Why learn?

But you're probably asking yourself: Why should I want to spend time and money to learn German?

First, never assume everybody will understand English. You are in a foreign country; accept it. Learning to speak German will make your life easier, besides the fact that it's not quite polite to expect the locals to understand your language and not to make an effort to understand theirs. Remember, this is nothing like learning a foreign language back home, a few hours a week. Here, you'll actually live the language, 24 hours a day, which will make learning to speak it that much easier.

Not convinced? Consider the following, highly persuasive reasons to learn German in Germany: it will enable you to communicate, not to feel left out, cut off from the news and the events that shape the land you now live in. It will allow you to take an active part in the life of your adopted country, to fully appreciate and enjoy the richness of its culture and traditions, to partake in the multitude of leisure activities on offer, without having to stare in total incomprehension at the menus, the programmes or the price lists.

Most of all, knowing German will eliminate the language barrier which prevents you from making new friends, meeting people (be it your next door neighbour or a chance acquaintance in a local Kneipe) and holding with them some meaningful dialogue about more than the weather (but not necessarily about the Taliban oppression of Afghan women to start with, either. Be realistic).

Finally, it will let you impress the waiter when ordering a meal (though, in Germany, you are very unlikely to make any kind of impression on the waiter unless you run stark naked through the restaurant pursuing him with your order, which he is refusing to take, by completely ignoring the subtle throat-clearing noises you make each time he passes nearby). To put it the other way, learn German to be able to abuse the waiter if he serves you something completely different from what you wanted under the pretext that he could not understand what you were on about.

In fact, I could come up with an endless array of more or less persuasive reasons to learn German, but the crux of the matter rests here: you'll feel you have achieved an important goal in your life - to speak a foreign language...

Ways to learn the language

If you have concluded that you might as well learn this foreign tongue, there are a number of ways you can go about it. Basically, there are four options for language training in Germany:

• the world-famous Goethe Institutes,
• the less famous but equally efficient (and half as expensive!) Volkshochschulen (VHS for short),
• private language schools; and
• private tutors.

The fifth option - finding yourself a love interest prepared to give you a few free lessons in German (let us not kid ourselves, of a very limited vocabulary), is only recommended for single, unattached people (and no use pretending that you are single and unattached, just because your partner is currently stuck in the old country).

If anybody in your household is a student, they can also try attending university classes, either specifically on the German language or on any subject of particular interest to them (this is bound to get them speaking German very quickly). In Berlin, the Freie Universität, the Technische Universität and the Humboldt University have a number of "German as a foreign language" (Deutsch als Fremdsprache) courses, mainly designed for foreign students already enrolled at the university. However, it might pay off to give it a try, attending as an 'auditeur libre', not officially enrolled in the course.

Universities are also a good point for finding less expensive tutors, usually advertising their services on the many notice boards around the campus, or even to participate in one of the language exchanges, whereby someone offers German language practice in exchange for conversation practice in another language.

Here are the nuts and bolts of language training in Berlin, but most of what is said here also applies to other German cities:

What?

Learning to speak, read and write German. Whatever the level you start at, you'll progress.

Where?

At the Goethe Institut, at a private language school, at one of the VHS (adult education centres) or at home with a private tutor.

When?

Depends on when you want to and can start classes. Many language institutes have courses all year around but the starting dates mostly coincide with the academic year. These can be in September, December, February and May. There are also intensive courses throughout the summer. Of course, you can always start taking private lessons at any given time. During the day course times usually vary, but there is bound to be a wide choice between morning, afternoon and evening classes to suit all work schedules.

How long?

As long as you want to! Depending on whether you're going for a crash course, the survival, the intensive or the super intensive course in German, the time frame will vary, but most standard courses go for 2 months. Wide range of possibilities mean, however, that you can tailor the language training envisaged to perfectly suit your needs, from one week introduction to German basics to a whole year devoted to language study.

How much?

From DM 15 per hour for a student tutor, and between DM 80 and 120 for a three-month course at one of the VHS, to anything up to and exceeding DM 3000 for intensive courses at the Goethe Institut or exclusive, one-on-one private lessons over an extended period of time.

