How to Learn German for Beginners
German shares a lot with English, which gives beginners a head start — many everyday words are recognisable. Front-loading the essential greetings and numbers gets you speaking quickly, before you meet the famous grammar. This starter deck covers the first must-know words.
There are 21 cards in the deck below. You can read through them, practise them right here with the flip-card player, and then save the deck to study properly with spaced repetition — the method that makes them stick for months, not minutes.
Why beginner German is hard to memorize (and the fix)
The hardest part of a new language is the very start — before any word feels familiar. The fix is to front-load the 21 highest-frequency words (greetings, numbers, essential phrases) so you can understand and say something real within days.
The fix is active recall plus spaced repetition. Instead of re-reading the list (which feels productive but barely works), you test yourself — pull each answer out of memory — and you review each card on a schedule that stretches over time. Every time you successfully recall a fact, the memory gets stronger and the next review is pushed further out. That's how you go from "I saw it once" to "I just know it."
The fastest way to learn beginner German
- Break it into small batches. Learn the greetings first (you will use them in every conversation), then numbers 1–10, then the everyday phrases. Ten words a day is plenty.
- Test, don't re-read. Look at the question, say the answer out loud before flipping the card. The little struggle to recall is what builds the memory — a smooth re-read does almost nothing.
- Review on a schedule. Spaced repetition shows you each card right before you'd forget it. Get one right and it comes back in a few days, then a week, then a month. Miss one and it comes back sooner.
- Keep sessions short and daily. Five to ten minutes a day beats a two-hour cram every time. Consistency is the whole game.
One fact per card. Say every word out loud — pronunciation only sticks when you produce it, not just read it. For a lot more German, see our free German vocabulary decks.
The full deck: German for Beginners
Here's every card in the set. Practise them above, or save the deck and let spaced repetition schedule your reviews automatically.
| English | German |
|---|---|
| How do you say "Hello" in German? | Hallo |
| How do you say "Good day" in German? | Guten Tag |
| How do you say "Thank you" in German? | Danke |
| How do you say "Please / you're welcome" in German? | Bitte |
| How do you say "Goodbye" in German? | Auf Wiedersehen |
| How do you say "Yes" in German? | Ja |
| How do you say "No" in German? | Nein |
| How do you say "Excuse me / sorry" in German? | Entschuldigung |
| How do you say "How are you?" in German? | Wie geht's? |
| How do you say "My name is…" in German? | Ich heiße… |
| How do you say "I don't understand" in German? | Ich verstehe nicht |
| How do you say "the number 1" in German? | eins |
| How do you say "the number 2" in German? | zwei |
| How do you say "the number 3" in German? | drei |
| How do you say "the number 4" in German? | vier |
| How do you say "the number 5" in German? | fünf |
| How do you say "the number 6" in German? | sechs |
| How do you say "the number 7" in German? | sieben |
| How do you say "the number 8" in German? | acht |
| How do you say "the number 9" in German? | neun |
| How do you say "the number 10" in German? | zehn |
Save this deck and actually remember it
Create a free account, keep this 21-card deck, and we'll schedule every review at the perfect moment. First deck free forever — no credit card.
Study this deck free →FAQ: learning beginner German
How long does it take to learn beginner German?
Most people can lock in beginner German within one to three weeks of short daily sessions. With spaced repetition doing 10–20 cards a day, you'll recognise them within days and recall them reliably within a couple of weeks.
What's the best way to memorize beginner German?
Active recall plus spaced repetition. Test yourself instead of re-reading, and review on a schedule that spaces the cards out over time. Flashcards are built for exactly this — which is why the deck above is the fastest path.
Is this deck free?
Yes. You can practise all 21 cards on this page for free with no account. Sign up (also free) to save the deck and let spaced repetition schedule your reviews so it sticks long-term.