byfredo21
April 9, 2018
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Do you want to learn German but feel overwhelmed with the number of learning resources available out there? Fear not, help is on the way! It doesn’t matter whether you’re a beginner or an advanced learner, if you want to learn for free or are willing to pay. We’ve put together 10 of the best websites to help you learn or improve on your German.
Deutsch Akademie claims to be the “most comprehensive” free resource for learning German. Here are a few of its best features.
Via Deutsch Akademie
Highlights: You don’t need an account with Deutsch Akademie to be able to access all of the material on the website. Even as a visitor you are free to use more than 20,000 grammar and vocabulary exercises as well as more than 800 hours of interactive online resources. The courses are structured according to the European Framework of Reference for Languages, so this resource is great as a starting point for learning German, or as a supplement to a current course you are taking.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
LEARN GERMAN WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS NOW!
SIGN UP NOW TO GET THESE FOR FREE!
- 100 Days of German Words and Expressions E-book
- 300 Useful German Adjectives
Price: Free
2. Babbel
Obviously, Babbel is one of the big names when it comes to language learning. Their courses may come at a cost, but they have been tried, tested and proven effective.
Via Babbel
Highlights: Babbel’s German course draws into two core categories – pronunciation and vocabulary. A fancy feature is the speech recognition tool that is integrated with your browser. Take note that you need a microphone and the most recent version of Flash for this to work. Babbel’s strategy for helping you improve your vocabulary is “optimal intervals” or exercising the words and rules that you struggle with the most. Another cool feature is the Babbel mobile app. This tracks and synchronizes your progress so you can take your learning with you.
Level: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced
Price: First lesson free, next lessons only available through paid subscription
3. BBC
Trust the world’s oldest broadcasting company to inject an entertaining twist into learning one of the world’s oldest languages. From stand-up comedians to F1 drivers, the BBC’s selection of resources is a fun take on improving your German.
Via BBC
Highlights: Not quite sure if your German is beginner, intermediate, advanced or somewhere in between? The BBC has a test that can help you determine your current fluency. Feeling adventurous? Challenge your skill-set by watching/listening to actual German news on TV and radio. You can also watch video tutorials and learn handy holiday phrases on this website for no price at all.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Price: Free
4. ActiLingua
ActiLingua is a frontrunner in German language education. Established in 1988, ActiLingua has three schools located in Vienna, all of which have great cultural and leisure programmes. The school-owned residences hosts both students and families. To supplement this learning, ActiLingua’s website is home to some excellent resources for learning German.
Via ActiLingua
Highlights: There are 10 lessons available for beginners and 24 lessons (concentrating on grammar) for advanced learners. If you’re not quite sure what level you are, you can get an evaluation through ActiLingua’s Test Your German feature. This can help you match your level of fluency with the available courses.
Level: Beginner and Advanced
Price: Free, register here to access their Free Member Area
Deutsch Online draws on four core language competencies: reading, listening, speaking and writing. This course offers person-centered learning methods to improve your German.
Via Deutsch Online
Highlights: The course begins with the Goethe-Institut’s standard placement test. This will determine your level and course recommendation. Each course is divided into chapters that touch on situational conversations, vocabulary and grammar. Different learning methods are available for your learning styles and needs. Online classes with personal tutors are then scheduled for you to be able to develop your speaking and communication skills. Upon completion, you will be awarded a certificate by Goethe-Institut.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Price: €675 per level, you can register or book a consultation on their website
Other than being an international broadcasting agency, Deutsch Welle, or DW, is also an advocate of language learning. The German Courses section of their website allows you to learn the language at your own pace.
Via Deutsch Welle
Highlights: E-learning is the name of the game with DW. Videos, podcasts and audio clips are available on their website for both students and teachers of German. The levels are categorized according to the European Framework of Reference for Languages.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Price: Free
DUO is your easy-access go-to web portal for learning German for various purposes.
Highlights: If you are preparing for a trip to Germany, DUO will equip you with the skills you need to communicate comfortably in German. People have found the tutorial side of the course extremely useful when it comes to expressing themselves more confidently. The course may come at a cost, but you can’t put a price tag on progress.
