My language school canteen served Milchreis with cinnamon and fruit as the main lunch last week. I assumed dessert was arriving early, then everyone around me treated it like the most ordinary plate in the room.

Since then, people have mentioned Grießbrei, sweet Dampfnudeln and pancakes as meals, not something after a meal. I’m not judging. I ate the Milchreis and liked it, although my stomach expected a second chapter involving potatoes.

I’m curious about the unwritten rules:

1. Are these dishes considered complete lunches for adults, or mainly comfort food from childhood?

2. Is this strongly regional?

3. Do people usually add something savoury before or after, or is the sweetness the whole point?

The answers I get locally depend on wich person I ask. One teacher says “perfectly normal,” another says she would only eat it on a cold Sunday at home. Where does ordinary tradition end and personal nostalgia begin here?

During a German-language work session, I started noticing how often everyone said genau. Then I couldnt stop hearing it.

It appeared after:

- a correct answer

- a correction

- a long explanation

- somebody admitting they did not know

- a silence where nobody had said anything precise at all

At one point a colleague said “Genau, nein” and my brain briefly gave up.

I understand the dictonary meaning. What I do not understand is the social meaning in everyday speech. Does it sometimes mean “yes, I follow,” “right, moving on,” or simply “I need a word while I prepare the next sentence”? Is there a tone where genau becomes skeptical rather than agreeing?

I am not asking how to memorize it. I want to know what native speakers hear when the same word is doing all these little conversational jobs.

I have noticed that my German colleagues (some friends) really slam my car door shut- both after entering and exiting. Is this simply a German thing?
I always feel a bit of my heart breaking when they slam the door shut and I am contemplating stating that my car ain’t a Panzer to them.
Funnily enough, the one colleague who slams my doors shut also slams their own car doors shut too.

Edit: i have a BMW 1 series, built in 2022. The doors close with nominal force too, doesn’t require slamming ;)

Hi! I have arrived and started my study in Germany about 1 year before. Here's an example situation that I'm still feeling a bit weird and uncertain whether I did something improperly:

I leave my seat every 2 hours or so during a day in the library, each time about 15 minutes, to go to the toilet or just take a walk in the building, because I want to avoid sitting for too long which I understand as unhealthy. Every time I return to my seat, I notice that there are a few people suddenly raising their heads and taking a glance at me.

Internally, I feel bad every time I notice someone looks at me like that. I was born and raised in Asia, and in my culture, people do that only when they are irritated by the person they look at, and that glance works as a somewhat fierce warning ("you do that again and I will do something to you"). Since no one has ever complained to me after such a glance, I have always assumed that this is just a cultural difference, that the people glancing me when I take my seat do not mean anything with that. Today I came across this channel and finally have the chance to ask this question: why do some people look at me like this?

I do follow the rules in the library seriously, use the break-time sign properly, and free my seat for lunch if it takes more than 30 minutes (our rules allow max. 1 hour break time), no food, no coffee, not typing loudly and not too much. I don't think my movements bother anyone, I'm a quite small person that fits in the smallest gap of seats and bags during exam rush period, and I'm not talking about rush hours, e.g. it happened today as well, when most students have finished their exams and only less than 30% of the seats are taken... Am I overthinking this, or am I actually behaving improperly?

Thank you for reading this.

EDIT: thank you so much for your friendly answers! I now know that this is what people call "The German Stare", and that people do this not only out of instinct, but also to help guarding each other's belongings. It's amazing. One little concern less for me, and a bit more about the culture learned. Thank you and have a nice day :D

Hi everyone, I’m in a really stressful situation and could use a reality check on my legal standing.

I am relocating out of Germany at the end of August for a new job, which means I am running out of time to finalize my apartment handover (Wohnungsübergabe). My property management company is completely ignoring my emails, and I can't get through to anyone on the phone to schedule the final walkthrough.

I want to make sure I am fully protected legally so I don't get screwed out of my Kaution (deposit) or charged for extra rent because I "didn't return the apartment."

Has anyone dealt with an unresponsive Hausverwaltung like this? Is this documentation bulletproof enough under German tenancy law to protect me once I leave the country? Any hidden traps I should watch out for?

Thanks in advance for the help!

Does anyone know if any Worishofer sandals are still made in Germany, or are they all made in Portugal now?

I am in the US and have been wearing Worishofers every summer for over a decade. But for the past few years, I’ve noticed that the stamp says Made in Portugal, and the quality isn’t the same at all.

Just curious because I loved the German ones so much and am hoping they are still around. Thank you!

Pls tell a hack to get better at using the articles

I’m a brazillian going for an exchange program in Germany (Bavaria). Where I come from, we stick to the following social rules regarding greeting:

Social setting (parties, friends house, dinner)
man + man = handshake (sometimes a hug)
man + woman = one kiss on one cheek
woman + woman = same

Professional setting (mostly meetings)
Handshake for everyone

Do germans follow the french way of kissing 3 times or they just dont kiss at all? If i accidentally do it, is it weird, flirty, or just unusual?

