Why you should learn German and why you don't need to (anymore)

[@britingermany]

Good morning. I hope this clears up any misunderstandings from the last video. Sorry about the lighting. The sun kept going in and out of the clouds. If you want a bit more detail on cultural differences between FFM and Munich you can read this here - benjaminantoine.substack.com I wish you all a great day :)

[@Bellasie1]

You have a lot of patience trying to explain your opinion to people who quite obviously either understand only half the words you use or look for those they can turn against you.

[@DNA350ppm]

There's an additional epidemy from the last decade onwards, which is that some "infected" people only want to have contact with others, if they have exactly identical opinions and experiences. They feel no delight in new and different perspectives, and hve no resilience to listen with calm and curiosity to opposite views. Benjamin, you're a delight to learn from, precise, versatile, eloquent, thoroughly reflecting. You are the opposite of those who speak emoji-language only and can't keep two thoughts in their mind simultaneouly, neither can they accept ambiguity, in reality and thinking. Thanks for providing long sentences, for using two languages, having a rich vocabulary, pointing out that realities are complex and changing, and having the capacity to express that in the most engaging way, always providing food for thought. Looking forward to your future reflexions!

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

Hello Ben! Does it sometimes feel like you're providing an explanation for another explanation of an explanation that has created confusion about a former explanation which was also explaining an explanation somehow? Didn't the late Queen Elizabeth II once say "Don't explain yourself". I think I'm beginning to understand her.😄

[@АлександарЈовановић-ъ6н]

A man is as many languges he speaks . Proud of english, proud of american english, proud of german , proud of french, proud of italian , proud of spanish ...proud of e.u. ! Regards from montenegro .

[@liambyrne591]

You need to learn Irish it's the best language

[@hainsey6264]

My brother's wife and his children who live in Germany speak perfect English. I've been visiting for over 20 years and have never really needed to speak German. However I started learning German two years ago. It's a matter of respect. I really need to speak the mother tongue of my nephews. But what I've also found after two years is the realisation you can fool yourself that everyone speaks English. You subconsciously shop and engage with businesses that you know will have English speakers. Now I can shop and eat anywhere with confidence I'm going to be understood, because I'm speaking the local language. The biggest breakthrough came when I was checking into a hotel and reception asked if I preferred to be spoken to in German or English. Of course I chickened out and chose English so there'd be no mistakes in dates and payment. Nevertheless being asked the question was so flattering. Maybe you don't need to learn German anymore. But in terms of getting to know the culture and having a sense of achievement, absolutely go ahead.

[@britingermany]

I think that learning a foreign language is one of the best investments you can make. It essentially gives you another way to think and another world view. It does take a lot of effort to get fluent. Even a level of B2 is not enough to have proper relationships in German. Even with C1 you will see misunderstand cultural references and meanings all day long...but I agree it's worth the effort

[@borstenpinsel]

​​@@britingermanymeh, fluent native speakers will struggle with cultural and regional phrases like idioms etc as well. No need to beat yourself up over it, thinking C1 isn't enough. I regularly make the comment that I will need a joker for the 500€ question on "who wants to be a millionaire" (wer wird Millionär?) because very often it's an idiom that I have never heard.

[@holger_p]

Do it for yourself. And take the chance to have family support. But don't say you do it as respect for others. Impress yourself. For your nephews you may even become boring, if they have nobody to talk english to anymore.

[@paulthomas281]

@@britingermany The bar needs to be set hire for what is B2 level. The criteria for B2 should be a working vocabulary of 10000 words (of which 1500-2000 are verbs). That is a good stock to work with. One could definitely form solid friendships and professional relationships.

[@Eyeontheglobe7]

Sister actually I'm going to do a nursing course,I'm from india so I want to earn high salary in switzerland, Luxembourg Austria and more so it useful no ?

[@Schneemann-1000]

The German language (standard high German) is music to my ears. It‘s a beautiful language!

[@tom_hagen1972]

Germans need to learn how to balance globalization and protecting their culture. In the Netherlands, people often speak English and German, but they still expect people to learn Dutch. I think that’s the right approach.

[@fivantvcs9055]

Yes and in fact in Germany it's the same but with more hypocrisy. They won't tell you at every time face to face (they can , eventhough), but besides you will be criticised. Germans are often closed if you don't do the first step. Cc @britingermany

[@tom_hagen1972]

@@fivantvcs9055 Yeah, it’s probably a bit political too. They just want to come across as super open and tolerant, even though they are super anal about their language. They should just be open about it.

[@YTscheiss]

Dutch hate their language and culture. Everything is in English, the whole school system. It's a shame... they dont even know why to bother passing the Dutch language to the next generation

[@varvaravitalevna2854]

Except Berlin most city speak Deutsch, and find person in government, shop, medical shop, car service it's really lottery. According Netherlands, where English every where.

[@tom_hagen1972]

@@varvaravitalevna2854 Because most people in these jobs only have basic education, and while they learned some English in school, most of them never had to use it. The Dutch and Scandinavians do consume English media from early on, and they were always more cosmopolitan. This has to do with the Netherlands being a naval trade, and former colonialist nation, so they had to be open minded and communicative. Germany is almost landlocked, had a quite big empire (pre ww1), and never had to bother with other nations languages. Many Germans feel like German should be spoken in Germany, the same way French people feel about their language. Germans are not cosmopolitan by nature.

[@CarmelaAntolini]

I live in Frankfurt, I speak fluent English and German up to level B2. I am IT-Digital marketing specialist and I can't find any job due to the reason that I don't speak German on a native level. At least, that's the reply I get.

[@Impaled_Onion-thatsmine]

Cause it make no sense translated to English at least husserlian German

[@mkpop-s2i]

Learn to native nevel

[@starnight1209]

You can get a good job in China or S.E.A., in any high school or university. High pay, good food, and nice people can open your eyes to the whole world. Good luck. Do it, you have nothing to lose.

[@Evoks036]

​@@Impaled_Onion-thatsmineB2 gets you to comunicate in day to day life but for complex laguage structures, talking about abstract themes (phylosophy...) you need C2. I don't understand why people don't invest in learning the language to the level of native speaker when actually living in the country. It is metter of respect not just of German people but of oneself. I would know I am a forigner there but I would love to feel excepted and to be able to live to my own potential.

[@jindrichbartek5892]

Temporary stay (0-3 years) -> German is optional. Long-term stay (3+ years) -> Learning and speaking German is very wise.

[@Lyno1233]

Absolutely 👍🏽 you will not get a job aleast you speak German fluently aleast at c1 level.

[@mkpop-s2i]

​@@Lyno1233i speak B2 and have a job 😅 a good one too.

[@Lyno1233]

@@mkpop-s2i where??? That’s like 1 out a 1000 :(

[@LoïkLütkehus]

I agree with your observation . I lived in several foreign countries in Europe and have noted this trend of using increasingly English than the local language ( I believe the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries are even more affected by this than Germany). It is a process which cannot be stopped in an increasingly globalised and interconnected world. As a German, I think it is good that we embrace the use of English as it can facilitate attracting highly skilled immigration. However, nobody will truly be able to be part of German society if someone wishes to become so without knowing German. I don’t blame anyone on choosing the easiest path of just not learning it. I myself struggled on learning Danish when living in Copenhagen. But I still tried because I never wanted to be just a foreigner. I wanted to become a local as much as possible. I believe that learning the local or any other language will give you just such a major advantage in anything. It really is a key opener, and when you have it, it is really satisfying.

[@parasitius]

You can't say "than" like that, doesn't make any sense.... maybe your meant to say "rather than"

[@olanmcevoy8581]

@@parasitius what are you on about, he uses than in a totally normal way

[@vlanine]

Maybe people already know they will never truly be able to be part of German society and don't learn German. They already see that they have better chances being a part of immigrant/expat communities.

[@denisewalsh6586]

When I was in Berlin 0:20 and Munich, so many spoke in English. When, I was in Montreal all the sales people in stores deliberately spoke French..also when I was in South of France near Nice it was very provincial and the locals many just spoke French.

[@thierrymitchell5977]

@@denisewalsh6586 and your point is?

[@MsChris2707]

It’s beyond me that you have to clarify your previous video. I thought you made it very clear what you meant. At least I got it.

[@britingermany]

Glad to hear it :). A lot of people didn't seem to

[@timhill9189]

@@britingermany it's "permanent partial attention"

[@Gerard_2024]

Maybe the average IQ level is a lot lower than we believed to be the case...

[@barbsmart7373]

I find our British brother very, very clear. I am not at all surprised, however, that a large flock of Germans feel very upset by the threat of the German language not being a priority. The very thought that a person in Germany, does not learn German but is worthy of human respect seems a foreign concept for rather a lot. I have read hundreds of comments by German people, seen so much support for the AdF, understand so intensely the German history of last century, and seen enough of German attitudes in my country of unity, that this is no surprise at all. The Bro already knows that a lot of Germans don't like change. I love his original British character and his realism shining through... and also knowing that 20 year old Germans are not as highly strung as the Germans of the past. I love how the British like being friendly, don't like upsetting others, and like peace and tolerance. Seeing the huge crowds of British people supporting the Muslim people of Britain in cities which were working class places where my ancestors came from is great. They really touch my heart deeply. So do the people of Cable Street in the East End of London when Mosely tried to get his mob through. One thing I have learned is that you can explain things till you are blue in the face AND the cows come home. But there are still many people who will grip tightly to what they want to believe. #I hope the people who misinterpreted Ben the Bro will write again and thank him for his stellar clarification effort. I am certainly quite blown away by it, and hope that everyone accepts our changing world and globalization.

[@conniebruckner8190]

Once I learnt German, and was using it daily in almost all interactions, I noticed how annoyed I became when people in the news, radio or TV would use an English word when there was a perfectly good German word, probably because they thought they would sound more modern or cosmopolitan doing this. Als ich Deutsch lernte und es täglich in fast allen Interaktionen benutzte, bemerkte ich, wie genervt ich war, wenn Leute in den Nachrichten, im Radio oder im Fernsehen ein englisches Wort benutzten, obwohl es ein vollkommen gutes deutsches Wort gab, wahrscheinlich weil sie dachten, dass sie dadurch moderner oder weltoffener klingen würden.

[@britingermany]

Yes that is very popular these days and even just with teenagers.

[@nataliac7716]

Why so ungeduldig 😅😅

[@justaname1837]

Ja, Anglizismen können schon ziemlich nervig sein, aber wahrscheinlich war damals der übermäßige Gebrauch von Gallizismen (französische Lehnwörter) genauso störend. Sprachen entwickeln sich stets weiter und somit auch die deutsche Sprache. Keine Sprache der Welt (abgesehen vielleicht von den isolierten Sprachen) hat einen absolut puren Wortschatz.

