How do you make small talk in Germany?

We head to Augsburg and bielefield to ask a simple question How do you make small in Germany!.
Massive thank you to everyone in this video!.
Links
Instagram @yourtruebrit
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[@MR-th1nf]

In Northern Germany you say "Moin", "Jo" and "Nee" That is all. 🤣🤣🤣

[@hmvollbanane1259]

The first thing my brother learned when he moved to Oldenburg for university was that greeting with "Moin Moin" is Gesabbel (you are seen as insufferably talkative)

[@FrogeniusW.G.]

That's a whole conversation. 😁

[@Jonny-eu6kr]

​@@hmvollbanane1259 Same, I moved from the south (Stuttgart) to northern Germany (Oldenburg), and the regional language (dialect), has such a variety. Because I travel a lot in Germany, sometimes I'm unsure how to greet someone. Moin, Servus, Hallo,... there are so many Options. :D

[@reneer7713]

I came across a book called "Tight and Loose Cultures". I think it describes the culture here quite well. The book likens living in tight cultures (Germany is grouped to a tight culture) to living in a library. And living in a loose culture (USA, Brazil are examples in the book) to living in a park. Well illustrated, don't you think. People rarely small talk in libraries :-). The booked helped me become more mindful living here.

[@xSamololx]

I usually avoid small talk because I am not particularly good at it. But by doing so it tends to create a lot of awkward silence, which is not helping the conversation either :D

[@sugarshock7925]

We've perfected small talk efficiency - all you need is a simple "naa?"

[@ilsekuper3045]

👍 Here in Westhalia for sure 😜

[@iwantum]

Naa ? allet jut ? allet frisch

[@FrogeniusW.G.]

It's not mainly about being "verklemmt" (uptight), but about not being interested in things that don't matter, I guess. Useless/unnecessary chatter is not interesting/relevant to them. I guess it's bc. they tend to be not very superficial/artificial in general. And tbh I hope that will never change. The realness is one of the strongest/best characteristic/qualities of "the Germans". (Quotation bc. such things are _always_ only approximations and averaged..)

[@janesmy6267]

I think not being able to make smalltalk is actually a reflection of your social skills. I think Germans can small talk a lot but you have to ask the right questions and find the right opportunity. It’s about reading body language and social ques. It also helps being fluent in German. You will know when a German or anybody is interested because they will ask questions back and they’re into British culture

[@jamesswindley9599]

I love this format ❤ always fun to watch your videos! 😊🇬🇧

[@loumos]

As a mixed american-thai living in germany my whole life, it's so interesting to see how german culture influenced me. I can relate to many things that was being said in this video haha

[@rainer-martinhartel4310]

What a great video about a very interesting topic! 🙂I agree, we Germandy only do smalltalk when we are interested in somebody else. Or, we are from Cologne ;-)

[@daniell7524]

Haha, Deppendorf! That must be British banter! :D

[@karinland8533]

Yes, talking about the weather is totally fine small talk

[@hmvollbanane1259]

Haha the special mention of Cologne, we are for a reason known as the northern most Italians. And yes we do love a lot of small talk, especially banter, and it gets to a whole nother level when you speak the dialect

[@mouath_14]

I visited Cologne once coming down from Münster and I must say the difference is jarring. However, i have to ask if Düsseldorf is similar or not?

[@encure]

we schwaben dont do a lot of small talk XD the rathausplatz you are at is awesome to hang out in the summer

[@zitronakokosnuss2588]

yeah ,it's a pity we germans are not good in smalltalk. I like it so much. In germany it depends on the area you are in. On the country they'll talk more to you than in a bigger city where most of the people wanna stay for themselves.

[@bliblablaudusau]

Haha!! Ich bin Christines Tochter und schaue so gern deine professionellen Videos!! 👍 und dann auch noch mit Mum als Expertin… Mega cool, dass du den Weg bis Liebefeld auf dich nimmst, um sie zu befragen. And that was my smalltalk to you… Upsi, quite personal already, wasnt it? 🤣🤣🤣 or maybe our westfälische Familie is an exception 😜

[@TheHolladiewaldfeee]

War echt ne coole Überraschung, Niederdornberg zu sehen. Hab da um die Ecke während meines Studiums gelebt. Ich habe nicht damit gerechnet, das in einem Video von einem Britten über die deutsche Kultur zu sehen 😅

[@chrisg7795]

When sb tries to do smalltalk with me I’m always so flabbergasted that I can’t talk- and I AM a chatty person with friends! It’s a mix of being flabbergasted and delighted at the same time. But by the time I get my voice back the smalltalker has given up on me 😭😅. I need more English people over here to practise! So please do bring your friends because they’re probably as charming as you are.

[@SubstanceGamingReview]

I finally figured it out You know that there is no real translation for smalltalk you could translate it but nobody would use it What we in germany would call smalltalk in most cases we call it "Dummschwatzen" which literally means "talking stupid" because you talk without a specific reason you do dummschwatzen with your colleges and ask them about the weather or where they go to vacation

[@friddevonfrankenstein]

For northern Germany the answer would basically be: You don't. :D It does happen occasionally when two very talkative individuals meet and goes about as follows. A: Moin. B: Moin. A: Und? B: Joa ne, un' selbst? A: Joa auch ne. B: Du, ich muss. Man sieht sich. A: Isso, hau rein.

[@sabinemuller6490]

Köln!!! 😄

[@HeroInTheSun]

Smalltalk? We guys barely talk with our friends while watching a movie. Girls are talking all the way and somehow know what happened in the movie 😉 The Lady in green pointed it out correctly

[@TheHolladiewaldfeee]

I actually like small talk. But because of our culture I never learnt it very well and tend to avoid it. It got better wird age, but its still like this.

