Interview mit YourGermanTeacher

This is not a grammar lesson, it is real German listening practice: Luzi and Johannes answer 15 questions that you, their viewers, sent in. The whole conversation is in German, because they asked you to ask in German, and the video has German subtitles. Below you find the questions and a short summary of the answers in English, so you can check how much you understood.

What This Video Is

It is a conversation between Luzi and Johannes. They ask each other the questions from the comments. If you only want to practice listening comprehension, just listen. Watching is still a good idea, because there are pictures of them and other things on screen.

The 15 Questions and Short Answers

1. Where can I find you in Germany? Nowhere. They do not live in Germany, they live in Taiwan.
2. Why did you move to Taiwan? Luzi lived in Hong Kong before and moved to Taiwan to learn Chinese. He liked it and stayed. Johannes studied Chinese at a German university, did an exchange in Taiwan and liked it so much that he never went back.
3. Do you work at a language school in Taiwan? Yes, as German teachers.
4. How long have you lived in Taiwan? About ten years and about twelve years. A long time.
5. Did you have a culture shock? Not really. Both knew Asian culture already, from their studies and from Hong Kong, so Taiwan was nothing new.
6. Do you still eat Swiss or German food in Taiwan? Yes. After many years abroad you need food from home from time to time. Luzi cooks something Swiss at least once a week, and Johannes says German food once a week is a must.
7. Are there Frühstücksbrötchen and Quark in Taiwan? Bread rolls yes, but they do not taste as good as in Germany. Quark has not been found. Yogurt, yes.
8. What do you miss most? Luzi misses cheese, which Swiss people eat almost every day. Johannes misses dairy products in general, which are expensive in Taiwan and have a smaller selection.
9. What do you not like about Germany and Switzerland? The weather: summers are too short and the rest of the year too cold. Luzi also wishes that people in Switzerland would laugh a bit more, as people do in Taiwan and Asia. Johannes says that is true for Germany too.
10. How did you meet? At the language school in Taiwan where they work as German teachers.
11. Are you married? Do you have children? Neither of them has children. One of them is married, the other has a girlfriend. They are not a couple and not brothers, to clear that up.
12. When were you last in Germany or Switzerland? Both try to go back at least once a year. One of them was there in spring, the other in summer to visit family.
13. What is the difference between Hochdeutsch and Schweizerdeutsch? Luzi speaks a few sentences of Basel German (Baseldeutsch). Johannes understood some but not everything. Swiss people understand Germans, but Germans do not understand Swiss people so well.
14. How long does it take to learn German? There is no answer. It depends on how much time you invest, your talent, how many languages you already speak, where you live and whether you study in a school or alone. Some students reached B1 in one and a half years with a lot of intensive work, which is very fast.
15. Are Germans really strict and serious, or is it a cliché? They seem serious, and it is not only a cliché, but it differs from person to person. Compared with southern Europeans such as Spaniards or Italians, Germans are probably more serious. Once you get to know them, they are like everybody else.

How to Use This Video for Listening Practice

1. First watch with the German subtitles on and try to follow the main ideas without looking up every word.
2. Watch again and pause after sentences you like. Write down new words together with their articles.
3. Repeat sentences out loud right after you hear them (shadowing).
4. Pause at each question and answer it yourself in German before you listen to the answer.

If this video is too difficult for you, the end of the video points to another complete German conversation between Luzi and Johannes, all at A1 level.

What to Learn Next

The question about learning time has its own lesson: The truth about learning German from A1 to B1. For more tips, see How to Learn German: Best Tips and Tricks. To talk about yourself in German, watch how to introduce yourself and talking about your profession. For more listening practice, try German Listening Comprehension with Questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this video about?

Luzi and Johannes of YourGermanTeacher answer questions from their viewers in a relaxed conversation in German, for example why they live in Taiwan, what they miss and how long it takes to learn German.

Is the video in German or English?

The whole conversation is in German, with German subtitles.

Which level is the interview for?

It works best for learners who already understand everyday German and want authentic listening practice, roughly B1. If it is too difficult, there is another conversation from the same teachers at A1 level.

Where do Luzi and Johannes live?

They live in Taiwan, not in Germany or Switzerland. Both work there as German teachers at a language school.

How can I use this video to improve my German?

Watch it with the German subtitles, note new words, watch it again and repeat sentences out loud (shadowing), and answer the questions yourself in German before you hear the answer.

If you want to reach the level where a conversation like this feels natural, take a look at our online German courses. They guide you step by step from A1 to B1, and you can learn whenever it suits you.