Level: Basic, Intermediate, Advanced, Business
Price: Courses start at €109
8. Duo Lingo
Duo Lingo is a household name when it comes to language learning. Its German lessons only take 5 minutes to complete but are presented in a fun, game-simulation session. Duo Lingo also claims that its courses are scientifically proven to work!
Via Duo Lingo
Highlights: Duo Lingo is great because it adapts to your specific learning needs and pace. The vocabulary exercise are tailored to help you learn as much as you can, as fast as you can. To top it off, you are given your score as soon as you complete the exercise – allowing you to get immediate feedback and monitor your progress. This progress can then be synchronized with your Duo Lingo app, so that you can even learn German on-the-go.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Price: Free
9. GermanPod101
GermanPod101 takes pride in providing culturally relevant material for learning German. Not only do you get to learn about everyday Germany, you also get to do it through out-of-the-box, fun-filled lessons.
Via GermanPod101
Highlights: GermanPod101 updates its library every week, so there’s always something new to look forward to. To date, over 750 million lessons have been delivered. Your course progress on the website can also be synchronized on a mobile app.
Level: Beginner to Advanced
Price: Free to an extent. Basic, Premium and Premium+ subscriptions available on their website
10. Grimm Grammar
Last but definitely not the least (and quite possibly the most amusing) resource for learning German is Grimm Grammar. True to its name, this website is an “irreverent revival and shameless exploitation of 19th-century Grimm Fairy Tales for honorable pedagogical purposes”. In other words, 36 19th-century characters from the classic story book have time-travelled to help you learn German!
Via Grimm Grammar
Highlights: The parts of speech are individually and humorously introduced in sectional overviews, then integrated into more complex topics as you progress. Grimm Grammar is an excellent resource for beginner learners, on its own or to complement an existing course.
Level: Beginner
Price: Free
Websites are a fantastic resource for learning German, as long as you are willing to put time and effort into doing so. From here the internet is your oyster!
What websites have you found most helpful when it comes to learning German? Don’t forget to let us know in the comment box below!
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About the author
fredo21
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Thank you for compiling this list of top sites to learn German! Unfortunately BBC's site for German begs to install Flash, which they called amusingly World-wise Flash! It is a security threat, and is sad that BBC has shelved wonderful content into no longer maintained Archive.
The last one (& not the least) is very interesting, and hats off to the author for such a brilliant idea.
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(Video) DMV Test Questions Actual Test and Correct Answers Part I 100%
FAQs
DMW 10 Best Websites to Learn German? ›
Language students who practice a method of complete immersion, with eight hours of practice per day, could learn German to a high level in a matter of months. Those who dedicate at least one hour per day to language learning can achieve an intermediate level within two years.
Which is best site to learn German? ›- Preply: Best overall.
- Memrise: Best for beginners.
- italki: Best for advanced speakers.
- Duolingo: Best to learn for free.
- GermanPod101: Best for podcasts.
- Busuu: Best for short lessons.
- Babbel: Best to learn writing.
- Rocket Languages: Best for self-study pronunciation.
Language students who practice a method of complete immersion, with eight hours of practice per day, could learn German to a high level in a matter of months. Those who dedicate at least one hour per day to language learning can achieve an intermediate level within two years.
Can you learn German in 10 months? ›It will take around 350 hours of study to reach an intermediate level of German. If you practice your German for 15 hours a week, you'll be able to reach it within six months.
What is the smartest way to learn German? ›- 1) Take a German language course. ...
- 2) Download a German language learning app. ...
- 3) Listen to German podcasts. ...
- 4) Watch German movies and tv. ...
- 5) Take German Classes Online. ...
- 6) Speak German with Native speakers. ...
- 7) Experience German culture by traveling.
- Know Your Goal - And Plan How to Get There. ...
- Study Daily. ...
- Prioritize Key Words. ...
- Start Talking from the Beginning. ...
- Study Vocabulary Daily. ...
