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Why learn German?
German is spoken by around 130 million people and is the most widely spoken native language in the European Union. It shares Germanic roots with English, so many everyday words feel familiar, and its consistent spelling means words are pronounced as they are written.
German is written in the Latin script. In the US Foreign Service Institute ranking, German is a Category II language - about 900 class hours to professional working proficiency for English speakers. German belongs to the Indo-European (Germanic) family - if you enjoy it, a natural next step is Dutch, Swedish or English.
The 50 most common German words
Start with the words you will actually meet: learn these and you will recognize something in almost every German sentence.
| # | Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | der | dair | the (definite article) |
| 2 | und | oont | and |
| 3 | sein | zine | be |
| 4 | in | in | in |
| 5 | ein | ine | one |
| 6 | zu | tsoo | to |
| 7 | haben | HAH-ben | have |
| 8 | ich | ikh | I |
| 9 | werden | VAIR-den | become |
| 10 | sie | zee | they |
| 11 | von | fon | from |
| 12 | nicht | nikht | not (negation) |
| 13 | mit | mit | with |
| 14 | es | es | it |
| 15 | sich | zikh | self |
| 16 | auch | owkh | too |
| 17 | auf | owf | on |
| 18 | für | fewr | for |
| 19 | an | ahn | on |
| 20 | er | air | he |
| 21 | so | zoh | so |
| 22 | dass | dahs | that (conjunction) |
| 23 | können | KURN-en | can |
| 24 | dies | dees | this |
| 25 | als | ahls | than |
| 26 | ihr | eer | their |
| 27 | wie | vee | how |
| 28 | bei | by | near |
| 29 | oder | OH-der | or |
| 30 | wir | veer | we |
| 31 | aber | AH-ber | but |
| 32 | dann | dahn | then |
| 33 | man | mahn | people |
| 34 | da | dah | there |
| 35 | mein | mine | my |
| 36 | du | doo | you |
| 37 | nach | nahkh | after |
| 38 | wenn | ven | when |
| 39 | also | AHL-zoh | therefore |
| 40 | aus | ows | out |
| 41 | noch | nokh | still |
| 42 | um | oom | around |
| 43 | Jahr | yar | year |
| 44 | machen | MAHKH-en | do |
| 45 | nur | noor | only |
| 46 | über | EW-ber | about |
| 47 | sehen | ZAY-en | see |
| 48 | gehen | GAY-en | go |
| 49 | sagen | ZAH-gen | say |
| 50 | Zeit | tsite | time |
Useful phrases in German
- Hallo · HAH-loh · Hello / Good day
- Wie geht's? · vee GAYTS · How are you?
- Danke · DAHN-keh · Thank you
- Bitte · BIT-teh · Please
- Ich heiße... · ikh HY-seh · My name is...
- Wo ist...? · voh ist · Where is...?
- Auf Wiedersehen · owf VEE-der-zayn · Goodbye
- Entschuldigung · ent-SHOOL-dee-goong · Excuse me
- Ich verstehe nicht · ikh fer-SHTAY-uh nikht · I don't understand
- Können Sie mir helfen? · KER-nen zee meer HEL-fen · Can you help me?
- Wie viel kostet das? · vee feel KOS-tet dahs · How much is it?
- Bis morgen! · biss MOR-gen · See you tomorrow!
Learn German with comprehensive language resources
- Pronunciation
- Numbers
- Verbs and adjectives
- Frequency dictionaries
- Basic sentences
- Thematic dictionaries
- Politeness
- Idioms
Learn German, wherever you are
- AI-powered spaced repetition learning system on the go
- Audio processing for pronunciation
- Creation of visual language flash cards with images
- Search for speaking practice partners
- Frequency and thematic dictionaries for any language
- Alert system with exercise reminders
- Live video and messaging to facilitate learning
Join our global German learning community
Collaborate with native German speakers and fellow learners: exchange messages, correct each other's cards, and practice real conversation.
Send friend requests to the speakers you click with and build your own friends list - many practice partners become real friends.
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Frequently asked questions about learning German
How difficult is it to learn German?
German is closely related to English and shares many everyday words, so beginners recognise a lot from the start. Its case system and long compound words take some getting used to, but the rules are logical. The Foreign Service Institute rates it at roughly 750-900 hours of study.
What should I learn first to reach a basic level in German?
Start with the 100-500 most frequent words (free in our apps) and the thematic dictionaries most relevant to your daily life. Set clear goals and practise a few minutes every day - consistency is what produces results. Then connect with other learners to build confidence at your new basic level.
How long does it take to learn German?
Most learners reach a comfortable conversational level within 10-14 months of consistent daily study. Practising vocabulary with spaced repetition and speaking regularly speeds this up considerably. About 130 million people across 6 countries speak German, so you will never run short of practice partners.
How do I improve my German vocabulary?
Use the spaced-repetition and flashcard systems in the app. You can set daily, weekly, or yearly goals in our mobile apps and steadily reach the vocabulary size you’re aiming for.
Is German pronunciation hard?
German pronunciation is largely consistent - words are said as they are written - so it's easier than it looks. A few sounds like 'ch' and the umlauts take a little practice.
How do I get Free German speaking practice?
Open the Practice or Friends page in the app, send practice requests, and start real conversations with other learners - don’t be shy! You can also mention that you want speaking practice when you create your account, and the platform will help match you with suitable partners.
Do I need to learn the German alphabet first?
German uses the Latin alphabet with a few extra letters (ä, ö, ü, ß), so if you read English you can start right away. On Lingocard you'll find every alphabet, with example words, free.