German is currently the 4th most popular language among language learners worldwide.
There are 130 million native German speakers in the world, and the language has official status not just in Germany but also in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxembourg. On top of that, around 100 million people speak it as a foreign language.
In the Common European Framework of References for Languages, a person’s fluency in a foreign language is defined by one of six levels: A1 (basic knowledge), A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2 (language mastery).
This article will review the best available courses to learn A1 German online and help you choose the one that best suits your needs and schedule.
1. Best Way to Learn German Language: A1.1 + A1.2
These two beginner courses are a great resource for those who are serious about learning German but also prefer an engaging and entertaining teaching style to an overly logical one. Each unit focuses on a specific everyday life topic, allowing you to develop practical conversational skills alongside grammar rules and vocabulary. |
2. German Language A1: German Language for Beginners
The right course for language students with a methodic and rational learning style. It’s very easy to use as a reference to go back to once the course is completed. It makes clever use of visual elements and tables to explain grammar and vocabulary. It also contains questions at the end of each lecture. |
3. Get Germanized: The Complete A1 Course
A short, down-to-earth introductory tutorial to A1 German that focuses primarily on everyday conversations and situations. While the various grammar topics don’t follow a clear structure, the course’s friendly teaching style and practical nature make it a very helpful guide if you want to get A1 German basics fast. |
4. Free German A1 Lessons
A basic and well-structured introduction to German grammar in the form of 12 downloadable PDF lessons and a glossary. While not a full A1 German language course, the course is very helpful for those who want a quick overview of basic Grammar concepts and for those who have a visual memory and can easily impress these condensed text lessons in their minds and use them later as a reference. |
5. Learn A1 German for Beginners
The most complete free A1 German language course available online. Each lesson lasts around 10 minutes and focuses on a specific grammar or conversational topic in great detail. While the videos don’t include available exercises and additional resources are available only through a Patreon subscription, it is still a great option for those who want to study A1 German thoroughly without having to pay a course fee. |
1. Best Way to Learn German Language: A1.1 + A1.2
(Udemy)
Course Content
These two courses, offered by the same teacher on the popular online learning platform Udemy, split the A1 level into two sub-levels: A1.1 and A1.2.
The first course (A1.1) is a very basic introduction to the German language and focuses on essential grammar, simple vocabulary, and rudimentary conversational skills.
It is divided into 7 main units plus introductory and final units.
- Introductory unit (21 min)
- Unit 1 (57 min)
Grammar focus: Personal pronouns; Present.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Greetings and introductions. - Unit 2 (60 min)
Grammar focus: Definite articles; Possessive pronouns; The verbs sein and sprechen; The alphabet, The numbers until 30.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Friends and family. - Unit 3 (66 min)
Grammar focus: Indefinite articles; Negative articles; Pronouns and articles; Plural; The verb haben and essen; The numbers until 100.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Drinking and eating. - Unit 4 (68 min)
Grammar focus: Adjectives; Negation with nicht; Third person singular; Possessive pronouns; Numbers until 1 million.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Home and living. - Unit 5 (62 min)
Grammar focus: Separable verbs; Irregular verbs.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: A regular day. - Unit 6 (61 min)
Grammar focus: Accusative; Adjectives;
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Weather, Free time, Hobbies, and Holidays. - Unit 7 (63 min)
Grammar focus: Modal verbs; Present perfect.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Job and study. - Final unit (3 min)
The second course (A1.2) completes the A1 level with lessons aimed at making you more confident with using basic German grammar rules and completing entire sentences.
It is divided into 7 main units plus an introductory unit and a final unit.