[@johaquila]

I think of this as part of the mechanism that gradually gives a language a huge, differentiated vocabulary. Such as the pig/pork distinction. In German it's Schwein in both senses, or for clarity you can say Schweinefleisch for pork. Since we often do the latter even when not required, we are really wasting two syllables compared to English. (The advantage is of course that it makes German vocabulary simpler, which is a welcome compensation for German grammar being so complicated.) To the extent we have similar complementary word pairs in German, the foreign partner is often French. For example, we have two words for driver. The German word Fahrer has the generic meaning. The French-origin German word Chauffeur refers almost exclusively to a professional car driver on a regular salary, either as someone's servant or provided to a high-ranking official or employee by a government or company. A good example for an English word that has done this is Stress. The word is used primarily for mental stress on a person as a medically relevant condition, although in an engineering context it also occurs meaning physical stress on a component. In the general sense of the English word stress, German has a confusing variety of Germanic constructions that all mean more or less the same thing: Anstrengung, Belastung, Anspannung, Beanspruchung. In a physical sense, the more specific Druck/Zug (pressure/pull) are often preferred, probably more so than in English. Stress is a very important, first-class member of the German vocabulary now, and hardly anyone wants to miss it any more. More, similarly successful examples include Toastbrot, Sandwich, Jeans and flirten. As usual, there are also examples where the foreign word changes its meaning a lot (e.g. Mailbox for voicemail), was taken from a specific English context that is thoroughly forgotten in English now (likely explanation of Handy meaning mobile phone), or maybe was made up by German speakers from English words and never made sense to English speakers (likely explanation for Bodybag meaning messenger bag). Yes, it often feels wrong when the process has only just started, but sometimes the the ultimate outcome is worth it.

[@timhill9189]

That is the way languages evolve...

[@wallykaspars9700]

Excellent video with many good points. I'm an American and lived in Germany for 18 years. Yes, at the beginning I encountered many frustrations to learn German, but, with time I improved and eventually my German was proficient. I was very satisfied to have learned the language, especially when I throroughly read the Frankfurter Rundschau and understood almost everything. I think that living in any country it's essential to know the language, also for personal improvement. I now live in the US, but daily watch news from Germany. I wish you much luck in Frankfurt!

[@Alex.Shalda]

Really love what you say, just moved to Germany, will learn German, although I am fluent in English. Keep posting 😊

[@britingermany]

Thank you! Will do! And congrats on the move

[@Alex.Shalda]

@@user4j0xo5-qi6qd haha, yeah, I’m in Bavaria, I’ll give it a try

[@MultiBurger1]

German should always be first in Germany, without exceptions.

[@JeffreyRGriese]

Deutschland den Deutschen

[@alansmith4748]

There should be German pride in both Germany and the German language; (Goethe, Schiller, Heine, Mann, Hesse...) English as a second official language would be a terrible idea. The reasons I like to visit countries such as Italy, France, Spain and... Germany is because of the unique cultural heritage these countries have to offer and this includes their languages

[@shakeelahmed8222]

Yes I totally agree with you 😊

[@alansmith4748]

@@shakeelahmed8222 Thanks 🙂

[@pureone8350]

Yeah but English is just becoming too widespread now. Basically like Spanish in the USA.

[@doxorn]

Language shape the thinking of the individual. No-one should never give up their language.

[@scepticmuslim]

Modernday germans know nothing about Heine or Goethe...walk through Düsseldorf and ask them why their University named Heinrich Heine Universität and who is he.... The new average germans have a big identity crisis

[@edmundwoolliams1240]

I moved to China in 2019, and spent the two years prior taking Chinese classes, so I was about HSK 3 when I arrived. That was an absolutely worthwhile investment, not only because it is genuinely necessary to learn some Chinese to get by in China (without staying in expat circles only), but mainly because all the richest experiences I had there wouldn't have been possible without being able to communicate with the locals. I moved to Berlin last month, and learned a bit of German beforehand (the first half of A1 on Duolingo), and having spent 5 years using Chinese as my second language, trying to use German has been absolutely mind-boggling to say the least!.. My brain instinctively translates my thoughts from English to Chinese whenever I'm interacting with someone, then attempts to translate the Chinese directly into German, which often results in a "cannot compute". Sometimes sentences are formed half in Chinese, half in German. 😂 Some German service and hospitality staff have heard a "hao-OK", "xing", "zhege-ein" here and there... It's gonna be a challenge, but I definitely don't want to live here without lerning German, because I know first-hand that it makes a world of difference knowing the local language.

[@britingermany]

haha I can so relate to that. I also came out with Chinese words when I first started trying to learn German. make sure you don't get out of practice. Join a society or whatever you have to do. I have unfortunately forgotten most of my Chinese.

[@conniebruckner8190]

Something similar happened to me! German is the 4th language I've learned and while trying to speak it at the beginning all the other languages i had learnt previously would come out leaving the listeners totally baffled, (unless they knew some of the languages that came bubbling out.)

[@edmundwoolliams1240]

​@@britingermany Thanks! Thankfully my wife is Chinese; although we use English to communicate, she sometimes speaks to me in Chinese. I just have to make sure I take that opportunity to speak Chinese back to her on those occasions too

[@Phiyedough]

I know a Belgian guy who speaks at least 4 languages fluently. I'm sure I would get them muddled.

[@simonsmatthew]

My second language is Japanese (which I got to Level 2, or upper intermediate). Funny though I actually got to this level quite quickly even though Japanese is considered to be a difficult language for native English speakers to learn. I now live in France an my progress in French has been much slower even though it is supposed to be easier and this is my second foreign language. But this is really due to situational and other differences. Really it is that and your commitment that ultimately matters.

[@blotski]

I just want to add a story to back up (not argue with) what you said about learning the language ie that you can survive without it but your life will be infinitely easer with it. And sometimes you won't necessarily realise this. For reasons it would take too long to explain I am English but speak Romanian pretty fluently. Although I don't live there I have many friends there. A few years back I was sitting with a bunch of Romanian friends in a bar/restaurant in Bucharest and we were having a really good time. I was told another friend was joining us and was bringing an English friend with him who had been living there for nine years. Like a fool I presumed he would have learned Romanian in that time. But no. When he arrived we all switched to English because apparently his Romanian only stretched to basic transactions not conversations. What he was completely unaware of was how the atmosphere changed. It's even hard to describe now but somehow the atmosphere wasn't the same anymore. The conversation was slower, less witty and people were relaxed and friendly but not quite as relaxed and friendly as they had been because obviously they were now having to speak in a foreign language. It was just less fun. I was actually a little bit relieved when he finally left and we could go back to speaking in Romanian. This guy had no concept of this therefore didn't realise what he was missing. Basically, taking friendships and integration to the next level. For me another reason is just I don't like the feeling of disadvantage when somebody speaks my language but I don't speak theirs so I have to rely on their skills to make up for my lack of skill. It makes me feel the relationship is unbalanced and I am dependent and helpless. Of course, as English speakers we have to get used to this because we can't learn absolutely every language and most people do learn English. But if you have a reason for learning a specific language - go for it.

[@annebraun581]

Yes yes and YES!!!! And that is the gap… native English speakers just don’t understand that knowing the language of the country they are moving to is not just being able to communicate it is soooooooooooooooo much more… I would even say life begins where your English ends!!!!

[@pureone8350]

I'll tell you my full life story lol. So I lived in Zimbabwe, Africa. They speak English, Shona and Ndebele as official languages but many people speak either Shona or Ndebele at their homes with family, friends, and in the streets. English is used when working, school, watching TV, or amongst friends if they are urbanites or privileged. I never picked up Ndebele or Shona because most people knew English. But I never truly integrated into that culture without Shona and Ndebele even if we had proper conversations. The vibe was exactly like what you described with that English guy. It was until I moved to Spain to study for 3 years. I was practically forced to have to learn the language, at least to an intermediate level. After mastering Spanish, I was exposed to a whole new world. I saw how limited my life was with just English. This made me decide to go back to Zimbabwe and learn both Shona and Ndebele.

[@barbsmart7373]

​@@pureone8350 That is very interesting to read. Here in New Zealand, since (we), the British came, people were eventually expected to speak English, especially children. Thanks to the Maori elders, Maori was again taught to small children in the 1980's and 90's. Now, quite a lot of people are learning and speaking Maori. My world has widened and my spiritual growth has been catapulted further since beginning to learn this language also in the '80's. Many of my kindest thoughts of respect, acceptance, unity, strength and compassion are better expressed in Maori not English. I don't think I can explain things in English as well because Maori people have an entire mindset that the words are grounded in. I wrote Kia ora once in my comment, which is friendly and it is important to many here where we are from. A German told me to speak English so I try to avoid this friendly greeting now and because many Germans skite about not being friendly to strangers. Kiwis very often say Bro, Brother and Sister due to our seeing others like family. Someone once replied "I am not your brother". I guess I am like a child learning the hard way that some adults are quite horrible and prefer to be cold and disconnected. Some experiences with unfriendly people can be quite traumatising for Kiwis. Spanish is a favourite language I love to hear. I like listening to all languages, I hear a lot in NZ. My French friend introduced me to Edith Piaff and some Spanish singers. I particularly like hearing French too, and other languages like Dutch, Russian, South American... because in NZ we hear a lot of Pacific, and Indian language in public as well as Maori very often. Thanks for your comment. So glad your world expanded beautifully.

[@JohnDiffley-y3k]

Congratulations! You described perfectly a situation l have experienced countless times in Germany…the groove is lost and the evening loses its charm.

[@nejdro1]

We Americans are often criticized for being monoglots. If we are to learn a second language, which should it be? Why should I learn German when most Germans have some knowledge of English, and a large percentage are fairly fluent in English. That being said, when I was sent to Germany by the U.S. Military in 1962, the first thing I did was to enroll in German classes. I went on to get my degree in German, along with a German wife for 50 years. Unfortunately, I have no natural ability for foreign languages, but I have never regretted the many hours I spent learning German by rote. My years spent in Germany were a turning point for my whole life. It may not have brought economic gain, but it enriched my life greatly.

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

In some way the situation is a bit simpler for native English speakers than others. For me as a German living in south Germany France and Italy are easier to reach and in fact many Italians are living in my area and a few French people too. However, English is the lingua franca in many fields like technology, trade and commerce, navigation, ... . It's not a huge problem for me luckily but I've met many people who had a hard time learning one foreign language already. I agree completely on learning languages being an enrichment for one's life.

