Start Here: Your German Learning Path

Learning German feels huge at the start. It doesn’t have to. This page gives you one clear path, in the right order, so you always know what to learn next. Bookmark it and come back after each lesson.

Step 1: Know where you’re going

German levels run from A1 (beginner) to C2 (mastery). Read our complete Learn German guide to see what each level means, how long it takes and which tools are worth your time.

Step 2: Get the sounds right (week 1)

1. The German alphabet: all 26 letters plus ä, ö, ü and ß
2. How to pronounce and type ü
3. The rest of the sound system lives in our German Alphabet & Pronunciation guide

Step 3: Say your first sentences (week 1-2)

1. Guten Tag: how and when to say it
2. Danke schön and other ways to say thank you
3. Yes in German: ja, genau, klar and more
4. Happy birthday in German
5. All greetings and everyday phrases: German Phrases & Greetings

Step 4: Build your core vocabulary (weeks 2-6)

1. The 100 most common German words
2. Topic lists and “how to say X”: German Vocabulary

Step 5: Grammar foundations (weeks 2-10)

1. Der, die, das: how to know a noun’s gender
2. German personal pronouns in all cases
3. German adjective endings (Adjektivdeklination)
4. The full map, from cases to word order: German Grammar Made Simple
5. Verbs, tenses and modal verbs: German Verbs & Conjugation

Step 6: Understand real German

Natives sprinkle little words like doch, halt and genau everywhere. Our German Words Explained series decodes them.

Step 7: Prove your level

Need a certificate for a visa, university or job? Start with German Language Exams Explained.

Free study materials

Grab our free cheat sheets, worksheets and word lists on the Learn German PDF page.

This path grows as we publish new lessons, and each one is added in the right order.