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COMEDY

The best TV comedies to improve your German while making you laugh

Do you need an excuse to watch more comedy TV? We have researched and compiled a list of our favourite German TV comedies ranging from sitcoms to slapstick - all guaranteed to make you laugh.

Published: 14 September 2018 14:04 CEST
The best TV comedies to improve your German while making you laugh
A still from Danni Lowinski, about a woman who charges per minute for legal advice. Photo: DPA

Often native language sources trump textbooks when it comes to later stages of language learning. You can gain a great familiarity with the fluency of a language through TV, and comedies in a foreign language can give you an insight into the sense of humour of a whole culture.

Sometimes TV shows are also available with subtitles, making them suitable for all language abilities. We have put together a selection of German TV comedies which might help you improve your language skills, whatever your level – and give you a few laughs at the same time.

Turkisch für Anfänger

Following the everyday lives of a Turkish-German step-family in Berlin, Turkisch für Anfänger (Turkish for Beginners) this show is a lot of fun and very quick-witted. 

After Doris falls in love with Metin, a police officer of Turkish descent, their families move in together, much to the disdain of their children. The story is narrated by Lena, Doris’s 16 year old daughter. Cultural differences and conflicts create a comedy of errors in this series as the two families merge.

Even without subtitles, the German is fairly easy to understand, and it can educate you on the Umgangsprache or the punchy way that people speak in real life thanks to the colloquial dialogue.

It was originally broadcast between 2006 and 2008 and has three seasons – so get stuck in.

Available on Amazon Prime Video in Germany, on MHz Choice in the US and Canada (with English subtitles), or on DVD

Danni Lowinski

Following the story of a young hairdresser, Danni, who has qualified as a lawyer by taking night classes, Danni Lowinkski has five seasons, which were broadcast between 2010 and 2014.

In the show, Danni is unable to find a job at a solicitors' firm so she sets up a law clinic in a small shopping centre in Cologne.

Danni charges a euro per minute for her legal advice, hoping to gain work experience and then find a job. She makes friends with store holders in the shopping centre and begins to represent (often entertaining) clients in court.

The German is a bit more challenging for this show and there are no subtitles, but it is still a good option if you already have a strong language ability.

Available on Sky in Germany, or on DVD

Stromberg

A mockumentary inspired by Ricky Gervais’s The Office, this programme follows Bernd Stromberg in the office of a fictional insurance firm ‘Capitol Versicherung AG’.

In the show, which has five seasons and was broadcast between 2004 and 2012, Stromberg is the head of the claims settlement department. The sitcom, which is hugely popular in Germany, follows his department’s often chaotic day-to-day life.

It is available free online and although it doesn't have subtitles, its fairly sophisticated sense of humour is still easy to grasp.  Probably not suitable for beginners but a great option, particularly for fans of The Office.

Available free on My Spass and on Amazon Prime Video in Germany, Has been on Netflix in the US in the past but currently only available on DVD outside of Germany.

Pastewka

The Pastewka has echoes of the American series Curb Your Enthusiasm, starring Seinfeld director Larry David. 

It follows the life of the Cologne-based comedian Bastian Pastewka, who continually causes problems for himself due to his clumsiness and habit of fibbing.

The show features lots of running jokes, which is great for a foreign language audience, since once you have understood a joke once, its repetition will be automatically funny. Series eight also features German subtitles, which is a massive bonus and a great way to learn when watching in a foreign language..

Its hilarious seven seasons were broadcast between 2005 and 2014. This year it was taken over by Amazon, and series eight was released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.

All eight series are available on Amazon Prime Video in Germany, Series 1-7 are available free on My Spass, available on DVD elsewhere.

Knallerfrauen

Knallerfrauen is a comedy sketch show starring Martina Hill with four seasons, which were broadcast between 2011 and 2015. The humour is often sophisticated but there is also a large amount of slapstick – physical and non-verbal – comedy, which translates well into any language.

Hill plays with female stereotypes and switches between lots of entertaining roles. The humour comes from the female point of view, which is quite refreshing.

You can also find lots of clips on the Knallerfrauen YouTube channel, and the majority have English subtitles. These are great small comedy clips perfect for those with only beginner’s German, due to the type of comedy and uncomplicated dialogue.

You can find full catch up episodes on Sat1 online, or clips on YouTube. It is also available on DVD.

Mord mit Aussicht

Mord mit Aussicht (Murder with a View) is a satirical crime comedy series with three seasons broadcast between 2007 and 2014. The show follows an ambitious detective, Sophie Haas, who, instead of her expected promotion to head of the Cologne murder department, is sent to lead the police department in a sleepy rural town. You can guess how that goes down…

The majority of the humour centres on the culture shock of Sophie’s move to the city and the characters who she encounters, and despite first impressions of the town, she manages to find some crimes to solve.

There are no subtitles availability for the show and it is probably best for those who already have a reasonable level of German, although the language isn't extremely challenging and the humour is not too difficult to understand. 

