Getting by in Berlin without speaking German

Hey guys,

I've been trying to get things done by phone to get a flat, phone service, etc sorted out in Berlin before I get there.

Basically, no one I've talked to even spoke a few words of English. And I don't speak German.

I'm starting to think it's going to be really lonely and frustrating in Berlin without being almost native fluent in German. Am I wrong in my impression?

Also, I'm starting to think the UK would be so much easier and convenient. Maybe somewhere in the North like Newcastle or Leeds. Anyone from these towns and would you say Berlin really is much more of a superior place to live for a single English-speaking guy? Or do these cities in the NE (e.g. Edinburgh, Leeds, Newcastle) offer a lot as well?

Thanks.

Eek! Don't give up before you've even started!!
Personally I find the easier and more convenient route is not anywhere near as much fun.
Depends what you're really looking for though.

yeah, hard to say...

I don't speak german ...but I've got my girlfriend to help when I need to figure things out like you've been. Anything apartment-wise or legal...my gf handles it and I just follow. I love living here, but think it would be very difficult sometimes if I didn't have my translator at my side ...it is an adventure sometimes...which is a good thing

Also for someone who is not used to it a strong geordie (Newcastle) accent can be almost as difficult to understand as German.

Was in a pub with a German mate once who speaks excellent English and I got talking to a geordie and my mate tapped me on the shoulder and said with a look of awe - I didn't know you understood another language!!!

My German colleagues often laugh when we have a video conference/meeting with our office in the US, as I often mis-understand their American English. They find it strange but most Germans learn American English anyway.

I can recommend Newcastle and Edinburgh. Germany is good too though - depends what you are after though as was mentioned above. I find it nice with a challenge

It really can be tough getting things done without a German speaker to help you at first. I would have been lost here without friends who could help with forms and administrative stuff. You quickly learn to deal with stuff like that yourself.

Also, some things will be more difficult to arrange over the phone. Once you arrive in the country and talk to the people in person, you can usually figure out what you need to do, or they can find someone who speaks English. The first step of arranging things from out of the country is definitely the hardest. I've actually found that quite a few official people I talked to could speak some English, though they sometimes need to be coaxed a bit. Deutsche Telekom also specifically hires some English operators, though it's not always easy to reach one.

The quality of your social life depends more on how outgoing you are than your language. You will always find a way to communicate if you are willing to make the effort; it's just that without the language it sometimes takes a bit more effort.

"I'm starting to think the UK would be so much easier and convenient."
Of course, but if you wanted easy and convenient, you would just stay home, right? I don't think Berlin (or any city) is an inherently superior place for a social life. But it definitely has one thing you won't find back home: a chance to experience a different language and different culture.

Edinburgh would be a great place to live, as would Newcastle. If you head to Berlin though, just head down to your nearest Irish / English / Aussie pub and socialise. You soon get to meet people. In my experience there are no more or less english speakers up in Berlin than Munich.

I don't think there's any point coming to Germany if you're not prepared to learn German.

As for Leeds (my home town!), you certainly won't need to learn a foreign language (although you will probably pick up a lot of local slang) - but what are you planning on doing there? It's certainly nothing like Berlin - it's a fairly provincial medium-sized city (population about 700,000), lots of university students, but not cosmopolitan or exciting if that's what you're looking for.

Leeds is great to live in as a student.. not sure what the job market is like there. Fairly international in the student scene (biggest programme of exchange students from China for example).
Edinburgh is really lovely too, probably as a working person better than Leeds. I would choose Edinburgh over Leeds.
Not lived in Newcastle but seems ok..
However, stick it out in Berlin maybe for a set period, 6 months, and if you're still having difficulties and not enjoying it, maybe then think about moving? But give it a chance

Hey,

I decided to try out Berlin, but I'll be there at least a year since that's how long my lease is.

Hope I like it. I even thought of changing my plans at the last minute to Utrecht/Amsterdam or Leeds/Manchester.

Oh well. We'll see what happens I guess.

What part of Berlin are you moving to? I find quite a lot of people do speak english here in Berlin.

But don't worry about not speaking German, you will pick it up soon.

If you ever feel like a chat in English, send me a mail, I live on the outskirts of Berlin but work in the city

it used to be that the people in the eastern side of Berlin predominantly did not speak English whereas in the western side they tended to speak quite passable English. Of course, things will have changed now with people moving across town, so maybe it is pot luck now.

Go and live in the east, then - you'll learn German quicker.
I imagine quite a lot of the people running the shops and bars will have stayed put, so what OG says will still be true to a certain extent.

Keep at the lingo thing. It is incredibly frustrating and tiring, but there are so many people less educated or intelligent than yourself who have succeeded.

Look at the footballers.