German language courses are usually behind a paywall and many who don’t have the means to pay struggle with finding free language lessons.
Consistent practice while learning German with videos free of charge is available for anyone eager to become fluent in German.
Find out how to learn German with videos for free with this post.
Why should you watch German videos?
Even if you’re a complete beginner, watching funny beginner video lessons will definitely improve not only your basic vocabulary but also your correct pronunciation.
Many of these videos have subtitles. So, when you’re lost in translation, you can turn on CC (closed captioning) for either German subtitles or English subtitles.
Sometimes, videos also have auto-generated German subtitles where you can double-check if you are hearing the right word.
Language learners won’t feel less productive with youtube videos and will enhance their language skills through listening.
Our top picks for free German learning videos
Since there are plenty of videos available on the internet, we’ve selected websites and channels to learn German.
While many of these videos are free, there are also exclusive, paid subscriptions such as online classes on Youtube premium or website-only videos.
Here are some available websites and youtube channels that you can check out when learning German with videos for free:
- GermanPod101
Among educational videos and language learning, GermanPod101 is a crowd favorite.
It has video series for any topic that you can think of. They even have an online app for you to learn German while on the go.
On the other hand, you need to pay for membership on all the other resources: online courses, PDF downloadables, audio lessons, and a community discussion through forums.
- Deutsch für Euch
Deutsch für Euch or German For You What we like best when learning German with Deutsch für Euch is it’s funny and educational at the same time.
Katja, the host, shares German culture, grammar, history, and any topic under the sun.
Her conversations are usually anything that people can relate to so it’s easy to find a topic you’ll like.
She also has a website with downloadable PDFs and other merchandise.
- Learn German
Learn German is another Youtube channel for all learning ability levels.
You can choose from videos from Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels.
This youtube channel is always recommended when learning advanced vocabulary.
Learn German only has videos with graphics and has no hosts so it looks more like a slideshow during a class presentation.
This is not an interactive channel for learners, so you may become bored if you’re more into that kind of teaching technique.
- Deutsche Welle
Deutsche Welle is one of the most popular German news sites that offer free videos that have a diversity of language topics.
You can also access the website in 30 various languages.
They have a Youtube channel called “Deutsch lernen mit der DW” or Learn German with the DW, that offers real-world videos on culture, history, art, sports, cars, cartoons for kids, etc. that will make you understand German grammar rules while knowing their daily life.
If you’re aiming to get the right German pronunciation, watching news and documentaries on Deutsche Welle is good for extra practice.
Other ways to learn German
Music is one way to learn German, there are music videos that you can try watching without subtitles.
If you have a favorite singer, band, or group, you can also listen closely to how they speak as an advanced speaker.
You can also read books, short stories, or try conversing with native German speakers.
Lastly, we recommend improving your German vocabulary through flashcards, audio courses, or podcasts that also show what common mistakes people do when learning a language for the first time.