[@nathan_408]

learn spanish, you have neighbors that speak spanish, a lot Spanish-speaking imigranted to America that is now part of the culture in many states, porto rico is part of US etc

[@torrawel]

Challenge : check out the native tribe/nation of the place where you live and learn their language. Far more interesting than our boring (Indo) European languages 😂. Good luck!

[@Anthony-db7cs]

Really depends on your interests. Americans are not very bright in general but there are some people capable of learning another language. If you want to work in Germany or central Europe, learn German. If you have less specific goals, go with languages that cover a lot of land and people like French or Spanish. Considering most Americans never leave their country, Spanish is probably by far the most useful.

[@mihanich]

That's why I lowkey respect monolinguals. They keep their language in demand.

[@ronaldderooij1774]

My sister's granddaughter is Dutch and she just learns the colors. When asked the color of her dress, she answered "yellow" which was obviously false, because she said it in English. (Geel is the Dutch word). She just learned the colors from an English speaking internet site. That is how far this goes. I am in two minds about this. It is nice to have a diverse continent. But the reality is, that the world is progressing towards and English speaking cultural and economical elite. The people speaking the original language are the left behinds, I fear. On the other hand, if you have economic benefits as an immigrant to come here, you should learn the language, just out of politeness to your host. I will leave an establishment in Amsterdam where I cannot order in Dutch. And that is more common there than you think. If you order from our biggest grocery store to bring your stuff to your home and something goes wrong, the only way to complain on the phone is in English. It is ridiculous in Amsterdam.

[@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vl]

I think we need to draw clearer conclusions from the development of the past 10 - 20 years with regard to languages in Europe. When I was studying at university there were at least 5 different quite present German publishers for textbooks and monographs in my field (physics). Today there are two left - both being part of large international publishing companies. The more advanced a subject is the less likely it is to find a book in German. And I've noticed that the situation seems to have deteriorated in France and Italy with their respective languages too. In some areas of more applied science and technology the situation is even (seriously) worse. It seems to be consensus that it doesn't matter in which language a mathematical or physical theory is being expressed. But I see some differences in the approach and attitudes of expressing thoughts and ideas. Isn't it strange that apparently nobody minds about a loss of diversity in sience due to a loss of languages and their cultures? For an illustration of my point a physisist could pick up a text book by Arnold Sommerfeld and compare his writing with a recent text of German scientists writing in English - it could happen to be a sobering experience. Apart from that I'm convinced that the diversity of languages in Europe is a treasure which we should try to keep. There are already language communities which are struggling to stay relevant or even alive, eg. Rumantsch and Ladinisch between Austria, Italy and Switzerland. Or Sorbic in east Germany. All of the languages and dialects are providing valuable hints to the developments of and the links between our languages and to our history.

[@marckeen5294]

@@MichaelBurggraf-gm8vlPerhaps in the near future AI translation will be good enough to transmit nuances of scientific publications to make publishing in your mother tongue possible.

[@Krmplc09]

As an immigrant from Ukraine with the career in marketing I have to say that the chances to get a job in such a competitive job market without speaking German are very low. I invested all my time (at least 1,5 years) into learning the German is fast as possible, but my B2 level was not enough in most cases when I was looking for a position. I've crammed further and recently took C1 exam just so that in case I need to look for another job I have better prospects. I'm currently working in a huge agency with offices all around the world, but my team is completely German speaking. They have nothing but praise for my not so great German skills, but I wouldn't expect that from my clients as well. Oh! And I also work in Cologne but live in a town 10 km away, and there you can't get by without German: be it in the doctors office, in the restaurant or the bakery.

[@MrFahrenheit9]

​@@olehc.1532так, і думаю, ми як ніхто таку позицію поважаємо😁

[@Dillon-Mendoza]

Your ex country doesnt exist anymore hahahah

[@Dillon-Mendoza]

@@olehc.1532 your mum with cancer grunt 😂😘🤭

[@Dillon-Mendoza]

@@olehc.1532 your mum with kancerr does 😘🤣😂

[@oceanwave4502]

As a non-native German speaker, I find myself constantly in the catch-up phase. You're good at listening? Great, what about writing, reading (heavy texts) and speaking. The dominance of English is ensured by the US power in the world stage. But with possible deindustrialiaztion in Germany in medium terms, Germany has nothing else to offer (apart from ICE car & related tech). This puts me in a paradox of improving German language. Should I invest more time on that?

[@charliemilroy6497]

Making friends with immigrants and liking people from other countries just doesn't change the fact that too much immigration too fast is not good for society. The problem isn't the people who come over. They are just responding to incentives. The government has to set the incentives so that people integrate. At the very least, people living in the country should be expected to learn the language and hopefully required to.

[@oskar6607]

I couldn’t agree more. Just because I like kebab doesn’t mean I want my country to be svamped by Middle Eastern migrants.

[@NoctLightCloud]

agree 100%. Also, don't invite masses of people from completely different backgrounds. It's a recipe for desaster.

[@vmoses1979]

By definition requiring a certain level of German fluency to receive citizenship is proof that the government expects immigrants to learn the language not to mention all kinds of payments tied to going to language school etc. Immigration is driven by corporations- western governments simply do their bidding. And corporations need workers because Germans are not having children.

[@GoLongAmerica]

@@NoctLightCloud evidence to support your claim that inviting people from completely different backgrounds is a recipe for disaster, and it not just your opinion ?

[@GoLongAmerica]

@@NoctLightCloud The Roman Empire was a melting pot of cultures, with people from across the Mediterranean and Europe migrating to its territories.

[@Guiller-gd9vh]

Ich lerne Deutsch weil ich finde diese sprache sehr cool, ich bin ein großer Fan von der deutsche Kultur, seit einem jahr habe ich beschlossen das Deutsch zu lernen, ich weiß dass ich brauche mehr dinge lernen und verbessern, aber ich habe keine Zweifel dass es wird eine echte gute Erfahrung sein, zu diese Sprache zu lernen, ich lerne auch um eines Tages viele Leute in Deutschland kennen, Also, Deutsch kann auch so nützlich für andere sprachen zu lernen sein, zum Beispiel: Niederländisch,Norwegisch,schwedisch, wenn ich die Deutsche sprache beschlossen habe, war ich sowohl neugierig als auch gespannt, ich hoffe die Person dass diese text lesen ist, könnte die eigentlich mich verstehen, Grüße aus Argentinien und viel Glück für alle Menschen.

[@Guiller-gd9vh]

@@AltIng9154 That's amazing! I need to learn more about German culture. I'm really surprised at how specific Germans can be about time. I have to say, that's unthinkable in my country. If you ask people here for the exact time they started something or when something happened, they might say "never mind" or "I don't remember." This must also be why people say Spanish is harder for non-native speakers, as native speakers tend to talk indirectly and use many metaphors. Argentinians are often very talkative and used to discussing a wide range of topics. Argentinians are not 100% blunt in stressful conversations, but this is mainly in tense interactions. Being too blunt can be seen as rude or as a sign that someone really has guts. This can make you appear either as the villain or a trustworthy character. I don’t want to generalize, but you often see this in Argentina. It's beautiful to see so many direct people who make life easier. As I’ve noticed, when people aren’t honest in their interactions, it often leads to misunderstandings or problems down the line. Don’t worry about being honest with me. You can’t improve and advance without recognizing your flaws. I’m not giving up on learning German. There’s still so much to learn, but that makes it more fun. I stopped learning Italian and Portuguese because they were too easy for me, and I got bored over time until I found the German language a fantastic language journey and adventure You seem like a kind person. Thanks for the answer; it was very helpful for me to understand how people from different parts of the world can be so different from each other., take care❤️

[@Guiller-gd9vh]

@@AltIng9154 that's great so great, there's not a single reason to avoid saying no or yes at first it will save our life just imagine someone doing something in a situation where he feels obliged or forced to do something for someone, maybe you are busy in that moment but you will still feel yourself forced within just for kindness, That's might be the reason why germans Are so successful in life, no fear asking for a raise, being blunt and clear about their boundaries and what they like or dislike in every aspect of their lives. Well, It seems like you're a smart man with a bunch of life experience, that's so great to see, well, as young latino guy there's so many things in life that I have to learn about this world around me , I wish you the best pal, tschüss♥️

[@willb586]

¡Ey,compa! Espero que no te molesta con mi pregunta para alguno consejo tuyo ¿Como yo puedo mejorar mi capacidad para escuchar español?(¿eres de un país español no?) soy un americano y porque muchos acentos en español no me entiendo muchos acentos de América sur o España o de muchos otros lugares o gente suena como esta rapping porque es tan más rápido que inglés o alemán (Weil Ich auch leider die gleiche reise gemacht hatte) actualmente escucho podcasts y tomo clases de español en mi universidad (soy todavía principiante) y tengo amigos que hablan español pero no son mucha ayuda a veces porque no saben las reglas de lengua y mi habilidad no está suficiente para hablar con ellos en español,yo estoy intentado todavía aunque y yo trato de entenderlos pero yo atrapo solamente alguna o un tercero de palabras gente habla normalmente. Lo siento por el libro pero tienes consejo por alguien en una position como esto con aprendizaje de idiomas

[@Guiller-gd9vh]

@@willb586 First of all, I want to congratulate you on your big effort to communicate in Spanish. Also, yes, I have some tips for Spanish learners. First of all, you will need to choose the best Spanish accent for you, one that you find yourself more interested in learning. There are several classic accents like: "Mexican Spanish" 🇲🇽 (spoken in Mexico) "European Spanish" 🇪🇸 (spoken in Spain) "Rioplatense Spanish" 🇦🇷🇺🇾 (spoken in Argentina and Uruguay) "Caribbean Spanish" 🇨🇺🇵🇷 (spoken in Cuba and Puerto Rico) There are many more Spanish accents, but these are some of the most commonly chosen ones.The easiest one, according to people, is the Colombian accent 🇨🇴, while the hardest one is the Chilean accent 🇨🇱. Once you've chosen one, you should start watching videos in Spanish, avoiding subtitles by the way. You won’t need them if you want to practice the speaking part. You need to imitate the people in the videos little by little until you get used to it. Keep in mind that Spanish has some unique sounds that don’t exist in English, for example: Ñ = Año = Year R = Arriba = Up (It sounds similar to the double "T" in American English, as in "Better" when pronounced quickly). RR = Arroz = Rice Ja/Je/Ji/Jo/Ju = Jabón = Soap (These sounds are similar to the English "H," but more accurately, they sound like the German "CH" in "Buch" = Book).However, Ga, Go, Gu sound like the English "G," as in "Get." If you want to say "Ge" or "Gi" with a hard "G" as in "Get," you should use "Gue" and "Gui." The "U" is in the middle of these two letters, but it's silent. People speak fast, I know it, but the more you listen to native speakers, whether in person or through internet interactions, the easier it gets. When I started learning German, I told myself, "Man, this language sounds like a fish-man speaking underwater." I thought, "I will never understand this😭. Now, after a year, I'm able to understand many things on the internet , and nowadays german sounds really beautiful to my ears. I know Spanish speakers sound like machine guns when they speak but sooner or later you'll get it, Also, I recommend you to learn through reading stories or news that you find it interesting. Last but not least, people tend to drop some letters but it all depends on the level of formality some people speak formal others don't. For example: "Él está tomado"=Él está tomao' = He is drunk "Lo he pillado"=Lo he pillao'= I caught him Etc Then we have connected speech ¿Que-vas-a-hacer?, all separated= ¿Que vasacer?= Now they are more connected, And they all mean "what are you going to do? But it takes more than meets the eye, but don't worry you'll get it. If you want to learn more about this text me on Facebook, I can't send audios on KZbin.

