Every year, I organize my academic cupboard (piles of notes and books from school and college). The pile I’m most proud of is my German one. Three notebooks, filled and wrinkled, two textbooks, and two vocabulary books. I go through each of them, unbored by the fact that many concepts are repeated at least twice.
But that’s the reason I grasped the language so well. At one point, I could have basic conversations with friends. But now, ich bin nicht so gut (guess what I said?).
Anyway, with German, or any language, you need to study and revise grammar topics, expose yourself to the same vocabulary again and again, and re-read passages for years. Repetition is key.
So for this guide, I’ve chosen German courses and platforms that either teach solid grammar foundations that you can independently practice, or ensure you keep practising for months. Either way, they’ll help you become fluent if you keep at it.
- Why Should You Trust This Guide?
- How Did I Pick These Courses?
- The Best German Courses and Resources
- Best Platforms for Exam Prep
- Free Resources
Why Should You Trust This Guide?
At Class Central, we’ve helped over 100 million learners find their next course. We’ve been combing through online education for more than a decade and bringing you over 250,000 courses across platforms under one roof. For this guide, I’ve gone through over 400 German courses and resources.
And I’ve learned the language for five years. Plus, I took German coaching in tenth grade, and scored the most among 12 students. Loose brag, but still. Either way, I’m qualified because I know which grammar topics are tricky and what actually helps sharpen fluency.
I’ve picked these on the basis of:
- Intent: Learn according to your goal — whether it’s for conversations, getting certified from A1 to C2, or for travel.
- Resources: So you create your own pile! Also, to have reference materials to read over and over.
- User reviews: I’ve checked Reddit and other blogs and brought you resources that have (mostly) positive reviews.
- Clear explanations: Having a clear understanding of grammar rules helps with sentence structure.
- Diverse price ranges: You’ll find affordable German courses that require independent learning (from Udemy), you’ll also find platforms with a decent subscription (and more speaking practice), and there are some premium courses (that offer personalized feedback), so you pick based on your goal and budget.
TL;DR
- Best German Courses for Conversations: The Complete German Course (Udemy), The Easy Way to Learn German (Udemy), The Business & Formal German Course (Udemy)
- Best German Courses for Holistic Learning and Speaking Practice: German Learning Path (Babbel), German to Go (German to Go)
- Best German Course for Grammar: German Foundations (German with Laura)
- Best German Courses for Level-Based Learning: German for You A1/A2 (Udemy), Buttertongue’s B1.1 and B1.2 (Udemy)
- Best Platforms for Exam Prep: DeutschAkademie, Smart German, Speakeasy
- Best Free Resources
How Did I Pick These Courses?
If you explore German courses, you’ll see terms like ‘A1’, ‘B1’, ‘C1’, etc in the title or description. Most German courses are organized based on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) levels.
The CEFR is the international standard for measuring language ability, created by the Council of Europe. It’s like a universal scale that shows what you can do with a language at different stages of learning.
These levels also help you check where you are on the German learning scale and where you want to set your goal.
Apart from these, the German language also has certification exams, the main ones being Goethe, Telc, and TestDAF. I haven’t added courses for these for two reasons:
- The official resources — Goethe for Goethe, Telc for Telc prep, and TestDAF for TestDAF are recommended to learn.
- There are other platforms that are strong alternatives to these, which I’ve added after the courses.
The Best German Courses and Resources
| Course | Duration |
| Best for Learning Conversational Phrases (Udemy) | ~90 hours |
| Also Great and Quick for (Travel) Conversations (Udemy) | ~23 hours |
| Best for Intent-Based Learning and Speaking (Babbel) | Varies |
| Best for Grammar (German with Laura) | Varies (Self-Paced) |
| Best for Professional Communication (Udemy) | 4.5 hours |
| Best for A1/A2 Level (Udemy) | 18.5 hours |
| Best for B1.1 & B1.2 Level (Udemy) | 12 hours |
| Best for Community Learning (German to Go) | 24 hours |
| Platforms for Exam Prep | |
| DeutschAkademie | Varies |
| Smart German | Varies |
| Speakeasy | Varies |
| Free Resources | Varies |
Recommended Guides
Best for Learning Conversational Phrases (Udemy)
- Rating: 4.7 ★ (1,223 Ratings)
- Duration: ~90 hours
- Cost: Varies
If you want to start speaking German, whether you’re heading there for a work trip, have colleagues coming in, or simply want to learn common phrases, take The Complete German Course on Udemy.
