How to learn german by yourself

On this page you will find useful tips and links that will help you in the independent study of the German language both in Germany and in any other country in the world. Self-study covers all areas of knowledge of the German language, including reading, understanding, and pronunciation, writing, as well as studying grammar and spelling.

§ Is it possible to learn German on your own, yourself?

The most preferable way to study the German language is to attend the German language courses, as this would provide an opportunity to communicate, study grammar systematically, and ask the teacher a question any time, if something is unclear. Besides, you would hear the sound of the German speech, and when you make mistakes, you would be corrected, and this, too, is an inherent part of the learning process. However, sometimes the opportunity, time, and money for attendance of such courses are not available, while to learn the German language is necessary – for instance, in order to move to Germany for permanent residence. On this page, we shall highlight many opportunities, available today owing to the Internet, in order to study the German language yourself and for free.

Before discussing the possibility of the German language independent study, here are some tips to help you in the learning process:

§ Where to start learning German

As for today, you don’t need to “reinvent the wheel» in order to learn the German language, as for many years of the work done by many institutes and language schools in Germany the efficient regulations and modes of the German language learning have already been developed and set. The given institutions have already released their experience to the public in the form of guidebooks, textbooks, online courses, and computer software. All that is required of you is interest, perseverance and hard work.

So, before you start learning the German language, it would make sense to familiarize yourself thoroughly with the currently existing opportunities for systematic learning and to select what you like most and what would really be helpful to learn the German language regularly, systematically and comprehensively. On this page, we shall discuss the following options:

Apart from the well-selected auxiliary means for learning the German language, it is necessary to think how you could regularly listen to the German speech, read texts in German, build up your vocabulary and train yourself in. Further on here, we shall highlight the available opportunities.

§ Suitable German textbooks and dictionaries in Germany

As our website is meant for those, who live and work in Germany or are just interested in knowing more about this country, we shall tell here, which guidebooks for learning are being used in this country both personally and at courses for group learning. Most of the guidebooks can be purchased on e-commerce websites and auctions, such as eBay or Amazon, as well in Internet bookstores. Besides online bookshops, are as well available in Germany, and over there you can acquire textbooks of the German and English languages in English, although they offer a limited choice.

What German textbooks are used in Germany

In the table below you will find the popular guidebooks for learning, most of which have been approved to be used at free-of-charge state-funded integration courses in Germany.

Read more about the German language proficiency levels on a separate page of our website.

Publishers specializing in the production of textbooks and dictionaries of the German language in Germany

It is impossible to draw a list of all existing textbooks of the German language; besides, there are multiple specialized textbooks, such as for adults, for children, for professional purposes, for beginners and for profound learning, etc. On the publishers’ web-pages you can find detailed lists of guidebooks being offered for sale, and even a convenient service for selection of textbooks, dictionaries and other guidebooks. Below you will find a list of links to the popular publishers of textbooks on the German language in Germany:

Some dictionaries of the German language used in Germany

It is impossible to imagine learning the German language without a good dictionary. Such dictionary is helpful not only for understanding the words meaning and spelling, but also for building up the learner’s vocabulary. The online or smartphone dictionaries also provide an opportunity to know the correct pronunciation of words and offer multiple examples. The list of popular dictionaries, where the first 3 are available both in the printed-book form and in the online version, is offered below.

To select suitable book-form dictionaries, refer to the list of German language publishers above on the page to view their offers. Pay attention to the German-German dictionaries, as in them German words are explained in German in a simple way, which is very helpful in learning the language. Teachers in Germany recommend the use of such explanatory dictionaries.

Teachers in Germany recommend using German-German, dictionaries, in which the meanings of German words are explained in plain German.

§ Free online German courses and lessons

Like the book-form textbooks, designed for systematic learning of the German language at some courses or on your own, various language schools in Germany have their online courses or lessons of the German language. Such courses are either free or in order to use them the learners have to pay a small subscription fee, which gets reduced depending on the number of months in the subscription. The given courses include online exercises for learning words and grammar, reading comprehension and listening comprehension exercises, video materials, etc. To take some of such courses, you would need to get registered, while the rest are available without registration. To select textbooks or video-lessons is a matter of personal preference.

