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I assume the OP knows that many things will be different but I want to tell them about things that might get them killed rather than just taste differently.
Also to the OP, learn the habit of looking the other way first when crossing a road.
Thank you. That said, the sossidges are very different. One of the things I miss over on this side of the channel is a good pack of Newmarket sossidges.
> I assume the OP knows that many things will be different but I want to tell them about things that might get them killed rather than just taste differently.
Then it's important for them to know that British sausages need to be cooked! I believe German ones are sold pre-cooked.
Same goes for bacon. I had a German friend who ate bacon raw when he first came to the UK because he didn't realise it needs to be cooked first. Apparently in Germany it's sold ready to eat (cold smoked and dry cured I guess?).
Germany is like other countries in that sausages and bacon can be sold cooked or raw. The complication may be that back bacon looks like pancetta, most continental bacon the streaky cuts.
On the sossidges, the OP should know that good English sossidges are meant to be fried and not boiled.
The one I know caught out a German I worked with, the mustards are very different. He pulled quite a face when he applied a generous helping of English mustard to his bratwurst.
If it was really spicy, it probably wasn't real wasabi - wasabi is rather mild and delicate and you have to grate it freshly as it begins to lose flavour within a few minutes.
Almost always the wasabi flavour in Japan is dyed horseradish. Some brands mix in certain percentages of pickled wasabi root to be able to call it wasabi, But you are still tasting mostly European horseradish.
As God intended.
And it probably goes without saying, but the UK drives on the left. Crossing roads will feel weird at first but you’ll soon get used to it.
Speaking of crossing roads, except on motorways, you can do it whenever and wherever you like as long as it’s safe.
One of the culture shocks for me going to German-speaking countries is that they take the red man very seriously, even when the road is completely empty.
Come to think of it the way we mix the systems must drive foreigners up the wall. Not only do we mix systems which units you use depend on context and personal preference to an extent.
Brits often speak in very passive and indirect ways, so you often cannot take what is being said at face value. For example the "British understatement" is so well known and documented it has its own Wikipedia page, and has unfortunately caused deadly incidents as well. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/apr/14/johnezard
I wouldn't be afraid to ask clarifying questions if you aren't sure if people are understating, being sarcastic, etc. Also, "You alright?" is a greeting, where the usual response is "Yeah good thanks, you?", and not an actual question about your wellbeing (you could respond more honestly with "Tired today, and you?" But not "I'm feeling a little overwhelmed and didn't sleep well last night. Things have been difficult at home..." You get the point)
Don't worry too much though, most people will understand that you're from a different culture and won't necessarily "get" these nuances straight away.
That’s the true one…
Brits don’t say what they think.
You need to read between the lines
https://preview.redd.it/81v79gnkqa8d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a2f7c6d35d7ea2cbe8080ed78224bd25faca477
“In a pickle” is another one… which could mean as little as “a somewhat confusing conversation” up to “imminent death unless luck and an exact sequence of actions gets you out of it”.
I posted this on my cubicle wall as a joke. My Dutch boss asked if he could photocopy it and sent it around our non-British coworkers because they found it helpful.
My joke is that we are basically always continuously pointlessly lying, which isn't quite right but it isn't as wrong as it should be.
Definitely this. I know German people who struggle with this here and also struggle with people thinking they're blunt/rude because they're more direct. They've basically had to learn to scatter in loads of "would it be possible" "if you get a chance" "I'd really appreciate it if" and then loads of pleases and thank yous.
This also neatly illustrates a related point: do not be tempted to put emphasis on certain points in your written communications by using formatting. Germans love to shout in writing but in Britain this will get you outed as a tone-deaf foreigner instantly. Bold text is rude. Bold text in italics is even more rude. Using underline will get you excommunicated from after-work drinks. Exclamation marks will pierce your reader's heart like bullets. Especially multiple ones. All caps will get you fired. And don't even think about using red
I rarely ever thought about it but it is so true, I even feel the need to be considerate when using italics in reddit comments, even when it's just for emphasis. Tone is a very low key important thing in British culture.
As a German immigrant as well - reading between the lines is of the utmost importance.
Don’t confuse politeness with friendliness.”we should got for a drink sometime” often means it’ll never happen. Hence people might not appear very genuine to a German.
OTOH - being somehow inept at getting nuance provides a “get out of jail free” card when it comes to veiled/ indirect demands or commands.
Are we not saying what we mean, if we all know what it means?
I think it's more we realised most of the world speaks English, so we needed to encrypt our communications...
We do kinda say what we mean, to each other, as we're mostly aware of the little quirks we insert into everyday speech, just strangers to the culture don't get it and we don't realise :)
This so true! I’m British through and through but the lack of directness drives me bonkers. I once had a neighbour come to my door and while we were chatting, she mentioned in a general way about the awkward parking outside our houses. I cheerily said that it’s never been a problem for me, we knew the score when we bought the house, and so on.
It was much much later when it dawned on me that the whole purpose of her visit had been to complain about the way I’d parked. But as we had a good relationship, she couldn’t possibly say “please move your car forward a bit” because that would be violating some code of unspoken Britishness. I kind of miss trying to decode her friendly chats. RIP Pam, you mad old fruit.
This was actually a serious issue during the collapse of Rover. UK execs were saying "We've got a minor problem" which in their British English usage meant they were rapidly becoming insolvent, but which their owners (BMW) understood as there's nothing significant to worry about. A few months later: no company.
The collapse was mainly mismanagement, even with the k series head gasket fiasco, their designers/engineers had still managed to produce a run of popular Rover/MG models, but management had zero interest in investing in R&Ding new engines and platforms to capitalise on that success *(because they were busy milking the company to death)*, so they ended up facelifting facelifts until their whole lineup was hopelessly outdated.
> Also, "You alright?" is a greeting, where the usual response is "Yeah good thanks, you?"
Even that is borderline loquacious, and a simple “Alright?” with a brief nod will often suffice.
As someone who has lived in Germany before, you can look forward to the following:
You can go to the supermarket and many other shops for most of Sunday.
You don't need a credit card to shop online, your British bank account will come with a debit card that allows you to do this.
British airports have a better choice of shops and places to eat than German airports do.
Every town has a good choice of takeaways unlike Germany where it is just Döner kebab or pizza!
Our supermarkets have a better variety of hot sauces.
We have Nando's here.
I've also lived in Germany before moving to the UK. These points are all right on the money. A few more:
1)If on an escalator, stand on the right and pass on the left.
2) If it appears like people might be queuing, assume that they are, and respect the queue. The only exception is at a pub, where people don't typically queue at the bar. (Germans can be rather opportunist when it comes to queues).
3) Drinking alcohol outdoors and on the street is fine, \[edit: I am wrong; check local laws\] but you must dispose of the bottles yourself. Do not leave them on the pavement, even if next to a waste bin. Because there is no universal bottle deposit system, there is also not an informal workforce of poor people picking up glass bottles.
4) Dining out tends to be a quicker, more perfunctory affair than on the continent. Weekday lunch, in particular, is often a brief pop out for a damp sandwich. Rarely will you do an hour-long lunch at a restaurant with *Kollegen.* So don't be offended if your co-workers don't invite you out for lunch. Most likely it hasn't occurred to them.
5) Social activities are less institutionalised in the UK. There is no equivalent of the *Verein,* for example, and your workplace probably won't organise many social activities beyond an annual holiday party. To find groups for activities like cycling, football, trekking, etc., you can try Facebook groups in your local city/town.
6) Your UK workplace may not be as clear and detailed about protocols and processes as your German workplace (for requesting leave, sick days, etc.). Don't be afraid to ask for clarity more than once. In my experience, German office admins and HR are not afraid of explaining something to you like you're 5 years old (which is really helpful if you have the German language skills of a 5 year old :)). Brits on the other hand are rather more delicate and will usually take pains to avoid "talking down" to you, but that can leave things unclear.
Regarding 2, people very much queue at the pub, but it’s an invisible queue. It may look like people are just crowding around the counter, but you’re expected to know who arrived before you and wait for them to be served.
Very good point. There is organised turn-taking, if not a physical line of people. This may or may not be challenging for someone used to German queues. With apologies to my German friends for the broad brush strokes, it is not uncommon in Germany for people to sieze an opening if they see it, whether at an airport counter, grocery checkout, or nightclub. I've even had people queue jump waiting for a Covid test.
At a UK pub, you *should* make a mental note of who arrived before and after you, and use polite glances and head nods to resolve any confusion. Plenty of folks abuse this system though and will just elbow their way in.
Be prepared to be frustrated in Aldi/Lidl in the UK.
Cashiers do not even approach the lightning speeds you get in Germany, and the packing bench is mostly decorative here.
The trick is to put loose fruit and veg in at strategic intervals, which gives you a second or two to catch up while they type the code for it in.
Put items on the conveyor in the order that you're going to pack them.
Master these two and you'll never need to use the bench of shame again.
YES! I've been going to Lidl/Aldi since I was a kid so.... going on for 25-30ish years? It used to be the proper speed back then, where you had to just throw everything back into the trolley to sort it out later, OR take it as a challenge and speed pack - I got so good!
But then it went mainstream and they slowed down because the biddies round here started getting all panicky at the speed. I don't go to Aldi for a civilised shopping experience! I go because its *cheap* and the cashiers barely acknowledge my existence!
Have you ever been to Frankfurt Airport? I had the best airport meal of my life there. Proper restaurant with actually nice food and normal prices rather than one of our airport pub hell holes.
>You don't need a credit card to shop online, your British bank account will come with a debit card that allows you to do this.
Excuse me what? Is that not standard everywhere?