[@willb586]

@@Guiller-gd9vh dude thank you so much for your comment and thank you for being so understanding of my not very good beginner Spanish lol,seriously you have put gold in your comments for me to learn from Also yeah you are definitely right about it being something I get used to I imagine,and hopefully soon with some practice like your recommending I can start to catch the flow a bit more 😎 Tenga un buen dia mi amigo,estoy muy agradecido 🙏

[@cloudyskies5497]

Thanks for this. I am a native English speaker hoping to move to a German-speaking country in the near future. I've already lived in a German-speaking country before, for five years, and loved it. I've passed the B1 and hope to have passed at least the B2 by the time I move back. Inevitably where I move will depend on what kind of visa I can get and what I am doing for work, but I am grateful for both sides of this issue. I am excited to move somewhere and get the chance to practice my German, especially since for an introvert like me, my reading skills are much higher than my speaking skills. And I also am excited that there is more English. It's a fun time to travel the world and live in other places and I hope to get the chance to once more.

[@avi4francis]

Definitely learn German if you want to live in Germany. It's not to be considered optional. You cannot and should not expect everyone to understand English. There might be many reasons locals might not speak English like poverty, access, etc. If you don't respect others then get ready to face consequences.

[@diepiriye]

I think he mad that same point abundantly clear in the video. But perhaps Germans appreciate redundancy in a way that's lost on Anglophones.

[@paholainen100]

I didn't mean any harm with my previous comment. It's always good to learn a language, even if there is NO necessity to do so. You'll miss out on the local culture and friendships if you don't.

[@britingermany]

No hard done :). I agree. It is always good to learn a foreign language. However not everyone shares this view and so if the incentives are not set up correctly people just won't make the effort

[@paholainen100]

@@britingermany I agree, I guess I’m just passionate about the German language. Stimme dir zu. Deine Videos sind sehr interessant.

[@diepiriye]

Hmmm, so you have to apologize for a previous comment? Interesting.

[@nguyenchau2765]

Honestly I don't share your experience. I live in Hamburg, and yes, most cafés and shops are ok with english, but maaaaaanyyyy companies are 100% German. And even in companies that have English as corporate language, the coworkers just prefer German anyways. English is more like tolerated than welcomed.

[@holger_p]

As soon as a company has international affiliates it's more likely required. And it's tolerated Germans talk German with Germans ... until the first non-german walks in. It might be a little different, whether it's a company like Intel or Tesla, or a german based company like Volkswagen.

[@Earlywinters09]

I thought your last video was a reasonable explanation of the current situation in major cities. However, when I go to the countryside in Germany I am always happy that I keep trying to improve my German because far fewer people speak English there. Although I may not technically "need" it, I think it is respectful and I do enjoy the intellectual challenge of being fluent in a second language. Thanks!

[@Schwadroneur]

Your ending comment is exactley why I don't think English should be made an official language or be as accepted as it is. Except if the goal is to slowly eradicate German. To be forced to speak a foreign language in my home country is just not something I find acceptable. I don't mind switching to English if someone needs it but it shouldn't be the default. It should be a temporary thing while someone is learning German. I appreciate that it is hard, particularly if the job is also in English, but for me it's simply a matter of respect and integration. I don't think you can ever be fully integrated in local life without speaking the language. I think anyone who plans to make Germany their long term home should definitely learn German. I couldn't be more opposed to offering citizenship without knowing the language.

[@britingermany]

We will see how things develop. At the moment it looks like Germany is set of increasing the number of immigrants. That brings with it obvious challenges - one of which is the language issue

[@alia9087]

totally agree

[@Schwadroneur]

@@britingermany I don't mind making administrative procedures bilingual. I don't expect anyone fresh in the country to be able to speak German - particularly at that level. But surley that is possible without making it an official language. What I really do mind is being forced to speak English because no one speaks German anymore. That's just the wrong way round.

[@britingermany]

@@Schwadroneur well apparently not. Due to the law it is to be legally recognised as an official language

[@Schwadroneur]

@@britingermany Ah, well, maybe time to change that law?

[@yissarivero3524]

HI!! 😊I came across this channel by chance because I am learning English (I have a beginner level- maybe A2 or B1(?)-), but I am practicing my listening skills. I noticed two great things in this video that aren’t necessarily related to the topic you talked about, but I’d like to share them with you😊😊: 1. A few years ago, I started learning German because I wanted to live there, but I eventually moved to Spain. However, I still want to learn the language and plan to do so once I have a strong command of English. 2. Despite my beginner level of English, I have noticed that I can understand you quite well (at least the main idea). I would like to point out that you have excellent diction, you articulate your words clearly, and you speak at a pace that is easy to follow. This makes it much easier to not only grasp what you're saying but fully understand the message you're communicating.😊🤗 Great job💪

[@daolso9268]

Thanks for the effort! Some people want simple answers, reality is complex... Keep it up! :)

[@Canam1701]

Hi Ben, I am a new subscriber who is a retired USA citizen and married to a German citizen. Your video resonates well with me as I have only been here 6 months, never spoken German before. I am struggling mainly because I did not do my research and even though we have our own financial resources with no burden to the German government it is still a requirement to pass the most basic A1 test for permanent residency. I was totally lost and my brain felt like it was forced in an alien world trying to understand the language. I am now starting to feel more settled and know that I will definitely learn the language but feel that for retirees like myself, with no intention to get back in the workforce nor do I have a need to create a reliance on the government but rather support the economy through my saving and retirement income, the path should be a bit easier when it comes to the language especially being the spouse of a citizen. I agree that living here we should all want to learn the language. Being able to communicate on all levels and integrate in any new country is absolutely necessary. I love the people here in Germany for their directness unlike the USA where it’s difficult to know what people are really thinking. Thank you for your insights.

[@jamesprice4647]

A1 is very easy. How could you lack the curiosity?

[@oz4549]

This really hits the nail for me. I came to Germany in 2020 to do my master's and it was in English. I worked part time during my studies and my work was in English (I'm a software developer). I started a full time position and my work is in English. The only thing I feel guilty about is not learning German all this time. I directed my energy mostly to my education and work which were and are in English. I didn't feel the need to learn the language. I speak Arabic natively and English (C1 level) but my German is A1. I'm not really a social person so I don't go out often, I just work and have my housemates who also only speak English. It's clearly challenging to live in Germany without German especially in less popular cities. However, I think it's really important to learn the language at least B1 or B2 level. I have started to learn German again even though I don't need it at work but I feel like I'm truly missing a lot culturally. I'm still ashamed though that I spent four years here without learning the language properly except for the phrases that just help you in certain situations. I'm hoping next year around this time, I can speak the language well. Thanks for the video.

[@theKESIANone]

Also, ich bin Nachhilfelehrer für englisch und mache das hier auf deutsch, aus einer Frage des Respekts: Englisch ist nicht und wird nicht als offizielle Amtssprache anerkannt. Politiker sprechen zu Deutschen auch immer auf deutsch. Die einzige normativ festgelegte Amtssprache in Deutschland ist deutsch. Die einzige Partei, die Englisch als zweite offizielle Sprache befürwortet ist die FDP, die bei der nächsten Wahl aus dem Bundestag fliegen könnte. Ich bitte dich, dich das nächste mal umfassender zu informieren. Mit größeren Zuschauerschaften im Internet geht eine gewisse Verantwortung einher und man kann nicht alles ungefiltert in die Welt posaunen, wenn es faktisch falsch ist. Darüber hinaus ist der Einfluss des türkischen und des arabischen in Deutschland nicht sonderlich relevant. Im Regelfall lernen diese Migranten eher deutsch als englisch, auch wenn diese Lehnwörter ihrer Muttersprachen in ihren Sprachgebrauch einfließen lassen. In einer normalen Konversation sind diese Sprachen eher unwichtig. Türken und Araber machen hier den Großteil der Migranten aus. Eine Ablösung des Deutschen durch das Englische oder die Notwendigkeit der Etablierung des Englischen als zweite Amtssprache ist durch Migration nicht gegeben. Im täglichen Straßenbild sollte man auch nicht die vielen Touristen als Migranten einstufen. Das kann vorkommen. Englische Sprachinseln in Berlin oder Frankfurt sind limitiert und die Ausnahme und nicht die Norm. Grüße.

[@AjayFreeman-l9n]

Hervorragende Antwort! Mich stört es wirklich sehr wenn Englisch sprachige Menschen meinen, in Deutschland müsse man ja mehr Englisch sprechen. Wenn es nach ihnen ginge, sollte man auf der ganzen Welt nur noch Englisch sprechen um es ihnen Recht zu machen. Das ist eine sehr absolutistische und hegemoniale Sichtweise!

[@maro_from_germany]

Ich will jetzt nicht unbedingt den Oberlehrer raushängen lassen, aber auf Landesebene gibt es durchaus weitere Amtssprachen. Das hat historische Gründe (die natürlich im weiteren Sinne teilweise ebenfalls mit Migration zusammenhängen); mit Internationalisierung hat das nichts zu tun. Aber es gibt sie, und sie sind auch gesetzlich festgeschrieben.

[@diepiriye]

It seems you've totally misunderstood his whole post. Perhaps Engish is far too nuanced. Or, perhaps you are the self-righteous folks he mentioned in the first place.

[@wbader68]

You are completely right. I live in the countryside of Germany, 30 km to the next bigger town. You will be successful in buying your stuff at the grocery store or even specialized stores speaking english. So, you can survive with it. But when it comes to integrating with local communities (Stammtisch (english?), local festivities, clubs) you will always be an outsider or be left out , if you don't speak german.