Here is the table of online lessons and courses being popular in Germany:

List of free online German lessons and courses

§ Free apps applications for smartphone- and cellphone-based learning of the German language

Like free/ free-of-charge online lessons and courses, multiple applications for cellphones and smartphones have been developed, which are helpful in learning the German language. Some of those are full-fledged teaching software, like courses of the German language, or educational games, while others provide support in some specific sphere – for example, dictionaries, buildup of the learner’s vocabulary, exercises for memorizing words, or training grammar rules. Description of a number of software being useful in learning German can be found in the list below:

§ Learning in social networks

While addressing the chances for free learning of German language, we cannot but consider the opportunities being offered by means of channels and groups in social networks. Some of those, formed by various language schools or German language teachers, contain voluminous material for the language learning and training. Some groups were formed for communication in German, and there you can practice verbal communication and intercourse in correspondence even with native speakers. Below is the list of popular channels and groups for learning German.

Youtube channels for learning German

Groups on Facebook, Telegram and other German learning communities

§ Learning German with a coach, private tutor

Private tutors and coaches of German offer their lessons by personal presence or remotely via video communication/video calls, for instance, using Skype or other communications tools. Such offers, of course, are not free/ free-of-charge, however, you can find rather inexpensive offers placed by experienced teachers. For example, teachers from Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus and other countries charge their lessons by phone and Skype at a price of 5 to 10 euros per 1 lesson. For offers from tutors in Germany, click on: Tutors of German in Germany.

§ Paid online courses of the German language

Apart from free courses and lessons of the German language, there are also paid online platforms that offer learning many languages over the Internet. Such platforms, in addition to standard exercises to study grammar and build up the vocabulary, also provide the practice of speaking with teachers, as well as taking tests and obtaining a certificate upon the courses completion.

§ Regularly read texts in German, listen to the German speech, and speak German

For your reference, we offer you the following list of free, free-of-charge multimedia sources of the German speech, such as audiobooks as well as German TV- and radio channels, which can be used for effective learning of the German language:

Learn German: The Complete Beginner’s Guide to Learning German FAST

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“Rindfleischetikettierungsueberwachungsaufgabenuebertragungsgesetz”

Yes, that’s a real word in the German language, or at least it was until 2013. In the German language, this 63 character word referred to “law delegating beef label monitoring”.

An EU regulation dropped it. You have been told the German language is really hard to learn, or maybe you just naturally got this feeling when you heard a native German speaker talking? The scary word above confirms your assumptions? But…

Is learning to speak German hard?

Well, no, learning German being hard is just a myth. Learning any language takes time and commitment. It’s the same with the German language.

Having enough motivation and working hard towards your goal, is all it takes. And if you feel confused about where to start, we’ve put together some tips in this article that will help you learn to speak German really fast. Let’s be real. Chinese people will find it harder than an English native speaker to learn German.

This is because the German language is part of Germanic languages, a group of Indo-European languages, that shares plenty of similarities with other Germanic languages like English or Dutch.

Why Learn the German Language

There are many reasons why you should learn the German language – below we highlight 15 of those reasons:

EARN

KNOW

THINK

How Long Does It Take To Learn German

Learning German can be a bit difficult, especially if you are a native of a language that doesn’t belong to the Indo-European family of languages. But, no matter what your native language is, and even if German may seem tricky to you at first, don’t get discouraged.

If you’re wondering if there are any shortcuts or specific ways how to learn german, we have mentioned a few in this guide that will help you make progress faster. There is no fixed period of time that guarantees you will succeed in learning the German language, but what’s most important is consistency. You’re not going to wake up one morning and find yourself speaking fluent German.

That only happens in the movies. If you take just one step at a time, you’ll see results happening fast. Learning a new language may take a different time depending on many factors like your prior experience and exposure to the language, your resilience, how much work you put into the learning process, motivation, and so on. But, if you practice on a daily basis for a period of at least three to six months, you’ll probably be able to handle a daily conversation with a friend and doing things like getting into a cafe and making an order in German.

Some people struggle more than others and need more time to reach that level but that’s mostly because they’re not putting in the effort and practicing daily. If you want to speak German fluently, it’s probably going to take a few years of practice, but we’re just looking to get started, right?

How To Learn the German Language?

Here’s how to learn the German language fast and easy:

People say it’s all about mastering the basics. So, if you’re wondering how to learn the German language if you’re a complete beginner, we recommend you start with the alphabet. The German language has 26 letters, just like English. There are a few letters with pronunciation that doesn’t exist in English: ä,ö,ü and β, but you won’t find these letters in the Alphabet. Practice their correct pronunciation as this will help you adjust your accent significantly.

