My Brazilian friend once said "The problem with you Germans is - when we invite you, you really come visit."😉

One of the most important rule on the Autobahn is: NEVER NEVER NEVER pass another car on the right side. The only exception to this would be traffic jams.

Another very important rule about the Autobahn: NEVER pass another car on the right side. This is prohibited in Germany. You always have to pass on the left and then immediatly go back to the center or right lane, depending on your speed. Always use indicators when you change lanes. And PLEASE don't use the Autobahn as a race track, that's very dangerous for yourself and for other people. The higher speed on the highway is "paid for" with adherence to the rules and responsible driving. When you drive on the Autobahn, you really have to concentrate on the driving. It's not like in the US where you just drive for hundreds miles in a straight line at sluggish 100 km/h (or even less) and are able to eat something etc.

As an austrian I have to clarify something: proper "Wiener Schnitzel" is made out of veal (Kalbsschnitzel). Veal usually being more expensive causes most of the restaurants to offer the cheapest meat, pork. And please to not drown your Schnitzel in sauce. Just have some Erdäpfelsalat on the side. Or some Bratkartoffel. But on the other side, food and tastes are subjective: eat what you like however you like to. Enjoy!

As a German I love to watch videos of people appreciating the little things of my country haha

The first time I went to Germany I saw, as soon as I got off the plane, trash receptacles with separate bins for recyclables (divided into paper and glass), compostables, and trash. I wanted to high five everyone in sight and congratulate Germany on being awesome. I wish Americans could learn to care this much 💚

Lufthansa should hire you to make an introductory video for every flight coming into Germany.

I love how Nalf always is like: "The public Transportation in Germany is great" Meanwhile german KZfaqrs:"Warum das Deutsche Bahnsystem so schlecht ist" Translated: Why the German Trainsystem is that bad

Das ist ja eine regelrechte Liebeserklärung an mein Land! Danke!

If you like blunt honesty, visit the Netherlands.

You gotta love this. Some Dude is making a guide for germany. 90% of the viewers will be german and watch to see if there is something to improve. 🤣 This video and the comments is just germany in a nutshell. And of course we watch to see if we knew everything or if there is something new to learn about the country we live in. 😂 You gotta love this country once you understood how it works. 🤩 Props to you nalf, Döner, Bakery, Barbecue, Beer and Beergarden. Are basically the pillars my life is built on.

Me, 51 year old German, hm I Watch this. Lets See, if he gets it 😂 He does. Proud. You are one of us, you just don’t Know yet. You are Germanized and Will Never Get rid of us.

You really are a phenomenal ambassador for our country! Thanks for reminding us how fortunate we are to live here - puts all the moaning and complaints into perspective :)

As a German I felt caught with some of your descriptions. I actually do get out my planner if I meet someone and we decide to go for a coffee together and most of the time the coffee date does actually take place. Also that people get close to you in the supermarket is true, but they would not push you aside or be rude in the way you described it, at least not in Bavaria. That never happened to me in all me 35 years of living here.

12:48 slight correction here "Wiener Schnitzel" is exclusively made from veal. If its not veal its not Wiener schnitzel but it might be "Wiener Art" ~ Vienner Style.

Being German means that 1 hour after uploading your video you already have hundreds of comments of us Germans correcting your imprecise statements so that you probably have to re-record it 😂😂

Great video! Just a few clarifications (I'm German...): 7:51: the sign says all previous restrictions are canceled - if there were no previous restrictions, you're still good to go even without the sign. Wiener Schnitzel has to be made of veal; otherwise, it's Schnitzel Wiener Art (schnitzel Vienna style) or something to that effect. Kölsch is an ale kind of beer, upper fermentation, but fermented at a comparatively low temperature. Not many Germans outside the Cologne area appreciate it. If you do not want a refill, place the coaster on top of your glass.

Damn good summary for visitors who can tell you've been living in Germany for a while. Very good.

And don't forget all the castles and museums ;-)

22:14 Never say that to a german we will show up on your doorstep and expect at least a couch to crash on.😂

Your intensity when talking about German baked goods is entertaining. That said, I used to work for a company in Ann Arbor, MI, that uses lye to make pretzels the traditional way. It's not illegal to use it in the USA, and it does make delicious pretzels.

