Why you should learn German and why you don't need to (anymore) 

Good morning. I hope this clears up any misunderstandings from the last video. Sorry about the lighting. The sun kept going in and out of the clouds. If you want a bit more detail on cultural differences between FFM and Munich you can read this here - benjaminantoine.substack.com I wish you all a great day :)

My brother's wife and his children who live in Germany speak perfect English. I've been visiting for over 20 years and have never really needed to speak German. However I started learning German two years ago. It's a matter of respect. I really need to speak the mother tongue of my nephews. But what I've also found after two years is the realisation you can fool yourself that everyone speaks English. You subconsciously shop and engage with businesses that you know will have English speakers. Now I can shop and eat anywhere with confidence I'm going to be understood, because I'm speaking the local language. The biggest breakthrough came when I was checking into a hotel and reception asked if I preferred to be spoken to in German or English. Of course I chickened out and chose English so there'd be no mistakes in dates and payment. Nevertheless being asked the question was so flattering. Maybe you don't need to learn German anymore. But in terms of getting to know the culture and having a sense of achievement, absolutely go ahead.

Once I learnt German, and was using it daily in almost all interactions, I noticed how annoyed I became when people in the news, radio or TV would use an English word when there was a perfectly good German word, probably because they thought they would sound more modern or cosmopolitan doing this. Als ich Deutsch lernte und es täglich in fast allen Interaktionen benutzte, bemerkte ich, wie genervt ich war, wenn Leute in den Nachrichten, im Radio oder im Fernsehen ein englisches Wort benutzten, obwohl es ein vollkommen gutes deutsches Wort gab, wahrscheinlich weil sie dachten, dass sie dadurch moderner oder weltoffener klingen würden.

It’s beyond me that you have to clarify your previous video. I thought you made it very clear what you meant. At least I got it.

I agree with your observation . I lived in several foreign countries in Europe and have noted this trend of using increasingly English than the local language ( I believe the Netherlands and the Scandinavian countries are even more affected by this than Germany). It is a process which cannot be stopped in an increasingly globalised and interconnected world. As a German, I think it is good that we embrace the use of English as it can facilitate attracting highly skilled immigration. However, nobody will truly be able to be part of German society if someone wishes to become so without knowing German. I don’t blame anyone on choosing the easiest path of just not learning it. I myself struggled on learning Danish when living in Copenhagen. But I still tried because I never wanted to be just a foreigner. I wanted to become a local as much as possible. I believe that learning the local or any other language will give you just such a major advantage in anything. It really is a key opener, and when you have it, it is really satisfying.

Germans need to learn how to balance globalization and protecting their culture. In the Netherlands, people often speak English and German, but they still expect people to learn Dutch. I think that’s the right approach.

We Americans are often criticized for being monoglots. If we are to learn a second language, which should it be? Why should I learn German when most Germans have some knowledge of English, and a large percentage are fairly fluent in English. That being said, when I was sent to Germany by the U.S. Military in 1962, the first thing I did was to enroll in German classes. I went on to get my degree in German, along with a German wife for 50 years. Unfortunately, I have no natural ability for foreign languages, but I have never regretted the many hours I spent learning German by rote. My years spent in Germany were a turning point for my whole life. It may not have brought economic gain, but it enriched my life greatly.

I just want to add a story to back up (not argue with) what you said about learning the language ie that you can survive without it but your life will be infinitely easer with it. And sometimes you won't necessarily realise this. For reasons it would take too long to explain I am English but speak Romanian pretty fluently. Although I don't live there I have many friends there. A few years back I was sitting with a bunch of Romanian friends in a bar/restaurant in Bucharest and we were having a really good time. I was told another friend was joining us and was bringing an English friend with him who had been living there for nine years. Like a fool I presumed he would have learned Romanian in that time. But no. When he arrived we all switched to English because apparently his Romanian only stretched to basic transactions not conversations. What he was completely unaware of was how the atmosphere changed. It's even hard to describe now but somehow the atmosphere wasn't the same anymore. The conversation was slower, less witty and people were relaxed and friendly but not quite as relaxed and friendly as they had been because obviously they were now having to speak in a foreign language. It was just less fun. I was actually a little bit relieved when he finally left and we could go back to speaking in Romanian. This guy had no concept of this therefore didn't realise what he was missing. Basically, taking friendships and integration to the next level. For me another reason is just I don't like the feeling of disadvantage when somebody speaks my language but I don't speak theirs so I have to rely on their skills to make up for my lack of skill. It makes me feel the relationship is unbalanced and I am dependent and helpless. Of course, as English speakers we have to get used to this because we can't learn absolutely every language and most people do learn English. But if you have a reason for learning a specific language - go for it.

There should be German pride in both Germany and the German language; (Goethe, Schiller, Heine, Mann, Hesse...) English as a second official language would be a terrible idea. The reasons I like to visit countries such as Italy, France, Spain and... Germany is because of the unique cultural heritage these countries have to offer and this includes their languages

Excellent video with many good points. I'm an American and lived in Germany for 18 years. Yes, at the beginning I encountered many frustrations to learn German, but, with time I improved and eventually my German was proficient. I was very satisfied to have learned the language, especially when I throroughly read the Frankfurter Rundschau and understood almost everything. I think that living in any country it's essential to know the language, also for personal improvement. I now live in the US, but daily watch news from Germany. I wish you much luck in Frankfurt!