- Use Free Apps and Tools. ...
- Develop Activities That Target Your Learning Styles and Schedules. ...
- Treat Mistakes Like Free Lessons.
- Listen in. Every good conversation starts with good listening. ...
- Learn the genders. German has three genders, so it's important to learn nouns along with their gender. ...
- Hack your memory. ...
- Turn up the volume. ...
- Record yourself. ...
- Create a personal phrasebook. ...
- Speak up.
The German language has 6 CEFR levels – starting with A1 (absolute beginner), and ending with C2 (completely fluent).
How difficult is C1 German? ›So how hard is the C1 exam? There's no doubt that the C1 exam is difficult, but it's certainly not impossible. I'm someone who still makes grammar mistakes more frequently than I'd like, sometimes uses the wrong words and can't always find the right vocabulary, but, thanks to some good preparation, I managed to pass.
What is a C1 level German? ›C1 level German is considered advanced and shows the holder has full control of German grammar and vocabulary. The only higher CEFR level is C2, which even native German speakers can struggle to reach.
How fast can I be fluent in German? ›
According to the U.S. Foreign Service Institute (FSI), you'll need about 750 hours of study to become fluent in German. This means that if you study 12-15 hours a week, you'll be able to speak like a pro in just a year!
What is B2 level German? ›B2 is the fourth of six language levels defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It corresponds to the "advanced intermediate" language level and is usually achieved by people learning German as a foreign language.
How many years does it take to speak German fluently? ›It shouldn't take long to become fluent in German. Actually, after 6-8 months of studying in intense courses (about twenty hours every week) you will be able to gain proficiency of your German language to navigate your daily life. It is possible to gain professional proficiency within a mere year!
Which is better Babbel or duolingo? ›The biggest difference between Babbel and Duolingo is the approach to language learning. Babbel is a better option if you want traditional language instructions through modules and lessons. By contrast, Duolingo works great if you need a playful, gamified experience.
What is the hardest language to learn? ›Across multiple sources, Mandarin Chinese is the number one language listed as the most challenging to learn. The Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center puts Mandarin in Category IV, which is the list of the most difficult languages to learn for English speakers.
What is the hardest part of learning German? ›- Verbs.
- Pronunciation. ...
- Sentence Structure. ...
- Articles and Declinations (Cases) ...
- Vocabulary. ...
Spending at least 20 hours a week actively speaking and listening to the language is seen to be the most effective approach to learning a language. Each person has a unique learning style, and there are many different approaches to learning German.
What is the shortest time to learn German? ›Assess your current level & test your German online! | Intensive course (20 lessons/week) | |
---|---|---|
A1 | beginner | 8 weeks |
A2 | elementary | 8 weeks |
B1 | intermediate | 8 weeks |
B2 | upper intermediate | 10 weeks* |
German is very closely related to English. They're in the same language family called West Germanic. The two languages share common words, sentence structures, and an extremely similar alphabet. So, since you already know English, learning German by yourself won't be hard at all.
How do Germans say bark? ›7. Dog — bellen (bark) The bark sound is possibly the most common noise you hear come out of your lovable dog friend, and in German you would hear a dog use the sound bellen. Although bellen works as a verb, it's somewhat interchangeable with the bow-wow or woof woof noises.
Is German worth learning? ›
German is the most widely spoken native language in Europe
English, French and German are the three official working languages of the European Union. In absolute numbers, German is the second most-spoken language on the continent of Europe. However, when it comes to native speakers, German is number one.
The basis for the calculations is a huge databank collecte from a pool of factual and literary texts in the equivalent of 40,000 books. But the latest edition of Duden gets along with 145,000 keywords. And the average speaker uses only 12,000 to 16,000 words in their vocabulary.
How long does it take to get B1 German? ›The German B1 level, also known as the intermediate level, It will take you at least 80 hours per week (a total of 4 weeks) to finish your German B1. According to Goeth Institut, you'll take at least 350 and 650 45-minute units of teaching depending on what you have retained from your previous A1 to A2 level.