[@conniebruckner8190]

An aside: when you mentioned that you started this channel to help you maintain your English language as you became more integrated or assimilated with German, it reminded me of George Mikes on “How to be an Alien” . I cannot post the link here, but if you haven't heard of this little book, please do look it up. He mentions in this book that as he began to learn English, he noticed he was forgetting his mother tongue, so he felt he was in an awkward state of not knowing enough of the new language while forgetting the old.

[@britingermany]

Thanks Connie I will have to check that up. It is amazing how quickly language can get rusty

[@Phiyedough]

@@britingermany Perhaps the expats who speak English are doing the Germans a favour in helping them to practice their English?

[@monfort537]

I'm German myself, so I probably don't know about the challenges of someone coming to Germany to live here, but from my perspective you need to learn the language, if you want to become part of the society. Sure, if you live in a city like Berlin, working for international companies, you will be fine with just English. But in general, I'm convinced you will get frustrated at some point, when you need to interact with locals very often while not being able to speak the language. Especially "old" Germans (And we have a lot of old Germans) don't speak English at all.

[@wanderlust660]

I lived in the UK for 7 years and yes I moved there because of professional opportunity. But I left after 7 years because, among other reasons, I did not vibe with the culture, the class system etc. and could not imagine raising kids there. I have lived in 5 different countries and I can say from my experience that you really have to like a country, its people and culture (including language) in order to settle there (if you are lucky enough to have the choice). Regarding English as a second language. No one in my family actually speaks English, including the Gen Z, who "learned" English in school. I think even if English became a second official language in the sense of Esperanto, it would just go parallel and facilitate life for expats hopefully, but probably go unnoticed by many Germans, like my family. The same goes for Turkish and recently Arab. Over 100 languages are spoken in Manchester and probably also Birmingham and London, but England is still pretty English to me.

[@paholainen100]

Die meisten Leute wollen in Deutschland leben weil sie mehr Gelegenheiten wollen oder mehr Geld, bessere Jobs u.s.w ...

[@pulchralutetia]

Here in Newcastle upon Tyne we only speak Geordie. Attempts have been made over the centuries to force Novocastrians to learn English but these have been unsuccessful.

[@marcmonnerat4850]

In some part of Germany, knowing only _Standard German_ is not enough, you have to master, or at least understand the _Mundart_ . All meetings in the _Rathaus_ are held in _Badisch_ were I live.

[@TwoPyramid]

I didn't know there was a Badisch dialect. Are you near Pforzheim?

[@LisLara]

As a linguist living in Germany for 10 years now, I totally agree with all your statements.

[@adriangamble2214]

Germany in my opinion as a person who lived there, including Frankfurt , is the best European country with the best social system. I do believe one should learn the language, which takes commitment and time if you are going to live there. The narrator mentioned so many things I do agree with with throughout the video, especially after learning German it’s ideal also having English as a second language. I never thought I would reach B2 level, but I made it. Even though life was extremely stressful in the beginning, I got by with with the little German I knew, as they say, little effort is great gain. I got a job at a hotel where I was forced to speak German and this helped me a lot. Germany can be very overwhelming with the bureaucracy, racial issues( not that I’ve encountered) and integration (southern Germany) but do I love it?? ABSOLUTELY!

[@Project_88]

So many wrong or biased info- immigration is an economic issue- whi says that? I know many people, including myself, leaving Germany solely for language issues! Without German you will never feel comfortable..not even mentioning the open racism in day to day life. Finally, to get a job one needs German, that's the first thing. I am an IT professional and do not need any German at my work, but life has other aspects too, not only work.

[@robertboyd1467]

The major German cities (there are only less than a few) cannot be compared with the rest of Germany. Berlin has been a unique place since before and after the Berlin Wall was built and then removed. Most Germans would prefer if others learn to speak German before anything else. People living near the borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, and the Netherlands often do not speak the languages of those neighboring countries. It is very difficult to find Germans who can speak the languages of the countries bordering Germany. On the other hand, the people living in the countries bordering Germany often speak German very well. When I came to Germany in 1986 at the age of 12, the students in 6th grade at the Hauptschule (a type of secondary school for the working class) in a small Bavarian town had only just started learning Oxford English the year before. Hauptschule goes up to 9th grade. After living in Berlin for over 23 years and using English on a weekly or even daily basis, the vast majority of Germans in Berlin and across Germany still have an English proficiency level from the 1980s or 1990s, with perhaps some additional vocabulary. Most Germans still do not need to use English very much. In the old West Germany, the situation has not changed much. It is the same in the areas where the US military is based. In the old East Germany, like in Leipzig and Dresden, there is also not much need for English. While English may be used more in certain fields like technology or restaurants, this has not had a major impact on the vast majority of Germans. My personal view is that many Germans miss out on a lot of information from English-speaking sources like the internet, KZbin, and search engines, as they rely too much on German-language sources, which can be narrow, shallow, and insufficient. On the other hand, those Germans who speak better English are often biased towards specific communities, groups, activities, or traditions, which do not have a significant impact on the majority. Overall, as an English speaker, thinker, and dreamer (the same also applies to German), I believe that being able to truly understand, speak, and utilize English would be very enriching for many Germans. When I traveled through Bulgaria and Macedonia in 2008, I was astonished that almost everyone I met spoke perfect American English. Amazing !!! At the moment, I am using a popular free language learning app to learn some basics in Arabic. I also know "some" Russian, Polish, Czech, Turkish, Dutch and Spanish + i even speak some German Sign Language (DGS) :-D . When I was younger, a family member told me, when i am bigger, i would only be able to count my friends on one or at the very most two hands. Learning to communicate with potential friends.

[@dapengu777]

I think you discript the situation pretty good, i also think you did it last Video. Also yes this hit a nerv of many germans the views and comments of the last videos show this

[@jakobbauz]

As a native German who has spent quite some time with socio-linguistics particularly concerning the German language, I am interested: Are your beliefs data driven in any way or is this more like your personal experience living/working in Germany? Because as far as I understand the data, I would tend do disagree quite a bit. I mean: We know that Germans, even young Germans, almost exclusively speak German with their family and friends. That indicates strongly that they will gravitate towards German whenever they "go deeper" into any subject or indeed: relationship. The issue of romantic relationships and how communication is negotiated there is a special case in this context; but for friendships the picture would be pretty clear (you "need" German more often than not to actually get into the closeness friendships are all about). Apart from that: Not only is German the only official language and a condition for citizenship. It is also an official requirement for many people coming to Germany as migrants and/or a requirement for all(!) of the jobs except a couple in IT, tech or science (where you still might opportunities to get pretty far ahead simply because you know some German, though). That you will easily be hired by a restaurant for example without speaking German is a particularly Berlinian curiosity Germans often talk about, but in my opinion not in any way representative for Germany as a whole or even for the bigger German cities. Normally, even very small enterprises lead by foreigners(!) will expect their staff to speak at least some basic level German, just to be able to communicate with the many Germans that do not indeed speak fluent English and would not be very comfortable ordering their food in English. Not to mention more serious conversations like the one you have with your landlord, your lawyer, your doctor etc.; the ladder one is one even I might want to have in German, actually (as someone who does speak English quite well). Moreover, there are not a lot of German news media that aren't written or broadcasted in German; I am not only talking politics and economics, but also information about culture, night-life, weekly markets and so on. So yeah: In 2024, as someone who knows the data a little bit, I would suggest that you do "need" German if you want to actually have a life in Germany (outside of some neighbourhoods in Berlin). And I would suggest that you will need German for quite some time. I know that I might be disagreeing not only with you, but with more people like you (decently educated, rather white foreigners living... probably in a very big city); but to me, what these people are saying could also be a kind of bubble, you know. And Germany is a pretty big place... Anyway. Cheers

[@MsMinoula]

about the media stuff,there is always an expat source, In english or a language of the biggest communities (even greeks have one, i should know). The friendship part, he clealry talks about having a social circle with other expats, not necessarily germans. I agree about Jobs and burreocrassy but not 100 ℅(i used google lens to translate my german work contract but the wouldbt be an option for everything .)

[@jakobbauz]

@@MsMinoula I don't think he was speaking about expats because it is a little trivial that you do not need German in a circle of friends without any Germans. But more importantly: Do you not think it is a little weird to start a life in Germany without even trying to meet or hang out with some Germans? I am not an expat, admittedly. But I really could not imagine that. I think I would need to actively feel disdain for the native population of a place to decide to live there without... being with them, too, you know.

[@MsMinoula]

@@jakobbauz No, personally I don't care if I make or don't make any german friends. And if I do they will be open to speak english with me, just like I've always spoken english with expats back in Greece, some of them actually close friends (including two germans). If someone accepts me in my "germanized" version only, they are not the type of person I want to hang out anyway. They can be stuck in their ways and I will be stuck in mine, we can both work and pay taxes in this country, abide by law and respect each other, to me it is enough. Economy will decide if an expat like me with remain in Germany or not, not whether natives want to be friends with me or not. And by the way I am here with my fiancé, making any friends (of any nationality) is not our top priority. We already know people here we are close to. I wrote you all this because I see you take it on you to speak on behalf of others, sometimes it is good to refrain from that. That said, I do think knowing the basics of the language is necessary, to at least do some shopping without making people translate for you. I don't want to be too much work for the older-lady cashiers around town, they do not owe me to learn english for me. I respect it is their country and I am a guest.

[@jakobbauz]

@@MsMinoula ..? On who's behalf did I speak? Also: All I am saying is that if I go to a place I will try to learn about it and like vibe with the people there, which includes their language to me. I don't think that that's a weird position to have, honestly. I am from a working class background and many of my family and friends (many younger than me) don't speak English fluently. If you couldn't speak German with them, it would just be complicated; that doesn't mean that anyone wants to "germanize" you my dude. Relax. From what you're writing you don't really feel that Germany is the place where you will grow your roots anyway and that you'll go where the economy takes you? That would not be what I was talking about anyway; I was talking about expats who really see Germany as their country, you know. I place to grow old and have a family and everything. I teach German as a foreign language so I have those guys in my class everyday. They have a different perspective.

[@MsMinoula]

This is what you wrote "Do you not think it is a little weird to start a life in Germany without even trying to meet or hang out with some Germans" So, I proceeded to explain exactly how it is not weird at all, as even in my own country my best friends are expatriates. Please learn the difference between expats and immigrants. Those who plan on settling for life, get a citizenship et c are immigrants. An expat is generally staying for a limited time (even months, for an internship), it can be prolonged, could be permanent even but generally it is on the "as long as" basis, not an effort to build new roots. Maybe your opinion is more relevant to discussions of assimilation. Expat social life in Frankfurt has very little to do with that, if at all. At least now I understand where you are coming from.