With 35+ sections and over 90 hours of learning, you get to learn grammar, sentence structures, and general conversational and writing practices. I prefer courses that give you grammatical insights, because genders, articles, and tenses play a huge role in speaking.
The course, which takes you from A1 to B1 levels (without certification), is structured and digestible. It does its best to offer you speaking and pronunciation practice through reviews. But it doesn’t offer feedback. Udemy has a role-play function available, which it can add to such courses, because interactive learning helps grasp a second language faster.
Why Take This Course?
- It covers a range of conversation topics, from general greetings and introductions to talking about your future, the environment, and even music.
- The videos are clear, well-designed, and the instructions are well-paced. Overall, the presentation upgraded the learning experience.
- It covers grammar and vocabulary, and the speaking drills help you practice sentence formation
Drawbacks
It lacks real-time practice. I hope Udemy adds its role-play feature to this course.
Also Great and Quick for (Travel) Conversations (Udemy)
- Rating: 4.5 (125 Ratings)
- Duration: ~23 hours
- Cost: Varies
There’s a regional language that I learned only by watching films and reading the subtitles, while resolving doubts from a friend who spoke the same language.
My point is, self-study can push you to figure out a language, and that’s what German Course 1 | The Easy Way to Learn German offers you. The first time I saw the slides, I thought they’d be difficult to understand. But as I went through more, I could make sense of them. They strengthened my memory, and I believe they helped me grasp concepts better.
If you’re planning to travel to Germany, this course won’t just teach you phrases; it will also give you charts and tables for grammar, and that will help you create sentences. Plus, some sections are repetitive, and that’s good for revisions.
The course offers examples of conversations and includes quizlets with different kinds of quizzes — matching phrases, flashcards, etc., but again, it has no speaking practice.
Why Take This Course?
- Has travel-friendly phrases and strong grammatical foundations to expand your learning.
- The slides can be complex, but as I mentioned, they will push you to connect the dots and build basics.
- Lots of repetition, which will help retain concepts, and the quizzes further help in testing your knowledge.
Drawbacks
I wouldn’t recommend it to absolute beginners or those who don’t consider themselves to be natural language learners. The initial slides might be too complex to understand.
Best for Intent-Based Learning and Speaking (Babbel)
- Duration: Varies
- Cost: Paid (Subscription)
Babbel is one of my favorite language learning apps for three reasons:
- It has a test to determine your existing level of knowledge (based on the CEFR) before starting lessons
- The speakers are native, so you learn the right pronunciation and get conditioned to the accent
- You can download and learn lessons anywhere!
Babbel lets you choose your intent — travel, work, learn the culture, prepare for exams, etc. And then, through a personalized learning path, exercises ,and speaking lessons, it helps you become proficient, especially with vocabulary and pronunciation.
Babbel is intensive; you’ll learn through speaking and listening, and you get access to podcasts, tests, conversations, and more.
Why Take This Course?
- It offers goal-based learning, with detailed, practice-oriented courses.
- It also helps you prepare for CEFR-based certifications, especially with listening and speaking.
- You can refine your pronunciation and get insights into German culture.
Drawbacks
It doesn’t have monthly subscriptions, but has quarterly and half-yearly subscriptions. To really speak a language fluently, you need that time.
Best for Grammar (German with Laura)
- Rating: 5.0 (400 Ratings)
- Duration: Varies (Self-Paced)
- Cost: Paid
German sentences aren’t structured like English sentences. If I have to say I had gone to school, I would have to say ich bin zur Schule gegangen, which literally translates to “I am to school gone”. Grammar is tricky, and it’s the reason my books were filled with the same grammar exercises over and over.