I wouldn’t shop online with a debit card. You get better protection vs fraud with a credit card. Essentially with a credit card, the card issuer must fight to get its money back. With a debit card, you must fight to get your money back.
I didn’t know that. Thanks! I looked it up. Turns out the protection for debit cards is different, but still worth knowing about. Here’s an [article](https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/credit/how-youre-protected-when-you-pay-by-card) I found
But at least you have the option.
In Germany where OP is coming from, many banks will only give you a Girocard by default, which is a German-only system and won’t work online or outside Germany. It’s changing a bit especially with newer banks.
Banks will then typically charge extra for a credit card for online and overseas spending. Plus they usually work like charge cards where the full balance must be paid each month.
So PayPal is really popular for online spending in Germany since it’s free. Many shops will charge you via direct debit too.
>We don’t get refunds on our empty glass bottles
Nearly happened in Scotland last year - scheme was poorly planned from the start and never got off the ground, but I suspect it'll happen at some point.
For the love of God, if you like beer get in to cask ale. It's what the UK is amazing at, it's very, very hard to buy in Germany, and it's cracking beer.
Eat all the foreign food. Carribean and "African" food is great (Speechmarks as saying African food is a stupid as saying European food, but you get my point)
Yea, we do cask really well. Not German themed but came back from Warsaw, Polska earlier, they had some amazing bars with bucket loads of "craft" ale, including a nice variety of wheat beer, which I'll happily lap up. But it was nice getting home to a proper hand pulled cask beer.
I spent six months in Germany for work, so hopefully these can help. It's mostly small things. People in the UK and in Germany are quite similar.
The sense of humour is very similar but presents differently. Two sides of the same coin. We both like "anthumour", but it presents in a different way. Germans like to point out the obvious and highlight it. In the UK we like to dramatically exaggerate or underplay it.
Relatedly, Germans have a reputation of being very direct and people in the UK like to talk *around* a subject. This can actually be problematic at work where it's hard to judge how severe a problem is. Charts like [the one in this article](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chart-shows-what-british-people-say-what-they-really-mean-and-what-others-understand-a6730046.html) seem like jokes but they really do have a basis in reality. You will find this irritating and you have to just be okay with that.
Banking works surprisingly differently, day-to-day. All just different ways of doing the same thing.
Some people will not be able to read your handwriting (not that most people write by hand often, but for leaving notes etc). Numbers (1 & 7, 4 & 9) will get confused.
Drinking culture is quite different. Not better or worse, but different.
Meal sizes are have a different rhythm, with lunch often basically being a snack and your evening meal being quite big. In Germany, people often eat quite lightly in the evening (by comparison).
Compared to the English, Germans think water is spicy. A German hot/scharf is an English medium.
Have a fantastic time! I really enjoyed my time away and Germans and British people are mostly pretty similar. The humour is compatible, the indirectness will annoy you and you'll only remember the good parts anyway.
Cross your 7's and 4's and they become international.
You should put a strong horizontal middle line through both (the 4 already has one, just make it clear that it crosses through).
> Cross your 7's and 4's and they become international.
It's more complicated than that as we tend to write 1s like l, so read cursive ones as 7s. We write lowercase r's very differently than most of Europe so often struggle to even see them in cursive writing because we just learn a totally different style of handwriting.
It's just one of those things like German speech marks being „ ‟ and English ones being “ ”, or question marks and colons having a space in front of them in French that pop up at random. I once did a creative writing class with a French woman whose spoken English was perfect but never learnt English punctuation so kept getting frustrated because the feedback on her work felt really useless (as French and English punctuation is surprisingly different). She didn't understand why the teacher kept bringing it up (because to her it was all correct) and the teacher didn't understand why she didn't seem to do things like use speech marks (because they work totally differently in French).
I did a stint in Berlin and I found the "very direct" super jarring and took a while for me to realise they're not being dicks, it's just the culture. So OP, take this point clearly because you could rub others up the wrong way.
I agree, we're very similar in terms of culture in most aspects so integration will be easy.
One I've run into more than once with German colleagues is that questions requesting more info about a habit, behaviour or health matter are perceived as rude in the UK, rather than friendly and curious. I have an unusual dietary restriction, and I've had many German colleagues ask questions like, "Why are you that way?" or, "Are you able to be healthy eating like that?" In the UK, that's actually considered very intrusive.
I know not too take offense when a colleague asks, and that it means they are showing a friendly interest in my wellbeing, but it definitely always leaves me taken aback and feeling awkward.
You know I immediately thought of Laura Ramoso (Canadian comedian) [taking the piss out of her own German mother](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5wKYdpNSW2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) when I read this 😂😁
Lifelong UK vegetarian… British people definitely do that too. I get “You should try eating meat, then you’d be healthier” every time I have any kind of normal health issue like a cold, or my injured back gets bought up. Usually from guys with a BMI about 10 higher than mine, and blood pressure issues. Lol.
As a Brit living in Germany my observations in reverse would be:
- Sunday is largely like any other day just shops are open a bit less time
- if you say hello to people in the doctor’s surgery or gym changing rooms etc people will think you’re weird
- Brits are generally quite indirect and will agree to stuff to avoid awkwardness and then it’ll be awkward when they clearly don’t want to do it
- pub culture is a bit different
- bacon is actually nice
>public transport outside of London will be a huge step down from Germany.
This, as a Dutch/British person, is something I have had difficulty emphasizing to my European colleagues.
Yes NS is expensive and sometimes screws up. Yes, Deutsche Bahn is a gigantic meme for a reason, but it all pales in comparison with the clusterfuck that is the British public transport system.
Unless you’re living in the 1800s, also known as Northern Ireland. Shops aren’t open until 1pm on a Sunday. The rest still applies. But also you’ll need to study the local flegs.
It's one of the most multicultural places in the world. Just try and be aware that British doesn't denote just white people and you will come across black brown white and everything in between.
Yes! I live in Spain and find it very weird how people will ask me where my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents are from. Also, my religion. I’ve been asked this by Germans here too.
A very valid point. However it really depends on the town or county where you live. London is a very different environment to a small market town miles from the nearest city.
Although it does depend on which parts of the UK you go to. London, Birmingham, Bradford or Bristol, absolutely. Go to the smaller towns and villages and you'll find the population is white as snow and likely have been living in that area for several generations.
I've done the opposite journey as a student. Generally Germany and the UK are pretty similar, you won't have too much trouble settling in. However:
Food - UK food is generally a lot more processed and bland than in Germany. You can get decent food here, but you have to look for it slightly harder (and usually pay more). Depending on where in Germany you're from and where in the UK you're going, you may find that there's a lot more international food options. For example Indian food is very popular here.
Pace of life - Sunday is not Ruhetag. We live in a 24/7 society, especially in the bigger cities (though this is increasingly also true in Germany)
Transport - Germany is generally very good at local transport. Unless you're going to London you won't find that here.
Beuracracy - we have a lot less of it, and most of it can be done online
Politeness - we are not usually direct when talking to someone unlike the Germans. German directness can be perceived as rude and cause offence. Never cut in line, always thank the bus driver (unless you're in London), apologise if someone bumps into you (even if it's completely their fault). Don't be surprised is strangers start talking to you (again doesn't apply in London)
Having lived in Scotland for getting on for 6 years now, I'd say that there are some big cultural differences. To the point that half of the advice in this thread isn't quite right.
For example, people are far more open to chatting to complete strangers and are generally more friendly but also more direct. Not as direct as your average German but much closer than your average English person.
You Bury the toad in batter and bake it.
The dish you've described is poached toad, although you really need to use milk rather than water as it would be bitter otherwise.
I couldn’t read past this without putting you out of your misery. Yes it’s a joke!
The “toad” is actually sausage and the “hole” is the Yorkshire pudding that it’s cooked in. I highly recommend having one with peas, mash and gravy. Beaut 🥰
Eating frogs is a disgusting French habit. Toads are a delicious English delicacy.
When you arrive I recommend ordering one at your local Wetherspoons, they usually have the very best toads (when in season).
When my German boyfriend (now husband) came over to England I told him we were having toad in the hole. His face was a picture..It was back in the 80's when Fish & Chips were still wrapped externally with newspaper. Again horrified, he thought I had dug it out of a dustbin.
Thats hilarious about the newspaper. bubble and squeak is another one that foreigners don't get.
When i was every young, in the late 90s, we used to take in students and we had some from eastern europe one time, and they asked my mum "whats for dinner?" my mum repiled with "toad in the hole" giving it no thought, the student goes away and then comes back and say "i don't want dinner, don't like toad" and then my mum had to try to explain what it was.
You don’t *have* to wait for the green man to cross the road if nothing is coming.
People waiting around really confused me when I did some work in Berlin.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-context_and_low-context_cultures
The UK is almost unique among Northern/Western European nations in being a high-context culture. The easiest way to explain what this means is that unlike in Germany, you don't point out when people are very fat, and the phrase "I'm not sure about that" can mean anything from "seems like a good idea" to "NO YOU FUCKING MORON" depending on wider context.
Good luck!
I once made a car full of Germans scream after executing a very safe, slow, deliberate and careful U-turn in a wide, empty public street with no markings to the contrary after we missed the road we were after.
Though, personally, I like that the Germans are more law-abiding and rule-following, that one surprised even me.
German roads and driving standards are far higher than the UK. Expect potholes, poor road design, and people just breaking driving rules as a matter of fact (not that that means you should do the same!).
My husband is German and when we come to a junction he gets angry when British people don't follow the German give way rule. I told him whoever gets first at a crossroad, should go first. It's polite, but not everybody has manners so it's a case of flicking your lights to other person go and vice versa.
