1. Basque
2. Hungarian
3. Chinese
4. Polish
5. Japanese
6. Russian
7. German
8. Korean
9. English
10. Swahili

There are some controversial questions which to some extent may never be satisfactorily answered. For instance, why is the train always late when we are on time and on time when we arrive too late? One important question, which falls under this category, is the following: What is the hardest language to learn? When I went to school we had to choose between French and Latin. All the students who decided in favor of Latin were absolutely sure that there was no trickier language on earth to learn. However, the other group, which devoted itself to the French language, was of the opinion that when it came to difficulty no language could come close even to the difficulty rating and kudos of learning French. Is it at all possible to prove either one of them wrong?

As so often is the case, the answer to this question lies partly in the eye of the beholder. For somebody from Spain learning Portuguese doesn’t present too many difficulties and lots of learners from the Netherlands find it quite easy to master the English language. As a matter of fact, different language families as well as cultural issues lead to a different approach of learners towards different languages. Due to the similar or identical characters of Japanese and Chinese, the Japanese can easily understand written Chinese. Interestingly, grasping the Chinese pronunciation has turned out to be more of a challenge for Japanese learners. All this shows, that there are many different aspects that need to be taken into account in order to pass a reasonable judgment on the matter. As English is the nearest thing to a world language there are lots of tools and textbooks that facilitate acquisition of the language, by contrast, this is not true for minor languages spoken by a smaller group of people.

While the common consensus tends to describe Chinese and Russian to be among the most challenging languages, a survey conducted by the British government has shown that this is not necessarily true. According to their results, which are based on interviews with diplomatic staff around the world, they found that on the list of the most difficult languages Basque is the top dog, followed by Hungarian with dozens of word cases. Surprisingly, among the interviewees Chinese was not considered to be hard to learn.






*Top List based on forum discussions in 23 countries

Es ist nicht einfach, ein echter Superheld zu sein. Aber bevor man jemanden auswählen kann, der über allen steht und es verdient hat von den Massen angehimmelt zu werden, muss man definieren, was eine Heldin oder ein Held überhaupt ist. Soweit ich mich entsinnen kann, war der letzte Held in Deutschland Matthias Steiner, Gewichtheber und Gewinner olympischen Goldes, der bei der Siegerehrung ein Foto seiner verstorbenen Frau zeigte. Sie hätte ihn zu den Spielen begleitet, wäre sie nicht bei einem Autounfall ums Leben gekommen. Steiner ist sicher ein wahrer Held für viele.
Aber was macht eigentlich einen Helden aus? Mal abgesehen von den sportlichen Überfliegern, denn die sind irgendwie Ausnahmen.

Zuerst muss man eine Situation haben, wo Helden benötigt werden. Ort und Zeit sind sehr wichtig. Ich würde zum Beispiel gerne ein Held werden, indem ich hier vor dem Computer herumlungere, aber da gibt es nichts Heldenhaftes, was ich tun könnte. Natürlich könnte ich das Nachbarhaus anzünden und dann die gesamte Familie retten, aber das hätte einen faden Beigeschmack. Irgendwie. Das ist also die erste Zutat. Wir brauchen eine nicht selbst verursachte Situation, die nach Helden ruft. Dann muss man noch selbstlos und vor allem schnell handeln, um sich Heldenprivilegien zu sichern. Im Klartext heißt dies, dass der Anruf bei der Feuerwehr aus sicherer Entfernung nicht ausreicht, um zum Helden zu werden. Man muss etwas opfern, sich für andere einsetzen, und zwar mehr als es üblich ist. Damit hätten wir die zweite Zutat. Jedoch fehlt noch eine letzter wichtiger Teil für die Helden-Saga: das Publikum. So könnte ich mich selbst zum Helden erklären, wenn ich morgens in den Spiegel grinse, weil ich finde, dass das Verlassen des warmen und kuscheligen Bettes, um eine kalte Dusche zu nehmen (sagen wir mal, dass es gerade kein warmes Wasser gäbe und ich ohne Dusche alle meine Kollegen bei der Arbeit mit fiesem Schweißgeruch zugrunde richten würde), schon ziemlich heldenhaft ist. Das erscheint aber noch leicht unbefriedigend. Selbst wenn meine Freundin neben mir jubeln würde, hätte ich noch das Gefühl, dass etwas fehle. Wenn nun aber 300 Fans vor dem Fenster applaudierten, dann wäre das schon eine andere Liga! Die dritte Zutat ist also ein Haufen Bewunderer, der dich anhimmelt. Ist das zu viel? Und du möchtest nicht warten, bis das nächste Haus brennt, um ein Held zu werden?

