German phrases to learn for Oktoberfest
Munich’s Oktoberfest is the world’s largest folk festival, with two weeks of non-stop beer drinking, sausage meals, Lederhosen wear and parties. A trip to Munich for the Oktoberfest is an infectious and fun opportunity to immerse you in Bavarian culture, costumes and everything else! But if you want to see the role of a Bavarian nightclub, eat and drink, why not learn some useful phrases in German so that you can also play that role?
Want to remember the idioms and sayings of the Oktoberfest Germany while traveling? From German chants to Lederhosen compliments, here’s everything a newcomer to Munich needs to know to experience the Oktoberfest.
Do Germans speak English?
Single-language American travelers to Germany can turn off the Rosetta stone software. Many Germans speak English and speak well enough to have long conversations.
Germany was ranked 9th in the world among non-native English speakers. English is part of the core curriculum of German public schools from grade 5 to the final exam. Many German students also do an important part of their studies in English. Also, because English is considered a valuable skill by employers, many Germans seek extracurricular activities to improve their English.
Basically, anyone you meet in a big city like Munich between the ages of 18 and 50 will be able to have at least Basic English conversation. There are exceptions, of course, and it is always polite to speak to people in German first. However, in most cases you can expect to be impressed with the general English proficiency in Germany.
Bavarian German dialect
If you go to Munich for Oktoberfest, you need to know that the German you find there is not standard German. Instead, I hear a lot of Bavarian German.
Many related languages are spoken in German. Many geographic areas have their own German dialects. These dialects can range from almost completely incomprehensible to foreign languages (even other native German speakers!) To a kind of weird and colorful variation of standard German. Bavarian, a dialect widely spoken in Munich and most of southeastern Germany, tends to be the first category. For reference, imagine the difference between American English and Scottish English.
Map of German dialects in nine major regions. Source: Economist.
Bavarian German is still technically German, but it sounds very different from standard German. The Bavarian dialect contains many consonants and vowels, simplifies various grammatical features, and uses words that are completely different from the rest of the German-speaking world. Many non-Bavarian Germans consider the Bavarian dialect to be frivolous and idyllic. Bavarians, on the other hand, are also considered friendly and relax. When speaking in Bavarian, it’s really hard to look self-righteous!
If you’re worry about transportation in Munich, don’t worry. Most Bavarian people not only understand and speak German, but are also very familiar with Bavarian English. Especially in international Munich, you can easily deal with English and some useful German phrases.
German phrases to learn for Oktoberfest
Learning some useful German phrases is a great way to promote communication, show respect for the country you are visiting, and impress and delight all the Germans you encounter along the way. Here are German phrases to learn when visiting the Oktoberfest in Munich:
Greetings in German: Like a toast
Cheers! = Regards!
If you have a German phrase that you learned at Oktoberfest, please try it. Cheers are cheers that help every sociable drinking opportunity and are easy to say to Americans. But applause is not just a word. Germans need some effort to get to the other side of the table, but they tend to clinch the glasses by making eye contact with everyone in the group.