When you go to a pub, people typically buy drinks for each other in rounds and it's polite to offer to buy a round. With colleagues, the most senior person typically buys the first round. Food isn't always a high priority and people will drink on an empty stomach.
You aren't expected to have public liability insurance and your rented flat will probably come furnished.
Never heard this about most senior person getting the round.
I'd still try and offer to be the first, just to make a good impression. Don't want to be seen as shy to put your hand in your pocket.
My German colleague loves it here but she has never got her head around how informal we are with our superiors at work ‘I can’t call the CEO by her first name!’ or the fact that we don’t universally use mixer taps.
Ooh, that's a good one. In the UK, you greet anyone in your company, no matter how senior, by their first name. Fortunately my German colleagues are very understanding that I have no idea when to use 'hi John' versus 'hi Dr Smith'.
A big thing my partner found when going the other way was the pub culture after work is different. Her workplace went home after work / ate etc and then went to the pub about 8. Here it's more common to go straight to pub the head home about 7.30 - 8.
No pfand!!
Shops open much more on a Sunday.
You have to physically tap your debit card (or whatever) on a barrier to enter a train or tube station.
Jaywalking (not waiting for traffic lights before crossing a road) is no big deal and not illegal or taboo.
People are much, much less blunt.
I moved from the UK to Germany and didn’t experience much culture shock really. Not being able to grocery shop on a Sunday, being glared at for crossing a road not at the lights even if the road is empty, and the stringency of German recycling were the only things that even minorly impacted my life.
Brits are much more squeamish about discussing the symptoms of our illnesses. A former (German) colleague of mine scandalised another colleague by texting: "I can't come tonight, I've got diarrhoea." Explicitly describing symptoms related to bodily fluids is considered a bit rude. "I've got an upset stomach" is a much safer way to explain what's wrong.
Brit living in Germany here. The main things you will need to take into account are:
Work culture is very different in the uk - if you are working on a project with deadlines, it’s usual to work late or extra hours to meet it. If you walk out the office at 5 pm and leave your colleagues to pick up your work, you will not be well liked.
Watch your language in emails - German bluntness will be interpreted as rudeness a lot of the time. Also you will have to learn to read between the lines of British polite language - the nuance will take a while to grasp. Don’t be shy to ask colleagues about interpretation!
Same thing goes for conversations.
Brits tend to have a lot more awareness of how to move in public spaces, and are more aware of others around them than in Germany. So look where you are going! Don’t block pavements, use phone on the top of stairs etc.
If you are a German guy, it will be good to learn to let others - women, people with heavy bags, the elderly etc - to go through doorways first. If someone lets you pass first, you say thank you, or nod. It’s very rude not to do so.
Again, if you are male, remove your backpack in busy pubs/ clubs/ public transport and hold it in front of you or put between your legs. If you walk around, German style, with it on your back in busy places, hitting shorter people and women in the face, you will be yelled at (one of my biggest bugbears of living in Germany).
Another tip if you are a guy - if you want to ask strangers for a cigarette or for any kind of favour, wait until there is an gap in their conversation rather than just interrupting them, and say please.
No one uses fax. Everything is digitalised - so brush up on your IT skills ahead of time.
Food in Germany is very bland in comparison to food in the uk. Food is more seasoned, and many things will be too spicy for an average German palate. Butter is also salted most of the time.
Many placws are card only these days - EC cards are not accepted anywhere, so make sure you have a German bank account with a functioning debit card before you arrive in the uk.
Tipping is at least 10% and often by card, rather than cash.
If you are queuing in the supermarket and a new checkout opens, customers will join the new queue in the order in which they were previously queueing. Pushing to the front German-style will get you yelled at.
Never jump the queue - nothing gets Brits angrier!
Trains will be smaller, dirtier and more cramped than you are used to in Germany.
Bear in mind that Germany - for obvious reasons - has very unique ideas about Israel, anti-semitism, etc. for example, BDS is not considered anti-Semitic in the uk as it is in Germany and the uk is significantly more pro-Palestinian than Germany.
You will probably get some idiots making jokes about World War 2 - sorry in advance but just ignore it.
Enjoy being able to go to a proper pub - kniepes just aren’t the same! And make sure you get a pub Sunday roast at some point!
Good luck and I hope you enjoy your time!
Yes, I’m aware of that - as I am a woman. It’s usually women who get smashed in the face by backpacks, but also shorter men and children.
Jeez, I think maybe you need to a get a hobby …
The food scene here in England is far better than Germany's and if you can learn to cook our dishes properly (toad in the hole, cottage pie etc) you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Asking for Tap water in restaurants is totally fine.
Expect to be disappointed by the supermarket bread (you would call it American toast).
Lots of nice crisp flavours here - not just Paprika 😄
British people are generally less rule-following than Germans.
Shops are open for limited hours on Sundays.
I will say that good bread is definitely more widely available than it used to be, Morrisons and M&S stick out as two that do decent bakery bread, and quite a few varieties at that.
Apart from language which obviously won’t be a problem for you as you have written your post in perfect English you probably won’t find too much difference. You’ve got to try a spoons( Wetherspoons a chain of pubs) at least once, it’s rubbish but at least try it. And maybe don’t mention penalty shootouts. And welcome the the UK.
Further low key advice here. If you are stuck in any town in Britain, there is usually a (wether)spoons, and you can get refill coffee for (I think) 99p.
Better than the rain
When someone acknowledges you with a nod and says “Alright?”, the correct answer is a nod back and “Alright. 😌”.
I’m afraid I learnt that late into my adulthood 😂 In any case, the answer is *not* ✨”Yeah I’m alright thanks! How are you? ☺️” ✨ 😂
"I'm alright thanks. How are you?" is perfectly fine if you know the person.
"Alright/alright" is better with strangers or people you only slightly know when you're passing in the street and don't want to stop to chat.
There's no etiquette whilst walking along foot paths etc,
There's manners and consideration.
Though if a large group of people are walking along chatting , they may not notice you.
Or move over at last minute
So don't be a mouse and stay quiet .
Cough politely, if need be , they'll be considerate .
When they say 'you alright?' just say 'yeah you?', don't go telling them how you're feeling, it's just a greeting
Add 'please' and 'thank you' wherever it fits. 'Yes please', not just 'Yes', etc.
Trains are expensive here
Unlike Germany, UK is very digitalised: you can pay with your phone/card almost anywhere, and the gov websites are great and most things can be done digitally. I'm saying this as an Italian who has been to Germany too; Brits may disagree.
Public toilets are free (in shopping malls, train stations, etc)
Uber is widespread
Expect many comments on the weather, especially when it's sunny
People complain a lot. Its a genuine thing, i live in germany and my German wife has noted how much people complain in the UK.
We are culturally miserable, and i must say i miss it 😅
The beer and the bread may not be as good, but the cider and meat pastries are excellent
It doesn't rain as much as everyone says, but it's cloudy mos of the time
Be prepared for humour to be normal in all situations -- workplaces, with strangers, even at serious events like funerals
The facade of being pleasant to those you may not like is strong
You probably speak and spell better English than most of us
So much good advice, I would also add that some teenagers here often called “roadmen” are far more disorderly than German teens. You may see a big group of boys in dark tracksuits, balaclavas, etc and the general consensus of the brits is to avoid and deescalate, if your jeered just walk away and don’t argue.
I would also recommend keeping your phone safe, whilst phone theft is notorious in london it is still pretty common anywhere in the UK, just make sure it’s in a zipped pocket and hold it with two hands if it’s out.
You’ll find that Brits and Germans have more in common than not, I’d say a key difference people have missed is Brits have a far more nonchalant attitude about safety than Germans do. We don’t print our tickets, we keep them on our phone, if we leave our cheap jacket at a club we often will say “well that’s gone then” and try get it in the morning (whilst accepting its most likely gone) instead of running back to get it.
Our windows are also way more shit than yours, you can only open and close not klept (forgot the word where you twist the handle and the window falls forward) and we don’t have the blackout shutters here - just blinds and curtains that are super rubbish
I think your experience will vary a lot depending on where you are in the UK. Even within the individual countries you will find variations, cultural and linguistic differences. So possibly - you will find the UK is incredibly varied and will challenge any perceptions you have.
Nobody cares when you cross the road. It doesn’t matter if the green man is showing or not, if it’s safe to cross you can cross without getting told off by someone.
Lidl is basicslly the same, though they don't sell cigarettes at the checkout and the bakery is a free for all.
Depending on where in Germany you are it may be a totally different brand if Aldi.
I don't know much else about life in Germany except autobahns have no speed limit (it's 70 on motorways) and plastic bottled drinks come with an extra deposit which I forget the name of (not a thing here)
You can use your phone or bank card to buy things. There are cash only places, but they are laundering cash.
Some of the mainstream beer is shit and no concept of Reinheitsgebot.
On Sundays you can have a bath or wash car without neighbours reporting you
Be prepared for many common transactional situations to be slightly less formal and procedural.
On particular, things like employment contracts and rental agreements will often be standard template documents poorly edited and not 100% correct and not always available ahead of time. I know this has frustrated several German people I know. A lot of stuff is still done by informal agreement and with less beaurocracy then in Germany.
If you have a job paid in monthly salary rather than by hours... do not expect that anybody is counting 40 hours per week. You will, in general, be expected to work within standard hours and often with no compensation for going beyond.
Be prepared in general for looser interpretation and implementation of rules for variois things. e.g. There may be a sign on the grass outside apartments that says "no ball games" but children will play ball games and people will let it slide within reason.