German with Laura is one of your best bets because she breaks down grammar concepts — conjugations, modal verbs, cases, prepositions, etc into clean explanations. By the end, you’ll actually learn how to construct sentences without memorizing them.
While the course has frequent practice exercises, Laura also gives you access to her proprietary learning technique. She focuses on internalizing the information for long-term retention, and learners have mentioned her approach is “memorizable”.
Why Take This Course?
- You’ll learn to express better and construct your own sentences instead of rote learning them.
- It’s backed by visual learning; you’ll find infographics that help you grasp better.
- It’s a self-paced course that has lifetime access.
Drawbacks
It’s purely a grammar course, so to learn extensive vocabulary, cultural references, you can supplement it with another course or language learning app.
Best for Professional Communication (Udemy)
- Rating: 4.5 (427 Ratings)
- Duration: 4.5 hours
- Cost: Paid
Formal communication in German has a different conjugation, which affects the way you use pronouns and verbs. The Business & Formal German course starts with these formal pronouns and professional vocabulary.
The course also teaches you how to write emails, talk on the phone, and give presentations. By the end of the course, you won’t just feel comfortable speaking in an office; you will also be able to converse with other professionals like landlords, repair professionals, doctors, and more.
Along the way, you’ll learn new vocabulary and have exercises and downloadable resources that take you from A2 to B2 level.
Why Take This Course?
- It’s taught by Esther Hartwig, a certified language teacher from Germany, an Educational Scientist, and former examiner with telc and TOEFL.
- It teaches grammar structures, vocabulary, and phrases for the workplace and to speak with other professionals outside work.
- It firms your grip on formal grammar, so you can speak to professionals beyond your workplace, such as doctors, repair professionals, etc.
Drawbacks
Like other Udemy courses, you won’t get speaking practice, so you’ll have to supplement it with a platform like Babbel.
Best for A1/A2 Level (Udemy)
- Rating: 4.7 (2,418 ratings)
- Duration: 18.5 hours
- Cost: Paid
If you prefer to start learning in a structured format, go for German for You A1/A2 by Esther Hartwig. She takes you through beginner and elementary phrases and grammar topics so you understand how to build basic sentences.
This course also equips you with vocabulary, helping you expand your range of the language. It aims to help you express simple thoughts with its CEFR-approved curriculum. It covers the usual — describing things, people, and places, learning verbs, and answering basic questions.
While Udemy lacks speaking practice, the course offers downloadable worksheets, vocabulary sheets, and frequent exercises, including one final test.
If you’re just starting out with German, I’d recommend this course with an app for speaking practice.
Why Take This Course?
- The visuals are aesthetic, impactful, and make learning a positive experience
- The syllabus has a section on the A1 level exam preparation
- Learners have claimed that Esther explains terms very simply.
Drawbacks
Course takers mentioned wanting clarity on some pronunciations.
Best for B1.1 & B1.2 Level (Udemy)
- Rating: 4.8 (112 ratings)
- Duration: 12 hours
- Cost: Paid
If you’ve mastered basic phrases or have passed the A2 level, Buttertongue’s B1 Speak German like a native courses (B1.1 and B1.2) will help you with more complex topics and fluency. This course covers subjunctive mood, relative clauses, passive voice, and more in a clear, well-paced format.
I love that the instructor speaks in German, so you build your native vocabulary and solidify your pronunciation instead of learning theory. The courses include real-life scenarios, from expressing opinions to handling everyday situations like appointments and complaints.
Even these courses come with practice exercises, downloadable materials, and vocabulary lists, so you can stock up on reference material.
Why Take This Course?
- Since it’s in German, you’ll be more familiar with the language
- The structure is simple, and learners have mentioned that the instructions are clear
- The course prepares you for everyday conversations
Drawbacks
It doesn’t have speaking practice.
Best for Community Learning (German to Go)
- Duration: Varies
- Cost: Paid (Subscription)
German to Go is an A1-B2 video course with 900+ lessons. It teaches you like a private tutor would. It also has what Udemy courses miss — the opportunity to practice speaking, thanks to its community Zoom sessions.
