This article was written as part of a collaboration with Expath, enabling me to learn German online while traveling over the winter.
Expath Helps You Learn German Online From Anywhere in the World
If you’ve been following my travels, you’ll know that I spent winter in Cape Town, a fantastic up-and-coming digital nomad hub. Although I was absolutely psyched about discovering a new country as the temperatures dropped in Berlin, I had one main concern. How was I going to be able to keep up with my German while abroad?
In the past, when I spent an extended amount of time away from Germany, like when I visited Provence with my family, returning to daily Deutsch was a rough process. It always felt as though I had lost half of my hard-earned language skills upon return.
So when Expath offered me the possibility to study German remotely, I was instantly intrigued. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing my experiences with Expath, in case you, too, are looking to learn German online.
About Expath
Founded by a team of internationals in Berlin, Expath is a language school and relocation expert. Students from around the world can learn German online or in person at two Berlin locations (Mitte and Neukölln).
Flexibility is the name of the game at Expath, so you can truly improve your German when and how it best suits you: online after work, in-person twice a week, or as part of an intensive summer program (where you complete a level in max. 10 days). Start as a total beginner or join at the B or C Levels. Qualified teachers will help you reach your goals – and you’ll have fun along the way!
What Is It Like to Learn German Online Versus in Person?
When I first moved to Berlin, I took 6 months of intensive, in-person language classes, but this was my first foray into learning German online.
As I’ve always preferred human interactions in real life (and never took to online gym classes during Covid), I must admit I was a bit skeptical at first. I didn’t doubt that I would learn a lot of German – I was more afraid that I wouldn’t find the same level of cohesion or connection as there is when you see the same people in class in person, week after week.
Very quickly, my doubts were cast aside, and I would definitely take another Expath class online! Here’s why.
The Expath Advantage: 5 Reasons to Learn German Online
Learn German Online in (Very) Small Groups
I was immediately impressed at how our teacher took the time to get to know each student in our class of 6, helping us to get to know each other in the process.
Soon, it felt just like going to an in-person class, where you know people’s names, what they do, and why they are studying German. We also had a WhatsApp group to connect with each other outside of class.
Expath’s courses accommodate up to 10 people, so you’ll always have that small group experience.
Getting to Know People From Around the World
Just like in an in-person language class, my fellow students hailed from around the world.
But the cool thing about this online course is that students were all based in different cities in Germany, too, from Berlin to Aachen, so we also got to learn about other parts of the country at the same time.
Total Location Flexibility
While everyone in my class lived in Germany, we could take our course with us on holiday, which meant being able to log in from all around the world.
I signed in from Cape Town, the South African country town of Franschhoek, Berlin, and Rome. Fellow students joined us from Spain, Italy, and beyond.
Not only are Expath’s German courses great for people working in traditional companies, they are perfect for digital nomads.
Making Grammar Fun
Improving one’s German grammar is a challenge, but with Expath, you’ll see that it can actually be fun! Through a mix of interactive group exercises and breakout room micro sessions (in teams of 2 or 3), we got through thornier topics with ease.
Our teacher didn’t just plough through the coursebook, either. He brought material from everyday life and incorporated it into our lessons. To keep things light and fun, grammatical exercises were broken up by group conversations on current events, topics related to German culture and things happening in our lives (that we wanted to share with the class).
The Expath Knowledge Base
What’s more, Expath offers language learners a plethora of free resources in their Knowledge Base. Articles are available to anyone, so you don’t need to register for a class to start improving your German. Topics range from understanding the different German words for the verb “to know” to the meaning behind unusual German expressions.
One of the best things about this language school is that when you learn German online, you have plenty of additional resources to deepen your knowledge outside of class.
Expath Makes Learning German a Breeze
I was very happy with my Expath class and would recommend this school to anyone who wants to learn German online.
From the small classes that fit well into my busy schedule to the teacher who made every lesson engaging, I was able to not only stay on top of my German while on the road, but also improve my grammar and hit the ground running once back in Germany.
If you’d like to learn German online, take a look at Expath’s courses for individuals. If you prefer learning German in Berlin, check out their intensive summer school. Either way, you’ll have a great time mastering one of the world’s toughest languages!