Hello guys,
I'm Sanjeev Mansotra can anyone suggest tips and tricks to learn the basics of the German language as fast as possible?
I have to learn the basics to survive for 5 days there!
Thanks
English should be sufficient to survive in Germany.
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german is one of the hardest Languages to learn. Even some nativ german speaking don't learn it throughout their whole lifetime. Stick to English and you will surely survive. I bet you can even survive without speaking.
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Learn to say the basics of politeness plus the absolutely required skills to order a beer 
| English Phrase | German Phrase |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hallo |
| Good morning | Guten Morgen |
| Good day/Hello | Guten Tag |
| Good evening | Guten Abend |
| Please | Bitte |
| Thank you | Danke |
| Excuse me/I'm sorry | Entschuldigung |
| Do you speak English? | Sprechen Sie Englisch? |
| Where is the restroom? | Wo ist die Toilette? |
| One beer, please | Ein Bier, bitte |
Of course you won’t understand the answer so you also need to learn something like
Ich habe es nicht verstanden. Können Sie es mir auf Englisch erklären?
(Note - I’ve working on my German for a couple years but I’m far from a fluent speaker - so I’m sure other members who are native German speakers will provide better alternatives.)
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Thank you everyone I really appreciate it.
These short phrases will definitely help me there!
Rüdiger Nehberg gave this info:
- 3 minutes for breath
- 3 days for drinking
- 3 weeks for eating
So take a bottle of water and you will survive 
Water from a pipe ist better than in other countries, I am drinking it every day.
Some other ideas:
- Give people time to overcome the shock to get a question in English.
- Because of the german history not all people learned English at school. Younger than 50 years you have better chances.
- Better school, better English. Where students are eating you will get something for yourself.
- At school we learn something like british English. I was talking with people from India, there English was a bit different. They are shaking there head different to european people, that is confusing.
- Simple English brings better success. Do not use abbreviations or phrases.
- Airports are international, trains are not. All important informations are in German only! Take care of "Flügelungskomzept". One train with two parts. They are traveling together for a route than one part is going to this city, the other to anouther one. Take care to be in the correct part.
- Some trains are changing there characteristik from cheep to expensive.
- Take in account most german trains are to late.
Happy surviving, please give us a report of your experiences 
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I have moved this topic to General Discussion....The is to much English here, only one post had any German in it.
EDIT: Moved back to German forum at request of @DrDiettrich.
Take into account, that Indian English, which I assume from your name @sanjeevmansotra, is harder to understand for an average German than for example Dutch or Swedish English.
So be patient and fall back to basic English. "A beer, please" will be understood.
In many parts of Germany there's even mobile phone network including internet. So have fun with a translator app.
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"A beer" Is the correct German order in Bavaria. Many German words have survived in English since the Anglo-Saxons invaded the British islands.
Not a good idea, IMO. The topic addresses German speakers, even if the TO does not understand much of that language.
I was under the impression that German was to be spoken in the German forum....Moved back to Deutsch .
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No rule without exception 
In this case the answers demonstrate that many German speakers also understand English. Feel free to ask if you also want to visit Germany
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No one will order just one beer in Bavaria
Native German speakers usually needed several months just to learn "Mama" and "Nein", so this question should better be answered by others.
But of course, as this question is answered already, we're glad to help with other fun tips and tricks how to survive Germany, without knowing their language.
So: when ordering a beer, "A beer" is correct (Bavarian) German, but "a beer, please" is too complicated, and politeness reveals you as a stranger.
Politeness is accepted, but don't expect too much in return.
You should find some beaches in Germany too.
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Right, aber wie übersetzt man "A Maß" oder "A Hoibe" oder "A Woiza" in die englische Aussprache? Ob da ChatGPT weiterhelfen kann?
Ein Bekannter (Alemanne?) hat mich auch schon darauf aufmerksam gemacht, daß "Feif Bier" bei ihm zu Hause wie in Englisch gleichermaßen verständlich ist.
A Stein!
Do not learn, "Pardon me, Sir, but your red book is on the large davenport near the cat."
Create a 100 page "German for Runaways" vocableheft (notebook). Only include what you like and stop at 100.
If you like to eat, learn eating nouns and verbs.
If you like to travel, learn travel nouns and verbs.
If you like sports, learn sports nouns and verbs.
If you like to drink, learn to travel with a hangover to the gahsthaus where you can watch footie.
(no traveler needs objects, prepositions, plus-perfect subjunctives)
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You are heavy on wire.
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And be aware: if you cross the border to Austria or Switzerland, ppl are talking totally different than in germany. I'm from Switzerland, and there are some Accents even i don't fully understand 