Free guide · German A1 to C1
If you plan to study in Germany and live here for four or five years, start learning German seriously before you arrive. You may choose a degree taught in English. Outside class, you will still encounter German: a letter you need to understand, a landlord you need to speak to, or an appointment you need to make.
You do not need to become fluent before moving. You need a way to learn that you can keep up. This guide brings together what we wish we had understood earlier: what the levels mean, how to build a learning routine and how to choose resources you can actually use.
Two different reasons
I knew I needed German to begin my bachelor's degree. That gave me a clear goal, but learning the language was still a struggle. Working with pen and paper, understanding grammar and practising regularly helped me keep going. I eventually passed DSH-2. Looking back, what helped was having a clear structure and returning to it even when progress felt slow.
I got a job where I could work in English, so German did not initially feel urgent. At a company offsite, I noticed that the senior managers I met could also speak German, even though many conversations happened in English. That made me think about my own career growth and how much more I wanted to participate. I am currently learning at B1.
We came to German for different reasons: Ashish needed it for university; Anushka began to see its value beyond getting an English-speaking job. Her experience reflects the people she met, rather than a requirement for every senior role. Your reason may be different again. Knowing what you want to use German for makes it easier to decide what deserves your time.
Take it seriously by giving it structure. Follow a course or textbook with a clear progression, practise all four skills, and get feedback on your writing and speaking. YouTube and Duolingo can be useful additions. For a long-term study or life goal, combine them with deliberate practice and correction. A serious approach can include free materials; what matters is how you use them.
Understand your starting point
These levels describe what you can do in German. Finishing a course labelled “B1” does not automatically put every skill at B1. Listening, speaking, reading and writing can develop at different speeds.
These are simplified descriptions of the Goethe-Institut's CEFR overview. Your target depends on your purpose. Check each degree programme's language requirement separately; the language needed for admission and the language you want for daily life may differ. If you need a certificate, read our guide to German language exams after checking the programme's official admissions page.
Your first action
“On [day] at [time], after [existing routine], I will study German for 25 minutes using [course].” Make the same appointment with yourself again this week.
An honest progress check
We understand that frustration. You can study regularly and still struggle to follow a conversation or write a message. Before concluding that you are bad at languages, look more closely at what your practice has involved. How much time have you spent listening attentively to German? How often have you read a text, checked what you missed and returned to it? Have you used grammar in your own sentences, or mainly copied explanations?
To put the amount of practice in perspective, think about 100 hours of listening or 50 pages of your own writing. These are prompts to examine your practice, not milestones you must reach. A hundred days can contain very different amounts of focused work. If most of your time has gone into grammar notes, it is understandable that listening and speaking still feel unfamiliar.
Speaking can feel exposing, especially when you know what you want to say but cannot find the words. Start with a voice note or a short exchange with someone you trust. Reading, listening and writing also give you room to practise privately. Choose material you can work through with some support, write your own sentences and seek corrections when possible. If you have already put in substantial practice and still feel stuck, review the method with a teacher. More hours alone may not address the difficulty.
Free resources
Use one main course to give your learning direction, then add a resource that interests you. The level suggestions below are starting points. Try a short section: if you can follow the main idea with some help, work with it; if you are translating almost every word, choose something simpler for now.
Listen once for the main idea, then replay a short section with subtitles or a transcript. Notice three phrases you could use in your own life. Say them aloud, write your own examples and revisit the clip another day. Ten minutes spent working with a passage can be more useful than letting a long podcast play without following it.
Coming through The Leap Lab
An exercise at home and a timed exam can feel very different. Through The Leap Lab, we are planning German mock tests from A1 to B2 so you can practise Lesen (reading), Hören (listening) and Schreiben (writing) under exam-style conditions. The aim is to help you identify what needs attention before the actual exam. Your work will be evaluated, with feedback after the test. While papers are being assessed, we plan an informal conversation with a German instructor for questions and speaking practice.
The informal conversation is not a scored Sprechen exam. If you are interested in separate speaking practice, tell us; we will explain the format when arrangements are confirmed. These are practice events, not official certificate exams, and we have not announced dates for every level.
Visit The Leap Lab to see current sessions and interest lists. If your level is not listed yet, you can DM MOCK with your current level to tell us you would take part. A DM expresses interest; it does not reserve a place.
Take it with you
The full guide is here for you to read. If you would like its designed PDF version to save or pass to a friend, DM us on Instagram with GUIDE. We will send it separately.
We also put together A1–B2 vocabulary lists while learning German ourselves. If you want those, include WORDS and your current level (or “beginner”) in your message. You can ask for either resource independently.
If you are already at B2 or C1 and want advice, tell us what still feels difficult, what you have tried and what you need German for. That gives us something useful to respond to, rather than sending you another generic list of resources.