Photo: Wilfredor, CC0
German for Beginners: Your First Hour
A friendly, live first hour of German for complete beginners. You will learn the sounds that make German sound German, then greet people, introduce yourself, count to ten and order at a café, and try it all out in a short role-play with other students. No experience needed, and your camera is optional.
After this hour you can
- Say hello and goodbye politely, at any time of day
- Introduce yourself and ask someone their name
- Say where you are from and where you live
- Count from 1 to 10 and understand simple prices
- Order a coffee and cake, ask how much it is and pay
- Ask people to slow down or repeat when you get lost
- 0′–5′
Welcome
Know how the class works and what German sounds like.
- 5′–12′
German sounds
Say the two "ch" sounds, ü and ö, and know how w, z, ei/ie and sp/st are read.
ich
say ikh (soft hiss)
I
acht
say ahkht (throaty)
eight
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 12′–19′
Greetings and goodbyes
Greet someone politely, ask how they are and say goodbye.
Hallo!
say HAH-loh
Hello / Hi
Guten Morgen!
say GOO-ten MOR-gen
Good morning
+ 8 more on your phrase sheet
- 19′–27′
Introducing yourself
Say your name, where you are from and where you live, and ask the other person.
Ich heiße …
say ikh HAI-seh …
My name is …
Wie heißen Sie?
say vee HAI-sen zee
What is your name? (polite)
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 27′–33′
Numbers 1 to 10
Count from 1 to 10 and understand a simple price.
eins
say ines (like "nines" without the n)
one
zwei
say tsvai
two
+ 8 more on your phrase sheet
- 33′–41′
At the café
Order a drink and cake, ask the price and pay.
Einen Kaffee, bitte.
say AI-nen KAH-fay, BIT-teh
A coffee, please.
Ich hätte gern …
say ikh HET-teh gern …
I'd like …
+ 7 more on your phrase sheet
- 41′–47′
Survival phrases
Say sorry, say you do not understand and ask people to slow down or repeat.
Entschuldigung!
say ent-SHOOL-dee-goong
Excuse me! / Sorry!
Es tut mir leid.
say es TOOT meer LITE
I'm sorry.
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 47′–57′
Practice: at the café
Meet someone new and order at a café, using only German.
- 57′–60′
Recap and this week
Remember the key phrases and know what to practise this week.
German is a close relative of English, so many everyday words are similar (Haus/house, Wasser/water, gut/good). Spelling is quite regular once you know a few rules, and words are said the way they are written. It has some sounds English lacks, like the "ch" in "ich" and the vowels ü and ö, and all nouns are written with a capital letter.
- Zoom on a computer, tablet or phone
- A microphone; headphones with a mic are best
- Somewhere you are happy to speak out loud
- Pen and paper, if you like. No German needed.
Do I need to know any of the language already?
No. Every class is for complete beginners. We start from hello, and everything is explained in English. If you already know a little, it will be a good warm-up, but it will feel easy.
What happens in the hour?
A short welcome, then the sounds (or, for Japanese and Korean, a first look at the writing), greetings, introducing yourself, numbers to ten, ordering at a café and the phrases that get you out of trouble. Then you practise in small breakout rooms and we finish with a recap. Each class page shows the hour minute by minute.
Will I have to speak?
Yes, that is the point, but gently. Most of the time the whole class repeats together with microphones on, so nobody is singled out. Near the end you practise in breakout rooms of 2 or 3. Your camera is up to you.
How big are the classes?
At most 12 people, so everyone gets to speak and ask questions.
How much is a class?
One class is one payment, and you see the price before you pay. Nothing renews and there is no subscription.
Can I cancel or move my class?
Yes. Write to support@bunevents.com at least 24 hours before the start and we will refund you in full or move you to another time, whichever you prefer.
