https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Saying 'bitte' in response to 'danke' can become a reflex, especially for early language learners, but there are plenty of other expressions to use. Here are some more interesting ways to acknowledge thanks in German. https://www.thelocal.de/20250303/5-things-to-say-instead-of-bitte-when-someone-thanks-you-in-german Mon, 03 Mar 2025 11:24:35 +0100 5-things-to-say-instead-of-bitte-when-someone-thanks-you-in-german Feeling low on energy and motivation? Struggling to get off the couch? If so, this German word should probably be in your vocabulary. https://www.thelocal.de/20240916/german-word-of-the-day-stinkfaul Mon, 16 Sep 2024 13:07:48 +0200 german-word-of-the-day-stinkfaul From closing a window to folding a stool, this German word has an intiuitive - and slightly onomatopeaic - meaning. But it also has another usage you'll want to know when making plans with friends. https://www.thelocal.de/20250514/german-word-of-the-day-klappen Wed, 14 May 2025 15:02:32 +0200 german-word-of-the-day-klappen German is renowned for its lengthy words. As you might expect, the most unwieldy ones can be found in the worlds of law and finance. We've trawled around to put together the most useful ones for you here (and we've included some just for fun). https://www.thelocal.de/20240806/the-long-german-words-you-need-to-know-and-some-you-dont Tue, 06 Aug 2024 15:50:56 +0200 the-long-german-words-you-need-to-know-and-some-you-dont Small as they are, those two little dots carry centuries of linguistic history. Mastering them is more than just a technical detail; it’s an important step towards speaking German with greater clarity and confidence. https://www.thelocal.de/20260304/the-history-of-the-german-umlaut Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:02:12 +0100 the-history-of-the-german-umlaut This technical term has been named Germany's 'non-word' or 'ugliest word' of the year for 2025, with judges saying the way politicians use it is misleading. https://www.thelocal.de/20260113/why-sondervermogen-is-germanys-ugliest-word-the-year Tue, 13 Jan 2026 16:28:53 +0100 why-sondervermogen-is-germanys-ugliest-word-the-year Germany’s 'word of the year' is all about the brave new world we’re living in – and it’s arguably the most cheerful term to make it into top ten for 2025. So how accurately do this year’s chosen words capture the mood in the country. https://www.thelocal.de/20251208/ki-ara-what-germanys-top-ten-words-of-the-year-say-about-2025 Mon, 08 Dec 2025 12:22:11 +0100 ki-ara-what-germanys-top-ten-words-of-the-year-say-about-2025 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.de/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 Members of Germany's coalition government want to introduce a 10-year ban on naturalisation for anyone who tries to qualify for citizenship using a forged language certificate. https://www.thelocal.de/20251205/germany-plans-10-year-citizenship-ban-for-applicants-who-use-fake-language-certificates Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:54:11 +0100 germany-plans-10-year-citizenship-ban-for-applicants-who-use-fake-language-certificates German is a notoriously difficult language to learn and the path to fluency is marked by milestones that every budding German speaker will recognise. https://www.thelocal.de/20221101/the-seven-stages-of-learning-german-every-foreigner-goes-through Tue, 01 Nov 2022 16:16:17 +0100 the-seven-stages-of-learning-german-every-foreigner-goes-through Germany is on course to abolish a fast-track path to German citizenship that requires C1 level language skills and exceptional integration. We spoke to a foreign resident in Berlin who raced to improve her German to apply before it's too late. https://www.thelocal.de/20250825/turbo-german-studying-an-american-in-berlin-on-the-race-to-qualify-for-three-year-citizenship Mon, 25 Aug 2025 12:42:01 +0200 turbo-german-studying-an-american-in-berlin-on-the-race-to-qualify-for-three-year-citizenship From 'an' to 'zer', we break down what those pesky prefixes mean, and show that they're not as hard to master once you start seeing the patterns in them. https://www.thelocal.de/20200722/the-complete-a-z-guide-to-german-prefixes-and-what-they-mean Wed, 22 Jul 2020 15:45:00 +0200 the-complete-a-z-guide-to-german-prefixes-and-what-they-mean Summer has arrived in Germany, so we’ve put together a list of ten words to help you navigate the hottest season. https://www.thelocal.de/20220607/10-words-to-help-you-enjoy-the-german-summer Tue, 07 Jun 2022 19:24:19 +0200 10-words-to-help-you-enjoy-the-german-summer There are a few different routes to German citizenship. As the rules have changed, here's a guide to what level of German you'll need to have for four broad paths to citizenship. https://www.thelocal.de/20240523/how-good-does-your-german-have-to-be-for-the-different-paths-to-citizenship Thu, 23 May 2024 10:55:55 +0200 how-good-does-your-german-have-to-be-for-the-different-paths-to-citizenship For anyone who wants to get down with the kids in Germany – or even just understand the kids – keeping up with teen slang is a must. https://www.thelocal.de/20250507/how-well-do-you-know-these-german-teen-slang-expressions Wed, 07 May 2025 19:06:25 +0200 how-well-do-you-know-these-german-teen-slang-expressions Whenever you're having an off-day and struggling to get a grip on things, it may be handy to have this German word in mind - that is, if you can remember it. https://www.thelocal.de/20250516/german-word-of-the-day-verpeilt Fri, 16 May 2025 14:49:40 +0200 german-word-of-the-day-verpeilt If you drive in Germany, you’ll be familiar with that sinking feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you turn a corner – and see a tell-tale slip of paper tucked beneath the windscreen wipers of your car. https://www.thelocal.de/20250512/german-word-of-the-day-knollchen Mon, 12 May 2025 13:26:58 +0200 german-word-of-the-day-knollchen If you've lived in Germany for any length of time, you'll know that this word is sadly a fact of life. https://www.thelocal.de/20250505/german-word-of-the-day-papierkram Mon, 05 May 2025 14:18:38 +0200 german-word-of-the-day-papierkram Germany is known for being a land obsessed with insurance coverage. But do you really have to be insured in case you damage someone else's property? We break down the very long word and culture of Haftpflichtversicherung for foreigners. https://www.thelocal.de/20220826/haftpflichtversicherung-what-is-german-liability-insurance-and-do-you-need-it Fri, 26 Aug 2022 18:50:28 +0200 haftpflichtversicherung-what-is-german-liability-insurance-and-do-you-need-it You may think fancy vocab is the only way to impress your friends in German, but these quirky noises could actually be the key to sounding like a local. https://www.thelocal.de/20240424/six-unique-german-noises-to-make-that-will-help-you-sound-like-a-native Wed, 24 Apr 2024 19:23:41 +0200 six-unique-german-noises-to-make-that-will-help-you-sound-like-a-native