Be prepared for the quality of fruit and vegetables to be in general, not as good and also be prepared that British people call "toastbrot" bread and that in general fresh bread and brotchen is not as readily available in many (most?) cases. You can find good quality fresh bread and fruit/vegetables but you have to make more effort to do so. The bread/toastbrot thing is quite controversial to some German people I have met. Most Germans will translate "toastbrot = toast or toast bread" however you have to just accept that in idiomatic British English "toastbrot" is simply "bread" or "sliced loaf" and that "toast" is only ever bread that has been grilled/toasted however painful this is to you! "Toasting bread" simply isn't a term here and more alarmingly, this is the most common bread product that we use to make sandwiches. I understand from experience that this is a big pain point to many Germans!
Curry restaurants (which are plentiful) are generally based on British-Indian hybrid cuisine rather than Thai. There are Thai restaurants but they will be explicit in serving Thai based cuisine... they are quite different. It is also considered highly unusual to serve curry sauce or any curry dish with pasta in this country.
On the point of hot/spicy food - if you ask for mustard and are given something bright yellow; don't assume that it is sweet American mustard. It may well be English mustard which is *significantly* hotter than mustard you may be used to. Always taste a tiny amount first to check before you get a nasty surprise and cough a mouthful of steak up.
Our kebab shops are typically much lower quality then German ones. It is possible to find higher quality ones however. Confusingly, we have a chain called "German Doner Kebab" but the quality doesn't match what is typical of a German Doner whatsoever and is more like a chain shop version of a typical British Doner kebab meal.
That's a few things that come to mind from having an ex girlfriend who moved here from Germany and also several German colleagues I have had over the years.
We say c*nt a lot. Especially in Scotland. If someone calls you a c*nt, the context and word used directly before the curse will indicate the sentiment of said curse.
For example "you're a f*cking c*nt" = you've definitely pissed someone off.
"you're a good c*nt" = congratulations, you are liked.
Edit: I'm a reddit novice and no idea why things went in italics, assuming because of some asterisks, but hopefully you know what I'm talking about!
This is just not true. It is often said on reddit that people use that would all the time. No one in my social circle uses that word. Where as I would understand if it was said in a jovial tone, I wouldn't advise someone from a foreign country to go using that word as you have to know your audience. My 70 year old mother would be horrified by the language. Granted, I'm from the West Midlands, so nowhere near Scotland, but I'd still advise caution.
So, to the OP, I'd say don't use that word.
On the subject of Yorkshire Puddings- the name might suggest that they are a dessert. In fact, they are usually served as part of a savoury meal with gravy, meat, and vegetables.
BUT! They are, in reality, a variation of the pancake, made with the same ingredients and taste, but with a crisper texture. As such, they absolutely can be eaten as a dessert with cream/ice cream/fruit/chocolate. Some eateries will even have this option on the menu, but its uncommon.
People can be infuriatingly indirect. As a German you might find this confusing, and they might find your German directness a bit blunt/ almost rude. You'll probably also get sick of hearing people say "sorry" so often, sometimes for no real reason.
Get ready for small talk. So much small talk.
If they ask how you are, just say you're fine. They don't actually care about the answer.
Rooms are tiny. Gardens even more so.
Oh, and the classic one: There are no plug sockets in the bathrooms.
No-one will be early for anything on the basis of not being almost late.
Interactions take a lot longer, you’ll need to learn about what’s not being said rather than what was said. (Inflection is important, and complicated because the German inflections for irony won’t be heard by an English speaker in English)
When someone says “You alright” that’s is not an invitation to tell us about any issues you have it is just a greeting. The appropriate response no matter what is “Yes not bad thanks you?” Or “You alright”.
I moved to the UK from Germany around half a year ago. Here are my impressions.
**The bad:**
UK employment and renting law is significantly more employer and landlord favoured than in Germany. It works more through liscencing than contracts.
You will need to prove the right to work and the right to rent in the UK. Your visa will include this, but it's difficult to prove when you're looking for somewhere to rent before your visa is approved.
You will either need to be able to prove you earn something like 2.5x your rent, or pay six months upfront.
If you're on a visa, watch out for the healthcare surcharge. It's around 1000 pounds per year and you need to pay for the entire duration of your visa ahead of time.
An employer can fire you for basically any reason in the first two years of your job.
**The good:**
Coming from Bavaria, there is a lot more variety in terms of food and drink here.
People tend to be friendlier and more open from the get-go.
Banks are easier to deal with. Also your debit card can be used like a credit card for online payments. No need to get a seaparate credit card. Finding your IBAN will be a pain though.
In general, the UK has a lot less paperwork, and stuff tends to work online. I have not sent a single physical letter to an authority since I moved here.
The [gov.uk](http://gov.uk) website is **very** useful. I recommend visiting it if you have any questions. There are a lot of official websites built on the same framework, so everything works the same. Also you are now officially free from Behördendeutsch. The government stuff tends to use simple language.
**Advice:**
Pubs are great. No Reinheitsgebot means a lot of variety in beers. Also ciders are a big thing here. If you go with friends, check if you're doing rounds (taking turns buying for everyone) or not.
Don't do the german stare. It freaks people out. Look from the corner of your eye.
Try some food from other cultures. The UK has a lot of great indian, chinese, etc... food.
There are a lot of beautiful places in the UK if you want to do a weekend trip. I've been to Cornwall myself and it was amazing.
Weather is almost always "Aprilwetter" here. Take an umbrella or a light rain jacket wherever you go.
Get your housing sorted early, especially if you're in a bigger city. Rent can be quite bad if you don't.
Pubs do not have table service. Some cafes do not either. Restaurants do. We do not have as many rules and regulations as Germany, so you might see someone drinking coffee and eating cake at 11.00. If you visit sports/swimming pools cover yourself with a towel when walking around the changing rooms. We do not do nudity very well in public spaces. You can walk across a road when red man is showing. Train yourself to stop at the kerb to remind yourself to look right. If we're asked if we would like to go to a party, you will get 'I'll have to see/think about it. Which usually means No.. but we don't want to offend. Germans will just say No and explain why they cannot go. We Brits struggle with not saying what we mean.
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The posted speed limits are in miles/hr.
And the sossidges are very different.
I assume the OP knows that many things will be different but I want to tell them about things that might get them killed rather than just taste differently. Also to the OP, learn the habit of looking the other way first when crossing a road.
Good point, Mark. 10 out of 10.
Thank you. That said, the sossidges are very different. One of the things I miss over on this side of the channel is a good pack of Newmarket sossidges.
Ooh yes, and proper Cumberlands. However, I appear to have tested my credibility enough, as I made my post with my tongue firmly in my cheek.
Get some Cumberlands in there to keep it company!
> I assume the OP knows that many things will be different but I want to tell them about things that might get them killed rather than just taste differently. Then it's important for them to know that British sausages need to be cooked! I believe German ones are sold pre-cooked. Same goes for bacon. I had a German friend who ate bacon raw when he first came to the UK because he didn't realise it needs to be cooked first. Apparently in Germany it's sold ready to eat (cold smoked and dry cured I guess?).
Germany is like other countries in that sausages and bacon can be sold cooked or raw. The complication may be that back bacon looks like pancetta, most continental bacon the streaky cuts. On the sossidges, the OP should know that good English sossidges are meant to be fried and not boiled.
Look both ways, it may be a one way but idiots can and will go the wrong way
Top man Mark.
Thank you, u/ive_got_my_willy_out
The one I know caught out a German I worked with, the mustards are very different. He pulled quite a face when he applied a generous helping of English mustard to his bratwurst.
lol. I’ve done that with real wasabi in Japan. Bit of a shocker!
If it was really spicy, it probably wasn't real wasabi - wasabi is rather mild and delicate and you have to grate it freshly as it begins to lose flavour within a few minutes. Almost always the wasabi flavour in Japan is dyed horseradish. Some brands mix in certain percentages of pickled wasabi root to be able to call it wasabi, But you are still tasting mostly European horseradish.
Very, although i think german sausages are alot würst
As God intended. And it probably goes without saying, but the UK drives on the left. Crossing roads will feel weird at first but you’ll soon get used to it. Speaking of crossing roads, except on motorways, you can do it whenever and wherever you like as long as it’s safe. One of the culture shocks for me going to German-speaking countries is that they take the red man very seriously, even when the road is completely empty.
We don't drive on the left any more. We now drive on what's-left. OP, the roads are atrocious here.
And miles (or any imperial measurements) aren’t on the curriculum so we aren’t taught them in school unless a teacher decides to of their own accord.
Come to think of it the way we mix the systems must drive foreigners up the wall. Not only do we mix systems which units you use depend on context and personal preference to an extent.
The way we mix units drives many locals up the wall too...
Brits often speak in very passive and indirect ways, so you often cannot take what is being said at face value. For example the "British understatement" is so well known and documented it has its own Wikipedia page, and has unfortunately caused deadly incidents as well. https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2001/apr/14/johnezard I wouldn't be afraid to ask clarifying questions if you aren't sure if people are understating, being sarcastic, etc. Also, "You alright?" is a greeting, where the usual response is "Yeah good thanks, you?", and not an actual question about your wellbeing (you could respond more honestly with "Tired today, and you?" But not "I'm feeling a little overwhelmed and didn't sleep well last night. Things have been difficult at home..." You get the point) Don't worry too much though, most people will understand that you're from a different culture and won't necessarily "get" these nuances straight away.
That’s the true one… Brits don’t say what they think. You need to read between the lines https://preview.redd.it/81v79gnkqa8d1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7a2f7c6d35d7ea2cbe8080ed78224bd25faca477
It's also tricky because it depends on tone too. "*Quite* good" means a bit dissapointing. "Quite good!" means it actually is good.