Making friends with immigrants and liking people from other countries just doesn't change the fact that too much immigration too fast is not good for society. The problem isn't the people who come over. They are just responding to incentives. The government has to set the incentives so that people integrate. At the very least, people living in the country should be expected to learn the language and hopefully required to.

Really love what you say, just moved to Germany, will learn German, although I am fluent in English. Keep posting 😊

Definitely learn German if you want to live in Germany. It's not to be considered optional. You cannot and should not expect everyone to understand English. There might be many reasons locals might not speak English like poverty, access, etc. If you don't respect others then get ready to face consequences.

As an immigrant from Ukraine with the career in marketing I have to say that the chances to get a job in such a competitive job market without speaking German are very low. I invested all my time (at least 1,5 years) into learning the German is fast as possible, but my B2 level was not enough in most cases when I was looking for a position. I've crammed further and recently took C1 exam just so that in case I need to look for another job I have better prospects. I'm currently working in a huge agency with offices all around the world, but my team is completely German speaking. They have nothing but praise for my not so great German skills, but I wouldn't expect that from my clients as well. Oh! And I also work in Cologne but live in a town 10 km away, and there you can't get by without German: be it in the doctors office, in the restaurant or the bakery.

The German language (standard high German) is music to my ears. It‘s a beautiful language!

Ich lerne Deutsch weil ich finde diese sprache sehr cool, ich bin ein großer Fan von der deutsche Kultur, seit einem jahr habe ich beschlossen das Deutsch zu lernen, ich weiß dass ich brauche mehr dinge lernen und verbessern, aber ich habe keine Zweifel dass es wird eine echte gute Erfahrung sein, zu diese Sprache zu lernen, ich lerne auch um eines Tages viele Leute in Deutschland kennen, Also, Deutsch kann auch so nützlich für andere sprachen zu lernen sein, zum Beispiel: Niederländisch,Norwegisch,schwedisch, wenn ich die Deutsche sprache beschlossen habe, war ich sowohl neugierig als auch gespannt, ich hoffe die Person dass diese text lesen ist, könnte die eigentlich mich verstehen, Grüße aus Argentinien und viel Glück für alle Menschen.

Your ending comment is exactley why I don't think English should be made an official language or be as accepted as it is. Except if the goal is to slowly eradicate German. To be forced to speak a foreign language in my home country is just not something I find acceptable. I don't mind switching to English if someone needs it but it shouldn't be the default. It should be a temporary thing while someone is learning German. I appreciate that it is hard, particularly if the job is also in English, but for me it's simply a matter of respect and integration. I don't think you can ever be fully integrated in local life without speaking the language. I think anyone who plans to make Germany their long term home should definitely learn German. I couldn't be more opposed to offering citizenship without knowing the language.

I didn't mean any harm with my previous comment. It's always good to learn a language, even if there is NO necessity to do so. You'll miss out on the local culture and friendships if you don't.

I moved to China in 2019, and spent the two years prior taking Chinese classes, so I was about HSK 3 when I arrived. That was an absolutely worthwhile investment, not only because it is genuinely necessary to learn some Chinese to get by in China (without staying in expat circles only), but mainly because all the richest experiences I had there wouldn't have been possible without being able to communicate with the locals. I moved to Berlin last month, and learned a bit of German beforehand (the first half of A1 on Duolingo), and having spent 5 years using Chinese as my second language, trying to use German has been absolutely mind-boggling to say the least!.. My brain instinctively translates my thoughts from English to Chinese whenever I'm interacting with someone, then attempts to translate the Chinese directly into German, which often results in a "cannot compute". Sometimes sentences are formed half in Chinese, half in German. 😂 Some German service and hospitality staff have heard a "hao-OK", "xing", "zhege-ein" here and there... It's gonna be a challenge, but I definitely don't want to live here without lerning German, because I know first-hand that it makes a world of difference knowing the local language.

German should always be first in Germany, without exceptions.

My sister's granddaughter is Dutch and she just learns the colors. When asked the color of her dress, she answered "yellow" which was obviously false, because she said it in English. (Geel is the Dutch word). She just learned the colors from an English speaking internet site. That is how far this goes. I am in two minds about this. It is nice to have a diverse continent. But the reality is, that the world is progressing towards and English speaking cultural and economical elite. The people speaking the original language are the left behinds, I fear. On the other hand, if you have economic benefits as an immigrant to come here, you should learn the language, just out of politeness to your host. I will leave an establishment in Amsterdam where I cannot order in Dutch. And that is more common there than you think. If you order from our biggest grocery store to bring your stuff to your home and something goes wrong, the only way to complain on the phone is in English. It is ridiculous in Amsterdam.