German Language Grammar

What makes a language look difficult to you? It’s grammar, right? Grammar is usually a nightmare for all people planning to get into a new language, and it’s not the case only with the German language. But, learn this part well and you’ll be speaking German fluently in no time. German has six tenses: Prasens, Präteritum, Perfekt, Plusquamperfekt, Futur I and Futur II.

This relation is not completely accurate, but looking at the tenses this way will make it easier for you to understand German grammar. They have four cases (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive). Here is a tricky thing about German that many people mention often: the 16 forms that “the” of English takes on German in different cases and gender. German has three noun prepositions for each gender: die (for feminine nouns), der (for masculine nouns), and das (for neutral gender). With every new word that you learn in the German language, you must also learn what preposition needs to come in front of it. It may confuse you at first because sometimes a biological gender may not match its grammatical gender. However, there are some rules determining which noun gets which article with exceptions. There’s no need to stress about this part too much. Although you have to memorize all of them mechanically, a huge part of this grammar fundamental will soon start making more sense to you.

Need more help? Learn from native German teachers.

lingoni GERMAN produces fun and useful German lessons for the A1 – B2 levels (The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). Qualified native speakers teach you how to communicate in German in different situations, such as at work, at school, when meeting friends, or while going shopping. Within the lingoni app, the videos are accompanied by interactive exercises on all kinds of topics, and for all proficiency levels. You can also listen to their podcasts to train your listening comprehension, work on pronunciation exercises to practice your speaking, and discover plenty of other resources, like worksheets, to strengthen everything you’ve just learned.

German Phrases and Daily Expressions

When you start learning a new language you probably wouldn’t like to start with all the grammar rules and things that make a language complicated.

Language learning is all about the joy and entertaining part of it, other than the desire to expand your knowledge. To do, so you’ll have to start from a point that makes you wonder what’s beyond that, grab your attention, and set your motivation on fire.

There is no better way how to learn German than just starting to learn a few words and some daily expressions like saying hello to somebody or asking someone for something. This will give you a little sense of achievement and boost your self-confidence. Here are a few basic German daily-life expressions to start with. Study them and then try to simulate a simple dialogue in your head.

How To Say… in German

Funny German Words

Let’s make this a little bit more fun, shall we? Like in any other language, you can find words in German that when translated literally in English sound really funny.

For example, how do you call someone who pees outside the toilet in English?

There is no specific word for these people in English, but in German, there is “Wildpinkler” which literally means “wild pee-er”. Here is a list of the 10 funniest words in German and their meaning in English.

Brustwarze – breast wart.
This word literally means “breast wart”. It stands for “nipple” in English. This is not the only funny word for body parts. There is also Zahnfleisch (tooth-meat) which actually means gums.

Liebfrauenmilch – beloved lady milk.
This word originates from a German wine back in the 1700s and it refers to the Virgin Mary. The expression “Liebfrauenmilch” is now a legally protected name of German wine (from the Mosel region).

Handschuhe – hand shoes.
Germans don’t have the time nor the patience to create a unique word for the clothes we wear on different parts of the body. Everything you put in your hands, they refer to Handschuhe which literally translates to “hand shoes”.

Klobrille – toilet glasses.
Germans are known as people who value cleanliness. Some say that when they get into a hotel before deciding to pass the night there they check toilets to be sure they’re all clean. Toilet glasses are not actually any special device Germans use to inspect toilets. They are just toilet seats.

Stinktier – Stink animal.
Germans name some animal from their smell, their looks, or any other treat, physical or non-physical, that differentiate them from the rest. The slug is an animal-like snail but without its home. Germans call it Nacktschnecke which literally is “a naked snail”. They call Wolverine Vielfraß which means “eat-a-lot”.

Eselsbrücke – donkey’s bridge.
This term stands for the trick you use to help you remember something when it doesn’t come to your mind at the moment you need it. It originates from the Latin term “pons asinorum” (bridge of donkeys).

Donnerbalken – thunder beam.
This word long ago referred to the military latrine, but now in slang refers to the toilet. In English, the slang “thunderbox” would match it. You can guess what’s funny about it.

Durchfall – through fall It stands for “diarrhea”” in English. It originates from Greek and it means “through-flow”

Wildpinkler – wild pee-er.
It is a unique word when referring to people who pee outside a toilet. It may sound like an offense but for your curiosity “Wildpinkler “–s were eroding the ancient walls of Ulm Minister church a report said.