Apart from downloadable PDFs and audio files for each lesson, you’ll get vocabulary cards with illustrations and example sentences, and authentic recordings from 24 native speakers. You’ll also get access to stories for reading, writing prompts, and a pronunciation course with mouth gymnastics and tongue twisters.
The exercises are also hands-on. You’ll work on a test at the end of every lesson, and you’ll get homework (premium members also get personalized feedback on it).
You can choose between the Lite (for independent learning) and Premium membership (with monthly 1:1 sessions with the instructor, homework feedback, and Q&A forum access). Both plans include student-organized Zoom sessions for speaking practice and monthly check-in calls.
Why Take This Course?
- Interactive video format mimics one-on-one tutoring
- You can speak to other students and improve your fluency
- You can also prepare for certification exams for A1 and B1.
Drawbacks
Every level takes around six months to complete if you spend 15-20 minutes six days a week. This seems like a huge time commitment, so I’d recommend this to serious learners who want to learn consistently and quickly.
Best Platforms for Exam Prep
Goethe, Telc, and TestDAF are the most popular exams, but Goethe-Zertifikat is the most prestigious and accepted one. While your visa, university, or workplace will specify which exam you need to take, here’s a general overview of the exams.
| Exam | Level | Best for | Key Features | Where is it Accepted? |
| Goethe-Zertifikat | A1-C2 | General purposes, immigration, and employment | Most prestigious, globally recognized, can be taken at any level | Worldwide – universities, employers, visa applications |
| TestDaF | B2-C1 | University admission in Germany | Specifically designed for academic German, all sections in one day | Required by most German universities for international students |
| telc Deutsch | A1-C2 | Immigration, work, general certification | More affordable, practical focus, good for visa requirements | Germany, Austria, Switzerland – especially for visa/immigration |
The most reliable preparation platforms will be the official courses and resources — Goethe courses, Telc prep courses, and TestDAF (doesn’t have official prep courses but has prep material).
Apart from these, here are other alternatives that could be more affordable and self-paced.
DeutschAkademie
Deutsch Akademie has grammar exercises and tools for different exams (Goethe, telc, TestDaF). For telc, especially, it has a crash course and an intensive course in-person and online.
Smart German
This subscription-based platform focuses on A1-C1 exam preparation with structured video lessons and practice tests. The courses cover grammar and exam strategies specifically for Goethe and telc certifications. But it doesn’t offer much speaking practice.
Speakeasy
Speakeasy has an accredited exam center for Telc in Munich. They run multiple courses, including a three-week TELC preparation course (live online). It introduces you to the exam format and offers strategies and tips on how to tackle different types of questions. Plus, they have a mock test at the end of the course.
Free Resources
For Beginners
- The German Project – This website has free German stories and lessons that will strengthen your grammar knowledge. I love how it offers additional information about Germany and its culture.
- Your Daily German – If you learn better through text, this blog-style website has in-depth articles explaining German grammar concepts, vocabulary, and idioms with examples.
- Your German Teacher (YouTube) – Two German teachers run this channel to break down grammar rules and vocabulary. The videos are clear, well-structured, and bilingual.
- Learn German with Anja (YouTube) – If you’re looking for bite-sized lessons on German culture and daily phrases, this channel is for you.
- Bitte auf DEUTSCH (YouTube) – This one dissects grammar rules in detail, and I found the lessons detailed and digestible. And if it counts, Stefanie’s vibe is extremely calm and grounding.
- Your Daily Deutsch (YouTube) – This channel has wonderful, simple stories that help you interpret simple sentences and expand your vocabulary.
For Intermediate Learners
- Easy German (YouTube) – If you have started understanding basic German and want to learn more complex terms or practice comprehension, watch these interviews with German speakers featuring real conversations, subtitles in German and English, plus cultural insights.
- Natürlich German (YouTube) – If you’re at a stage where you don’t need English subtitles or want to push yourself to learn more, this channel has the most diverse German content — from riddles and stories to dialogues.
Learning a second language will take time, and one course or resource isn’t enough. So supplement your primary learning material with a platform or a comprehensive YouTube channel. Oh, and with German, treat your grammar seriously!
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