Learn German online, from A1 to B1

First steps: alphabet and everyday basics Pre-A1

Brand new to German? Start with letters, sounds, greetings and numbers, with Roman and Urdu pronunciation support.

1. 1. The alphabet and its sounds · 12 min

   Meet the letters, hear their names, and practise spelling your name.

2. 2. Hello, please and your first introduction · 12 min

   Greet someone, be polite, and say your name and country.

3. 3. Numbers from zero to ten · 10 min

   Count objects, read a phone number, and practise a short daily routine.

Start here

Which German exam you need, the CEFR levels, German sounds, and pronunciation help for English and Urdu speakers.

1. German exams and levels · 10 min

   Goethe, telc, ÖSD, TestDaF — and which level you need.

2. German sounds · 12 min

   Umlauts, ch, ei and ie — and letters that sound different.

3. Aussprache für Englisch- und Urdusprechende (pronunciation for English and Urdu speakers) · 15 min

   How to read the Roman and Urdu guides, and the German sounds you already know from English and Urdu.

A1: Erste Schritte (first steps) A1

Introducing yourself, numbers and time, der/die/das, verbs in the present, and word order.

1. Sich vorstellen (Introducing yourself) · 12 min

   Name, country, city, languages — and du or Sie.

2. Zahlen, Uhrzeit, Tage (Numbers, time, days) · 12 min

   Numbers, telling the time, days and months.

3. der, die, das (the three genders) · 15 min

   Gender, plural, and ein / kein.

4. Verbs in the present tense · 15 min

   Regular endings, sein and haben, and vowel changes.

5. Word order: the verb comes second · 12 min

   Statements, W-questions and yes/no questions.

Practice: A1: Artikel, Verben, Plural (articles, verbs, plurals) · A1 Hören: im Café (Listening: at the café) · A1 Schreiben: eine kurze Nachricht (Writing: a short message) · A1 Sprechen: sich vorstellen (Speaking: introducing yourself)

A2: Alltag (everyday life) A2

The past (Perfekt), modal verbs, the dative, and everyday situations.

1. Talking about the past: das Perfekt · 15 min

   haben or sein + the past participle.

2. Modal verbs · 12 min

   können, müssen, wollen, dürfen, sollen, möchten.

3. The dative case · 15 min

   Indirect objects and the dative prepositions.

Practice: A2: das Perfekt (the perfect tense) · A2 Lesen: Nachrichten und Aushänge (Reading: messages and notices) · A2 Hören: eine Nachricht auf dem Anrufbeantworter (Listening: an answerphone message) · A2 Schreiben: eine E-Mail an einen Freund (Writing: an email to a friend)

B1: Selbstständig (independent) B1

Subordinate clauses, the Konjunktiv II, giving opinions, and the Goethe B1 exam.

1. Subordinate clauses: the verb goes to the end · 15 min

   weil, dass, wenn, obwohl, ob.

2. Konjunktiv II: polite requests and wishes · 12 min

   würde, hätte, wäre, könnte.

3. Giving your opinion · 12 min

   The language of B1 writing and speaking.

4. The Goethe-Zertifikat B1 · 10 min

   Four modules, and what each asks.

Practice: B1: Nebensätze bauen (building subordinate clauses) · B1 Lesen: Arbeiten im Homeoffice (Reading: working from home) · B1 Schreiben: ein Forumsbeitrag (Writing: a forum post) · B1 Sprechen: ein Thema präsentieren (Speaking: presenting a topic)