How much harder is German than Spanish? ›Overall, Spanish might be easier than German at the beginning stages, but the two tend to even out in difficulty once learners get to the more advanced stages. German has more complicated grammar rules that need to be mastered early on, but once learners get familiar with them, they find that they're pretty consistent.
Where do they speak German the most? ›Germany – more than 80 million speakers. Austria – 8 million speakers. Switzerland – 4.6 million speakers. Belgium – 75.000 speakers.
Can I reach C1 German in 2 years? ›You need approximately 4–6 months depending on your interest to complete upto B1 level, C1 will take another 6 months to complete if you do it at a stretch. So if you take everything into count, it would take about 1 year to get C1 level of proficiency in German language. The... Can I learn German in 1 year?
Can I learn German in 3 months? ›For those new to languages, it may sound like a daunting task to become fluent in any language in 3 months, let alone such a complicated language as German. Nonetheless, Adriana can tell you from experience that it's definitely possible!
What level of German is required to work in Germany? ›Depending on the German federal state, level B1 or B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is required.
How long does it take to go from B2 to C1 German? ›You need approximately 4–6 months depending on your interest to complete upto B1 level, C1 will take another 6 months to complete if you do it at a stretch. So if you take everything into count, it would take about 1 year to get C1 level of proficiency in German language. The...
Can I learn C1 German on my own? ›Having learned 3 languages to fluency myself through self study, I know the answer is YES. Provided that you are a passionate language learner and also live at least 2 years in a German speaking country then C1 Level is absolutely realistic to achieve.
What level is duolingo German? ›
Students at the A-B1 levels in the CEFR language learning system.
How long is the average German word? ›German words in the legal text contain an average of 6.753 letters, compared to 6.380 letters in the blog article.
What is the easiest second language to learn? ›- Frisian. ...
- Dutch. ...
- Norwegian. ...
- Spanish. ...
- Portuguese. ...
- Italian. ...
- French. ...
- Swedish.
For this reason, English speakers will learn German much faster than French. In fact, it takes a native English speaker an average of 30 weeks (750 hours) to become fluent in German.
Is A2 German exam difficult? ›German A2 exam pattern is quite simple. As it's a language, there are 4 modules- Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking.
How long does it take to go from B1 to B2? ›Level of English (CEFR) | Number of hours of instruction |
---|---|
A1 to A2 | 150 hours |
A2 to B1 | 300 hours |
B1 to B2 | 200 hours |
B2 to C1 | 200 hours |
How hard is B2 level German? The German language is complex yet highly systematic. For a systematic language, you need a systematic course structure though. If the course material you are using has a thought-out structure, then it shouldn't be difficult.
How difficult is B1 German? ›The B1 level is the most difficult because of the lot of grammar and vocabulary knowledge that you need to grasp. No matter, how difficult or lengthy it looks, learn things slowly and reinforce all you have done as you may go through.
Which is easier to learn French or German? ›French tends to be easier for beginners, though it gets harder as you get into its intermediate and advanced layers. German has a tougher on-ramp for beginners, but gets easier as you go along.
How often do Germans speak English? ›What is a percent of the German population speaks English fluently? According to recent statistics, about 56% of the German population speaks English. It is also ranked 10th in the countries that speak English. If you ask me, Germany is much more rigorously schooled in English.
Has anyone become fluent from Babbel? ›
Can you become fluent with Babbel? You will most likely not become fluent with Babbel. It's a solid language app and can give you a strong foundation in your target language, but to achieve fluency, you'll need to use other resources.
How much does Babbel cost a month? ›To set the stage for our thoughts, let's quickly cover pricing. Babbel offers several different subscription options to choose from ranging from around $7 to $14 per month, depending on the length of access you want (3-months, 6-months, etc).
How can I learn German fast and free? ›- Duolingo.
- Memrise.
- Lingvist.
- DeutschAkademie's German Audio Course. TV Shows and Videos.
- Easy German.
- Extr@ Government Resources.
- Deutsche Welle.
- FSI German Courses.
