As many writers have observed over the years, Berlin is a city that's hard to define: it encompasses both the imposing tower blocks of Marzahn and the elegant boulevards of Charlottenburg; the incredibly wealthy and the down-and-out; the trendy young hipsters and the no-nonsense locals.
But even in this fascinating and varied city, there are some classic behaviours that set the Berliners apart from everyone else, from the way they dress to their choice of snack at the Imbiss.
Whether they're a Wahlberliner from elsewhere who's found their home in the city or an Urberliner who's lived there all their lives, there are many things that set Berliners apart.
If you're thinking of visiting or moving to the German capital, here are some of the habits to adopt to make you look and sound like one of those true Berliners. (Unfortunately, simply saying, "Ich bin ein Berliner" isn't one of them.)
Perfect your 'Berliner Schnauze'
Berlin's notorious dialect - which translates as the 'Berliner snout' - is both a language and an attitude, representing the gruff, outspoken nature of your typical Urberliner.
Though you don't need to go the whole hog and start speaking fluent Berlinerisch, there are some subtle regional shifts in accent you can adopt if you want to sound like a local.
The classic is to get rid of that throaty way of pronouncing 'ich' that is so typically German and stick to a more simple 'ick', just like the locals do.
In a word with 'ei' that in standard German would emphasise the 'i' sound, you'd instead treat it like a double 'e', making 'klein' sound a bit like 'kleen'.
Turning any hard 'g' sounds, for example in 'gut', into a 'j' or 'y' sound is another wonderful quirk of this dialect. And you'll also notice people transforming the 's' at the end of words into a 't'.
So if somebody knocks into you on the street and turns to apologise, a Berliner such as yourself would brush it away with a brisk, "Allet jut!".
Of course, plenty of people live in Berlin for decades and never quite get the hang of the dialect, and that doesn't make them any less of a local.
If you really want to stand apart from the tourists, though, the most important part of the Schnauze is the attitude.
READ ALSO: What to know about languages and dialects in Germany
Don't smile at strangers
Rude, abrupt, direct - whatever you choose to call it, there's certainly something distinctive about the Berlin way to socialise.
Possibly thanks to its East German influence, being smiley and peppy in Berlin is kind of a no-go - often considered by locals to be fake and overly Americanised.
In this spirit, you're unlikely to get greeted with a beaming smile when you walk into a traditional Berlin Gaststätte, instead being treated with a certain wry scepticism until the 15th - or 50th - time you return.
This was summed up recently by an exchange I witnessed in a Berlin petrol station. A woman walked in and screamed at the cashier. The cashier yelled back. The woman yelled again, and so it continued.
For a non-German speaker, it may have sounded like a furious altercation, but it concluded with the customer happily walking away with the chocolate bonbons they had been asking for.
Order Currywurst (mit oder ohne Darm)
Everyone knows that Currywurst is a proud Berlin creation - so much so that its inventor, Herta Heuwer, is considered something of a local legend. If you want to pay homage to Heuwer, you can find her memorial plaque at the corner of Kantstraße and Kaiser-Friedrichstraße in the West Berlin district of Wilmersdorf - the exact location where her food stall stood way back in 1940s.
Of course, the most Berlin way to pay your respects is to tuck into a delicious Currywurst yourself, preferably from a small food truck or stall by the side of a road.
Just be aware, though, that the question of whether to have it with or without skin - that is, mit oder ohne Darm - is a controversial one. Since the fall of Berlin Wall back in 1989, it is possibly the only thing left dividing the city.
The most important thing to know is that the skinless version is an East Berlin invention, born out of scarcity, so you may get props for having your sausage ohne Darm whenever you're east of Alexanderplatz. For a similar reason, people from the GDR - or Ossis as they're nicknamed - are said to enjoy their sausage served whole in case a piece is stolen when the Imbiss owner cuts it up.
Talk about your art project
Although Berlin is in a constant state of flux, one thing that never seems to change is the city's magnetic pull for artists, whether they're performers, musicians, painters or writers. Wherever you go in the city, you're bound to meet people from all over the world who are oozing creativity - so if you don't have an art project on the go just yet, it's time for you to get one.
For double points, it's best to talk about your art project whenever anyone asks what you're doing in Berlin, while studiously avoiding the question of how you're funding your party lifestyle.
READ ALSO: Thrifty Swabians and haughty Hamburgers - A guide to Germany's regional stereotypes
Dress like you don't care
Two days in Madrid and I have come to the conclusion that Berlin may be the worst-dressed city I’ve ever seen.
— Oliver Sachgau (@sachgau) April 25, 2024
If there's one thing that unites both the Wahlberliner and the Urberliner, it has to be the 'give no sh*ts' mentality that pervades in the city, and this definitely shows in the way people dress.
From ill-fitting thrifted garments to full-on bondage gear, you get the impression that almost everyone in Berlin is dressing for themselves more than anyone else. Trying too hard is an absolute no-go, and will definitely get you turned away from Berghain, Berlin's legendary techno club.
To perfect the Berlin look, simply open your wardrobe and pick out a random assortment of items you like. Throw them on with no attempt to coordinate them and hit the streets of Berlin with your head held high.
READ ALSO: Why Berlin deserves its ranking as the 'third happiest city' in the world
Always carry cash
In Germany, cash is king, and no-one embraces this analogue mode of payment more than the Berliners. It may be part of their instinctive anarchism, but almost every independent business in the city seems to have a 'nur Bar' sign up somewhere, indicating that cash is the only option.
If you don't want to look like a fumbling tourist, be sure to carry enough cash with you while out and about in the capital, especially if you're going to a non-chain restaurant or shop.
Not only will small businesses appreciate anyone who automatically reaches for their cash rather than their credit card - they'll also be happy to save on the bank fees that come with accepting card payments.
Embrace budget beers
Forget upmarket Helles and boutique craft ales, in poor-but-sexy Berlin it's all about getting more bang for your buck, and what better way to do that than with a €1 Berliner Pilsner, Sternburg or Pilsator from your local Späti - or better yet, a €0.20 beer from Aldi?
In Berlin, the best night outs are often done on a budget, crowding around a table at your local Spätkauf - a special corner shop with super late opening hours - or taking a few beers and sitting on Tempelhofer Feld, a sprawling park that sits on the grounds of a former airport.
If you want to feel like a true Berliner, you'll get brownie points for moaning about the latest signs of Pilsflation - the staggering rise in the price of the capital's favourite dirt-cheap beers over the years.
As you crack open a bottle of Sternburg - a Sterni as the locals call it - you should remark to whoever is in earshot, "Can you believe this Sterni cost €1.20? You used to get two for less than a euro!"
READ ALSO: What's it like to study abroad in Berlin?
Hate on snooty southerners
Germany's North/South divide may get far less attention than East and West, but when it comes to defining people's sense of identity and regional differences, it's hugely important.
In Berlin, the southern state of Bavaria - so beloved of tourists - is known for being highly religious and full of conservative views, not to mention right-wing parties like the Freie Wähler, or Free Voters, the Christian Social Union (CSU) and far-right AfD.
When Berlin's state coffers are bare - which is often - there's also plenty of resentment about the way the country's finances shake out and the fact that wealthy Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg don't tend to share their money around when they get their hands on it.
To fit in with the locals, respond with limited enthusiasm if a friend tells you about the recent trip to Schloss Neuschwanstein and be sure to have a few insults up your sleeve for abominable places like Munich and Stuttgart.
Comments