Dann gibt es noch eine geheime Zutat, die es viel einfacher macht, in den Club der wahren Helden zu kommen. Mitleid! Versuche, einem übergewichtigen und menschenfeindlichen Alkoholiker das Leben zu retten und es wird niemanden so wirklich interessieren. Traurig, aber wahr. Nun rette die Katze einer alten Dame und die Meute wird begeistert sein. Das ist nicht fair, aber menschlich. Füge etwas dramatische Musik hinzu, mache ein Video draus und zeige es in den frühen Abendstunden in der Glotze. Schon entsteht ein echter Held. Das Fernsehen und der Otto-Normalverbraucher haben die wahre Heldensaga demontiert. Kürzlich wurde noch ein Mundharmonika-Spieler in Deutschland zum Helden aufgebauscht. Er hatte einen schlimmen Unfall und verlor seinen Job. Er trat dann bei einer Talent-Show auf, spielte kitschige Musik auf der Mundharmonika und gewann, um anschließend einmal durch den Medien und Musikbusiness-Schlamm gezogen zu werden. Man wird ihn, sobald die Verkäufe runter gehen, fallen lassen wie eine heiße Kartoffel. Nicht, dass ich ihm den kurzlebigen Erfolg missgönne, aber manche würden ihn eher als ein Opfer beschreiben.

Wahre Helden sind vielleicht gar nicht so schwer zu finden. Ich kenne ein paar, die auch ohne Kameras, jubelnde Massen und brennende Häuser auskommen. Meine Superhelden arbeiten hart für ihre Liebsten, helfen auch ohne persönlichen Gewinn oder irgendwelchen Ruhm. All jene, die niemals daran denken würden, sich Helden zu nennen, und den Titel doch so sehr verdienen. Vielleicht bist du ja ein Held! Falls ja, lass es dir nicht zu Kopf steigen. Und bitte fang nicht an, Mundharmonika zu spielen. Es geht auch ohne.

It takes a lot to be a true super hero. But before you can choose one that stands above all, that is worth to be admired by the masses, you need to define a hero. For Germany, the last famous person, that I can think of, that was referred to as a real hero was Matthias Steiner, a weightlifter and Olympic gold medalist, who stood on the medalists' podium showing a picture of his late wife who died in a car accident and would have otherwise accompanied him to the Olympic Games. Surely, a real hero! But let’s see what in general makes a hero, and let’s say apart from sports, which is kind of a special case.

First of all, you have to find a situation, a place and time, where there is a demand for heroes.

I’d love to become a hero by sitting here in front of my screen. Yet nothing makes it necessary to behave heroically, unless I were to burn my neighbor’s house and then save him and his family - but then the whole thing would lose its charm. Thus, we’ve found the first ingredient for a story: A not self-caused situation that requires heroic efforts. In addition to this, you have to act, quickly and selflessly, to acquire heroic privileges. That is to say that calling the fire engine when watching a house burning from a secure distance doesn’t make anyone a hero. You have to make sacrifices and show that you care for people and help more than others would. This is the second ingredient that we need to create a nice hero story. But, of course, there’s still something missing that turns out to be very essential: the audience. I can declare myself a hero in the morning when I grin at the mirror, because I find leaving my warm, tempting bed (ingredient 1) to take a freezing cold shower ingredient 2) pretty hero-like (let’s say there’s only cold water and I would smell terrible without taking a shower, which in turn would cause my colleagues at work to have severe health problems). But, this appears rather unsatisfactory. Even if my girlfriend was there to support me in this belief as well, it wouldn’t be great hero’s saga. If, however, 300 hundred admirers, were to gather in front of the bathroom window, the whole thing would reach a higher level! So, ingredient number 3 is a crowd of cheering fans that makes you feel similar to a real champion. You think this is quite a lot to take in? And that you can’t wait for the next house to burn down in order to save life and become a star?