Dudelsack – yodel sack.
Dudelsack stands for the well-known Scottish national musical instrument. Literally means the bag that tootles.

How to Learn German by Yourself (Yes, It’s Possible!): 8 Simple Solo Steps to Speak German

Wondering how to learn German by yourself?

We get it. You want to know how to speak German, but the idea of a rigid (and expensive) formal class makes you shudder.

You want to dive into all the at-home German resources out there, but there are so many… which ones are worth your time?

This guide will show you the best way to learn German alone in eight practical steps, packed with resources and valuable tips.

Contents

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Can I Learn How to Speak German Without Spending Money?

Yes you can. It’s very enjoyable to learn something on your own, since it gives you a fantastic sense of achievement. Learning German by yourself is a great way to take charge of your own learning speed and the way in which you decide to learn.

The person who knows the best way to learn German for you is, obviously, you. So why not take the reins on your own personal trainer and teach yourself to speak like a real Deutscher! There are myriad ways in which you can approach the question of how to learn German by yourself.

In fact, there are a lot more resources to help you than you might realize. Here’s a sneak peek at all of the treasures waiting to be uncovered:

You could even use websites to find a German friend wishing to practice English! All of these resources can be accessed without having to pay anything.

You might think that it would indeed cost a bit to immerse yourself in German language and culture due to traveling, but you can actually immerse yourself in German from anywhere!

How to Approach German from an English-speaking Standpoint

If you’re an Englisch speaker and wish Deutsch zu sprechen, there are a few things to keep in mind to aid you on your journey to master the German language by yourself. German and English actually come from the same language group, the Germanic language group.

This can be viewed as a real head start over somebody from another language group. For example, it definitely gives a large advantage over a Japanese person trying to learn German. However, while German and English are in the same language group, they share very few similarities.

The hardest part of the German language would be the grammar. It is one of the few Germanic languages that has kept most of the old fully-inflected grammar, which isn’t too dissimilar from Latin or Russian.

Sentences are structured in a different way in German compared to the way they are in English. So unfortunately you cannot simply replace the words of a sentence with German words, as it won’t work. For example, “hilf mir doch mal jemand,” which would literally translate to “somebody me help” in English.

So as you can see, the grammatical side of German can be tricky to learn at the beginning. However, once you get the hang of some grammar, it’s much easier from then on.

8 Simple Solo Steps to Speak German

The guide below will show you how to learn German by yourself in eight sequential steps. You’ll go from zero to German speaker with these tips and resource recommendations.

After the eight steps, we also have several other fun German practice techniques that you can use at any stage of your German language learning.

1. Hear and Repeat German Letter Sounds

Listen to how each letter sounds on its own compared to letter combinations. Listen for differences between English and German letter sounds, too. Just like in English, two letters together can sound quite different from either of the two letters by themselves.

The video below is very useful—a German native speaker will walk you through individual letter sounds and letter combos.

Pay particular attention to the letters with an umlaut (two little dots above the letter), as this changes the way a letter is pronounced, and therefore changes the way words can sound.

Once you’ve done that, don’t miss our post on tricky German pronunciations.

2. Stockpile Some Easy “Framework Words”

After you’ve mastered the alphabet and letter sounds, it’s time to learn some “framework words.” These are easy, common words that will form the foundation of your vocabulary building.

Think about the words you can’t do without in English, and look up their German equivalents. Fantastic starters are:

3. Expand Your Vocabulary with Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives

Once you’ve picked up some basics, it’s time to expand your vocabulary with nouns, verbs and adjectives. Try to set yourself a daily goal—for example, learn three new nouns, verbs and adjectives (for nine words total) every day.

Here are some word lists that you can pull from:

And this video has 100 German adjectives for beginners:

4. Start Putting Sentences Together

Okay, you’ve got some essential German words under your belt. Now it’s time to start using them.

This is all about learning German sentence structure and word order.

Luckily, people will probably know what you’re trying to communicate even if you get the word order wrong, but you should do your best to try and correctly order your sentences.

5. Memorize Reusable German Phrases

This is one of those “language hacks” that can get you on the road to real German communication faster.

Now that you’ve learned German word order, you can start hanging out with some basic German phrases. Just like with single words, begin practicing simple phrases that you might say on an average day.