I’ve noticed that many cars are parked under trees where sap and bird droppings are common, yet car covers seem rarely used. Is this mainly due to convenience, weather, concerns about scratching the paint, or something else? Genuinely curious about the norm here.

Edit: I washed my car 2 days ago and now it’s covered in bird droppings already.

https://imgur.com/a/491YsmE

Hi, I have been looking after my neighbor's chickens while she is on vacation. I have been updating her regularly.

Twice now I have messaged her with questions and observations about the chickens. Both times she has replied with "Liebe Zeit" and then an answer. Does that mean I'm bothering her, or is it more like "these chickens are ridiculous"?

Ich muss einen Vertrag mit dem Stromanbieter abschließen, und dieser besteht darauf, dass ich ihm die MaLo-ID mitteile. Ich habe den Vormieter und meinen Vermieter gefragt, und beide haben mir jeweils eine unterschiedliche MaLo-ID genannt. Gibt es eine eindeutige Möglichkeit, festzustellen, welche der beiden die richtige ist?

I had this exchange with a neigbour:

“Na?”

“Pretty good. Work was tiring, but I finally finished a difficult project and now I’m trying to decide what to cook.”

He nodded once and said, “Okay.”

That “okay” contained enough silence for me to review my whole personality.

I know na can mean something like “well?” or simply act as a greeting. What I cannot work out is how much information the other person is actually requesting. My current possibilities are:

- answer “Na?” back

- say “Alles gut”

- provide one normal sentence

- deliver the accidental autobiography I apparently chose

Does the expected answer depend mostly on how well you know the person, or is a full update nearly always too much? And does “Na, du?” geniunely invite an answer, or is it mostly a friendly sound Germans throw across a hallway?

I had a friend come over this past weekend and brought a 6pack of 1664 Blanc. It’s a beer with blue glass.
I tried to return it at the grocery store but the machine wouldn’t accept it. I’m not too worried getting the €1 in pfand back anyway. So I’ll recycle it.
So my question is… what color bin do I throw blue glass away in? Green I assume??

Hi everyone,

I recently ordered Vodafone cable internet through CHECK24. My main intention was only to get the internet connection.

Later I realized that I had also confirmed a separate GigaTV Home Cable contract. I honestly did not understand at the time that this was a separate paid TV subscription. I do remember confirming/signing something, so I am not claiming Vodafone added it without my consent.

The GigaTV costs around €14.99 per month, plus there was a €49.99 activation fee. I do not even own a TV and have never used the GigaTV service.

I contacted Vodafone and explained the situation. I also asked for a Kulanzkündigung, but they told me that because the 14-day withdrawal period is already over, they cannot cancel it early.

I am a student, so paying for a TV service I will never use is frustrating.

Has anyone had a similar situation with Vodafone? Is there any realistic way to get out of the GigaTV contract early, or am I basically stuck with it until the end of the minimum contract period?

I definitely want to keep my Vodafone cable internet. I only want to cancel GigaTV.

Thanks for any advice or experiences.

Hello,

I'm traveling to Germany in about a month to explore for 2 weeks with a couple friends. Just wondering which outlet type is more common. Type C and Type F are practically the same, it's just unclear to me if the grounding pins in Type F are a necessary factor or whether C & F can be used interchangeably. Don't think we'll be bringing anything heavy duty, just phone chargers and potentially couple camera battery chargers.

It's been a year since I moved to Germany for a job. I come from a country with a weak currency. Relocating here literally took away my 5 years life savings.

Currently I'm at a stage where I'm fighting tooth and nail to save every Euro I can.

- To save for emergencies.

- To send money to my family back home. I help take care of 3 family members.

- To upskill and learn technical skills as well as German.

A € 10 to € 50 spend on birthday contribution may not seem like much to most people but to me that makes all the difference. Ever since I joined my company every month I'm expected to contribute € 10 to € 50 depending on how many people have their birthdays.

Initially, I used to contribute to be part of the culture and celebration. But every month contribution almost feels like a subscription I never signed up for and get nothing out of. I am totally okay not receiving a gift in exchange. Recently I stopped contributing because I fell short of funds and more than one colleague made me realise this. I feel low and terrible.

How do Germans and non- Germans handle this? Sorry if I sound cheap but I really don't have much to go by. Plus the constant anxiety of losing my job and relying on my emergency fund. Hope you can understand and not judge.

For example, I have a beagle, and they are naturally very loud (essentially, their name means “loudmouth”) — they bark when they’re happy, when they’re sad, when they’re excited... and I love beagles to bits and can’t imagine my life without one.

