My German Adventures: Talking TV, Music, and Movies (and Finden)

Okay, so here I am, three months in Berlin, and honestly, I’m still feeling like I’m wading through a sea of German. It’s brilliant, the people are incredible, and the city is amazing, but the talking… the talking is a whole other beast. I thought I was pretty decent before I came, but suddenly, everything is a slightly bewildering negotiation of words and tones. Today, I wanted to write about something that’s been particularly tricky: actually talking about what I’m watching, listening to, or enjoying. It’s tied up with this verb, finden, which is proving to be a major key.

The Initial Confusion: “Ich finde das…”

The first few times I tried to express an opinion about a movie or song, I just ended up with a mumbled, panicked “Ich finde das…?” Seriously, that just sounded like a question! My German friend, John, patiently explained that finden isn’t just “to find.” It’s used to express opinions, particularly when you’re saying something is good or bad.

“No, no, no,” he said, laughing, “You need to complete the sentence! Ich finde das Buch sehr interessant – I find the book very interesting. Or Ich finde den Film langweilig – I find the film boring.” He stressed the importance of the “sehr” (very) and “den” (the) – these little details matter so much!

TV Nights and Expressing Taste

Last night, I was watching a German crime drama with Lena (another friend). It was… intense. I wanted to tell her what I thought.

“Lena, der Film… er ist…?” I started, feeling that familiar panic rising.

Lena interrupted, “Er ist spannend!” – He’s exciting! That’s what I needed to say! I tried again, “Ich finde… den Film… spannend!” And it actually worked! Lena beamed. I realised that using “spannend” was a much safer, more common way to say “exciting” than trying to use a more complex word.

Another time, I was complaining about the overly dramatic music in a soap opera. “Es ist zu theatralisch,” I groaned. Lena explained, “Ja, das stimmt. Ich finde es auch übertrieben.” – I find it also exaggerated. See? Finden is used with adjectives all the time.

Music Matters: Mein Lieblingslied?

Talking about music is proving to be equally challenging. I’ve asked several people about their favorite songs and stumbled through asking, “Was ist dein Lieblingslied?” They often responded with the full name of the song in German, which I quickly realised I didn’t understand!

I learned that a simpler approach is “Welches Lied findest du gut?” – Which song do you like? And then, I actually listened to the song (thank goodness for Spotify) and could respond with “Ich finde dieses Lied toll!” – I find this song great! Or, if I truly didn’t like it, I could say, “Ich finde dieses Lied nicht so gut.” – I don’t find this song so good.

Misunderstandings and Corrections

There was one particularly embarrassing moment at a concert. I told a group of people I was enjoying the music, saying “Das ist super!” One guy stared at me, utterly confused. Lena explained later that “Das ist super!” can also mean “That’s great!” in a general sense, but it doesn’t necessarily express a personal opinion about the music itself. I needed to be more specific – “Ich finde die Musik sehr gut!” – I find the music very good!

The Power of Finden – Putting It All Together

Honestly, learning to use finden correctly is making a huge difference. It’s not just about saying I like something; it’s about expressing a genuine opinion, and that feels more authentic. I’m still making mistakes, of course – I’m definitely not fluent yet – but I’m getting better. And that’s a huge win, right?

Here’s a quick recap of what I’ve learned:

• Ich finde… + adjective = I find… [thing]… [adjective]
• Common adjectives to use: spannend (exciting), gut (good), schlecht (bad), interessant (interesting), langweilig (boring), toll (great).

Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go watch a German movie and see if I can actually articulate my opinion without completely butchering the language! Viel Glück! (Good luck!)