Germany is not only "weird" in that it completely waives university tuition fees for international students, but also strange in many other aspects. If you are intending to study in Germany, then read the article below to understand more about the culture of this country with the strongest economy in Europe.

"Silent" Sunday 

If you think Sunday is always a good time to go shopping, fix up your room, mow the lawn, etc., you might be a bit shocked because in Germany you can't do all of the above on Sundays. In this country, Sunday is considered a "quiet day" for people to rest and relax after a hard working week. That means any retail or dining outlets on this day will be closed. You can still clean your house if you want as long as it doesn't make any noise that disturbs the neighbors. This unwritten rule also applies to major holidays in Germany.

The wind from the window is “toxic”!

If you like to stay in a well-ventilated room with a gentle breeze, you will find it a bit stuffy when staying in Germany because people here have a habit of closing all windows in the house.

The Germans believe that wind blowing from windows can make them sick

Wishing early birthday is a bad omen

You should never wish a German happy birthday before their actual birthday if you don't want to receive angry glances or even rage from them. Germans consider an early birthday to be a bad omen. They often invite friends over to their homes for dinner the night before their birthdays. Only when the clock strikes 12 o'clock at night, the main character officially receives congratulations from his friends.

“Please” means “yes” and “thanks” means “no”

If Germans ask you if you want to drink more beer, when you answer “danke” (thanks) they will understand you mean “no, thanks”. Conversely, if you answer “bitte” (please), they will understand that “yes, please”. Therefore, if you want to drink more beer, answer "bitte" and if you don't want to drink, use “danke”.

Have lunch and drink beer

Germans love to drink beer, and they are the second-largest beer consumer in the world (second only to Ireland). Beer in this country is so popular that buying beer is cheaper than buying water. They even have a huge beer festival called Oktoberfest that takes place every year. So if at lunch they invite you to drink beer, don't take it as a surprise. Drinking beer while working and while the sun is still bright is a very unique culture in Germany.

The habit of saying what they think

You should prepare yourself before consulting the Germans because they do not have the habit of understatement or white lies. Even if you do not consult at all, there is still the risk of receiving direct comments or complaints when you accidentally break some of their rules. Germany is home to many laws and some are unwritten, so it's hard to avoid accidentally breaking the law before you know it. If you accidentally use the lawn mower on a Sunday or let your dog bark during recess, be prepared to take complaints from your neighbors. If the situation remains unchanged, you may still be sent a reminder letter by the government.

Just answer the question directly

Germans love precision. Therefore, if you ask a yes-no question, the answer you get is just “yes” or “no”. For example, if you ask “is this the way to the train station?” then you will only get a succinct “yes” or “no” answer. But if you ask, “Please tell me which way to get to the train station?” Germans will gladly guide you in detail. 

Not easy to drink filtered water

When you go to a restaurant and want to drink filtered water, the waiter will not give you normal filtered water but will be some kind of carbonated water. Germans never invite guests to drink filtered water because in their opinion it shows disrespect. “Filtered water” by the German definition must be at least bubbly or bottled.

Germans never invite guests to drink filtered water

If you see the lost, hang it on a tree

In case you accidentally drop your gloves at the train station, immediately go to the trees to find them because the person who picked up your gloves will hang them there. Lost items hanging on trees are quite common on most roads or train stations in Germany. Especially, the people of this country will not come to take anything that does not belong to them. Therefore, if you see the lost, hang them on the tree to help its owner find the property.

“Cross your fingers” means lying

In American and British culture, crossing your index and middle fingers means “good luck”. In German culture, people think this action shows that you are not true to your word. If you make a promise to someone and cross your fingers, they will understand that you don't really want to keep that promise.

In German culture, people think this action shows that you are not true to your word

The unique design of the toilet

The toilet in Germany is designed with an extra flat surface for two main purposes: minimizing water splashing the assessing results can be assessed before flushing. Although this toilet model has a fairly reasonable purpose, it may also bring a lot of trouble and inconvenience to users, so the current new constructions in Germany have constructed a new toilet model. But these old toilets still exist in some places, so if you accidentally encounter them while studying in Germany, don't be surprised. 

Germans are very kind and generous

Although Germans are a bit weird, that is simply because their culture is different. It does not mean they are bad people. Their living by principles and straightforwardness are basically very good. Do not hesitate or be afraid to make friends with Germans. When you and they become close, they will be the most sincere friends because Germans always put family and friends first.

Tags: Germany, German culture, German culture features, Oktoberfest, German communication, German culture and traditions, German culture facts, German culture values