How to book?

First decide on the format: classes, private lessons, with others or one-on-one. Then contact one of the language centres at their address below. Most have friendly, English speaking staff who will help you find the language course suited to your individual needs. A personal visit to the language school might be useful to check out the facilities before you hand over your money. Remember, you may have to book early for some of the more popular courses and at the VHS, where there are sometimes long waiting lists and country quotas. Money will usually be refunded (minus a penalty or handling fee) if you change your mind, but check the small print.

If you don't know where to start, simply have a look in the A-Z Listings (Gelbe Seiten) under "Sprachunterricht" and choose the language institute or the tutor closes to you, who offer courses in "Deutsch as Fremdsprache".

Where to learn the language

Here is a choice of possibilities for those based in Berlin:

Goethe Institut

Goethe-Institut Berlin
Neue Schönhauser Str. 20

D-10178 Berlin/Mitte
Tel.: 030 259 06 - 3
Fax.: 030 259 06 - 400
Email:berlin@goethe.de
Internet: www.goethe.de

Office opening times:
Monday from 9am to 6pm
Tuesday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm
Friday from 9am to 2pm
However, the Institute is open till 8pm on the day intensive courses start.

In 1999, Berlin's Goethe Institut moved to a new home in a beautifully restored 1912 building in the Mitte district. The surrounding area happens to be one of the most interesting and vibrant quarters of today's Berlin, with an eclectic mix of galleries, cinemas, alternative theatres, restaurants, bars and cafés set in beautiful courtyards. The Weinmeisterstraße U-Bahn station gives direct access to the Institute, while it's only four minutes on foot from the Hackescher Markt S-Bahn station.

The Institut has a self-learning centre, as well as a library with text and exercise books, dictionaries, literature, magazines and newspapers. It is also equipped with computers, audio and video facilities and has a collection of past and blank exams to help with exam preparation. The use of the self-learning centrum is included in the course price.

You can start a language course at any level and at any time year round, from Beginner level 1 to Advanced, as well as diverse specialist courses such as Business German, preparatory courses for Little (Kleines) and Big (Großes) German Language diploma. There are also courses for teenagers (from 16 years old) and young adults. Popular courses include:

Intensiv 8: an eight-week course, with 175 units of 45 minutes each, running from Monday to Thursday, 8.30 - 13.00, Friday 8.30 - 12.00, with a maximum 18 students (15 on average), and including a cultural and recreational program for students. It also has a DM 3230 price tag.

Afternoon Intensiv 4: 4 weeks, from Monday to Thursday, 13.15 - 17.45, Friday 13.15 - 16.45, with similar structure and added bonuses to Intensiv 8. Cost: DM 1720.

Vario: learning German when, how and for how long you want to. Depending on your level of German, you can join an existing Intensiv 4 or 8 group any time. Beginners, however, can only start on the official starting date. Minimum one week duration and limited availability.

German in the Evening: An eight-week evening course for Beginners: Monday - Thursday, 6pm to 8:30pm. and Intermediate and Advanced on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6pm to 8:45pm

Private language schools

Check out the Internet addresses below or call the school for more information about the times and the costs. Most have English versions of their homepages and very helpful English speaking staff, ready to answer your questions. Most intensive and standard courses take place Monday to Friday, from 9am to sometime in the afternoon (1.30pm or later depending on the program) with at least 25 lessons weekly, in small, 10-15 people groups. Some of the bigger institutes might also offer individual tutoring.

