Online German course · A1 to B1
German for your life in Germany, and your B1 examAn online German course from A1 to B1, one real situation at a time
For people making a life here: the Bürgeramt, the doctor, your landlord, your job and your child’s school, and the B1 certificate that a settlement permit, citizenship and many jobs ask for. 81 stops take you from your first Hallo to holding your own, with practice for every part of telc Deutsch B1.
- 81 stops from zero to B1, every one written and recorded
- 81 conversations with the people of the story: you answer out loud, then hear yourself in it
- Speaking and writing with ready sentences and model answers
- Practice for every part of Start Deutsch 1, telc and Goethe A2, and telc Deutsch B1
Works in your browser on your phone, tablet and computer. Nothing to install.
All future updates to this course are included at no extra cost.
Try it before you join · A1 greetings
One greeting. Hear it, choose it, say it.
A one-minute sample with words and audio from the first stop. No account needed.
- 1Hear it
- 2Choose it
- 3Say it
It’s morning. You meet your neighbour.
Guten Morgen!
Good morning!
Who it’s for
You live in Germany, or you’re about to move here. You need German for the Bürgeramt, the doctor, your landlord, your job and the talk with your child’s teacher, and sooner or later a B1 certificate: for a settlement permit, for citizenship or for work. The course is built around exactly that, from your first word.
Your life here, and the stop for it
A residence permit
- A2Die AusländerbehördeResidence permits and the appointment that matters
Citizenship
- B1Staat, Recht, EinbürgerungHow Germany is run and how to join
A job
- B1Stellen suchenFinding and applying for a job
- B1Das VorstellungsgesprächThe job interview
Your child’s school
- A2Kita und SchuleChildren, daycare and talking to teachers
The Bürgeramt
- A1Ämter und GeldBürgeramt and bank at your level
- A2Das BürgeramtRegistration and official papers
The doctor
- A1Beim Arzt und im NotfallBody, doctor and emergency
- A2Beim HausarztGoing to the doctor properly
As the law stood in November 2026, German citizenship asks for German at B1 (§ 10 StAG), and so does a settlement permit (§ 9 AufenthG), each with exceptions. The office decides which certificate it accepts, so ask before you book an exam. Our practice exams aren’t a certificate, and nobody can promise you a result.
Learning for any other reason? You’re just as welcome. Start from zero or from where you are: a few questions suggest a starting point, and every stop is open whatever you choose.
It’s a course you work through on your own. There’s no teacher, and nobody marks your work: you compare it with model answers and check yourself. If you’d like a person to correct you, add a teacher or a conversation partner alongside it.
The story
Follow Priya and Sam from their first week in Hannover to B1
The same people come back in every level, so the course reads like a story you’re part of: you hear them in the scenes, and you talk with them in the conversations.
Priya Nair
A software tester from Bengaluru. She moves to Hannover in the first stop, and her German grows with yours.
„Guten Morgen! Entschuldigen Sie, sind Sie Frau Keller?“
Good morning! Excuse me, are you Ms Keller? Sam Okafor
A nurse from Lagos, by way of London, working to get his qualification recognised here.
„Ich komme aus Nigeria, aus Lagos. Wo wohnst du?“
I’m from Nigeria, from Lagos. Where do you live? Lena Hoffmann
Priya and Sam’s teacher at the Volkshochschule in the story, and Mila’s mum.
„Nicht scharf? In Deutschland ist das sehr scharf!“
Not spicy? In Germany that is very spicy! Jonas Becker
Priya’s colleague: informal, funny, and on du from day one.
„Hallo! Ich bin Jonas. Und wie heißt du?“
Hi! I’m Jonas. And what’s your name? Frau Keller
The landlady and neighbour: warm, formal, and precise about the rules.
„Ah, Frau Nair! Herzlich willkommen in Hannover!“
Ah, Ms Nair! Welcome to Hannover! Herr Yilmaz
Runs the bakery in Linden. He grew up here, and German is his first language.
„Guten Morgen! Was darf's sein?“
Good morning! What can I get you?
Along the way Sam’s nursing qualification is recognised, Priya changes jobs, and the last stop is the week of her B1 exam. How it goes, the story leaves to you.
Everything from zero to B1, in one place
Counted from the course itself.
- stops
- 81stops26 at A1, 25 at A2 and 30 at B1
- short lessons
- 1,813short lessonsmost of them 5 to 15 minutes
- conversations
- 81conversationsone in every stop, with someone from the story
- words
- 3,745words3,274 of them on the Goethe word lists for A1, A2 and B1
- grammar topics
- 66grammar topicsin plain English, with practice
- writing tasks
- 124writing taskseach with model answers at three levels
- practice exams
- 9practice examsfor Start Deutsch 1, A2 and telc B1
- guide pages
- 72guide pagessounds, grammar, words, writing, speaking, exams
Real screens from the course
How a stop works
Each stop has 17 to 32 short lessons, in an order that builds on itself.