Also, ich bin Nachhilfelehrer für englisch und mache das hier auf deutsch, aus einer Frage des Respekts: Englisch ist nicht und wird nicht als offizielle Amtssprache anerkannt. Politiker sprechen zu Deutschen auch immer auf deutsch. Die einzige normativ festgelegte Amtssprache in Deutschland ist deutsch. Die einzige Partei, die Englisch als zweite offizielle Sprache befürwortet ist die FDP, die bei der nächsten Wahl aus dem Bundestag fliegen könnte. Ich bitte dich, dich das nächste mal umfassender zu informieren. Mit größeren Zuschauerschaften im Internet geht eine gewisse Verantwortung einher und man kann nicht alles ungefiltert in die Welt posaunen, wenn es faktisch falsch ist. Darüber hinaus ist der Einfluss des türkischen und des arabischen in Deutschland nicht sonderlich relevant. Im Regelfall lernen diese Migranten eher deutsch als englisch, auch wenn diese Lehnwörter ihrer Muttersprachen in ihren Sprachgebrauch einfließen lassen. In einer normalen Konversation sind diese Sprachen eher unwichtig. Türken und Araber machen hier den Großteil der Migranten aus. Eine Ablösung des Deutschen durch das Englische oder die Notwendigkeit der Etablierung des Englischen als zweite Amtssprache ist durch Migration nicht gegeben. Im täglichen Straßenbild sollte man auch nicht die vielen Touristen als Migranten einstufen. Das kann vorkommen. Englische Sprachinseln in Berlin oder Frankfurt sind limitiert und die Ausnahme und nicht die Norm. Grüße.

Here in Newcastle upon Tyne we only speak Geordie. Attempts have been made over the centuries to force Novocastrians to learn English but these have been unsuccessful.

HI!! 😊I came across this channel by chance because I am learning English (I have a beginner level- maybe A2 or B1(?)-), but I am practicing my listening skills. I noticed two great things in this video that aren’t necessarily related to the topic you talked about, but I’d like to share them with you😊😊: 1. A few years ago, I started learning German because I wanted to live there, but I eventually moved to Spain. However, I still want to learn the language and plan to do so once I have a strong command of English. 2. Despite my beginner level of English, I have noticed that I can understand you quite well (at least the main idea). I would like to point out that you have excellent diction, you articulate your words clearly, and you speak at a pace that is easy to follow. This makes it much easier to not only grasp what you're saying but fully understand the message you're communicating.😊🤗 Great job💪

„U may have difficulty living in Berlin when You don’t speak English!?“ What nonsense and arrogance is this!?

My son visited Gelsenkirchen and Hamburg recently. Didn’t like it, the downtown areas were swamped by Middle Eastern migrants, kebab and vape shops and generally felt a bit unsafe. This is from someone living in Stockholm, Sweden 🇸🇪 which has also had a lot of migration. However, where he was it felt different.

I live in Frankfurt, I speak fluent English and German up to level B2. I am IT-Digital marketing specialist and I can't find any job due to the reason that I don't speak German on a native level. At least, that's the reply I get.

As a native German who has spent quite some time with socio-linguistics particularly concerning the German language, I am interested: Are your beliefs data driven in any way or is this more like your personal experience living/working in Germany? Because as far as I understand the data, I would tend do disagree quite a bit. I mean: We know that Germans, even young Germans, almost exclusively speak German with their family and friends. That indicates strongly that they will gravitate towards German whenever they "go deeper" into any subject or indeed: relationship. The issue of romantic relationships and how communication is negotiated there is a special case in this context; but for friendships the picture would be pretty clear (you "need" German more often than not to actually get into the closeness friendships are all about). Apart from that: Not only is German the only official language and a condition for citizenship. It is also an official requirement for many people coming to Germany as migrants and/or a requirement for all(!) of the jobs except a couple in IT, tech or science (where you still might opportunities to get pretty far ahead simply because you know some German, though). That you will easily be hired by a restaurant for example without speaking German is a particularly Berlinian curiosity Germans often talk about, but in my opinion not in any way representative for Germany as a whole or even for the bigger German cities. Normally, even very small enterprises lead by foreigners(!) will expect their staff to speak at least some basic level German, just to be able to communicate with the many Germans that do not indeed speak fluent English and would not be very comfortable ordering their food in English. Not to mention more serious conversations like the one you have with your landlord, your lawyer, your doctor etc.; the ladder one is one even I might want to have in German, actually (as someone who does speak English quite well). Moreover, there are not a lot of German news media that aren't written or broadcasted in German; I am not only talking politics and economics, but also information about culture, night-life, weekly markets and so on. So yeah: In 2024, as someone who knows the data a little bit, I would suggest that you do "need" German if you want to actually have a life in Germany (outside of some neighbourhoods in Berlin). And I would suggest that you will need German for quite some time. I know that I might be disagreeing not only with you, but with more people like you (decently educated, rather white foreigners living... probably in a very big city); but to me, what these people are saying could also be a kind of bubble, you know. And Germany is a pretty big place... Anyway. Cheers

I thought your last video was a reasonable explanation of the current situation in major cities. However, when I go to the countryside in Germany I am always happy that I keep trying to improve my German because far fewer people speak English there. Although I may not technically "need" it, I think it is respectful and I do enjoy the intellectual challenge of being fluent in a second language. Thanks!

