Congratulations – you’ve decided to learn German. But what to do if you can’t afford German courses or there are none in your area?
Don’t worry – it’s definitely possilible to learn German online (and very often, for free).Whether you want to master German grammar, vocabulary, or any other language skills, there are many online resources that can help you with that. You just need where to start.
To help you on your language learning journey, we’ve created a list of the 8 best resources to learn German, including the very best sites, lessons, and apps, so you can cut time and unnecessities. Now, read on – and choose German lessons online that suit your needs.
Why Should You Practice German Online?
Everyone is different and therefore everyone will learn anything differently. Some resonate and work well with teachers and classrooms. Some can’t handle the pressure and might want to be alone in their process.
The internet has it all. You can learn with a private online teacher, use free German materials, read blogs, or download interesting apps.
And let’s not forget about all those great online language exchange platforms. Even if you don’t know any Germans yourself, the internet has got your back. You can highly benefit from a learning buddy, and there are surely a lot of Germans who want to improve their English – so you can pay for your online German lessons with your own knowledge.
So, Let’s Check out the 8 Best Resources:
1. LEO
LEO is a great option for when you need an online German dictionary. It can translate from German into a handful of languages, and it includes a lot of examples, so you can see the word you need in context. Also, many common English expressions are usually shown if they are related to your search query.
Noreover, each German noun, that shows up for your search, also includes the German cases and verb tenses.
But the most important difference between Leo and other dictionaries is the forum.
Even if you’re looking for an English word that is very specific in your context, chances are, someone else came across that same issue – and you’ll find the answer in the forum section underneath each entry of a word.
And even if you’re the first person, just post that question and there’ll be someone who will know the answer. So, in a sense, it’s a mix of Quora and a dictionary.
Thanks to the forum option, many people who start to learn the German language online can deal with vocabulary issues quickly and efficiently. Whether you’re doing exercises in German, speaking with natives or working with a teacher, it will definitely come in handy.
2. Readle – Learn German
Well, we wouldn’t put that much work and effort into the Readle – Learn German App if we didn’t feel that it’s one of the best ways for learning German.
But why?
Readle is There for You
Thanks to the internet, you can access German lessons, dictionaries, and grammar from anywhere. However, that might not be enough if you want to boost your skills and master Deutsch.
At some point, you might ask: How can I just naturally, fluently speak and understand German, without the need to think about the correct grammar or other rules, yet still understand the proper German writing and pronunciation based on my level?
Do you wish you could just slow down a native German speaker, spot at any word they say, so you can remember what the translation was, or even get a new translation right away? Would you even like to make them repeat a specific, hard word, so you can practice its pronunciation?
And at the same time, would you like that person to still tell you something important so that you can remember those newly learned words even easier because it’s just more vivid when put into an interesting context?
But who on earth would have that patience to help you out like that? Yes, private German teachers might – but their services can be really costly.
And as for language exchange groups, you might have found out by now that Germans are not the most patient people and that a German person who can speak English would often just switch to it because it’s easier to talk to you that way.
Now, in that case, you want Readle! There, you’ll get an engaging story in either A1, A2, B1, B2, or C1 level every day. You can listen to the story read out loud by a native German speaker, and you can repeat it over and over again, as fast and as slow as you like.
At the same time, you can click on each and every word in the story and see its translation, according to the context. We also point out the German grammar rules which are used in the story, so you can read and learn.
And if you lack exercises, you can check your understanding of the story and the vocabulary in a level-based quiz. That’s online German lessons made easy and interesting!
3. FluentU
Here’s another great app. If you want to learn German online, FluentU is one of the best platforms for that. You can find real-world music, movie trailers, news, and other videos that were turned into language learning lessons.
Watch authentic, native media to immerse yourself in the German language while building an understanding of the German culture – that’s what FluentU is about.
It’s also much more interesting than traditional German classes – no more seating in a classroom, listening to a teacher explaining boring grammar rules, trying to keep up with the lesson. Instead, you sit in front of your computer and enjoy whatever kind of videos you prefer – and at the same time, learn German online with pleasure.
4. BBC Bitesize
The BBC online German exercises and articles are primarily aimed at beginner and intermediate learners, so if you’re just starting out on your German learning experience, this might be your starting point. However, even if you’re an advanced learner, you can still find something interesting there.
Most of their exercises are made up of fun games that’ll keep you tuned. If you want, you can even take a little exam – like a placement test – just for you to check where you’re at.
5. Duolingo
Duolingo is probably the most popular smartphone language learning app out there – and it can be pretty enjoyable for beginners.
Duolingo has a great online german course that includes different topics with mini-quizzes to test your German. You’ll progress through the levels as they get more and more difficult – and boost your language skills when it comes both to German grammar and vocabulary.
Duolingo is a resource created mainly for beginners to use as a starting point, so if you’re an advanced learner, you might find it a little too boring.
6. The Mixxer
If you’re from the US, it can be difficult to find a native German speaker in your area. And even if you do know some people, the chances are that they switch to English when talking to you. If someone isn’t paid for teaching you, they might just go back to speaking English – as that’s just easier for them to communicate with you.
However, the Mixxer is a perfect solution. It’s a totally free language exchange website that will pair you up with a German buddy for German conversation practice online.
There, you can chat for as long as you like about anything and everything in German. And since the platform is created for speaking German, you don’t have to worry about your interlocutors switching to English all the time.
7. Practice German On YouTube
Now, this is probably the most obvious choice, and it doesn’t need much explanation. Yet, there might be some people who don’t know about the benefits of YouTube when it comes to learning just about anything. Sure, you have to watch ads on free accounts, but then again, you can learn German online completely for free.
You can find anything you’re looking for in order to learn German based on the level you’re at. TV Shows, lessons, clips, tutorials, cartoons, German songs, etc. Just think about what you’d like to do at the moment – watch lessons, learn new pronunciation skills, listen to German audio, or master some basic vocabulary – and find all that on YouTube.
8. Lexisrex
Are you having difficulties with writing German? Then you might want to practice it in a fun way. Lexisrex is perfect for just that, as you can use crosswords for keeping your German spelling in check.
The platform includes cryptic clues and tricky hints for keeping your brain and mind fit and healthy – and at the same time, you can hardly notice that you are actually learning how to write German words correctly.
Lexisrex also has many games, such as hangman and other fun activities. However, even if you don’t like games at all, you could still use their lists of useful German words to broaden your vocabulary.
Pick What Works For You
The internet is full of German learning tools, and those on our list are just the sparkly tip of the iceberg.
Remember that every brain is different, and everyone has a different personality – so choose your own personalized learning experience. If you’re a complete beginner, one of the options below might work great for you. However, if you’re an advanced German learner, you may want to look for a different platform.
We hope that you find something that works for you – and helps you learn German online successfully. Good luck and have fun!