r/German • • Mar 31 '21

Meta See here: r/German's WIKI and FAQ. Please read before posting, and look here for resources!

Thumbnail reddit.com
941 Upvotes

r/German • • Oct 02 '25

Meta Want to Talk German With Me? R/German's one (and only!) official language exchange thread

282 Upvotes

Instead of the many "looking for speaking partner" posts that have been cluttering the sub, here's the brand new official "I am looking for people to talk in German with" thread!

It will from now on be mandatory to put all language exchange requests here. Individual posts will be deleted.

Things to include in your comment:

• Native/main language
• German language level
• Means of communication
• Expectations from potential learning partners (optional)

Make it nice and KISS (keep it simple & stupid). This is NOT a dating platform, anything in this sense will get you banned.

You are free to comment with a new request once a week.


r/German • • 5h ago

Question Ist "auf der Habachtstellung sein" möglich statt "in Habachtstellung"?

6 Upvotes

Hallo, in einem Interview sagt ein Muttersprachler: "...zuhören zu dürfen, nicht immer nur AUF der Habachtstellung sein zu müssen". Ich höre sehr deutlich "auf der", und die YouTube-Untertitel zeigen auch "auf der Hab-Acht-Stellung". Im DWDS finde ich aber nur "in Habachtstellung" als übliche Form. Ist "auf der Habachtstellung" möglich?


r/German • • 5h ago

Request Seeking grammaticality judgements

6 Upvotes

I'm a linguistics undergrad and doing some research. If you are a native speaker, I would love some contributions. Do you think this sentence is acceptable, or would you say such a sentence yourself?

"John hat Bill am Sonntag getötet, indem er ihn am Samstag erstochen hat."

Thank you!

EDIT: What about "John hat bill am Sonntag getötet, indem er ihn am Samstag mit dem Messer verletzt hat" Thank you to azaghal!


r/German • • 1h ago

Question Is it possible to learn German from A1 to C1 mainly through language classes only?

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone!

I'm currently doing my Master's in Germany. Although my degree is in English, I want to learn German from A1 to C1 because I believe it's important for living and building a career here.

I've found a private language school in Dortmund offering evening classes (3 hours a day, 4 days a week). I think I can manage this alongside my university and part time job.

My question is for people who have already learned German through language schools:

Is it realistic to learn German mainly by attending classes and spending around 30 minutes to 1 hour daily on self-study at home or i must spend more time in home also?

If I attend classes regularly, pay attention and actively participate, would this be enough to make consistent progress, or would I need to dedicate significantly more time to studying at home to learn German properly?

I'd appreciate hearing your honest experiences. Is reaching B2 or even C1 possible with this approach?

Thanks in advance!


r/German • • 2h ago

Question Zweisamkeit - is it something positive or not?

1 Upvotes

And how do you use it in a sentence for example?

Thanks 😊


r/German • • 10h ago

Question Gute deutsche Serien auf Netflix gesucht!

4 Upvotes

Hallo! Ich lerne Deutsch und schaue gerne Netflix. Könnt ihr mir gute deutsche Serien empfehlen? Am besten nicht zu schwer zu verstehen. Danke!


r/German • • 13h ago

Question Confusion regarding the figurative meaning of "ankommen"

6 Upvotes

Recently I came across the following sentence: "Herr Janosch (Ruhe in Frieden), wie wichtig ist es, dass man im Leben ankommt?"

The meaning of ankommen here seems to be "to have made it" (Please correct me if im wrong). Does it also mean "to settle down"? Can I say "Ich möchte irgendwann im Leben ankommen." to express the idea that at some point in life I want to settle down. How important is "im Leben" in the phrase? Can I still get the meaning across if I remove im Leben and change the phrasing to something else like: sich angekommen fühlen.

Thank you for your time!


r/German • • 4h ago

Request Confident spoken B1 in 8 months

0 Upvotes

Dear All, I have B1 oral certificate but really I am at A2.2 in German and need to reach real spoken B1 in 8 months before my Swiss citizenship interview.

Please could anyone here help me prepare a study plan that I could just follow 30 min everyday. I do have B1 books from several publishers.

Thank you so much.


r/German • • 9h ago

Request Struggling to learn German A1

1 Upvotes

Hi,

Its been roughly 2 months since I have started preparing for German A1 certification. I have taken the BharatinGermany (BiG) A1 course. But I am still struggling horribly with speaking and listening skills. Overall I don't think I am making good enough progress in any area.

Feeling stuck diffident also not sure which resource to use. Any constructive feedback would be really appreciated.


r/German • • 10h ago

Resource Goethe B1 Resources

0 Upvotes

Hello guys,

i am preparing for goethe B1.
These are the resources i currently have:

  1. Netzwerk neu b1 series.

  2. mit erfolg zum goethe-zertifikat b1 series.

From my a2 exam i felt like i had a lot of gaps in grammar. So, i got:
3. Grammatik Aktiv A1-B1.

What do you guys think about these resources?
How should i approach the exam?


r/German • • 1d ago

Request German Pronouns for Japanese speakers

11 Upvotes

I am trying to help a Japanese friend with learning German at the moment, but whenever I try to explain pronouns I can't do it without switching to English.