An aside: when you mentioned that you started this channel to help you maintain your English language as you became more integrated or assimilated with German, it reminded me of George Mikes on “How to be an Alien” . I cannot post the link here, but if you haven't heard of this little book, please do look it up. He mentions in this book that as he began to learn English, he noticed he was forgetting his mother tongue, so he felt he was in an awkward state of not knowing enough of the new language while forgetting the old.

Thanks for this. I am a native English speaker hoping to move to a German-speaking country in the near future. I've already lived in a German-speaking country before, for five years, and loved it. I've passed the B1 and hope to have passed at least the B2 by the time I move back. Inevitably where I move will depend on what kind of visa I can get and what I am doing for work, but I am grateful for both sides of this issue. I am excited to move somewhere and get the chance to practice my German, especially since for an introvert like me, my reading skills are much higher than my speaking skills. And I also am excited that there is more English. It's a fun time to travel the world and live in other places and I hope to get the chance to once more.

You are completely right. I live in the countryside of Germany, 30 km to the next bigger town. You will be successful in buying your stuff at the grocery store or even specialized stores speaking english. So, you can survive with it. But when it comes to integrating with local communities (Stammtisch (english?), local festivities, clubs) you will always be an outsider or be left out , if you don't speak german.

I perfectly understood the video you're referring to and I guess most your subscribers did as well. Therefore no reason to comment on that subject. But the critics do of course, especially in Germany I think. Don't change a thing, you're doing wonderfully!

I'm German myself, so I probably don't know about the challenges of someone coming to Germany to live here, but from my perspective you need to learn the language, if you want to become part of the society. Sure, if you live in a city like Berlin, working for international companies, you will be fine with just English. But in general, I'm convinced you will get frustrated at some point, when you need to interact with locals very often while not being able to speak the language. Especially "old" Germans (And we have a lot of old Germans) don't speak English at all.

Hi Ben, I am a new subscriber who is a retired USA citizen and married to a German citizen. Your video resonates well with me as I have only been here 6 months, never spoken German before. I am struggling mainly because I did not do my research and even though we have our own financial resources with no burden to the German government it is still a requirement to pass the most basic A1 test for permanent residency. I was totally lost and my brain felt like it was forced in an alien world trying to understand the language. I am now starting to feel more settled and know that I will definitely learn the language but feel that for retirees like myself, with no intention to get back in the workforce nor do I have a need to create a reliance on the government but rather support the economy through my saving and retirement income, the path should be a bit easier when it comes to the language especially being the spouse of a citizen. I agree that living here we should all want to learn the language. Being able to communicate on all levels and integrate in any new country is absolutely necessary. I love the people here in Germany for their directness unlike the USA where it’s difficult to know what people are really thinking. Thank you for your insights.

I was one of those who pointed out that it depends on your field of work, where you are living, if you are an immigrant from the Middle East or an "expat" from western Europe or the America's etc. I appreciate this response and tbh. I personally am not surprised about the negative comments to your last video due to my personal experiences growing up in Germany and the endless "integration debates" in this country. But you are right, Germany now is a tiny bit more openminded than when I grew up, or even just 10 years ago, despite the success of a certain party (ironically in the least multicultural regions of Germany.)

I lived in the UK for 7 years and yes I moved there because of professional opportunity. But I left after 7 years because, among other reasons, I did not vibe with the culture, the class system etc. and could not imagine raising kids there. I have lived in 5 different countries and I can say from my experience that you really have to like a country, its people and culture (including language) in order to settle there (if you are lucky enough to have the choice). Regarding English as a second language. No one in my family actually speaks English, including the Gen Z, who "learned" English in school. I think even if English became a second official language in the sense of Esperanto, it would just go parallel and facilitate life for expats hopefully, but probably go unnoticed by many Germans, like my family. The same goes for Turkish and recently Arab. Over 100 languages are spoken in Manchester and probably also Birmingham and London, but England is still pretty English to me.

These comments sound very mature and well-balanced. I wish there were more open English people like you, interested in other cultures, languages, etc.

If you want to have friends,relationships,deeper connections with people,feeling accepted in the country or anything more than just "surviving" ,trust me... learn german. People won't respect you just for being able to speak english in Germany and they don't want to speak it to you all the time. Learn the native language of your chosen country or please go to an english speaking country where you can speak english always. Respect the culture of the country🖤❤️💛