Great tips 👍 but 😊 Currywurst ist not a simply a Wurst and Ketschup. Most Currywurstbuden take great pride in creating their own sauce, which , yes, is Tomato based but slow cooked with a lot of spices. Just saying 😄

NALF in you ever run for German Chancellor I will vote for you. You are a great ambassador of German Culture and lifestyle. But you have to give Northern Germany a second chance. Good to have you here. 🇺🇲🇩🇪👍🍀🎈👋

No rant about „the stare“?

The one specific thing - ONE - I would be adamant about adding: Please don't just visit the south. So so so many people, especially Americans, seem to favor the South, probably because the occupation zone was in the South, but cultures within Germany are incredibly distinct from one another and it's doing the country a disservice to say you've visited and know German culture now, but only toured the South. There are incredible places all over the country that are 100 % worth visiting and, depending on personal tastes, more than places in the South even. And I feel like people watching this channel probably know this.. but just in case people from outside the Nalf community do use this as a guide. That being said, thanks for the guide, I enjoyed watching it a lot and think it's a very good one!

One tip for if you want to have some small talk with a German: Do it somewhere where you can be reasonably sure they WANT to be, like in a cafe or park, or in a beer garden. Don't expect much small talk in the grocery store unless you already know each other, because going to the grocery store is just a chore that needs to be done and we'd prefer to get it over with.

I feel like Rouladen dont get enough love for what they are. In case you havent had Rouladen so far. I would recommend. Not the Kohlrouladen, which is also great, but i mean the classic beef rouladen. I might be biased, but i still wanted to suggest it.

For the food I would always recommend local dishes. Spätzle and Butterbrezn are more common in southern germany. If you visit nothern germany you maybe would have less problems with the personal bubble. Even if I am from munich and love my region germany is not only the alps and the black forest.

I live in Japan and whenever I visit Germany I put like 6 kilos of flour mix into my laptop bag on the way back home, because even the cheap supermarket mixes done in a breadmaker are better than 99% of the (darker) bread you get here in Japan - and lye pretzels I've seen only three times in 16 years!

Great tips, especially for an American visiting. I am an American service member that has lived in Germany and am actually on holiday visiting now. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend today’s Unicorn game and took a few seconds to say hello to your girlfriend, brother, and cousin in the stands. I told them that my family and I very much enjoy your channel, as it reminds us of the pleasures that we experienced living abroad. Thanks for what you do, and I hope that me stopping to let them know that I was a fan of yours wasn’t too awkward for them, especially since a couple of them were just visiting. Also, great game, as the Unicorns dominated the Razorbacks today. I wish for quick recoveries for you and your brother, as well as Cody, who had to leave today’s game early. Thanks again for the great content on the channel and inspiring my family and I to attend the game.

Hi, I am German and I always say Excuse me when I am in the supermarket and I want something where somebody is standing at the moment. This is how I was raised by my parents, but not everybody is doing that. I live in a small village in Southern Bavaria and the next "city" is 8 kilometre away with about 13800 residents.

Thank you, as a german i often forget about the beauty of this country.

My husband did his MBA and had an American professor, who was like, "Oh, we should be doing this joint project with my home university in the US, come up with a concept and send it to me..." Having had experience with the "flakiness" of Americans, a lot of the German and Austrian students were like "Uh huh", and the professor laughed and said he really means it. His first interaction of the kind was, that he invited German students and was shocked when they wrote to him with fixed plans months later. So now he knows... if you don't want them to come, don't invite them. (Ironically, the project didn't go anywhere... Flakiness reaffirmed. lol)

Hi Nalf! I am German and absolutely loved your videos. I actually agree with a lot of things you say about Germany. You really seem to understand us. But if it comes to Germans not being very open to strangers I have to say that it depends on the area. If you ever get to the Ruhr Area you'd be surprised how open people are. You happen to wait for a bus and people would start talking to you as if they've been knowing you for years. Abd: They even have a much stronger bluntness which even puzzles other Germans. Keep up your video presentations please! Stay healthy and take care!

