"America cultivates best what Germany brought forth."
(Benjamin Franklin)
(Benjamin Franklin)
German Courses & Exam Preparation Online (A1-C2)
Learn German privately one-on-one online with structured courses adaptable to your learning needs. You get fully personalized support and the flexibility you need to learn and reach your goals on your own terms.
- Price EUR 19,50/60 min
- Free Trial Class
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German Course Online Designed for Absolute Beginners (Pre-A1 Starter)
If you want to learn German but are a little hesitant because you believe you may not have what it takes to master a second language, this course is for you.
How Is the Pre-A1 Starter Course?
- Has only four short learning units
- Offers an easy approach to the study of a second language for the first time
- Is supported by illustrations, audios and videos
- Gives you enough basic German to ease you into a structured A1 course
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Structured German Courses Online (A1-C2)
I provide structured, level-focused German courses from level A1 to C2 online. They contain all the subject matter you need if you eventually want to obtain an official German certificate.
What Levels Are Covered?
All official language levels (A1-C2) are covered:
- A1-A2: Beginner German - Basic communication skills in simple context situations
- B1-B2: Intermediate German - Good communication skills in most situations with some fluency
- C1-C2: Advanced German - Fluent communication skills in professional or academic settings
Important Info: The international recognized language levels A1-C2 are governed by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). If you need an official (!) German language certificate, make sure that any venue available to you, that offers language certificate exams, complies with CEFR, and is also recognized as an official exam venue in Germany. If your are not quite sure, contact the nearest German embassy to confirm before you sign up and spend your money. I have already heard of a few places, mostly outside of Europe, which claim to offer language exams from A1 to C2, but then, they turned out to be fakes. So be careful and always double-check.
○ Here is a link to the Goethe Institute's web page where the language levels are explained in more details in English: GOETHE
Who Are These Lessons For?
They are ideal if you:
- Want personalized attention instead of group classes
- Need flexible learning
- Want to study on your own terms
- Prefer structured but adaptable lessons
- Want to learn German in general
- Want to relocate to Germany
- Are preparing for a language exam (visa, job, study, etc.)
How Do the Lessons Work?
- We assess your current level
- We discuss your goals (live, study, work, etc.)
- We identify the level you need to master
- We practice reading, listening, writing, speaking
- We study grammar for understanding the linguistic structure
- Lessons are supported by PDF & media files
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German Exam Preparation Courses Online for Goethe (A1-C2) and TestDaf (B2-C1)
Prepare effectively for official German language exams with structured, exam-focused lessons. I help international students to get ready for Goethe-Zertifikat or TestDaF exams through personalized training and by providing useful exam strategies.
The lessons focus primarily on practicing and reinforcing reading, listening, writing and speaking, which are the four sections of an official German exam.
The lessons focus primarily on practicing and reinforcing reading, listening, writing and speaking, which are the four sections of an official German exam.
What Are These Courses For?
German language exams require not only intensive practice but also exam-specific skills and strategy.
The lessons are for helping you:
The lessons are for helping you:
- Understand exactly what examiners expect
- Familiarize yourself with the exam formats
- Write clear and well structured exam answers
- Improve speaking confidence under pressure
- Avoid common mistakes
What Do We Do in These Courses?
- Assess your current skills
- If necessary, develop a plan for intensive language coaching
- Focus on your weak areas
- Practice with real exam material
- You receive feedback and advice after every lesson
Give yourself plenty of time to do this properly in case you need some extra language coaching.
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Structured Grammar Lessons Online (A1-C2) for Learners Seeking a Tutor Only for Grammar
If you specifically seek support only in German grammar, I do offer structured one-on-one grammar lesson online for every level (A1-C2).
What Are the Grammar Lessons Intended to Do?
- Deepen your understanding of the grammatical structure
- Show you the linguistic logic behind it
- Help you connect grammar to the way Germans speak
- Demonstrate how incorrectly used grammar can lead to misunderstandings
How Are the Grammar Lessons Structured?
The lessons:
- Will be individually structured according to your current level
- Focus on particular issues you might have at your current level
- Are reinforced by practice exercises
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Subject & Predicate
Grammar Lesson: The Subject and the Predicate
1. The Positions of the Subject and the Verbs of the Predicate
The subject element as well as the predicate element are the two most important grammatical features. Together, they form the backbone of every sentence and express the fundamental idea of the statement.
