As a dedicated foreign language learner I would like to share here my experience in learning German. It has been an exciting adventure full of challenges and discoveries. From navigating its unique grammar to exploring its rich culture, every step has taught me something new—not just about the language, but about the joy of learning itself. On this website, I share my experiences, tips, and insights in the hope of inspiring and supporting others on their own language journeys.
Learning German with traditional methods like grammar exercises and vocabulary lists is important - but often not enough. Many learners stuggle to understand real conversations, even after months of study.
That's because real German is fast, natural, and full of expressions you don't find in textbooks. This is where movies and songs become poweful learning tools. By watching german films and listening to music you hear how the language is really used in everyday life. You improve your listening skills, learn natural phrases, and remember vocabulary much faster - because it's connected to emotions and stories.
Your First Month of German
30 days · 30 minutes a day · Beginners A0–A1
Every day, you will learn 5–8 new words, listen to German, and practice speaking. By the end, you will be able to introduce yourself, talk about your daily life, and handle simple everyday situations.
Daily Routine
10 minutes – Vocabulary
Learn 5–8 words, their meanings, and an example sentence. Review the words from the previous day.
10 minutes – Listening
Listen to a short A1 dialogue once without the text, then again with subtitles. Listen a third time and repeat three sentences.
10 minutes – Speaking
Answer questions out loud, create your own sentences, and record a short voice message.
Note: This is an independent educational website offering a free German course. Any links to Deutsche Welle are provided for informational purposes only and do not imply any affiliation, partnership, or endorsement.
Week 1 – First Words and Greetings
Goal: Introduce yourself, greet people, and answer simple personal questions.
Day 1 – Greetings
Vocabulary
German English
Hallo Hello
Hi Hi
Guten Morgen Good morning
Guten Tag Hello / Good afternoon
Guten Abend Good evening
Gute Nacht Good night
Bis morgen See you tomorrow
Aud Wiedersehen Good Bye
Bis bald See you soon
Tschüss Bye
Listening: German greetings – A1 here. Listen to the greetings three times and write down three words you recognize.
Speaking:
1. Say each word out loud three times.
2. Greet yourself in front of a mirror.
3. Act out a dialogue: “Hello!” – “Good morning!” – “Bye!”
Day 2 – My Name
Vocabulary: heißen (to be called), der Name (name), ich (I), du (you), sein (to be), wer (who).
Listening: What's your name? – A1 dialogue here.
Speaking: Answer out loud:
“What's your name?” – “My name is …”
“Who are you?” – “I am …”
Record a 20-second voice message.
Day 3 – Where I'm From and Where I Live
Vocabulary: kommen (to come), wohnen (to live), aus (from), Deutschland (Germany), die Schweiz (Switzerland), das Land (country).
Listening: Where are you from? – A1
Speaking: Answer these questions:
Where are you from? (Listening here)
Where do you live? (Listening here)
What language do you speak? (Listening here)
Use: “I come from …” and “I live in …”
Day 4 – Numbers from 0 to 20
Vocabulary: null (zero), eins (one), zwei (two), drei (three), vier (four), fünf (five), sechs (six), sieben (seven), acht (eight), neun (nine), zehn (ten), elf (eleven), zwölf (twelve), dreizehn (thirteen), vierzehn (fourteen), fünfzehn (fifteen), sechzehn (sixteen), siebzehn (seventeen), achtzehn (eighteen), neunzehn (nineteen), zwanzig (twenty).
Listening: Numbers in German – A1. here
Speaking: Count from 0 to 20 and backward from 10 to 0. Then say your age: “I am … years old.” - Ich bin ... Jahre alt.
Day 5 – How Are You?
Vocabulary: gut (well), sehr (very), müde (tired), glücklich (happy), traurig (sad), nicht (not).
Listening: How are you? – Simple dialogue. here
Speaking: Practice:
“How are you?”
“I'm doing well.”
“I'm tired.”
“I'm okay, thank you.”
Invent two more answers.
Day 6 – The Alphabet and Spelling
Vocabulary: das Alphabet (alphabet), der Buchstabe (letter), buchstabieren (to spell), langsam (slowly), wiederholen (to repeat), verstehen (to understand).
Listening: The German alphabet for beginners. here
Speaking:
1. Say the alphabet out loud.
2. Spell your first name.
3. Practice:
“Pardon?" - Entschuldigung
“More slowly, please,” - ein bisschen langsamer bitte
“Can you repeat that?” - Könnten Sie bitte wiederholen?
Day 7 – Review
Vocabulary: Review all the words from Days 1–6.
Listening: Choose a dialogue from this week. Listen twice and write down five words you recognize.
Speaking: Introduce yourself for 30–60 seconds. Say your name, country of origin, where you live, and your age.
Daily goal: Give a short self-introduction without reading the entire text.
Week 2 – Family, Daily Life, and Food
Goal: Talk about your family, daily activities, and simple preferences.
Day 8 – My Family
Vocabulary: die Familie (family), die Mutter (mother), der Vater (father), die Schwester (sister), der Bruder (brother), die Eltern (parents).