- Unit 1 (68 min)
Grammar focus: Modal verbs; Indefinite pronouns; Imperative.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Your resume and job application. - Unit 2 (48 min)
Grammar focus: Definite articles; Possessive pronouns; The verbs sein and sprechen; The alphabet, The numbers until 30.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Travel. - Unit 3 (41 min)
Grammar focus: Possessive pronouns; Reflexive pronouns.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Health and the body. - Unit 4 (46 min)
Grammar focus: Prepositions; Ordinal numbers.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: The city. - Unit 5 (42 min)
Grammar focus: Prepositions.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Services. - Unit 6 (50 min)
Grammar focus: Demonstrative pronouns; Irregular adjectives.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Clothing and fashion. - Unit 7 (45 min)
Grammar focus: Conjunctions; Future tense.
Conversation and vocabulary focus: Party and celebration. - Outro unit
Course Evaluation
One of the primary strengths of this course is the very engaging approach of its teacher, Sandra. It has been proved that learning is more effective when it happens in an entertaining and enjoyable way, as opposed to a cold and logical one.
Another great feature of this course is that every unit revolves around a specific everyday topic (like traveling or health) as well as specific theoretical subjects. This allows you to see the grammar rules and words you learn in a specific conversational and real-life context, which in turn allows you to internalize these concepts faster.
The course is also very strong on the practice side. In addition to several quizzes and exercises per unit, you will also complete so-called blitztests, that is, tests that appear unexpectedly while you’re watching the video.
Sandra’s lessons are designed to help you prepare for the Goethe A1 Certificate (Goethe-Zertifikat A1), one of the most popular and reputable certifications for German language beginners.
You will also obtain a certificate from Udemy once the course is completed, which you can add to your resume or share with your employers if they value basic German language skills.
The only drawback is that you have to buy the two courses separately to complete the entire A1 level but, on the other hand, this can allow you to split the payment in two, which may be convenient for certain learners.
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2. German Language A1: Learn German for Beginners
(Udemy)
Course Content
This course is structured in a more traditional and logical way compared to the previous one and it’s a great first step for learning German if your study method is very organized and rational.
It focuses on all the essential grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary aspects needed to complete the A1 level.
It is structured into 63 short lectures, each one focusing on a specific aspect of German grammar or vocabulary.
- Grammar Lectures
German alphabet (5 min); Regular verbs’ conjugation (11 min); Nominative (6 min); Genders (1 min); Plural (66 min); Irregular verbs (10 min); Accusative (24 min); Separable/inseperable verbs (11 min); Modal verbs (9 min); Dative (32 min); Word order in main clauses (12 min); Negation (16 min); Questions (26 min); Conjunctions (10 min); Emotions and adjectives (12 min); Imperative (13 min); Possessive determiners (11 min); Demonstrative pronouns (5 min); Indefinite pronouns (5 min); Nominative/Accusative/Dative (18 min); Temporal adverbs (13 min); Perfect tense (41 min); Past tense (6 min;) Comparative (13 min); Conjunctive (6 min). - Vocabulary Lectures
Introductions (3 min); Sights/Culture/Food (27 min); Colors (2 min); Family (2 min), Salutations (10 min); Cognates (1 min); Body (4 min); Compound words (12 min); The word “es” (7 min); Clothes (3 min); Home (7 min); Food & beverages (12 min); Animals (3 min); Countries & nationalities (14 min); Leisure (5 min); Professions (3 min); Everyday scenarios (5 min); Weather (3 min); Directions in the city (8 min); Mobile phone (12 min); Searching for apartment (3 min); Farewell (1 min). - Other Lectures
Intro (1 min); The teacher (1 min); How Udemy works (4 min); Pronunciation rules (8 min); Helpful books (1 min); Numbers (2 min); Useful websites (23 min); Tips for studying languages (7 min); Time & date (3 min); Short story (24 min); Preparing for A1 writing exam (39 min); Preparing for A1 speaking exam (33 min); Tschuß! (1 min). - Tests
Intermediate examination (9 min); Dictations (10 min); Final examination (17 min).
Course Evaluation
A strong feature of this course is that it can be easily used as a reference for grammar and vocabulary topics well after the course is completed.