Akademie für Fremdsprachen GmbH
Nürnberger Strasse 38 Ecke Lietzenburger Strasse
10663 Berlin
U-bahn: Augsburger Strasse
Tel: 030 884 30 20
Fax: 030 884 30 248

Benedict School Berlin
Joachimstaler Strasse 17
10719 Berlin-Charlotenburg
Tel: 030 882 62 45
Fax: 030 882 58 83

Berliner Sprachenschule
Email: berliner-sprachenschule@t-online.de
www.berliner-sprachenschule.de

Berlitz Deutschland GmbH
www.berlitz.com
Kurfürstendamm 74
Berlin 10709
Tel: 030 323 90 47
Fax: 030 324 10 45

Leopoldcenter
Müllerstraße 153
Berlin 13353

Tel: 030 465 10 11 Fax: 030 465 10 10

Schloßstraße 95
Berlin 12163
Tel: 030 791 10 31
Fax: 030 791 10 33

IHZ
Friedrichstraße 95
Berlin 10117
Tel: 030 204 21 24
Fax: 030 204 2161

Deutsch Intensiv Institut
Wittelsbacherstr. 29
10707 Berlin
Tel: 030 86 42 01 37
Fax: 030 86 42 01 38
Email: DeutschIntensiv@CompuServe.com

Dialog Sprachenschule
Email: dialog@t-online.de
www.dialog-sprachschule.com

DID Deutsch-Institut
Email: didBerlin@t-online.de
www.did.de

Didactica
Email: didactica-berlin@t-online.de
www.didactica-berlin.de

Die Neue Schule
Email: Neue.Schule@t-online.de
www.netlounge.com/Neue-Schule

Eurasia Sprachen-Institut
Email: eurasia@rios.de

Friedländer-Schule
Email: frie-schule@t-online.de
www.friedländer.de

Hartnackschule
Motzstrasse 5/am Nollendorfplatz
10777 Berlin
Tel: 030 216 44 59
Fax: 030 215 44 54

Idioma
www.bfb.de/idioma

Institut für Interkulturelle Kommunikation e.V.
www.iik.com

Linguarama
www.linguarama.com

Prolog
www.slc.de/prolog

Protea
Klingsortstrasse 7 (Ecke Albrechtstrasse)
12167 Berlin-Steglitz
tel/fax: (030) 793 21 76
tel/fax: (030) 792 78 29

Tandem
www.tandemlink.com

Private tutors

Dr.Hebel
Privater Schprachunterricht
Sybelstr. 57
10629 Berlin
Tel/fax: 030 323 34 26

Jan Gursch
Sophia Sprachentraining
Leonorenstr.92
12247 Berlin-Steglitz
Tel: 030 774 98 23

Shoemaker Accent Business Languages
German for English speakers
Sächsische Strasse 7
10707 Berlin
Tel: 030 886 825 73
Fax: 030 886 825 74

For private lessons, word of mouth is the best guide as to the least expensive and the most competent tutors, so ask your friends or colleagues. Also look under +Sprachschulen +Berlin on one of the Internet search engines (e.g. Altavista) and on the university notice boards.

Volkshochschulen (VHS)

In Berlin, there are 23 VHS (or adult education centres) to choose from. Look under: www.berlin.de, click on the "Buildung & Wissenschaft" (Education and Science) and then click on "Volkshochschulen" - and you will access the basic information about all of the VHS in Berlin and its surrounds. Most of the VHS have their own homepages, which you can access through the above website.

The VHS courses run for two to three months, usually for a few hours a week. There is a choice of morning, afternoon and evening classes. The price varies between 80 and 120 DEM and the number of people can range from 10 to 20 per class. Some VHS have country quotas, which means they limit the intake of students from a particular country to keep the class mix healthy and diverse. It pays to investigate and book early, as VHS courses are very popular amongst the local immigrant population because of their relative low cost and high teaching quality.

