The German language is spoken by over 130 million people around the world. It is an official language in 7 countries and it’s also the most widely spoken mother language in the European Union. Moreover, it’s often considered to be one of the best second languages for business reasons.
There are clearly plenty of reasons to learn German, but what are the best ways of doing so?
What is the Best Method of Learning German?
The best way to learn German comes down to the individual. Are you a complete novice or a pro? Do you have any existing knowledge of German or any friends/relatives who speak the language? What’s your budget and free time like?
In the sections below, I’ve approached this topic from a few different angles to ensure all bases are covered.
The Best Ways to Learn German as a Beginner
Learning a new language is exciting but intimidating. It’s very easy to get disheartened and feel like you’re facing an unscalable mountain, but at the same time, you will learn faster than at any other point in your journey.
The best methods, therefore, are ones that teach you the basics in a way that is easily digestible, enjoyable, and well-paced.
The best ways to learn German as a beginner include:
Pimsleur
Pimsleur has been around for a long time. In my own language learning journey, I pretty much ignored it for the first 2 years as I assumed it was just like Rosetta Stone, Babbel, and countless others, all of which didn’t work for me.
Also, I’m more of a visual learner, and the idea of reciting words to an app just felt…weird.
But then I was asked to review it for a language site, and I instantly fell in love.
My first experience was with Norwegian. At the time, I had been learning Greek for several years, but I wanted to start from scratch with something new. After just 10 hours of Pimsleur (spread over about 3 weeks), I felt like I had learned more than in my first 6 months of Greek.
Of course, I was more experienced with languages by that point and Greek is more complicated than Norwegian, but still, that was a revelation.
I have since finished many Pimsleur courses, and it’s always the first app I use when learning a new language.
I recommend using it for free to see if it’s for you. If you can’t get a trial, pay for a single month. The German course is one of the better ones, and if you do just 1 lesson a day (or every 2 to 3 days, as I did with Norwegian), you’ll understand how effective it is after just a few weeks.
Duolingo
Duolingo is not a complete language-learning app, nor is it a perfect one. I see a lot of criticisms levied at the app for this reason, along with the fact that some languages are limited, there are a few mistakes, and it doesn’t always cover real-life phrases and scenarios.
But it’s all about how you approach the app.
If you approach it as a dictionary, textbook, tutor, and language course rolled into one, something that will get you from Hallo and Guten Morgen to reading and critiquing the works of Nietzsche, you’re going to be very disappointed.
If you think of it as a complementary app that can teach you a few more German words, help a little with German grammar, and ensure you learn every day, it’s perfect.
Also, it’s free. Sure, the free version is annoying and seems to be getting more annoying, but if you’re patient, it’s fine. You’ll get the full course; you’ll just be bombarded with a lot of ads.
Preply
Preply was essential for me when learning Greek. I logged hundreds of hours with a Greek tutor and it was by far the most effective way for me to learn. There was also a certain degree of accountability that I wasn’t getting elsewhere.
For about 2 years, I got very lazy with my language learning. I was working a lot and didn’t have any free time, so everything took a back seat. But I maintained those scheduled appointments with my tutor, and if not for them, I may have given up entirely and forgotten everything I learned.
The only issue with Preply when it comes to learning German is that tutors can be expensive. Unlike Spanish and a few other common languages, the tutors tend to be on the pricey side. Still, there are some good options for around $15 an hour, and a couple of hours a week is usually enough to progress.
Short Stories
Beginners often dismiss books on the assumption that they won’t understand enough to make them worthwhile. But you’d be surprised at what you can understand if you choose the right book.
Olly Richards has a great selection of short stories aimed at language learners. These stories aren’t like the colorful, 2-line-per-page children’s books often purchased by language learners. They are entertaining, well written, and you actually feel like you’re reading a real book.
You can’t beat the satisfaction of reading a book in another language for the first time.
The Linq app is also a great option. It contains a wealth of stories targeted at all levels of learners. There’s even a feature that lets you save words you don’t know so you can work on them later.
Is 1 year enough to learn German?
