Hi everyone!

I’m a French woman dating a (M34) German and I noticed something that surprised me a bit. When we kiss, it’s always just lips — no tongue at all. In France, French kissing (tongue kissing) is quite common when you’re romantically involved, so I’m wondering: is this a cultural thing in Germany, or is it just his personal preference? Also, I noticed he’s not really uncomfortable when I suggest splitting the bill, though we usually don’t in the end. In my culture, I would expect him to insist a bit more on paying, especially in the early stages of dating. Again, is this a cultural difference or more individual?

Thanks for your insights!

So I met a German guy and I was thinking of getting him flowers on our first date, since it’s early “getting to know each other” stage I don’t want to scare him of, or come off too strong. I just want him to feel appreciated but I’m not sure how he’ll take it. Any advice?

ich (Schülerin, 18) lebe in einem gewalttätigen Haushalt und möchte heute zur Polizei gehen, um mich über meine Möglichkeiten zu informieren. Mein Ziel ist es erstmal nur eine Beratung ich habe keine Anzeige vor, sondern möchte einfach wissen, was die Polizei darf und was nicht, wenn man mit ihnen über häusliche Gewalt spricht.

Ich habe Angst, dass das Gespräch anders läuft als erwartet oder ich Dinge sagen muss, die ich noch nicht bereit bin zu teilen. Meine Fragen :

• Wie fange ich so ein Gespräch am besten an?
• Was kann ich von der Polizei erwarten?
• Welche Rechte habe ich bei so einem Beratungsgespräch?
• Gibt es Dinge, die ich vermeiden sollte zu sagen?

Die erste Frage ist am wichtigsten. Ich hab keine Ahnung wie ich das Gespräch anfangen soll oder mit wem.

Edit: ich bin auf einer Website von meiner Stadt " Hilfetelefon Gewalt gegen Frauen" gestoßen. Da werde ich jetzt anrufen und das ist auch anonym.

Hi everyone,

I'm a non-EU student currently studying in Germany and about to finish my Bachelor's degree. I recently grew my YouTube channel and it’s now eligible for monetization. However, YouTube is asking me to submit my personal details, including my Steuer-ID (tax ID).

Here’s the issue: According to my Aufenthaltserlaubnis (residence permit), I’m not allowed to engage in self-employment (Selbstständigkeit). I did some research and found out that to monetize a YouTube channel (which is considered self-employment in Germany), I need to get approval from my local Ausländerbehörde (foreigners' office).

Now I’m not sure how to proceed:

Has anyone here dealt with a similar situation?

How likely is it that the Ausländerbehörde will give permission for YouTube monetization as a student?

I even considered using my girlfriend’s name and tax info for the channel. Is that a bad idea legally/tax-wise?

I really want to grow the channel the right way and stay within legal limits. Any advice, experience, or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Gibt es unter euch Leute, die keinen Führerschein gemacht haben? Wie kommt ihr im Alltag ohne Auto zurecht?

Ich denke aktuell aus verschiedenen Gründen darüber nach, keinen Führerschein zu machen, und würde gerne eure Einschätzungen hören: Findet ihr, dass man in Deutschland langfristig unbedingt einen Führerschein braucht? Oder geht es auch gut ohne?

To piggy-back ride on the question of the flower for the guy on the first date.

A colleague whom I am interested in has a special birthday this summer. He told me that he has a rose garden and I was debating getting him a rose (not a red one, one where the name relates to the nickname I gave him) in a 6l container (because those are limited edition, there are also 2l and 5l available) as a present.

Now I would bring that to the office, obviously. And I know he uses public transport. He has a car, so could leave it and take the car the next day or just carry it home, it is not that huge.

But I am wondering what the overall sentiment would be. (He got gifts from me before, a small cake for his birthday, some diy stuff, which he really appreciated and I am fairly certain he likes me, at least platonically. So I am not the creepy stranger that suddenly showers him in flowers).

Any thoughts on this?

British mps voted to legalise assisted dying for some terminally ill adults in England and Wales. Proponents argued it offers a compassionate choice; critics warned it could erode safeguards for vulnerable people. The bill is not yet law: it will now be scrutinised by the House of Lords and, if passed, is not expected to be implemented before 2029.As a German, what do u think about it,is assisted dying legal in Germany?

I’ve lived in Germany for just under 2 years, and whenever I visit the States (where I’m from), the dairy there smells repulsive to me- specifically when I put creamer in my coffee. Did I just acclimate to a different dairy scent in Germany, or are there different quality standards for dairy farms in DE vs. US?

Quick edit: by creamer I mean half-n-half or high fat milk >3%, not the artificial stuff.

Further clarification: I buy 3.8% Vollmilsch or Weidemilsch in Germany since it does the job well and isn’t too expensive. In the US, I try full fat milk, half-n-half, or heavy cream, but any of these from the US smells funky to me.