[@robontube12]

I perfectly understood the video you're referring to and I guess most your subscribers did as well. Therefore no reason to comment on that subject. But the critics do of course, especially in Germany I think. Don't change a thing, you're doing wonderfully!

[@britingermany]

Thank you Rob. It's probably because it got pushed out to a wider audience and a lot of people commented who were watching me for the first time. Still I thought it was important to clarify. Thank you for your kind words

[@th60of]

@@britingermany No need to point this out to a seasoned KZbinr like you, but once you get into the focus of people from a particular segment of the political spectrum, stuff will happen.

[@hakanozaslan9571]

I was one of those who pointed out that it depends on your field of work, where you are living, if you are an immigrant from the Middle East or an "expat" from western Europe or the America's etc. I appreciate this response and tbh. I personally am not surprised about the negative comments to your last video due to my personal experiences growing up in Germany and the endless "integration debates" in this country. But you are right, Germany now is a tiny bit more openminded than when I grew up, or even just 10 years ago, despite the success of a certain party (ironically in the least multicultural regions of Germany.)

[@britingermany]

Hi Hakan thanks for watching. I’m guessing you are of Middle Eastern descent?

[@hakanozaslan9571]

@@britingermany my parents came over from Turkey. :) Some people from there take offense by the term "Middle East" but I dont mind lol

[@britingermany]

@@hakanozaslan9571 ah ok well yeah I wouldn't#t place turkey in the Middle East either 😉

[@hakanozaslan9571]

@@britingermany meh, my parents are from a village near the Syrian border and close to the biblical river Euphrates. I dont mind either XD

[@ChristinaMotzer]

Wenn jemand nur zu Besuch kommt, ist es nicht nötig, deutsch zu lernen, besonders wenn man Städte wie Berlin, Hamburg, usw. besucht,will man hier aber leben und arbeiten, sollte man schon deutsch lernen

[@hinzuzufugen7358]

Dream on, dream on... Davon träume ich auch. (Verpflichtende) Sprachkurse für viele der neuen Einwanderer sind totaler Leerlauf. Ich brenne aus in ihnen.

[@tomtom2806]

My observation as a German living in Düsseldorf is that the people in the streets are speaking more and more English. Even the shops and their advertising and marketing is becoming more and more English. If you listen to young people and you want to understand them you have to learn a lot of new anglicisms. I am afraid that Germany could lose its language and culture in the long run.

[@Phiyedough]

Advertising can be misleading. I've seen shops in Hungary with signs in English, only to find none of the staff speak English. Even Tesco in Nagykanizsa does not employ anyone who speaks English.

[@holger_p]

Language is under permanent change. That's good. Writing "Sale" is more or less just a fashion, like the used colors have changed from 1980 to now also. Oktoberfest and house shoes are not endangereoud.

[@mark9294]

Nothing to be afraid of

[@richardlavene7571]

Once a language is gone it's gone. They're very few examples of bringing a language back. Hebrew comes to mind. The Germans suffer from a self loathing. Sad

[@Toulkun]

If Netherlands and Scandinavia can then Germany can too.

[@spectacularhatlady]

I really enjoyed listening to your video and appreciate your perspective. I've also relocated multiple times, with my first experience being with the US Army, where I spent my first four years in Germany. I fell in love with the country immediately and have returned several times over the years. Each time, securing residency has presented its own unique challenges. My current reason for living in Germany is due to a relationship with a German man-this isn't young love but rather a partnership between two mature individuals in our 60s. I’ve recently (finally!) secured a job teaching English as a Second Language, while also immersing myself in learning German. I regularly speak German with both my partner and my friends. Like you, I strongly believe in the importance of learning about other cultures, customs, and languages. Having lived in China, Costa Rica, and the Republic of Georgia, I’ve found that embracing diversity helps foster a better understanding among our global neighbors. It’s been a gradual journey, but I’ve experienced positive changes along the way. For me, learning the language is a sign of respect for both the country and its people. I’ve wanted to learn German ever since I first arrived in 1983. One thing you didn’t mention, though, is that when applying to be an ESL tutor, most German language schools won’t even consider you without a residency permit. I’ve been through the process twice-once was relatively quick, but then COVID hit. The second time, it took almost a year and a half. Thankfully, I now have a permit, though it’s only valid for two years.

[@i86ij99]

My german improved the most when I moved from a big city (Munich) to a small city (Ulm). In Munich or other international cities, people might switch to english if they detect that their english is better than your german, since this is most efficient for them. In Ulm, random strangers would even speak to me in the thickest schwäbisch even though I look unmistakably a foreigner (Asian), but this also helps improve my german and dialect very quickly. Even my neighbor's cat understands only schwäbisch.

[@shakeelahmed8222]

Thank you for making a follow up video on this topic because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue learning the language. There is hope still for the national language to stay strong even with or without immigration.

[@dieterwtm8941]

Please don't excuse yourself for living in Germany. Just do it and feel comfortable. If you don't like it, you can always move backwards. Greetings from Germany... Edit after seeing the complete vid: Danke! Es wird schon seine Gründe haben, warum Du hier deinen momentanen Aufenthalt hast. Ich mag solche aufgeklärten, ehrliche Menschen! Danke für Deinen Kanal! Gruß!

[@josebenito15]

Being born in UK.. But looking like very German indeed. Great Video. Keep on posting and Greetings from Spain 🌟

[@alidabaxter5849]

I think whatever country you may move to, it is only polite to learn the language to the best of your ability. As an English person I spent some time living in Germany many years ago, and had the advantage of having visited Germany on many previous occasions. I think the courtesy is appreciated, even if you initially make mistakes.

[@jonathanbell5561]

My wife is from the former East Germany. When we first got married you couldn’t find an English speaker outside of major cities so you had to know German (and I do now). But now you can find English speakers in every town, though not near as common as in the West or bigger cities.

[@wilmarsalazar8877]

What an interesting video. Thanks a lot!💪

[@realpain84]

Good day Sir, i'm living in Germany since ... 1998 ... 😮 subbed your channel❤ cheers😊

[@Phiyedough]

I've not attempted to work in any country where I don't speak the language but I've lived in two, Hungary and Croatia. In Budapest you might just about get by without Hungarian but anywhere else in the country you will find very few people who understand English. There are more who speak German than English so if you ask a question in English you are quite likely to get a reply in German. Here in Croatia the novelty has not yet worn off. I live in a very rural location but even the staff in village shops often speak English. One reason a few people have told me is picking up the language when watching TV. In Hungary everything is dubbed but in Croatia they use subtitles. A lot of content is American, British or Australian so the language rubs off.

[@hansulrichboning8551]

In 2012 I visited Budapest and in one occasion I asked an older man for the way in english and he answered immediately in german.

[@jameswalker68]

Australian here. That blows my mind! Just curious, what were the Australian shows being aired in Croatia?! It’s really got me giggling - I just can’t imagine what tv from here would be if any interest! Lol! We get a huge amount of US and British shows here - so I’m really curious! 🙂

[@Phiyedough]

@@jameswalker68 I never know the titles of programmes because they make up Croatian tiles but there was a series about border security, airports, illegal immigrants, illegal sea fishing etc.

[@jameswalker68]

@@Phiyedough Oh my gosh, they show that! Lol!! One of those shows is actually called Border Security - one of the many reality style type programs. Just so funny they show it all the way over there. Well I guess if it provides entertainment to our Croatian cousins, then that’s a good thing! Thanks for getting back to me 🙃

[@Transterra55]

When I visited Germany in 1999, 9 times out of 10 if I tried to speak German, most people knew I was an American and would start speaking English. I was relieved, and Germans went out of their way to help me… This only happened once or twice in the Czech Republic, so I think, as you mentioned, most Germans have studied English to a certain extent .

[@Mario-xr3jo]

These comments sound very mature and well-balanced. I wish there were more open English people like you, interested in other cultures, languages, etc.

[@Gert-DK]

I can't see English as an official language in Germany. But I can see English mandatory to a wide extent, as here in DK. English and German (French) are mandatory here. English is from day one in school, German is only for 4 years. English became mandatory in 1943!!! What a year to put English into law, then I continued reading the article, I discovered that it was the same time German became mandatory, then I understood. 1943 we had a lot of German boys visiting us. So all native Danes speak English and some German (French) language. We all know how to say "twei bier". I can see DE do the same, mandatory English from day one, but making it an official language, no.

[@holger_p]

Declaring it as official, just means you can communicate with authorities in English. They would offer your tax-form in English etc. Not a big deal actually. The translation work is moved from the citizen to the governement, that's it.

[@Gert-DK]

@@holger_p Normally official languages means everything comes in the official languages. Look at Belgium, Wales, Ireland, Finland. Roadsigns on all languages all documents in all languages. Here in DK you can talk English to officials, but documents and road signs are still only in Danish, furthermore we are 100% digital, no papers. I think it will be the German solution too. Getting English as an official language is idiotic, what do you get for that massive investment? Not much. Better get the DB's train running to schedule. 🙂 Remember that, when you go play 10 Euro for your favourite fussball team, the coupon shall be in English too. Do you wanna live in a foreign country, then learn the language or deal with the troubles.

[@holger_p]

@@Gert-DK Yes everything provided by the governement. Road signs are mainly textless, but would be good to be bilingal as a courtesy. Today people are helpless with "Speed 30 Mo-Fr". It's impossible to obey by non german speaking people. I'm not sure how much it infringes local companies. EU has 28 official languages. We have to find a way to unite. Yes, Belgium or Switzerland would be good example. I don't see much french or italian in Zurich. It's not a matter of living somewhere, you can travel 10 hours and pass 5 countries with 7 languages, if you drive from Copenhagen to Paris. You cannot read signs today, you cannot talk to anybody. You have a common phone-number, but not a common language ...is this useful ?

[@Gert-DK]

@@holger_p I did some trucking years ago, before GPS. My area was Holland, Belgium, North France and North Western Germany. I had no problem getting around in Holland, Belgium and France, even though I didn't speak the language. I do speak German and English. I guess that soon Germany will go digital too, it will solve many problems with documents and then you don't need an extra language. When we got all the refugees from Ukraine, the web pages that were relevant for them, were translated to Ukrainian. A couple of days and a minimal portion of work. Germany need the digital revolution.

