If you’re moving to Germany for your studies, you may want to learn some basic language skills to help you out when you arrive - even if you’ll be studying in English. Although a lot of Germans speak English, you shouldn’t assume that everyone you meet will speak the same language as you. You should try and get at least a few basic phrases under your belt that you can use in your daily life.
It’s also polite to at least try to speak German when meeting new German people!
Learning a new language can be difficult, but if you’re willing to put the time and energy into it, you’ll have no problems at all!
In this guide, we’ll be sharing all of our best tips on how to learn German fast and easy as well as sharing some of our favorite German words that we think everyone should know.
Here are some of the top reasons to learn German if you plan on moving here to study - believe us, there are lots of great reasons, but these are just the best!
Germany is home to some of the top universities in Europe. By learning the German language you’ll be able to attend these universities and receive a high-class education.
A lot of German universities also offer English-taught programmes, but even if you are applying for these programmes, it’s a good idea to learn German if you can.
At CBS, we integrate language classes into our study programmes. So you can study in English and learn German at the same time.
You may not think it’s important to learn German if your classes are taught in English and all your friends speak English - but that’s the wrong way to look at it!
Despite speaking English on campus, not everyone you meet outside will speak the same language as you. It will make your daily life a lot easier if you’re able to speak to German people in their own language.
Even things like labels in supermarkets, restaurant menus, or maps might not be in English, so even just having basic German knowledge will make your daily life a lot easier.
When you study abroad, it’s so easy to make friends with other international students, but don’t forget about the German students too!
Some German students may not feel confident socialising in English, so don’t lose out on making a new friend just because you can’t speak German.
Having some basic German language skills will come in very useful in situations when you’re trying to ask for help, or trying to complete essential tasks during your studies.
For example, it’s important to learn some basic phrases that could come in useful when you’re at the supermarket, or trying to register your address as part of your residence permit application.
German is the most widely spoken language in the EU after English, so having some language skills means you have more chance of being able to converse with people in other countries who may not be able to speak English.
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If you plan to stay in Germany after your study programme to find a job, speaking German will make you stand out from the crowd - even if the company you’re applying to work in English.
There are lots of career opportunities in Germany for international students, and speaking some German will allow you to take advantage of these opportunities.
When it comes to applying for an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or job in Germany, showing initiative and learning a language by yourself will put forward a really good first impression of yourself.
By learning a language, you’ve shown ambition and determination - something that Universities and many companies will look for in applicants.
Germany is known for its famous literary culture, and although you can read the translated works of authors like Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Herman Hesse, Franz Kafka, it’s much better to be able to read them in their original language.
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Take the first step towards your dream career! Download our brochure & learn more about our undergraduate & graduate degrees in Germany!
Like learning any other language, it will take a lot of time and patience to become fluent in German.
The German language can be daunting as it’s quite different from English - there are male and female forms of words, compound words, and different linguistic rules to remember. However, German is very similar to other European languages like French or Italian.
If you start by mastering the basics, and then consistently expand on your knowledge, you’ll be able to pick up conversations and understand German very quickly.
The best way to learn German is a mixture of studying, with a tutor or online, and then real-life practice.
There is no fixed answer to that question. The time it takes to learn German is different for every person, and will mainly depend on the prior knowledge, amount of time, exposure to the language, practice you put into it, and motivation.
Most people find that within six months they'll be able to have small talk and daily conversations and doing easy things like ordering food, making a short phone call, etc. Within 2-3 years of studying, they’ll be able to work in German.
At CBS we provide German lessons as part of all our study programmes to help students pick up the language quicker and improve their skills. In our programmes, students will have 2 German classes a week which each last for 75 minutes. So by the time you finish your bachelor's after 3 years or your master's after 2, you should be fluent enough to work in German. (If you really focus on learning German within these years).
Once you know around 10,000 words in German, you will be considered fluent.
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The German alphabet and grammar can seem complicated, but once you learn the rules and how to use the letters it’s very simple and logical.
The German alphabet contains 26 standard letters, like the English alphabet, but has 1 additional letter, ‘ß’, and can use different variations of the vowels.
The variations of the vowels are used when an Umlaut (a pair of dots) are placed over a, o, and u to make ä, ö, ü.
The main point of German grammar to know is that all nouns are given a gender; masculine, feminine, or neutral. These genders were developed to make it clearer what’s being referred to in communication.
You should always use a noun’s gender before the noun, so as you learn new German nouns, it’s important to learn the gender too.
To identify the gender of a noun when communicating, you use the 3 forms of “the” - der, die, and das. For example:
der Stuhl - the stool (masculine)
die Tabelle - the table (feminine)
das Messer - the knife (neutral)
If you’re not sure of what the gender of a noun you’ve learned is, you can figure it out by checking the ending of the noun. Below you’ll find some of the common endings for the different genders for nouns.
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Whether Bachelor's, Master's, full or part-time, in German or English - there is something for everyone here at CBS in Germany.