Then, I have a secret ingredient for you that makes it much easier to enter the heroes all stars hall of fame. It’s sympathy! Just try to save the life of a big-boned, jobless and anti-social alcoholic. You’ll see that nobody would really care. Sad but true. Now, do the same for a little whining cat of an old lady and the masses will go crazy. That’s not fair but human. If you then, add some dramatic music and lights, make a video and broadcast it during prime time, a real hero is born. Weird, isn’t it? TV and the compassion of the average person have long ruined the hero saga. Just recently, a harmonica player, who had a bad accident and had lost his job, appeared on one of these talent shows playing cheesy songs and won it to then be completely exploited by the media and music business, that will drop him down like a useless stone as soon as the sales go down. Not that I begrudge him any of his short-lived success, but some may argue that this sounds more like a victim story than that of a hero.

Anyway, true heroes maybe aren’t that hard to find. I know some that don’t need any cams, applauding crowds or burning houses. My super heroes are those working hard for their beloved ones, day by day, helping without seeing any profit or fame. Those, who would never think of themselves as heroes, and still deserve this title so much. So, maybe you are one of them. If so, please don’t let it go to your head and start playing the harmonica. It’s fine like it is.

Below is our list of the Top 10 Programs for Study Abroad in German. To read the article introducing our study abroad feature click here. If you want to know more about how & why this list came to be, click here.

1.	DAAD: (University)
		Provides one-year scholarships for exceptional foreign university students in Germany. For more than 75 years now, the DAAD has been advancing academic relations between Germany & other countries as well as, more generally, to promoting the fields of education, science, culture and research. Info: All subject areas, requires German knowledge, scholarships available, multiple housing options www.daad.de
2.	Erasmus: (University)
		Allows European students to go on exchange for one year or semester to the German, Austrian, or Swiss University of his or her choice. Application and administration is facilitated by a student’s home university. Info: All subject areas, only EU students eligible, scholarships available, multiple housing options http://www.language-learning.net/sb_146_2_2_148.html#%20ERASMUS
3.	Youth for Understanding: (High School)
		Youth for Understanding (YFU) prepares young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world by offering High School exchange programs. Info: Only American students eligible, extensive student support www.yfu-usa.org
4.	Franco-German Exchange: (University)
		The Franco-German University (FGU) consists of a group of affiliated member universities from both France and Germany. It has a decentralized campus, with the administration located in Saarbrücken. Info: German knowledge required, only French students eligigble, scholarships available, easy credit transfer www.dfh-ufa.org
5.	CIEE: (High School)
		CIEE is a non-profit organization promoting international education and exchange. Founded in 1947 and based in the USA, CIEE offers programs at many German-speaking High Schools. Info: Only American students eligible, extensive student support www.ciee.org
6.	EF International: (High School & University)
		EF Education First is an organisation of language schools consisting of 14 subsidiaries focused on language travel, educational travel, cultural exchange, au pair and academic studies. They also offer an immersion year abroad for High School students. Info: Multiple program options, extensive student support www.ef.com
7.	IES Abroad: (University)
		One of the nation’s oldest, largest, and most reputable study abroad providers, IES Abroad is a not-for-profit organization that enrolls more than 5,000 students annually. The programs in Berlin & Freiburg allow students to take German language courses, study center courses taught in English, & Immersion courses through the local German Universities. Info: American & Canadian students eligible, strong focus on language acquisition www.iesabroad.org
8.	AFS: (High School)
		AFS Intercultural Programs is an international, voluntary, non-governmental, non-profit organization that provides intercultural learning opportunities to help High School students develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to create a more just and peaceful world. Info: All nationalities welcome, extensive student support, large Alumni association www.afs.org
9.	Antioch Education Abroad: (University)
		Antioch Education Abroad has been sending students to study at Eberhard-Karls-Universität (Tübingen University) since 1958. The Antioch in Germany program encourages complete immersion while supporting the needs of American students abroad. Info: American & Canadian students eligible, interdisciplinary focus www.aea.antioch.edu
10.	Abroadco: (Univeristy)
		Abroadco's study abroad program in Marburg allows students of all language levels to study German language, culture and history as well as electives in the arts and sciences at the Philipps-University Marburg. Info: Only American students eligible, extensive student support www.abroadco.com

Find the Top Study Abroad Program Button here to add it to your website!