[@Travelingonline3]

I am now retired. But I grew up during the cold war and prepared myself for a business environment where English, French and Spanish where expected. Then Germany got reunited I lost my job and whenever I applied for a job I was expected to know Polish, Hungarian or Russian... So the idea that the future will be "English" may be quite erroneous. If e.g. in the future an export oriented Germany would need to adjust e.g to India or Indonesia or Brazil that will lead to some loss of prestige of the English language. As to the immigrating workforce, there have also been tremendous changes over the decades. When I went to school in the 70s Italian and Serbocroation were "common" , in the 80s second and third generation Turkish became prominent and Vietnamese boat people, Tamil refugees were "popular". In the 90's all former Soviet citizens who were legally German or had become stateless came to Germany and spoke of course Russian. In the new millenium Farsi and Arabic dominate. Currently in my hometown all the construction workrrs come from Albania. None of these people speak English. They all have to learn and speak German to get along.

[@britingermany]

Interesting. Do you see this cultural moment now as different to the past or is it just more of the same and the immigrants coming in now will either just adapt or go back to their country of origin?

[@Travelingonline3]

@@britingermany In general I believe that they will adapt. But only if Germany solves its prolems or at least copes with them: 1 Demographic change caused by the baby boomers retiring. Unfortunately no politival party addresses that properly if at all. 2 The last Pisa study has shown that the education system is failing the iimigrants. In contrast to the Gastarbeiter generation of the 50's to 80's the more recent immigrants are kept uneducated or rather undereducated for the sort of high tech country Germany believes itself to be. Again neither the federal nor the state politicians addess the problem.

[@algonquin91]

As a Canadian in Germany (11 years, based in Cologne), I agree with your observations on this topic. For the first time ever in Cologne, I was served at a restaurant by a waiter who didn't speak German (until then I had only experienced this phenomenon in Berlin). One thing I would add to this video is that the prevalence of English and its effects on the level of necessity to learn the local/national level is not a uniquely German thing. This would apply for example to the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and Finland. I do not have much experience in Southern and Eastern Europe to give an assessment here, but I can imagine that the urban centres there are experience this as well. Outside of Europe this is also increasingly true in Quebec and I can imagine in many parts of Asia (for Hong Kong and Singapore sowieso).

[@angelferrandis6089]

In Sothern Europe it seems nobody speaks English apart from portuguese people, and Eastern europeans even less

[@Leonardo-ph1vk]

I understand what you’re doing. You are just stating the situation, the facts. Being objective.

[@natpaler883]

At 33 I’ve moved to German speaking country without speaking German. As you said it’s very challenging to learn a new language from scratch as an adult but it’s also not impossible. With practice you are eventually getting better each time and it comes the day when you cannot believe where you started. I have colleagues at work who only speak English but they live in a bubble which with time leaves you frustrated.

[@Evoks036]

I was in Stuttgart in 2015 and all the businesses (Geschäfte) were in Turkisch. I was there for the first time and wasn't prepared to see women traditionaly clothed in Muslim clothing and to hear Turkisch because I went there to learn German. I was there for a short period of time and that was just my impression. I haven't met a real German while visiting but I met many other ethnicities. I think that major cities are multiculti and ethnic German people don't mix with othwrs outside work. I live in Serbia, and until recently we wdre homogenous but many people from other countries are coming due to work and you can see that change in Belgrade but even in my town. You can hear Turkisch on every corner now. Balkan culture is pretty similar to Turkisch culture so they blend in just fine but I expect in ten years time many businesses to be in their language because Serbs are migrating elsewhere for business reasons and many foreign companies are bringing their own workers to our country. That's just how the migration works. It is not easy to get acustomed and we should try to get along and make some new culture along the way (taking what's good from their culture and giving them what's good from our own). That would be ideal but problem arises when new culture wants completely to override/overwritte the old one. We were thought "When in Rome..." but not all migrants believe in that.

[@wesleysneider9112]

The world needs nowadays just respect to people, positive thinking, not loosing hope, peace, thinking logically ,always looking forward with your self confidence.

[@Jmc401]

New subscriber here. I appreciate your viewpoint. It is interesting and important to me to explore the European (your) perspective on the world (as an American trying to educate himself and not fulfill a stereotype)

[@marionschumacher762]

Hi, great video Ich lebe hier in Chile und bin zur Deutschen Schule gegangen. Deshalb kann ich gut Deutsch verstehen. Ich war in Deutscland ungefãhr vor 20 Jahre und damals konnte man mit fast keinem auf English sprechen, ich meine in Geschäften und so. Aber dises Jahr war ich wider mal in Deutschland und fan so viel Leute die English spachen!

[@TMD3453]

The German university I went to 30 years ago had no regular courses in English. Now you can get degrees with English instruction. Globalization

[@d.sazzles4217]

If you want to have friends,relationships,deeper connections with people,feeling accepted in the country or anything more than just "surviving" ,trust me... learn german. People won't respect you just for being able to speak english in Germany and they don't want to speak it to you all the time. Learn the native language of your chosen country or please go to an english speaking country where you can speak english always. Respect the culture of the country🖤❤️💛

[@ar_5221]

But they speak better english than I could every speak german. So how does me speaking in german decrease the language barrier 🤔

[@d.sazzles4217]

​@@ar_5221if you live in Germany,learn german everyday...in every situation possible! People will respect that and you will learn to understand the culture and the people. If you talk to me in a foreign language i speak,you talk to my mind...if you speak with me in my mothertongue you talk to my soul.

[@brvinno]

This is the first video I've watched from your channel, so I haven't seen the previous one where the whole controversy started lol. But I agree with what you said. I have friends who live there and they live well without speaking German. Personally, I am only learning the language for citizenship purposes. If it was not for that, I would just stick to English (which I already speak as a second language). People in general will always choose the path with the fewest obstacles because life is short and that's it.

[@yahya319]

I live in big city in Germany. I don't speek German, only English. You can survive with English if you are willing to pay money Germans or customer services or anyone who will take money from you will be happy to speak Martian if they need to. Once you are in trouble and need to assert your right or need to argue for something you need German. So technically you can as long as you are willing to pay extra for convenience.

[@marcoscabrinirianidosreis6655]

They should strive to preserve their language and culture; it’s so beautiful, and it would be a mistake to abandon it in favor of English, even though it’s currently popular

[@janegardener1662]

I live in California. All our state forms, including voter pamphlets, driver's tests, medical assistance forms, etc. come in several languages. English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. There are people who live their entire lives here who never learn to speak English.

[@dagmaru8202]

That´s because the US doesn´t have an official language, like Germany does. It´s called "Amtssprache".

[@dareka54]

Yes, there are immigrants in the US who spend much of their life never needing English. But these same people also give birth to children in the US, and then what happens?... The children grow up speaking fluent English, as well as their parents' language. In fact, these kids may not even pick up their parents' language very well or speak it all! As long as children are born in an area that speaks a majority/dominant language, they're going to speak that language. It would be impossible for them not to. So don't worry, English isn't in any danger in the US.

[@aureliande2659]

Depending on who you are and what you value ... Exactly. As somebody who lived in England for a couple of years and loves the English language I abhor the many ways in which Germans imitate English as a perceived upgrade in modern credibility, from more or less misapplied US slang (in teenagers) via commercial buzzwords (in retail businesses) to management to English-language curricula at universities. The result of the latter which I've been observing over the last 20 years or so is an impoverished language in the sciences and especially the humanities, a (specifically) US hegemony over what is worth researching and communicating, and a gradual shift in values altogether. As for politicians, they don't speak English 'in public', at least not when they are talking to Germans, but they try their best on the international stage, inevitably giving the impression of clumsy and second-rate politicians, especially in the eyes of those colonial-minded US (and, probably to a lesser degree GB) English-speaking politicians who still think that English is the only language suited for civil discourse among truly civilized people. As for English as a second language in Germany, I think that would mean das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten. In plain English: Don't do it. You can't have diversity without a strong sense of community, of shared values, of cohesion. I'm not against accepting English and dropping entrance requirements in German for professional immigrants. It should not be mandatory to be on a specific level of German for an array of professions, but it must be in certain areas of the medical professions and health care where patients or clients do (and should) expect to be understood and to understand. Just my point of view. If you suspect me of a certain backward-thinking branch of political thinking, you'd be mistaken. Quite the opposite.

[@Electra225]

New subscriber here. What an interesting topic you discussed here. I am from the USA and am learning German as it is part of my family heritage. I appreciate the fact that the German language in still intact in the countryside and that if you want to enhance your understanding of the language, that major German cities are speaking more and more English. My dream would be to live in Germany, but I have a long way to go to master the language there to pass the exam to be a permanent citizen. A trip there is definitely more realistic. Thank you for a very informative presentation. By the way, you have a great beard! Thanks, again!

[@erichamilton3373]

Germany has been on this road of blindly embracing English for over 40 years now. In the 80s elderly Germans would complain that they couldn't understand their own TV shows due to the show offy English...they were completely marginalized. There's a big linguistic inferiority complex in Germany. Certain people will only be happy once the German language is dead.

[@nunoelias2374]

I moved from Portugal to Germany about 2 years ago. Living in Stuttgart area, I feel not everyone can or will want to speak English. In my opinion, at least a B1 level in German should be the goal. It makes daily life so much easier

[@rogerevans9666]

Once while studying German, I went home and read the Book of Jonah in English and in German since I had an English Bible and a German Bible side by side on the same desk. Then, I went to bed and dreamed I was swallowed by a whale; then another whale that was bigger than the first whale swallowed the first whale. I ended up inside two whales. @8:00 cognitive hell--as an artist, I relate to colors and shapes more easily than to words. This makes learning any foreign language painfully difficult. It is purely verbal, no colors and shapes.

[@TanvirSJuneja]

Absolutely on point!! You put both sides of the spectrum objectively considering all the holistic factors that chime in for humans getting exposed to the German way of life for what it is at first (first 6 months) and not for a personalized bubble that most would like to portray that's far off from being rooted in today's reality of multi-cultural equality. My favourite line in the video was when you highlighted that all immigration is primarily a by product of a country or region's economic opportunity NOT the affinity to the language or its culture. Big misconception held in the modern capitalist world we all live in and aspire to take a scoop of for nothing more than better standards of living for self and connections thereof. SHOULD RESPECT AND LEARN FOR WHAT THE NATION PROVIDES ≠ NEEDED FOR SURVIVAL AND CREATING VALUE 🙏✌️💯

[@markneis9610]

Rusty... nice. That's the expression I use when I try to explain that my English got alot worse than like 25 years ago, when I had to speak it on a daily basis. I'm sure your German is quite ok (Haven't watched your other vids in German so far, though). You're cool! Go on!

