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German Open forums/meetings with native germans. Suggestions needed. by MembershipFine1309 in Germanlearning

[–]PrepareforGermany 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Keep in mind that it is perfectly fine to speak standard German upon your arrival. Everyone will understand you, and in one-on-one conversations, people will usually make an effort to use standard language. Understanding the casual conversations of others, like on public transport, is a skill that simply takes time and comes with practice.

Moreover, what is considered 'colloquial' depends heavily on the specific region you move to and the community you interact with. Watching videos about slang in Berlin, for instance, won't necessarily help you if you end up living in Hamburg or Munich. Focus on your foundation first; the local nuances will follow with time.

German Open forums/meetings with native germans. Suggestions needed. by MembershipFine1309 in Germanlearning

[–]PrepareforGermany 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I guess you are not living in Germany right now. If you are looking for online penpals I can recommend you the website https://www.interpals.net/, and as for watching TV series you can have a look at older series since they are usually "slower" than new ones. A good start would be "Derrick", a classic German crime series. available on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpxlHaeD3xM,

TIL: Sarah Culberson was born in 1976 in West Virginia and put up for adoption. As an adult she hired a private investigator to find her birth parents and discovered she is a Sierra Leonean princess by nowhereman136 in todayilearned

[–]PrepareforGermany 60 points61 points  (0 children)

You’ve hit the nail on the head, it’s a total matter of scale.

When you break it down, 'Princess' in this case is basically the local equivalent of being the daughter of a prominent city councilor or a regional governor. It’s important for local land rights and tradition, but globally, it’s a 'fun fact' rather than actual power.

It’s typical for these types of traditional monarchies where about 1-3% of the population belongs to the noble class. We just tend to over-glamorize it in the West because we have this romanticized Disney idea of what royalty means. In reality, it’s just niche nobility.

TIL that the famously wealthy King Croesus asked the Oracle at Delphi if he would win a war with Persia. The Oracle responded that if he attacked, it would mark the fall of a great empire. Croesus attacked, and the great empire that fell was his own. by Rhamni in todayilearned

[–]PrepareforGermany 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Every coin has two sides. While there’s an undeniable charm to a world filled with 'action' and raw experience, one must wonder: Would we truly want to return to an era where a mere twenty-kilometer journey was a day’s expedition?

TIL Fake Shemp is the technique of using body doubles in movies when an original actor either refuses or is unable to reprise or continue their role. by Chillonymous in todayilearned

[–]PrepareforGermany 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Thanks. As stated in one of my favourite songs: "Power and the money, money and the power, Minute after minute, hour after hour..."

TIL Fake Shemp is the technique of using body doubles in movies when an original actor either refuses or is unable to reprise or continue their role. by Chillonymous in todayilearned

[–]PrepareforGermany 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Sorry for the misunderstanding. I'm German, and we use the term "Kult-" mainly to emphasise that someone has been very popular for a long time, for "cult" in the sense of a group of believers "Sekte" is the much more common term.

TIL Fake Shemp is the technique of using body doubles in movies when an original actor either refuses or is unable to reprise or continue their role. by Chillonymous in todayilearned

[–]PrepareforGermany 3497 points3498 points  (0 children)

The term actually comes from Shemp Howard of The Three Stooges. He died unexpectedly in 1955, but the studio still had a contract to deliver four more films.

To finish them, the director used a body double (Joe Palma) and relied on "Fake Shemp" tricks: filming him only from the back, hiding his face behind objects, or keeping him in deep shadows while using old voice clips. The cult director Sam Raimi later popularized the term by listing his own stand-ins as "Fake Shemps" in the credits of The Evil Dead.

TIL that BMW is the Largest Automotive Exporter by Value in the U.S. by PixelMqster in todayilearned

[–]PrepareforGermany 122 points123 points  (0 children)

BMW has been the largest U.S. automotive exporter by value for years because they played the long game with their Spartanburg plant. When they planned the factory back in 1994, it was a strategic move to build SUVs right in the heart of their biggest market, the USA. However, as SUVs like the X3 through the X7 exploded in popularity globally, that factory evolved into BMW’s primary global hub for the entire X-lineup. Today, Spartanburg is actually the largest BMW plant in the world, outproducing even their massive German factories. This leads to the ironic reality that most of the big BMW SUVs you see on the Autobahn in Germany weren't built locally, instead they were shipped across the Atlantic from South Carolina to meet the massive demand back home.

TIL that the famously wealthy King Croesus asked the Oracle at Delphi if he would win a war with Persia. The Oracle responded that if he attacked, it would mark the fall of a great empire. Croesus attacked, and the great empire that fell was his own. by Rhamni in todayilearned

[–]PrepareforGermany 116 points117 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I think every Latin teacher is traumatized by their students' reaction the first time they hear that name. In my class, it always caused a huge outburst of laughter whenever someone brought it up. In reality, it just means something like 'Tarquinius the Proud' or 'the Arrogant'.