Its orderly structures and short videos allow you to zoom in on specific aspects of the German language without necessarily having to review the entire course.
The course also includes plenty of effective visuals and animated videos to help you understand concepts better.
Grammar is often explained with the use of supporting charts and tables while the teacher is visible in a smaller window. This really creates the feeling of being in a real-life school class, where the teacher is writing words and sentences on the whiteboard and explaining them at the same time.
There are questions are the end of each lecture to test whether you have learned each concept thoroughly, as well as intermediate and final tests. Towards the end of the course, you will also find two longer lectures on preparing for the writing and speaking section of the official A1 exam.
As with every paid Udemy course, you will obtain a Udemy certificate on completion of the course, which can be used to showcase your language skills to companies or schools.
This course may at times feel a bit hard or boring if your method of study is not very logical and structured, while it’s perfect for people who adapt well to this teaching method.
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3. Get Germanized: The Complete A1 Course
(YouTube)
Course Content
If you are looking for a shorter and more condensed full video course, this free YouTube video tutorial is the right pick.
It’s a collection of numerous videos published over the years by YouTube channel Get Germanized. It focuses much more on the conversational aspect of language learning and deals with Grammar concept only when necessary.
You can use the description under the video to jump straight to each section of the tutorial.
- German Alphabet (ca. 4 min)
- Introductions (ca. 5 min)
- Age, Origins, Occupation (ca. 10 min)
- Numbers (ca. 4 min)
- Miscommunications (ca. 4 min)
- Time Periods (ca 3. min)
- Moods and Emotions (ca 2. min)
- Food Vocabulary (ca. 2 min)
- Telling Time (ca. 2 min)
- Telling Others Your Destination (ca. 3 min)
- Common City Locations (ca. 5 min)
- Giving Directions (ca. 3 min)
- Common Questions (ca 2 min)
- Home Areas (ca. 5 min)
- Possession (ca. 3 min)
- Lazy Speech (ca. 3 min)
- German Abbreviations (ca. 3 min)
- Body Parts (ca. 3 min)
- German States (ca. 2 min)
- Mathematics – Part 1 (ca. 4 min)
- Mathematics – Part 2 (ca. 5 min)
Course Evaluation
This course is very helpful if you are looking for a solid overview of A1 German that is very focused on everyday conversation skills. It’s the type of video tutorial you would use if you have an A1 German school exam in 5 weeks and you don’t have the time to go through a more structured and formal course.
A positive element of the course is the clever use of the “virtual blackboard” to explain concepts using texts and not just voice. This allows you to develop your reading and listening skills simultaneously.
These video lessons also utilize many images to help you internalize the meaning of each word and expression faster.
Its focus on everyday situations, as well as aspects of the German nation and culture, is also a good way to develop practical knowledge and expertise of the language you’re learning, which can come in handy for those who are also traveling to Germany for leisure, business or a longer stay.
The main drawback of this video tutorial is the fact that it is not really structured using Grammar topics (verbs, nouns, adjectives, adverbs, etc.) as a reference, meaning that you will have to pick up these notions gradually as you proceed through the tutorial and it may be difficult to remember which parts of the video continued each grammar “chapter”.
It’s not the type of guide you use as a grammar reference once you’ve completed all the lessons.
Still, the down-to-earth and friendly teaching style of the channel host and the strong focus on helpful everyday conversational tools make this video tutorial a valid option for those looking for a fast, first introduction to A1 German.
And don’t forget to check out the other videos uploaded on Get Germanized, a great channel with more than 400 subscribers that posts regular content about the German language and culture.
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4. Free German A1 Lessons
(Learn-German-Online.net)
Course Content
This is the right course for those who are looking for a learning resource that is free, very structured, and can be completed in a short period of time, as well as used as a reference after the course is complete.
It’s divided into 12 text lessons, each one explaining a grammar concept in detail, followed by practical examples, supporting tables, exercises, and solutions. It also contains a final glossary that you can use as a quick reference for all the words used in the course, without having to use a dictionary.
