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German for life in Germany: 416 situations with a pronunciation guide

German for life in Germany is not a grammar course. It is about the conversations waiting for you after the move: Anmeldung at the registration office, the Ausländerbehörde, the Jobcenter, the Krankenkasse, the doctor's practice, Kita and school, your landlord. Germans speak clearly, but long compound words and complex sentences are hard to catch by ear, so every phrase comes with a pronunciation guide that shows the real sound.

With officials and strangers people say Sie, and the course teaches exactly that polite register. It is split into 16 categories, from the doctor and paperwork to cafés, the Packstation and neighbours. Every situation has a tip on how things are done in Germany and the phrases you will say and hear in reply. On the website the first dialogue of the course, all emergency situations, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” section are open; the whole course, 416 situations, is in the app.

416 situations16 categories21 open to everyoneAudio and a pronunciation guide

Where to start

The order in which situations usually come up after a move. You can open the categories in any order.

1
First week

Papers and connection

Nothing starts without these: documents, bank, public services. It is best to know the emergency number in advance.

3
When you have a family

Health, nursery, school

Where a wrong word costs the most.

16 categories, named after what hurts

Each is named after a situation you recognise from daily life. Under each name are the words from the signs you will see on the spot.

Doctor and pharmacy: explaining what hurts
HausarztApothekeNotaufnahme116 117
40 situations✓ 1 open
Registration, immigration office, job centre without stress
AnmeldungAusländerbehördeJobcenterKrankenkasse
35 situations In the app
What they ask at the till and at the market
SupermarktKassePfandWochenmarkt
30 situations In the app
Nursery: drop-off, pick-up, child ill
KitaErzieherinEingewöhnungElternabend
37 situations In the app
School: the teacher says something about your child
SchuleKlassenlehrerZeugnisHort
30 situations In the app
Landlord, contract and repairs
MietvertragKautionNebenkostenHausmeister
30 situations In the app
Coffee, a roll and "to take away or eat here?"
BäckereiCafézum MitnehmenTrinkgeld
25 situations In the app
The courier calls and you don't understand
DHLPackstationAbholscheinNachbar
25 situations In the app
Neighbours: small talk without the panic
HausflurHausordnungRuhezeitMülltrennung
25 situations In the app
Petrol station, garage, vehicle inspection, tow truck
TankstelleWerkstattTÜVADAC
25 situations In the app
Underground, commuter train, train, travel pass
DeutschlandticketS-BahnBahnhofGleis
25 situations In the app
Printing, keys, repairs, hairdresser
CopyshopFriseurSchlüsseldienstReinigung
24 situations In the app
Job interview and colleagues
BewerbungVorstellungsgesprächArbeitsvertragKrankmeldung
20 situations In the app
Police, 112, lost documents
112110PolizeiFundbüro
20 situations✓ Fully open
Bank and post
GirokontoÜberweisungKartePost
15 situations In the app
University
ImmatrikulationStudierendenwerkMensaBibliothek
10 situations In the app

Most popular situations

Each has its own page: a tip on how things are done there and the first phrase with audio.

Offices and places

What the place is, what to say there and what to bring.

“Basics”: numbers, dates, time, money

Open to everyone on the website: the things that are hardest to catch by ear, with a pronunciation guide and audio.

Can't understand what they're saying?

21 rescue phrases are open to everyone and work full screen: “Slower, please”, “Can you write it down?”

Show to the other person →

All 416 situations of the course are in the app

Full audio, slow speed, tap-a-word help and review at just the right moment. 7 days free, cancel any time.

Open in the App Store