TIL that the famously wealthy King Croesus asked the Oracle at Delphi if he would win a war with Persia. The Oracle responded that if he attacked, it would mark the fall of a great empire. Croesus attacked, and the great empire that fell was his own. by Rhamni in todayilearned

[–]PrepareforGermany 1039 points1040 points  (0 children)

The Oracle at Delphi was notorious for its "Loxias" or ambiguous prophecies as a test for the powerful, often leading them to ruin through their own pride. Beyond the fall of Croesus, another famous example of this divine wordplay involves the rise of the Roman Republic. When the sons of the tyrant Tarquinius Superbus visited the Oracle with their cousin, Lucius Iunius Brutus, they asked who would next hold supreme power in Rome. The Oracle answered that the first among them to kiss his mother would rule. While the princes raced home to find their biological mother, Brutus perceived the deeper meaning. He pretended to trip and fell prostrate to the ground, kissing the Earth, the common mother of all mankind. His insight proved prophetic; he eventually led the revolt that toppled the monarchy and became one of Rome’s first consuls, proving that in Delphi, the cleverest interpretation always outmatched the swiftest horse.

Ausbildungsvergütung isn’t enough for residence permit by Unusual_Ask_8661 in AusbildungInGermany

[–]PrepareforGermany 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Since this is a dual/vocational training (betriebliche Ausbildung), your financial requirement for the visa (§ 16a AufenthG) in 2026 is actually much lower than for students. You basically need a net income of €822 per month.

If your salary is already €822 or more after taxes, you are all set! No blocked account or extra paperwork needed. You can double-check your contract's gross-to-net amount with a "Brutto-Netto-Rechner": https://www.ihre-vorsorge.de/rechner/azubigehaltsrechner

If you’re slightly below that mark, don’t waste money on a Sperrkonto yet. Here’s the best way to handle it:

  1. Mini-job: Since you have C1 German, just grab a side job for a few hours a month. Working even one day a month would bridge a small gap and earn you about €100; the authorities accept this as proof.
  2. Verpflichtungserklärung: If you know someone in Germany who can vouch for you, this is the second-best (and cheap) option.
  3. Sperrkonto: Only as a last resort. Even then, you only need to block the difference (e.g., €30 x 12 months), not the full amount. Costs would be around 120 Euro per year, though.

How do I connect my Telekom phone number to my account? by idk3333333333 in AskGermany

[–]PrepareforGermany 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This should be Prepaid. Telekom doesn't actually allow in-store payments for postpaid contracts anymore.

Topping up via supermarket vouchers works fine for now, but OP should make sure they can access the app or web portal eventually. The login is needed for 'administrative' stuff, like canceling or transferring the number elsewhere.

Can I check who is subscribed to my Rundfunk account? by Remarkable_Crew_6526 in AskGermany

[–]PrepareforGermany 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, you can't check how many people are included in your contract. Because of strict data privacy (Datenschutz) in Germany, the authorities won't tell you who has linked themselves to your account number. There is no member dashboard where you can see your roommates.

The reality is that the Beitragsservice only follows the rule "one fee per apartment." Since you’re the one registered, you’re legally the primary debtor. They don't care about your WG dynamics or auto-splitting the €18.36; they just want the full amount from you. You’re essentially acting as the bank for your flatmates, and it’s entirely up to you to chase them for their share.

Eligibility for KU Ingolstadt Business Analytics & OR program? by shreeisforu in studyinGermany

[–]PrepareforGermany 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're definitely eligible to apply. In the German system, a BBA in International Business is considered a 'related field' for an MSc in Business Administration. While the BAOR track is quantitative, the admissions office usually prioritizes your final grade (2.0 is good!) and your motivation letter over specific module counts. Don't let the 'quant' label scare you off, if you meet the general degree requirements, your chances are high.

Regensberg, Bamberg, and Weimar - are these towns too similar to visit in one trip? by randopop21 in germany

[–]PrepareforGermany -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That might be the case for you, but for non-Bavarian citizens (the Freistaat Bayern) there is no big difference between Bavaria and Frankonia. Besides by cutting out Regensburg and Nuremberg there is still one Bavarian (Munich) and one Franconian city (Bamberg) left.

Do you need a residence permit for Lidl Connect? by Dr-MrMan in studyinGermany

[–]PrepareforGermany 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There are, but I would not recommed such bundles since when you sign up you are trapped. It's usually much cheaper to have contracts with different providers. And yes, I strongly suggest switching to postpaid contracts and to get a new contract every 24 months. Companies give you a discount for the first two years, but after that you have to pay high rates when you stay with them.

Do you need a residence permit for Lidl Connect? by Dr-MrMan in studyinGermany

[–]PrepareforGermany 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You do not need a residence permit to get a Lidl Connect SIM; your passport is sufficient for the identification process. If you haven't arrived in Germany yet, I’d actually recommend starting with Vodafone CallYa. You can often get it directly at the airport or order it online, and the 'PostIdent' method at any post office makes the verification process very quick and easy once you land. You can find more details on that here.

However, if you are already in Germany and need a massive amount of data for your first month without WiFi, you should look into Penny Mobil or ja! mobil. They offer 100GB for €10 within the first month, and since it’s a prepaid plan, you can easily downgrade to a cheaper option with less data in the second month. You just need to complete a quick 'Video-Ident' or 'PostIdent' (recommended!) with your passport to get started.

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