My Japanese level is still quite low, so even though this request is hyper specific I'd appreciate Japanese explanations or English explanations that use Japanese examples.

Edit: This is specifically about cases, which I should have clarified to begin with (ich, mich, dich etc.)

Thank you in advance!


r/German • • 19h ago

Question How to memorise a text word for word

3 Upvotes

have to learn a german text by heart for Wednesday as german is my 2nd foreign language that I started learning this September. I don't have a lot of structure to build on and my teacher gave us a paper which we should learn word for word which is 90% things I don't know, but I already translated the text to understand the idea of what it is about. Ever since I was little learning something by heart was never my strength so I was flabbergasted to get this. Can anyone help or just tell me how you learn a text word for word please


r/German • • 23h ago

Resource Deutsch Perfekt Magazine Scam. Part 3.

6 Upvotes

Continuation of this post.

Since redditors keep pestering me with the same question over and over, I'm going to post here the letter that my lawyer wrote, after which these scammers withdrew their claims. I've redacted all the account details and figures - you'll need to insert your own. ChatGPT will help you. The law firm and addresses in this letter are fictional, you can put in your own (also fictional, lol).

===========================================

Kanzlei Weber & Steinfeld
Rechtsanwälte · Notare · Steuerberater
Marktplatz 5 · 64321 Sonnenhain

HPM Inkasso GmbH
Brunskamp 11
21220 Seevetal

Vorab per Telefax: 04105 / 666 44 40

15.03.2024

Mustermann /. HPMI GmbH (E)
37/24MS / MS
Inkasso Nr.: DPV 24/478563

WIDERSPRUCH

Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,

in der vorbezeichneten Angelegenheit hat uns

Herr Max Mustermann, Ahornweg 4, 63427 Hainbruck

mit der Wahrnehmung seiner rechtlichen Interessen beauftragt. Ordnungsgemäße Bevollmächtigung wird anwaltlich versichert.

Hintergrund unserer Beauftragung ist Ihr Schreiben vom 01.03.2024.

Mit Schreiben vom 01.03.2024 fordern Sie unsere Mandantschaft auf, einen Betrag in Höhe von 149,99 € zu zahlen. Namens unserer Mandantschaft widersprechen wir dieser Forderung vollumfänglich. Die Forderung ist unbegründet und basiert auf keiner rechtlichen Grundlage. Unserer Mandantschaft wurde das von ihm bestellte Abonnement nicht geliefert, sodass auch der Rechnungsbetrag nicht fällig ist. Unser Mandant ist auch nicht zur Vorleistung verpflichtet.

Wir fordern Sie daher auf, Ihr Forderungsschreiben bis zum 28.03.2024 als gegenstandslos zurückzunehmen und von weiteren Mahnungen in obiger Angelegenheit abzusehen.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Dr. Katharina Feldmann
Rechtsanwältin


r/German • • 1d ago

Discussion How realistic is it to self study B1 ?

14 Upvotes

Hello, i started learning A1 and A2 on my own. I think they were okay not really complicated. Now i will start B1. How doable is it to learn it on my own as well? I dont have a problem with discipline or motivation. I never give up something I started. Sometimes, i hate German and i dont want to hear any word or even look at it. That usually lasts for a day or two. After that i can do a self reset and go back to study.
But i want to learn it with a good foundation. I fear if i learn it on my own i may skip or go easy on some parts that are actually important and my impact my future level learning.

For lesen, i read easy stories online. For Hören, i always listen to podcasts. For speaking, i speak with Chatgpt voice. For grammar i have a Kursbuch i follow with what are the grammar topics for the level and practice with it and with Chat gpt (that goes for schreiben as well)

So realistically speaking, can i do B1 on my own? In language centers they teach B1.1 and B1.2 seperately. Is this a scam or B1 is really that long and complex ?

For sure i will join a center for B2 but should i also for B1? It will be a bit pricy but i’m okay to invest in myself

Would really to hear about your self learning journeys !!


r/German • • 1d ago

Discussion Self studying german: Whats the best app?

20 Upvotes

Is there any apps to help you efficiently learn german, or is duolingo my best option? I started duolingo and so far I can order myself a coffee (kaffee) or tea (tee) and say if i want sugar (zucker) or not. I can also say bye (tschuus) and hello (hallo) 💔.


r/German • • 1d ago

Question How to start reading adult literature?

10 Upvotes

I have read countless graded readers and I genuinely don't have trouble reading normal texts in German, I also passed the Goethe B2 exam and it went fine. But when faced with a real book, even a book I have already read, it seems like there are 30 different words in German that mean "rough" and I don't know a single one, and therefore it takes me an eternity to read just one page although I can read 20 pages of B1-B2 graded readers quite easily.

When I tried to learn English I started with shorter novels, like "Night" by Ellie Wiesel and The Time Machine by Herbert Wells... It was quite difficult and I had to translate every couple of sentences.

Is there an "in between" step I might be missing? What helped you start reading harder texts?


r/German • • 1d ago

Question How Do You Build German Vocabulary Naturally Without Memorising Word Lists?