Fangen wir mit “Bobbele” Becker an. Der Sprachfehler ist nun wirklich nicht seine Schuld! Aber könnte er nicht zumindest versuchen, seinen Wortschatz von 100 auf 200 Wörter zu erweitern? Natürlich meine ich sein Deutsch! Woran liegt es, dass so viele Sportler nicht anständig sprechen können? Ich meine, sie müssen nicht Goethe oder Kant zitieren, aber zumindest die grundlegende Grammatik beherrschen! Verlange ich zu viel? Vielleicht...

Es gibt noch einen anderen Aspekt, der etwas Aufmerksamkeit verdient: Warum wechseln unsere Sportler, vor allem die männlichen, so häufig die Geschlechtspartner? Ein Grund könnte sein, dass sie ihre Hormone nicht unter Kontrolle haben. Nach Jahren sportlicher Höchstleistungen braucht der Körper vielleicht mehr „Aktivitäten“ als normalerweise, könnte man meinen. Aber das hört sich etwas an den Haaren herbeigezogen an. Sollten sie nicht etwas Verantwortung übernehmen, anstatt mit Fremden in Besenkammern und/ oder Weihnachtsfeiern rumzumachen? Zu ihrer Verteidigung könnte man jedoch anführen, dass es letztlich die Medien sind, die über diese nervigen Sittenverstöße berichten. Jetzt merke ich erst, dass es fast immer die Fußballer sind, die sich unmoralisch gegenüber Frauen verhalten! Warum habe ich noch nie so etwas von Dirk Nowitzki gehört! Und dann die ganze Bestechung beim Fußball! Warum können sie nicht einfach gut spielen und dabei sportlich lächeln? Vielleicht ist es auch nicht die mangelnde Reife der Männer, sondern das Geld, weshalb Sportsmänner ihre Prinzipien verkaufen! Geld zerstört Leidenschaft!

Wie auch immer, ich schweife ab. Zurück zum Sport: Ich mag Frauenfußball! Und die deutschen Fußballmädels sind zweifacher Weltmeister! Gut gemacht! Und sie zeugen nicht wahllos Kinder – was sicher auch daran liegt, dass sie es nicht können – dennoch glaube ich, dass Fußballfrauen einfach anständiger sind! Ich brauche noch mehr Fakten, um das zu belegen, aber die werde ich sicher nachliefern. Bis dahin gibt es hier eine nette Quelle, um mehr über den deutschen Frauenfußball zu erfahren:

http://www.dfb.de/index.php?id=503372

Und hier noch den deutschen Fußball-Helden Lothar Matthäus live in Englisch.

Viel schlimmer als sein Deutsch klingt das gar nicht.

Let’s begin with Boris “Bobbele” Becker. His speech defect really isn’t his fault, but he could try to broaden his vocabulary from 100 to 200 words. Of course, I mean his German vocabulary. Why is it that so many athletes can’t speak properly? They don’t have to quote Kant or Goethe, but the basic grammar? Am I demanding too much? Maybe…

There’s another aspect worth mentioning: Why are so many sportsmen, and by “men” I mean literally “men”, so promiscuous? One reason could be that they struggle with controlling their hormones – after living the life of a professional athlete, you still need a lot of physical exercise, one can’t help but argue, but it’s a kind of far-fetched argument. Shouldn’t they take some responsibility since the world looks at them as the “role models of morals,”, and not make out with strangers in broom sticks or during Christmas parties, or both? They should at least have the guts to admit it afterwards and not let the paternity tests uncover what resulted after those possibly drunk promiscuous incidents? In their defense, who are we to blame them? Of course, they are entitled to live their own private lives. It’s the media which sensationalizes their every move (particularly those which merits tabloid front pages). Now it dawned on me that it’s always the famous soccer players who are the ones who can’t restrain themselves. But how come I’ve never heard anything negative about Dirk Nowitzki! Apart from the lack of morals of most of the German soccer players with women, there is also so much bribery going on! Why? Can’t you just play and look buff? By the way, maybe it’s not the maturity of men, but the money and fame that makes some of them betray their principles (at least if they have some).

