I came across this video, and found it fascinating. Is this video on point, or is it mainly cherry picked examples? Is there some largely notable exceptions or is it worth it to invest some time into learning those swaps?

I’m currently doing a part-time job in my home country while studying German at a university for almost 5 hours a day, 5 days a week. I’m doing A2 until January, but because of my job, I barely get any time for self-study outside of weekends.
From January onwards, my job will transition to full-time. My goal is to reach at least B1 by April, although September is my backup deadline in case my German visa appointment gets delayed due to the waiting list. (I’ve secured admission in a masters program in English but prefer learning German for quicker integration)
The problem is that once I start working full-time, I’ll probably only be able to dedicate 1–2 hours to German on alternate days, plus some time on weekends for self-study.
I’m not sure whether I should continue working or quit and focus entirely on German for the next few months. A lot of people that i know in Germany have told me that learning a language requires complete focus. How realistic is it to reach B1 within this timeframe and would you recommend quitting the job to focus on German or is it manageable alongside full-time work?

Hallo

I have started learning German from scratch by myself. I am using Netzwerk A1 books. I have completed the first 2 chapters as well as exercises but I am not getting how much I have to learn in a1 also how can I learn vocabulary because each and every word is new for me in the book.

Also if there is a more suitable way for self learning A1 if yes please suggest me.

Hey, I was wondering how you guys learned to actually apply German grammar rules when speaking at the A2/B1 level. I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of it when writing, but when it comes to speaking, I struggle to put everything together into proper sentences. My word order is all over the place, and I can’t seem to apply the grammar rules naturally in real time.

I’ve tried picking 10 words and then using them in my speaking practice, but I find it really hard to form even a decent sentence on the spot. When I go back and check what I’ve said, I notice so many mistakes. How did you guys get past this stage and learn to speak more naturally?

for example "Der Name des neuen Buches und der des alten sind sich sehr ähnlich.", what's the role of sich here? if it was omitted, would the meaning change?

Danke im Voraus.

I passed B1 a while ago and I'm curious what worked for others, because for me the Sprechen and Schreiben parts were way scarier than Lesen and Hören.

for those who passed, what helped the most? a teacher, mock exams, practicing with someone, apps, something else?

and what did u wish existed when u were preparing?

You should definitely learn German a proper way if you want to be able to speak it, but being able to speak it or use it in your daily life is not the criteria to be able to pass the B1 exam.

Servus!

If you have been living in Germany for a while, but never speak German more than 'Mit Karte Bitte' and 'Einmal Döner mit alles(m), have never taken a formal course, or could not force a habit to self-learn, but still would like to have that B1 certifcate, maybe to apply for the permanent residence permit so you can stop having to beg Ausländerbehörde to give you an appointment , I would recommend to stop overthinking and to go book TELC B1 now.

I can barely speak German, and I got 73/75 in that section. I was sure I failed it when I left the exam hall.

Buy some mock test books, targeted to TELC B1, and simply do it a couple of times to understand what the exam is all about. Watch some B1 speaking mock tests in Youtube. You can simply memorize the questions, answers, some universally applicable vocabulary and connecting words. This works for all 3 Teil. You always get the same type of questions.

Writing was my weakest part, but as long as you answer the four tasks you have been asked to, you will pass it.

I was most confident with reading because I scored good in my mock tests. Most of the times, I did not fully understand those passages, but you can make some intelligent guesses based on the process of elimination.

For listening, it was simply a matter of trying to have a sheer focus, and try to catch tricky parts. Most of the times, they are pretty straightforward and you can afford to miss a few tricky ones here and there.

The grammar lessons are most useful in Sprachbausteine, but there's so much to learn that I simply just relied on good old 'this sounds right when I try to say it loud'.

At the end of the day, I have 252/300. Not great, not terrible. I am just happy that I don't need to worry about this again.

P.S. If you want to make your life easier, and see your future in Germany in long term, then you should really learn German. Talk with people in German, and nothing beats that. This flawed exam that you can fluke with 1 week of preparation is no way a representation of you actual speaking ability.