For example, “I would like a soy milk cappuccino please.”

Choose whatever would be most useful for you in daily life in Germany! (This won’t just help you learn how to speak German—it’s also very motivating to imagine a future life traveling or living in Germany.)

6. Watch Movies and Videos in German (Dubbed, Then Authentic)

Once you can understand some very basic German, you could be creative with your learning style and watch a movie you’ve previously seen—but watch it dubbed in German. You could even use English subtitles to make it easier. You’ll feel like you’re really getting a hang of things when you see “Titanic” in German with some English subtitles and you recognize half the words.

As your level improves, or to give it a boost now, try watching some German films with German subtitles. Reading the actual words you’re hearing (in German) as they’re spoken will be so helpful to your language pursuits. After you’ve watched those 10 linked to above, here are five more German movies to check out.

If you’d rather get some quick language immersion, you can watch German videos on YouTube. This has the benefit of letting you find content about almost any topic, so you can watch something that engages you and motivates you to learn.

Web videos can even be incorporated into full German lessons, especially if they have accurate German subtitles. In this way, you can learn and absorb German through multiple contexts: visual, audio and textual. Plus, since they’re typically short in length, these videos can help you prepare for longer media like movies.

You can take your learning even further by using the FluentU program. This website and app includes accurate German subtitles that show contextual definitions on-demand (just click on or hover over the word you want to check).

FluentU makes it possible to learn from authentic videos, which are the type that native German speakers actually watch. This includes movie clips, entertaining commercials, interesting talks, vlogs and other native content.

And you know how I said that subtitled videos are good for visual, audio and textual German contexts? Well, this program also lets you speak and type answers into personalized quizzes, for a well-rounded learning program. FluentU can be accessed on the website, or through the iOS and Android apps.

When you watch videos and movies in German, it helps your mind make stronger connections between the words you’re learning and the contexts they appear in. It’s a great way to start thinking in the language, which is vital for becoming fluent.

7. Read the News in German

After getting exposed to some German movies, make sure you’re paying attention to those reading comprehension skills, too. Reading German newspaper columns is a tried-and-true method to do this.

Highlight any words that don’t make sense and then look them up later in a German dictionary.

8. Connect with Other German Learners or Speakers

Finally, we know this is a guide on how to learn German by yourself, but it’s super helpful to connect with native German speakers, or even fellow German learners!

Use a website like Meetup to meet with people who have an active interest in learning German as well, so you can all practice together. They’ll also be a source of extra accountability and motivation. You could use similar sites to meet a German friend and practice speaking the language together.

Although we’ve already seen numerous ways to learn German, I have even more methods that I have yet to share with you, beyond these eight steps!

Fun (and Less Traditional) Ways to Practice and Learn German

In today’s day and age, there are a lot of really fun and unique ways to speak German—even as a beginner. Be sure to mix these techniques into your studies from the start so you’re getting consistent, well-rounded communication and comprehension practice. Don’t be afraid to really focus on the techniques that work well for you. The best way to learn German might look a little different from person to person, and that’s okay.

Listen to German Podcasts

First, check out this post on German learning podcasts. Yes, you can indeed learn German on-the-go. As an alternative way to concentrate on your German pronunciation while being entertained, podcasts are an intriguing and fun way to learn German. You can listen to lessons on German idioms, colloquialisms and even some cheeky words to banter with the local Deutschen.

The most popular podcast out there for German learners is most likely GermanPod101 —and it is certainly popular for good reason. There are hundreds of audio and video lessons, and the collection is always growing with fresh material for all skill levels. Yup, this covers you from newbie to nearly-fluent. With a membership, you’ll have access to all of these and be privy to interactive learning tools like SRS flashcards, PDF transcripts, community forums and a handy app.

Meet German Friends

I mentioned it earlier, but I just need to stress that Meetup is a fantastic website for finding like-minded people who may also want to meet you.

You can find a German friend, or others learning how to speak German as well. You could go to a German restaurant, practice ordering with the waitstaff and try to have a fluent German conversation—now that’s a great way to learn!

Watch German Comedy

Yes, there’s even stand-up comedy about the German language. There is a series provided by BBC videos, by stand-up comedian Henning Wenn. This 10-part series deals with a lot of topics, including the German alphabet, telling the time, politeness, gender and even some jokes.

The series is called “What’s So Funny About German.” This is one of most amusing ways to immerse yourself in German and have a laugh at some of the challenging things you have been learning.

