Find friends in Germany: apps and easy ways to connect
Moving to a new German city can feel exciting and a little isolating at the same time. If you are trying to find friends in Germany, you are not alone, and plenty of expats and long term nomads describe the same slow start. Making friends in Germany is absolutely possible with the right approach.
This guide walks you through the apps that help you find friends in Germany that actually work, along with practical, low pressure ways to build a real social circle wherever you land.
Quick summary
If you are trying to find friends in Germany, a mix of the right apps and a few consistent habits makes the biggest difference. This guide covers the apps worth trying, the offline settings where German friendships actually form, and what to expect from the culture around it. By the end you will have a clear starting point instead of a long list of options.
In this article
Why making friends in Germany takes a little patience
Friendships in Germany tend to build slowly and then run deep. People generally invest in a smaller circle rather than a wide one, so it takes longer to be let in, but once you are in, it tends to last.
A first meeting can feel reserved. Small talk is not really the local love language, and directness is normal rather than unfriendly. Give it a few more meetups before you judge how someone actually feels about you.
You are not doing anything wrong if the first month feels quiet. Most newcomers go through the exact same curve, and if you want more general tactics beyond apps, our guide on the easiest ways to meet people near you is a useful starting point too.
Apps to make friends in Germany
Different apps and platforms suit different moods, so it helps to know what each one is actually good for before you download five of them. Some are built around interest groups, some around one-off plans, and some around a specific activity like language practice.
The settings below show how each one tends to play out day to day, so here is how they line up on the things people ask about most.
| Setting | How you meet people | Best time to go |
|---|---|---|
| Language exchange evenings | Structured conversation swaps | Weekday evenings |
| Sports clubs (Vereine) | Regular training sessions | Year round, sign up in autumn |
| Coworking spaces | Casual chats over coffee breaks | Weekday mornings |
| Interest based meetup groups | One off or recurring events | Weekends and evenings |
| University or newcomer socials | Organised events for new arrivals | Start of term |
If you want a plan that fits your schedule rather than a fixed weekly slot, look for a platform that lets you propose or join a one-off meetup around something simple, like a coffee or dinner.
Other ways to find friends in Germany
Apps open the door, but the friendships that stick usually come from showing up somewhere more than once. A repeated setting works far better than a single great night out.
A Verein, the German club system, is worth a genuine look. There is one for almost every hobby, from choirs to climbing, and membership fees are often modest. Coworking spaces work the same way if you are a remote worker, since the same faces show up week after week.
Language tandems are another quiet win. Practicing German with someone over coffee gives you a reason to meet regularly, and it naturally turns into a friendship once the lessons fade into the background. If you are settling in for the long term, our guide to preparing for a nomadic lifestyle covers more of the groundwork worth doing early on.
Understanding the social side of life in Germany
Directness is a big part of the culture, and it applies to friendships too. People say what they mean, so if someone seems distant, it is usually just honesty rather than a rejection.
Work and personal life are kept fairly separate, so most social life happens through dedicated activities rather than spontaneous after-work drinks. This is exactly why joining a class, club, or recurring plan works so well here.
The seasons matter more than people expect. Summer brings beer gardens, lake trips, and outdoor events that make it easy to strike up a conversation. Winter pushes everything indoors, so the connections you build in the warmer months tend to carry you through the quieter ones.
A shortcut for meeting people over food and drinks in Germany
Friendchise gives you a simple way to turn free time into a real plan. Share your own idea for coffee, lunch, or dinner and let others join, or browse plans that other people have already posted near you.
You can see people’s interests beforehand, so there is already something to talk about, and you decide who you meet. It works for one-to-one meetups or small groups, with a friendly mix of locals and internationals, and it is free to try.
Give it a try and see how warmly people respond once you find friends in Germany the way that suits you.