FAQS
HOW IS YOUR VIDEO COURSE DIFFERENT FROM OTHER COURSES?
No other German video course on the internet is as well structured and versatile as this one.
Even if you are a complete beginner, you will be able to follow without getting lost. Each lesson of my course builds up on the previous lessons, in terms of grammar and in terms of vocabulary used. In the beginners' stage, you will never be exposed to overly complicated and unnecessary words and sentences. We will constantly review the concepts seen earlier and do many, many exercises until you are able to do them in your sleep.
Other video courses only contain grammar explanations and you are a passive listener. Here, it's not just a mere series of disconnected grammar or vocabulary videos. You get to participate and SPEAK yourself. We will do exercises together and slowly, step by step, increase your level of German.
The course is very complete and will give you a profound understanding of the German language. It will lead you to being able to make sentences yourself and to speaking the language with confidence.
IS THERE ANY SUPPORT AS I GO THROUGH THE COURSE?
I love to answer all my students' questions. Those who wish to ask questions and have sentences and short texts corrected, can sign up for the Premium membership. Once you are subscribed, you will get access to our forum. There is one section for each individual lecture. So whatever your doubts, I will make sure you have them clarified quickly so that you can move on with the lessons. In the forum, you will also be able to see all questions which have already been asked by your fellow students.
Students who don't see the need to ask questions or for whom the option with personalized feedback is too pricey, can go through the course with the Lite membership, which does not include personal support. However, if you are stuck, you can also send me a message and I will see how I can help you. 🙂
DOES YOUR COURSE FOLLOW THE EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK FOR LANGUAGES (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2)?
The course roughly follows the European Framework for Languages. However, the priority of topics varies a bit: For example, in textbooks, the adjective declension and sentences with "weil" (because) and "dass" (that) are usually taught a bit later in the curriculum. I consider them to be very fundamental and useful, so I teach them very soon in the course.
Nervertheless, the official levels are indicated as a reference and for exam preparation. Each Level on Germantogo.com actually covers more than what the European Framework for Languages specifies.
Currently, you can find the levels A1, A2 and B1. I also have plans to create a B2 course, but probably won't be able to work on it before 2024.
IS THE COURSE SUITABLE FOR BEGINNERS?
Yes, the course is absolutely suitable for complete beginners. I developed the curriculum when I was taking my one-on-one students from speaking no German at all to speaking it fluently. The whole course progresses naturally and logically, with clear explanations and many exercises to practice.
IS THE COURSE SUITABLE FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS?
During my one-on-one classes, I have always had students from intermediate levels B1, B2, or even more advanced, who had a lot of gaps concerning very fundamental grammar. They managed to express themselves well, to say everything they wanted to say, but they kept making a lot of mistakes. Either they learned the language on their own and skipped important rules, or they attended a course in which the teacher moved forward too fast and didn't leave the students enough time to really internalise basics like the declensions, the past tense, word order etc.
In my one-on-one classes, I actually went though A1 topics with many advanced learners to start filling these gaps. If this sounds familiar to you, then yes, the course is also for you!
I JUST WANT TO LEARN A BIT OF GERMAN FOR MY NEXT TRIP. IS THE COURSE SUITABLE FOR ME?
If you want to be able to make your own sentences and be able to express most things you want to say on your trip, then yes, the course is for you. The first part of the course covers everything you need to know to reach a good, basic German - including asking questions, giving and understanding directions, reserving a room, understanding a German menu and so many more things. It corresponds to level A1 of the common European framework and covers the most important parts of grammar you will ever need in the German language.
However, there is work involved. It is not one of these courses which teach you sentences to say in different situations and that you should learn by heart. In that type of courses, you might be able to quickly pick up some phrases that will be useful on your trip, but they won't give you the power of creating your own sentences and you probably won't understand what people answer back.
So, it depends on the level of understanding and autonomy you want to reach and the time that you can invest for learning. If you are looking for a course that teaches you "yes", "no", "where is the toilet?" kind of phrases and only want to invest two or three hours of learning, this course is not for you.
But if you want to understand the underlying structure of the language so that you can actually make your own sentences and even go a bit further, then it will be perfect for you. For each level, you will have to invest about 35 hours for my videos and some additional time for homework and review. And who knows, you might like it so much that you just keep learning until you speak it fluently. 😉
WHAT DOES MY SUBSCRIPTION INCLUDE?
Every subscription includes full access to all resources available on the website, 900+ lesson videos (130+ hours of content), pdf and audio files in the video course (currently "A1 - beginner", "A2 - elementary" and "B1 - intermediate").
You will also be able to see everything inside "Reading", "Speaking", "Listening", which include a big section full of authentic texts written and recorded by native speakers.
The "beginner" part of the course will lead you from zero German to being able to complete the language exam for level A1. With the "advanced beginner" part, you will be comfortable with the A2 exam as well. The materials for level B1 will prepare you for your B1 exam.
You will have access to all materials that will be published during the time of your subscription.
In addition to all this, the "Premium" subscription will allow you to ask me all questions that might arise during the course. You can also send me sentences and short texts for correction (course-related).
WHAT IS THE VIDEO COURSE LIKE?
The course is a video version of the one-on-one lessons I have been developing and teaching in the last 20 years. It's a mix of clear grammar explanations, many interactive exercises, role plays, cultural topics as well as texts and German music. For all materials, you will find a downloadable worksheet and audio file to be able to learn in places where you don't have access to the internet or for when you just don't want to be sitting in front of a screen.
The course is made up of video lessons, but you are not supposed to watch them passively. You need to play an active part by saying the answers to my questions out aloud so that you can get used to actually SPEAKING German. There will be enough time for you to formulate your answers before I give you my correct version.
You will actually SEE me in each video. I tried to design the course for you to have an experience that is as close to having a one-on-one tutor as possible. As a Premium subscriber, you can also always ask me your questions.
HOW MUCH TIME WILL IT TAKE TO GO THROUGH THE COURSE?
It will depend on how much time you are able and willing to invest to do the course. The suggested course schedule is designed in a way that you can complete one level in less than 6 months by watching about 15-20 minutes of video material on six days of the week. This is the minimum time investment I recommend. It is more important to study a bit, but on a regular basis, than learning for two hours once a week.
If you have more time or if you are not a beginner and just want to review some aspects of the language, then, of course, it is possible to go through the course quicker.
Try to do a little bit of German every day and you will be amazed by the results!
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
You will see all the membership plans available by clicking on “Pricing".
WHAT ARE MY PAYMENT OPTIONS?
You can pay by Paypal or credit card.
IS THERE A FREE TRIAL OR A MONEY BACK GUARANTEE?
Yes, there is a money back guarantee. If you decide this program is not for you, you can get a full refund on annual memberships if you cancel within 14 days. Just email me at info@germantogo.com and tell me why you would like to have a refund. Please note: refunds will not be given to those who have downloaded more than 2 weeks’ worth of PDF worksheets or other resources. Thank you for your understanding and support.
DO YOU HAVE AN APP?
Yes, we have an app! Both the Lite and the Premium subscriptions give you access to the app, which contains all lesson videos, as well as the PDF and mp3 downloads. It will give you the possibility to download the lesson contents within the app, in order to watch them offline. Please note however, that both systems do not sync, so your progress made on the app will not be registered on the website and vice versa.
I AM A TEACHER. CAN I USE YOUR MATERIALS WITH MY STUDENTS?
Yes, under certain conditions. Please send me a message to discuss the details. Thank you!
I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS. WHERE CAN I ASK THEM?
Just drop me a message at info@germantogo.com 😊