My German abilities are in kind of a weird place. Since both my parents are German, I grew up speaking it at home in the US.
While I speak German fluently, I never had a formal grammar education. After retiring, I wanted to finally fill that gap. Additionally, I wanted to pick up more current German slang.
Here are my tips for how to learn advanced German:
Advanced German Grammar
I was in the unusual position of being a fluent speaker but with virtually no formal grammar knowledge.
I had a vague idea that different cases existed, but diving into German grammar made me appreciate its complexity. Hats off to non-native speakers who manage to master it as an adult!
After reading Amazon reviews, I purchased Schaum’s Outline of German Grammar, an excellent, thorough text. I spent half an hour a day working through the exercises.
There were lots of light bulb moments for me since I had never formally studied the grammar previously. Working through the exercises, I realized that despite being a fluent speaker, there were times I was using the wrong case.
German-Language Media
Easy German YouTube Channel
Easy Languages is a fantastic non-profit that helps people learn languages through authentic conversations in natural, everyday situations. The Easy German channel has videos for all levels, from absolute beginners to advanced.
Don’t miss the Learning German from the Streets series, which will give your ear a chance to become accustomed to the sounds of the language. Also, the insights into the culture are absolutely fascinating!
Jojo sucht das Glück
Jojo sucht das Glück is a German telenovela produced by Deutsche Welle for learners with a minimum level of B1. (Thanks to the Fluent Language blog for the recommendation!)
The show follows the adventures of Jojo, a Brazilian student in Cologne. Episodes are only a few minutes long and the storyline is entertaining. For a C1/C2 speaker like me it was an excellent vocabulary review.
There are three seasons, with the first two being the best in my opinion. I watched the episodes on YouTube, which made it easier to skip the intro and credits.
The Deutsche Welle website has transcripts, vocabulary lists, and exercises for each episode. After watching each installment, I copied any new vocabulary into Anki for later review.
Deutsche Welle Advanced German Learning Videos
Deutsche Welle also has a great collection of short videos on current topics for advanced speakers. The most recent releases include German subtitles.
German Movies and TV Shows
Watching German-language movies and TV shows helps improve listening comprehension and cultural understanding. Some of my favorites:
Podcasts and Apps
Off The Path – Reisepodcast
Great podcast for practicing German if you’re a fellow travel junkie. Episodes feature thoughtful interviews that dive into the traveler’s psyche as well as lots of practical tips and tricks.
Plenty of contemporary slang, and the guest interviews provide exposure to a variety of regional accents.
Die Frage – PULS Podcast
Fascinating Bayerischer Rundfunk radio program that tackles one controversial topic in depth per show.
Unfortunately, the podcast is no longer being updated, but it’s worth checking out the back catalog.
Some sample episode titles: “War Opa ein Nazi?”, “Darf ich für Sex bezahlen?”, “Warum haten wir so viel im Netz?”, and “Wie porno sind wir?”
Fast-paced discussions by youthful reporters are thought-provoking and entertaining and a good opportunity to brush up on colloquial German, including Denglisch, the Anglicisms that have spread virally across German-speaking Europe.
The accompanying YouTube channel is a great watch and is still being updated.
Tagesschau – ARD App
The Tagesschau app by public broadcaster ARD for Apple iOS or Android is an excellent way to watch the news in German.
When short on time the “Tagesschau in 100 Sekunden” news summaries are a convenient option.
German Conversation Practice
iTalki
In order to practice German conversation with native speakers, I set up regular sessions with tutors on iTalki.
iTalki is a convenient, affordable way to connect online with teachers all over the world.
iTalki’s lessons offer the choice of community tutors or professional teachers. Professional teachers have an official certification and classroom experience, while community tutors are advanced or native speakers who provide informal tutoring or speaking practice.
I decided to work with community tutors rather than professional teachers since I planned to review grammar on my own; it was conversational practice I needed most. Community tutor hourly rates are also much more affordable.
I met with three German iTalki tutors before finding one that really clicked for me. For me, the most important thing in my classes is the chance to speak, since I have plenty of opportunities outside of class to practice my listening skills with podcasts, movies, etc.
Unfortunately, in my experience many tutors tend to dominate the session, turning it into more of a traditional lecture. What works for me personally is an engaged conversation where I get to speak at least 50 percent of the time, so I found a fantastic tutor with a collaborative teaching style who kept the class focused on my conversation practice.
