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Foreign Languages · German

German Foundations: From the Training Hall to Daily Life

Beginner German: writing and speaking

Level
Beginner
Estimated study
About 16 hours
Lessons
24 lessons in 4 modules
Format
Online, self-paced
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About this course

Learn beginner German through the alphabet, umlauts, spelling, listening and conversation. Four modules alternate writing and speaking lessons: print-letter tracing, independent and paper handwriting, complete sentences, polite requests and speech recordings. Begin with useful training-hall language, then communicate in daily life using standard German from Germany.

Course outline

Module 1: Vowels, consonants and greetings

6 lessons · 4 h

Learn the first letters while you greet an instructor, follow training cues and count.

  1. Five vowels and a clear print model40 min
  2. First greetings in the training hall40 min
  3. M, N, L and R: build useful words40 min
  4. Understand an instructor's training cues40 min
  5. B, D, G, P and T: keep spelling through sound changes40 min
  6. Count repetitions and identify right and left40 min

Module 2: The full alphabet, help and introductions

6 lessons · 4 h

Finish the alphabet, ask for help or a break, and introduce yourself.

  1. C, F, H, K and S: labels in the training hall40 min
  2. Help, pain, rest and clearer explanations40 min
  3. Complete the basic alphabet: J, Q, V, W, X, Y and Z40 min
  4. Introduce yourself in complete sentences40 min
  5. Umlauts and ß: marks that belong to the word40 min
  6. Du, Sie and meeting a new person40 min

Module 3: Umlauts, sound groups and address

6 lessons · 4 h

Write ä, ö, ü and ß, read ei, ie and sch, and choose du or Sie.

  1. Ei, ie, eu and au: spelling sound pairs40 min
  2. How you feel and where you are40 min
  3. Ch, sch, sp and st: listen to the whole word40 min
  4. Polite requests for water and food40 min
  5. Noun capitals, articles and plural forms40 min
  6. Time, class schedules and tomorrow40 min

Module 4: Nouns, cases and daily life

6 lessons · 4 h

Capitalize nouns, use der, den and dem, and handle food, time, directions, prices and plans.

  1. Complete sentences: the finite verb in second position40 min
  2. Directions and finding everyday places40 min
  3. Cases: subject, object, recipient and possession40 min
  4. Prices, daily habits and negation40 min
  5. Independent paper writing: a daily exchange40 min
  6. A social exchange and a future plan40 min
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