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LANGUAGE AND CULTURE

12 words and phrases you need to survive in Hamburg

Hamburg is a pretty cosmopolitan place, and you won’t have any problem speaking Hochdeutsch around town. But traditionally, people in the city speak Hamburger Platt, and it's still very much alive.

12 words and phrases you need to survive in Hamburg
Photo: DPA

Hamburger Platt a quirky variation of Low Saxon (Niederdeutsch), a language which is spoken in northern Germany and eastern parts of the Netherlands.

It is estimated that are around six million people in eight different German states speak Low Saxon, and around 100,000 speak it in Hamburg itself.

SEE ALSO: Local knowledge: an insider guide to life in Hamburg

But it’s on the rise, especially among the young. Some schools teach it from first grade, and there’s even a Hip-Hop group “De fofftig Penns” (“Die fünfzig Pfennige” or “50 cents” as pfennig was a former currency) that raps in Plattdeutsch.

So we thought we should get started on some Hamburger Platt too.

Here’s a little list of words and phrases to get you started, so that next time you go to Hamburg, you can start to fit in like a true local:

1. Moin (hello)

Moin, also sometimes moin moin covers a lot of different greetings, as it can mean Guten Morgen, Guten Tag and even Guten Abend. How simple!

A shop in Hamburg with the sign 'Moin' outside.

A shop in Hamburg with the sign ‘Moin’ outside. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Axel Heimken

2. Schnacken (chat)

Schnack is also the word for chit-chat, and someone who speaks Plattdeutsch could be described as a Plattschnacker.

3. Macker (lad)

This means a lad or a mate or even a boyfriend. Or you could try the slang term Digga, which is more equivalent to Alter, meaning dude or man, and has become pretty cool recently.

4. Klock (clock)

You probably could’ve guessed this one. It shows how close some of the words are to English. There isn’t always that much difference between the Low Saxon and the Anglo Saxon (which is the route of much of the English language).

5. Schmöken (smoke)

Another one that just sounds like English in a German accent! When you’re in Hamburg you’ll see people schnacken while they schmöken outside a restaurant.

6. Büx (trousers)

A man holds up a huge pair of Büx at the Hamburg tailor’s Herrenkleidung Policke, which makes suits for all sizes imaginable. Photo: DPA

Perhaps not one you’ll use everyday, but there’s also the related verb utbüxen, which means to slip away or escape.

7. Mall (mad)

You may well hear “Bist du mall?!” being bounded around, which means “Are you out of you mind?!”

8. Sabbelknoken (mobile phone)

It’s definitely a bit of a mouthful, but it is still used by some in Hamburg, and literally translates as a “mouth bone/limb”.

9. Wat is de Klock? (What’s the time?)

You don’t need to be Sherlock to deduce this one either, as it sounds like broken English, but it could come in pretty useful on a visit.

10. En mol Lütt un Lütt (a beer and a schnapps)

Here’s where you might need Sherlock. This is a classic order in a traditional Hamburg pub, but who would have thought that asking for two Lütt could get you both a beer and a shot?

11. In’n Tüddel koomm (get confused)

This one almost sounds like what it means, and you almost have to yodel to say it. If you by mistake stumbled into Herbertstraße off the Reeperbahn, you may well in’n Tüddel koomm.

12. Du bist mein Schietbüdel (you’re my darling)

And finally one for if you find the right person in Hamburg. It’s become really popular in the last few years, and although it used to be an insult, it’s now used as a term of endearment. 

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LIVING IN GERMANY

Why are Hamburg and Berlin ranked as two of the worst cities for foreigners?

A ranking by InterNations found that Hamburg and Berlin were two of the worst cities for foreigners to move to. Why do these two German cities get such a bad rap?

Why are Hamburg and Berlin ranked as two of the worst cities for foreigners?

When international residents dream of moving to Germany to start a new life, they often picture it as an exciting adventure where they’ll have a buzzing social life and a cosy flat. 

But Germany’s two largest cities were rated poorly in a recent ranking, especially when it comes to making friends, bureaucracy, settling down and finding a home. 

InterNation’s 2023 Expat City Ranking, based on a survey of over 12,000 people living abroad, ranked Berlin and Hamburg as two of the worst cities to live in for foreigners.

According to the ranking, Malaga, Alicante and Valencia in Spain took the top three spots for the best cities for foreigners to live. 