[@mpcel4387]

i will learn only english...after stuyied 10 years german law in germany and was raised with german language,,,,,the german language brought for me nothing und stucked in social isolation,,after i started learning english, i get know new friends and freed from my social isolation... with german language you can get only to net Bahnhof..but with english you can cross around the world..

[@rckoala8838]

Economic opportunity is the precise reason why my German forebears left the Palatine region and the city of Altona for America. Now, living in a university town, I would find it weird to be in a monocultural environment. Thanks, Ben, always a pleasure!

[@stevedavenport1202]

Keen observations about immigrant motivations. I agree 100%. The intent is economic. This is why, when you have a sizeable enclave of your fellow countrymen and you are able to work, socialize, shop and get healh care in your langauge, you dont bother to learn the host country's language or culture. In regards to not having service staff who speak German, well, how rude. If 40% or more of your customer base is German speaking, you can at least have a manager who can help out or give your service staff some instruction in basic German.

[@NicholeRojas-r8i]

Hello! I want to learn german to read German authors in their language ❤. Greetings from Colombia ❤ we speak Spanish so it's very different to German language but I find it beautiful.

[@Mila_Er1]

I support introducing English as a second official language in countries like Germany and France, this will benefit both people and the economy - this will attract more qualified people and also locals will be more open to the world. In the end, language is a means of communication.

[@masonhancock5350]

In the US, the “speak English only!” mentality often coincides with a pride in one’s European ancestry - which is made of dozens of antagonistic armies, tongues, religious sects, and identities; mostly vanished in time. This irony is often lost on them. I wonder if the same is true in Germany. With tech advancing so quickly, we’re probably only a few years away from some sort of universal translation device that will render this whole topic as obsolete as a Prussian buggy whip.

[@tabishumaransari]

It's unfortunate that you had to respond to those "misunderstandings" but glad that you stood your ground.

[@philipohmes9395]

This usage of two languages in Germany on a day today basis had me thinking back to the 1960's and '70's with the usage of "Dengish." I still have not figured out how a native German Speaker inserts an English word or phrase into a German sentence and it all sounds OK? I learned three languages while living in Europe: German (with assorted Dialects), English and Latin. Learning various German Language Dialects was the key for me getting around Austria and Switzerland or Lichtenstein. This story in part is much like the "Great Debate" of a few years ago in Switzerland, as to which language should we teach the child in school, after they have learned the native language of the Kanton that they live in? French used to be the Franca Lingua in Europe and slowly but surely English has supplanted that usage. The Guest Worker Programs in Germany of inviting People from the Near East to live and work in Germany has over at least two generations now melded those country's influences in German Societies. I can remember as a child living in Germany be asked by eager Middle Eastern workers to teach them English and better their German Language skills. If I wanted to, they would help me learn Arabic or Russian. At least for me, that is where the social interactions in a society begin, it is the interactions with people on the street

[@fredbehn9287]

Great follow up video. I understood your point in the previous video but am not surprised there was some misunderstanding. My direct connections to Germany wohnen auf dem Land und nicht in der Stadt. While in smaller towns or with some of our older acquaintances I sometimes need to communicate solely auf Deutsch. Most times however, particularly in a restaurant, once I'm identified as an American they find that person on the wait staff who can speak some English. They're all delighted, however, at my attempts to speak German. It lightens the situation. Point well taken on the cities. I have to almost wrestle people to get them to speak German with me in Berlin instead of English. My wife speaks no German and does just fine there. The world is getting smaller.

[@stevenbagley9858]

Interesting video. I think of the Dutch who seem to be the best English Switchers in the world. I don't think they have a second thought about English as if it is so natural to them to speak English. Germany might soon be more like the Dutch example. Multilingual societies can be a good way to break down hate and cultural biases.

[@2b10er]

Well, I suppose, even for people that speak English just fine and use it themselves it might be perceived sometimes as a problem. Here in Switzerland the whole country is changing at a very rapid pace: Even the countryside here is disappearing and changing into suburbs. It‘s a reality and I‘m not even sure if we can really do something against this change. Anyways there is a feeling of nostalgia and loss in the air for many people that’s why they might sometimes react emotionally when they hear such comments. Unfortunately these topics often cannot be discussed openly because of political correctness. I love how you pointed out that most people move due to economic considerations and there is definitely nothing wrong about that. I personally get sometimes upset how some expats claim for themselves how they improved the world and how they did move for a som kind of higher purpose. They get upset when local local people, that have lived in the place for their whole life, are just moderately enthusiastic and don’t welcome them with open arms.

[@Crackalacking_Z]

I think your views on this matter are spot on ... in this and the previous video.

[@gudrunasche9124]

Ich verstehe es, aber ich finde es schade, dass du keine Videos mehr auf deutsch machst. Mir hat deine Aussprache so gut gefallen. Also werde ich jetzt mein Englisch mit deinen Videos trainieren. Danke.

[@justinadams2010]

Demographically, Germany needs immigration because it's native born birthrate is below replacement level. Without immigration, Germany cannot maintain its welfare state. This is true or every modern developed economy. I studied Geography in the 80s and 90s and even back then, it was said that a person living in Los Angeles or New York, often had more in common with someone in London or Berlin than someone in a rural area of the country where those cities are found. Of course, this is a comparison of lifestyle rather than language. And finally, from an English language perspective, I have read that if you wish to be bilingual, the language that will give you the biggest financial return is German.

[@britingermany]

Oh really? Where did you read that do you have the source?

[@nejdro1]

@@britingermany as an American here in America, the most beneficial second language would be Spanish. I could use it daily in my work if I knew Spanish. Only once in 20 years have I found German to be helpful. I was helping a woman who had been in the US for nine years and still did not speak English fluently, I surprised her when I converted to her native tongue.

[@jaysterling26]

About 5 years ago(?) The British Council highlighted the foreign languages most important for UK trade: Spanish, French, German, Chinese & Arabic. As I Londoner, I have thought that my daily life possibly a more similar experience with a New Yorker than someone in Herefordshire. However, some of my ancestors left New York & other European countries ( inc. Germany) & English counties for London, so...

[@justinadams2010]

I’m traveling and have replied twice with the source. But just arrived home and again, I don’t see my reply. It was from a Washington Post article in 2015. Maybe I should get out my computer?

[@justinadams2010]

Admittedly, this is from 9 years ago and American centric. The relevant quote was: "Some language skills could be more rewarding than others. If you are able to speak German, Americans could earn $128,000 extra throughout their career, according to MIT scientist Albert Saiz. At least financially, German is worth twice as much as French and nearly three times as much as Spanish, for instance."

[@vladtheinhaler3793]

Couple of things: 1. According to the BBC, bilingualism helps stave off dementia (I hope they are right); 2. German prep schools, the Gymnasien, typically require that students learn three foreign languages before graduation. To this day, educated Germans are expected to master at least one or two foreign languages, whether they need them in daily life or not; 3. Knowledge of a language doesn’t necessarily translate into knowledge of a culture. Many of my German friends speak excellent English, but they fail to understand what makes the various English-speaking peoples tick.

[@holger_p]

Mastering anything without speaking it, is kinda impossible. If you don't use your skills for 20 years, they get lost. And yes, learning cultural things maybe considered part of language class, but it's a few songs or poems, special festivals, maybe geography and economy, but not "ticks". And with English it's extra complicated anyway, with having UK, US, Australian version etc.

[@hinzuzufugen7358]

One obsessive stream of thought of mine: Comparing Germany with France and the UK. Visited France (Strasbourg, Paris) last year, then Saarbrücken and Trier in Germany. Grand theater of la grande nation, still visible 2 weeks after July 14th... Strasbourg is the coziest and most splendid German city but outside Germany and with a history of suppressing home-grown, autochthon German language and mislabelling as non-German. Common to Northeastern France and of Strbg, and Paris: Glorification of military victories within the cityscape. Most often victories over Germans or in Germany. I could go on and on what grand cityscapes Paris and London and some other French cities are, how they have been preserved. All larger German cities and most many midsized are fragments and places as St. Michael in Saarbrücken are in relative neglect, in other times venues of nationalist rallies. But this should be about the language(s). I concluded: Those immigrants to France speak much better French than those in Germany speak German. There are simple reasons for that and also expectations that it will get better in Germany. I say: Yes, but not much. It's going downhill for German. And from 1933 - 45, we'll never recover, as Germans speaking German. I have been teaching German as foreign/second language most of the last 17 years. I fully agree: 99.9 % of people coming here and facing the expectation to learn German come here for "hard" socioeconomic reasons. It shows in courses I teach. Results, I mean spoken/written performance in daily life of my students I assume as disastrous. There are the same socioeconomic and, sometimes just "curricular" reasons to learn German as there are with English around the world, or French in a tract of countries esp. in West and Central Africa and among immigrants to France/half of Belgium etc. And there is - it's seems ridiculous though - Russian as a Second Language. In the Mid-East, that's often Arabic. For some Asians, Chinese (Mandarin) takes the same role. German (C) does not hold much ground in this triangle with mother tongue (A), strong Second Language (B), yes, also IN-COUNTRY, in Germany/Austria/CH for most immigrants. There is a (virtual) coefficient of a language's usefulness (urge to use it and, secondly, use it correctly, im approximation) and the effort to learn it, as with any other complex skill or habit. My rant is: "einwandernde Gesellschaften" - immigrating societies. They come not only for the perceived "hard" advantages of living in Germany but because they have acquired social relations to Germany, be it only the traffickers, at least one of them a fellow-countrymen, guide them to the German border and tell them they need to say "Asyl", only one word, and get onto the record with this, get an interpreter quickly. Almost any following step in Germany leaves even a single immigrant always with fellow-country or -language people. I taught Integrationskurse ( ..- courses) where I had no one except me without Arabic as mother tongue or L2. There is little meaningful learning of German language in those courses, there is as much Arabic spoken in them on the last day as on the first. Please show me where it takes place. Once, there was an Eritrean ex-soldier who got bad treatment along the way in Libya and knew only rudimentary Arabic. He hated those people just like me. He muttered, sometimes: "Kaka, Caca..."

[@TheSummmer69]

I have invested a lot of time to become fluent in English. That was the best I could do. I love English more than German. Whenever someone speaks English, I slip into it just like I do with my native accent in German. At work, there is no need to speak German. I’m a software developer. But if you live in the countryside you need German to interact with people.

[@Ppanos423]

Depends where you want to go and what you want to do. I was working as a receptionist in a hotel in Greece and we had tons of German customers who did not speak or did not want to speak english.