That’s genius! >you are a blithering idiot, but it the only plan we have
Lol this gave me a chuckle, although some one from another country will probably take the whole thing at face value and end up in a pickle haha
“In a pickle” is another one… which could mean as little as “a somewhat confusing conversation” up to “imminent death unless luck and an exact sequence of actions gets you out of it”.
Love it. Especially "I was a bit disappointed", because thinking back when I've used it I was absolutely f\*cking livid.....
I was ready to be defensive. As an English autist I think I'm pretty direct.... Nah, I use all of those.
"I only have a few minor comments..." Open document. Twenty four separate tracked changes with comments. 😭😭😭
More of a N. Ireland thing but my favourites are 'ah I will aye' and 'aye wait and I will' which both mean absolutely no chance
Ireland is the same as well, my husband is from Cork and 'I will, sure'' means never in a million years will I do this or even think about it again.
Not bad, not bad - ok Not bad - good Not bad at all - amazing
I posted this on my cubicle wall as a joke. My Dutch boss asked if he could photocopy it and sent it around our non-British coworkers because they found it helpful. My joke is that we are basically always continuously pointlessly lying, which isn't quite right but it isn't as wrong as it should be.
Definitely this. I know German people who struggle with this here and also struggle with people thinking they're blunt/rude because they're more direct. They've basically had to learn to scatter in loads of "would it be possible" "if you get a chance" "I'd really appreciate it if" and then loads of pleases and thank yous.
"Hey, if you get a chance I'd really appreciate it if you were able to HALT DIE KLAPPE!"
This also neatly illustrates a related point: do not be tempted to put emphasis on certain points in your written communications by using formatting. Germans love to shout in writing but in Britain this will get you outed as a tone-deaf foreigner instantly. Bold text is rude. Bold text in italics is even more rude. Using underline will get you excommunicated from after-work drinks. Exclamation marks will pierce your reader's heart like bullets. Especially multiple ones. All caps will get you fired. And don't even think about using red
I rarely ever thought about it but it is so true, I even feel the need to be considerate when using italics in reddit comments, even when it's just for emphasis. Tone is a very low key important thing in British culture.
I’ve a Polish colleague who’s also fluent in German, who regularly tells me to ‘shut the klappe!’ when I’m winding her up. Love it.
As a German immigrant as well - reading between the lines is of the utmost importance. Don’t confuse politeness with friendliness.”we should got for a drink sometime” often means it’ll never happen. Hence people might not appear very genuine to a German. OTOH - being somehow inept at getting nuance provides a “get out of jail free” card when it comes to veiled/ indirect demands or commands.
>Don’t confuse politeness with friendliness Indeed, don't confuse rudeness with unfriendliness. The more we like someone the meaner we are to them.
That is so true, the more friendly you are with someone, the more rude and mean they will be.
Best reply. The two Germans I know here struggle with the fact that we don't say what we mean.
Are we not saying what we mean, if we all know what it means? I think it's more we realised most of the world speaks English, so we needed to encrypt our communications...
Brilliant!!!!
It also provides the opportunity to ignore requests and demands being they are so vague and veiled.
We do kinda say what we mean, to each other, as we're mostly aware of the little quirks we insert into everyday speech, just strangers to the culture don't get it and we don't realise :)
This so true! I’m British through and through but the lack of directness drives me bonkers. I once had a neighbour come to my door and while we were chatting, she mentioned in a general way about the awkward parking outside our houses. I cheerily said that it’s never been a problem for me, we knew the score when we bought the house, and so on. It was much much later when it dawned on me that the whole purpose of her visit had been to complain about the way I’d parked. But as we had a good relationship, she couldn’t possibly say “please move your car forward a bit” because that would be violating some code of unspoken Britishness. I kind of miss trying to decode her friendly chats. RIP Pam, you mad old fruit.
My friends wife is russian and she calls this "speaking the Brit way".
This was actually a serious issue during the collapse of Rover. UK execs were saying "We've got a minor problem" which in their British English usage meant they were rapidly becoming insolvent, but which their owners (BMW) understood as there's nothing significant to worry about. A few months later: no company.
The collapse was mainly mismanagement, even with the k series head gasket fiasco, their designers/engineers had still managed to produce a run of popular Rover/MG models, but management had zero interest in investing in R&Ding new engines and platforms to capitalise on that success *(because they were busy milking the company to death)*, so they ended up facelifting facelifts until their whole lineup was hopelessly outdated.
> Also, "You alright?" is a greeting, where the usual response is "Yeah good thanks, you?" Even that is borderline loquacious, and a simple “Alright?” with a brief nod will often suffice.
As someone who has lived in Germany before, you can look forward to the following: You can go to the supermarket and many other shops for most of Sunday. You don't need a credit card to shop online, your British bank account will come with a debit card that allows you to do this. British airports have a better choice of shops and places to eat than German airports do. Every town has a good choice of takeaways unlike Germany where it is just Döner kebab or pizza! Our supermarkets have a better variety of hot sauces. We have Nando's here.
+Curry, we actually understand spicy food.
Yes, and currywurst does not count as a proper curry! It's nowhere near spicy enough.
Might not count as proper curry but it really is fucking incredible in its own right
A bit like how pasta with cream and bacon isn't a carbonara, but is still delicious.
I've also lived in Germany before moving to the UK. These points are all right on the money. A few more: 1)If on an escalator, stand on the right and pass on the left. 2) If it appears like people might be queuing, assume that they are, and respect the queue. The only exception is at a pub, where people don't typically queue at the bar. (Germans can be rather opportunist when it comes to queues). 3) Drinking alcohol outdoors and on the street is fine, \[edit: I am wrong; check local laws\] but you must dispose of the bottles yourself. Do not leave them on the pavement, even if next to a waste bin. Because there is no universal bottle deposit system, there is also not an informal workforce of poor people picking up glass bottles. 4) Dining out tends to be a quicker, more perfunctory affair than on the continent. Weekday lunch, in particular, is often a brief pop out for a damp sandwich. Rarely will you do an hour-long lunch at a restaurant with *Kollegen.* So don't be offended if your co-workers don't invite you out for lunch. Most likely it hasn't occurred to them. 5) Social activities are less institutionalised in the UK. There is no equivalent of the *Verein,* for example, and your workplace probably won't organise many social activities beyond an annual holiday party. To find groups for activities like cycling, football, trekking, etc., you can try Facebook groups in your local city/town. 6) Your UK workplace may not be as clear and detailed about protocols and processes as your German workplace (for requesting leave, sick days, etc.). Don't be afraid to ask for clarity more than once. In my experience, German office admins and HR are not afraid of explaining something to you like you're 5 years old (which is really helpful if you have the German language skills of a 5 year old :)). Brits on the other hand are rather more delicate and will usually take pains to avoid "talking down" to you, but that can leave things unclear.
Regarding 2, people very much queue at the pub, but it’s an invisible queue. It may look like people are just crowding around the counter, but you’re expected to know who arrived before you and wait for them to be served.
Very good point. There is organised turn-taking, if not a physical line of people. This may or may not be challenging for someone used to German queues. With apologies to my German friends for the broad brush strokes, it is not uncommon in Germany for people to sieze an opening if they see it, whether at an airport counter, grocery checkout, or nightclub. I've even had people queue jump waiting for a Covid test. At a UK pub, you *should* make a mental note of who arrived before and after you, and use polite glances and head nods to resolve any confusion. Plenty of folks abuse this system though and will just elbow their way in.
In a busy bar, if a decent barman notices you trying to jump the unofficial queue you might never get a turn.
Wow this was too helpful i appreciate
Be prepared to be frustrated in Aldi/Lidl in the UK. Cashiers do not even approach the lightning speeds you get in Germany, and the packing bench is mostly decorative here.
"the bench of shame"
Am I not supposed to used the packing bench? My lidls are super fast it’s stressful
The trick is to put loose fruit and veg in at strategic intervals, which gives you a second or two to catch up while they type the code for it in. Put items on the conveyor in the order that you're going to pack them. Master these two and you'll never need to use the bench of shame again.
I'm a Brit and I'm frustrated by people at Lidl and Aldi tills since they became mainstream and Karen and Kenneth started going there.
YES! I've been going to Lidl/Aldi since I was a kid so.... going on for 25-30ish years? It used to be the proper speed back then, where you had to just throw everything back into the trolley to sort it out later, OR take it as a challenge and speed pack - I got so good! But then it went mainstream and they slowed down because the biddies round here started getting all panicky at the speed. I don't go to Aldi for a civilised shopping experience! I go because its *cheap* and the cashiers barely acknowledge my existence!
Have you ever been to Frankfurt Airport? I had the best airport meal of my life there. Proper restaurant with actually nice food and normal prices rather than one of our airport pub hell holes.
I've been to Frankfurt Airport a few times and I just found it to be very empty for its size. Terminal 2 certainly needs more restaurants and shops!
>You don't need a credit card to shop online, your British bank account will come with a debit card that allows you to do this. Excuse me what? Is that not standard everywhere?
I wouldn’t shop online with a debit card. You get better protection vs fraud with a credit card. Essentially with a credit card, the card issuer must fight to get its money back. With a debit card, you must fight to get your money back.
I believe the banks extended the same protections to debit cards some years ago.