But at the same time, if you have been stressing about this exam, then you don't need to. The exam is really easy to pass, if you have experience of taking similar exams before (IELTS, SAT, GRE etc.)

I am looking for advice on how to proceed. I just got my result for Goethe C1 Lesen paper-based. I failed it a second time with 53/100. Honestly, I am lost, because other sections were passed on the first try with 87+/100. All mock Lesen tests at home are always 80-100. The most difficult part for me is time. If I can for Teil 2 an 4 under recommended time, part 3 takes me much longer if I want it to be correct. I was always a slow test taker even at school in my native language.

Prep strategy: I studied German with a tutor, a great tutor and all other levels I passed with flying colours on my first try. in B1 and B2 exams, my Lesen was 100/100.

I simply don’t known what to do.

Does anyone have an advice how to drill the 1 and 3 part? I am already familiar with the format and usually have no issues with 2 and 4..

The problem with Teil 3 is that it always feels like either one letter fits several brackets or none at all. Teil 1 is usually hit or miss, depending on a mock tests and topic, it is either super easier or I don’t know half the word to be selected.

I have only 3 months left to retake the Lesen again or my other parts will have to be retaken again. Thats been expensive enough already. One part of me doesn’t want to give up the efforts and money I invested, but the other part feels like it pointless trying the same unproductive approach again and again.

Hi,
I'm looking to do an intensive German course (1 or 2 weeks) in Germany.
For practical reasons I'm mostly looking at South-West Germany, Heidelberg for example, but I'm quite open. I am a 30+ adult and am learning for fun.
Any advice on institute, schools or companies that offer good courses that could fit my profile?
Danke

Currently B2, can understand pretty well just due to long term exposure to the language as well as relatively decent speaking capabilities for the same reasons.

I plan to study in Germany however all of the courses I'm looking at are taught pretty much exclusively in German and require a C1 certificate before application.

I don't mind learning that level of German before attending as I plan to spend a lot of time there so reaching that high language level has to be sooner or later, but what is university like in German as a foreign language? How long will it take outside of just getting a certificate to be able to comfortably use and understand 'classroom' German?

I plan to spend most of my time reaching the level of German I want in Germany too so I'll get a lot of exposure and just generally get more used to using the language constantly during this preparation period.

Any information is very appreciated thank you in advance!

I mean the everyday phrases at work that nobody teaches in class, like how colleagues phone each other or how they say they are unsure.

Did you keep a list, or did you pick them up over time?

hi all, i just found this interesting method called the 'Michel Thomas learning menthod' online. Anyone ever tried it and has any feedback?

"Sie ist eine Frau. Wenn es hart auf hart kommt, zieht sie hier ins Über."

This is from Death Note where Light was talking to Naomi Misora in episode 7 ("Overcast").

I get the "Wenn es hart auf hart kommt" part, but this one "zieht sie hier ins Über." i don't.

I've asked Claude and this is its respond: " 'Ins Über ziehen' isn't colloquial German slang, and I can't find any established meaning for it."

Maybe I misheard "Über"?! I don't know. That's why I need your help. Thanks.

Some of my Aussie and British coworkers are learning German too, on Duolingo and Busuu. At lunch, one of them said “Ich habe meine Brillen vergessen”, and when I said “meine Brille”, singular, he refused. “There are two lenses, mate.”

“Die Hose” made it worse, since in German he’s wearing one trouser. He didn’t take it well either.

“Brille” comes from “Beryll”, the stone early lenses were made of. Dutch keeps bril and broek singular, while Polish makes okulary and spodnie plural like English, so my head runs both systems at once. Praktika doesn’t always catch me saying “meine Hosen”.

Are there other German words like this that trip up English speakers, or are these the main ones?

Basically the title. When do you use -e and when do you use -en? Like if I were to say “Es regnet am zweiundzwanzigsten April”, is that the correct ending? If so/not, why?

