How I learned German in 8 months
By Estefanía
Next week, I’m heading to Mainz, Germany, for my first public-speaking gig in German. I’m scared af.
So, how did I end up here?
Not just in Austria, not just traveling to Mainz, but actually booked to speak in German. Yes, let’s pause, highlight, and underline it again: GERMAN.
Here’s the jump scare: I went from A2 to C2 in just eight months. Before you roll your eyes, let’s set the record straight. I’ve always loved learning languages, and I do have a knack for them. Back in 2017, I was visiting a friend in Schaffhausen, Switzerland, while backpacking Europe. We went to a Galician restaurant where they couldn’t find our booking. My friend was negotiating in Swiss German, but I caught more from the Spanish owner, who was speaking Hochdeutsch. I didn’t know a single word of German, yet I still pieced the gist together through language instinct and body language.
I told my friend, half-joking: “If I lived here, I’d speak German in six months.” He laughed in my face. And yes, maybe I was delusional, but looking back… I wasn’t entirely wrong, was I?
From that story, two truths about me:
I pick up languages quickly.
I love a challenge, and sometimes I do things just to prove people wrong.
I am not telling you this to pat myself on the back. I am telling you because while some people are naturally gifted at math or singing, I happen to have a talent for languages. If you do not, that is not a reason to beat yourself up.
Now, let’s go to the facts and the chronological chapters of my journey.
Mach dir keine Gedanken darüber, professionell zu klingen. Klinge einfach wie du selbst. Es gibt über 1,5 Milliarden Websites da draußen, doch es ist deine Geschichte, die diese von allen anderen unterscheiden wird. Wenn du deinen Text laut vorliest und in deinem Kopf nicht deine eigene Stimme hörst, ist das ein gutes Zeichen dafür, dass du noch Arbeit vor dir hast.
Sei klar, sei selbstbewusst und denk nicht zu viel nach. Das Schöne an deiner Geschichte ist, dass sie sich immer weiter entwickeln wird – und deine Website mit ihr. Dein Ziel sollte darin bestehen, dass sie sich im Hier und Jetzt richtig anfühlt. Alles Weitere kommt von selbst. Das tut es immer.
Episode I: I met some Austrian guy
In that trip, after Switzerland, my next stop was Vienna. That is where I met the guy who would later become my partner (now ex, but that is another story). We kept in touch while I continued my trip, and even after I went back to Argentina, where I was living in 2017.
During our cute little pen-pal situation on WhatsApp, I thought, “Wouldn’t it be fun to surprise him with a couple of German sentences?” Enter Duolingo. Cue the scary green owl.
I finished every single level of Duolingo. It took me about a year, mostly because I was not consistent. Around that same time, I moved from Buenos Aires to Spain to pursue a master’s degree. When an Erasmus exchange opportunity to Germany opened up, I was the only one who applied. I got the spot and moved to Weimar to finish my thesis.
In Weimar, it was mandatory to take German courses. While most people complained, I was secretly thrilled. Free German classes? Yes, please.
me when they “forced” us to free German classes
Before the semester started, we had to take a placement exam. Thanks to my friend Duo, instead of A1.1 I was placed in (drum roll) A1.2.That is what one year of Duolingo gets you: half a level.
This is where my formal German education began. I adored those classes. My teachers were amazing, and I felt like I was actually making progress. Compared to Duolingo, where I had learned such useful phrases as “Die Katzen trinken Milch,” this was a massive upgrade.
I had no German friends (another story for another time), but just living in a place where the signs, menus, and instructions were in German made all the difference. My vocabulary expanded in the kitchen (hello Knoblauch and Zimt), while traveling (Einsteigen, Zug), or simply hanging out with friends in museums. I will never forget a guard telling me that the art pieces were a “Geheimnis,” a secret, when I tried to take a picture.
After that semester, it was time for the real deal: I moved to Austria.
Episode II: The Terrible Pandemic
I moved to Austria five days before the first COVID-19 quarantine started. Great timing, right? For me, as for many, it was both a blessing and a curse.
The blessing: quarantine gave me uninterrupted time to focus on German. My routine was clear. In the mornings, I worked part-time remotely for a university in Spain. In the afternoons, I had four hours of German class, four days a week. The classes were online through Deutsche Akademie, which has schools in Austria and Germany. Because of the online format, most of my classmates and teachers were based in Berlin, not Vienna.
Why does this matter? Because after months of online classes, I had unknowingly learned “pure” German German, not Austrian German. When the quarantine ended and I started speaking with Austrians, the difference hit me like a ton of bricks.
Still, I was more confident than before, so I started practicing with my partner’s mother, a 73-year-old Upper Austrian woman who spoke in deep dialect. It was a crash course like no other. To this day, I use Austrian expressions without even thinking about it, which I only notice when I am in Germany. For example, I will say “passt schon” and you will never, ever catch me saying “Tüte.” Over my dead body.
Episode III: The Immersion Begins
When the first quarantine ended, we returned to Vienna, and in-person classes were possible again. As an extrovert starved of human interaction, I jumped at the chance and started B1.1 at Deutsche Akademie.
Here’s what I learned quickly: language schools are not about the brand, they are about the teacher. The same level at the same school can feel completely different depending on who teaches it and whether your personalities click. That is why I hesitate to judge and recommend any school, unless it is truly terrible.