I didn’t know that. Thanks! I looked it up. Turns out the protection for debit cards is different, but still worth knowing about. Here’s an [article](https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/credit/how-youre-protected-when-you-pay-by-card) I found
But at least you have the option. In Germany where OP is coming from, many banks will only give you a Girocard by default, which is a German-only system and won’t work online or outside Germany. It’s changing a bit especially with newer banks. Banks will then typically charge extra for a credit card for online and overseas spending. Plus they usually work like charge cards where the full balance must be paid each month. So PayPal is really popular for online spending in Germany since it’s free. Many shops will charge you via direct debit too.
We don’t get refunds on our empty glass bottles We use credit cards We are actually less bureaucratic!
Shame ,in 80s 10p used to go a long way. Damn you barr
>We don’t get refunds on our empty glass bottles Nearly happened in Scotland last year - scheme was poorly planned from the start and never got off the ground, but I suspect it'll happen at some point.
Lidl started an initiative but it might only be in select shops and you only get a voucher back.
For the love of God, if you like beer get in to cask ale. It's what the UK is amazing at, it's very, very hard to buy in Germany, and it's cracking beer. Eat all the foreign food. Carribean and "African" food is great (Speechmarks as saying African food is a stupid as saying European food, but you get my point)
Indian food is to brits, as doner is the Germans. Although we also love doner.
I'd say Indian food is to Brits as Thai food is to Germans. I guess going out for a curry in Germany is more likely a Thai style curry in general.
Yeah maybe fish and chips is a better equivalent to their doner
A German should also give British food a go though, they are going to find a lot of stuff they like (assuming they like German food)
Yea, we do cask really well. Not German themed but came back from Warsaw, Polska earlier, they had some amazing bars with bucket loads of "craft" ale, including a nice variety of wheat beer, which I'll happily lap up. But it was nice getting home to a proper hand pulled cask beer.
I spent six months in Germany for work, so hopefully these can help. It's mostly small things. People in the UK and in Germany are quite similar. The sense of humour is very similar but presents differently. Two sides of the same coin. We both like "anthumour", but it presents in a different way. Germans like to point out the obvious and highlight it. In the UK we like to dramatically exaggerate or underplay it. Relatedly, Germans have a reputation of being very direct and people in the UK like to talk *around* a subject. This can actually be problematic at work where it's hard to judge how severe a problem is. Charts like [the one in this article](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chart-shows-what-british-people-say-what-they-really-mean-and-what-others-understand-a6730046.html) seem like jokes but they really do have a basis in reality. You will find this irritating and you have to just be okay with that. Banking works surprisingly differently, day-to-day. All just different ways of doing the same thing. Some people will not be able to read your handwriting (not that most people write by hand often, but for leaving notes etc). Numbers (1 & 7, 4 & 9) will get confused. Drinking culture is quite different. Not better or worse, but different. Meal sizes are have a different rhythm, with lunch often basically being a snack and your evening meal being quite big. In Germany, people often eat quite lightly in the evening (by comparison). Compared to the English, Germans think water is spicy. A German hot/scharf is an English medium. Have a fantastic time! I really enjoyed my time away and Germans and British people are mostly pretty similar. The humour is compatible, the indirectness will annoy you and you'll only remember the good parts anyway.
Cross your 7's and 4's and they become international. You should put a strong horizontal middle line through both (the 4 already has one, just make it clear that it crosses through).
> Cross your 7's and 4's and they become international. It's more complicated than that as we tend to write 1s like l, so read cursive ones as 7s. We write lowercase r's very differently than most of Europe so often struggle to even see them in cursive writing because we just learn a totally different style of handwriting. It's just one of those things like German speech marks being „ ‟ and English ones being “ ”, or question marks and colons having a space in front of them in French that pop up at random. I once did a creative writing class with a French woman whose spoken English was perfect but never learnt English punctuation so kept getting frustrated because the feedback on her work felt really useless (as French and English punctuation is surprisingly different). She didn't understand why the teacher kept bringing it up (because to her it was all correct) and the teacher didn't understand why she didn't seem to do things like use speech marks (because they work totally differently in French).
I did a stint in Berlin and I found the "very direct" super jarring and took a while for me to realise they're not being dicks, it's just the culture. So OP, take this point clearly because you could rub others up the wrong way. I agree, we're very similar in terms of culture in most aspects so integration will be easy.
You’ll find that people respond in English more than they do in German
Never noticed this but now you mention it
If you speak German with a distinct English accent, that's also true in Germany.
One I've run into more than once with German colleagues is that questions requesting more info about a habit, behaviour or health matter are perceived as rude in the UK, rather than friendly and curious. I have an unusual dietary restriction, and I've had many German colleagues ask questions like, "Why are you that way?" or, "Are you able to be healthy eating like that?" In the UK, that's actually considered very intrusive.
Yup, your colleagues do not get to comment/question your personal life, it's none of their business.
I know not too take offense when a colleague asks, and that it means they are showing a friendly interest in my wellbeing, but it definitely always leaves me taken aback and feeling awkward.
You know I immediately thought of Laura Ramoso (Canadian comedian) [taking the piss out of her own German mother](https://www.instagram.com/reel/C5wKYdpNSW2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link) when I read this 😂😁
Lifelong UK vegetarian… British people definitely do that too. I get “You should try eating meat, then you’d be healthier” every time I have any kind of normal health issue like a cold, or my injured back gets bought up. Usually from guys with a BMI about 10 higher than mine, and blood pressure issues. Lol.
You can cross the road. (Without being worried about the police giving you a fine.)
You don't need to bring your own kitchen to a rented house lol
This is a big thing in Germany more people should know about. It’s just expected. And then they move out, and take the kitchen with them. 🤯
That sounds awful! What an expensive faff. Plus nothing would fit right in the new kitchen surely?
It almost certainly is but don't call me Shirley.
As a Brit living in Germany my observations in reverse would be: - Sunday is largely like any other day just shops are open a bit less time - if you say hello to people in the doctor’s surgery or gym changing rooms etc people will think you’re weird - Brits are generally quite indirect and will agree to stuff to avoid awkwardness and then it’ll be awkward when they clearly don’t want to do it - pub culture is a bit different - bacon is actually nice
>gym changing rooms Similarly, don't take your swimwear off in the sauna or steam room
Oh and despite Deutsche Bahn’s problems - public transport outside of London will be a huge step down from Germany. Fax machines are antiquated
>public transport outside of London will be a huge step down from Germany. This, as a Dutch/British person, is something I have had difficulty emphasizing to my European colleagues. Yes NS is expensive and sometimes screws up. Yes, Deutsche Bahn is a gigantic meme for a reason, but it all pales in comparison with the clusterfuck that is the British public transport system.
Unless you’re living in the 1800s, also known as Northern Ireland. Shops aren’t open until 1pm on a Sunday. The rest still applies. But also you’ll need to study the local flegs.
It's one of the most multicultural places in the world. Just try and be aware that British doesn't denote just white people and you will come across black brown white and everything in between.
Atleast it is multicultured i like that fact
Yes! I live in Spain and find it very weird how people will ask me where my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents are from. Also, my religion. I’ve been asked this by Germans here too.
A very valid point. However it really depends on the town or county where you live. London is a very different environment to a small market town miles from the nearest city.
Although it does depend on which parts of the UK you go to. London, Birmingham, Bradford or Bristol, absolutely. Go to the smaller towns and villages and you'll find the population is white as snow and likely have been living in that area for several generations.
Oh come on... There's plenty of small towns with a mulitcural vibe not only Bradford 😂
People tend to smile or laugh off mistakes / awkward situations I say this because I've had puzzled reactions when doing this in Germany
We will *always* ask how you are, but we will only sometimes expect you to actually answer.
We would probably prefer it if you didn’t say ‘I’m not good’
I've done the opposite journey as a student. Generally Germany and the UK are pretty similar, you won't have too much trouble settling in. However: Food - UK food is generally a lot more processed and bland than in Germany. You can get decent food here, but you have to look for it slightly harder (and usually pay more). Depending on where in Germany you're from and where in the UK you're going, you may find that there's a lot more international food options. For example Indian food is very popular here. Pace of life - Sunday is not Ruhetag. We live in a 24/7 society, especially in the bigger cities (though this is increasingly also true in Germany) Transport - Germany is generally very good at local transport. Unless you're going to London you won't find that here. Beuracracy - we have a lot less of it, and most of it can be done online Politeness - we are not usually direct when talking to someone unlike the Germans. German directness can be perceived as rude and cause offence. Never cut in line, always thank the bus driver (unless you're in London), apologise if someone bumps into you (even if it's completely their fault). Don't be surprised is strangers start talking to you (again doesn't apply in London)
A handful of cities have decent(ish) local transit. Manchester, Newcastle and Liverpool come to mind, at least.
True. But then you have the likes of Leeds, which are comically bad
I've lived in both Leeds and Bristol and it was genuinely faster to walk than rely on the buses 😂
Thanks alot
Scottish people aren't saints, they're exactly the same as English people with different accents.
No we’re not!
For all intents and purposes yes you are, few more redheads maybe.
Having lived in Scotland for getting on for 6 years now, I'd say that there are some big cultural differences. To the point that half of the advice in this thread isn't quite right. For example, people are far more open to chatting to complete strangers and are generally more friendly but also more direct. Not as direct as your average German but much closer than your average English person.
toad in the hole, is literally a toad in a hole, we dig a hole, we pour boiling water on it and then we eat it
You Bury the toad in batter and bake it. The dish you've described is poached toad, although you really need to use milk rather than water as it would be bitter otherwise.
Wait a danm minute tell me this is a joke fr
I couldn’t read past this without putting you out of your misery. Yes it’s a joke! The “toad” is actually sausage and the “hole” is the Yorkshire pudding that it’s cooked in. I highly recommend having one with peas, mash and gravy. Beaut 🥰
Eating frogs is a disgusting French habit. Toads are a delicious English delicacy. When you arrive I recommend ordering one at your local Wetherspoons, they usually have the very best toads (when in season).