Here is a list of Volkshochschulen in Berlin:

Charlottenburg
Pestalozzistraße 40/41,
10627 Berlin
Tel. 030 3430 8869; (030) 3430 8855
Fax: 030 3430 8831
jugbild@berlin-charlottenburg.de
www.berlin-charlottenburg.de

Friedrichshain
Frankfurter Allee 37,
10247 Berlin
Tel. 030 2324 4600; -4601; -4603 -4604 -4605 -4606
Fax: 030 2324 4176
Email: vhs@ba-frh.verwalt-berlin.de

Hellersdorf
Tangermünder Straße 30
12627 Berlin
Tel. 030 991 8116; 998 97 67
Fax: 030 991 81 20
www.hellersdorf.de/amt/vhs.htm

Hohenschönhausen
Wustrower Straße 14,
13051 Berlin
Tel. 030 9240 0428

Köpenick
Plönzeile 7
Tel. 030 535 4090
Email: info@vhskoepenick.be.schule.de
www.b.shuttle.de/b/vhskoepenick/

Kreuzberg
Friedrichstraße 210,
10117 Berlin
Yorckstraße 4 - 11,
10965 Berlin
Tel: 030 25 88 78 67
www.b.shuttle.de/vhs-krzbg

Lichtenberg
Paul-Junius-Straße 71,
10369 Berlin
Tel. 030 9710 6014; 9798 1970,
Fax: 030 9798 1970 30
Email: VHS-Lichtenberg@t-online.de

Marzahn
Buckower Ring 54/56,
12683 Berlin
Tel. 030 5688 160

Mitte
Linienstraße 162,
10115 Berlin
Tel. 030 2852 8911
VHS.Mitte@berlin.de
http://home.t-online.de/home/city-vhs-berlin/vhs.htm

Neukölln
Boddinstraße 34,
12053 Berlin
Tel. 030 6809 2433
http://www.b.shuttle.de/b/vhs-neukoelln/

Pankow
Schulstraße 29,
13187 Berlin
Tel. 030 4852 2820
http://members.aol.com/vhspankow/

Prenzlauer Berg
Prenzlauer Allee 227/228,
10405 Berlin
Tel. 030 4240 1414

Reinickendorf
Buddestraße 21,
13507 Berlin
Tel. 030 4192 4800

Schöneberg
Barbarrossaplatz 5,
10781 Berlin
Tel. 030 78 76 30 58; 78 76 30 26
http://www.b.shuttle.de/b/vhs-schoeneberg

Spandau
Reformationsplatz 2, 13597 Berlin
Tel: 030 33 03-50 00
Fax: 030 33 03-50 01
info@vhs-spandau.de
http://www.vhs-spandau.de/

Steglitz
Victor Gollancz Volkshochschule
(Im Rathaus Lichterfelde)
Goethestraße 9 - 11
12207 Berlin
Tel: 030 63 21 23 73; 63 21 26 56; 63 21 26 55
Fax: 030 63 21 23 76
E-Mail:info@vhs-steglitz.de
www.vhs-steglitz.de

Templehof
Ordensmeister Sraße 15
12099 Berlin
Tel: 030 75 60 35 11
Fax: 030 75 60 35 03
info@vhs-Tempelhof.be.Schule.de
http://www.vhs-tempelhof.de/

Tiergarten
Turmstraße 75
10551 Berlin
Tel: 030 39 05 34 40
Fax: 030 39 05 34 41
info@VHS-Tiergarten.be.schule.de
http://home.t-online.de/home/city-vhs-berlin/vhs.htm

Treptow
Baumschulenstr. 81
12437 Berlin
Tel: 030 53 69 90 53; 53 69 90 59
www.b.shuttle.de/b/vhs-treptow/

Wedding
Antonstraße 37
13347 Berlin
Tel. 030 45 75 74 30
Fax: 030 45 75 74 33
VHS-Wedding@t-online.de
http://home.t-online.de/home/city-vhs-berlin/vhs.htm

Weissensee
Bizetstraße 64
13088 Berlin
Tel.: 030 9 25 37 12
Fax: 030 96 20 98 22
Email: VHSBWSGF@aol.com

Wilmersdorf
Fehrbelliner Platz 4
10707 Berlin
Tel: 030 86 41 23 71
Fax: 030 86 41 38 34
http://wilm.vhs-berlin.de/

Zehlendorf
Markgrafenstraße 3
14163 Berlin
Tel: 030 63 21 56 85; 63 21 59 44
Fax: 030 63 21 64 77
Email:info@vhs-zehlendorf.de
www.vhs-zehlendorf.de