- Lesson 1 – German Articles
- Lesson 2 – Noun Declination
- Lesson 3 – Nominative and Accusative
- Lesson 4 – Negation
- Lesson 5 – Dative
- Lesson 6 – Plural
- Lesson 7 – Personal Pronouns
- Lesson 8 – Prepositions
- Lesson 9 – Present Tense
- Lesson 10 – Separable and Inseparable Verbs
- Lesson 11 – Present Perfect
- Lesson 12 – Modal Verbs
- Glossary
Course Evaluation
This course should be seen as an essential text-based introduction to German grammar and not as a full A1 German course.
It’s great if you currently don’t have the time to follow a full course and want to get acquainted with basic German grammar.
Its downloadable PDF documents allow you to keep the course all the time on your device, even when there is no internet connection available.
The course’s essential structure makes it very effective for learners with visual memory who can easily impress grammar tables and a few related examples in their minds. Each lesson only consists of just a few pages that go straight to the point of each grammar topic. Once you memorize them, your mind can refer to them any time you need to apply those concepts.
On the other hand, the limited number of examples and real-life applications mean that the course will show its limits when you have to apply your language knowledge more flexibly.
The website Learn-German-Online.net (where the course is hosted) also includes numerous internal and external references that can help you in your language learning path, including dictionaries, cultural resources, book recommendations, and travel tips.
You can also book live German lessons via Skype or Zoom if you’re interested in widening your language skills.
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5. Learn A1 German for Beginners
(YouTube)
Course Content
This collection of free lessons offered by the popular YouTube channel Learn German is probably the best free online resource for people who are serious about learning A1 German thoroughly from both a grammar and a conversational point of view.
The course is organized in a YouTube playlist of 65 video lessons, each one covering either an aspect of German grammar or a conversational topic, giving you the full spectrum of tools a beginner needs to get started with a new language.
- Lesson 1 – Greetings (ca.10 min)
- Lesson 2 – Common sentence (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 3 – The Numbers from 0 to 20 (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 4 – The Number from 21 to 100 (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 5 – The Alphabet (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 6 – Introductions (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 7 – Getting to Know People (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 8 – How Are You? (ca. 6 min)
- Lesson 9 – How to Structure Sentence – Part 1 (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 10 – How to Structure Sentences – Part 2 (ca. 7 min)
- Lesson 11 – Personal Pronouns (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 12 – To Have and To Be – Conjugation (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 13 – What are Verbs? (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 14 – Regular Verbs (ca. 15 min)
- Lesson 15 – Irregular Verb (ca. 13 min)
- Lesson 16 – Numbers from 100 (ca. 12 min)
- Lesson 17 – Adjective & Opposites (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 18 – Introducing Someone (ca. 8 min)
- Lesson 19 – Definite Article (ca. 8 min)
- Lesson 20 – Indefinite Article (ca. 7 min)
- Lesson 21 – Negative Articles (ca. 5 min)
- Lesson 22 – Official Time (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 23 – Telling Time (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 24 – Possessive Pronouns (ca. 13 min)
- Lesson 25 – Family (ca. 6 min)
- Lesson 26 – Articles – Accusative Case (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 27 – Possessive Pronouns – Accusative Case (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 28 – Möchten – Modal Verbs (ca. 6 min)
- Lesson 29 – W-Questions (ca. 5 min)
- Lesson 30 – At the Restaurant (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 31 – Personal Pronouns – Accusative Case (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 32 – Articles – Dative Case (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 33 – Ordinal Numbers (ca. 13 min)
- Lesson 34 – Time-related Questions (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 35 – Possessive Pronouns (ca. 12 min)
- Lesson 36 – Personal Pronouns (ca. 12 min)
- Lesson 37 – Separable Verbs (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 38 – Everyday Routine (ca. 12 min)
- Lesson 39 – Imperative (ca. 12 min)
- Lesson 40 – Directions (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 41 – War vs Hatte (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 42 – Inseparable Verbs (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 43 – Being Sick (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 44 – Past Perfect – Part 1 (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 45 – Past Perfect – Part 2 (ca. 12 min)
- Lesson 46 – Past Perfect – Part 3 (ca. 13 min)