The major German cities (there are only less than a few) cannot be compared with the rest of Germany. Berlin has been a unique place since before and after the Berlin Wall was built and then removed. Most Germans would prefer if others learn to speak German before anything else. People living near the borders with the Czech Republic, Poland, Denmark, and the Netherlands often do not speak the languages of those neighboring countries. It is very difficult to find Germans who can speak the languages of the countries bordering Germany. On the other hand, the people living in the countries bordering Germany often speak German very well. When I came to Germany in 1986 at the age of 12, the students in 6th grade at the Hauptschule (a type of secondary school for the working class) in a small Bavarian town had only just started learning Oxford English the year before. Hauptschule goes up to 9th grade. After living in Berlin for over 23 years and using English on a weekly or even daily basis, the vast majority of Germans in Berlin and across Germany still have an English proficiency level from the 1980s or 1990s, with perhaps some additional vocabulary. Most Germans still do not need to use English very much. In the old West Germany, the situation has not changed much. It is the same in the areas where the US military is based. In the old East Germany, like in Leipzig and Dresden, there is also not much need for English. While English may be used more in certain fields like technology or restaurants, this has not had a major impact on the vast majority of Germans. My personal view is that many Germans miss out on a lot of information from English-speaking sources like the internet, RU-vid, and search engines, as they rely too much on German-language sources, which can be narrow, shallow, and insufficient. On the other hand, those Germans who speak better English are often biased towards specific communities, groups, activities, or traditions, which do not have a significant impact on the majority. Overall, as an English speaker, thinker, and dreamer (the same also applies to German), I believe that being able to truly understand, speak, and utilize English would be very enriching for many Germans. When I traveled through Bulgaria and Macedonia in 2008, I was astonished that almost everyone I met spoke perfect American English. Amazing !!! At the moment, I am using a popular free language learning app to learn some basics in Arabic. I also know "some" Russian, Polish, Czech, Turkish, Dutch and Spanish + i even speak some German Sign Language (DGS) :-D . When I was younger, a family member told me, when i am bigger, i would only be able to count my friends on one or at the very most two hands. Learning to communicate with potential friends.

My german improved the most when I moved from a big city (Munich) to a small city (Ulm). In Munich or other international cities, people might switch to english if they detect that their english is better than your german, since this is most efficient for them. In Ulm, random strangers would even speak to me in the thickest schwäbisch even though I look unmistakably a foreigner (Asian), but this also helps improve my german and dialect very quickly. Even my neighbor's cat understands only schwäbisch.

Honestly I don't share your experience. I live in Hamburg, and yes, most cafés and shops are ok with english, but maaaaaanyyyy companies are 100% German. And even in companies that have English as corporate language, the coworkers just prefer German anyways. English is more like tolerated than welcomed.

Wenn jemand nur zu Besuch kommt, ist es nicht nötig, deutsch zu lernen, besonders wenn man Städte wie Berlin, Hamburg, usw. besucht,will man hier aber leben und arbeiten, sollte man schon deutsch lernen

My observation as a German living in Düsseldorf is that the people in the streets are speaking more and more English. Even the shops and their advertising and marketing is becoming more and more English. If you listen to young people and you want to understand them you have to learn a lot of new anglicisms. I am afraid that Germany could lose its language and culture in the long run.

I live in California. All our state forms, including voter pamphlets, driver's tests, medical assistance forms, etc. come in several languages. English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, etc. There are people who live their entire lives here who never learn to speak English.

As a Canadian in Germany (11 years, based in Cologne), I agree with your observations on this topic. For the first time ever in Cologne, I was served at a restaurant by a waiter who didn't speak German (until then I had only experienced this phenomenon in Berlin). One thing I would add to this video is that the prevalence of English and its effects on the level of necessity to learn the local/national level is not a uniquely German thing. This would apply for example to the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and Finland. I do not have much experience in Southern and Eastern Europe to give an assessment here, but I can imagine that the urban centres there are experience this as well. Outside of Europe this is also increasingly true in Quebec and I can imagine in many parts of Asia (for Hong Kong and Singapore sowieso).

I live in big city in Germany. I don't speek German, only English. You can survive with English if you are willing to pay money Germans or customer services or anyone who will take money from you will be happy to speak Martian if they need to. Once you are in trouble and need to assert your right or need to argue for something you need German. So technically you can as long as you are willing to pay extra for convenience.

What an interesting video. Thanks a lot!💪

Thanks for the effort! Some people want simple answers, reality is complex... Keep it up! :)

I've not attempted to work in any country where I don't speak the language but I've lived in two, Hungary and Croatia. In Budapest you might just about get by without Hungarian but anywhere else in the country you will find very few people who understand English. There are more who speak German than English so if you ask a question in English you are quite likely to get a reply in German. Here in Croatia the novelty has not yet worn off. I live in a very rural location but even the staff in village shops often speak English. One reason a few people have told me is picking up the language when watching TV. In Hungary everything is dubbed but in Croatia they use subtitles. A lot of content is American, British or Australian so the language rubs off.

The world needs nowadays just respect to people, positive thinking, not loosing hope, peace, thinking logically ,always looking forward with your self confidence.

My wife is from the former East Germany. When we first got married you couldn’t find an English speaker outside of major cities so you had to know German (and I do now). But now you can find English speakers in every town, though not near as common as in the West or bigger cities.

That's why I lowkey respect monolinguals. They keep their language in demand.

As a linguist living in Germany for 10 years now, I totally agree with all your statements.

Die meisten Leute wollen in Deutschland leben weil sie mehr Gelegenheiten wollen oder mehr Geld, bessere Jobs u.s.w ...

In the US, the “speak English only!” mentality often coincides with a pride in one’s European ancestry - which is made of dozens of antagonistic armies, tongues, religious sects, and identities; mostly vanished in time. This irony is often lost on them. I wonder if the same is true in Germany. With tech advancing so quickly, we’re probably only a few years away from some sort of universal translation device that will render this whole topic as obsolete as a Prussian buggy whip.

