{"id":208068,"date":"2019-02-19T14:41:48","date_gmt":"2019-02-19T13:41:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/berlinstartupjobs.com\/?page_id=208068"},"modified":"2022-04-26T09:38:58","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T07:38:58","slug":"learn-german-course-school-berlin","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/berlinstartupjobs.com\/de\/moving-to-berlin\/learn-german-course-school-berlin\/","title":{"rendered":"Become a real Berliner(in) \u2013 Learn German"},"content":{"rendered":"

No matter how many people tell you how international Berlin is, how everyone speaks English and that you can easily get by without German, the fact of the matter is that Berlin is the capital of Germany and therefore German is the language of life here.<\/p>\n

Yes, there is most definitely an English speaking culture here. A whole lot of Berliners, and Germans that live here, do indeed speak English and can be eager to practice and show off their skills. There are whole companies that operate in English, and plenty of hip coffee shops and restaurants that will have no qualms with you ordering everything in English.<\/p>\n

So while you can get away with it, it\u2019s important to remember that the English speaking culture is not German, nor in fact Berlin culture. \u201cZwei Bier\/Kaffee\/Falafel, bitte<\/em>\u201d might suffice in order to get you through the weekends, but if that\u2019s as far as your German goes you will forever be an outsider.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s not just little things that you\u2019re prevented from, like being able to ask where they stock currywurst sauce in Lidl, or having a decent conversation with the matron-esque barmaid at your local Kneipe<\/em>. As you most certainly know by now, the German bureaucracy is complex, even for German speakers, and while you may never get to the level where you understand every single one of those longwinded words on the never-ending forms necessary to live life here, having a good enough grip on the language to ask for help makes a huge difference.<\/p>\n

What it comes down to is how much you want to invest yourself into the city. If you\u2019re coming for a year or so you might be able to get by on what you pick up, but if you want to start a life here, take it (relatively) seriously and make the very most of it, then you\u2019re going to have to learn the language.<\/p>\n

And hey, it\u2019s not all doom and gloom. Firstly, learning another language is awesome and impressive, you can\u2019t deny that. Secondly, where better to learn German than in Berlin. Thirdly, it will only bring good things, opening up sides of the city that would otherwise remain closed to you. Win-win!<\/p>\n

Learning Structure<\/h3>\n

There are different ways to learn the language, from formal classes to casual conversation, but if you want to follow your progress closely, or you need to reach certain levels for visa requirements, there is an official learning structure. Defined by the Council of Europe, the Common European Framework of Reference for Language defines the competency levels which can be attained, starting at A1 and progressing to C2.
\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\n\t\n\t
Beginner<\/th>Elemenatary<\/th>Intermediate<\/th>Upper Intermediate<\/th>Advanced<\/th>Fluent<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
A1<\/td>A2<\/td>B1<\/td>B2<\/td>C1<\/td>C2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
A1.1 \/ A1.2<\/td>A2.1 \/ A2.2<\/td>B1.1 \/ B1.2<\/td>B2.1 \/ B2.2<\/td>C1.1 \/ C1.2<\/td>C2.1 \/ C2.2<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/p>\n

Ways to Learn German<\/h2>\n

German Language Schools in Berlin<\/h3>\n

Signing up for language classes is a good idea. A great idea in fact. The classes will provide you with a solid foundation knowledge of the fundamentals of the German language. Having someone standing in front of you explaining at a beginners pace, and being able to ask questions (you\u2019ll probably need to!) is a really good way to get started. Plus they can be a great way to make shiny new friends that you can enjoy\/bemoan\/struggle through language learning with.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of German schools in Berlin; all offering various styles of learning, types and times of courses, prices, settings and other quirky things that might make them stand out.<\/p>\n

Generally speaking, the types of courses available are something like this:<\/p>\n