Learning German in Germany for 8 months from scratch, yesterday I tried my luck with the B2 Digital Hören and Lesen parts and actually passed it
Hören: 80
Lesen: 70
I'm going to take Schreiben and Sprechen in the upcoming weeks
Should i wait A little while for Them or should I take them Immediately

A discussion has come up with my friends and me, all of which are native German speakers, and apparently my family is the only one saying "der Navi" as in "der Navigator" for the thing in the car giving you instructions on where to drive. The others say "das Navi" as in "das Navigationssystem". Even the Duden says "das Navi" only. So I'm now wondering if my family is really that unique in that and if you have found other examples of different articles because of disagreements on what something is short for. Is there maybe someone out there saying "die Navi"?

Hi everyone! My BAMF B2 Beruf exam is on 29 October, and I’m feeling nervous. 😟
For those who have already taken the exam, do you have any last-minute tips for Lesen, Hören, Sprachbausteine, Schreiben and Sprechen?
Was the actual exam similar to the practice tests? What should I focus on most?
I would really appreciate your advice. Thank you! ❤️

I am in the United States and enrolled in a nearby community college. In summer 2026, I enrolled in a German language course. Currently, I am finishing the second course. A few of the local community colleges offer 4 courses in German.

The community college that is near me offers German 3 and 4 once a year. It is taught in the fall months. The earliest I can take the third course is in fall 2027. Thereafter, the fourth course in fall 2028. Any suggestions please to keep what I relearned intact.

Thank you.

I’m interested in taking a 3-week intensive German language course at the Goethe Institut in Göttingen and wondering if I’ll feel out of place at age 70?

Forty-five years ago I lived and worked in Osnabrück for 18 months without hearing a word of English.  When I left, I was completely fluent.   Germans would ask if I were Dutch when I spoke.

I hate to lose such hard-earned facility in German, but after 45 years of not using the language I test out now at a B1/B2 range.

Now that I’m retired I have the time and money to go back to Germany and try to recapture my youth and German language skills.  When you get to my age, you always view yourself a lot younger than do others.

Just wondering how I’d fit in at an intensive Goethe course where I’m looking to just immerse myself in German and study for the 3 weeks . . . ?

Hi everyone,

I am currently at A1 level and living in Graz, Austria. My ultimate goal is to reach solid C1 fluency with strong speaking skills within the next 18 months. Because I am currently not working, my schedule is completely open, and I have the time to treat language learning like a full-time job.

I’ve designed a hybrid approach to maximize my hours while keeping costs down, but I want to pressure-test it with this community to see if I’m missing any blind spots. Here is the plan:

1. Online Classes: I am planning to enroll in the Goethe-Institut India’s online Superintensive courses. The value proposition is insane, it offers 22.5 hours of live instruction per week for 7-week blocks per level, costing only around 29,000 INR (approx. €315). For the raw number of structural hours, local options in Austria simply can't compete.
2. The Immersion Buffer (Self-Study & Local Life): Since I am physically in Graz, I plan to spend an additional 1.5 to 2 hours every single day forcing myself out into the local environment. I'll be ordering food, shopping, and doing daily tasks strictly in German to bridge the gap between screen time and real life.
3. The Speaking Component: I am pairing this with weekly in-person Language Café (Sprachcafé) sessions right here in Graz to actively practice speaking with locals, get used to the Austrian accent, and break the fear of talking.

I am fully aware that 4.5+ hours of intense language learning a day plus real-world immersion is going to be incredibly exhausting. However, I am completely willing to put in the grueling effort, fight through the cognitive burnout, and do whatever it takes to make this work.

My main worries are:

• Waking up early due to the India-to-Austria timezone difference (classes start 9:30 IST).
• Standard Hochdeutsch from the online course clashing with the Steirisch (Styrian) / Austrian dialect I hear on the streets.

Is this a realistic way to fast-track my speaking and immersion to achieve C1 in 18 months?

Would love any advice, tweaks, or reality checks! Thanks!

Hello and good day to everyone. I would like to find german history channels whose videos always have english subtitles in their videos (spanish subtitles would be good too)