https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Austria in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed With Austria competing in the World Cup, it's a great opportunity to broaden your German football vocabulary. Here is a collection of words and phrases to know to get into the games. https://www.thelocal.at/20260624/the-german-words-and-phrases-you-need-for-the-2026-world-cup Wed, 24 Jun 2026 16:29:04 +0200 the-german-words-and-phrases-you-need-for-the-2026-world-cup Summer in Austria is when people go outdoors to enjoy public pools, swim in rivers and lakes and complain about the weather. Here are a key few words and expressions to have at hand. https://www.thelocal.at/20220615/the-german-language-you-need-for-summer-in-austria Wed, 15 Jun 2022 09:52:16 +0200 the-german-language-you-need-for-summer-in-austria As Austria moves from grey winter days into brighter spring and early summer weather, there are a few German words and expressions that start to feel especially useful. https://www.thelocal.at/20220411/nine-german-expressions-that-perfectly-sum-up-spring-in-austria Mon, 11 Apr 2022 17:54:57 +0200 nine-german-expressions-that-perfectly-sum-up-spring-in-austria German has more than one special word for the practice of taking a day off to make the most out of public holidays that fall close to a weekend. But which word should you use? That depends a bit on where you are. https://www.thelocal.at/20230406/bruckentag-fenstertag-or-zwickeltag-all-the-german-words-for-getting-longer-holiday-weekends Thu, 06 Apr 2023 09:32:04 +0200 bruckentag-fenstertag-or-zwickeltag-all-the-german-words-for-getting-longer-holiday-weekends Austrian humour is often dry and subtle - even in texts. Here’s what to expect when chatting online, and how to respond without going over the top. https://www.thelocal.at/20250520/from-haha-to-lach-how-to-express-laughter-online-or-in-texts-in-austria Tue, 20 May 2025 16:07:35 +0200 from-haha-to-lach-how-to-express-laughter-online-or-in-texts-in-austria The lack of German language skills and cultural differences in Austrian classrooms are hot topics among the far right and in some local media. But figures show a nuanced picture, with many foreign children integrating successfully. https://www.thelocal.at/20260413/how-well-are-foreign-school-pupils-integrating-into-austrian-schools Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:59:43 +0200 how-well-are-foreign-school-pupils-integrating-into-austrian-schools Austria's government is tightening rules around mandatory German language courses for refugees and asylum seekers in a bid to boost integration. Here's what you need to know and how all foreign residents could be impacted. https://www.thelocal.at/20260323/german-is-key-what-is-austrias-language-course-reform Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:40:49 +0100 german-is-key-what-is-austrias-language-course-reform Every year, children in Austria, including foreign born infants, must take the MIKA-D test to assess their German skills. But why is this test facing such heavy criticism, and could it soon be reformed? https://www.thelocal.at/20250318/does-austrias-german-test-for-schoolchildren-do-more-harm-than-good Tue, 18 Mar 2025 12:22:25 +0100 does-austrias-german-test-for-schoolchildren-do-more-harm-than-good How long does it take to get B1 level German? What happens if Austrians keep speaking English to you? Do you even need German in Austria? We asked a language expert to answer these questions and share tips on how to improve your language skills. https://www.thelocal.at/20260310/dont-be-a-perfectionist-a-vienna-experts-guide-to-mastering-german-in-austria Tue, 10 Mar 2026 13:22:21 +0100 dont-be-a-perfectionist-a-vienna-experts-guide-to-mastering-german-in-austria Applying for citizenship in Austria can be a lengthy and daunting process - and understanding the lingo is like learning a new language in itself. These are the top words and phrases you're likely to hear along the way. https://www.thelocal.at/20230714/the-vocabulary-you-need-to-understand-the-austrian-citizenship-process Fri, 14 Jul 2023 17:19:11 +0200 the-vocabulary-you-need-to-understand-the-austrian-citizenship-process Perhaps you know a sportsperson at the top of their game, or you have a friend who's just really, really good at something. Here's the German word to describe them. https://www.thelocal.at/20260223/german-word-of-the-day-profi-2 Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:41:01 +0100 german-word-of-the-day-profi-2 It’s that time of year again when many of us will be coughing and blowing our noses. If you're feeling a bit under the weather, here are the German words you'll need and some tips on what to do. https://www.thelocal.at/20221004/colds-and-flu-what-to-do-and-say-if-you-get-sick-in-austria Tue, 04 Oct 2022 12:57:34 +0200 colds-and-flu-what-to-do-and-say-if-you-get-sick-in-austria When foreign parents settle in Austria, language is often one of their main concerns. How can children be raised to grow up speaking multiple languages? Here’s what The Local’s readers had to say. https://www.thelocal.at/20260210/each-parent-sticks-to-own-language-tips-for-raising-multilingual-children-in-austria Tue, 10 Feb 2026 15:54:23 +0100 each-parent-sticks-to-own-language-tips-for-raising-multilingual-children-in-austria Did you know Austrians have words for every kind of snow? Here's your vocabulary of winter and what to expect during Austria’s snowy season. https://www.thelocal.at/20241209/austrias-many-many-many-words-for-snow Mon, 09 Dec 2024 12:09:36 +0100 austrias-many-many-many-words-for-snow Want to feel more festive while also improving your German? Writer Sarah Magill digs out some of the most beautiful (and fun) German-language Christmas carols. https://www.thelocal.at/20211220/five-christmas-songs-to-improve-your-german-language-skills Mon, 20 Dec 2021 17:32:51 +0100 five-christmas-songs-to-improve-your-german-language-skills Some Austrian German words capture feelings, experiences, or people with such precision that you might wonder why English hasn’t picked them up yet. https://www.thelocal.at/20240919/ten-austrian-words-that-english-should-adopt-immediately Thu, 19 Sep 2024 15:10:25 +0200 ten-austrian-words-that-english-should-adopt-immediately Whether you're cursing your rotten luck or expressing your surprise, knowing these German interjections is a sure-fire way to showcase your personality while speaking a foreign language. https://www.thelocal.at/20231017/9-exclamations-in-german-that-will-make-you-sound-like-a-local Tue, 17 Oct 2023 18:11:17 +0200 9-exclamations-in-german-that-will-make-you-sound-like-a-local These three tiny words can change the meaning of a sentence completely. The trick is to think of a timeline and an expectation: are we before the expected point, at/after it, or not yet there? https://www.thelocal.at/20251107/german-grammar-tips-whats-the-deal-with-noch-schon-and-erst Fri, 07 Nov 2025 17:30:07 +0100 german-grammar-tips-whats-the-deal-with-noch-schon-and-erst Sleep is a hugely important part of our daily lives, so if you struggle to sort your 'ausschlafen' from your 'einschlafen', this guide to German sleep vocabulary could come in handy. https://www.thelocal.at/20230603/explained-the-german-expressions-you-need-to-talk-about-sleep Sat, 03 Jun 2023 10:36:48 +0200 explained-the-german-expressions-you-need-to-talk-about-sleep Austrian German is 'more beautiful and correct' than standard German, according to Austrians who took part in a new comprehensive language survey. https://www.thelocal.at/20250826/melts-on-the-tongue-why-austrians-prefer-their-german-to-standard-german Tue, 26 Aug 2025 18:52:32 +0200 melts-on-the-tongue-why-austrians-prefer-their-german-to-standard-german