The predicate element consists of either a single conjugated main verb ("Präsens" and "Präteritum") or a combination of a conjugated auxiliary or modal verb with a non-conjugated main verb ("Partizip II" or "Infinitiv").
There are three important rules in German grammar that clearly determine where in a statement, one must position the subject and the verb or verbs of the predicate. I like to call them Rule No.1, Rule No.2 and Rule No.3 since these rules are "literally" the first three most important rules in German grammar. As they undoubtedly place those elements into fixed positions, the rules also help you to extract the most essential elements, which can be important when a sentence has quite a few additional elements. Once you have localized the subject element, you now know who or what the sentence is making a statement about. And after you have found the verb or verbs of the predicate element, you can also tell what the sentence is fundamentally saying about the subject and whether the statement occurred in the past, the present or the future. Most other additional elements have more flexible position rules. So by being able to at least count on the fixed positions of the subject and the predicate, you can more easily extract the basic idea of a sentence's statement.
The predicate element consists of either a single conjugated main verb ("Präsens" and "Präteritum") or a combination of a conjugated auxiliary or modal verb with a non-conjugated main verb ("Partizip II" or "Infinitiv").
There are three important rules in German grammar that clearly determine where in a statement, one must position the subject and the verb or verbs of the predicate. I like to call them Rule No.1, Rule No.2 and Rule No.3 since these rules are "literally" the first three most important rules in German grammar. As they undoubtedly place those elements into fixed positions, the rules also help you to extract the most essential elements, which can be important when a sentence has quite a few additional elements. Once you have localized the subject element, you now know who or what the sentence is making a statement about. And after you have found the verb or verbs of the predicate element, you can also tell what the sentence is fundamentally saying about the subject and whether the statement occurred in the past, the present or the future. Most other additional elements have more flexible position rules. So by being able to at least count on the fixed positions of the subject and the predicate, you can more easily extract the basic idea of a sentence's statement.
The Three Position Rules for the Subject and Predicate in German
IMPORTANT: Although these three rules do clearly define the positions of those elements, in German, unlike in English, the actual positions differ in a main clause and a subordinate clause. A single main sentence which can stand by itself is grammatically a main clause. A subordinate clause, however, cannot stand by itself and is always linked to a main clause by a subordinating conjunction (e.g. weil, wenn, dass). Usually, the subordinate clause is directly linked to its main clause by a comma. But sometimes, a subordinate clause wants to link back and respond to a previously mentioned sentence or question and then, the subordinate clause can be expressed as a single sentence.
A single word does not always represent a sentence element. Often, it is part of a group of words which together make up the sentence element. For example:
The Subject Element - Example
In German, the prepositional elements are often found at the beginning of a sentence and then, they actually represent the first sentence element. So when we talk about positions here, we mean the positions of the sentence elements regardless of how many words they contain. You will be able to see this now in my examples below.
2. The Three Rules for the Main Clause (Hauptsatz)
The Three Rules for the Main Clause in German - Examples
3. The Three Rules for the Subordinate Clause (Nebensatz)
The Three Rules for the Subordinate Clause in German - Examples
So you know, it is possible to position certain elements before the subject in a subordinate clause. But this is only optional. There is nothing wrong to always place the subject after the conjunction. Here are two examples:
A Dative Pronoun and an Adverb of Time Before the Subject in a Subordinate Clause
4. Position Change of the Conjugated Verb
Here, I want to show you how only the conjugated verb changes its position when a single main sentence is being transformed into a subordinate clause. This is an example that shows when a subordinate clause can be expressed as a single sentence. Since the subordinating conjunction "weil" indicates a response to the question "warum", there is no need to mention the main clause as it is clearly implied by the question.
Position Change of the Conjugated Verb in German
5. The Position of a Subordinate Clause
Some subordinate clauses can also be placed before the main clause. In such case, the subordinate clause becomes the first sentence element of the full sentence. The conjugated verb of the main clause must therefore be positioned right after the comma into second position, and then the subject into third position after the conjugated verb. A subordinate clause is indeed a sentence element of the whole sentence.
Position of the Subordinate Clause in a Sentence