Free Language Courses: German as the Example Introduction
Walled city Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Ever wanted to thought about learning a language free? Many resources exist for doing just that.
Let's suppose for the moment you want to learn a Germanic language, German is fairly close to English but not as close as say Dutch. Again Germany is the example here, however, there are many other languages that would work similarly.
Learning a language free isn’t impossible, however, it can be tough. Here are some resources to get you started.
Public Library Resources
Check your local public library website as some do offer free foreign language courses through either their own resources or some states have consolidated resources that offer language courses.
Die Goethe Institut “The Goethe Institute”
The Goethe Institut has been offering language courses both in country and in Germany for many years. I attended their 8-week course in 1985 and even then it was extremely forward thinking. No less so their internet language courses.
Here’s a free foreign language course: https://www.goethe.de/prj/dfd/en/home.cfm.
“Deutsch für Dich” or German for You
It is totally free and gives you a taste of German.
Duolingo
Duolingo’s German course is one that I’ve tried and it’s not too bad as language courses go.
Open Culture
Open Culture is a website with many resources broken out by language which might be helpful to some learners. The section that follows was copied directly from Open Culture which is a very comprehensive site.
Again, no judgement is made about the quality of the resources included.
An extensive collection of introductory German lessons put together by Deutsche Welle.
Use the Deutschtrainer to effectively learn basic vocabulary needed for everyday life and to improve your pronunciation. The 100 lessons are bilingual (English-German) and address various situations – from greeting people and going to the doctor, to shopping and finding accommodations. From the German broadcaster Deutsche Welle.
A free online textbook for learning German from the University of Texas. It’s the web-based first-year German program developed and in use at the university.
Created by the University of South Wales, these dialogues will help you to practice and consolidate some of the language skills you are learning, either as part of a language course or as something you need for your work.
Learn German through a mystery adventure. Created by Deutsche Welle.
German for beginners: Paula and Philipp are Radio D reporters who have several mysterious cases to investigate. Join them as their research takes them across Germany — and learn German along the way! Created by Deutsche Welle.
Deutsche Welle provides a nightly news broadcast in German that’s spoken slowly so that you can work on your comprehension.
A lively introduction to German by the BBC. Presented in ten short parts.
30-part self-study course in German. Features authentic videos, slideshows and audio texts that convey a vibrant picture of life in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Created by Deutsche Welle.
A popular free language-learning and crowdsourced text translation platform. As users progress through lessons, they simultaneously help to translate websites and other documents. Check out Duolingo’s iPhone and iPad apps.
The text (PDF) and tapes (MP3) present, in a programmed learning style, the structural features and vocabulary contained in the first six units of the FSI German Basic Course. Serves to accelerate the progress of students who subsequently move to the Basic Course.
Two textbooks (PDF) and 24 audio lessons (MP3).
Textbook (PDF) and ten audio lessons (MP3).
Textbook (PDF) and fourteen audio lessons (MP3).
Offers materials for beginners, intermediate and advanced.
Bookmark our free German lessons section.
Babbel
Personally I didn’t like Babbel but that as a personal preference. I found its language courses – including one in German to be unsatisfying. But that’s a personal impression. You can try out a course. The 12 month subscription is $6.95 per month or $83.40 a year which isn’t a bad bargain.
Learn a Language
This is a bit light but OK to just play and enjoy learning some phrases.
