Andra’s Business German A–Z: Bitte & Danke

If I were to make a list of the most important German words, ... this is what I would mention under ?B“ and ?D“: ?Bitte“ and ?Danke“.

A popular [German] saying goes: “was H?nschen nicht lernt, lernt Hans nimmermehr;” this translates literally to “What (little) H?nschen doesn’t learn, (grown-up) Hans never learns either,” meaning that whatever (habits) you don’t learn as a kid, you will never be able to understand/ adopt. The connotation is rather patronizing, does not target grown-ups like the “you cannot teach an old dog new tricks” saying does, and is not as harsh as “A tree must be bent while it is young.” The H?nschen quote is often used in the context of “proper behavior.”

If H?nschen doesn’t learn to say “please” and “thank you” (on every possible occasion), he will never learn. “What is the word?!” (Wie hei?t das Wort?!), parents would remind H?nschen or Gretchen, when he or she requests something. “Bitte” (please) is the proper answer. “How do you say?!” (Wie sagt man?!), the parent would add, if Gretchen forgot to say, “Thank you!” In Germany, a smile or an approving gesture is generally not considered an adequate reply to express gratitude or thankfulness; if you do not utter a “Dankesch?n,” you might be considered unappreciative or ill-mannered. 

Above is a snippet from my new book. You want to learn more? Then try to grab a copy of Doing Business in Germany : A Concise Guide to Understanding Germans and Their Business Practices. 

Either ask your bookseller to order a copy for you (might take a few days, though), or look out for it on amazon. 

If you are from the U.S.: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948198843/

If you live in Germany: https://www.amazon.de/dp/1948198843

In the U.K.: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1948198843

India: https://www.amazon.in/dp/1948198843

And so on…. Basically, I believe it is your local shop + /dp/1948198843