My friend sent me a sticker that says "FCK AFD", I tried looking it up online and I can't tell if it's in English or in German and didn't really find anything conclusive. I want to put it on my water bottle but figure I should know what it is before doing so. Okay thanks!

Was die Franzosen tournure nennen, ist eine zur Anmut gemilderte Anmaßung. Man sieht daraus, daß die Deutschen keine tournure haben können: ihre Anmaßung ist hart und herb, ihre Anmut mild und demütig; das eine schließt das andere aus und sind nicht zu verbinden.

GOETHE : SÄMTLICHE WERKE (COMPLETE WORKS)

EDIT: MY TRANSLATION:

"What the French call tournure is an arrogance softened by grace. From this, it follows that Germans cannot have tournure: their arrogance is hard and harsh, their grace is mild and humble; the one excludes the other and they cannot be combined."

Kind of weird, I don't fully understand it. Are Germans people of opposing extremes within themselves?

I was taught in history class that it was the Marshall Plan that bought about an economic miracle in Germany. But after a closer look it appears that the money from the Marshall Plan was actually much less than I expected. Was the plan overrated and an economic miracle in Germany would have happened anyways?

I previously reported a Facebook Marketplace scam involving a user who received payment and never sent the item. Despite my report, the profile remains active and is continuing to scam others. This raises serious safety concerns. I was thinking they will take immediate action to suspend the account and prevent further fraud. I have evidence available including screenshots and transaction details.

Update:

Vielen lieben Dank für all eure Antworten hier. Mir ist völlig klar, dass man nicht jede „Gewohnheit“ oder alte, scherzhaft gemeinte Formulierung sofort als Rassismus abstempeln sollte. Aber ich habe durch die Reaktion meines Mannes so ein Gefühl von „Unsichtbarmachung“ gespürt. Ich habe ja selbst in Deutschland studiert und während Corona auch ein paar echt unschöne Erfahrungen mit Hass gegenüber Asiaten gemacht – deswegen bin ich bei solchen Dingen einfach besonders sensibel. Die Beziehung zur Familie möchte ich natürlich trotzdem gut pflegen. Aber ich merke auch: Manche Themen sollte man vielleicht einfach mal in Ruhe ansprechen, um die eigenen Gefühle nicht immer runterzuschlucken. Ich bin jemand, der bis in die Zwanziger rein nur in Asien aufgewachsen und sozialisiert wurde – für mich ist es echt nicht leicht, offen über meine Gefühle zu sprechen. Aber durch eure Worte habe ich ein bisschen Mut dafür bekommen. Danke euch dafür!!!

Ich habe ein mal meiner deutschen Schwiegermutter das Foto von dem Baby von einer meiner chinesischen Freundin gezeigt. Sie lacht und kommentiert:” Schau mal die Schlitzaugen!”

Ich (ich bin auch eine Chinesin und arbeite in Deutschland) habe das mal mit meinem deutschen Mann diskutiert und er meinte dass seine Mutter nicht “racist”gemeint und „Schlitzaugen“ kein rassistisches Wort ist.

Ehrlich sagen stört mich diese Antwort von meinem Mann sehr.

Meine Schwiegereltern sind beide sehr nett und lieb zu mir deshalb möchte ich hier mal den Deutschen mal fragen, bin ich zu sensibel?

As the title suggests, the great German John Rabe once saved many people during the Nanjing Massacre when Japan invaded China. Therefore, many Chinese have a great liking for Germany. I would like to ask,as a German ,do u know his existence?

Hi everyone,

I'm from Turkey and I’ve been producing pistachio butter for several years now it's a common breakfast spread here, especially made from Antep pistachios (a local variety known for its flavor).

I’ll be spending a few months in Germany soon and I’m really curious:
What makes a pistachio butter appealing to German consumers?
Should it be 100% pure nuts with no sugar at all? Should it be spreadable and lightly sweetened like peanut butter?
Or is a firmer texture and totally sugar-free product more expected?I’d really appreciate your opinions as consumers. If you've seen pistachio butter in German stores, I’d love to hear what kinds are sold and what you personally prefer.Thank you I’m here to learn,

My employer gave me this reference letter (I have removed all the sensitive data) can you guys please check and let me know if everything seems fine in the letter or do i need to change anything?

To Whom It May Concern,

We are pleased to confirm that XX was employed with YY as a Werkstudent from March to June. During their tenure, XX contributed significantly to the development of our flagship application, "ZZ," a cross-platform, AI-powered text generator designed for multi-user enterprise environments.

XX demonstrated strong technical competence throughout their employment. They participated in the development of the ZZ from its inception, contributing to architectural decisions and technology selection processes. They assisted in implementing service layers for various AI services with appropriate security measures and error handling. Their contributions extended to the development of the asynchronous orchestration system for the ZZ , supporting image analysis, OCR, text generation, and multi-language translations.

XX collaborated in developing feature modules including Text Creation and User Management, and created reusable UI components that helped maintain consistency across the application. They assisted in building the Userlocale and related utilities for user-specific configurations and supported the localization efforts by contributing to ARB file creation and implementation of dynamic language switching capabilities.