Anyway, I digressed, let’s go back to sports: I like women’s soccer! And the German female national team is the two-time defending world champion. Well done! They play wonderful soccer, and to my knowledge, they don’t father children with strangers, which is partly due to their incapability to father children at all. Anyway, I argue, that female soccer players are better sportsmen vis-a-vis sportswomen. I still need more information, but that I will get into in due course. Until then, I have a nice source for you to learn more about women’s soccer in Germany:

http://www.dfb.de/index.php?id=104

And the German soccer hero Lothar Matthäus speaking in English:

You may think, my goodness, why is his English so bad? But, never mind, his German doesn’t sound any better.

Being from the north of Germany I feel slightly uncomfortable when I talk to Saxons, though it’s hard to put in words what exactly it is that bothers me – this might be the same for them upon hearing my north German accent! The funny thing is, of course, that we don’t really recognize our own dialect until we live among people with another dialect different to our own. Yet even more heart-warming is when you chance across someone with your own dialect when living there - then you hear words that nobody else around you uses and pronunciation that you quickly identify as common linguistic ground.

For all those who would like to find out more about German dialects there is now a great tool to learn and smile about. There is a dialect guide for the whole country and – who would have expected– Bavaria has got its own one. Especially amusing when it comes to speaking with a dialect are non-Germans who learned German in a particular region of the country, like Bavaria, or even more charming to the ear are foreign students who lived in Austria or Switzerland. They know better than anybody else how diverse the German language is. Sometimes it takes them some weeks or months to really grow accustomed to “High German”. To be honest, I don’t understand that much when I speak to some older folks from Bavaria. It’s like the Shanghai dialect and standard Chinese – more or less two different languages in the same country…

What’s with your language? Do you have any dialect cards or guides for your home country? Do you understand your fellow countrymen from regions with a particular dialect? And would you like to? If you come across something similar to these dialect cards for your country please let us know…

For German please check this here:
http://www.basicthinking.de/blog/2008/12/08/die-dialektkarte/
http://www.basicthinking.de/blog/2008/12/05/1000-arten-dienstag-zu-sagen/

The weather in Germany… let’s not talk about the weather in Germany, just bring along your umbrella, gumboots, hats and gloves, medicine for the likely case of you getting a cold, and expect stormy autumnal weather, regardless of when you come and where you go. This country has some beautiful spots, and I am sure the Germans would spend all their holidays between Flensburg and Oberstdorf if the weather Gods were a bit fonder of us. However, due to the climate conditions, we do have a diverse flora and fauna as well as every kind of fruit and vegetable, though to be honest, I don’t care to much about this joyous fact of German life when I get drenched to the skin every time I leave the house.

As for matters of social etiquette, I quickly asked a British friend on the matter, and received this interesting reply: “For me, as a Britain, especially hard to get used to was the direct way of talking to people, with a lot less humour and politeness than would be found in a typical English conversation. I have found from experience that making lots of jokes in a conversation isn't quite as easy or acceptable to do with Germans as it is back home, which is something that certainly takes some getting used to.” Furthermore, foreign friends keep telling me that either the Germans are too rude and direct or too cold and distant, which sometimes is also interpreted as behaving overly politely and formally. So, getting mentally prepared for a slightly weird social life might also be a good advice for all those who want to stay longer in Germany.

With regard to food, I asked some Chinese friends, actually they tell me all the time anyway. They hate German food – with good reason. They say it’s boring, salty, it comes in huge lumps instead of being cut into mouth-friendly pieces and cooked without love, which admittedly might be true for some of our dishes. Sorry guys. But even though German food draws no comparison with the Chinese cuisine, we do have some nice dishes here as well. A good way to try some is to ask a German friend if they can introduce you to their grandma in order to learn more about the German history and tradition. The chances are very high that this grandma will serve you some delicious German food! Easier though more expensive is going to an upscale German restaurant and ask for something delicious that is also edible for foreigners. And then please post here if you liked it or you got thrown out.

