Learning German doesn't stop when class ends
Finding the right course is the biggest decision — that's what the rest of LingoMap is for. But a weekly class alone rarely gets you fluent. The people who actually get there almost always do something between sessions: a podcast on the train, ten minutes of flashcards before bed, a conversation partner on a Sunday. This is the "between classes" list — the tools we'd actually recommend, organized by what they're for.
The skill classroom time covers least
Listening decides whether you can actually follow a real conversation. These three cover different stages.
Nicos Weg
Free, video-based, A1 through B1, with an actual storyline. This is where to start if you're brand new and want structure, not just exposure.
Easy German
Native speakers interviewed on the street, with dual subtitles. Once Nicos Weg feels too slow, this is the honest next step — real, unscripted spoken German.
GermanPod101
Structured audio lessons across every level — good for turning a commute into practice time. The free tier is generous.
For daily practice between courses
Anki
Free, open-source spaced-repetition flashcards. Not a replacement for a course — the best tool for making vocabulary from any course actually stick.
Busuu
Structured self-study with a community-correction feature — real native speakers review what you write. A good bridge between an app and real feedback.
Babbel
Polished, well-produced self-study lessons. A reasonable place to start if you're still deciding whether to commit to a full course.
Speaking practice on your own schedule
italki
A marketplace of tutors you book by the lesson, no fixed schedule. The natural complement to a structured course — extra speaking practice between or outside of it.
Preply
Similar tutor marketplace to italki. Worth trying both — the right tutor is a personal fit, not a platform choice.
Tandem
Free language exchange: you help someone with English, they help you with German. Zero cost, real conversation, a different dynamic than paid tutoring.
Straight from the source
VHS-Lernportal
The official free online platform from the same Volkshochschule network that runs many of the courses listed on LingoMap. BAMF-approved for Integrationskurs supplementary study.
Deutsch für dich (Goethe-Institut)
Over 260 free exercises across every level, from Germany's own official cultural institute. About as authoritative as a free resource gets.