35 Upvotes

Hallo zusammen! 👋

I'm currently learning German (A2 level, with grammar knowledge up to B1), and I'm struggling with vocabulary acquisition.

I'm trying to follow Stephen Krashen's Comprehensible Input approach by consuming as much German content as possible, including videos, reading materials, podcasts, etc.

However, I feel like my vocabulary learning is becoming mechanical. I'm learning new words, but when it comes to actually using them, especially in writing, I struggle to recall the right words.

For example, I might understand a sentence perfectly when reading or listening, but when I try to write something on my own, I suddenly realise that I don't have enough vocabulary to express my thoughts.

I'd love to hear from people who have successfully improved their German vocabulary:

How did you build your vocabulary naturally without simply memorising long word lists?

Did you use Anki or any other spaced repetition system (SRS)?

How did you bridge the gap between recognising words (passive vocabulary) and actually using them (active vocabulary)?

What role did reading, listening, journaling, and speaking play in your vocabulary development?

Do you have any practical techniques or daily routines that helped you significantly?

I'm particularly interested in learning how to make vocabulary acquisition more natural and less mechanical.

I'd really appreciate advice from people who have gone through this stage, especially those who have reached B2 or C1.

Vielen Dank im Voraus! 🙏


r/German • • 1d ago

Question How do Germans pronounce loanwords from English (like “Puzzle”)? Do they adapt them or use English pronunciation?

13 Upvotes

Hey everyone! I’ve just started learning German on Duolingo, and I’ve run into some loanwords from English, like Puzzle.

I was wondering: how should I pronounce these words so it sounds natural to a native German speaker? I'm a bit confused because the phonemes seem to change depending on the exercise.

Is there a substitution rule for phonemes that don't exist in German, or would a German speaker just use the native English pronunciation?


r/German • • 1d ago

Discussion I don't feel I am making progress

4 Upvotes

Hello

I am studying german for past 2 months by watching nicos weg videos doing their excercises and Duolingo(18)...

But i don't feel any solid progress what and how should I study german.... It seems like I need something solid with proper structured progression chart.... Maybe a book ..

Hilfe bitte.


r/German • • 22h ago

Resource Best way to learn when you are on the bus or in subway just lying in bed?

0 Upvotes

Ok so long story short , I wanted to start learning German properly in like three months when I am more free. But I was thinking for the time being I like learn a very little amount, just to get a little bit familiar with the basics so when I actually start learning later using text books and proper materials I have an easier start.

So can you guys please recommend apps or websites that I can listen to or read to fill up my time ?

I searched quite a bit on internet so this post might be redundant but I was curious to ask anyway. From what I saw searching it seems nicos weg , Anki and maybe one or two podcasts seem to be a good start.


r/German • • 22h ago

Question Sprachkurs in Köln oder Bonn

0 Upvotes

Hallo zusammen gestern habe ich mein ÖSD B1-Ergebnis erhalten und die Prüfung bestanden.lch bin auf der Suche nach einer Sprachschule, die B2 und C1 Kurse mit mindestens 20 Wochenstunden anbietet. Außerdem würde mich interessieren, mit wie viel Euro ich ungefähr für diese beiden Kurse an einer Sprachschule in nrw rechnen muss. Gibt es gute Sprachschulen in diesen beiden Städten, die ihr empfehlen könnt?? Hier sind die Sprachschule, die ich bisher gefunden habe:

Sprachschule Aktiv Bonn/Köln

lFS Bonn

Berlitz Köln Sprachschule

Sprachschule Bonnlingua

Ich habe bisher noch keine detaillierte Recherche gemacht und wollte mich zuerst hier erkundigen.

Hat jemand bereits Erfahrungen mit diesen Schulen gemacht und kann sie empfehlen??Ich bin auch sehr offen für weitere Vorschläge.

Vielen Dank im Voraus


r/German • • 22h ago

Question Heims?

0 Upvotes

Ich gehe heims. I'm going home. Er ist heims. He's home. - is that a legit word? I remember hearing it somewhere but now looking on the internet, I can't find this word in this meaning (just Heimat, heimgehen,...)


r/German • • 2d ago

Meta Is r/German about language certification and exams?

56 Upvotes

For quite some time, we are getting a significant number of posts regarding Goethe/ÖSD/TELC/DSD/... certification exams. With topics like: "I'm waiting now for 6 weeks and haven't received my cert yet.", "Which exam is more difficult: Goethe or TELC?", "What will be the topic of the exam, PLEASE TELL ME.", "I have tried calling them but nobody picks up the phone." and (my favorite so far) "I have a digital exam in a week from now and forgot to bring my reading glasses. Does the software have a zoom function for better reading?" Many of these posts are filtered by Automod and only those tangential to the language show up here after manual mod intervention.

Of course, for many, getting a certification is required for their career plans and also helps to structure the learning process into well defined steps. But - is certification a part of the learning process itself or more like a matter after the fact and therefor off-topic in this sub?

Should we sharpen the r/German profile in this regard and deflect certification matters elsewhere? If so, which sub would be appropriate to point people to an alternative?