6 Best Free Online German Course: learn German from A1 to C2 + 1 Secret Tip
Learning the German language can open up new opportunities for work, travel, and connecting with native speakers. If you want to learn German online for free, you’re in luck! There are many excellent resources available to help you develop language skills from beginner (A1) to advanced (C1) levels. One of these resources is the Spring German YouTube channel – a project I co-founded. Take a look at this introductory video and watch all beginner videos from the playlist:
In this article, we’ll explore 6 of the best free online German courses, including Deutschakademie Trainer, and Goethe Institut. You’ll find interactive lessons, grammar exercises, vocabulary builders, and more to practise your German comprehension and speaking abilities.
But that’s not all – we also have a secret tip for you: stay until the end to find out!
1. Deutschakademie Trainer: Learn German for free from home
Levels offered: A1 to C1
How many free exercises: over 25.000
Is there a paid option: Yes, from €60 with private lessons
Deutsch Akademie Trainer is a free online platform offering comprehensive German courses for all proficiency levels.
It’s made by seasoned language instructors. The curriculum covers grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Of course, all of this through interactive exercises, audio recordings, and quizzes.
You can access the courses anytime, anywhere, from the comfort of your home – so this makes it a perfect solution even for the busiest schedules. Deutschakademie Trainer gives feedback and provides progress tracking, so you can monitor your level and focus on areas that need improvement.
How is it free?
Advertisements and sponsorships allow Deutsch Akademie Trainer to provide quality language education for free, so anyone can learn German regardless of financial constraints. And of course, they also have paid courses you should check out!
2. deutsch.info: German courses online provided by the European Union
Levels offered: A1 to B2
How many free exercises: 36 lessons with numerous sub-lessons
Is there a paid option: No. Completely free, funded by the European Union.
Deutsch.info is another free online platform offering German courses for students from beginner to advanced levels.
It is tailored for learners from A1 to B2 levels. It has a structured curriculum covering grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through interactive lessons, exercises, and quizzes.
Deutsch.info has resources like audio recordings and visual aids. The courses aim to enhance comprehension and retention. You can access the self-paced courses any time, allowing you flexibility in scheduling study time
The platform also has ‘background information’ about Germany and Austria – so, it’s not just about language learning but also about the German culture.
3. Deutsche Welle: Free online German from A1 to C1
Levels offered: A1 to C1
How many free exercises: 18 free lessons + 4 for teachers
Is there a paid option: No, it’s completely free
Deutsche Welle‘s mobile courses provide an accessible and free introduction for learning German. The big German media house has innovative multimedia resources like news updates, music, and other engaging content, so you learn through real-life conversations and content. You can truly immerse yourself in German from A1 to C1 proficiency levels.
Deutsche Welle also offers teaching materials and insights into German language pedagogy: it’s not just for students but also for teachers! We also mentioned DW as one of the best websites to learn German, and again, Nicos Weg on YouTube is definitely something you need to check out!
4. The German Project: Beginner German lessons
Levels offered: A1 to A2
How many free exercises: 15 lessons + 5 Children’s Stories
Is there a paid option: No, completely free
The German Project is an online platform dedicated to providing completely free German courses worldwide. This project is aimed more at German beginners: it has 15 basic lessons covering everything from introductions, German greetings alternatives, German numbers, a little bit of grammar up until German slang phrases and German sentences.
What’s even better is that the platform also has 5 German children’s stories, so once you understand even the tiniest level of German, you can read those short essays and practice your reading skills! The course’s minimalistic design offers a user-friendly interface so you can focus on language learning.
Oh, and since we’re here: we also have an article on easy German books that can help you achieve proficiency faster.
5. Goethe Institut: The all-in-one for free online German courses
Levels offered: A1 to C2
How many free exercises: the sky is the limit!
Is there a paid option: Yes, from €129 with structured courses
The Goethe-Institut offers top-quality German language instruction through a diverse range of free resources. It’s an all-round official platform to different learning styles and proficiency levels.
From their learning apps packed with materials to engaging videos, podcasts, and interactive games, the Goethe Institut provides a variety of media for you.
Their social media platforms and community programs make connections with fellow German enthusiasts possible, so it’s also good for collaborative learning.
The Goethe Institut demonstrates its commitment to promoting German language education in Europe and globally. The institute is your choice, whether you want to travel to German-speaking regions, work in Germany or Austria, plan to learn there or if you’re just learning for fun!
6. deutsch-lernen.com: Learn German online for free with a focus on German grammar
Levels offered: A1 to C1
How many free exercises: 46 lessons with sub-lessons
Is there a paid option: Yes, live courses in German-speaking countries
Deutsch-lernen.com is another platform offering free German courses. It’s for learners of proficiency levels from A1 to C1.
The website has resources for grammar, vocabulary, reading, and listening comprehension. It all starts with Deutsch mit Sisi, a 12-lesson course with a focus on grammar. Deutsch-lernen.com is part of the Actilingua Academy, so once you finish with the free materials, you can move on to the paid once.
+1 GermanPod101 with Conversation Based Chunking: Practise German for intermediate and advanced learners
Levels offered: A1 to C1
How many free exercises: 50+ lesson for free + 7-Day Premium Trial
Is there a paid option: Yes, various
GermanPod101 is a popular online platform offering German language lessons with some free lessons and paid subscription options for additional content and features. One unique aspect of GermanPod101 is that it can be used together with the Conversation Based Chunking method. This is a method that breaks down conversations into manageable chunks: chunks are natural building blocks of the language. It’s what native speakers use in real-life dialogues.
This approach allows you to practice real-life conversations systematically, thus making comprehension and speaking skills better.
Besides that, GermanPod101 is full of resources: audio and video lessons, interactive quizzes, vocabulary lists, and cultural insights. If you sign up now for GermanPod101, you’ll get a special discount in learning German.
