Getting used to German language and culture

Article: Getting used to German language and culture

At DB, people from over 100 different cultures and four generations work together under one roof. This diversity is set to increase, due to social and economic trends. The basis for good collaboration in Team DB is mutual understanding and curiosity about different cultural backgrounds, as well as active integration into society and the DB Group – especially through learning about the German language and culture and the people who live here.

German as a foreign language – How DB helps you learn

To help you develop your language skills, the DB Group supports you if required with a range of German courses – from general language courses (levels A1-C1), to technical and railway language for your everyday work, to one-on-one lessons. Please discuss with your manager and HR management which language course is the right one for you and how and when you can start.

German as a foreign language – How to get active yourself

To learn German quickly and well, you should use it as often as possible and absorb as much as you can through listening, reading and speaking. Make German part of your everyday life, for example through films, books and music. You can regularly refresh your vocabulary with magazines and newspapers.
 

DB also offers the following support services and tools to help you understand and use the language in a work context at Deutsche Bahn:

DB Corporate Translate

DB Corporate Translate is a translation tool for all DB employees that can handle 29 languages, 16 of which contain 30,000 DB terms.

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Language learning app "Clever büffeln"

[Info will follow once the app has been made available]

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The "Bahn-ABC"

The Bahn-ABC is designed to help you learn terminology related to your work at DB. However, it requires that you already have a good general knowledge of German. The Bahn-ABC contains a brief overview of the most important terms relating to Deutsche Bahn and explains what they mean. It can be found on DB Planet; you need a separate login for this.

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Language Lunches

Language Lunches are opportunities to practise a foreign language in a relaxed atmosphere in order to improve your learning. If you are interested in these events, please contact Ronald Bieber(ronald.bieber@deutschebahn.com)

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Language get-together for women (SUKI project from the DB foundations)

Speaking and practising German for beginners and advanced learners: The SUKI (Social and Cultural Integration) language get-togethers for women are about speaking German with each other and discussing general topics such as shopping, children and food. The meetings are a chance to socialise with other women. This online training is not a substitute for an official German course, and there is no certificate for participating. The aim is to provide additional practice to help you in everyday life. You can register for the SUKI women's language get-together here.

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Note: All offers (with the exception of the "Clever büffeln" app) are available from the first working day.