- Lesson 47 – Holidays (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 48 – At the Supermarket (ca. 12 min)
- Lesson 49 – The Weather (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 50 – Appointments (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 51 – Letter-Writing Invitation (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 52 – Expressing Liking and Dislinking (ca. 4 min)
- Lesson 53 – Question Pronouns (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 54 – Dies – Demonstrative Article(ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 55 – Shopping for Clothes (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 56 – Taking a Taxi (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 57 – Time Adverbs (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 58 – Talking on the Telephone (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 59 – At the Doctor’s (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 60 – Formal Letters (ca. 11 min)
- Lesson 61 – Filling in a Form (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 62 – At the Post Office (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 63 – At the Bank (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 64 – Looking for an Apartment (ca. 10 min)
- Lesson 65 – Buying a Train Ticket (ca. 10 min)
Course Evaluation
This course provides immense value to its attendees, considering that is entirely free. By scrolling down the comments section, you can notice that many learners have used this resource as the main reference when studying for official A1 German exams.
The videos have a very simple design that effectively combines audio, text, and visual elements.
For each topic, you will find both a thorough Grammar explanation and the translation of each sentence in English, as well as images aimed at helping you memorize words and concepts better.
The average duration of each video is 10 minutes, with some videos being as short as 5 minutes and others as long as 10.
The channel host explains basic German language concepts in very clear English and takes the time to expand on each topic by mentioning special cases and providing a list of real-life examples.
Each video ends with a quick recap of what you have learned during each lesson to help you solidify those concepts in your mind.
The course creators only provide additional materials through their Patreon page (worksheets, transcripts, podcasts) but most of these resources require creating a Patreon account and a monthly subscription.
The video themselves don’t include many exercises, which is probably one of the few downsides of this course.
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Useful Support Resources for German Language Learners
Language learning requires more than just a course but also the use of additional supporting material.
First of all, we highly suggest you read our article on learning languages by yourself, which provides general tips for everybody who wants to become proficient in a foreign language without attending a regular school class.
For German language learners, in particular, you can also use these targeted supporting tools.
- dict.cc – One of the best free online German-English dictionaries available online. This dictionary is constantly updated but its users and contains several pronunciation files for each word or expression.
- Deutsche Welle – This state-owned international German channel offers an entire free section dedicated to German language learners. Its numerous resources include basic lessons, audio trainers, and short movies.
- Podcasts – Shopify, iTunes, and other podcast providers offer numerous free and paid podcasts for German language learners. Select the podcast that better fits your interests and listen to it every day as if you were listening to the radio. Even just 5 minutes a day can help a lot!
Feel free to use the comments section down below to let us know your experience with the courses reviewed by this article or to ask any questions regarding the best ways to learn A1 German online.
First published on August 14, 2022 – Last Updated on November 20, 2022
What a great overview of online courses to learn German. Very detailed yet easy to read. Thank you for that!
Although I am not interested in learning German I saw you have different online courses on your website. I might have a look at other languages or culinary skills. I think online trainings are the best and easy way to learn something new nowadays.
Thanks for your comment, and feel free to explore our other online course reviews!
I had a little bit of German language at school , but wasn’t very good at it back then haha. Now I am often on holiday to Germany and I wished I could speak it a little bit better, so I could talk more with the locals. I am more of a visual learner, so I am going to check out the course number 2 from Udemy. Thank you for all the in-depth information!
It’s never too late to start improving your language skills, Lizzy. Plus, it’s great that you already have a good idea about the language style that best suits you. Thanks for your comment, and good luck with the Udemy course.