You have re-ignited my desire to learn German and move my family there. Keep the vlogs coming sir I appreciate it. Your energy and passion truly come through the screen.

As an Austrian shouted out loud when Nalf said "I reccomend Spätzle to go with you Schnitzel".

As a German I really enjoyed to get the perspective of someone who didn’t grew up here 😍 It’s so funny to become aware of all this little cultural differences😁

Me, a German, just learned that it's not common to be able to put the window "auf Kipp" in other countries.

We use lye for bagels and pretzels in New York! Maybe not on the West Coast.

Thank you for your unbelievable friendly describing of the germans way of living. I see always the little smile around your eyes, that you know that you are speaking like a high professional diplomat! I love it to hear your kind words and to see the very hidden ironical smile. Great job!!!

Not mentioned but definitely nice to know.. Most public restrooms request you to pay a small amount of money… usually cash :)

Maybe the Phrase: " They will blitz you" is a bit weird, especially for french people 😬

As a German I also love my personal bubble and I hate it when people come to close. Especially in these Covid times. There are some situations where it is not avoidable and ok if like someone sneaks it front of me to get something out of the shelf I’m standing in front of at the store. But I hate it when people get so close while stand in line that I can feel their breath in my neck.

OK, this guy is fully adopted and he will never leave the country...🇩🇪😂😂😂

This is outstanding! I learned so much of this during my wonderful three years in Bavaria (1970-1973), but wish this information had proceeded our time in Germany. Thank you for your informative posts❣️

Visiting Germany next month, so the timing of this video was perfect!

4:19 actually you can get those in Germany too. 4 or 5 star hotels usually have those big beds

About bakeries: Just to deepen the information about bread, cakes and bakeries. In Germany there are two types of bakeries. The first, normal bakery specializes mainly in at least ten different types of bread and buns per store but also simple pastries. Here you will find, for example, the "Berliner", "Rosinenschnecken", marzipan croissants, simple cakes such as "Bienenstich" and strawberry or other fruit cakes you can see in this vid. These are run by a master baker. However, there are also "Konditoreien" which are specialized pastry shops that have special education for cakes, tarts and other fine confectionery. They can also sell bread and buns/rolls, but this is more of a side business here. These shops are managed by a master confectioner. Here you will find the best high quality cakes, tarts based on their training. Are these the best cakes in the world? A matter of opinion, there are very good tarts, cakes and sweets in Austria, France and also Italy, but the latter are often very sweet. This countries also have the profession of master confectioner and overall, there has been an intensive exchange of craftsmanship between these countries for decades. Konditoreien or pastry shops also often have a fine café attached just to enjoy the delicacies on the spot. Just the right place for "Kaffee und Kuchen" (coffee and cake), the German way of "tea time". ;) German bread - a world cultural heritage? In order to counteract the eradication of the German bread variety, the national UNESCO Commission included the German bread culture in the nationwide register of intangible cultural heritage in 2014 and thus declared it a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is now protected, like e.g. yoga from India, the Argentine tango, the Pinisi boat building in Indonesia or the French food culture. There is no longer any EU guideline that can prevent the ingredients in German types of bread from being regulated, thereby allowing numerous different types to wither away into a uniform bread. The Bread Register is a unique archive of its kind. It is a recorded inventory of the entire variety of German bread. Today (as of 09/2019) 3,183 different types of bread are listed and thus officially recognized as bread specialties. Every artisan baker who is a member of a bakers' guild can enter all of their bread types and bread-baking miracles online in this bread register.

No no no, most Germans speak only a little bit english, wich means communicating without problems in english, speaking very good english means speaking perfectly fluent without an akzent. Just go in the next "Fußgängerzone" and ask 100 Germans if they speak english, most will answer "a little bit" and still would be able to discuss the meaning of life with you in english

Germany loves you, too 🙂👍

...about the speed limit.. in France you have 130 / 110 km/h on the Autobahn (Autoroute)...in Spain you have 120 K's on the Autovia and Autopista ...and you better respect it...for it can be very expensive....😁👍

11:00 Any location that sells drinks is forced by law to offer a non-alcoholic alternative that is cheaper than the cheapest alcoholic drink. And since Softdrinks are more expensive this alternative is usually a non-carbonated water (“stilles Wasser”).

