Sprachenatelier Berlin

Currywurst- Proof that not all drunk ideas are bad ones Berlin is famous for many things- its long and fascinating history, its architecture, cabaret and hipsters…. but one Berlin invention has achieved a level of international fame and prestige that was previously unheard of in all of German history. It is the sausage, transcended. It is a currywurst. The Currywurst is an almost perfect reflection of Berlin‘s troubled history in the Twentieth Century. The sausage, the Wurst, the main element of the dish, is undeniably and unmistakably German- Germany has literally hundreds of types of Wurst, which have been eaten as street snacks since time immemorial. The sauce however, was a product of Berlin‘s occupation throughout the Cold War- the tomato ketchup and curry powder were brought by the British and swapped with locals, which led to the creation of this iconic if bizarre streetfood. It takes a bit of time to get your head around the thought of this weird combi...

There are a number of factors which generate a unique buzz around Berlin, attracting students from all around the world: from the documentation of Berlin‘s history in museums and monuments all around the city to being a hub for innovative tech startups to having one of the best and most eccentric nightlife scenes in Europe. We really do love discovering these places every Kulturmittwoch, but the most important thing is actually, of course, discovering the culinary experiences which Berlin offers, because a city can only start to feel like home when you know your favourite places to go out to eat after a long night, right? So, I‘ve put together a list of the best food and drink places dotted around Berlin which are slightly off the beaten track, so - although I am in no way judging if you've become overly attached to your local Späti (off-license, but I'm sure you know that word by now) and the closest Kebap place you could find - you can start to truly say 'Ich...

  Before moving to Berlin or anywhere else in Germany, you're bound to have at least a couple of preconceived ideas about Germany and the Germans. We decided to write a blog post to debunk a few of these stereotypes. „The Germans are efficient „ In popular culture, we never seem to stop hearing about ‘German efficiency.’ Everything they do is efficient- from eating breakfast, to going shopping, to small talk with neighbours and work colleagues. While there is some truth in this statement and the success of the German economy is testament to the country's productivity - it is not a general golden rule that ALL Germans are efficient ALL the time. One of the most anticipated projects in Berlin's recent history is the new international airport which is currently almost 5 years late and there is no final end date as yet in sight! The airport was initially supposed to be launched in June 2012 but because of fire safety issues, it has since been postponed a total of...

'Settle in Berlin' is a blog site designed to help you to do just what it says on the tin- settle in Berlin. Moving to a new city is always stressful, but is made even more so when you are not only moving to a new city, but also to a new country. The blog is aimed at newcomers to Germany who would like to live in Berlin long term, but it also has useful information for exchange students or people who will only be staying in Berlin for shorter period of time. 'Settle in Berlin' has a plethora of articles giving you step-by-step guides and to-do lists on everything from „Anmeldung,“ to renting accommodation, to insurance. The blog was created in 2011 by Bastien Allibert, who upon moving to Berlin from abroad found it difficult to find one single forum or website that compiled all the necessary information he needed as a newcomer. Instead of becoming disheartened, Bastien saw a gap in the market and decided to use his initiative by ...

Summer is coming... Believe it or not even the cold Berlin winter takes a break and lets the sun shine. One of the best ways to enjoy this period of the year is to spend some time in the beautiful parks of Berlin. Berlin is known for being Europe's greenest metropolis and around every corner you will find a green spot. Berlin people love being in parks: they do all kinds of sports there from yoga to slack line, they grill Würstchen and any sort of Gemüse or just grab a beer with friends and enjoy nature including some amazing sunsets. Among the countless parks, gardens, parkways, playgrounds and fields here are 5 of my favourite ones: Viktoriapark Prepare yourself to do a little sport and climb up this 66m high hill, one of the highest in Berlin. On the top of the Kreuzberg, this is the name of the mountain, there is a monument for the Liberation Wars and you will be rewarded for your effort because from there you will have a stunnig view over the city. A pic...

Taking a quick break from the language tips and advice to report on this week's news! You may or may not have heard that there was a fire in our beautiful old building late on Sunday night (10.04). At the top of the building above our three floors, there are shared flats. It was here where the fire started, and was later found to be caused by a cable. The fire took almost 2 hours to be put out, and the emergency services were still there on Monday morning, blocking off the area and managing the damage. Two people who live in the top floor were evacuated and, luckily, nobody was hurt in the accident. Sadly, the beautiful tiled roof was seriously damaged and will need some repairing, but the school only suffered from a little water damage coming down from the top floor. The school was closed on Monday 11 th April to ensure the safety of the building for teaching. As of Tuesday, classes were running in the school again and now of cou...

  Photo by Renato Silva , Sprachenatelier A few weeks ago, we posted about the common mi stakes that English speakers make when learning German. Well, this week, it's time to look at things the other way around. Having spent five months in Austria teaching school children and working with Austrian people, and now living in Berlin, I think I am fairly qualified and experienced to talk about the mistakes that German speakers make when learning English. Often the mistakes they make can be understood when you look at the German equivalent, because a lot of people are still in the DANGER ZONE (see last post) and are translating literally. So, scroll down and have a read. If you are a German speaker, maybe you can learn something, and if you're an English speaker, maybe you recognise some of these mistakes from your own experiences in Germany. Let's get going! But first... 1) “ L et me make a selfie!“ Remember the world...