I started learning German back in 2018. Most of the German I’ve learned has, of course, been through the several courses I’ve attended over these years. Especially for this language, I would always recommend starting your learning journey with a professional who can guide you. German is a very structured language, which is why you can’t skip grammar, and it’s beneficial to have someone guide you throughout the entire learning process. However, when you reach a certain level, especially B2 or C1, it’s always good to complement what you’ve learned in the classroom with other resources.
I’ve decided to make this post to show you 8 resources I’ve used to reach this level in all 4 disciplines: listening, reading, speaking and writing.
Listening
I’ve found podcasts to be extremely useful for getting accustomed to the language. For me, they’re much more effective than watching videos because they allow you to focus solely on what you’re listening to.
There are so many podcasts out there, and it’s always a matter of figuring out what works best for you based on the topics you’re interested in, the length of the podcast, and other factors.
For B1-B2 learners, I suggest 14 Minuten: Deine tägliche Portion Deustch . As the title implies they’re 14-minute long podcasts covering various topics. The hosts speak slowly yet quite naturally. The transcriptions of the podcasts can be downloaded from their website.
For B2-C1 learners, I’d like to recommend Auf Deutsch Gesagt. This format is longer, but the language is spoken at a natural pace, and there is a Sprachanalyse at the end of each episode, where all the difficult terms mentioned in the podcast are explained. I’ve found that particularly useful. A handout with these terms can be downloaded from their website.
Reading
Especially for B2 level, I’d say it’s advisable to start reading the news to find out what’s going on in Germany or the DACH region in general.
The best way to do so is, of course, by reading the newspaper, but sometimes the language used in regular newspapers employs very complex structures, which may not be very friendly to non-native speakers.
For now, I’d say it’s better to read some newspapers written in easy-language. For me, the best resource out there is clearly Nachrichten Leicht. This is by far the best newspaper for B2 learners because it focuses on the most important news and explains them in a simple manner. There is also a glossary at the end of each article so you can understand the terms you might not have understood.
Speaking
I’d say the best way to practice your speaking is by going out into the world.
Unfortunately, if you’re not living in a German-speaking country, it might be hard to find suitable people to talk to. My advice here is to look for Meetup/Conversation groups on Facebook. I’m sure there are plenty of people out there willing to have a nice chat in German with you, sometimes even natives who are interested in learning your language.
If you’re really interested in talking to native speakers but can’t find them in your region, you can always find yourself a tutor on italki. On this platform, you can find professional teachers and non-professional native speakers. The latter usually offer cheaper classes, so I think it’s always worth a try.
Writing
I’ve never been a big fan of how writing is traditionally taught. Usually, students are asked to write essays, and the focus is placed on structuring thoughts rather than on the language itself.
Also, some of the situations that you are presented with seem to be a bit meaningless. Moreover, organizing all of your ideas for your writing can be really time-consuming.
I think the most effective way to practice your writing is by texting. Texting is the activity where most of us devote our writing skills in our native languages, and that’s why we should practice it more when we’re learning foreign languages.
After all, we’re far more likely to use German on a daily basis by chatting with a friend than by writing a fake complaint letter or an essay. Texting also forces you to draft a quick response because the other person is usually expecting a quick answer from you and there is no time to be wasted on organizing your thoughts.
There a few apps that I would like to recommend to improve your writing skills in a useful way.
The first one is Tandem. This app has proven to be the most effective way to practice my writing. This app finds the perfect match for a conversation partner, so in this case, they will match you with a native German speaker who is interested in learning your native language. The conversation flows quite naturally, and you can receive instant corrections from them while also correcting any mistakes they might be making in your native language. It’s a win-win for both parties!
The second one is HelloTalk. This app works quite similarly to Tandem. It’s been a while since I last used it, but Tandem worked better for me. It was easier and quicker to find matches for the languages I wanted to learn than in HelloTalk, but it might be handy to have both installed and see which one works best for you.
Bonus Resource
HiNative. I wasn’t sure where to include this resource because it serves various purposes. Essentially, it functions as a platform where you can pose questions of any sort about the language you’re learning, and a community of native speakers will provide answers.
In return, you can assist other learners by answering questions about your native language. I’ve used it several times to obtain answers I couldn’t find anywhere else or that my teachers were unable to solve. It’s especially useful if you want to learn the meaning of some Umgangsprache, which in some cases is not documented anywhere.
Combine all of these resources for an optimal learning experience
So that’s all for now! I wish you all happy learning, and I hope you find these resources as useful as I did.
I’m sure that if you combine all of them, you’ll have great results in the end and will reach a proficient level of German quite soon. In the meantime, I’ll also keep on learning and keep you posted on all the new resources I find.
Viel Erfolg beim Lernen!
