When you’re traveling outside of your home country, there’s a very good chance that you won’t speak the language of that country. For that reason, it can be really helpful to learn some basic German travel phrases before going to Germany, Austria, or even parts of Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxemburg. In this article, we’ll provide you with German phrases for tourists that will help you survive basic daily situations. For instance, when traveling to the center of Europe, you’ll probably have to take a train at some point. (And if you don’t have to take one, we suggest you take one anyway. This experience is part of traveling to Germany.) Once you’ve bought your ticket at Deutsche Bahn (the German railway company) and you’re ready to... Show more

It’s the language of Einstein, of Euler, of some of the most brilliant minds in history. And with the reputation German has of being a difficult language, you’d think that the numbering system would be formidable. Not so! It’s really just as approachable as most other languages—more complex than a few, but not nearly as complicated as others. And numbers in German language-learning really are too essential to skip over. Since you’re able to read this article in English, you’ve got a great advantage already. It’s easy to map German numbers onto English ones, which you’ll soon find out with our handy German number guide here on GermanPod101.com! With our German numbers lists and useful information on how to use them, your numbers in... Show more

You're learning to speak German, and it's going well. Your confidence is growing! So much so that you feel ready to share your experiences on social media—in German. At Learn German, we make this easy for you to get it right the first time. Post like a boss with these phrases and guidelines, and get to practice your German in the process. 1. Talking about Your Restaurant Visit in German Eating out is fun, and often an experience you'd like to share. Take a pic, and start a conversation on social media in German. Your friend will be amazed by your language skills...and perhaps your taste in restaurants! Tom eats at a restaurant with his friends, posts an image of the group, and leaves this comment: POST Let's break down Tom 's... Show more

Did you do it? Well, you’d better fess up. Or make amends, apologize, beg forgiveness, admit guilt, cop a plea…say sorry. We’ve got a lot of ways to talk about doing this in English, just like we do for lots of everyday concepts. And yes, apologizing is an everyday concept, even if you’re a good person. For that reason, it’s important that you learn how to say “sorry” in German. Imagine yourself making several different mistakes, then consult this guide to see exactly how you should atone for each one. We’ll also break down the language for you so you can understand what you’re saying. All the better for a sincere apology. Now, the big question: What have you done? Was hast du gemacht? Level 1: You Made a Careless Mistake... Show more

German slang and German internet words can be tough to understand. But no worries, as we’ll guide you through some of the most used expressions and words, so that you can impress your German friends with some stuff that will make you sound like a native speaker. Just to show you a quick example of how hard it can be to understand German slang, take a look: Der Lauch ist heute auf keinstem am Start. Literally, this means something like: “This leek will not be at the start for sure.” Let’s break this down for you. Der Lauch is used these days to describe a skinny person who doesn’t lift weights, and lifting weights is getting really popular nowadays in Germany. Auf keinstem is a short version of the expression auf keinen Fall... Show more

We know from experience that learning a new language can be time-consuming, hard, and sometimes frustrating. But with German movies, this won’t be the case. For this reason, we always suggest that our learners make the process fun by doing something they like—and everybody likes to watch a good movie. So why not combine watching a movie with learning a new language? Even experts say that watching movies and series is a great way to improve language skills quickly. When looking for a good movie to watch, remember that fantastic movies extend beyond Hollywood. To drive this point home, consider that Oscars are even awarded to the best movie from a foreign country—and Germany won this prize more than once so far. But even on platforms like... Show more

Father's Day, celebrated in most countries around the world, is a special day set aside to honor one's father (or father-figure). There's something about the love and care of a father that's unmatched by anything else, so it's important to show appreciation and gratitude to them on this day. In Germany, this is called Vatertag, and you'll soon find that celebrations in Germany are pretty unique compared to celebrations elsewhere. At GermanPod101.com, we hope to make learning about Vatertag in Germany fun, and provide you with great insight into German culture. For in knowing a country's culture, you can master the language in context of the bigger picture. Let's get started, and delve into Vatertag Deutschland ("Father’s Day... Show more

Learning a language from home can be stressful and frustrating, but with the help of German TV Shows, you can improve in less time than you imagined. Language learners and experts alike say that watching movies and series is a great way to improve your language skills. And the good thing about this is that you can do it by watching the type of movies or TV shows that you actually like. Each country produces TV shows in the genres of drama, crime, comedy, sci-fi, cooking, nature, and many more. Germany is certainly no different, with plenty of good German TV shows for language-learning. By watching television shows or movies in German, you’re allowing yourself to learn while having a lot more fun, and this is a big advantage for... Show more

So you’re ready to move to Germany with the Germany job seeker visa? You’re ready to finally work in Germany? This is a country that has so many different sides to show, and so many different accents, cultures, and landscapes. It reaches from the Baltic Sea and flatlands in the north to the Alps with Bavarian culture, to the forests and lakes in the south. In between, you have many big cities such as the capital Berlin, the finance and logistics centre of Europe Frankfurt, one of the biggest city complexes named Ruhrpott in the west, and the fastest growing city in Germany: Leipzig. When moving to a new country, you’ll have an explosion of feelings. On the one hand, you’re excited to meet new people, get to know the culture,... Show more

Carnival is deeply rooted in history and is observed in numerous countries before Lent fasting. German Carnival, in particular, is a time of fun and seeming madness, and no two parts of Germany celebrate this holiday exactly the same way. In this article, we’ll mostly be focusing on the celebrations in Rhineland, since German Carnival traditions vary so much. But keep in mind that wherever you find yourself in Germany, some common aspects are likely to show through. Take, for instance, German Carnival masks, German Carnival songs, and maybe even some German Carnival games! Here at GermanPod101.com, it’s our goal to help you learn the language in context of the country’s culture—and have fun while doing so! That said, let’s go ahead... Show more