Coming in at 46th out of 49, Hamburg is where foreign residents “are unhappiest with their social life”, according to the InterNations survey. 

Meanwhile, Berlin was found to be a city where expats faced a “rocky start”, landing in the 45th spot. 

Just why are these cities getting such a bad rap?

Hamburg

The Hanseatic city is known for its seedy nightlife and for helping the Beatles hone their craft before becoming global pop stars. But nowadays it’s also an economic powerhouse with a host of upmarket bars, world-class restaurants and fancy hotels. 

According to the InterNations survey, it’s the place where foreigners feel the second unhappiest overall – just behind Vancouver.

Despite being a city with lots going on – whether its culture or pubs – 41 percent of expats aren’t satisfied with their social life, compared to 25 percent globally. 

Meanwhile, 35 percent of respondents to the InterNations survey don’t have a support network, while just over 60 percent say it’s hard to make local friends.

It puts Hamburg in the bottom five of the Ease of Settling In Index, landing in the 46th spot. 

According to internationals, Hamburg is not a good place to get started in either as a foreigner, ranking 47th in the Expat Essentials index. 

It is well known that affordable flats are are hard to find in Hamburg. The city has some of the highest and fastest rising costs for housing in Germany.

“It can be found in the bottom 10 for the ease of finding housing (46th) and getting by without speaking the local language (40th),” said InterNations. “It places second to last – after Berlin – for making payments without cash (48th), and 61 percent find it hard to deal with the local bureaucracy (compared to 38 percent globally).”

Apartments in Hamburg's Eimsbüttel area.
Apartments in Hamburg’s Eimsbüttel area. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Marcus Brandt

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the cold and rainy weather in Hamburgs leaves expats feeling unhappy. 

Quality of life was also called out in the city, with internationals saying it is difficult to get access to healthcare services.

So where does Hamburg excel?

According to the survey, internationals are more satisfied with their jobs. Hamburg lands in fourth spot for job security and 67 percent say they are impressed with the local job market. 

But Hamburg ranks in the bottom 10 for overall job satisfaction, landing overall in 25th out of 49th spot for the Working Abroad index. 

Berlin

With a population of about 3.5 million, Berlin attracts people from all over the world. Whether they’re looking to party in nightclubs like Berghain, check out museums, delve into history or relax in one of the many parks, Berlin is a draw like no other. 

But the German capital is also the worst city in the world for foreigners to get started in, according to the InterNations ranking. 

Berlin also gets the last spot for Digital Life in general, and for high-speed internet at home.

Those used to the capital won’t find it surprising that 43 percent of internationals find it hard to pay without cash – which is over five times the global average (8 percent). 

Berlin also ranks among the bottom 10 for Admin Topics (45th spot) and Language (43rd). 

The capital’s housing crisis has been getting worse in the last few years, as demand increases and supply remains low. 

A staggering 78 percent of respondents to the InterNations survey said that it’s difficult for expats to find housing (compared to 31 percent globally. 

People walk in Berlin Tiergarten

Berlin’s green spaces like Tiergarten are a draw, but foreign residents struggle with other aspects of life in the capital. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Monika Skolimowska

Perhaps surprisingly given Berlin’s reputation, it is also among the hardest places for expats to expand their social life. It lands in second last position in the Ease of Settling In index, only behind Vienna. 

The Berliner Schnauze is evident here, with the city’s residents considered the second least friendly in the global ranking.

“Maybe that’s why 39 percent of expats do not feel at home in Berlin, almost double the global average (20 percent),” said InterNations. “And 57 percent find it hard to make local friends.”

Berlin’s foreign population is among the unhappiest worldwide, landing in at 47th position. 

But there must be something redeeming about Berlin – why else do people move there?

According to the survey, Berlin does better in the Working Abroad category, landing in 24th spot. 

INTERVIEW: Why so many people move to Berlin

Internationals praised the local job market and 83 percent said they appreciated the stable economy. 

Although overall, Berlin receives an average result for Quality of Life (24th spot), this is an area where it achieves some top rankings. 

International residents praised the availability of green goods and services like renewable energy and organic food plus its famous culture and nightlife (4th).

In fact, a massive 90 percent enjoy Berlin’s cultural scene and 85 percent appreciate the capital’s urban environment.

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