My German Journey: Sustainable Living and the Weirdness of Subordinate Clauses

Okay, so here I am, six months in Berlin. It’s amazing, terrifying, and occasionally, just utterly baffling. I’m working as a freelance translator, which is great, but honestly, the biggest hurdle hasn’t been the work – it’s the German! And, surprisingly, it’s tied to something I’m trying to be more conscious about: living sustainably.

The Supermarkt Trip and ‘Mehr’ – It’s More Complicated Than It Looks

Yesterday, I went to Edeka to buy some groceries. I was trying to buy less plastic, you know? I wanted to get a Milchpack (milk carton) instead of a Milchpackung (milk package – those little plastic cups). I told the cashier, Frau Schmidt, “Ich möchte bitte einen Milchpack, bitte.” (I would like a milk carton, please).

She looked at me strangely and said, “Aber Sie wollen mehr Milch?” (But you want more milk?).

I was completely thrown. I was trying to less milk! It took a moment, and I realised she was using ‘mehr’ (more) to indicate I was already buying a significant amount. It’s so illogical! I explained, slowly and carefully, “Nein, ich möchte weniger Milch. Ich möchte einen Milchpack.” (No, I want less milk. I want a milk carton). She finally understood and processed the transaction.

This completely highlighted how different the thought processes are. ‘Mehr’ isn’t just ‘more’, it can mean ‘enough’ or even indicate an expectation of quantity. It’s made me really think about how I phrase things, and how German speakers interpret my requests.

Comparing Things: ‘…als’ and ‘…wie’ – A Constant Battle

Then there’s the whole ‘als’ (than) and ‘wie’ (like/as) thing. I was talking to a colleague, Markus, about the price of organic vegetables at the market. I said, “Die Bio-Äpfel sind teurer als die normalen Äpfel.” (The organic apples are more expensive than the normal apples).

He corrected me immediately. “Nein, nein! Sie sagen, wie teuer die Bio-Äpfel sind.” (No, no! You say how expensive the organic apples are.)

I was mortified! I’d completely missed the point. ‘Als’ is for comparisons of things, ‘wie’ is for comparisons of states or qualities. It feels so simple in English, but in German, it’s a constant hurdle. I’ve been practicing saying things like, “Die Wohnung ist kälter als im Sommer” (The apartment is colder than in the summer) and “Das Essen schmeckt besser wie ein Gourmet-Koch” (The food tastes better like a gourmet chef), just to get it stuck in my head.

Subordinate Clauses – The Silent Weapon of Confusion

Honestly, the subordinate clauses are the absolute worst. I’ve been trying to understand how they work, especially with dass (that) and weil (because), but it feels like an entirely different language.

I was trying to explain to my landlord, Herr Weber, that I’d be late paying the rent because I was busy with a translation job. I started with, “Ich werde das Miete-Zahlung verspäten, weil ich arbeite.” (I will delay the rent payment, because I’m working.)

He stared at me. “Warum arbeiten Sie?” (Why are you working?) he asked. It turns out, he assumed I was saying I was delaying the payment because I was working in the rental property. It’s a massive misunderstanding, and I had to completely rephrase. I explained carefully, “Ich arbeite, deshalb verspäte ich die Miete-Zahlung” (I’m working, therefore I’m delaying the rent payment). The ‘deshalb’ (therefore) helped a lot!

Little Wins and Future Goals

Despite all the confusing moments, I’m slowly getting better. I’m learning to listen more carefully, to ask for clarification, and to be patient with myself. I’m also using flashcards and online resources to help me practice the comparative and subordinate clauses.

My goal is to be able to confidently talk about sustainable practices – like reducing food waste ( Lebensmittelverschwendung reduzieren – reduce food waste!) – and to use German effectively in my daily life.

And, perhaps most importantly, I’m learning that a little bit of confusion is part of the adventure of learning a new language, and living in a completely new country. Viel Glück! (Good luck!) I’m going to need it.