1Hear it
Each stop opens with a scene from life in Germany, and the same people come back from A1 to B1. You listen for the gist first, then for the detail.
2Learn it
Its words and the grammar it needs, a few at a time, with articles, plurals and example sentences.
3Say it
Out loud, then from memory. You hear your recording next to the voice, and it stays on your device.
4Keep it. Then you write it, and review brings words back over time, using your answers to schedule the next practice. 15 checkpoints and a test at the end of each level let you check yourself along the way.
Speaking and writing, with the sentences ready
You never start from a blank page. Every stop gives you the sentences to use, models to follow and a checklist to check yourself against.
Speaking
- A conversation in every stop, 81 in all: talk with Jonas about your photos, with Frau Keller about the rubbish rules, or with the clerk at the Bürgeramt. Their line plays, you answer out loud, and at the end you can hear the whole conversation back with your own voice in it.
- Nothing grades or corrects you: after each answer you see a model to compare with.
- Listen and repeat, say it from memory, then a short talk to record and set next to the model, with a checklist to hear what to work on. Nothing you record is uploaded.
- For the exam: 68 ready phrases in 10 groups, from giving your opinion to summing up, and model answers for 12 discussion topics and 12 planning tasks.
Writing
- 124 writing tasks across the stops, from a text message to formal emails, forum posts and a cover letter.
- Each with sentences ready to use, and model answers at three levels, so you can see what basic, good and strong look like.
- For the exam: 20 telc B1 writing tasks with model emails, sample emails graded on telc’s published scale as we read it, and a checklist to mark your own.
- Guides for the email: a template, 30 useful sentences, the connectors and 10 complete emails.
A few of the ready phrases for the speaking exam
- Ich finde, dass …I think that …Giving your opinion
- In meinem Text geht es um …My text is about …Reporting on your text
- Da hast du recht.You're right.Agreeing
- Das sehe ich ein bisschen anders.I see that a bit differently.Disagreeing politely
- Ich schlage vor, dass wir …I suggest that we …Making suggestions
- Gute Idee!Good idea!Reacting to a proposal
Exam practice
Practise every part of your exam
If you’re learning for an exam, every part of it is here, written by us in the exam’s own format. Practise a part with no clock, with every word’s meaning a tap away and the reasons for each answer, or sit it timed, in the real order, with nothing to look up.
Start Deutsch 1
Goethe-Zertifikat A1 and telc Start Deutsch 1
- Hören
- Lesen
- Schreiben
- Sprechen
3 practice sets with an explanation for every answer, a speaking trainer for all three speaking parts, and a guide to the format, the marking and the day itself.
telc Deutsch A2 and Goethe‑Zertifikat A2
Two exams with their own tasks and marks
- Hören
- Lesen
- Schreiben
- Sprechen
One practice set in each format, with an explanation for every answer, and a guide for each exam.
telc Deutsch B1
Also called Zertifikat Deutsch
- Lesen
- Sprachbausteine
- Hören
- Schreiben
- Sprechen
4 practice exams of the whole written paper in the real order and time, every part on its own as well, 4 oral rehearsals, harder reading at the real exam’s level of unknown words, and a guide to every part with a plan for the last weeks.
Why we don’t promise a pass
No honest course can promise you a pass, and we won’t. On the day it comes down to your practice, your nerves and the examiners who mark your writing and speaking. What we can promise is what’s in here: every part of these exams, the sentences to use in them, and the practice to make them yours.
Beyond German is independent and isn’t connected to telc or the Goethe-Institut. Our practice exams aren’t official tests.
From zero to B1
Three levels of real situations, then the exam. Take them in order, or open any stop: nothing is locked.
- A1
Get by
26 stops · about 130 to 200 hours
Greet people, shop, fill in a form, see a doctor, find your way.
- A2
Talk about your life
25 stops · about 110 to 170 hours
Talk about your week, your work and your life, and get through the Bürgeramt and the bank.
- B1
Hold your own
30 stops · about 125 to 195 hours
Write formal emails, apply for jobs, read contracts and hold a discussion.
The exam
Practice for Start Deutsch 1, telc and Goethe A2, and telc Deutsch B1, whenever you’re ready.
The hours are our own estimate of lessons, tests and review: about 420 to 655 hours in all, with the practice exams. Your pace is your own.
What’s here today
Every stop is written and recorded, from your first word to B1, and so are the practice exams. This comes from the same list of recordings the course plays.
- A1
Get by
Finished: all 26 stops and the level test, written and recorded.
- A2
Talk about your life
Finished: all 25 stops and the level test, written and recorded.
- B1
Hold your own
Finished: all 30 stops and the level test, written and recorded.
