How to practise German with native speakers

The best way to practise German with native speakers is a language exchange: find a German speaker who's learning your language, chat regularly, and split the time between German and theirs. You get free conversation practice, they get the same in English, and you both get corrected by someone who actually talks like that.

This guide is for learners who have the basics and want to use them. It covers the grammar that trips people up mid-chat, the du or Sie question, what changes if your partner is Swiss or Austrian, what to ask, and phrases for running the exchange.

What is a German language exchange?

A German language exchange is regular conversation practice with a native or fluent German speaker who practises with you as an equal rather than as a paid tutor. Usually they're learning your language, so the help goes both ways. Sessions work best with a loose plan, such as half the time in each language; how to structure a language exchange has one.

Where German learners trip up in conversation

German grammar is famous for good reason, but in a chat only a handful of things cause most of the trouble.

Cases

German has four cases: nominative, accusative, dative and genitive. They change articles and endings depending on what a noun is doing in the sentence. One ordinary chat message can use all four:

Kannst du mir den Namen des Films schicken? ("Can you send me the name of the film?")

Here du is nominative, mir dative, den Namen accusative and des Films genitive. You won't get this right every time for a long while, and your partner will still understand you. What helps is asking them to rewrite a sentence rather than just marking it wrong, then noticing the pattern the third time it comes up.

Word order

Two rules do most of the work. In an ordinary statement, the conjugated verb comes second: Morgen habe ich Zeit ("I have time tomorrow"), not Morgen ich habe Zeit. In a subordinate clause introduced by words like weil or dass, it moves to the end: Ich lerne Deutsch, weil ich in Wien arbeite.

Learners under pressure tend to fall back on English order. Text chat gives you time to catch it before you hit send, which is one reason to start there.

Der, die, das

Every noun has a grammatical gender, and the article changes with the case. There is no shortcut that beats learning each noun with its article. A friendly partner will simply tell you, and you can ask directly: Heißt es der, die oder das?

Du and Sie

German has an informal "you" (du) and a formal one (Sie, always written with a capital S). The official spelling rules keep du lower case, though you may capitalise it in letters, so you'll see Du in some messages too.

Which one to use is a judgement call. A relaxed exchange between two adults of similar age often ends up on du. When in doubt, start with Sie or ask: Wollen wir uns duzen? ("Shall we say du to each other?"). Nobody minds being asked.

Germany, Austria or Switzerland: does it matter?

Standard German works everywhere German is spoken, but your partner's home shapes how they write and speak.

• Switzerland. In German-speaking Switzerland, Swiss German dialects are the main spoken language, and standard German is the written form. The official spelling rules also let Swiss writers always use ss instead of ß: Strasse for Straße. If your partner is Swiss, ask whether they'd rather practise standard German with you or show you some dialect.
• Austria and Germany. When your partner uses a word your textbook doesn't have, ask whether it's regional. Knowing which words are local, and where, is more useful than avoiding them, and it's exactly the kind of thing a course can't give you.

On Talkabout, the country filter is free, so you can look for a partner from the place you actually plan to use your German.

What to ask a German speaker

Many native speakers can't explain why a sentence is right, but they know instantly when it isn't. Questions that make the most of that:

• "How would you write this to a friend?"
• "Is this sentence correct but a bit stiff?"
• "Would people say this in Austria / Switzerland / where you live?"
• "Which word do you actually use for this: the textbook one or another?"
• "What mistakes do English speakers make that annoy you most?" (You'll learn a lot, and probably laugh.)

For the etiquette of corrections, see how to correct someone kindly.

Good first topics

• Where you live, and what it's like in winter
• Work, study or whatever takes up your weekdays
• Food: a dish from their region you should try
• Football, films, music or hiking, whichever you both have opinions on
• Why you're learning each other's language, and what you want to be able to do with it

When you've settled in, how to keep a language exchange going covers routines that stop the chat from drifting.

Useful German phrases for the exchange

These use du. Swap in the Sie form if you've agreed on it (Können Sie…?).

FAQ

Is a German language exchange free?

Yes. In a language exchange you trade time instead of money: you help a German speaker with English, they help you with German. Nobody is a paid teacher, so neither of you pays.

Should I use du or Sie with a language exchange partner?

Sie is the formal "you" and du the informal one. In a relaxed chat between two adults of similar age, du often feels natural, but it is a choice, not a rule. If you are unsure, start with Sie or simply ask: Wollen wir uns duzen?

How long does it take to learn German?

The US Foreign Service Institute estimates about 36 weeks of full-time study (828 class hours) for its English-speaking students to reach level 3 on the ILR scale in speaking and listening. Most learners study part-time and take longer, so steady practice with a partner pays off.

Is Swiss German the same as German?

Not quite. In German-speaking Switzerland, Swiss German dialects are the main spoken language, while standard German is the written form. The official spelling rules also allow Swiss writers to use ss instead of ß at any time, so Straße can be written Strasse.

Start practising

Your cases will be wobbly for a while. Your partner's English articles will be too. That's the deal, and it's a good one. Find a partner on the German exchange page, or sign up free and say Hallo. Talkabout is free, runs in the browser and is for adults only, and your partner can suggest a fix right inside the chat.