It reminds me of when I worked as a waitress in a Mexican restaurant in Argentina. People would always ask, “Is the sauce spicy?” And my answer was always the same: “Well, it is not for me, but I have no idea how spicy you eat.” Language classes are like that.
Episode IV: The Intensity Intensifies
When it was time to start B1.2, I discovered a school with not four but five days a week of intensive courses: Sprachschule Aktiv. Exactly what I wanted.
Here’s another trait of my personality: I obsess over things. Once I am locked in, I am locked in. So I cranked up the pace. I went to Thalia and bought every single Übungsbuch I could find. After class, I would sit down and practice, practice, practice. By this point, I had quit my job, so I could dedicate myself fully to German. I read only in German, listened to German podcasts and music, and watched German series and movies.
At Sprachschule Aktiv, I completed B1.2 and B2.1. Then I needed a break. We were moving to a new apartment, which was exhausting, so I took a month off from classes. But I kept practicing in daily life. I remember waiting for plumbers, carpenters, and delivery people, with a knot in my stomach, knowing I would have to speak German. Then I had a realization: I never judge people who try to speak Spanish (my native language), even if it is broken. On the contrary, I admire them. So why wouldn’t Austrians feel the same? That simple shift changed everything. And let’s be honest: if you never speak German, you will never speak German. Obvious, but powerful.
After my break, I decided I needed more practice in real conversations. I went back to Deutsche Akademie for a B2/C1 conversation course. It was exactly what I needed. We debated real topics like Covid vaccination and politics, not poetry slams or cats drinking milk.
My teacher from that class was about to start a C1.2 course and thought I was ready for it. That meant skipping B2.2 and C1.1, which of course meant less money for the school, so convincing them was not easy. But she believed in me, helped me navigate their bureaucracy, and eventually, I made it. I entered C-level waters.
As she reminded me, and as I already knew, skipping levels would be a challenge. But let’s circle back to the beginning: I love challenges, don’t I?
Episode V: The Master Level
C1.2 was done. What came next? The infamous C2 level. Many schools do not even offer it because it dives into things like scientific writing and other obscure academic territory no one wants. Deutsche Akademie did not offer it either, but of course, I wanted to continue. Not because I needed to write a scientific paper in German, but because I am, apparently, a little crazy.
My teacher offered to set up a private C2.1 course for us, and we went for it. It was online, and after a month, I had to admit: my motivation had flatlined. I was done.
So, where am I today?
I am 256% sure I do not actually speak German at a C2 level. Realistically, I have a solid C1. I do not practice as much as I would like to. I do not have a German-speaking partner or in-laws, and at work I communicate entirely in English, since I am in an international company.
Still, I function really well in German. Political debates or deep emotional conversations can still be tricky, but I can talk about my work perfectly, I live a full life in Austria, and I handle everything from waiters to carpenters to police officers in German. I even passed certifications in difficult fields like labor law and accounting at the WKÖ.
Next week, I will stand in front of an audience and give my first speech in German. I will be terrified. And that is exactly the point.
The lesson is simple: do it, even if you are scared. It will be worth it.
Some resources for your German-learning journey – my recommendations
Books
Personally, I am not a fan of reading translations. German is not the most lyrical language, so when you read a novel that was originally written in Spanish, English, or French, something feels off in German. My advice: stick to works that were written in German in the first place. They flow more naturally, and you will absorb vocabulary and sentence structure the way native speakers actually use it. Remember that conjugations in written German and spoken German are different, so be mindful that reading in German will be more helpful to write and to expand your vocabulary, not much to speak naturally. You can also listen to the audiobook at the same time to practice pronunciation.
Momo and Die unendliche Geschichte by Michael Ende: Fantasy classics that are beautifully written and accessible for learners.
Identitätskrise by Alice Hasters: A sharp, modern exploration of race, identity, and belonging in Germany.
Der gute Mensch von Sezuan by Bertolt Brecht: A classic play that combines philosophy, morality, and social critique. Typically in the Leselisten at school for teenagers in Austria.
Herzfleischentartung by Ludwig Laher: A darker, more challenging read that reflects Austria’s history.
Anything from the loved Austrian author Thomas Brezina.
Movies and Series
I recommend choosing your favorite movies and series and watching them dubbed in German with German subtitles. Since you already know the plot and many of the dialogues, your brain can focus on the language instead of the story.
If you want to dive in a bit more, try:
Dark (Netflix): Germany’s most famous series worldwide. Complex plot, lots of everyday and dramatic language.
How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast) (Netflix): Modern, funny, and full of slang young people actually use.
Tatortreiniger: A quirky German comedy with lots of everyday vocabulary.
Türkisch für Anfänger and teenage classics like Die Wilden Hühner: Lighthearted, fun, and very approachable.
Podcasts
Erklär mir die Welt (Andreas Sator): Explains big topics in a clear, simple way.
Das Café am Rande der Freundlichkeit: Warm, conversational, and easy to follow.
Geschichte aus der Geschichte: Fascinating historical stories told in an engaging style.
Special Mention
Easy German (YouTube): Authentic street interviews with subtitles in both German and English. Perfect for hearing how people actually speak.
We’ve also created a community document so you can add your own recommendations! Access it here.
Final Thought
Learning German is not about finding the “perfect” resource; it is about finding the ones you actually enjoy. Read what interests you, watch what entertains you, and listen to voices that keep you curious. The more fun you have, the faster you will learn.
