Learn German from scratch
Start learning German from scratch with a flexible first-month plan, useful introduction sentences, four explained exercises and links to your next lessons.
Prepared by Deutsch Schreiben with AI assistance; examples and exercises created for this site. ·
How do you start learning German from zero?
Start with short sentences you need in everyday life. Learn how they sound and what they mean, then write them from memory. Include listening, reading, writing and speaking from the beginning. You do not need to master every grammar rule before using your first sentence.
If you are completely new, start with greetings and introductions. If you have studied before, read our German level-test guide to choose a starting point. A short check can guide your practice, but it is not a language certificate.
German grammar foundations with explained exercises
What should you learn first?
- Sounds and letters: get familiar with ä, ö, ü and ß, and listen to words rather than relying only on phonetic spellings in your own language.
- Useful sentences: greetings, your name, your country, where you live and asking someone to repeat something.
- Nouns with articles: learn das Buch rather than Buch alone, then add the plural to your review card.
- Sentence structure: practise verb position and verb forms with ich, du and Sie in short examples.
- Use: write a new sentence, say it aloud and try to recognise it when listening.
A flexible first-month plan
This plan builds a habit and a foundation. It does not promise that you will finish A1 in one month. Adjust the pace to your available time and what you remember.
| Period | Focus | Practical task |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Sounds, greetings and introductions | Introduce yourself in four sentences, then write them without copying. |
| Week 2 | Numbers, time and everyday objects | List objects you use, including the article of each noun. |
| Week 3 | Present tense, questions and negation | Describe your day and ask someone their name and where they live. |
| Week 4 | Simple situations and error review | Write a short café dialogue and a message introducing yourself. |
A sample twenty-minute daily session
- Five minutes reviewing words and sentences you have already learned.
- Five minutes listening to a short recording and repeating some sentences.
- Five minutes reading an example and understanding one rule.
- Five minutes writing your own sentences and checking mistakes.
You can split the session into two parts. If you forget much of the previous material, reduce the amount of new material and spend longer reviewing.
Your first lesson: introduce yourself
Hallo! Ich heiße Sara. Ich komme aus Ägypten. Ich wohne in Kairo. Ich lerne Deutsch.
Hello! My name is Sara. I come from Egypt. I live in Cairo. I am learning German.
In these examples, the conjugated verb follows ich: heiße, komme, wohne and lerne. Replace the name, country and city with suitable details, then write the sentences without looking at the example.
| Question | Meaning | Example answer |
|---|---|---|
| Wie heißt du? | What is your name? | Ich heiße Omar. |
| Woher kommst du? | Where do you come from? | Ich komme aus dem Jemen. |
| Wo wohnst du? | Where do you live? | Ich wohne in Berlin. |
Some country names need an article: aus dem Jemen, but aus Ägypten without an article. Learn the whole expression.
Learn café vocabulary · Try a simple listening situation
Four short exercises
Type only the missing word. These practise this lesson; they do not determine your language level.
How do you know you are ready for the next step?
Try introducing yourself without copying, understanding a question about your name or home, and writing a short answer. If you need help, repeat the example and change one detail at a time. Do not use the number of memorised words as your only measure of progress.
What should you practise next?
- Akkusativ and Dativ after you understand basic sentences.
- Adjective endings when describing people and objects.
- Obwohl and trotzdem when you start connecting ideas.
- German writing correction with explanations.