Germany is known for its high standard of living, a stable economy and a welcoming environment. Studying, working and living in Germany has got a lot to offer especially pertaining to high quality of education which is affordable, post-study work opportunities and a lot of travel opportunities. Even though most of the universities in Germany has English as its medium of communication, developing German language skills even at the basic level is important. This helps is a smooth and hassle-free daily life, let it be both in academic success and also in career prospects.
For an international student in Germany; having a basic German language proficiency will put them ahead, in pursuits they encounter on day-to-day basis.
To start off with learning the German language, there are two basic levels that an international student can start with, as per the Common European Framework of Reference for Language (CEFR) and they are the German A1 and A2 levels of learning.
The German A1 level is the absolute beginner level which is enough for daily interactions.
The German A2 level is a slightly higher level which helps in daily conversations.
The German A1 level is the absolute beginner level, where simple words and phrases are learned, which becomes helpful for usage, on day-to-day basis.
What will you learn at the German A1 Level?
| Key Skill Areas | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | Self-introduction, introducing others, personal questions like name, age, education, career etc. | Ich heiße Tom” (My name is Tom) |
| Vocabulary | Basic general knowledge like numbers, family, location, food etc. | ”Eins, Zwei, Drei, Gelb, Vater, Mutter, Brot” (One, Two, Three, Yellow, Father, Mother, Bread) |
| Grammar | Basic and formal sentence structure, regular verbs, present tenses | “Ich Ierne Deutsch” (I Learn German) |
| Listening/Reading | Understanding simple signs and instructions like Traffic signs, Bus and Train station signs | Understanding a food menu, communication signs, Government signs etc. |
| Importance and Benefits of the German A1 level for the International Students in Germany | Description |
|---|---|
| Daily Usage | By learning A1 German, you can greet people, ask for directions, order food from the menu, purchase items from the shop. |
| Do It Yourself | You can fill simple forms of the Bank, Government office and for using the public transportation. |
| Build Self Confidence | Thoroughly learning and understanding A1 German can make you build confidence with regular usage overtime and will also help you to be ready, for the A2 level German and beyond. |
The German A2 level is an elementary level, learned after the “A1”, where it teaches you to use simple phrases to practical applications in order to express yourself to be a bit more specific. It helps you to have simple conversations that are used in a routine manner.
What Will You Learn at the German A2 Level?
| Key Skill Area | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | To initiate short conversations about life incidence, experience, hobbies, education and events. | “Es hat gestern geregnet” (It was raining yesterday.) |
| Vocabulary | To express an opinion related to travel, study, career, weather etc. | “Das College hat einen wunderschonen Campus” (The college has a beautiful campus.) |
| Grammar | Simple past tense, prepositions and subordinate clause. | “Ich habe Brot gegessen” (I have eaten bread.) |
| Listening/Reading | To understand short messages over email, personalized letters and through radio announcements. | It helps to read the basic public listings or a notice displayed by the university or at the place of stay. |
| Importance and Benefits of the German A2 Level | Description |
|---|---|
| Social Interactions | It helps to make new friends and also motivates to interact with other student communities. It also helps to exchange academic interests and is valuable for networking among the student groups. |
| Building Authority | It helps to deal with complex issues by your own, such as discussing an issue with the apartment owner, expressing your health condition to a doctor or in understanding the announcements made by the university. |
| Internship and Job Opportunities | It shows the potential employer that, you can interact and communicate with the customers and colleagues on a basic level and can be a potential candidate for a job position. |
Consistency is the key, to learn the step-by-step process of the German A1 and A2 Levels.
Tips for learning the German A1 Level:
Tips for Learning the German A2 Level:
Mastering both German A1 and A2 levels, are a golden ticket; for a smoother living in Germany where you can actively participate and get motivated in initiating conversations, both in your academics as well as in your professional life rather than just being an observer. It also helps in boosting your visa and immigration process; as in certain cases, a knowledge of the A1 German level is a requirement, which makes it even more rewarding.
The main difference between the German A1 and A2 levels is that, the German A1 is the basic beginner level which consist of a self-introduction, formation of simple sentence using the present tense, greetings and wishes, basic numbers etc.; and the German A2 is the elementary level where in which you will be able to connect two sentences with a conjunction, initiating small conversations sharing experience of an event, career, travel, hobbies etc.
Yes, first of all having the official certificates issued by popular testing centers like Goethe-Institut or OSD are recognized in Germany for various purpose like, applying to the German Universities, Internship opportunities in Germany and also for a smooth Visa application procedure.
The main focus by learning the German A1 level is to build a strong vocabulary base, which will be used for initiating conversation pertaining to self-introduction, ordering food at a restaurant, briefing about the family details, talking about the time for an urgent appointment etc.
No, you will not be learning about past tense in the German A1 level as, it focusses on the present tense.
You can practice speaking German by enrolling for the German Language course through Meleth Academy, where you will be guided to speak aloud in German. You can improve on your sound, pronunciations and grammar structure through systematic and proper feedback.
Yes, with the German A1 and A2 levels of qualifications, you can get a basic part-time job.
