Starting German can feel overwhelming. There's the alphabet, the three genders, the cases, the word order — it all seems like a wall. But here's the truth: every single person who speaks German fluently today started at zero. The key is knowing what to do first.
This roadmap tells you exactly what to tackle in your first 90 days of learning German so you don't waste time and build a solid foundation from day one.
Week 1–2: The Absolute Basics
Before anything else, get comfortable with these:
- German Alphabet & Pronunciation — German sounds different from English. Learn the Umlauts: ä, ö, ü and the ß (Eszett). Spend 2–3 days on this only.
- Greetings — Hallo, Guten Morgen, Guten Tag, Guten Abend, Auf Wiedersehen, Tschüss
- Numbers 1–100 — Essential for everything that follows
- Personal pronouns — ich, du, er, sie, es, wir, ihr, sie, Sie
Tip from Deep Dey: Don't try to learn grammar rules in Week 1. Focus only on listening and repeating. Your brain needs to get used to the sounds first.
Week 3–4: First Sentences
- Learn the verb sein (to be): ich bin, du bist, er ist...
- Learn the verb haben (to have): ich habe, du hast...
- Introduce yourself: Ich heiße... / Ich komme aus... / Ich bin... Jahre alt
- Learn 50 common nouns with their gender (Der/Die/Das)
- Start forming simple sentences: Das ist ein Buch. Ich habe eine Katze.
Month 2: Core Grammar
Now you're ready for the fundamentals of German grammar:
- Articles: der (masculine), die (feminine), das (neutral) + their plural forms
- Nominative case: Used for the subject of a sentence — who is doing the action
- Accusative case: Used for the direct object — what is being acted upon
- Present tense of regular verbs: lernen, spielen, arbeiten, wohnen
- Questions: Wer? Was? Wo? Wann? Wie? Warum?
Month 3: Expand and Practice
- Learn 10 new vocabulary words every day
- Start practicing short conversations — at the market, introducing yourself, asking for directions
- Modal verbs: können (can), wollen (want), müssen (must)
- Learn to tell time and talk about daily routine
- Begin preparing for the A1 Goethe exam if that is your goal
A1 Level Goals — What You Should Be Able to Do
| Skill | A1 Level Achievement |
|---|---|
| Speaking | Introduce yourself, ask simple questions, talk about family |
| Listening | Understand slow, clear speech about familiar topics |
| Reading | Understand short texts, signs, forms, labels |
| Writing | Fill in forms, write short simple messages and postcards |
Best Free Resources to Practice A1 German
- DW Deutsch — Nicos Weg: Free video course made for beginners (A1 and A2)
- Goethe Institut Practice Materials: Free A1 sample papers on their official website
- Anki Flashcards: For vocabulary — download a German A1 deck
- YouTube: Search "German With Deep" for free video lessons
The fastest way to learn A1 German is structured live classes with a teacher who can correct your pronunciation and grammar in real time. Our A1 course at German With Deep covers everything above in 80 hours of live sessions — with a maximum of 3 students per batch.