Immerse Yourself in German to Really Succeed

Many language experts agree that immersing yourself in language is the fastest way to become fluent—it can be even more effective than formal language classes, according to researchers. What I mean is that the best way to learn German is to really get involved in the language. Be creative with the ideas above—don’t just learn it simply from a book. You could even move or travel to Germany if you make it a priority!

When learning a new language, our brains treat unfamiliar new sounding words as background noise and try to ignore it. The solution to this problem is to soak up some German. The more you hear the less filtered it will become.

When you watch German movies after spending some time learning German, you’ll notice how many more German phrases you hear. It will no longer be white noise or jibberish, but instead it will be a language that you understand.

Did that clear up how to learn German by yourself, Hans Solo? Now you have many tips and tools to succeed!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

How To Start Learning German As A Complete Beginner

Figuring out how to learn German can be a tough nut to crack.

English has its roots in German but it’s been well over one thousand years since the English twig grew on the German branch in our language family tree – so the roots aren’t of enormous practical benefit.

On paper German is a pretty overwhelming language.

Words can be joined together with other words to explain something new (compound words) and the grammar is known to be difficult.

To the best of my knowledge, no other language has inspired so many hilarious quotes about its difficulty. Mark Twain’s various writings on German have me in hysterics every time I read them!

“It is not like studying German, where you mull along, in a groping, uncertain way, for thirty years…” – (Taming the Bicycle).

However, as with most things it’s completely possible to get the basics down and be well and truly on your way to learning German with a bit of passion, perseverance and practice.

Before I get stuck into what I used to get started, I want to add that I am by no means a fluent German speaker.

That said, I am confident that I’ll eventually be able to get by in German and I want to share the resources I’ve used whilst they’re fresh in my mind.

UPDATE : I highly recommend this German course for anyone starting out with German (it’s the most comprehensive one I’ve used).

How to learn the German alphabet (“Das Alphabet”)

Rap Art Schule makes learning the German alphabet more fun than I could have ever imagined.

Instead of using the traditional tune, the alphabet has been transformed into a catchy rap that’ll get stuck in your head (instead of you having to force it in).

They’ve recorded ABC Rap 1 and ABC Rap 2, both of which include lyrics.

I’ve also made use of the audio available on the Rocket Languages website.

I like this resource because it gives you an approximate English sound for each of the letters, as well as easy German examples.

The German Project also has a pretty good pronunciation page.

The site teaches you via a game “What’s That Sound?” which basically tests you on whether the sound is the German pronunciation of a letter or something else entirely.

It’s very obvious which is which – “Is this Jens yodelling or the German letter ‘b’?” – so don’t worry about getting confused.

Free online German courses for beginners

Once you’ve got the alphabet down, it’s worthwhile checking out some resources that teach you basic vocabulary and some grammar.

I quite like the Learn German Easily website for this.

They use the vocabulary taught (like days of the week) in sentences that contain useful and level appropriate language, but the phrasing is often pretty funny.

There are 38 short lessons for beginners.

You won’t be on your way to a conversation by the end of them, but you’ll have a pretty good grasp of the vocabulary you’ll need to move on from pre-beginner to beginner level.

The Goethe Institute is known to be one of the better providers of German language courses and they’ve made quite a few of their resources available for free on their website in their Deutsch für dich (German for you) section.

It has content for A1 users of German through to C2 users.

There’s also a forum that has plenty of people seeking a Sprachpartner (language partner).

They have also created an app called Deutschtrainer that has ten A1-friendly chapters to help improve your basic vocabulary and grammar.

YouTube is another great place to have a look for self-paced resources. There are heaps of channels dedicated to learning German.

The Learn German channel is conveniently laid out, with the classes for each level (A2-B1) set out separately and in a logical order.

They also have specific grammar lessons, as well as lessons about common mistakes that people might make in German.

There’s also Learn German with Anja which features an incredibly enthusiastic German teacher who is very (VERY) happy to take you through the basics.

The lessons are loaded with vocabulary and she crams a lot of very easy to follow German language into her short videos.

How to learn and improve German listening skills

German music for learning

Whilst Rammstein is arguably Germany’s biggest music export, I assure you that there is plenty of other good music coming out of Germany, so surrounding yourself with the language need not be a painful experience.

