Everyday tips for German etiquette

We would like to give you a couple of tips on typically German quirks so that you can successfully keep your foot out of your mouth in Germany.

Greeting and form of address

Students greet each other at all times of the day with "Hallo" or "Hi" and say "Tschüss" or "Ciao" when saying goodbye.

In general, greetings are used based on the time of day: "Guten Morgen" (good morning) in the morning, "Guten Tag" (good day) in the afternoon and "Guten Abend" (good evening) in the evening and when saying goodbye, one says "Auf Wiedersehen" (See you again). On the telephone however you would say "Auf Wiederhören" (Talk to you again, literally hear you again), because you can not see each other.

When saying hello and goodbye at an interview and during a professor's office hours you are expected to shake hands. On the other hand, you are not expected to shake hands with fellow students and coworkers in offices or businesses. It is normal to wait for the higher ranking or older person to initiate the handshake.

Adults generally use the formal form of you (Sie) and call each other "Herr" (Mr.) and "Frau" (Mrs.) and then the family or last name; titles are also used when at the University. Students generally use the informal form of you (Du) amongst each other without asking first.

Being on time

The cliché that being on time is very important for Germans is really true. If you have an appointment with the professor during his or her office hours or any other official appointments, you should always be there on time. Students are more relaxed with each other when it comes to being on time and being 15 minutes late is no problem.

Mobile telephone

Many people feel disturbed when a mobile rings during class or in the movies. You should definitely turn your mobile off or on mute – and if it should happen to ring, it would be a good idea not to answer.

When you are with a group of people, it is better to walk a little way away from the group to make a phone call so that the other discussions aren't disrupted.

Eating and drinking in the University

Although it may seem a little unusual: Food and drinks may be consumed during a lecture or seminar. Naturally you shouldn't make a lot of noise or mess, but a cup of coffee and a little snack (for example a chocolate bar or a piece of fruit) are okay.

Invitations

The Germans are very reserved when it comes to invitations. If you are not close friends, you would normally call first before you wanted to visit someone. At parties, each guest normally brings something small with them (for example a bottle of wine or a little something to eat).

Tipping

Officially service is already included in all prices. If you are happy with the service, it is normal to give 5-10% tip nevertheless. Because everyone knows that students generally have very little money, you would never be expected to give a big tip.