How to Learn German: Best Tips and Tricks
Learning German is not a sprint, it is a marathon. In this lesson, Luzi from YourGermanTeacher shares the tips and methods he has seen work for students over 10 years of teaching. They help beginners and also intermediate and advanced learners, and they cover the four main skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.
The advice is simple: if you apply even half of these tips, you will make progress. It does not matter whether you learn alone with YouTube or already take classes.
Start with Your Mindset: Goals and Patience
- Write down long-term goals: for example studying in Germany, getting a job in Germany, or travelling and speaking a little German.
- Add short-term goals: plan each week. For example: learn 30 new words (10 verbs, 10 nouns, 10 adjectives) or watch a movie completely in German with German subtitles and write down the words you do not know.
- Be realistic and patient: many students start highly motivated and expect B1 in three months. Then the goals are too high and the motivation disappears. Take small steps and take your time.
You also need teaching material, such as a textbook and a workbook, and some guidance to follow along. Getting the basics and the grammar right from the beginning is especially important in German.
The Four Skills
1. Lesen (Reading)
If your textbook has texts, read them in detail. If you do not understand a word, look it up in a dictionary and write it down. This leads to the most important tip for vocabulary: the good old flashcard system. Writing with a pen helps the word stick in your head much better than typing on your phone.
| Word type | What to write on the flashcard | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | Always with the definite article (genders are one of the biggest problems for learners) | der Tisch, das Buch, die Flasche |
| Adjective | Together with its opposite | groß – klein, schnell – langsam |
| Verb | With a simple sentence, and use different subjects (not only ich and du) | Ich schreibe eine E-Mail. Du schreibst eine E-Mail. |
For short stories, Luzi recommends the free website German.net, where you can choose your level and get exercises for each text.
2. Schreiben (Writing)
- Write a diary two or three times a week, by hand in a notebook. You can type it on your computer afterwards.
- Do not put whole sentences into a translator. Look up single words and use the vocabulary you already know. Keep it simple at the beginning, but write only in German.
- Tools: dict.cc (free, also as an offline app) for words, linguee.com for words with example sentences, and deepl.com to check and correct your sentences.
3. Hören (Listening)
- Movies and TV shows you already know: watch them in German with German subtitles, actively. Stop, think, listen again and write unknown words on flashcards.
- Podcasts: Coffee Break German has episodes for all levels, free and paid.
- Documentaries: the YouTube channel NDR Doku has over 900 videos in German with subtitles. Choose a topic you are interested in.
- YouTube channels: Easy German has real-life street interviews, so you hear how German is really spoken.
- Playback speed: in the YouTube settings, slow the video down to 0.75 or even 0.5, so you can understand and read more.
4. Sprechen (Speaking)
How do you become fluent? The answer is always the same: üben, üben, üben (practise, practise, practise). Luzi compares it to learning to drive: you can watch all the videos in the world, but you only become a better driver by driving. When he moved to Taiwan he could not speak a word of Chinese, so he took an intensive class and then forced himself to use it in daily life, for example when buying groceries.
- Start by speaking alone when nobody is listening.
- Talk to yourself, or sing German songs in the shower.
- Find a tandem partner, for example in Facebook groups of people with the same level and the same problem.
- In class, ask your teacher for time to speak only German.
Bonus Tip: Get the Most Out of Your German Classes
- Be active and motivated. Teachers perform best when students show interest.
- Ask questions. Any question, as many as you want. There are no stupid questions.
- Do your homework. It makes you review, and reviewing is one of the most important parts of learning a language.
What to Learn Next
Plan your path with The truth about learning German from A1 to B1. Start the vocabulary habit with Der Die Das? German Genders Explained and Top 20 German Words You Need to Know.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to learn German by yourself?
Set long-term and short-term goals, use a textbook or course, learn vocabulary with handwritten flashcards, and practise all four skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking.
How should I write flashcards for German vocabulary?
Write nouns with the definite article (der Tisch), adjectives together with the opposite (groß – klein) and verbs with a simple sentence using different subjects.
How can I improve my German listening?
Watch movies you already know in German with German subtitles, listen to podcasts like Coffee Break German, watch NDR Doku and Easy German, and slow the playback speed to 0.75 or 0.5.
How can I practise speaking German if I do not live in Germany?
Speak alone or talk to yourself, sing German songs, and find a tandem partner with the same level, for example in a Facebook group.
How do I get the most out of my German class?
Be active, ask many questions, and do your homework so that you review what you learned.
Looking for guidance to follow along from the very first lesson? Our A1 German course for complete beginners teaches the basics and the grammar step by step.
