Hey Markus. I have a question I'd like to ask you.
Yes. Go ahead.
Well, I'm thinking about going to Germany this summer [Great!], and I need some advice. You're the best person I know to answer my questions since you're German.
Thank you. What do you want to know?
Well, don't laugh, but I met this really nice woman through an online music mailing list, you know, a discussion group on the Internet [laughter]. I need some advice. You see, Claudia, ...
Okay. So it's Claudia, oh?
Yeah, yeah. See, she invited me to spend two weeks in Germany [Hum]. And well, I told here I had studied a little bit about the country and language [Hum], and she's kind of expecting that I know more than I really do.
Hum. You're really in hot water now!
Yeah. I think so.
Well, what do you want to know?
Well, she's planning on introducing me to her parents.
Hey. Sounds kind of serious.
It isn't, at least I think it isn't. Anyway, what should you do when you greet someone for the first time in Germany?
Well, it depends upon your relationship with the person. Now, speaking of your girlfriend, Claudia, ....
Hey, I didn't say she was my girlfriend.
Ah, okay, okay. Now if you're meeting someone formally for the first time, like Claudia's parents, you should make sure you arrive on time.
Okay, so arrive on time. Uh, what about common greetings?
Well, Germans often shake hands, and they use the person's family name, unless they're really close friends.
Okay, what about with Claudia? I'm not sure what I should do in her case.
Ah. You can call her Claudia [Okay], shake hands, and why don't you take her some flowers?
Oh, how do you say 'Nice to meet you' anyway?
Oh, 'Ich freue mich, Sie kennenzulernen.'
'Ich freu me senselen...? '
Uhhh. Not exactly. 'Ich freue mich, Sie kennenzulernen' [Uhhh]. Humm. Honestly, I think you need to take a crash course in German before you leave. Claudia might think you're speaking Chinese or something if you don't.