The official language is German, spoken both in the form of standard German and various local dialects depending on the area. For example, there is a local dialect in Berlin but quite few native speakers remain, while in rural and to a lesser extent urban Saxony the local Saxon dialect is the majority language. Although the vast majority of Germans can speak standard German, it is for many of them not the native language, and one should note that German dialects are as different as separate languages.
While Germany is not the most English-proficient country in Europe, English-speaking Germans are still a majority, and especially younger people are often fluent. That said, German is not a difficult language to learn and Germans are very tolerant with non-native speakers so feel free to try some phrases. During communist times older people in the former East Germany had to learn Russian at school and you might find someone who is still able to speak the language, but it is increasingly uncommon.
The small minority of the Sorbs is living in the rural areas at the border between the federal states of Brandenburg and Saxony. Those cities and villages are bi-lingual using both German and Sorbian, which is similar to Polish.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Eastern Germany
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Eastern Germany - updated May 2024
SAVE up to 75% on Last Minute deals! Search for discount Eastern Germany hotels, motels, apartments, hostels, guest accommodations and vacation resorts. Book now and pay at the hotel. Instant email confirmation!
Eastern Germany Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.