When my German boyfriend (now husband) came over to England I told him we were having toad in the hole. His face was a picture..It was back in the 80's when Fish & Chips were still wrapped externally with newspaper. Again horrified, he thought I had dug it out of a dustbin.
Thats hilarious about the newspaper. bubble and squeak is another one that foreigners don't get. When i was every young, in the late 90s, we used to take in students and we had some from eastern europe one time, and they asked my mum "whats for dinner?" my mum repiled with "toad in the hole" giving it no thought, the student goes away and then comes back and say "i don't want dinner, don't like toad" and then my mum had to try to explain what it was.
And you don't want to know about spotted dick..
You don’t *have* to wait for the green man to cross the road if nothing is coming. People waiting around really confused me when I did some work in Berlin.
I got yelled at by grannies
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-context_and_low-context_cultures The UK is almost unique among Northern/Western European nations in being a high-context culture. The easiest way to explain what this means is that unlike in Germany, you don't point out when people are very fat, and the phrase "I'm not sure about that" can mean anything from "seems like a good idea" to "NO YOU FUCKING MORON" depending on wider context. Good luck!
I once made a car full of Germans scream after executing a very safe, slow, deliberate and careful U-turn in a wide, empty public street with no markings to the contrary after we missed the road we were after. Though, personally, I like that the Germans are more law-abiding and rule-following, that one surprised even me. German roads and driving standards are far higher than the UK. Expect potholes, poor road design, and people just breaking driving rules as a matter of fact (not that that means you should do the same!).
>German roads and driving standards are far higher than the UK Despite that, UK roads are statically about 20% safer. Weird, hey
Probably down to no speed limits on part of the autobahn.
My husband is German and when we come to a junction he gets angry when British people don't follow the German give way rule. I told him whoever gets first at a crossroad, should go first. It's polite, but not everybody has manners so it's a case of flicking your lights to other person go and vice versa.
The 3 words you don’t want to hear ever are “Bus replacement service”
Rough translation: How much is a taxi and is that amount worth the pain you're about to endure?
When you go to a pub, people typically buy drinks for each other in rounds and it's polite to offer to buy a round. With colleagues, the most senior person typically buys the first round. Food isn't always a high priority and people will drink on an empty stomach. You aren't expected to have public liability insurance and your rented flat will probably come furnished.
Important as well: if you don't want to buy a round, don't accept being part of it. Lest you get a reputation.
Never heard this about most senior person getting the round. I'd still try and offer to be the first, just to make a good impression. Don't want to be seen as shy to put your hand in your pocket.
Public liability insurance for what? Just existing?
OP can confirm but I've been told by Germans that they are expected to have it just for existing, yes.
My German colleague loves it here but she has never got her head around how informal we are with our superiors at work ‘I can’t call the CEO by her first name!’ or the fact that we don’t universally use mixer taps.
Ooh, that's a good one. In the UK, you greet anyone in your company, no matter how senior, by their first name. Fortunately my German colleagues are very understanding that I have no idea when to use 'hi John' versus 'hi Dr Smith'.
A big thing my partner found when going the other way was the pub culture after work is different. Her workplace went home after work / ate etc and then went to the pub about 8. Here it's more common to go straight to pub the head home about 7.30 - 8.
Home at 8? Bag of crisps at 8 to get you through to closing then kebab before bed.
We aren't all as young as some. Pays to be sensible mid-week nowadays.
No pfand!! Shops open much more on a Sunday. You have to physically tap your debit card (or whatever) on a barrier to enter a train or tube station. Jaywalking (not waiting for traffic lights before crossing a road) is no big deal and not illegal or taboo. People are much, much less blunt. I moved from the UK to Germany and didn’t experience much culture shock really. Not being able to grocery shop on a Sunday, being glared at for crossing a road not at the lights even if the road is empty, and the stringency of German recycling were the only things that even minorly impacted my life.
Brits are much more squeamish about discussing the symptoms of our illnesses. A former (German) colleague of mine scandalised another colleague by texting: "I can't come tonight, I've got diarrhoea." Explicitly describing symptoms related to bodily fluids is considered a bit rude. "I've got an upset stomach" is a much safer way to explain what's wrong.
Brit living in Germany here. The main things you will need to take into account are: Work culture is very different in the uk - if you are working on a project with deadlines, it’s usual to work late or extra hours to meet it. If you walk out the office at 5 pm and leave your colleagues to pick up your work, you will not be well liked. Watch your language in emails - German bluntness will be interpreted as rudeness a lot of the time. Also you will have to learn to read between the lines of British polite language - the nuance will take a while to grasp. Don’t be shy to ask colleagues about interpretation! Same thing goes for conversations. Brits tend to have a lot more awareness of how to move in public spaces, and are more aware of others around them than in Germany. So look where you are going! Don’t block pavements, use phone on the top of stairs etc. If you are a German guy, it will be good to learn to let others - women, people with heavy bags, the elderly etc - to go through doorways first. If someone lets you pass first, you say thank you, or nod. It’s very rude not to do so. Again, if you are male, remove your backpack in busy pubs/ clubs/ public transport and hold it in front of you or put between your legs. If you walk around, German style, with it on your back in busy places, hitting shorter people and women in the face, you will be yelled at (one of my biggest bugbears of living in Germany). Another tip if you are a guy - if you want to ask strangers for a cigarette or for any kind of favour, wait until there is an gap in their conversation rather than just interrupting them, and say please. No one uses fax. Everything is digitalised - so brush up on your IT skills ahead of time. Food in Germany is very bland in comparison to food in the uk. Food is more seasoned, and many things will be too spicy for an average German palate. Butter is also salted most of the time. Many placws are card only these days - EC cards are not accepted anywhere, so make sure you have a German bank account with a functioning debit card before you arrive in the uk. Tipping is at least 10% and often by card, rather than cash. If you are queuing in the supermarket and a new checkout opens, customers will join the new queue in the order in which they were previously queueing. Pushing to the front German-style will get you yelled at. Never jump the queue - nothing gets Brits angrier! Trains will be smaller, dirtier and more cramped than you are used to in Germany. Bear in mind that Germany - for obvious reasons - has very unique ideas about Israel, anti-semitism, etc. for example, BDS is not considered anti-Semitic in the uk as it is in Germany and the uk is significantly more pro-Palestinian than Germany. You will probably get some idiots making jokes about World War 2 - sorry in advance but just ignore it. Enjoy being able to go to a proper pub - kniepes just aren’t the same! And make sure you get a pub Sunday roast at some point! Good luck and I hope you enjoy your time!
> shorter people and women Women are also people, thank you!
Yes, I’m aware of that - as I am a woman. It’s usually women who get smashed in the face by backpacks, but also shorter men and children. Jeez, I think maybe you need to a get a hobby …
The food scene here in England is far better than Germany's and if you can learn to cook our dishes properly (toad in the hole, cottage pie etc) you'll be pleasantly surprised.
The trains are better in the UK.... Seriously wtf has happened to German trains....
Asking for Tap water in restaurants is totally fine. Expect to be disappointed by the supermarket bread (you would call it American toast). Lots of nice crisp flavours here - not just Paprika 😄 British people are generally less rule-following than Germans. Shops are open for limited hours on Sundays.
I will say that good bread is definitely more widely available than it used to be, Morrisons and M&S stick out as two that do decent bakery bread, and quite a few varieties at that.
True but we pay a fair bit more for it, it's not the norm in the way that it is in Germany (or France)
Apart from language which obviously won’t be a problem for you as you have written your post in perfect English you probably won’t find too much difference. You’ve got to try a spoons( Wetherspoons a chain of pubs) at least once, it’s rubbish but at least try it. And maybe don’t mention penalty shootouts. And welcome the the UK.
Further low key advice here. If you are stuck in any town in Britain, there is usually a (wether)spoons, and you can get refill coffee for (I think) 99p. Better than the rain
When someone acknowledges you with a nod and says “Alright?”, the correct answer is a nod back and “Alright. 😌”. I’m afraid I learnt that late into my adulthood 😂 In any case, the answer is *not* ✨”Yeah I’m alright thanks! How are you? ☺️” ✨ 😂
“Yeah I’m alright thanks! How are you?” Is definitely a normal and valid response to “alright?” imo.
This is funny i will try my best to remember
"I'm alright thanks. How are you?" is perfectly fine if you know the person. "Alright/alright" is better with strangers or people you only slightly know when you're passing in the street and don't want to stop to chat.
Yes, this is really what hospitals are like here - sorry
There's no etiquette whilst walking along foot paths etc, There's manners and consideration. Though if a large group of people are walking along chatting , they may not notice you. Or move over at last minute So don't be a mouse and stay quiet . Cough politely, if need be , they'll be considerate .
Or just say excuse me
When they say 'you alright?' just say 'yeah you?', don't go telling them how you're feeling, it's just a greeting Add 'please' and 'thank you' wherever it fits. 'Yes please', not just 'Yes', etc. Trains are expensive here Unlike Germany, UK is very digitalised: you can pay with your phone/card almost anywhere, and the gov websites are great and most things can be done digitally. I'm saying this as an Italian who has been to Germany too; Brits may disagree. Public toilets are free (in shopping malls, train stations, etc) Uber is widespread Expect many comments on the weather, especially when it's sunny
People complain a lot. Its a genuine thing, i live in germany and my German wife has noted how much people complain in the UK. We are culturally miserable, and i must say i miss it 😅
You can't buy Mezzo Mix here, which is a tragedy. I got hooked on thar stuff in Austria.
