable. I mostly interacted with the other expats there to start with. Outside work is where it gets tricky. I had my share of situations where my lack of German understanding caused me grief - sitting on buses/trains at the end of the line/on break/re-routI got, because I didnt catch the 'out of service'/change message, not understanding the usher at the movie theatre apologising for technical issues (and being told to get a refund) at an English language screening, ordering horsemeat (Fiakerghoulash) etc!!My wife moved to Vienna a few weeks before giving birth, and didn't speak any German either (I was 2 years in the city by then), and had a nasty experience with a doctor who was prepping her for her caesarean the next day: "why don't you speak any German?". My wife tried to explain that she had just moved, which was met with disapproval and painful jab in the arm with the intravenous, so the lady doctor turned to me and asked the same. I replied: "I'm Canadian". That ended that conversation: I was not an economic migrant/refugee, and wouldn't bow down. I got my information in English, and responded the same.Beware, it was hell trying to get health insurance though - customer service in English from government was atrocious, everywhere except for the MA35 (visa office!) and MA11 (for kids) Departments. If you managed to navigate the automated routing of telephone helplines for utilities, asking to speak to an English rep does usually work (50/50 with government).In Vienna, it's important to pick up the language, so you get the most out of the city. But, do so out of interest. The young and professional will help you in a bind, the older folks generally will be unable. However, watch out for the bigots who will seek to put you down if you're not Austrian - for them, unless your German is flawless (and even then), I would take them on in English, to keep them wrong-footed. It is possible to get by without any knowledge of the German language in Vienna, but I'd give it a go if you will be there for anything longer than a short holiday...learning it will be inevitable, and greeting the language with an open mind will make the learning process quicker.
Is it hard to live in Berlin without speaking German?
Hello Vitor, thanks for the A2A.I will be brutally honest with you. I have been living in Berlin close to 2.5 years and have been able to survive with barely any knowledge in Deutsch. This is not something I am proud of, since I always look forward to learning new languages but since I interact with people who are fluent in English everyday, I never really felt the urgency to grasp the language.As long as you are within the city limits, you are safe and can move along with just English knowledge. Parts of the city like Potsdamer Platz, Alexanderplatz, Warschauer Str., Kreuzberg etc, it is a fairly English-speaking crowd.However, if you move away from the city like somewhere beyond, Lichtenberg, then things get really difficult. No one will respond and they may even scoff at you for not conversing in German.When I was in Berlin for the first time in 2015 and went to the Government office for City registration or extension of my Visa, I was having a tough time with the officials since though they do speak really good English, they feel proud to be German and at times I kind of got the vibe that they felt that we may mock their English. However that said and done, touch wood, I was able to wiggle my way out of the situation and get things done. Some of my colleagues have not been fortunate enough and were sent back to bring someone who was knowledgeable in German.But in the current situation, day in and day out I see a lot of people in Berlin who are predominantly English-speaking and they get along really well in the city.
What are the benefits of knowing German outside Germany?
German can help you understand other languages such as Dutch or Afrikaans. Another language means you understand another culture, and it gives you a different point of view, which is helpful for creativity.You will learn the subtleties of terms such as Fingerspitzengefuehl and Gemuetlichkeit. You will also learn the history of Germanic people, which are the largest genetic contributor to the US and the UK. Perhaps most important, you’ll learn this group has a history before and after 1933–1945.Learning a language is also very good for creating new brain cells; this is evidence-based. BTW, 3 ways to create new brain cells (mainly in the hippocampal area): learning new material such as a language, exercise, and eating blueberries (fresh or frozen); reducing stress and getting enough REM sleep also helps not to kill off the old ones.BTW, there was an extensive study done by UC Berkeley on using guided dreaming to learn a language. Subjects would visualize going to the country, speaking with people, and visualizing places there, etc. before going to sleep. Those who used their dreams for learning picked up the language much faster than the control group.
If you travel to Germany from Australia and you speak no German, how do you get by?
Although in common tourist destinations English will be known by some people, you might want to learn some basic German. Even if it's just 'Excuse me, do you speak English' “Entschuldigen Sie, sprechen Sie Englisch?', it'll help a great deal.You might want to learn a little more than that, though, just so you can ask where der Hauptbahnhof (the main/central train station) is, so you can get on ein Zug (a train), and hope that there isn't eine Verspätung (a delay)!Or so you can go to das Hotel (the hotel), where you can sich anmelden (book in). That means you can sleep in ein Doppelzimmer (a double room) für fünf Nächte (for five nights), and wake up um neun Uhr (at nine o'clock) to eat das Frühstück! (the breakfast)So, no. You don't really have to speak German to visit Germany, most people will know a few words of English. But knowing some very basic German will make communicating a lot easier, as well as pointing and gesturing, of course.And think of it this way, your trip will feel a lot more cultural if you order your food or ask for directions in German. Even if you make a mistake, I'm sure most German speakers will appreciate the effort, and be even more willing to help!
What languages do germans speak?
The overwhelming majority has German as their first language, but in some cases with a strong regional dialect like Low German in North Germany or Bavarian in the south-east for example. These dialects can be strong enough that they are not mutually intelligible. So dialect-free High German is the official language of Germany, which about everybody is able to speak. There are three other languages which also have official status: Frisian, which is spoken by a small minority in the far north-west; Sorbian, spoken by a few people in the east close to the Polish border and Romanic a gypsy language. Then there is a strong Turkish minority especially in the big cities who speaks Turkish as their first language. But in everyday life German is almost exclusively used. About every German has learned English in school and speaks some although many people are often a bit insecure and reluctant to use it.
What is living in Germany like?
To give a balanced answer, here are the 10 things I like most and the 10 things I like least about living in Germany:Things I Like:Clean, safe citiesAffordable and good standard of living if you have an above average job and don’t want to live in Frankfurt, Munich, Stuttgart or Hamburg.Summer is great - there are festivals pretty much every weekend in your local area in one form or another, outdoor pools, cycling trails, open-air cinema, concerts etc.Environmental awareness of consumersMost Germans have hobbies apart from shopping, drinking and watching TVGreat beer and great wineFresh, seasonal produce which is only available at certain times of the yearGermany’s location makes it really easy to get around and see the rest of Europe without needing to fly everywhereMajor cities are all within reach of beautiful countryside within about an hour’s travelIt’s one of the best places to live in the world if you want to work long-term for the same company in the same job. Employee benefits and job security are both world-leading.Things I Dislike:2nd highest tax burden in the OECD - but infrastructure is poor compared to many other European countries, especially Holland and SpainMarried couples without kids get tax breaks. How is this fair? Their living costs are half that of single peopleGermans are very risk-averse and are quite resistant to changeFor one of the wealthiest countries in the world, too many people have a glass-half-empty mentalityAnyone who doesn’t agree with the left-liberal consensus of the mainstream press and thinks Merkel’s refugee policy is a big mistake is routinely accused of being a NaziGerman efficiency is a complete myth in most service industries and government bureaucracy!Lack of spontaneityWinter is grey, dark and depressingSupermarkets are closed on SundaysMany businesses still only accept cash