Having music in the German language on whilst you’re doing your housework, cooking, or strength training is an excellent way to get some pronunciation practice in and to improve your listening and vocabulary.

Goethe Institute has created a Spotify playlist with 29 German songs on it. It’s a good place to get started finding some bands you like and that sing in German.

The selection has a few bands that sing a bit slower, so you’ve got more of a chance of understanding it.

There are a few other German playlists (including Made in Germany, and Deutscher Pop) that have a pretty good offering as well.

As far as earworms go for beginners, I had the song ‘ Ich verkaufe meinen Körper’ by Peter Wakel stuck in my head for about a week.

The themes are probably a bit better suited to adults, but I am confident that you will remember the adjective for ‘cheap’ and a bunch of verbs (‘sell’, ‘go’, and ‘see’ in particular) forever!

Other German listening resources

You can also use some of the videos on offer on YouTube to practice listening to basic German.

Expanding German language vocabulary

I’ve been reading an adorable series from Andre Klein about Dino and his travels.

There are quite a few more available online at very reasonable prices.

The reasons these books are so great are that they’re appropriate for beginners, they contain comprehensive glossaries at the end of the texts and they pose questions to check your comprehension.

Use these to practice with a German friend to improve your pronunciation and learn some new words while you’re at it.

I’m also a big fan of picture dictionaries for absolute beginners.

We learn our native language through exposure to pictures and it’s a great way to learn for your second (or third, or fourth) language too.

I’ve been using the Internet Picture Dictionary and the Online-Bildwörterbuch. The latter is a bit more comprehensive and includes more advanced vocabulary.

How to learn and memorize German grammar

German has four cases, three genders, and verbs and adjectives that decline.

What this means is that the nouns in the language have different definite and indefinite articles depending on what role the noun is playing in the sentence and depending on its gender.

Easy Deutsch has a great article which explains it in relatively simple language with some very good examples.

A turnip is Die Steckrübe, just in case you were wondering. [ ‘girl’ in German is neuter while ‘turnip’ is feminine ]

The adjectives also have to match the declension of the noun and they change depending on whether the noun ending is weak or strong.

If it’s the first time you’re learning a language with adjectives that change depending on the case, you’re probably in for a bit of a rollercoaster while you adjust.

Learn German Easily has a pretty comprehensive lesson series on German adjectives. They’ve covered all you need to get you on your way, but they do so with humour and wit.

The first few sentences suggest you grab some coffee ‘cause you’ll be stuck with adjectives for a while.

That said, they use really approachable language, have some audio throughout so you can practice your pronunciation.

The verbs change depending on who’s speaking.

It does happen in English too (I am, You are, She is), so the concept isn’t too foreign.

Fortunately, the pattern of change is fairly predictable and there aren’t too many exceptions.

The German Project has a pretty good overview of the changes you can expect.

German.net has a very dry, but useful list of the 50 most common German verbs and you can use a verb conjugator to help you with the form of the verb with other pronouns.

If you’re after some good general resources, I’d suggest:

Best ways to practice speaking German

If you don’t live in Germany, you’ll need to get creative in order to practice with native speakers (or even other learners).

If you’ve got a smartphone, jump on Tandem language exchange (it’s an app you can download). Or take a look at our list of German apps.

There are plenty of German users that are willing to exchange German for English.

We recommend italki for inexpensive German conversation practice and lessons. You can access affordable teachers who are more than happy to work as a conversation partner, or who can provide formal German courses.

I’m a language teacher myself so I might be biased, but I’m a big believer that attending courses and taking advantage of the knowledge and expertise that language teachers can impart is a tool worth investing in.

German is a fascinating language with a long history (and words that are even longer, I’m sure).

Learning it not only opens up doors throughout Western Europe, but also to a fascinating culture that can otherwise be difficult to discern.

It’s tough going, but incredibly rewarding (for the Mark Twain quotes alone).

The best way to learn German at home: 8 top tips

Got some free time on your hands and thinking of learning German while you’re at home?

Great plan. German isn’t as difficult to learn as they say, so trust me: you’ve made a solid choice.

But if you’re looking for the best way to learn this language, you’ll find that some home-based techniques are better for beginners, while others make more sense for intermediate learners. You’ve just got to find the right ones for you!

Then, you can focus on how to stick with it while you’re learning indoors and make real progress. Read on to find out the best way to learn German at home as a…

… in an effective and enjoyable way.

