https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioNFowSM5ko

Who says Germans have no sense of humor? Fritten zum Mittag is a German comedy show with closed captioning in German. It is a great way to watch, follow and listen to common German conversations — outside of the typical textbooks and daily news. You might get a laugh out of this episode, where the „Fritten Frau“ turns the tables on her customers.

To keep you motivated during frustrating times.

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Name: Saskia Mitreuter

Age: 27

Profession: German instructor

Location: Wittenbergplatz

Story: Saskia is my teacher at the Deutsch Akademie. She began teaching German in 2009, but revisited it in January when she began teaching level A1.1. A master’s student of psychology at the University of University of Groningen in the Netherlands, even when she is done her studies, she will still be in the classroom. She wants to become a professor. Her mother tongue is German but she knows English, French and Dutch. She likes sharing helpful knowledge in a fun way.

Star quality: She knows how to draw a really good woodpecker!

ITB Berlin is the place where traveling starts. This huge travel fair is happening all weekend at the Messe Nord ICC. Until Sunday, you can check out room after room of countries who have their traditional and contemporary traditions on show, as well as new travel trends, maps and experts. Need to practice your German? Most of the pamphlets and books are all in German. From Iceland to Japan and Egypt, here are some photos from the opening day.

Long German words always fascinate people. In June, the longest German word at 63 letters, Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz (which means beef labeling supervision task transfer act) was reportedly kicked out of the Deutsch lexicon. However, there are still other long German words, here are some fun examples.

Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung = Speed limit

Freundschaftsbezeigungen = Friendship demonstrations

Stadtverordnetenversammlungen = City Council meetings

Generalstaatsverordnetenversammlungen = General state council meetings

Kinderbewahrungsanstalten = Child-care institutions

Unabhaengigkeitserklaerungen = Armistice negotiations

Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft = Association for Subordinate Officials of the Head Office Management of the Danube Steamboat Electrical Services

Kraftfahrzeug-Haftpflichtversicherung = Motor vehicle liability insurance

Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften = Insurance companies providing legal protection

Aufsichtsratsmitgliederversammlung = Meeting of members of the supervisory board

It was Mark Twain who tried learning German at age 15, but gave it up quickly. He revisited Deutsch again 28 years later with a mature mind. Still, he wound up writing an essay in 1880 called The Awful German Language.

There may be obstacles in learning German, but there are also helpful reminders as we go along. On that note, here are some quotes about the German language from the masters, from famous writers to actors and philosophers alike. Click through the links for further reading.

“How charmed I am when I overhear a German word which I understand.”
–Mark Twain

“I remember learning German – so beautiful, so strange – at school in Australia on the other side of the earth. My family was nonplussed about me learning such an odd, ugly language and, though of course too sophisticated to say it, the language of the enemy. But I liked the sticklebrick nature of it, building long supple words by putting short ones together. Things could be brought into being that had no name in English – Weltanschauung, Schadenfreude, sippenhaft, Sonderweg, Scheissfreundlichkeit, Vergangenheitsbewältigung.”
–Anna Funder

“If you’ve never studied German before or think you know nothing about it, you might be in for a little surprise. You already know many German words .And you have the advantage of being an English speaker, which means that your knowledge of that language will be a helpful tool for learning German efficiently and comfortably.”
–Edward Swick

“In German, a young lady has no sex, but a turnip has (die Ruebe).”
–Mark Twain

“America took me into her bosom when there was no longer a country worthy of the name, but in my heart I am German – German in my soul.
–Marlene Dietrich

“The German language speaks Being, while all the others merely speak of Being.”
–Martin Heidegger

“More particularly, having a largely German-oriented education has made me very responsive to 19th-century German literature.”
–John le Carre