How to make small talk in Germany | Easy German 320

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► PRODUCED IN COOPERATION WITH:
Easy Languages is an international video project aiming at supporting people worldwide to learn languages through authentic street interviews and expose the street culture of participating partner countries abroad. Episodes are produced in local languages and contain subtitles in both the original language as well as in English.

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Host of this episode: Manuel Salmann
Camera: Janusz Hamerski
Edit: Manuel Salmann
Translation: Ben Eve

[TheZgamer]

"Ask me about work"
"What's your job?"
"Actually I don't like that question"

[bajpaijalaj]

Step 1: Talk about weather
Step 2: Go to step 1

[venice]

When my German girlfriend came here to New York years ago, she told me, "you are not going to believe this! I sat down at a cafe, and the waitress said 'how are you?' She didn't even know me!!"

[klisterklister]

i once met up with a german girl so we could practice our respective languages. she was going to practice on her swedish, me on my german. it was the most awkward thing i've ever experienced, a german not very good at small talk and then me a swede who are also not very good at small talk. we never contacted each other again x'D

[elainejimenez]

in Mexico making small talk with strangers is like breathing ! I love that about my country .

[marteumar]

4:25 this woman is hilarious.. she’s such a mood 😂😂

[wolfm.]

Other: Hows the weather?
German: Gorgeous
Other: Wow, Im surprised you didn't complain like most Germans
German: Actually its a bit hot, I should have dressed different.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[graced.]

How to make small talk in Germany : don't 😂

[oioisexymlaoy]

As a Brit, I think that the phrase "Hey, how are you?" and a standard reply such as "Oh fine thanks, how are you?" are often used as non-literal forms of social communication that, depending on tone, indicate how open you are to having a chat. I think it's great, because it removes the barrier to spontaneous conversation if somebody is in the mood for it.

"Hey, how are you?" = "I am open to a conversation"
"Oh fine thanks, how are you?" = "I am also open to a conversation"

So I think it's disingenuous when people say that Brits (or Americans) aren't interested in knowing the answer to "Hey, how are you?". It's not fake, it's friendly.

[shahangk]

As I am very shy it was always very hard for me to start small talks. But since I have started to work in a restaurant beside my studies, I have become better at it. And I found that I actually like to communicate with people. There is no shame in having an unsuccessful small talk but there is a great feeling in having a successful one!

[KikonSketches]

this explains why conversations with my german friend dies off every time i try to talk to her

[mattbrown]

Just to clarify, when Americans ask “how are you?” It’s not that they don’t want an answer, it’s just typically a feeler for how to proceed with the conversation.

[DamnControl]

Here in the Philippines, almost every talk is either small talk or gossip. You can rarely talk about ideas, philosophies and deep knowledge.

[ornigal]

- Ich muss um halb zu Hause sein. Ich habe noch 5 minuten, noch funf mal um die Ecke zu laufen
- Warum ? Was ist in 5 Minuten ?
- Muss ich doch Bier trinken


Can't be more german than this haha

[agneyablaze]

For my speaking exam this year, my teacher said he was going to ask us to make small talk. So finding out that even Germans don't make much small talk is actually very comforting hahaha

[TheMrWhitechapel]

"Wie geht's Ihnen, Frau Ritter?"
"Beschissen."

[jbhann]

As an American, this was almost as painful to watch as getting a tooth pulled.

[sheep]

So that’s why Germans are good at stuff, no bullshit, straight to the point

[janettecardenas]

In the US and Mexico, it’s really common to have small talk. I feel like my parents are personally offended that I’m not very good at it and they think I’m being “rude.” I just don’t see the point in talking to someone without a purpose or reason. When I visited Berlin, I was surprised that a lot of people actually came up to me and started talking and asking from where I was from...so I think it just depends on the people

[mahaa]

Omg I love German it’s sooo pleasing to listen to it as an Arab who knows only English I’m so excited to learn German !! Thank you ❤️