Last but not least, the language: German isn’t easy to learn, but there is a logic to it. That’s not very reassuring? With the right attitude and some German friends to talk to, mastering German is surely doable! Just a tip for English natives: Say you are from a country that nobody knows in order to avoid having to speak English all the time. I have also listed a few useful words:

Sie and Du: Important difference which also touches upon the German politeness mentioned above. The impersonal ‘Du’ is for people in your age group, friends and family. ‘Sie’ is formal and for all those who don’t fall into these categories.

Scheiße: Is a common swearword. Avoid it if possible, just know what it means.

Moin: Means „Hello“, sometimes just “Good morning” and is mostly used in North Germany. The origins are uncertain.

WG: Abbreviates the word “Wohngemeinschaft”, a shared flat, the place to be to learn colloquial German, particularly recommendable for students.

Gesundheit: Is the German counterpart of “Bless you”.

So I really hope this can help, but as we all know some mistakes you have to make yourself. Just try to enjoy your time in Germany and take everything with a smile. In case you encounter a rude German, don’t take it too personally: they don’t mean it, it’s the salty food that makes them act like this…

Great source:
http://de.bab.la/trainer/vokabeln/lektion-ansehen/englisch-deutsch/survival-guide/51.html

Das Wetter… oh, lasst und nicht vom Wetter sprechen. Bitte bringt einfach nur Schirm, Gummistiefel, Mütze und Handschuhe mit und am besten auch Medizin für den wahrscheinlichen Fall, dass ihr euch eine Erkältung einfangt. Erwartet am besten immer und überall stürmisches Herbstwetter in Deutschland. Es gibt wunderschöne Orte hier und ich bin mir sicher, die Deutschen würden nur Urlaub zwischen Flensburg und Oberstdorf machen, wenn uns doch nur die Wettergötter etwas zugeneigter wären. Dafür gibt es aber eine bunte Vielfalt an Flora und Fauna sowie wunderbare Früchte und Gemüse. (Was mich ehrlich gesagt nicht kümmert, wenn ich jedes Mal bis auf die Haut nass werde, sobald ich das Haus verlasse.)

Was die soziale Etikette angeht, habe ich rasch einen Deutschland-Kenner aus England zu Rate gezogen. Er erklärte: „Für mich Briten war es besonders schwer, mich an die direkte Art zu sprechen zu gewöhnen, mit kaum Humor und Höflichkeiten, wie man es von typischen Unterhaltungen in Englisch kennt. Im Gegensatz zu England macht man hier nicht so viele Scherze, was wirklich gewöhnungsbedürftig ist.“ Daneben erzählen mir ausländische Freunde immer wieder, dass die Deutschen zu unhöflich und direkt sind oder zu kühl und distanziert erscheinen, was auch als übertriebene Höflichkeit interpretiert wird. Also sollte man sich auch auf ein mitunter seltsames Sozialverhalten einstellen, wenn man denn plant, länger in Deutschland zu bleiben.

Was das Essen angeht, habe ich mal bei chinesischen Freunden nachgefragt. Und sie erzählen mir sowieso oft davon. Sie hassen deutsches Essen – aus gutem Grund. Sie sagen, es sei zu salzig, käme als großer Klumpen anstatt in mundgerechten Häppchen und wäre lieblos zubereitet, was für manche Gerichte hier wahr sein könnte. Bitte entschuldigt. Aber auch wenn die deutsche Küche sich nicht mit der chinesischen anlegen kann, so haben wir doch auch manche leckeren Speisen. Ein guter Weg, sie zu kosten, ist deutsche Freunde zu fragen, ob sie euch ihrer Oma vorstellen wollen, da ihr mehr über die deutsche Geschichte und Kultur erfahren wolltet. Die Chancen sind hoch, dass die Oma euch ein paar deutsche Köstlichkeiten serviert. Oder ihr geht in ein ordentliches deutsches Restaurant und fragt nach deutschen Spezialitäten, die auch Ausländern schmecken könnten. Danach postet bitte hier, ob es euch geschmeckt hat oder ihr rausgeworfen wurdet.

