When you move to Berlin, you find out pretty soon that everything works better if you speak German. Everyone who tried registering at the Burgeramt, or even ordered a Gemüse Kebab, knows what I mean.

German is a beautiful language.

The good news is that German is a great language to learn. It has pleasant words like ‘Mietschuldenfreiheitsbescheinigung’ and the grammar with its lovely cases is a challenge to all, including germans.

When I moved to Berlin, I started keeping a journal to write down words, sentences, rules and their exceptions and -what I like the most- stuff I hear on the street. I call it Straßendeutch and I’ll share a few quotes with you.

Quotes I overheard people saying

Electronic music doesn’t have a soul. It’s like a new building elektronische musik ist ohne seele

You have to take a day off to get a coffee here frei nehmen

Office space. As long as you don’t feel like working, it’s ok grossraumburo

I can mail and not listen to you simultaniously ickkan

Passion is an important ingredient leidenschaft

Hard to believe this is made by humans menschenhande

Where is the bus? What bus? The bus with the people who care woistderbus

Queen kisses King

That's obvious, isn't it?

Written by Loek van den Ouweland on 2016-09-08.
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