Gjermanishten

Gjermanishten is the Albanian term for the German language, a West Germanic language of the Indo-European family. It is spoken by native communities in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and parts of Belgium and Italy, as well as by diaspora communities worldwide. It is one of the major languages of the European Union and an official language in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, with significant usage in other countries.

Standard German, known as Hochdeutsch, serves as the formal variant used in education, media, and administration. There are numerous dialects across German-speaking regions, including Bavarian, Swabian, Low German, and Swiss German; dialects vary substantially in phonology, vocabulary, and syntax, with some dialects mutually intelligible with Standard German only to a limited extent.

The German writing system uses the Latin alphabet with umlauted vowels ä, ö, ü and the ligature ß. Grammar features include four cases (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive), three genders, and strong and weak verb conjugations. Nouns are capitalized, and word order in main clauses is typically subject–verb–object, with verbs moved to the second position; subordinate clauses place the verb at the end.

Historically, German developed from Old High German (circa 8th to 11th century) to Middle High German and Early New High German; modern Standard German emerged from these stages and the influence of the printing and standardization efforts in the 16th to 19th centuries. The language has interacted with many other languages and has contributed to English and other tongues through shared Germanic roots and loanwords.

In education, German is commonly taught as a foreign language, with extensive literature, media, and scientific terminology in German. It plays a central role in business, science, and diplomacy in Europe and beyond.