[@matthewrandom4523]

You're such a Prince Charming! I really like your videos! And you of course :-) Kind regards from the Southwest of Germany at the French-German boarder - meilleurs souvenirs!

[@the_tux]

„These people from Cologne are chatty.“ Well, having grown up and still living there I absolutely confirm that.

[@jensboettiger5286]

Small talk happens in business too, but only after the business is concluded. Feierabend.

[@bearenkindercool]

ich kenne deinen namen nicht, aber deine videos, du als mensch, ich deutsch - mindblowing. danke dir.

[@bearenkindercool]

deine positive ausstrahlung, du so positiv mit uns deutschen. ich kann dir das positive zurückgeben. ich habe in london gearbeitet. die engländer mochten mich, aber nicht unser land. ich habe am image versucht, zu arbeiten, meine freunde in england liebten mich deutschen. ich habe bin engländer, mein deutsch nicht so gut. aber deutschland, vor allem wegen krieg, germany loves england. scotland.

[@bearenkindercool]

ich bin brit, kann etwas deutsch, but deutschland, my home now, is so wonderful. i love germany now. cry tears if you brits do not.

[@encure]

hey thats in augsburg :D

[@111BAUER111]

Alle guten Dinge sind drei ;)

[@nicoleellis6794]

Wow it's pretty similar in my country! So i hope it would be comfortable for me, when i move to Germany :)

[@mouath_14]

I met a person from cologne today and yes, i can confirm that 😂❤

[@kalinbhaaiya1348]

I wanna move to cologne 😂

[@muck8669]

Well, I don't know, but things that don't work are easy to talk about in Germany. LoL . Even with strangers. Because when you're waiting for a bus or waiting in an office. These are good opportunities to strike up a conversation with Germans. LoL

[@candoga]

Direct this question to the old ladies in ALDI 😛

[@helenebach3440]

I am a German living in the UK and still can't answer the How are you or Are you alright or other questions light heartedly;-) While I am still thinking about how to answer this question of a stranger and how I am today and what should I say, the person already has walked around the corner. I still cannot bring myself to greet someon on the street like that. I simply say hi;-) I live in a very small village and it is impossible to walk 100 yards without greeting at least 3 people

[@holger_p]

Small talk is the way, if you cannot stand silence. German can stand silence little more then British, much more than US. That's why they have less small talk, and that's why they have less practice in small talk.

[@herbertdarick7693]

Smalltalk should be forbidden. Theb we can go on to Bigtalk.

[@DavidGrasekamp]

Hey, c'mon, let's meet in Cologne and have a chat ;)

[@TimoCrysisFreak]

They could all wear no shoes i NEVER would notice that xd

[@AlBert-nx7po]

talking to strangers is not common in Germany. e.g. if you see someone who's dressed nice and you make a compliment, they often feel bothered or even react a little bit in an angry mode.

[@DLT-po6to]

We don't really do smalltalk all that much. Well at least german men. I really don't like it. It's a waste of time and i don't get the point of it. "Warste beim Friseur?" "Das Wetter is echt mies heute!" You don't say? I have windows and since my hair is shorter than yesterday i obviously got a haircut. Don't get me wrong, i'm not a grumpy asshole and i love me a good conversation. I engage in smalltalk if someone starts it but in my mind i'm just waiting for it to be over. When i talk to people i have something to say.

[@user-ry2qs7xf9k]

*You're seeing smaltalk from your point of view,Germans think that if a stranger talks to them it means he wants to get to know to them,for them a conversation should only happens between people who are very close which is not true sometimes Smalltalk is the only way to avoid the awkwardness or sometimes Smalltalk opens the way to great opportunities,you could meet the love of your life and you could have a good job...*

[@hikmahuddinhasbullah3928]

I think that is why you guys is one of economic power in the past and today..you guys talk less and being efficienta all the time😂😂

[@theHoptimist383]

You know, germans have no word for smalltalk. That alone tells it all. 😊

[@BerndOetzmann]

Stimmt nicht. Klönschnack sagt man in Flensburg.

[@PUA_Gadgets]

You look like pie face from dennis the menice (compliment) Do you want to collaborate Cyprus or London?

[@PUA_Gadgets]

Also open to anyone else on here that wants to collaborate.

[@CamaroMann]

Short answer: you don't. :D

[@therealschoolpsychologist9772]

In Germany, women see "small talk" as being angemacht by a man.

[@davidrumango3817]

Germans hate small talk.... It makes them feel extremely awkward... Like being in an elevator with somebody.....

[@PeterPups0815]

About the compliments ("I like your shoes") ... in my experience you can't do that as a man to a woman, because it might well be interpreted sexually. Like meaning "I want to sleep with you".

[@dominikforstner1351]

To be honest I don't really care about small talk because it's not interesting to me. I have no motivation to speak useless stuff and listen to empty stuff. If you find an interesting topic tho I will start talking like a waterfall, I love big talk :)

[@kudigawa8719]

Not all small talk are useless and not all big talk are useful

[@mictoll6455]

Bielefeld doesn´t exist

[@dominikforstner1351]

Wow now you paid a woman to act as if she's from "Bielefeld". We Germans know it doesn't exist, you will not fool us!

[@Ahmet-nd5ct]

i dont understand. Celts in İreland make small talk, but real Celts dont. Weird.

[@lukeattheocean]

weather, srsly? wow, i guess german really is bad at small talk