Listening: German A1 – Family here.
Speaking: Introduce your family. Say five sentences, for example: “This is my mother” and “I have a brother.”
Day 9 – Age and Numbers
Vocabulary: einundzwanzig (21), dreißig (30), vierzig (40), fünfzig (50), das Alter (age), wie alt (how old).
Listening: Numbers from 1 to 100 in German here.
Speaking: Practice ten numbers, say your age, and ask: “How old are you?”
Day 10 – My Daily Routine
Vocabulary: aufstehen (to get up), frühstücken (to have breakfast), arbeiten (to work), lernen (to study/learn), schlafen (to sleep), der Tag (day).
Listening: German A1 – Daily routine here.
Speaking: Say five sentences about your day:
“I get up at seven o'clock.”
“I learn German.” - Ich lerne Deutsch.
“I sleep in the evening.”
Day 11 – To Be and To Have
Vocabulary: sein (to be), haben (to have), die Studentin (female student), der Student (male student), das Buch (book), die Zeit (time).
Listening: German A1 – sein and haben here.
Speaking: Create three sentences with “I am” and three with “I have.”
Examples: “I am a student.” “I have a book.”
Day 12 – Food and Drinks
Vocabulary: das Brot (bread), der Apfel (apple), das Wasser (water), der Kaffee (coffee), die Milch (milk), essen (to eat).
Listening: German A1 – Food here and Drinks here.
Speaking: Answer:
What do you like to eat?
What do you like to drink?
Say five sentences about your favorite foods and drinks.
Day 13 – At the Café
Vocabulary: bestellen (to order), möchten (would like), der Tee (tea), die Rechnung (bill), bezahlen (to pay), noch (another/still).
Listening: German A1 – At the café here and here.
Speaking: Act out a conversation between a customer and a server. Use:
“I'd like a tea, please.”
“Anything else?”
“No, thank you.”
“The bill, please.”
Day 14 – Review
Vocabulary: Review all the words from Days 8–13. Test yourself on ten randomly selected words.
Listening: Listen twice to a dialogue about family, daily life, or food. Write down three pieces of information.
Speaking: Talk for one minute about your family, daily routine, and favorite food. Try to use at least eight short sentences.
Goal: Go shopping, understand prices, name means of transportation, and ask for directions.
Day 15 – Fruit and Vegetables
Vocabulary: die Banane (banana), die Orange (orange), die Tomate (tomato), die Kartoffel (potato), das Gemüse (vegetables), kaufen (to buy).
Listening: German A1 – At the supermarket here and here.
Speaking: Create a shopping list with five items. Say: “I'm buying two bananas” and “I need tomatoes.”
Day 16 – Prices and Money
Vocabulary: der Preis (price), der Euro (euro), der Franken (Swiss franc), teuer (expensive), billig (cheap), kosten (to cost).
Listening: German A1 – Understanding prices here.
Speaking: Practice:
“How much does this cost?”
“That costs five francs.”
“That's expensive.”
Use three different example prices.
Day 17 – In the City
Vocabulary: die Stadt (city), der Bahnhof (train station), die Schule (school), der Supermarkt (supermarket), die Straße (street), hier (here).
Listening: German A1 – Places in the city here.
Speaking: Describe your surroundings in five sentences.
Examples: “There is a supermarket here.” “The train station is in the city.”
Day 18 – Asking for Directions
Vocabulary: wo (where), links (left), rechts (right), geradeaus (straight ahead), die Frage (question), suchen (to look for).
Listening: German A1 – Asking for directions here.
Speaking: Ask: “Excuse me, where is the train station?”
Give a simple set of directions: “Go straight ahead and then turn left.”
Day 19 – Transportation
Vocabulary: der Bus (bus), der Zug (train), das Tram (tram), das Auto (car), fahren (to travel/drive), zu Fuß (on foot).
Listening: German A1 – Means of transportation here.
Speaking: Answer: “How do you get to school?”
Use: “I take the bus” or “I walk.”
Day 20 – Clothes and Colors
Vocabulary: die Hose (trousers), das T-Shirt (T-shirt), die Jacke (jacket), rot (red), blau (blue), schwarz (black).
Listening: German A1 – Clothes here and colors here.
Speaking: Describe what you're wearing:
“I'm wearing black trousers.”
“My T-shirt is blue.”
Then describe three other objects.
Day 21 – Role-Playing
Vocabulary: Review the words from Days 15–20.
Listening: Listen twice to a dialogue about shopping or asking for directions. Write down five words you understand.
Speaking: Act out two situations: shopping at a supermarket and asking for directions to the train station. Speak for at least one minute.
Goal: Talk about hobbies, appointments, feelings, needs, and daily life.
Day 22 – Hobbies and Free Time
Vocabulary: das Hobby (hobby), die Musik (music), der Sport (sport), lesen (to read), tanzen (to dance), spielen (to play).
Listening: German A1 – Hobbies and free time here.
Speaking: Answer: “What do you like to do?”
Say five sentences, such as “I like reading” and “I like listening to music.”
Day 23 – What Do You Like?