Start Deutsch 1
3 practice sets, a speaking trainer and a guide.
telc Deutsch A2 and Goethe-Zertifikat A2
One practice set in each format, and a guide for each.
telc Deutsch B1
4 practice exams, 4 oral rehearsals and writing tasks, with the listening and the rehearsal voices recorded.
Self-study, plainly
So you know exactly what you’re buying.
What you get
- Learning material you work through on your own, in any order, at your own pace.
- Model answers, ready sentences and checklists to practise speaking and writing with.
- Self-checks: 15 checkpoints and a test at the end of each level. You see your score at the end, the way a practice book’s answer key shows it, and nothing is locked behind it.
- Help by email with the app, your account and payments.
What it isn’t
- A class: there’s no teacher, no tutor and no live lessons.
- Marking: nobody corrects your writing or listens to your speaking. Your results are for you, and we don’t check, grade or comment on them.
- Answers to questions about German: our email help covers the app, your account and payments only.
- A certificate: the course doesn’t award one, and nobody can promise you’ll pass an exam.
Speaking with people helps. The course’s guide “Talk to real people” shows where to find them, starting with a Sprachcafé at your library.
Questions
Who is it for?
People who live in Germany or are moving here, and need German for daily life and, sooner or later, a B1 certificate for a settlement permit, citizenship or work. Anyone else learning German is just as welcome. You can start from zero, and if you already know some German, a few questions suggest where to start.
Is the course enough for a permit or for citizenship?
No course is. The office decides, usually from the certificate of an exam you sit at a test centre, and it decides which certificates it accepts, so ask before you book. The course teaches German up to B1 and lets you practise every part of the telc Deutsch B1 format at home.
Does it really cover everything up to B1?
It covers all three levels and all four skills: 81 stops, 66 grammar topics, 3,745 words, listening scenes, reading, speaking and writing, plus practice for every part of Start Deutsch 1, the A2 exams and telc Deutsch B1. What it can’t give you is a person to talk to, so we suggest finding one alongside it.
How long does it take?
Our own estimate is about 130 to 200 hours for A1, 110 to 170 hours for A2 and 125 to 195 hours for B1, with lessons, tests and review. Your pace is your own. The course can make a plan from the minutes you have each week.
Is all of it finished?
Yes. Every stop is written and recorded, from A1 to B1, and so are the practice exams. The section “What’s here today” above reads the same list of recordings the course plays.
Is there a teacher? Can I ask questions?
No. It’s a self-study course: there’s no teacher, and nobody marks your work. Every test is a self-check, and your results are for you. We don’t answer questions about German by email, but we’re glad to help with the app, your account or a payment.
Will it get me through an exam?
Nobody can honestly promise that, and we don’t. The course teaches the language up to B1, and the practice exams let you try every part of the format at home. How exam day goes depends on your practice and on the examiners on the day, and speaking with real people helps a lot.
Which exams does it cover?
Start Deutsch 1 (A1), telc Deutsch A2 and the Goethe-Zertifikat A2, and telc Deutsch B1. For the DTZ (Deutsch-Test für Zuwanderer) or Goethe’s B1, the course teaches the language, but it has no practice exams in their formats. Beyond German is independent and isn’t connected to telc or the Goethe-Institut, and our practice exams aren’t official tests.
How do the conversations work?
Every stop has one, with someone from the story. Their line plays, you answer out loud, and you see a model answer to compare with. At the end you can hear the whole conversation back with your own voice in it. Nothing grades your answer, and your recordings stay on your device.
Are the voices real people?
No, they’re AI voices: one for each person in the scenes, and one that reads the words and examples.
What do I need?
A current browser on your phone, tablet or computer, an internet connection and sound. A microphone helps with speaking, but you can say the lines without one. If you’re signed in when you pay, the course opens in that account. If not, the link in your order email opens it in the account you choose, or you sign in with the address you paid with, through Google or once you’ve confirmed it.
I bought the A1 Word Kit. Do I pay twice?
No. If you bought the A1 Word Kit for yourself, you pay the difference: sign in with the email address you bought it with, and what you paid for the kit comes off the price. The box at the top shows it before you pay, and the kit stays yours. Kits bought or received as a gift don’t count.
Can I get my money back?
Your access starts right after you pay, and your 14-day right of withdrawal ends once it does: you agree to this with the box you tick before paying, and we confirm it in your order email. If something doesn’t work, or the course isn’t what this page describes, write to us and we’ll put it right.
Are future course updates included?
All future updates to this course are included at no extra cost. Improvements, corrections and new material released as part of this course are added to your access automatically. You do not need to buy the course again.
How long can I use it?
For as long as you like: there’s no time limit. It’s one payment, not a subscription.
Start with your first word
Hallo is the first one. The rest follows, one stop at a time.
