German for Beginners

Learn German from Zero

German is the most widely spoken language in the EU. With consistent practice and the right teacher, beginners reach A2 level — enough for daily conversations — in 3–4 months.

Your First Month Roadmap

Week 1

Sounds & Greetings

German pronunciation is largely phonetic. Learn the alphabet, umlauts (ä/ö/ü), basic greetings, and formal vs informal address.

Week 2

Numbers & Basics

Numbers 1–100, days, months, and articles (der/die/das). Start forming simple sentences using sein (to be).

Week 3

Present Tense Verbs

Regular and modal verbs in present tense. Express what you can, want, and need — plus basic question structure.

Week 4

First Conversations

Order food, introduce yourself, navigate shops and transport. Practice real dialogue with your teacher.

German CEFR Levels at a Glance

LevelNameStudy HoursCertificate
A1Beginner~80 hrsGoethe A1
A2Elementary~160 hrsGoethe A2
B1Intermediate~300 hrsGoethe B1 / ÖSD
B2Upper-Intermediate~450 hrsGoethe B2 / Telc
C1Advanced~600 hrsGoethe C1 / DSH

12 Phrases to Learn First

Hallo

Hello

Danke

Thank you

Bitte

Please / You're welcome

Guten Morgen

Good morning

Wie geht es Ihnen?

How are you? (formal)

Freut mich

Nice to meet you

Ich verstehe nicht

I don't understand

Sprechen Sie Englisch?

Do you speak English?

Ich heiße…

My name is…

Auf Wiedersehen

Goodbye

Wo ist…?

Where is…?

Was kostet das?

How much does it cost?

Start your German journey today

Patient beginner teachers. Trial lessons run 25 minutes.