Regarding your language comment... German is *not* the only official language in Germany. In parts of the Lausitz (roughly from Spreewald northwest of Cottbus in Brandenburg to the Bautzen region), "Sorbisch" (Sorbian), a slavic minority languagy in that region, is an officially accepted language. If you only speak Sorbian, you are legally entitled to do all official business in just this language (locally, of course, which means: Everything the local office provides). I *think* similar regulations apply to the Danisch speaking minority in Schleswig-Holstein.

for me English is just internet language. i can't believe anyone in Europe uses it unironically. if someone talks to me in English i assume he is a far-righter who wants to make me feel like i don't belong here. but it's just my perception as an Eastern European immigrant. maybe those who are from England are treated like natural-born world citizens who are entitled to live wherever they want, and locals are subordinate to them. borders only apply to poor people after all

It's really annoying that people just listen selectivly, do not understand the context, and then start critizing in a most arrogant and self-righteous manner. The ability to listen or to read and correctly understand texts nowadays seems to diminish in the same proportion as self-righteous anger and stupidity rises. Yes, Benjamin, you should not change anyhting and keep up your interesting work which always gives food for thought.

I have invested a lot of time to become fluent in English. That was the best I could do. I love English more than German. Whenever someone speaks English, I slip into it just like I do with my native accent in German. At work, there is no need to speak German. I’m a software developer. But if you live in the countryside you need German to interact with people.

I am now retired. But I grew up during the cold war and prepared myself for a business environment where English, French and Spanish where expected. Then Germany got reunited I lost my job and whenever I applied for a job I was expected to know Polish, Hungarian or Russian... So the idea that the future will be "English" may be quite erroneous. If e.g. in the future an export oriented Germany would need to adjust e.g to India or Indonesia or Brazil that will lead to some loss of prestige of the English language. As to the immigrating workforce, there have also been tremendous changes over the decades. When I went to school in the 70s Italian and Serbocroation were "common" , in the 80s second and third generation Turkish became prominent and Vietnamese boat people, Tamil refugees were "popular". In the 90's all former Soviet citizens who were legally German or had become stateless came to Germany and spoke of course Russian. In the new millenium Farsi and Arabic dominate. Currently in my hometown all the construction workrrs come from Albania. None of these people speak English. They all have to learn and speak German to get along.

At 33 I’ve moved to German speaking country without speaking German. As you said it’s very challenging to learn a new language from scratch as an adult but it’s also not impossible. With practice you are eventually getting better each time and it comes the day when you cannot believe where you started. I have colleagues at work who only speak English but they live in a bubble which with time leaves you frustrated.

I am German and have lived in the UK for 30 years. When I went to visit Germany again recently, I was actually quite shocked about how many people who worked in restaurants etc. didn’t speak German.

Please don't excuse yourself for living in Germany. Just do it and feel comfortable. If you don't like it, you can always move backwards. Greetings from Germany... Edit after seeing the complete vid: Danke! Es wird schon seine Gründe haben, warum Du hier deinen momentanen Aufenthalt hast. Ich mag solche aufgeklärten, ehrliche Menschen! Danke für Deinen Kanal! Gruß!

I really enjoyed listening to your video and appreciate your perspective. I've also relocated multiple times, with my first experience being with the US Army, where I spent my first four years in Germany. I fell in love with the country immediately and have returned several times over the years. Each time, securing residency has presented its own unique challenges. My current reason for living in Germany is due to a relationship with a German man-this isn't young love but rather a partnership between two mature individuals in our 60s. I’ve recently (finally!) secured a job teaching English as a Second Language, while also immersing myself in learning German. I regularly speak German with both my partner and my friends. Like you, I strongly believe in the importance of learning about other cultures, customs, and languages. Having lived in China, Costa Rica, and the Republic of Georgia, I’ve found that embracing diversity helps foster a better understanding among our global neighbors. It’s been a gradual journey, but I’ve experienced positive changes along the way. For me, learning the language is a sign of respect for both the country and its people. I’ve wanted to learn German ever since I first arrived in 1983. One thing you didn’t mention, though, is that when applying to be an ESL tutor, most German language schools won’t even consider you without a residency permit. I’ve been through the process twice-once was relatively quick, but then COVID hit. The second time, it took almost a year and a half. Thankfully, I now have a permit, though it’s only valid for two years.

I think you discript the situation pretty good, i also think you did it last Video. Also yes this hit a nerv of many germans the views and comments of the last videos show this

Once while studying German, I went home and read the Book of Jonah in English and in German since I had an English Bible and a German Bible side by side on the same desk. Then, I went to bed and dreamed I was swallowed by a whale; then another whale that was bigger than the first whale swallowed the first whale. I ended up inside two whales. @8:00 cognitive hell--as an artist, I relate to colors and shapes more easily than to words. This makes learning any foreign language painfully difficult. It is purely verbal, no colors and shapes.

what most ppl don't realise: the whole f...in' world is in a rapid transformation ( not only Europe ) due to globalisation, (new technologies, international relationss and connections in trade and on the private sectors, and so on ) the big problem is a more and more overaged or low educated population. Old and/or unskilled ppl are unable or unwilling to learn new skills and start to resist any change ( I want the time back where I still understood the society around me !). That's in my opinion the real reason for the rise of the 'conservative ' / xenophobic parties or 'movements'. A lot of ppl are just overstrained with the new conditions/ challenges in their lives.

