Navigating Neigkeiten: Giving Advice and Recommendations in German

Okay, so I’ve been in Berlin for six months now, and let me tell you, it’s been a whirlwind. The language, the culture… it’s incredible, but it’s also hard. I’m still stumbling over conversations, and I definitely overthink everything. But one thing that’s really helped me build confidence and actually feel like I’m contributing is being able to give advice and recommendations. It felt like a really practical skill to learn, and honestly, it’s come in incredibly handy.

The First Time: A Lost Tourist in Neukölln

The first time I really had to use it was last month. I was wandering around Neukölln, completely lost, trying to find a specific vintage shop I’d seen online. My German was pretty basic at the time, and I was panicking. I approached a guy sitting outside a café, looking utterly bewildered, and blurted out, “Entschuldigung, ich suche… ich weiß nicht… wo ist…?” (Excuse me, I’m looking for… I don’t know… where is…?).

He looked at me kindly and said, “Wo denn? Was suchen Sie?” (Where? What are you looking for?). I managed to stumble through explaining the shop, showing him the blurry picture on my phone – “Dieses Geschäft… Kleidung… alt…” (This shop… clothes… old…). He understood eventually, pointing me in the right direction with a “Ganz einfach!” (Very simple!). That little exchange, even though it was a bit chaotic, just felt… good. Like I’d actually helped someone.

Common Phrases & Vocabulary for Recommendations

There are a few phrases I’ve found really useful when recommending things. It’s not just about saying “It’s good,” which, let’s be honest, doesn’t really get you anywhere.

• “Ich finde… sehr gut.” (I find… very good.) – This is a solid, safe option.
• “Das ist ein tolles/schönes/leckeres [thing].” (That’s a great/nice/delicious [thing].) – Adapt this to what you’re recommending. For example: “Das ist ein tolles Café!” (That’s a great café!)
• “Du solltest unbedingt… ausprobieren.” (You should definitely… try.) – This is perfect for food recommendations. “Du solltest unbedingt den Spätzle probieren!” (You should definitely try the Spätzle!) – Spätzle are a regional pasta dish.
• “Ich kann dir empfehlen…” (I can recommend…) – A little more formal, but still useful.

“Mein Freund sagt…” (My friend says…) – A Useful Euphemism

Germans love to preface recommendations with “Mein Freund sagt…” (My friend says…). It’s a polite way of saying “I don’t have a huge amount of experience with this, but…” and avoids sounding overly confident. For example: “Mein Freund sagt, das Restaurant ‘Zur letzten Instanz’ ist sehr gut.” (My friend says the restaurant ‘Zur letzten Instanz’ is very good.) – “Zur letzten Instanz” is Berlin’s oldest restaurant, and a classic recommendation.

I learned this the hard way when I was trying to recommend a small bar based on a conversation with another student. I confidently said, “Ich finde dieses Bar echt gut!” (I find this bar really good!). The bartender looked at me strangely and asked, “Mein Freund sagt, das ist ein bisschen laut.” (My friend says, it’s a bit loud.) It was a valuable lesson about humility!

Asking for Recommendations – “Was empfehlen Sie?”

One of the biggest barriers for me was just asking for recommendations. Initially, I was too afraid to make mistakes. But I realised that people genuinely want to help.

Here’s how I usually phrase it: “Was empfehlen Sie in der Gegend?” (What do you recommend in the area?) or “Gibt es hier ein gutes [restaurant/Café/Bar]?” (Is there a good [restaurant/Café/Bar] here?).

I’ve found that people are much more receptive if you show a little interest and follow up with questions like, “Warum empfehlen Sie das?” (Why do you recommend that?).

A Recent Success: Finding the Perfect Currywurst

A few weeks ago, a colleague was raving about a specific currywurst stand near our office. I was a complete newbie to currywurst (I’d only heard of it!) and was hesitant. I took a leap and asked, “Was ist das für eine Wurst?” (What kind of sausage is that?)

He patiently explained it was a Berlin specialty – sausage in a curry ketchup sauce, typically served with currykraut (curry cabbage). He even showed me how to eat it properly (with mustard, of course!). I tried it, and it was incredible. I could actually say, “Das ist sehr lecker!” (That’s very delicious!) – and mean it!

Don’t Be Afraid to Make Mistakes!

Honestly, the biggest piece of advice I can give you is don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Germans are generally very tolerant of foreigners struggling with the language. They appreciate the effort. I’ve made so many embarrassing mistakes – mispronouncing words, using the wrong articles, getting confused about the dative case (still!) – but it’s all part of the process. Every “Entschuldigung” (excuse me) and every “Ich verstehe nicht” (I don’t understand) gets me closer to fluency. And, you know what? Those moments of confusion often lead to the best conversations and the most rewarding experiences.