The Guide to Successful Living in Berlin
Moving to Berlin? 22 essential dos and don’ts for new Berliners.
We’ve put together a list of the most important things you need to know when you come to Berlin. Not surprisingly, this being Berlin, there are less don’ts than there are dos.
When in Berlin …
Do …
… make an effort to learn some German and try it on the people you meet. Berlin is not Paris, and folks here appreciate it if you try to speak their language. They’ll soon help you out by trying out their English on you. Some areas in the trendy district Neukölln are so full of digital nomads who are just dropping in for half a year or so that German is not spoken in shops, bars, or cafés, which is a source of frustration to the locals who live there permanently.
Oh, and in case you think you already speak German, think again. For instance, in Berlin a bread roll is not a “Brötchen” but a “Schrippe”, and a meatball is not a “Frikadelle” but a “Boulette”. And as for doughnuts, they are called “Pfannkuchen” (which really means pancake) in Berlin, but not in the rest of Germany. But see our first “Don’t” below for more on these very important matters.
Do …
… use public transport, the BVG. The network is excellent, and while the underground may often be quite full, the atmosphere is usually convivial, not least because of the many buskers providing entertainment. While we’re at it, do finish your kebab or Currywurst before you get in. And if you take a bus, do enter at the front.
Do …
… get the €49,- “Deutschland ticket” valid for a whole month on all local and regional trains in all of Germany as well as on public transport in Berlin. Do use it for instance to explore the countryside around Berlin and visit the lakes.
Do …
… ride a bicycle in Berlin. There are many bike lanes, and often a bicycle is the quickest way to get from A to B.
Caveat: Do reconsider this idea if the last time you rode a bike was when you were a child in the open countryside. Do not think riding a bike is like, well, riding a bike.
Do …
… explore the “Kieze”, the different neighborhoods of Berlin. There are huge variations in atmosphere. And do sit beside the river Spree, but also do resist the temptation to jump in. While there have been plans for a large river swimming area in the city center for quite a while, whether they will ever be realized remains uncertain.
Do …
… separate your trash into plastics and packaging (yellow bin), paper (blue bin), organic waste (brown bin, called “Biotonne”), and everything else (black bin). Most houses have these different colored garbage cans in their yards, and the different kinds of trash get collected once a week.
Do …
… round up the bill in a restaurant by about 10% to 15%. The waiter tells you the exact amount, you leave a tip by saying how much you want to pay. So if they say, “€44,30“, you simply reply “fünfzig” (fifty).
Do …
… carry some cash with you. Not everywhere accepts cards. It’s always good to have some change in your pocket.
Do …
… drink the tap water! You don’t need to buy bottled water, but if you do, you can choose between still or sparkling (often it says “classic” on the bottle) or, if you are indecisive, “medium”.
Do …
… enjoy the cinemas in Berlin! There are many smaller and independent cinemas showing mainstream or arthouse films in the original language. There are also a multitude of indy theaters, galleries, etc.
Do …
… call 115 if you need an official appointment. It may take a while to get through, but the people at the other end of line are helpful and friendly.
Do …
… wait for the little green man at traffic lights. Crossing while red is frowned upon, even if there is no car in sight. There may be children watching after all. Take a moment to consider whether this little man is actually a leftover of the old GDR (who is nowadays often found in western parts of town too). Which reminds us: do know where you are, in east or west, and see if you can still spot the subtle differences.
Don’t …
… make the same mistake as JFK and claim, “Ich bin ein Berliner!”. Germans still chuckle at this linguistic faux pas by the beloved US president. It was his crescendo for a speech he held on the balcony of Rathaus Schöneberg in West Berlin during his visit on 26 June, 1963. Germans listened in awe and surprise as the great John F. Kennedy claimed, “I am a doughnut”.
Actually, though, in Berlin a Berliner really is an inhabitant of Berlin, while in the rest of Germany it is a jam doughnut. A jam doughnut in Berlin is a “Pfannkuchen”, while a pancake is an “Eierkuchen” (literally egg cake). And in Berlin, never ever call a Berliner a “Krapfen”. Got it?
Don’t …
… try to get into the famous Berghain nightclub in your work clothes – unless you work in a nightclub. The queues to get into Berghain are long and “Normalos”, ordinary-looking folk, are regularly turned away by the bouncers. It’s not about looking “smart casual”, nor are jeans banned per se. It’s about making an effort to look creative, sexy, or ostentatious. By the way, speaking English too loudly in the queue is also sometimes cited as grounds for being turned away.
Some people claim Kafka was inspired to his parable “Before the Law” by the Berghain bouncers, but we don’t believe this. Anyway, if you do get in, don’t take pictures. Actually, there are plenty of other decent clubs in Berlin.
Don’t …
… think you need a car in Berlin. You don’t. As we said above, the public transport system is excellent. There are also plenty of e-mobility offers such as scooters and electric vespas. Do walk shorter distances and appreciate the art of strolling. You tend to notice more about where you are when you’re walking, and Berlin has wide sidewalks. Speaking of which, …
Don’t …
… walk on the part of the sidewalk that is a faint purply pink color. That’s the bike lane! You’ll soon hear angry bells ringing behind you and cyclists muttering about the stupid tourists as they pass you.
Don’t …
… throw away bottles. Most bottles of drinks you buy have a few cents deposit on them. You can get this back in most shops that sell drinks, you don’t need to take the bottle back to the same place you bought it. However, when you don’t want to bother to take back a bottle, just leave it next to one of the many orange trash bins. Someone less fortunate than you will soon pick it up and exchange it for cents.
Don’t …
… be noisy after 10pm. Even if Berlin really is a city that never sleeps and there are parties going on any time of the night or day, lots of ordinary people live in Berlin too, even in central areas, and many of them have to get up early to go to work. So be respectful of their sleep.
Don’t …
… fret if Berliners seem unfriendly initially in daily discourse. This is likely to be the famous “Berlin gob”, Berliner “Schnauze”, which is just a way the old school city denizens have of communicating. They don’t mean it in a nasty way.
Don’t …
… wish someone a happy birthday on the day before their birthday! On the other hand, if you’re late with your congratulations, add the word “nachträglich”.
Don’t …
… forget that shops are shut on Sundays! If you have forgotten to buy something essential like milk for your muesli, don’t forget to support your local “Späti”, the Berlin equivalent of a 7/11 (closer to 24/7). Alternatively, consider going for a long relaxed brunch in one of the cafés, which is what most Berliners will be doing on a Sunday.
Don’t …
… forget to say cheers before taking the first sip of your drink in company, clinking your glass or bottle with everyone at the table in turn (but only if the beverage is alcoholic – abstainers are not really allowed to clink). Though most everyone will be clinking, don’t cross arms with others, and make sure to look every single person in the eye while aiming at their glass. Say “Prost!” loudly and clearly once before you start this tricky procedure if you’re drinking beer, and “Zum Wohl!” if you’re drinking wine or champagne.
Okay, the distinction between “Prost” and “Zum Wohl” is not so important, but do remember the bit about looking people in the eye while clinking! They say the consequence of not doing so is seven years of bad sex.
Text: Olaf Bryan Wielk, ideenmanufaktur
Header image: © Berlin Partner - eventfotografen.berlin