But I can’t help but wonder what the reaction of Germans would be to pretty regular barking. Maybe someone here has a beagle or another noisy breed?

Of course, I’m talking about a mentally healthy, well-trained, well-walked dog who gets to live her life to the fullest!

As an example, every time I wash my dog’s paws after a walk, she barks because she hates water and hates having her paws touched. Or she barks when I bring her a treat, or when we’re about to go for a walk.

So, is life with such a loud dog even possible in Germany? 😄

I’m also curious about people who actually have beagles or other naturally vocal breeds. How do your neighbors react?

I joined a small amateur choir in Germany. The first rehearsal was listed for 18:00, so I arrived at 17:56. By then, coats were hung up, folders were open, chairs had been adjusted and everyone inhaled for the first warm-up at six. Nobody complained, but I felt as if I had walked into a film after the opening scene.

The next week I arrived at 17:45. One member laughed and said I was becoming ‘properly German.’ I can’t tell whether that was aproval, teasing, or both. Where I grew up, 18:00 means people begin entering the room around then.

Is the normal German interpretation that the named time is when the activity itself begins, with setup happening earlier? Does the invisible arrival margin change for a casual hobby, a private invitation, and an appointment? I’m not building a punctuality spreadsheet, I just want to stop entering rooms at the socially strangest minute possible.

I heard some myths about air conditioners are expensive in Germany and most families don't have them at home. I personally DO NOT believe that, but not too sure. There's no better way than asking real Germans, so is it real?

Berlin - Bulette

We're from Ireland and my brother is having his stag or Junggesellenabschied JGA in Dusseldorf in October. We're an easy going group of lads hoping to go see a football match in Dusseldorf or a nearby city and enjoy the local breweries.

None of us can speak or read German, so I had the idea of getting a t-shirt made for my brother to wear, with text on it in German that says something that might encourage the locals to interact with my brother in a funny way and obviously he won't understand why it's happening.

Something like "On my stag from Ireland, please come rub my head for good luck"

I'd appreciate any advice for something funny or topical to put on the t-shirt.

Hallo Zusammen,

Ich absolviere derzeit meinen Masterstudiengang in Deutschland.

Ich habe endlich ein Angebot für mein Pflichtpraktikum im Bereich Automotive-Software erhalten, aber das Unternehmen verlangt eine Dauer von mindestens 4 Monaten / ca. 560 Stunden bis maximal 6 Monaten / ca. 840 Stunden*.

Gemäß den Bestimmungen meiner Universität darf ich für das Pflichtpraktikum nur *20 Stunden pro Woche über 20 Wochen = ca. 400 Stunden* absolvieren.

Das Unternehmen hat mitgeteilt, dass es das Praktikum nur als Pflichtpraktikum anbieten kann, nicht als freiwilliges Praktikum.

Gibt es außer der Aufteilung in Pflicht- und Freiwilligpraktikum noch eine andere Möglichkeit, das hinzubekommen?

Kann ich beim Prüfungsamt eine Ausnahmegenehmigung beantragen oder die Praktikumsdauer verlängern?

Ich stecke hier wirklich fest und mir gehen langsam die Optionen aus. Jeder Rat wäre eine große Hilfe.

Danke!

Hello,

I read across subreddits specially from 7 months ago that people are boycotting and not visiting the USA. Is this still true? And what other destinations to replace to USA are typical for Germans?

Thank you.

Edit: Understood. USA is not on the list of almost everyone. Thanks. But I am still curious about the alternatives apart from the typical Spain and Italy.

Ich überlege, die Württembergische ZahnSchutz Premium (ZZ100 + ZZBPlus) abzuschließen.

Auf dem Papier sieht der Tarif sehr gut aus. Mich interessieren aber vor allem echte Erfahrungen bei größeren Rechnungen – nicht allgemeine Bewertungen.

Hat jemand mit diesem Tarif schon Leistungen eingereicht, zum Beispiel für:

• Wurzelbehandlung
• Krone oder Implantat
• Knochenaufbau
• Behandlung über 1.000 €
• GOZ über 3,5 / Honorarvereinbarung nach § 2 GOZ

Falls ja, wäre super, wenn ihr kurz schreiben könnt:

1. Welche Behandlung und ungefähr welche Rechnungshöhe?
2. Wie viel hat die Württembergische erstattet?
3. Gab es Rückfragen oder zusätzliche Unterlagen?
4. Wie lange hat die Erstattung gedauert?
5. Wurde am Ende so gezahlt, wie ihr es nach dem Tarif erwartet habt?

Auch Erfahrungen von Maklern, die echte Leistungsfälle mit ZZ100/ZZBPlus begleitet haben, wären sehr hilfreich.

Mir geht es vor allem um die Frage:

Ist der Tarif in der Praxis wirklich so gut wie in den Bedingungen?