All 3 Series available on Amazon Prime Video in Germany, some episodes available on Das Erste online, available on DVD.

 

What do you think about our choices? Do you have any recommendations? Let us know: [email protected]

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LEARNING GERMAN

‘Forget about bilingual Kitas’: Key tips for raising bilingual kids in Germany

With greater numbers of international workers choosing to settle in Germany and raise a family, the question of how to best raise bilingual children is often considered. 

Published: 25 April 2024 15:01 CEST
Updated: 28 April 2024 08:35 CEST
'Forget about bilingual Kitas': Key tips for raising bilingual kids in Germany

The Local asked its readers who have raised bilingual children in Germany to tell us how they managed to raise children who speak German in addition to their parent’s mother tongue. 

Trust the (school) system. 

One piece of advice was echoed by several readers: Trust the German education system to take care of teaching German through immersion. 

Siniša, 44, from Hesse, who speaks Croatian and English at home, told The Local: “Speak your native language at home. The school will ‘cover’ German and other languages.”

Steve, 55, who lives in Munich and speaks English and Spanish with his daughter agrees.

“Be consistent and raise your child in your native tongue. At a local school, they will learn German quickly,” he said.

Chris, 44, from Hamburg, who speaks English with his children, backed the idea of leaving kids’ schools to take charge of teaching them German.

“Get the kids into the German education system as early as possible and let them learn themselves from native speakers. As a bonus, they’ll pick it up quickly and not pick up a ‘non-German’ accent either,” he said.

Read more: ‘Multilingualism is an enrichment’ – The challenges of raisin bilingual kids in Germany

Readers also noted that even in the preschool stage, children can handle multiple languages. 

Julie, 41, who lives in Hamburg and speaks English and Italian at home, said: “Relax and go with the flow. Don’t get hung up on finding bilingual Kitas for toddlers if they already get significant exposure to the non-German language at home. Languages seem to develop in different spurts at different speeds.”

However, liaising with schools in Germany was noted as an essential skill. 

Kim, 46, based in Sindelfingen, with a family speaking both English and German, said: “It’s essential for at least one parent to understand German when children attend a German school. They can help explain language and cultural differences. They can also help with administrative matters and even homework.”

Maintain the mother tongue.

While readers were keen to encourage parents to trust the immersion process that German schools provide, they were also quick to advise a concerted effort to maintain speaking the mother tongue in and around the home. 

“For international parents, I think it’s very important that their children do not lose touch with their mother tongue, as it is a very special part of their identity,” said Prashanth, 42, who lives in Munich.

Anne-Marie, 52, from Frankfurt, who speaks ‘Singlish’ (Singaporean English) with her children, stated that it’s essential to be firm.

“Speak in your mother tongue to your kids from the day they are born. Be consequent about it, even in front of other people who do not speak your mother tongue,” she said.

Karl, 44, who lives in Celle and who speaks English and the indigenous American Ute language with his children, said getting family on board is important. 

“Communicate with all family members your decision, intentionally speak all of the languages, when possible provide translations so family members present are not excluded from conversations,” he said.

Charles, 40, from Berlin, even stated that speaking German at home may prove detrimental: “Don’t speak your own mediocre German with them. It may be hard to see them speaking another language as their more comfortable primary language than your own.”

Charles, who speaks English at home, added: “Find books and shows to share with them in your native language to continue the shared experience.”

Read More: What foreign parents should know about German schools

Just let it happen with the kids…

Sometimes, it seems, becoming bilingual takes care of itself. 

Paul, 40, from Munich, married to a German, said: “Our oldest just started speaking English one day around age 3. She had heard so much she could understand and just started talking. 

“The twins are starting to speak more and more English. It wasn’t a problem since she was fluent in both by age 4. I advise patience and not expecting perfection at a young age.

Crystal, 38, who lives in Nuremberg and speaks English at home, responded: “At first, my main concern was getting as much German into our lives as possible so my son would be ready for Grundschule. 

“Now I’m swinging the other way. My advice is to try to relax. There are always other things to worry about, and kids learn so much really quickly.”

…but also challenge yourself

Finally, respondents to The Locals’ survey repeated that raising bilingual children is something that requires a degree of effort – on the parent’s behalf. 

J.K, 40, who lives in Hanau and speaks English and Telugu at home, told The Local: “Language is very important for the kids to grow in a culture. 

“Parents should facilitate situations around the kid to better integrate locally. Parents (at least one) should be able to speak German at a level better than B1. 

“If not, supporting kids in their education is difficult, and this will hamper their chances of reaching a higher education level.”

Read More: Six surprising facts about Germany’s school system

Moreno, 40, who lives in Munich and speaks Portuguese with his children, was firm in his advice: “Don’t choose the easy way for you, parents. Don’t hide in your language community bubble. 

“If you intend to live in Germany for a long time, put your kids in German schools and get them in touch with the German community.

“If you don’t speak German like me, deal with it. But don’t transfer your problem to your kids.”

Have we missed any crucial advice for raising bilingual children in Germany? Tell us in the comments section below.

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