Ian Farrell explores the best resources for learning German in Berlin…

There are lots of reasons to come to Berlin and, with the city’s cosmopolitan nature, learning German may not be top of the list for every English speaker. Everybody here understands English anyway, right?

But learning the local language is essential for anyone who really wants to immerse themselves in the city and the Berlin way of life.

Without it, you can never understand the sharp Berliner Schnauze humour, enjoy a Brecht play in its true home at the Berliner Ensemble or join in with the chants at an Eisbären hockey game.  And who knows what cultural and career opportunities you might be missing out on?

Learning German opens the gateway to the next level of being a Berliner – and it doesn’t have to be as difficult or expensive as you might think.

Apps & online resources

As with any other subject in the modern world, the Internet offers a wealth of information for anyone looking to pick up a language quickly and easily. Those choosing this route should make Open Culture their first port of call. An excellent directory of free German-learning resources, this site offers a variety of links with audio and video material to download or stream, from phrase-by-phrase podcasts and radio material to quite advanced grammar lessons.

Perhaps the best of the bunch is My German Class, a series of amusing but informative videos following the adventures of Herr Nelson in his kitchen and around town. Just watch out for the comedy American accent!

The last few years have also seen a glut of more innovative apps popping up online for those looking to improve their language skills. Perhaps the best-known of these is Duolingo, a practical and productive experience that allows you to learn a language by translating the web. Actively responding to new language input helps many people remember it better than more passive approaches, and the sentences are graded to ensure that even complete beginners can make a contribution.

Anki takes a slightly more traditional approach and gives it a modern tweak, allowing you to create packs of virtual flashcards for learning vocab on a time limit – perfect for when you only have a few minutes to spare. Those looking for a less automated experience may be interested in italki, a directory that helps people set up Skype conversations and lessons with native speakers from around the world.

Tandem

Those who require more human interaction in order to pick up a language will be pleased to discover that Berlin offers a wide range of tandem partner options. Working on the basis of a mutual language exchange, these pair up two people looking to learn each other’s mother tongues and give them the opportunity to practice their conversation skills in a relaxed environment.

This is a great way to learn more natural and colloquial German, instead of dreading going to your heavily structured course after work. Tandem pairs usually meet up in coffee shops, but don’t be afraid to change the scenery once you’ve got to know each other a little – going to the Tierpark or an exhibition together is the perfect way to pick up new vocabulary and make sure the conversation doesn’t go stale. The more regularly you meet up with native speakers, the more improvement you’ll notice!

Many people these days look for tandem partners online. In addition to italki and the usual suspects like meetup.com, you might also want to try the Sprach- und Kulturbörse Berlin for partnerships based exclusively in the capital (and usually with students).

Lessons & Courses

Appealing though all these new-fangled options are, for some people the structure of an old fashioned course is the only way to make sure they learn.

The Volkshochschule offers very affordable rates (with discounts for students and pensioners) and a full range of proficiency levels, but progress in class can be infuriating slow for those who want to pick up the language and get on with their lives as quickly as possible.

At the other end of the scale, the Goethe Institut provides highly polished, well structured courses with native speakers and is a better option for more driven language learners – as long as you’re not short on pocket money. It also has branches in many of the world’s other major cities, so you can start before you move here and carry on at the same level when you arrive.

However, it’s fair to s…