Making English (or any other language) a second official language in Germany would be a recipe for disaster. Just consider how slow and expensive the bureaucratic processes already are now, and with another language (which most public servants do not speak well enough for legally watertight use), this would complicate the bureaucracy even more, massively increasing cost and process times and a lot of things would probably grind to a complete halt.

Depending on who you are and what you value ... Exactly. As somebody who lived in England for a couple of years and loves the English language I abhor the many ways in which Germans imitate English as a perceived upgrade in modern credibility, from more or less misapplied US slang (in teenagers) via commercial buzzwords (in retail businesses) to management to English-language curricula at universities. The result of the latter which I've been observing over the last 20 years or so is an impoverished language in the sciences and especially the humanities, a (specifically) US hegemony over what is worth researching and communicating, and a gradual shift in values altogether. As for politicians, they don't speak English 'in public', at least not when they are talking to Germans, but they try their best on the international stage, inevitably giving the impression of clumsy and second-rate politicians, especially in the eyes of those colonial-minded US (and, probably to a lesser degree GB) English-speaking politicians who still think that English is the only language suited for civil discourse among truly civilized people. As for English as a second language in Germany, I think that would mean das Kind mit dem Bade ausschütten. In plain English: Don't do it. You can't have diversity without a strong sense of community, of shared values, of cohesion. I'm not against accepting English and dropping entrance requirements in German for professional immigrants. It should not be mandatory to be on a specific level of German for an array of professions, but it must be in certain areas of the medical professions and health care where patients or clients do (and should) expect to be understood and to understand. Just my point of view. If you suspect me of a certain backward-thinking branch of political thinking, you'd be mistaken. Quite the opposite.

Well, Germany isn't the official language of just one country. Austria and Switzerland are very decent alternatives for people who learn German language and plan to move to another country or work with the market of German speakers

I spent a year in a small town in Baden-Württemberg (Aalen) in the '80s, as part of a student exchange programme, and arrived expecting everyone to speak English. Wow, was I wrong. I barely spoke German when I arrived but was quite comfortable by the time I returned home; and I bitterly regret not continuing the language afterwards. The local dialect was Schwäbisch and very pronounced. Is that still the case, I wonder?

Thank you for making a follow up video on this topic because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue learning the language. There is hope still for the national language to stay strong even with or without immigration.

The German university I went to 30 years ago had no regular courses in English. Now you can get degrees with English instruction. Globalization

I dislike the fact that basically these unique cultures are being erroded away and they're doing it to themselves by catering to immigrants. I have nothing against immigration, but it's a shame that you have to travel to the countryside nowadays to get an authentic experience.

In some part of Germany, knowing only _Standard German_ is not enough, you have to master, or at least understand the _Mundart_ . All meetings in the _Rathaus_ are held in _Badisch_ were I live.

The German language is not going to disappear though the standard of English is now much higher. Madness not to learn the language though it will be hard when people keep answering in English. People try to speak to me in English as soon as they notice I am a forriner, even though my German is better than their English. People who don't learn the language will never really get to know the country.

I lived briefly in the Taunus region (Konigstein) as a child, and we used to go to Frankfurt a lot. Frankfurt int he 1970s was definitely a German city. You must definitely knew you were in Germany and not in France or the UK. You make some interesting points, but I think you can really cut down on the banter and get to the point quicker. I don't know how the algorhythm got me here, but I am someone who lived as an adult in Japan for a long time and now France. My advice is if you are going to be long term in any country it pays to learn the language to at least a level where you can be polite and do basic things. 25 years ago in Japan you really did have to speak Japanese (I was in Kyoto), otherwise your life would be very restricted. I would say the same about France in 2024. Although the German Government is pro-English, I wonder whether these liberal policies towards language requirements just reflect the views of the upper middle classes and cosmopolitan elites. In France they have now increased the level of required of French language ability to upper-intermediate and that is under a very bourgois government. I can see a lot of counterreactions to globalisation happening in all sorts of ways in the UK, France and elsewhere. I would not be surprised if Germany with a change of government also ends up going in that direction.

Well, I suppose, even for people that speak English just fine and use it themselves it might be perceived sometimes as a problem. Here in Switzerland the whole country is changing at a very rapid pace: Even the countryside here is disappearing and changing into suburbs. It‘s a reality and I‘m not even sure if we can really do something against this change. Anyways there is a feeling of nostalgia and loss in the air for many people that’s why they might sometimes react emotionally when they hear such comments. Unfortunately these topics often cannot be discussed openly because of political correctness. I love how you pointed out that most people move due to economic considerations and there is definitely nothing wrong about that. I personally get sometimes upset how some expats claim for themselves how they improved the world and how they did move for a som kind of higher purpose. They get upset when local local people, that have lived in the place for their whole life, are just moderately enthusiastic and don’t welcome them with open arms.