Zuletzt zur Sprache: Die deutsche Sprache ist nicht leicht zu lernen, aber sie ist sehr logisch aufgebaut. Das ist nicht sehr beruhigend? Mit der richtigen Einstellung und deutschen Freunden, mit denen ihr sprechen könnt, ist Deutsch wirklich lernbar. Ach ja, Muttersprachler der englischen Sprache sagen bitte, dass sie aus einem unbekannten Land kommen, wenn sie nicht die ganze Zeit ihre Muttersprache benutzen wollen. Ich habe auch noch diese nützlichen Wörter für euch:

Sie und Du: Wichtig, wenn es um die oben erwähnte Höflichkeit geht. Das lockere „Du“ ist für Leute im gleichen Alter, Freunde und Familie. „Sie“ dagegen ist formeller und für alle anderen.

Scheiße: Dieses gebräuchliche Schimpfwort sollte man kennen, aber nicht benutzen.

Moin: Besonders in Norddeutschland begrüßt man sich von morgens bis abends mit „Moin“. Erinnert stark an “Morgen”, aber die Ursprünge sind unklar.

WG: steht für Wohngemeinschaft. Der beste Ort, um die deutsche Umgangssprache kennen zu lernen und besonders für Studenten sehr empfehlenswert.

Gesundheit: Das Stichwort, wenn jemand niest.

Ich hoffe, dass dies etwas hilft. Dennoch gilt, dass man einige Fehler selbst machen muss. Also versucht, die Zeit in Deutschland zu genießen und alles mit einem Lächeln zu nehmen. Wenn ihr mal einen fiesen Deutschen trefft, denkt daran: Sie meinen es nicht so, es liegt alles am salzigen Essen...

Tolles Hilfsmittel:
http://de.bab.la/trainer/vokabeln/lektion-ansehen/englisch-deutsch/survival-guide/51.html

Christmas is coming soon and I am wondering whether there is anything German about this charming holiday. To my knowledge Jesus wasn’t born in Germany, the Christmas Carols as well as the motifs are from the US and the colors originate from Coca Cola! Our Christmas chocolate comes from Switzerland and the Christmas game, White Elephant, is derived from an American tradition. Even the yearly fights around the Christmas table are internationally ubiquitous. How wonderful to have such a great international holiday reflecting the close ties between the European and American culture. On the other hand, wouldn’t it be great to find something typically German, maybe a little something that shows that the Germans also contributed to the tradition.

What’s with the Christmas tree? Well, there are many who claim that it’s from Germany, but the evidence seems to some a bit fragile! And the Glühwein/ mulled wine? You can enjoy it everywhere in Germany during the Christmas season, but it appears to have roots in the ancient world and the Scandinavians are proud of their Glögg which is also a form of mulled wine!

Can this be possible? Isn’t there anything exclusively German? When I was just about to give up my desperate search, my eyes wandered through our Christmas-decorated living room, and focused on the Advent calendar! Fantastic, if this could be German, I would be the happiest man alive. And further research in fact shed light on the exclusive German heritage of the Advent calendar! It was invented by Gerhard Lang and at the beginning called the Christmas Calendar. Why did he do it? It was actually his mother! It is said that Gerhard Lang drove his mom up the wall with his impatience in the face of the Christmas build-up: “How many days left until Christmas, mom???” As a result she came up with a calendar that could help her son count the days himself. Years later, and all grown up, Lang then brought the calendar to the masses. Nowadays Advent calendars are filled with chocolate, toys, lottery tickets and some particularly special versions are available in German sex shops.

Sadly, the idea of sweetening the time up until Christmas by hanging up a calendar didn’t work for me and my brothers when we were young. We used to eat the chocolate pre-emptively and then complain that it had been stolen. My brother once ate all his chocolates on the 1st of December, arguing that in this way Christmas would be preponed to the 2nd. Needless to say, this attempt of rewriting the calendar didn’t succeed. My brother ended up with an upset stomach and got scolded by our mom.

Reference:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/christmas/german/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent_calendar