German Language Meetups
I attend a free German language Meetup in my city that attracts many native speakers from German-speaking countries as well as non-native speakers with a high level of German.
A great opportunity to practice conversation and make new friends.
German-Language Books
Some excellent reading suggestions from my iTalki tutors:
Ich bin dann mal weg: Meine Reise auf dem Jakobsweg
Thoughtful and humorous travel memoir by beloved German TV comedian Hape Kerkeling detailing his adventures and insights walking Spain’s Camino de Santiago.
This popular German bestseller helped kick-start the current popularity of the famous pilgrimage route. Available inexpensively used on Amazon.
Der Seelenbrecher
Imaginative and chilling psychological thriller by bestselling author Sebastian Fitzek. A compulsive read with many twists and turns that makes practicing German fun.
Check your library. I was impressed that my local branch in the US had several of Fitzek’s books in the original German.
Vocabulary Study
Anki
Anki is my go-to flashcard program for spaced repetition vocabulary study. The interface for the PC software is fairly dated, but it works well.
I have a deck for each language I’m learning (currently Spanish, German, and Portuguese). Any time I come across an interesting new word or phrase, I enter it in Anki.
I create my own vocabulary decks because random lists compiled by others don’t work for me. I need to be able to associate the vocabulary mentally with the context I learned it, whether in a conversation with someone or in a movie scene. That emotional connection really helps me remember. I review the decks daily.
You may also like:
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Have more suggestions for learning advanced German? Please share your tips for the best ways to learn German in the comments.
Weisst du was? Du hast mir einige supergute Tipps für Gabriel gegeben – danke! Next year he takes his GCSE exams in German, Math and English. His issue is that we moved here when he was almost 12. His oral language skills are great, but, like you, he’s never had formal grammar either and his tutor mainly focuses on literary analysis, etc. with him. He’s motivated, but motivated like a 16 year old boy – not an adult really wanting and knowing what it takes to perfect skills. So, finding engaging ways to assist his learning process is really helpful. Thanks again!
Das freut mich aber sehr, Rainier! Would love to hear more about what resources have worked for you and the kids. Studying the grammar has certainly been eye-opening. For example, Wechselpräpositionen (the ones that change case depending on whether they describe movement or not) blew my mind—I had an intuitive idea of how they worked but never learned the rule explicitly. Pretty sure I still get my cases mixed up at times!
Toll interessant Ingrid! Ich bewundere Deine sprachlichen Vorbereitungen…
Das mit der Grammatik geht mir auch so – nur das ich Alles vergessen habe, und die Regeln nicht Weiss!
Hallo Barbara, bin froh, dass ich nicht die einzige Amideutsche bin die mit der Grammatik kämpft! 😉
Die Zusammenfassung deiner Deutsch-Auffrischung finde ich super gelungen und sicher für den einen oder anderen eine gute Inspiration. Mit deinen Deutschkenntnissen kannst du dich jetzt prima unter die Leute in Deutschland mischen. 😉
Hallo Asti, danke für deinen netten Kommentar! Du bist eine tolle Lehrerin und es hat mich sehr gefreut, dich auch als Person kennenzulernen.
Very interesting post, thanks for sharing :). I’m also learning German (B2 level), just signed up on iTalki.. Could you recommend some of the best german tutors you’ve come across there? I’m doing self study but I want to improve my communication, which at the moment is quite bad 🙁
Hi Priyanka, so glad you found it helpful. 🙂 Using tutors on iTalki is a great way to get conversation practice. The one I liked and ended up staying with was Asti: https://www.italki.com/teacher/3293833. I recommend using your discounted trial sessions to try several tutors with five-star ratings until you find one whose style works for you.
Hello Ingrid, I’m an English language self-learner and I love Duolingo. On italki I’ve found some American and Canadians for language exchange. One of them recommended me to Clozemaster, that’s like Duolingo a playful tool for learning vocabulary in context, so you learn the grammar quite casually. 🙂
Thanks for the recommendation, Ilka! Clozemaster does look like a fun way to gamify your vocabulary learning.
Unfortunately, on Clozemaster there are only creepy computer voices for exercising the hearing skills, so I decided to turn them off. The voices on Duolingo, on the other hand, are likeable, authentic and of high quality.
That’s good to know, Ilka. I hadn’t experimented with the audio yet. Do you use it just for learning English or also for your German students? Feel free to drop me a line at ingrid at secondhalftravels dot com to chat about it a bit more. 🙂