It depends on what you want to achieve and how much of that year you devote to studying.
If we’re talking about daily practice of at least 30 minutes, it should be enough for you to comfortably speak German with native speakers. You can also read many simple books and news stories.
If it’s a case of spending 5 minutes on Duolingo every other day, it’s unlikely you’ll understand enough to converse. You might feel like you’ve learned a lot as you race through the app’s daily lessons, but when you actually encounter a German speaker, you’ll probably feel out of your depth.
How to quickly learn the German alphabet
There is no shortcut. Just read, recite, write, and learn. Fortunately, it’s a process that most language learners can master within the first few lessons.
You can find the German alphabet below:
| Letter | Pronunciation | English example |
| A (A) | Ah | Astronaut |
| B (Be) | Bay | Baby |
| C (Ce) | Tsay | Creative |
| D (De) | Day | Dollar |
| E (E) | Ay | Elegant |
| F (Ef) | Eff | Effort |
| G (Ge) | Gay | Gorgeous |
| H (Ha) | Hah | Hammer |
| I (I) | Eeh | Igor |
| J (Jott or Je) | Yot | Yellow |
| K (Ka) | Kah | Camel |
| L (El) | Ell | Love |
| M (Em) | Em | Man |
| N (En) | En | Nice |
| O (O) | O | Oven |
| P (e) | Pay | Party |
| Q (Qu or Que) | Koo | Coral |
| R (Er) | Err | Rich |
| S (Es) | Es | Shine |
| T(Te) | Tay | Tyrant |
| U (U) | Ooh | You |
| V (Vau) | Fow | Father |
| W (We) | Vay | Van |
| X (Ix) | Iks | Rex |
| Y (Ypsilon) | Oopsilohn | Yet |
| Z (Zett) | Tset | Sets |
The Best Way to Learn German on a Budget
Duolingo is an essential option for learning German on a budget. As noted above, it’s not complete and so it’s best to use it as a complementary app, but it makes it easy to practice German every day and will teach you some new vocabulary.
If the ads are annoying you and the premium subscription is out of reach, try the desktop version. I used Duolingo on desktop for 2 years before I switched to the app. I didn’t have any issues in that time and couldn’t understand it when people complained about the ads. They are not as big of a problem on desktop.
Then again, that could change in the future. It may even have changed by the time you read this guide, so keep that in mind.
Linq is good, but you really need to go premium to get the full effects. The same is true for Pimsleur and many other language apps.
GermanPod101 has a good YouTube channel with some very helpful tips, and I’d also recommend checking out Cooljugator, which is a free website that helps with conjugation and vocabulary.
How to Reach Fluency in German
The best way to reach fluency is to immerse yourself in the German culture and language. Speak with natives, watch German movies and TV shows, listen to German music, and read up on German grammar.
- Use Preply: Getting a tutor is important and should be your first priority, assuming you can budget for one. They will help you with your German pronunciation and cover areas that you’re struggling with.
- Speak German: Join online communities and groups that speak German and try to converse with the people there. Don’t just look for groups of foreign language students, as you need to reach a point where you can comfortably talk with native German speakers.
- Listen: Whether you’re working out or doing chores, if you have time to listen then throw on some German podcasts or music. Audiobooks are also a great option.
- Watch Films and TV Shows: Downfall and All Quiet on the Western Front are two of the best war films I’ve ever seen, and they are in German. There are also many excellent German horror films, as well as shows like Der Pass and Dark. You’re spoilt for choice, especially if you’re like me and love horror and thrillers.
- Play Video Games: If you enjoy playing video games then check the language options and switch to German. Most games have alternative language options and as German is a popular choice, it’s usually available. This tends to work best with text or voice-heavy games, but it’s worth it even if it just changes a few menus.
Finally, try to practice German every day by working it into your life. If you have a shopping list to write or notes to leave yourself, write them in German. If you have a friend who speaks the language, don’t fall into the habit of speaking your native tongue with them.
You can also try to translate your thoughts and plans into German, such as thinking about how you would say something in German after saying it in English.