Hereby, I grant you with a special honor: If you were my waiter, I would allow you to pour my Hefeweizen. Here in northern Germany, where Hefeweizen isn't that popular, too many waiters will unsually screw up the pouring, resulting in the whole glass filled with nothing but froth. Also, they don't know how to get the yeast residue from the bottom of the bottle. So, great job showing how it is actually done right 👍(even though you ended up a bit too caution on the froth side, but imo thats a minor issue)

Great video! I would add that cash is king in Germany and that credit cards aren't universally accepted. Also, change is needed to use many public toilets. From a traveling around perspective, pack light and use the smallest suitcase possible. It will make a huge difference getting on and off trains, walking cobblestone streets, and storing it in your small hotel room.

Summer in Germany is very short and electricity is very expensive compared to America. I think that's why AC will never catch on in Germany.

I love that you reference Feli! I did my internship in Germany, in the Swabish area, so I also love that you mention it. Kuperzell-Bauersbach! A place where there was no public phone, but certainly was a cigarette machine. My German friend called it, Eine Platz wo der Fuchs guten nacht sagt zu die Haese! A place where the Fox says good night to the Hare. It was a wonderful experience. People might also want to watch videos from 'Easy German' - they are a lot of fun.

I'm happy for you that you're getting a visit from family /friends.👍and thank you we love you too😊 PS. You forgot to mention that if a second cash register opens at the grocery store, a civil war will happen in the store 😂

Maybe you should prepare US folks for the fact that there is indeed an Autobahnpolizei. And they are not driving the usual blue and white vehicles, they have 'civilian' cars, usually strongly motorized ones like Porsches, Mercedes, BMWs or Audis. And when you fool around on the Autobahn, they'll follow you for a while, record your behaviour and measure your speed. Then they will set their car in front of yours, flash a "Follow me" sign and guide you to the next "Rastplatz". Anyone should know that when that happens, a serious conversation, followed by a painfully high fine will ensue.

You left this German here a bit teary eyed. In making a traverl's guide, you even more so made such a beautiful hommage to my country and people. When you live in a place for your whole life, you tend to get blind to the positive things, and as it seems there are plenty I need to experience for myself as well. And even as a Ruhrpottkind: Yeah man! Spätzle!! Dreams are made of these! (Especially Käsespätzle, paired with Maultaschen. Mhhh!)

Awesome guide! Thank you!

With restaurants I think you missed two vital points: first, in germany you aren't expected to hurry up and can eat as slowly as you want to and hang out for hours, and secondly, when paying, the waiter will stay with you and either expect cash or get the machine for card payment, but they won't leave you like in the US (always confuses me a lot in the US and I don't know what to do, give me the bill and then just leaves...)

Nice job Nick. Your vids are very well done. My wife and I have been to Germany twice and loved it both times. So many things to see and do. The latest trip we worked on my ancestry. We really loved taking down my roots. Our only regret came on our first trip, we drove past a small town festival going on. We didn't stop to see the doings. We should have. I do brush up on my German before we go. The local do like it when someone does try to speak their language. Can't wait to come back. Don and Joanne

This is actually really helpful, Nalf! Great content!

Brilliant video! Love your passion and positive vibe!

Great vlog! I wish your knee a quick recovery, but maybe this extra time will get you over 100k subs 👍

great video. Hope u hit the 100k soon.

I discovered you today and am enjoying your videos a lot especially this one.

Nailed it!

Thank you for this, guess living here is not so bad. Outside perspective increasing the appreciation for your home country and all that... 😉💚

@Germans telling you what to do regarding "the right thing" and "order": as a German I would say it very much depends on the region. All the examples NALF is giving here sound crass and unfamiliar to me but I heard them quite often from people living in the South, especially Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, sometimes Saxony and Thuringia, too. In general there's a pretty big mentality divide between the North and the South and also between East and West. So NALF tipps considering day to day behaviour are very valid but not universally applicable. The friendship thing, for example, is true throughout Germany, though! Hard shell, soft core. :-) And if you're a friend, count on us!

Awesome video. Thank you!

Really like your channel, great video as always, thank you!