The best way to learn German at home for beginners: 6 steps to get you started

1. Set yourself a goal

First things first: you need a goal to work towards.

It sounds obvious, but believe us: not having an end goal – a reason why you’re learning – won’t be motivating enough in the long run.

Learning without a goal is like driving without direction – fun at first, but boring after a while. So whether you want to learn to get ahead at work or pick up a few essential phrases for Oktoberfest, pick a goal that floats your boat, write it down somewhere, and set sail.

Haven’t got a piece of paper handy?

If you create a Study Plan with our language-learning app Busuu, we’ll keep a note of your goal for you, plus send you reminders, depending on when you want to study, and for how long.

2. Start off on the right foot

Not everyone has the time, money or confidence to take German language classes, or take a trip to Germany. But don’t be disheartened: that doesn’t mean you can’t start somewhere.

Taking a free online German language course on an app like Busuu is a great way to get started and take your studies wherever you go. A quick bit of vocab revision on the bus or a reviewing new grammar topics like German pronouns at the airport, for instance, turns lost time into language-learning wins!

3. Turn learning German into a habit

It goes without saying that signing up to a term of face-to-face language classes or taking a trip to Germany isn’t on the cards right now. But don’t be disheartened: that doesn’t mean you can’t start somewhere.

At Busuu, for instance, we know from experience and external research that learning in bite-sized chunks will make a huge difference.

4. Practise speaking German with online tutoring

While opportunities to practise your German may be sparse right now, you’re still learning German in order to speak it – so signing up to one-to-one online lessons with qualified German teachers on platforms like Verbling is a great way to start practising your conversation skills early and often.

Plus, mastering German pronunciation and overcoming any foreign language speaking anxieties can be a real time-saver later on. So be brave, be vulnerable, make mistakes and get better!

5. Learn new vocab in meaningful chunks

Connecting words with actions is a clever way to trick your brain into learning more words at once and lodge them in your long-term memory. This is because learning German words in context helps trigger images that our brains store as a vivid memory, instead of a secluded entity. Easy and efficient, right?

So instead of learning Auto (“car”), try memorising common chunks, like mit dem Auto fahren (“to go by car / drive a car”), or example phrases that you read and find useful.

Fun fact: did you know that, if you’re an English speaker, you know more German words than you think? We use lots of German words in the English language. See? You’re further ahead than you thought…

6. Make studying German rewarding

Staying motivated is important when learning German – especially when you’re learning at home. A great way to keep motivated is by rewarding yourself from time to time (ideally, of the German variety!).

Treat yourself after you learn how to greet someone in German by watching a German TV show. Cook a German dish after learning a new tense, or indulge in German chocolate after you’ve memorised a bunch of vocab.

Bonus round: 2 extra tips for more advanced German learners

Once you’ve got past the German basics, you’ll need to become a sponge and absorb German language and culture as much as you can from the comfort of your own home. This is especially true when you reach an intermediate level.

The key to success is to get creative: use every possible learning resource you have available to push yourself past the point of stagnation. Only one way of learning won’t cut it.

Here are two of our favourite language-learning tips for intermediate learners.

1. Dive into German culture with TV

Forget about flashcards, put your textbooks away and… turn on the TV!

Home entertainment at its very best, you’ll find that a lot of German films are nominated at international film festivals like the Golden Globes – so why not dig into some popcorn and the German classic film, Toni Erdmann? Or if you prefer Sci-Fi mysteries, why not try the first German Netflix original series, “Dark”?

Some people will tell you to watch films and series with English subtitles, and that probably feels more comfortable in the beginning. But once you’ve reached a certain level, it can often be distracting, and you’re more likely to end up focusing on reading than on deciphering the actual German.

So try to challenge yourself – try a few scenes with German subtitles, and then a few without. You might be surprised at how much you understand, if you keep at it…

2. Master German grammar with Busuu

Learning German with our language-learning app, Busuu, isn’t only for beginners: it also has a lot for those at an intermediate level – especially when it comes to grammar.

For those of you who tried to learn German once, and are trying to pick up where you left off Busuu’s Placement Test helps you find your language level, and decide which lesson to start with.

Once you’ve done that, you’ll find plenty of complex grammar in digestible chunks and learn a lot of intermediate vocab to talk about politics, finance, the environment or holidays.

So how about it?

Whether you’re looking for the best way to learn a language? Try Busuu, the app that is helping over 100 million learners master a language at home.