illustrations: Berk Karaoglu.
Berlin is often thought of as a capital of individualists, and its inclusivity is something we’re grateful for every day. But as many of us Ausländers know, the idea of having to integrate into life in Germany is still very much preached by some institutions, and its principles are accordingly taught in special courses. Obviously, the western mindset of molding unique people into perfect(ly boring) citizens is inherently flawed and we can do better. But why not have a little laugh as we’re striving for social change? We’ve put our own spin on the integration process, and present you with our iHeartBerlin Guide to German Integration that will finally let you fully immerse yourself into life in Berlin!
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by Michalina | Stories
illustrations: Berk Karaoglu.
We all know Germans have their quirks – previously, we’ve written about their obsession with bureaucracy, their linguistic fondness for the Wurst, and their unique sense of humor, among many other riveting subjects. This time, we’re entering the strange realm of German food inventions: things you can easily find at a German supermarket, but would really rather not. A warning: this article doesn’t really fall into the NSFW category, but you should probably avoid it around lunchtime.
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by Michalina | Food, Stories
“Learn Deutsch with iHeartBerlin” is our Christmas present to all those Deutsch A1 drop-outs in need for some other kind of motivation to get into the German language. We collected some of our most beloved features about the German language (such as the one about casual German skills) and turned it into a sassy little book. And to make it even sassier we asked internet sensation and stand-up comedian Daniel-Ryan Spaulding to write the foreword to the book who is elaborating on his own naughty reasons why you should learn German – at least a little!
With vocabulary gems such as “Arschgeige”, “Feierabend”, “Wegbier” and the all-embracing “Na?” you will be equipped with the most practical and comprehensive terms that will fool any German into believing you are proficient in the language.
If traditional German classes make you cry our book will be an excellent remedy. Because everything is easier with a good portion of humor.
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by Frank | Books
It’s been a while since we last published a feature from our ongoing series “Learn Deutsch with iHeartBerlin”. In fact, you haven’t got any German tips from us since you were introduced to the “10 German terms that describe complex personalities in one word”. But now, we’re back, and taking it a step further: here’s not just a few new words, but actual sentences! And might I add: extremely practical sentences, since Berliners have always been somehow notorious for their complaining. So if you want to bridge the gap between a tourist and a rightful dweller of this city, you better learn these by heart.
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by Michalina | Stories
Previously on iHeartBerlin, you could learn some unique German words of happiness, get your casual German on fleek, delve into the charming world of German insults and even pimp up your Deutscher dirty talk. But as we’ve realized, we haven’t published any new installments of this series ever since we’ve issued these four articles in our Learn Deutsch with iHeartBerlin book! And because we’ve really missed this format, here goes the brand new edition of our German lessons: 10 German Terms that Describe Complex Personalities in One Word!
Do you know the saying that a picture can be worth a thousand words? Well, as it turns out, a specific German word can sometimes convey a thousand words of another language. Here’s a list of 10 German terms used to describe complex personalities that less efficient and imaginative languages could only dream of.
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by Michalina | Stories
Berlin’s very own hard rock export goods, Rammstein, made a comeback last week with a brand new single and a music video directed by Specter Berlin. And although the band definitely caused many a controversy in their career spanning over a quarter of a century, the song ”Deutschland” has propelled them to the levels of scandal they might not have ever reached before.
To me, the song itself begins in a way slightly reminiscent of Rammstein’s earlier work, and the very first line of the lyrics obviously brings to mind the 1997 hit song that probably made Rammstein the international sensation it is today – ”Du hast”. The past remains the main motif visually throughout the entire ten minutes of the highly cinematic music video – and that’s where the controversy arises.
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by Michalina | Music, Videos
illustrations: Berk Karaoglu.
Even before my attempts at vegetarianism, I never really got the German hype about the Wurst. While national pride is usually a concept that I wouldn’t necessarily embrace, the sausage debate is the one instance where I could almost argue for the Polish supremacy. But in Germany, at least in the linguistic sense – you just cannot do without the Wurst. As we continue our iHeartBerlin mission of trying to provide some guidance while you navigate the maze that is the German language, the time has come for the most ridiculous set of idioms. Click through to enrich both your vocabulary and imagination!
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by Michalina | Stories
Before I proceed, you should know that I am Black and a first-generation immigrant. Therefore, it is not completely lost on me that my feelings on this subject of identity will be met with resistance, disagreeing opinions and questions, all of which may emerge because “Today, I feel German” will be considered by many an atypical declaration. It is not every day a man who was born and raised at the heels of Mount Fako, Cameroon audaciously declares himself part of a giant colonialist nation, Germany, in such a public format. These are not feelings I am allowed to claim ownership of, because possessing such opinions can easily be mistaken for the denouncement of one’s own traditions and heritage in the quest to insert one’s self onto a culture that has no place for one’s sensibilities and difference.
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by Guest Author | People, Stories
Although the mundane day to day routine sometimes makes us forget all about it, German is in fact way more than the apparent mother tongue of bureaucracy. Some actually use it to communicate on a daily basis – even in a joking or figurative manner. While you might have reasonable doubts about the feasibility of such venture, we’re here to introduce these 10 ingenious idioms from the German vernacular that will instantly elevate your conversational competence and make you question everything you thought you knew about particular farm animals at the same time.
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by Michalina | Stories
illustrations: Berk Karaoglu
It seems to be true for most relationships that after three years you get to notice things about your loved one that you’re just not very much into. And as I find, it’s no different after you’ve lived in a country for this period of time. Germany’s love for rules becomes apparent once you arrive at the airport and notice the line you’re supposed to stand behind while waiting for your suitcase to show up. Once you leave the airport, it may gradually start to dawn on you why is love sometimes synonymous with obsession.
We have chosen 10 German words that come from the field of bureaucracy. Chances are you don’t want to know them, but here there are anyway. You’ll thank us later.
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by Michalina | Stories
