Do Germans speak English? The language barrier in Germany

How well do Germans speak English? German quickly becomes a language barrier for expats in Germany. We show you how to break the language barrier!

Marle

3 minute read

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Updated on 25 Nov 2024

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Living

Germany is one of the most popular places for internationals to relocate to, with its plentiful job opportunities, high-quality, affordable education and affordable healthcare. One of the first questions internationals ask is, “Do Germans speak English?”. Rest assured, plenty of Germans speak English, but you may still encounter a language barrier in Germany as an international. Let’s take a closer look at navigating the German language barrier as an international.

Germans learn English from the age of 5, it’s an integral part of their school system, and English-spoken TV shows and movies are a staple in many Germans’ lives. However, as you encounter older generations, you’ll find that English literacy is lower.

You can certainly survive in Germany without knowing German. The train announcements are in English and German. Many Germans will have some level of English, and those working in service (such as waiters or bartenders) usually have a decent level of English. But if you plan to settle in Germany in the long run, regardless of whether or not you need a visa, you’ll need to start learning some German. Learning German will help you integrate easily and handle day-to-day interactions comfortably.

Plenty of German companies rely on IT experts from abroad, making them more inclined to hire English speakers. But it’s not only software and IT that demand English-speaking employees. Plenty of international companies and manufacturers are based in Germany but work in markets across the world. This leads to a greater demand for English speakers in a number of sectors, from marketing to logistics.

Finding a job in Germany as a foreigner can seem quite intimidating at first when plenty of job listings are only available in German. But if you use the correct approach and target international companies, you’ll quickly see how many English-speaking jobs are available in Germany.

The future of English-speaking jobs in Germany looks bright as younger generations with higher levels of English literacy enter the job market. However, this can also make the job market more competitive, so brush up on your soft skills!

Universities in Germany have been offering more and more English-speaking degrees in recent years. As a result, a growing number of students come to Germany to study in English. You’ll most likely be able to study in a German university without having any German if your course is offered in English.

That said, having some German language skills is incredibly helpful as you navigate your life in Germany. Whether it’s needed for socialising, for bureaucratic affairs, or even saying thank you at the grocery store, learning some basic German will help you a lot as you navigate student life in Germany.

Berlin is a hotspot for students doing internships in English.

While you’ll get by comfortably in Germany speaking English, there’ll still be many occasions where speaking German will help you a lot. For example, citizens' offices, landlords and other bureaucratic encounters you have will demand some German literacy. It’s good to have a German acquaintance or advisor on hand for such occasions, but you can also help yourself by overcoming the German language barrier.

Taking German language courses

There’re plenty of online courses available online, some of which teach you German for free! However, you might want to take actual lessons. In every city, there are language schools, private lessons, or adult education centers (Volkshochschule), which are public educational institutions for adults.

One of the best-known language schools is the Goethe Institute, which is the official cultural institute in Germany. It’s also possible that your employer will provide you with a German language course for free or cover part of the costs.

Using German in your everyday life

Making an effort to incorporate German in your everyday interactions will help you improve your German language skills with minimal effort. Are you doing your groceries at the supermarket? Then try to say "Hallo" or "Danke" at the checkout or even order your cheese at the cheese counter.

If you make German part of your everyday life when you go shopping, read, or watch films with German subtitles, you will soon notice that you are improving your German daily.

Who is your German tandem partner?

"Übung macht den Meister" might become your new mantra. No idea what this means? Get a tandem partner and find out. A tandem partner might give you more room to speak German without any expectations or pressure.

You’ll see that the mantra comes true with a tandem partner - and you’ll soon master German with more confidence.

There's no doubt that you can survive in Germany without knowing German. Every German usually studies English from the age of 5 and especially the younger generation watches British or American series. Of course, in big cities like Berlin, you can master your everyday life in English much more easily than in a village in Germany.

But to be fully integrated in Germany, there is no way around a German course. The language is really the key to immerse yourself in social life in Germany and, above all, to make German friends. But once you've managed to do that, you can be sure that these friendships will last for a long time.