- 1 – Chinese (Mandarin)
- 2 – Arabic.
- 3 – Japanese.
- 4 – Korean.
- 5 – Hungarian.
- 6 – Finnish.
- 7 – Xhosa.
According to a UNESCO survey, Bengali has been classified as the sweetest language in the world. As a language, Bengali is widely spoken all over India, including Assam and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The sweetest language in the world is also recognized in the Constitution of India.
Is 1 year enough to learn German? ›It is estimated that a total of 30 weeks or 750 classroom hours are necessary to learn German. But you could complete those 750 hours in a matter of months or over the course of many years.
Which German accent is the hardest to understand? ›In particular, Swiss German, which is spoken in northern Switzerland and extreme Southwest Germany, can be phenomenally difficult to understand. Many say it's akin to an American listening to an extreme Scottish accent; it can almost sound like another language entirely.
Why is German so easy to learn? ›One of the main reasons German isn't all that hard to learn is that German and English originate from the same language families and share more similarities than you probably realise. Both German and English are Indo-European languages that stem from the Germanic family of languages.
Is Duolingo the best way to learn German? ›The world's most popular way to learn German online
Learn German in just 5 minutes a day with our game-like lessons. Whether you're a beginner starting with the basics or looking to practice your reading, writing, and speaking, Duolingo is scientifically proven to work.
Meet Mondly, the language app helping millions of people worldwide learn German online through free daily lessons. Using rapid language learning techniques, Mondly will teach you the German language quickly, effectively, and in a fun way.
What are some of the best resources online to learn German? ›
- U-M Germanic Languages Department. ...
- Goethe Institut. ...
- Deutsche Welle - Deutsch Lernen. ...
- Scientific German. ...
- German Language Resource Center. ...
- German Wikipedia.
- DAAD: Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst.
Overall, I am a really big fan of Babbel's German program. I love the diversity of their drills and exercises, as well as the fact that they only take 10 or 15 minutes to complete, with quick review sessions between each. Altogether, the lessons and review sessions are very manageable.
Which is better babbel or Duolingo? ›The biggest difference between Babbel and Duolingo is the approach to language learning. Babbel is a better option if you want traditional language instructions through modules and lessons. By contrast, Duolingo works great if you need a playful, gamified experience.
What level of German will Duolingo teach? ›At Duolingo, we're developing our courses to get you to a level called B2, at which you can get a job in the language you're studying. Reaching that kind of proficiency requires dedication, varied practice opportunities, and a lot of time.
What level of German is Duolingo? ›At the end of the Duolingo German tree, you will have learned approximately 2000 words, putting you somewhere around A2-B1 for listening and reading skills, using the CEFR levels (not quite intermediate).
How can I learn German online by myself? ›- Hear and Repeat German Letter Sounds. ...
- Stockpile Some Easy “Framework Words” ...
- Expand Your Vocabulary with Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives. ...
- Start Putting Sentences Together. ...
- Memorize Reusable German Phrases. ...
- Watch Movies and Videos in German (Dubbed, Then Authentic) ...
- Read the news in German.
- Duolingo.
- Memrise.
- Lingvist.
- DeutschAkademie's German Audio Course.
- Easy German.
- Extr@
- Deutsche Welle.
- FSI German Courses.
Duolingo is good for some vocabulary an phrases, but it won't give you everything you need to master the German language. Different language learning apps are a great addition to learning German with a tutor for example, but its is not enough to master the language.
How long does it take to learn German? ›According to the U.S. Foreign Service Institute (FSI), you'll need about 750 hours of study to become fluent in German. This means that if you study 12-15 hours a week, you'll be able to speak like a pro in just a year!
What level of German does Babbel get you to? ›We offer courses for beginners (A1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) all the way up to proficient learners (C1 CEFR level) depending on the learning language.
Is it worth paying for Babbel? ›
Babbel can add value depending on the language you're studying. Still, because each program is developed alone, the quality and depth of the courses may differ. For instance, one of the best-developed courses with extensive lessons is Spanish, which is worth the monthly cost.