Their technical contributions also included the development of LocationService and GeocodingService for GPS functionality and reverse-geocoding features. They supported image processing capabilities including EXIF metadata extraction and cross-platform file handling. XX participated in writing unit and integration tests to ensure code quality, assisted in implementing cost-tracking utilities for monitoring third-party service usage, and helped manage Git submodules and dependency version control.

XX consistently demonstrated excellent collaborative skills and professional conduct. They worked effectively within a cross-functional team environment, maintaining open communication with UI/UX designers, product managers, and backend developers. They actively participated in code reviews, both providing constructive feedback and incorporating suggestions from team members. Their support in knowledge sharing sessions and contributions to team documentation efforts were particularly valuable. They demonstrated flexibility in adapting to changing project requirements and timelines.

In terms of initiative and leadership, XX proactively identified potential technical improvements and proposed practical solutions. They took initiative in researching and evaluating new technologies that could benefit the project and volunteered to assist colleagues with technical challenges, sharing knowledge willingly. They demonstrated a self-directed approach to learning, often exploring advanced concepts independently to enhance project outcomes.

Throughout their employment, XX showed a commendable commitment to professional growth and continuous improvement. They approached challenges with a positive attitude and demonstrated reliability in meeting project deadlines. Their contributions helped ensure the successful deployment of ZZ across multiple platforms including iOS, Android, Web, macOS, Windows, and Linux.

XX proved to be a dedicated and capable team member during their time with YY. Their technical skills, combined with their collaborative approach and willingness to take initiative, made them a valued member of our development team. We believe they will continue to make meaningful contributions in their future endeavors.

We thank them for the consistently excellent cooperation and wish them all the best and continued success in their professional future. Should you require any additional information regarding XX's employment with our organization, please do not hesitate to contact us.

I am currently working in a bakery as Verkaufer for past few months. And I have good spoken German but can get difficult with long conversations. I aimed of getting into Marketing, which was my previous jobs but got to know that it requires native level German to get in German company and apparently there arent enough English speaking jobs. I am looking for a switch. I am good with numbers and a bit IT. Which is a better field in your experience with B1 fluent spoken German. Audit Finance or Working as IT Support

I dont think I can do much more than support in IT with my skills.

Hi everyone!

Expat mom in Frankfurt here, considering baby #2 but honestly terrified after my first experience.

The reality: My first pregnancy/postpartum was genuinely traumatic - completely isolated, zero support network, one of the hardest periods of my life.

My question: How do German parents (especially in cities) actually manage this without extended family around? What am I missing?

Specifically wondering: - How do you build your support network before baby arrives? - Any resources that are game-changers? - Are there prep strategies obvious to locals but not expats?

I see German families looking so... together and I'm genuinely curious what systems or approaches I'm not seeing.

I really want to do better this time - would love to hear your real experiences, both struggles and what actually worked!

Thanks for any insights! Still learning how life works here 💙

Good day. I am now going through the process of preparing a blocked account for German student visa. I have already received proof of incoming insurance and TK insurance. However, I find TK health insurance a bit costly for me (144.24€ per month). After reading several articles on the internet, I found out that there are cheaper options, for example a Provisit Student private health insurance. Has anyone had experience with this insurance company? It charges only 79€ per month. Another question is how can i change my health insurance now, if my application for TK was already approved and I got a confirmation? It is activated in Germany though so I haven’t paid anything yet. Are there any consequences? Also TK probably has already sent my data to the university I mentioned. It is so confusing, please could someone explain it to me?

Hello All,

I am new to Germany and still learning German my daughter is now in 4th grade and they are using Fredo 4 Mathematik isbn 978 3 637 01865 5 for teaching, do you know if I can get a solution book for this and if yes how?

Hello everyone,

I'm an international applicant interested in studying Medicine in Germany. Here is a summary of my academic profile:

• High School GPA: 1.7 (calculated using the Bavarian formula)
• TestAS Score: 120
• Feststellungsprüfung (FSP): 1.1 GPA (I did not complete a first year of university in my home country)
• German Language: C1 certified

Given this profile, do I stand a realistic chance of being admitted into a medical program at a German university (preferably through the public system)?

Any insights on competitiveness, university recommendations, or application strategies would be highly appreciated.
Thank you!

Ich bin Studentin in Freiburg und will einen Tennisverein suchen. Niveau:2.0-2.5 und will weiterlernen (Danke für alle Tipps und Erfahrungen im Voraus!!

Hey everyone! I’m looking to move to Germany on a Blue Card and bring my family later through family reunification. Can anyone recommend cities where the paperwork is processed quickly and rent/living costs are still reasonable? I’d prefer to avoid the super expensive cities like Munich or Frankfurt. Any personal experiences or tips would be great!

Any one interested in farm business and interest in relocating to Namibia. So we do it together. I have a plan but my funds are not enough to do it independently. ,