Well, following this logic, all world speaks English (well, more or less) so why bother learning the local languages. Or even if they don't, machine translation can always do the job. But I believe if one lives in another country one should try to speak the local language out of respect, even if most of the locals can speak English. Even as a tourist visiting a country for several days, I always try to learn some basic phrases of the local language like hello, thank you, good bye, sorry etc.

I can't see English as an official language in Germany. But I can see English mandatory to a wide extent, as here in DK. English and German (French) are mandatory here. English is from day one in school, German is only for 4 years. English became mandatory in 1943!!! What a year to put English into law, then I continued reading the article, I discovered that it was the same time German became mandatory, then I understood. 1943 we had a lot of German boys visiting us. So all native Danes speak English and some German (French) language. We all know how to say "twei bier". I can see DE do the same, mandatory English from day one, but making it an official language, no.

i will learn only english...after stuyied 10 years german law in germany and was raised with german language,,,,,the german language brought for me nothing und stucked in social isolation,,after i started learning english, i get know new friends and freed from my social isolation... with german language you can get only to net Bahnhof..but with english you can cross around the world..

I support introducing English as a second official language in countries like Germany and France, this will benefit both people and the economy - this will attract more qualified people and also locals will be more open to the world. In the end, language is a means of communication.

I have lived in Germany and in French Canada. Typically, when I joined social occasions as a unilingual English speaker, people would graciously switch to English or one person would serve as a translator. Who wants to be the person that everyone else caters to? Who wants to be the person who, after having lived a decade in Germany, can't speak a word of the language? Who wants to live in a ghetto of English-speaking expats like a bunch of white Rhodesians? Yes, you can get by without knowing German in Germany, but why would you want to?

It happened to me once that I had to order food in English at a restaurant in Frankfurt because the waitress did not understand German. But I would say that this is still pretty unusual for Frankfurt. Berlin is different.

Interesting video. I think of the Dutch who seem to be the best English Switchers in the world. I don't think they have a second thought about English as if it is so natural to them to speak English. Germany might soon be more like the Dutch example. Multilingual societies can be a good way to break down hate and cultural biases.

It's unfortunate that you had to respond to those "misunderstandings" but glad that you stood your ground.

I clearly remember my Chinese wife telling me she knew exactly when she became fluent in English - it was when she began dreaming in that language. Does Benjamin dream in both languages or just one?

I understand what you’re doing. You are just stating the situation, the facts. Being objective.

I hate it when I buy an onlyfans subscription from someone in Germany and THEY ONLY SPEAK ENGLISH in their videos - Deutsch ist für mich eine sehr geile Sprache, auch wenn ich nur wenige Wörter verstehe.

Waiting for the video about why Germany doesn't exist

Good day Sir, i'm living in Germany since ... 1998 ... 😮 subbed your channel❤ cheers😊

Whatever language you speak among your friends and family is your personal business, but you need to learn and have a basic grasp of the country's majority language if you are going to live and work in that country. The same rule applies to Americans living abroad.

Economic opportunity is the precise reason why my German forebears left the Palatine region and the city of Altona for America. Now, living in a university town, I would find it weird to be in a monocultural environment. Thanks, Ben, always a pleasure!

i love how english is becoming the default language in berlin, can't wait fort that to spill over to the rest of germany. i hope in a few years the world will have one more english speaking country.

Depends where you want to go and what you want to do. I was working as a receptionist in a hotel in Greece and we had tons of German customers who did not speak or did not want to speak english.

If you listen to geopolitics experts, and even those who predicted todays conditions of war and deglobalisation even 15 years back like Peter Zeihan, unfortunately Germany's future is grim. Once Germany was the industrial and economic powerhouse of the continent, now its quickly deindustrializing, and making really questionable policy decisions. Although its demographic situation has turned upside down, resistance and heavy bureaucracy for skilled educated migrants is still there. It makes me sad to say this, but we all might have to learn French later on hahahaha :D

The idea that you should or need to learn a foreign language probably won't get you very far. You need motivation, and that motivation is an interest in the culture and people of a given country. And learning a language leads with time to a love and respect for both. Knowledge of a language brings greater understanding of the people who speak it, not just on a practical, day-to-day level, but in a deeper, spiritual sense. Personally, I have found learning German and English incredibly rewarding in all sorts of ways. It has enriched my life immensely.

Obs . : Se fosse criada uma língua alemã internacional ( sem o uso de casos e declinações e usando um artigo definido único para os 3 gêneros como modelo para outras classes de palavras) ... Essa língua alemã internacional seria tão boa de usar para os estrangeiros , como é o inglês. A língua oficial continuaria em ativa ... Assim como a cultura . Penso que seja uma solução razoável ! Grato pela atenção e pela acolhida !

The clockwork of Europe is - people migrate without disturbing the existence of variants. That is, those who migrate to Germany will not enjoy the benefit of it. Usually in the 3rd or 4th generation the benefits start to surface. Back in 1800s, this was fine. Nowadays, for instance the french bros who realized french is bottom g, cannot live a life knowing their grandkids might win when theyre in their 80s, while they wait in a queue to Germany.