Hey Nick, regarding the Autobahn tip, after about 20 years in Germany found out that when you pass an exit on the Autobahn, all speed limits and restrictions are off. The explanation is, that people entering the Autobahn at that point need to know what the valid restrictions are. So if they aren‘t repeated, they‘re gone! Yes Switzerland is very expensive, but the French are also quite strict and expensive. A couple of weeks ago I dropped by Schwäbisch Hall. It is as nice as it looks in you videos!

8:42 Furthermore, it is a rule to always drive on the right lane and only use the middle lane or left lane to pass slower cars. Passing on the right is forbidden and if the police sees you passing someone on their right you will get pulled over!

Great advise, Nick. I've enjoyed every trip I've ever made to Germany (4).

This was valuable thanks

Penalties for speeding in Switzerland are not only pretty costly, Penalty can also include jail time and....they can impound your car 😲

I lived 7 years in western Oregon and now Idaho after growing up in Germany (my Family is from Hall). You can make your own german bread super easy. We use a cast iron pan with lid. Key is to keep the moisture in and just bake it open for 10ish minutes at the end to get it crispy. My wife makes Bauernbrot 3 times a week (we’re 5) and it tastes just like from the Bakery. Lye is easy to get. You can even order it from Amazon. You buy the powder or pellets, mix it with water (the correct concentration is super important to be safe!!) Almost all “german style” Prezel I purchased in the US seem to use sugar in the dough. One of the best ones is from the german bakery downtown Portland but even this one has a hint of sugary taste that shouldn’t be there….

AND WE LOVE YOU, NALF! Thx for this Video.

As always, GOOD CONTENT! Gut beobachtet ;) greetings from munich

I really enjoy watching your channel.

3:21 Important do not use the term restroom when referring to a toilet. Some not so experienced AE speaker could mix that up easily with a kimd of relaxing room and will send you wherever. In a resto there are usually signs like "WC" or "Toilette"

Wow! this was a very good video. Great job Nalf.

Another wonderful post, good facts and good presentation

Schwäbisch Hall is a very, very nice City! 🥰 Always good for a daytrip. (I live near to Nuremberg). Before Corona we watched the wonderful musical Jesus Christ Superstar and enjoyed some hours at the Würth-Museum. Perhaps you should tell people about the letters at the doors of toilets in restaurants. I remember a very funny situation (I worked as a student as a waitress in an italian restaurant), when an american guest asked for the toilet. He came back in two seconds and asked: D or H?

Enjoyed watching your video! Going to visit Germany soon so all this insights were excellent!

Great summary. Lovely greets from the northern coast of germany.

Another (very) common street food is Bratwurst ("fried sausage"). It usually comes in a breadroll, so you can eat it right away. Ketchup is always available, but I would advise you to try it with mustard (that's the traditional way).

Perfect topic only a few days before my trip to SH! I will make sure to keep all your advice in mind! ☺️ An extra 💖 for pointing out that the Wiener Schnitzel comes from my hometown, Vienna! Actually it’s originally veal, but as you correctly stated it can be made with pork, chicken or turkey. Looking forward to exploring the German vibes soon!

Did you forget the Sunday? I think that’s important. I love the Sunday with closed stores.

Thanks for this post Nick. I really enjoyed it. I saw you on easy german 2 days ago and decided to check your channel out. Very good or maybe I should say "sehr gute.

I will say, driving on the Autobahn in Germany affords a much more beautiful view than on the motorway in GB. But yes, the trains are a wonderful way to see the country.

nice vid, wow 26 minutes?!?! a new record? :-) you must be a german expert!!!!! it seems you put all your 6 years of experience in it!!

Thank you for the advice and hints. I can not wait for my trip this August.

Only thing more expensive than a swiss speeding ticket is a visit at the doctor in the US

The Swabians might deny it, but there's definetly some Swabian twang in your German, Nick. Pretty cool ;)

When In Germany always make fun of the French. This tip will make you friends all over Germany.

You make some amazing videos; even so, this is the best one ever!

And always carry cash instead of a credit card

Dude, you've been living in Germany for six (6) years and still haven't been to a proper football game?! 🙂