Just buy a coke and a fanta and mix them together yourself, works like a charm
The beer and the bread may not be as good, but the cider and meat pastries are excellent It doesn't rain as much as everyone says, but it's cloudy mos of the time Be prepared for humour to be normal in all situations -- workplaces, with strangers, even at serious events like funerals The facade of being pleasant to those you may not like is strong You probably speak and spell better English than most of us
Classic conversation about a funeral: "how was it?" "Well, he went down well"
UK has humour, you'll love it.
So much good advice, I would also add that some teenagers here often called “roadmen” are far more disorderly than German teens. You may see a big group of boys in dark tracksuits, balaclavas, etc and the general consensus of the brits is to avoid and deescalate, if your jeered just walk away and don’t argue. I would also recommend keeping your phone safe, whilst phone theft is notorious in london it is still pretty common anywhere in the UK, just make sure it’s in a zipped pocket and hold it with two hands if it’s out. You’ll find that Brits and Germans have more in common than not, I’d say a key difference people have missed is Brits have a far more nonchalant attitude about safety than Germans do. We don’t print our tickets, we keep them on our phone, if we leave our cheap jacket at a club we often will say “well that’s gone then” and try get it in the morning (whilst accepting its most likely gone) instead of running back to get it. Our windows are also way more shit than yours, you can only open and close not klept (forgot the word where you twist the handle and the window falls forward) and we don’t have the blackout shutters here - just blinds and curtains that are super rubbish
I think your experience will vary a lot depending on where you are in the UK. Even within the individual countries you will find variations, cultural and linguistic differences. So possibly - you will find the UK is incredibly varied and will challenge any perceptions you have.
Nobody cares when you cross the road. It doesn’t matter if the green man is showing or not, if it’s safe to cross you can cross without getting told off by someone.
Bacon sarnies and a pint of bitter.
Cost of living. Rent prices. How high the taxes are. You may also be mildly amused that in the uk we always queue civilly and patiently.
Lidl is basicslly the same, though they don't sell cigarettes at the checkout and the bakery is a free for all. Depending on where in Germany you are it may be a totally different brand if Aldi. I don't know much else about life in Germany except autobahns have no speed limit (it's 70 on motorways) and plastic bottled drinks come with an extra deposit which I forget the name of (not a thing here)
Staring at people is considered rude in britain, and you can cross the road anywhere, even when the red crossing light is on.
You can use your phone or bank card to buy things. There are cash only places, but they are laundering cash. Some of the mainstream beer is shit and no concept of Reinheitsgebot. On Sundays you can have a bath or wash car without neighbours reporting you
Be prepared for many common transactional situations to be slightly less formal and procedural. On particular, things like employment contracts and rental agreements will often be standard template documents poorly edited and not 100% correct and not always available ahead of time. I know this has frustrated several German people I know. A lot of stuff is still done by informal agreement and with less beaurocracy then in Germany. If you have a job paid in monthly salary rather than by hours... do not expect that anybody is counting 40 hours per week. You will, in general, be expected to work within standard hours and often with no compensation for going beyond. Be prepared in general for looser interpretation and implementation of rules for variois things. e.g. There may be a sign on the grass outside apartments that says "no ball games" but children will play ball games and people will let it slide within reason. Be prepared for the quality of fruit and vegetables to be in general, not as good and also be prepared that British people call "toastbrot" bread and that in general fresh bread and brotchen is not as readily available in many (most?) cases. You can find good quality fresh bread and fruit/vegetables but you have to make more effort to do so. The bread/toastbrot thing is quite controversial to some German people I have met. Most Germans will translate "toastbrot = toast or toast bread" however you have to just accept that in idiomatic British English "toastbrot" is simply "bread" or "sliced loaf" and that "toast" is only ever bread that has been grilled/toasted however painful this is to you! "Toasting bread" simply isn't a term here and more alarmingly, this is the most common bread product that we use to make sandwiches. I understand from experience that this is a big pain point to many Germans! Curry restaurants (which are plentiful) are generally based on British-Indian hybrid cuisine rather than Thai. There are Thai restaurants but they will be explicit in serving Thai based cuisine... they are quite different. It is also considered highly unusual to serve curry sauce or any curry dish with pasta in this country. On the point of hot/spicy food - if you ask for mustard and are given something bright yellow; don't assume that it is sweet American mustard. It may well be English mustard which is *significantly* hotter than mustard you may be used to. Always taste a tiny amount first to check before you get a nasty surprise and cough a mouthful of steak up. Our kebab shops are typically much lower quality then German ones. It is possible to find higher quality ones however. Confusingly, we have a chain called "German Doner Kebab" but the quality doesn't match what is typical of a German Doner whatsoever and is more like a chain shop version of a typical British Doner kebab meal. That's a few things that come to mind from having an ex girlfriend who moved here from Germany and also several German colleagues I have had over the years.
We say c*nt a lot. Especially in Scotland. If someone calls you a c*nt, the context and word used directly before the curse will indicate the sentiment of said curse. For example "you're a f*cking c*nt" = you've definitely pissed someone off. "you're a good c*nt" = congratulations, you are liked. Edit: I'm a reddit novice and no idea why things went in italics, assuming because of some asterisks, but hopefully you know what I'm talking about!
This is just not true. It is often said on reddit that people use that would all the time. No one in my social circle uses that word. Where as I would understand if it was said in a jovial tone, I wouldn't advise someone from a foreign country to go using that word as you have to know your audience. My 70 year old mother would be horrified by the language. Granted, I'm from the West Midlands, so nowhere near Scotland, but I'd still advise caution. So, to the OP, I'd say don't use that word.
On the subject of Yorkshire Puddings- the name might suggest that they are a dessert. In fact, they are usually served as part of a savoury meal with gravy, meat, and vegetables. BUT! They are, in reality, a variation of the pancake, made with the same ingredients and taste, but with a crisper texture. As such, they absolutely can be eaten as a dessert with cream/ice cream/fruit/chocolate. Some eateries will even have this option on the menu, but its uncommon.
People can be infuriatingly indirect. As a German you might find this confusing, and they might find your German directness a bit blunt/ almost rude. You'll probably also get sick of hearing people say "sorry" so often, sometimes for no real reason.
Get ready for small talk. So much small talk. If they ask how you are, just say you're fine. They don't actually care about the answer. Rooms are tiny. Gardens even more so. Oh, and the classic one: There are no plug sockets in the bathrooms.
No-one will be early for anything on the basis of not being almost late. Interactions take a lot longer, you’ll need to learn about what’s not being said rather than what was said. (Inflection is important, and complicated because the German inflections for irony won’t be heard by an English speaker in English)
When someone says “You alright” that’s is not an invitation to tell us about any issues you have it is just a greeting. The appropriate response no matter what is “Yes not bad thanks you?” Or “You alright”.
I moved to the UK from Germany around half a year ago. Here are my impressions. **The bad:** UK employment and renting law is significantly more employer and landlord favoured than in Germany. It works more through liscencing than contracts. You will need to prove the right to work and the right to rent in the UK. Your visa will include this, but it's difficult to prove when you're looking for somewhere to rent before your visa is approved. You will either need to be able to prove you earn something like 2.5x your rent, or pay six months upfront. If you're on a visa, watch out for the healthcare surcharge. It's around 1000 pounds per year and you need to pay for the entire duration of your visa ahead of time. An employer can fire you for basically any reason in the first two years of your job. **The good:** Coming from Bavaria, there is a lot more variety in terms of food and drink here. People tend to be friendlier and more open from the get-go. Banks are easier to deal with. Also your debit card can be used like a credit card for online payments. No need to get a seaparate credit card. Finding your IBAN will be a pain though. In general, the UK has a lot less paperwork, and stuff tends to work online. I have not sent a single physical letter to an authority since I moved here. The [gov.uk](http://gov.uk) website is **very** useful. I recommend visiting it if you have any questions. There are a lot of official websites built on the same framework, so everything works the same. Also you are now officially free from Behördendeutsch. The government stuff tends to use simple language. **Advice:** Pubs are great. No Reinheitsgebot means a lot of variety in beers. Also ciders are a big thing here. If you go with friends, check if you're doing rounds (taking turns buying for everyone) or not. Don't do the german stare. It freaks people out. Look from the corner of your eye. Try some food from other cultures. The UK has a lot of great indian, chinese, etc... food. There are a lot of beautiful places in the UK if you want to do a weekend trip. I've been to Cornwall myself and it was amazing. Weather is almost always "Aprilwetter" here. Take an umbrella or a light rain jacket wherever you go. Get your housing sorted early, especially if you're in a bigger city. Rent can be quite bad if you don't.
We drive on the left here. Not the right. Major difference.
Public transport is okay, don't listen to people that say it's terrible it isn't. Far from perfect but perfectly adequate.
Pubs do not have table service. Some cafes do not either. Restaurants do. We do not have as many rules and regulations as Germany, so you might see someone drinking coffee and eating cake at 11.00. If you visit sports/swimming pools cover yourself with a towel when walking around the changing rooms. We do not do nudity very well in public spaces. You can walk across a road when red man is showing. Train yourself to stop at the kerb to remind yourself to look right. If we're asked if we would like to go to a party, you will get 'I'll have to see/think about it. Which usually means No.. but we don't want to offend. Germans will just say No and explain why they cannot go. We Brits struggle with not saying what we mean.
As someone who lived in Hamburg previously. We can hoover/wash our clothes on Sundays here. We can jaywalk as well and no one will tut at you.