My First Cracks at Talking About TV in Germany

Okay, so here I am, six months in Berlin, and let’s be honest, the biggest hurdle hasn’t been learning Sprachkenntnisse – although that’s definitely a work in progress – it’s just… talking about TV. Seriously! I can order a Bier without a problem, I can even navigate the Supermarkt pretty confidently, but when someone asks me what I thought of the latest episode of Dark, I completely freeze. It’s mortifying.

The Initial Panic: “Gut?” vs. “Fantastisch!”

The first few times, I just defaulted to “Gut?” which felt incredibly weak and, frankly, translated to “Okay?” in German. My friend, Lena, noticed immediately. She laughed and said, “Max, Gut is a very… neutral response! You need to show you actually felt something!”

She then proceeded to give me a mini-lesson. She explained that there’s a whole spectrum of ways to express your opinion, and you need different connectors to link your thoughts. It’s not just about saying something is good or bad.

Let’s look at an example. I was trying to talk to Thomas about Babylon Berlin. I blurted out, “Es ist gut.” He looked at me, slightly confused. Then he said, “Na, und? Was hältst du davon?” (Well, and what do you think about it?). I panicked and mumbled something about it being ‘interessant’ (interesting). Lena later corrected me: “You need to explain why it’s interesting! Use a connector!”

Connecting the Dots: “Weil”, “Deshalb”, and “Daher”

This is where it got a little tricky. Lena introduced me to words like weil (because), deshalb (therefore), and daher (therefore). Apparently, simply stating your opinion isn’t enough; you need to provide a reason.

For instance, instead of just saying, “Ich mag Dark,” I could say: “Ich mag Dark, weil die Story sehr komplex ist und die Charaktere sehr interessant sind.” (I like Dark because the story is very complex and the characters are very interesting.)

Thomas used deshalb a lot. He might say, “Die Schauspieler sind fantastisch, deshalb schaue ich die Serie.” (The actors are fantastic, therefore I watch the series.) It’s like adding a little bridge between your thought and the next one.

Expressing Opinions – From ‘Mega’ to ‘Absolut’

Then there’s the whole level of enthusiasm! I’m used to saying “That’s awesome!” in English, but translating that directly feels… awkward. Lena explained that Germans often use stronger words like mega (huge/amazing), fantastisch (fantastic), or absolut (absolutely).

I tried using “Mega!” when discussing How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) – a bizarre choice, I admit – but it sounded incredibly forced. Lena corrected me, saying, “It’s fine to use mega, but sometimes it’s better to be more nuanced.”

She showed me a more natural way to say, “Die Serie ist wirklich gut – ich fand sie fesselnd!” (The series is really good – I found it captivating!).

Common Mistakes (and How to Fix Them)

I’ve made so many mistakes. The biggest one? Overusing aber (but). I’d say something like, “Ich mag die Serie, aber sie ist lang.” (I like the series, but it’s long.) Lena gently corrected me – aber can be very strong. Sometimes, just a simple “Und” (and) is enough to connect two ideas.

Another time, I tried to explain why I disliked Inglourious Basterds, and I ended up saying, “Ich hasse die Film!” (I hate the film!). Lena patiently explained that while hassen is a strong word, it’s not the most common way to express a negative opinion about a film. “Ich finde den Film nicht gut” (I don’t find the film good) felt much more natural.

My Current Phrase Arsenal

Okay, after a few weeks of practice (and a lot of blushing!), here’s what I’m trying to use:

• “Ich finde… interessant.” (I find… interesting.)
• “Ich mag… sehr.” (I like… very much.)
• “Es ist… spannend.” (It’s… exciting/thrilling.)
• “Ich fand die Folge… fesselnd.” (I found the episode… captivating.)
• “Weil… ” (Because…) – My new best friend.

Next Steps – Beobachten and Diskutieren

Lena suggested I need to beobachten (observe) TV shows more actively – really think about what I’m seeing and feeling. And then, she wants me to diskutieren (discuss) them with people.

I’ve signed up for a weekly viewing group – a mix of Germans and expats – and honestly, it’s terrifying but also brilliant. I still stumble over my words, I still occasionally say aber, but I’m getting there.

Talking about TV in German is still a challenge, but it’s a really valuable one. It’s forcing me to think more carefully about my opinions, to learn new vocabulary, and, most importantly, to connect with people through a shared love of stories. Prost! (Cheers!)