How to MAKE FRIENDS in Germany - [TIPS & Cultural Background]

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How to make friends in Germany? - that is a question all expats wonder at some point or another. Making German friends takes patience and persistence and any international can achieve it.

In this video we provide tips and some cultural background that will help all new-comers meet the German locals.

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📼 RELATED VIDEOS:
3 UNCONVENTIONAL ways to LEARN GERMAN

✨ RELATED GUIDES:
How To Make Friends In Germany Like A Local

⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Introduction
02:59 - Why is it hard to make friends with Germans?
08:51 - Tip #1: meet Germans at work
10:38 - Tip #2: meet Germans online
12:05 - Tip #3: meet Germans in a Verein
13:36 - Tip #4: meet Germans at a Stammtisch
14:28 - Tip #5: meet Germans at a Volkshochschule
15:02 - Tip #6: meet Germans by volunteering
15:47 - How friendships in Germany work

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We know how frustrating and painful it might be to move to a new country, especially if you don't fully speak the language. That's why we created Simple Germany.

Simple Germany provides tips & information in English about living in Germany as an expat. We talk about services that are friendly and easy to use to beat German bureaucracy. We also cover the cultural aspects of living in Germany. All of this brought to you from the eyes of an expat and a German duo. We want to help you settle in Germany more smoothly.🍻

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[berulan]

"Even Germans find it hard to make friend with Germans." - "Jo" - "Very detailed answer."
Also, very german answer. And true.

[ReinholdOtto]

A very good friend in Germany is someone who can call you at 2 am, and you are prepared to do whatever is necessary to help him/her.

[insideAdirtyMind]

This staring thing...yeah it is true, I think of my grandma at this point:
We were at the bus and she started to constantly stare at this black woman (probably a student from another country). I noticed it and told her (whispering) to stop staring, because the woman would feel uncomfortable...maybe she would think it is a rejection because of her skin colour. My grandma didn´t stop. After we went out of the bus my grandma leaned over and said: "Have you seen this woman? She was very beautiful."

[miheechea]

Hello, I am from SouthKorea and living in Germany in a small village. so obviously I get a lot of attention by German on the streets or even in my car. haha somehow I started waving my hand and say Hallo! to the people who are observing me and they immediately pretend not staring at me. haha.

[RAMPAVAN]

You are a goldmine of authentic information for folks who want to relocate to Germany! Thanks so much!

[krisiglehart]

In our recent visit to Germany, I found it very easy to talk to Germans. I'm from the USA, I spent at least a year attempting to learn German. And when I would try to speak in German, it seemed to open up the barrier, like they appreciated my attempt and effort. Plus beer breaks down all barriers. Lol

[ElinT]

We Germans like to separate private and work life, which for me is the main reason why it is so hard to make friends in a work environment. And another difference is the level of committment or "deepness" of the relationship which we call friend. Maybe you would call someone a friend in another country after having 3 nice conversations. That would not be the level of knowing people we Germans would consider "friendship". Friendship is always a relationship of trust, which needs time to build up. The rest of the relationships are acquaintances to us. So my advice would be: don't aim to make friends, but to have acquaintances. The friendships will result out of some of them.

[nomirrors]

This is great advice. I accidentally made a German friend (complicated story). Now I'm so happy I have her. :)

[uwea.]

Ich mag die superklare Englische Aussprache, das macht es leicht zuzuhören.
Sehr interessante Themen.

[franziskaj]

I think language indeed massively helps, even if the Germans you are working with are speaking English fluently. I can remember that I was always struggling if I can invite someone to a get-together when the person isn't speaking a bit of German as not everybody else was 100% confident speaking English. Every so often the group switches to German and the foreign person is left out. As a host this is uncomfortable towards the foreign guest as well as to their German guests as there is always the risk to leave someone out of the conversation. Then I guess we are often too cautious to invite someone as we don't want to make it uncomfortable for anybody. We feel responsible that everyone invited has a good time.

[toidrayton-seymore]

Totally did the “smoothly”. I started after the third video.

[jmsiqueiros]

I guess that in Guatemala, as in Mexico, the person behind you in the line would join the conversation with you and the cashier. I love the work you do. It is super informative and fun!

[human_isomer]

An open-minded and honest personality is one of the best assets to have for making true friends. And I think both of you don't have the slightest issue with that. You deserve much more subscribers.

[AmarisJaneNYC]

OMG I am a hispanic/American woman that has been trying to chip away at this German guy. I'm so thankful you posted this video and that this experience is not a single incident, but possibly a cultural thing. As an American and Latina I'm used to things being more open/warm and expressive/animated, and definitely faster... and he is so cautious and cold, and private, and... I could go on, but I appreciate that you posted this video!

[sharoncox]

I found it pretty easy to make friends in Germany - you just have to understand that people don't socialise or chit chat while working. On evenings and Saturdays I found Germans very open and friendly - especially if you go to a bar, community event, sport like rock climbing, etc.

[zeelowsguys]

On my very short 3 week holiday in Germany I was able to meet new people through playing my guitar, not necessarily make friends straight away, but it certainly is a good “Avenue” to meet anyone really.. also as a visitor I guess the dynamics are different too when meeting people, the fact I was visiting my ancestral homelands certainly helped too I think, greetings from New Zealand ❤

[turjo]

Me watching this 1 week into Germany trying to make friends. Thanks for the amazing content as always!

[niechcemisie]

This "more smoothly" is so cute :D 😍

[satyanarayanareddydachuri]

It seems to me that i found the best channel/youtuber for what I am looking to know in Germany. :) You are the best.

[dikydankedude]

Ahhh yes the German stare. I sat on a tram in Dresden (dressed inconspicuously) and the woman across from me stared at me for my entire ride