My First Attempts at Talking About TV in Germany

Okay, so here I am, six months in Berlin, and honestly, learning German is… intense. It’s not just vocabulary lists; it’s actually using it, and that’s where I’m really struggling. I’ve been trying to focus on practical things, and one of the biggest hurdles has been just casually talking about television. It feels so much easier when I’m thinking in English, but then I get into a conversation, and… well, things get messy. Today, I wanted to share what I’ve learned, specifically about how to express my opinions and use those little connector words – dass, weil, obwohl – when discussing our favourite shows.

The Awkward Initial Conversation

It started with my colleague, Thomas. We were grabbing a Kaffee after work, and he asked, “Hast du gestern Abend was Schönes geschaut?” (Have you watched anything nice last night?). I completely froze. I wanted to say I’d watched Dark (a pretty intense German thriller!), but my brain just short-circuited. I blurted out, “Ja, ich habe… ich habe Fernsehen.” (Yes, I have… I have television.)

Thomas looked at me like I’d grown a second head. He then asked, “Welches?” (Which one?). I panicked and said, “Einen, der… ist gut.” (One, that… is good.) He raised an eyebrow, and I realised I’d just made a complete mess of things. The feeling of wanting to say something complex and then offering up a vague, non-committal response was brutal.

Expressing Opinions – Ich finde…, Ich mag…, Ich denke…

The key, I’ve discovered, is to use phrases that clearly show you’re expressing an opinion. Instead of just stating what you watched, add your feelings. It’s made a riesen difference.

For example, instead of saying “Ich habe Babylon Berlin geschaut,” (I watched Babylon Berlin) I can say, “Ich finde Babylon Berlin sehr spannend.” (I find Babylon Berlin very exciting). Or, “Ich mag die Schauspieler in Dark.” (I like the actors in Dark.) You also hear people use “Ich denke…” (I think…) frequently – “Ich denke, die Handlung ist zu kompliziert.” (I think the plot is too complicated).

Connector Words – Linking Your Thoughts

This is where it gets really tricky. I’ve heard people use dass, weil, and obwohl constantly, but incorporating them into my own sentences feels incredibly forced.

Let’s look at an example. I was talking to my flatmate, Lena, about Der Tatort. She said, “Tatort ist manchmal etwas langweilig, oder?” (Crime scene investigation is sometimes a little boring, isn’t it?).

I wanted to agree, but I thought, “Ich finde Tatort manchmal langweilig, weil die Fälle nicht immer spannend sind.” (I find Tatort sometimes boring, because the cases aren’t always exciting). It actually sounded…okay. Lena nodded and said, “Ja, das stimmt.” (Yes, that’s true.) I felt a tiny bit victorious!

Another time, I said, “Dark ist toll, dass es viele Geheimnisse hat!” (Dark is great, that it has many secrets!). I think the dass is a bit formal for everyday conversation, but I’m still practicing.

Common Misunderstandings & Corrections

I’ve also had a few moments where I’ve clearly messed up the grammar. Last week, I was explaining Stromberg to someone, and I said, “Ich mag Stromberg, obwohl er manchmal komisch ist.” (I like Stromberg, although he is sometimes funny). He corrected me gently, saying, “Nein, obwohl muss man mit dass verbinden. Also, komisch ist ein Adjektiv, du brauchst ein Verb.” (No, although needs to be connected with dass. Also, komisch is an adjective, you need a verb.) It was a tiny, little sting, but I appreciated the correction! I learned to ask “Wie sagt man das auf Deutsch?” (How do you say that in German?) when I’m not sure.

Practical Phrases I’m Using

Here are a few phrases that I’m finding really useful:

• “Was schaust du gern?” (What do you like to watch?)
• “Ich schaue oft… (fill in the programme name) – es ist… (describe it)” (I often watch… – it is…)
• “Ich bin nicht so der Serien-Fan, aber…” (I’m not so much a fan of series, but…)
• “Ich mag es nicht, wenn…” (I don’t like it when…)

Moving Forward

Honestly, talking about TV in German is still a work in progress. But I’m starting to feel more comfortable. The key, I think, is to keep practicing, don’t be afraid to make mistakes, and to listen carefully to how native speakers express themselves. Maybe next time I’ll even manage to properly explain why Dark is so captivating! Viel Glück (Good luck) to me!