Vocabulary: mögen (to like), gern (gladly/like doing something), lieben (to love), hassen (to hate), das Lieblingsessen (favorite food), aber (but).
Listening: German A1 – I like / I don't like here and here.
Speaking: Say five things you like and three things you don't like.
Example: “I like coffee, but I don't like tea.”
Day 24 – Days of the Week and Appointments
Vocabulary: der Montag (Monday), der Dienstag (Tuesday), der Mittwoch (Wednesday), heute (today), morgen (tomorrow), der Termin (appointment).
Listening: German A1 – Days of the week here and appointments here.
Speaking: Answer:
“What day is it today?”
“What are you doing tomorrow?”
Say three sentences about your week.
Day 25 – Telling the Time and Planning Your Day
Vocabulary: die Uhr (clock), die Stunde (hour), früh (early), spät (late), beginnen (to begin), enden (to end).
Listening: German A1 – Understanding the time here.
Speaking: Say five different times and describe your daily schedule.
Example: “The course starts at nine o'clock.”
Day 26 – In German Class
Vocabulary: die Lehrerin (female teacher), der Lehrer (male teacher), die Aufgabe (task), die Antwort (answer), richtig (correct), falsch (incorrect).
Listening: German A1 – In German class.
Speaking: Practice:
“I don't understand.”
“How do you say that in German?”
“Could you please repeat that?”
“I have a question.”
Day 27 – Feelings and Needs
Vocabulary: hungrig (hungry), durstig (thirsty), krank (ill), müde (tired), brauchen (to need), helfen (to help).
Listening: German A1 – Feelings and needs.
Speaking: Act out three situations. Say:
“I'm hungry.”
“I'm tired.”
“Can you please help me?”
Day 28 – Asking Questions
Vocabulary: was (what), wer (who), wo (where), wann (when), warum (why), wie (how).
Listening: German A1 – W-questions (questions beginning with question words).
Speaking: Create six questions using the six question words. Answer them yourself.
Example: “Where do you live?” – “I live in Zurich.”
Day 29 – A Conversation About Me
Vocabulary: die Arbeit (work), das Studium (studies), die Sprache (language), sprechen (to speak), lernen (to learn), weil (because).
Listening: Choose a short A1 video about a person or their daily life. Listen twice and write down three pieces of information.
Speaking: Talk about yourself for 1–2 minutes. Tell the listener your name, where you're from, about your family, your daily routine, your hobbies, and your German learning.
Day 30 – Final Test
Vocabulary: Review 20 randomly selected words from the entire month. Give their meanings without looking them up.
Listening: Choose a short A1 episode from DW Learn German. Listen twice and answer three questions about its content.
Speaking: Record a 1–2-minute voice message and answer these questions:
1. What's your name, and where are you from?
2. Where do you live?
3. What do you do every day?
4. What do you like to eat and drink?
5. What are your hobbies?
6. Why are you learning German?
Daily goal: Give a short self-introduction with as little help as possible.
Your Progress After 30 Days
At the end of the month, check which skills you have already mastered.
My Checklist
I can introduce myself and greet other people.
I know numbers, days of the week, and times.
I can talk about my family and daily routine.
I can order food and ask about prices.
I can ask for directions.
I can talk about hobbies and preferences.
I can understand short A1 dialogues when I listen to them repeatedly.
I can speak about myself for 1–2 minutes.
1. Focus on the Most Useful Words First
Learn the top 500–1000 most common words — they cover a huge part of everyday conversation.
Prioritize:
Basic verbs: sein (to be), haben (to have), gehen (to go)
Everyday nouns: food, directions, people
Question words: wer, was, wann, wo, warum
2. Learn Sentences, Not Just Words
Instead of memorizing single words, learn whole phrases:
“Ich möchte das.” (I would like that)
“Wie viel kostet das?” (How much is that?)
This helps you:
Sound more natural
Understand grammar intuitively
3. Immerse Yourself Daily (Even 15–30 min)
Watch German shows (start with subtitles)
Listen to podcasts or music while commuting
You will find the links to some german films and songs on this website.
4. Speak From Day One (Even If You’re Bad)
This is the fastest accelerator.
Talk to yourself in German
Use language exchange apps like HelloTalk
Don’t wait until you “feel ready” — that slows you down
5. Master the Basics of Grammar (Don’t Overdo It)
German grammar matters, but:
Focus first on:
Sentence structure (verb is often 2nd position)
Basic cases (especially accusative & dative)
Ignore perfection early on
6. Use the “80/20 Rule”
20% of effort → 80% of results (don`t try to learn everything at once, focus on the most important things)
Focus on:
Common verbs
Everyday conversations
Listening + speaking
Skip:
Rare vocabulary
Complex grammar at the start
7. Consistency Beats Intensity
20–30 minutes daily > 3 hours once a week
Mix:
10 min vocab
10 min listening
10 min speaking
8. Quickest Path (Simple Plan)
If you want speed:
Learn 20–30 words/day
Practice 10–15 phrases/day
Speak daily (even alone)
Watch/ listen to/ read German content daily