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This page is a collection of all some of learning tips posted in the "News" section of our website. Visit this page for regular updates and event tips, check out our Facebook page or sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date.
Films, series, books, magazine or newspaper articles, podcast and also songs are "authentic examples" of German which can help you to improve your language skills. Watching series, listening to podcasts or radio shows will sure help you to get used to the pronunciation and melody of German. Reading German texts is especially useful if you want to broaden your vocabulary and repeat sentence structures. Little by little you will recognize more and more grammar rules you learn during your sessions. While reading, watching or listening to German productions you also always learn a bit about Germans, their habits, humour or history.
Through your ears directly into your brain - and feet: Songs are a wonderful way to practice a language and get in touch with a country's (pop) culture.
Check out our song recommedations fort he Levels A2, B1 and C1 inculding links tot he lyrics and video clips to working on your vocabulary and singing skills.
With Nico's wonderful Spotify playlist, we can turn our homes into a dance floor and dance ourselves to ecstasy with some rocking' German music:
Enjoy his Spotify-Playlist with songs and instrumental pieces that have a "German connection". A colourful mix to relax, dance or scratch your head. Have fun! :)
Read more about his selection in our interview with him.
One brilliant and underrated way of improving your German comprehension skills is by listening to podcasts. Even if you can’t understand absolutely everything, it can be a nice way escaping the stale world of Grammar books and understanding how Germans actually speak. Our student Bea Beressi has selected her five favourite podcasts for us!
...and make sure to read our interview with Daniela to learn more about podcasts for German learners!
If you are into reading, one of our various articles on books, comics, magazines and grammar books might be a good choice for you to revise and deepen your German skills.
In the last few weeks we were also looking for some new books and magazines which might enable you to get in touch with even more German in your free time. And Don’t worry! Of course we’ve got something for everyone on our list. It doesn’t matter if you just started learning German or if your already an advanced learner.
--> This might sound all too familiar: You were trying to read some real German literature, but then quickly find out that the book you bought is too difficult for you. Well, we might have a solution for you: Several German publishing houses offer original literature in a shortened and/or simplified version to make the reading experience for beginners less frustrating. Here's a selection of publishing houses and book series which will help you improve your German.
--> Also Charlotte introduced to you 6 classics of german youth literature. Besides getting to know famous german authors you will also get an insight into German story telling through the times. Have a look!
--> If you’re into reading shorter text instead of long books you can find some inspiration in our articles on magazines: You will not only find a huge variety of interesting articles, there are also magazines especially designed for German learners. Those include audio versions and exercises as well. Visit the articles here and here.
--> Also Graphic novels in German are fun and easier to read. Their stories and characters not only convey words, but also captivate the reader, especially on a visual level. Improve your German while getting in touch with lovely graphics! Check out Luisa's collection of graphic novels about Berlin and its eventful history in the 20th century and other titles.
--> If you are interested in the the German division and it's impact on contemporary literature Laura's list of contemporary literature about the GDR ist a must!
--> Besides reading all of these interesting stories it might also be helpful for you to have some good grammar books you can rely on. Of course we’ve also collected our top 5 of this category for you. Don’t miss them!
There are many ways to brush up on your German - from apps and worksheets to videos and songs. Anything that makes you want to hear, speak or read more will help you improve your German skills.
This time, we’d like to share a list of some of the more recent German productions worthwhile seeing.
--> Check out Vu’s and Hanno's list of German movies and TV series of the past few years.
--> Besides reading on German history and the GDR we can of course recommend a few movie productions.
Check out Laura's list of recent films about life in GDR. Here you find a few recommendations on classics from DEFA, the production company from East-Berlin.
--> If you are a fan of short movies, don't miss our interview with our team member Nina. She recommends the short film "Schwarzfahrer".
--> Of course Netflix and other streaming plattforms offer German series. Find Kirstie's favorites here.
Enjoy! - or in other words: „Binge up your German“ :)
Apps can be an extremely helpful and motivation addition to your German classes. They are great for memorizing vocabulary and can even help you with grammatical issues like cases or the conjugation of verbs.
Additionally to apps, many publishers of German language books offer online trainings for the grammar and vocabulary taught in the books.
We have gathered a list of useful apps and websites for you in order to make your German learning more effective and fun. Here's our best of! --> Visit article
If you want to prepare yourself for the courses with additional online exercises to the books we use in class, check out our latest list of links here.
YouTube offers a wide range of channels with services targeted at German students of different levels. We collected a broad range of channels the help you learn German in a fun way. --> Visit article
Also in the last week we were looking for new web series especially created for German learners. The web series we found provide content and vocabulary for the lower levels especially. All series are all about everyday life situations and how to master them while speaking in a foreign language. Check them out here.
There are many platforms which offer language exchange in Berlin, but a lot of them are more interested in selling their commercial services than actually connecting people. We'd like to help you find your way through the jungle of organizations and companies - so here's our list for anyone who's looking for a tandem partner or for language exchange events to improve their speaking skills.
Berlin is known for its huge variety of art and culture, but for a lot of foreigners who aren’t fluent in German, the fields of theater and opera are hard to access. But don’t worry, there are ways to experience these art forms even without extensive German knowledge: Here’s a little list of places which offer plays in English or with surtitles.