A1 German Courses in Berlin

Starting German at A1

A1 is where everyone starts. If you have never had a German lesson, or your school German has faded, this is your level, and nobody in the class will expect you to know anything on day one.

What you'll be able to do

By the end of A1 you can get through the small moments of everyday life in German: saying who you are and where you live, asking the way, shopping, answering simple questions about yourself. You can write your name, address and nationality on a form. People will still need to speak slowly and clearly with you, and that is simply what the level describes.

German law uses the same scale. When a rule asks for "einfache deutsche Sprachkenntnisse" (simple German), it means A1.

If you are joining your husband or wife

This is the one situation where the law asks for A1. If you are moving to Germany to live with your spouse, you usually need to show A1 before you travel, at the German embassy or consulate where you apply for your visa. A course in Berlin can't help with that step, but one near you, or an online course, can.

The embassy accepts a certificate from one of these exams: Start Deutsch 1 (Goethe-Institut or telc), Grundstufe Deutsch 1 (ÖSD) or TestDaF. If it is clear at your appointment that you already speak simple German, you won't need one.

Many people don't need to show A1 at all: for example if you or your spouse is an EU citizen; if your spouse is a citizen of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, the UK, the US, Andorra, Brazil, El Salvador, Honduras, Monaco or San Marino; if your spouse holds an EU Blue Card or lives here as a skilled worker, researcher or self-employed person; or if illness, disability or your situation makes learning German beforehand impossible. The embassy decides each case, so check with them before you book an exam.

What A1 costs in Berlin

Prices vary more than you might expect. At a Volkshochschule, the public adult-education college every district runs, a group A1 course costs about €3.26 per teaching hour (5 colleges). At private schools the middle price is about €10.25 (25 schools). Group size, times and the next start date are on every course page, so you can see what you get for the price. The table below lists every school's rate.

Choosing your course

We list 149 group A1 courses at 35 schools. Pick the pace your week allows: intensive courses (12 or more hours a week) move fastest but mostly run on weekday daytimes, while 66 courses have evening classes, 17 meet at weekends and 50 are online.

Some schools teach A1 in two halves, A1.1 and A1.2, and sell them separately; others run it as part of a longer course that carries on to A2. When you compare, check whether a price covers half the level or all of it. The price per hour is the fairest way to compare.

If you need a certificate, ask the school whether the course prepares you for one of the exams above, and where you would sit it: the course and the exam may be booked separately.

Sources: Aufenthaltsgesetz § 30, § 2 · BAMF: Nachweis einfacher Deutschkenntnisse beim Ehegattennachzug