How Moving to Germany Forces You to Rethink Communication

Moving to another country is always an opportunity for a fresh start. It also gives you a new perspective on your culture and mannerisms — often forcing you to rethink them. Moving to Germany is a great example of the need to adjust to a new locale. Even if you’re relocating from another Western, developed country with a seemingly similar culture — you’ll find that you’ll need to adapt your way of communication.

With that in mind, let’s see how communicating with Germans differs from the rest of the world — and what you can do to adjust in this step-by-step guide.

Communication in Germany 101

One of the first things you’ll notice about German — and Germans — is their direct approach to communication. Compared to other European cultures, let alone other cultures around the world, they’re far more direct. Very few things are left unsaid, and they’re not keen on reading between the lines. On the flip side, you won’t have to try very hard to understand the emotions they’re trying to convey. In Germany, conversations are quite open.

This directness pairs well with another key trait you’ll notice after moving to Germany — formalness. And this aspect of the country’s communication style permeates every facet of life, from private conversations to the workplace. Therefore, hire international operators like International Sea & Air Shipping to help you with the logistics of your move while you learn how to communicate with Germans effectively.

The feature of the language is that it is direct and formal. In German, you have a personal pronoun for people you don’t know that’s more formal than the one you’d use with family and close friends. When your higher-up at work tells you to address them more informally, it’s also a sign that you’ve established a decent rapport.

Don’t Expect Small Talk

Many cultures thrive on small talk. In fact, some cultures almost have a prerequisite amount of small talk before you can discuss serious issues. This rule holds up even in a professional environment.

After moving to Germany, you’ll find things are quite different there. Germans don’t appreciate small talk nearly as much. Of course, this doesn’t mean there is absolutely no small talk. But if you go straight to the point and discuss business in a formal meeting, you won’t be viewed as impolite.

If you hire a plumber and extend them a basic courtesy like “How are you?”, expect to receive an in-depth, honest answer. To an American, for example, this level of blunt honesty can be uncomfortable, at least at first.

This level of honesty is something to get used to as well. In Germany, people will often speak their minds even when they’re critical of your thoughts or actions. On the other hand, this might make Germans seem cold initially — but that’s not the case. In conversations with family and friends, they can be quite warm.

However, they believe that a high level of honesty in communication keeps relationships strong and builds integrity. That’s why a boss who appreciates you will critique you quite directly in Germany — they see constructive criticism as help towards improvement. In retrospect, this seems like the correct way of looking at things.

Non-Verbal Conversation Cues

As mentioned above, Germans speak their mind more than the average European culture. However, that doesn’t mean communication in German (and with Germans) isn’t supported by many non-verbal cues. While communication is direct, learning to pick up on subtle body language will give you an even deeper insight into what the other person is trying to convey.

Picking up on such subtleties can take a while, especially when moving from another country. To ensure a hassle-free move to Germany, consider moving from the US and hiring movers to handle the process for you. In the process, you'll have ample energy to spend on learning local non-verbal cues.

For starters, prepare yourself for more silence. In other Western cultures, prolonged silence might signal passive-aggressiveness or anger. However, that's far from the case in Germany. Here, people are more comfortable with not talking. It’s considered impolite to talk when you ultimately don't have anything important to say. If nothing interesting comes to mind, sitting in silence is completely fine there.

You'll also notice more eye contact during conversations than you might be used to. In Germany, eye contact without interruption is considered a sign of respect. It's a way of showing the other person they've got your attention and focus. If you're not used to this, you may be averting your gaze mid-conversation — which some may view as impolite.

Bear in mind that Germans are also not known as big huggers — especially in the workplace, they tend to keep their distance while talking. Try to adapt and respect their physical boundaries.

Common Mannerisms

Besides the more subtle non-verbal cues, some German mannerisms may not be common in your culture. Of course, there's no step-by-step guide to every gesture, but there are certain things you should be aware of.

For instance, Germans sometimes punctuate the end of conversations by knocking their knuckles on a table or nearby surface. They do this to show their approval of the conversation but also to signal that it's ending.

Top Communication Tips

Considering all of the above, what can you do to communicate with the locals better after moving to Germany? For one, you need to be prepared, especially in the workplace.

Germans aren't fond of improvisations or making things up on the spot. On the contrary, they appreciate people who present ideas after thorough preparation. The same goes for voicing your opinion on anything — think it through first and avoid spitballing. Germans cut through the noise quite quickly and appreciate getting to the point.

As a result, Germans make decisions more deliberately than most other people — but that also means they often take longer to make a call or respond to a question. Don't take this as a sign of something wrong; try to be more patient.

Also, Germans appreciate punctuality — that stereotype is absolutely correct. Being on time shows that you appreciate someone's time, even if you're meeting online.

Wrapping Up

As you can see, moving to Germany may mean you need to adapt your communication style slightly. However, most of the local quirks of German communication are highly practical, and you'll soon grow to appreciate them in everyday situations. Plus, if you don't understand something, asking for clarification is completely fine. Germans won't judge you for not understanding something; they'll appreciate your effort to communicate effectively.