Hallo zusammen!

With the next Football World Cup already getting closer (starting in June 2026 and hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico), discussions around FIFA and corruption are becoming louder again.

FIFA is the organization behind the Football World Cup, but over the years it has repeatedly been linked to bribery, suspicious World Cup host selections, money laundering, and secret payments, including around the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the tournament in Qatar.

This dialogue is about that strange contradiction many fans feel: criticizing the system… while still loving football.

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Hallo zusammen!

Today’s topic is the expression: „Sport ist Mord.“ Literally: “Sport is murder.” 😄

Of course, nobody means it seriously. It’s usually said after suffering through a workout or a run.

I’m sure a lot of you will disagree with what is said in the dialogue!

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

One of the biggest frustrations in German is this:

You’ve seen the case tables.
You learned the endings.
Maybe multiple times already.

And yet, in real conversations, your brain still freezes for half a second:

dem?
den?
des?
einen guten?
einem guten?

That hesitation is completely normal.

Because knowing grammar rules and using them automatically under real-time pressure are two very different things.

As you know, German is especially demanding in this area because your brain is forced to process grammatical information constantly.

Gender.
Cases.
Adjective endings.
Word order.

All at the same time.

That often feels “mathematical” in the beginning. Your brain is still consciously calculating too much.

But here’s the thing:

Automaticity can be trained.

Your brain learns through repeated exposure to stable patterns. Over time, combinations like:

der nette Mann
mit dem netten Mann
ich sehe den netten Mann

stop feeling like “math” and start becoming familiar chunks your brain recognizes instantly.

So today, we’ll focus less on memorizing isolated rules and more on helping your brain experience these patterns often enough that they slowly become automatic.

You can use this mechanism for other grammar topics too!

Learn this by heart

Read it aloud.
Repeat it on different days.
Notice the case labels, but don’t overthink them every time.

Important: these are only 2 out of the 3 adjective ending tables in German.

What you see here is:

• the der-word table
  (der, die, das, die)

and

• the ein-word table
  (ein, eine, kein, mein, dein, etc.)

There is still a third table:

• adjectives without an article
  → guter Wein, kaltes Wasser, nette Menschen

Der nette Mann

Der nette Mann sitzt. (Nominativ)
Das Buch des netten Mannes ist spannend. (Genitiv)
Das Buch gehört dem netten Mann. (Dativ)
Das Buch ist für den netten Freund. (Akkusativ)

Ein netter Mann

Ein netter Mann sitzt. (Nominativ)
Das Buch eines netten Mannes ist spannend. (Genitiv)
Das Buch gehört einem netten Mann. (Dativ)
Das Buch ist für einen netten Freund. (Akkusativ)

Die nette Frau

Die nette Frau sitzt. (Nominativ)
Das Buch der netten Frau ist spannend. (Genitiv)
Das Buch gehört der netten Frau. (Dativ)
Das Buch ist für die nette Freundin. (Akkusativ)

Eine nette Frau

Eine nette Frau sitzt. (Nominativ)
Das Buch einer netten Frau ist spannend. (Genitiv)
Das Buch gehört einer netten Frau. (Dativ)
Das Buch ist für eine nette Freundin. (Akkusativ)

Das nette Mädchen

Das nette Mädchen sitzt. (Nominativ)
Das Buch des netten Mädchens ist spannend. (Genitiv)
Das Buch gehört dem netten Mädchen. (Dativ)
Das Buch ist für das nette Kind. (Akkusativ)

Ein nettes Mädchen

Ein nettes Mädchen sitzt. (Nominativ)
Das Buch eines netten Mädchens ist spannend. (Genitiv)
Das Buch gehört einem netten Mädchen. (Dativ)
Das Buch ist für ein nettes Kind. (Akkusativ)

Die netten Kinder

Die netten Kinder sitzen. (Nominativ)
Das Buch der netten Kinder ist spannend. (Genitiv)
Das Buch gehört den netten Kindern. (Dativ)
Das Buch ist für die netten Freunde. (Akkusativ)

If you want to train patterns like these properly and build real automaticity, that’s exactly what the full training system is for.

The paid version gives you access to the complete training flow:

→ structured reference texts
→ guided repetition
→ listening practice
→ writing tasks
→ speaking prompts
→ and real conversational German patterns repeated across contexts

Because understanding a grammar rule or a word once is not enough.

Your brain needs repeated exposure and active recall until the pattern becomes automatic under real-time pressure.

That’s the difference between:

“I know the rule.”

and

“I can actually use it while speaking.”

Subscribe now

LG und schöne Woche 💪
Marwan

Hallo zusammen!

So yes, Germany actually has 16 Bundesländer (federal states), but Mallorca is jokingly often called the 17th Bundesland. Why? Because for decades, it has been probably the most popular vacation destination for Germans.

Let’s take a look at how people speak about it…

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Hallo zusammen!

Today’s topic is one of my favorite weird German expressions: „der innere Schweinehund.“ Literally, it means something like “the inner pig-dog.”

The expression has existed for over a hundred years and was originally used for something unpleasant or hard to control. Over time, it became a very common way in German to describe a certain inner struggle that probably all of us know.

What exactly it means… you’ll quickly understand once you read the dialogue 👀

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Hallo Zusammen!

Today, I have something special for you. I would like to introduce you to Atia, the German teacher behind Lern Deutsch and Atia - Your German Teacher.

What stands out in her work is the combination of clear structure, useful tips, and a strong focus on mindset, because learning German isn’t just about grammar; it’s about how you approach it and stay consistent over time.

She shares practical strategies, learning resources, and regular opportunities to actually use the language, including free weekly German chats where you can practice speaking in a relaxed setting.

If you’re looking for a more hands-on and supportive way to improve your German, her work is definitely worth exploring.

Subscribe to Atia

Enjoy the read!

LG
Marwan

By the way, I also wrote about this topic and the strange feeling that can come with expressing yourself in another language: check it out here.

Something strange happened when I moved to the Netherlands. It felt like someone had tied a knot in my tongue. My brain worked perfectly fine. I could think complex thoughts and express myself clearly in German, English, and Urdu. But when it came to Dutch, it seemed like my brain was sending me error messages.

I had to simplify my thoughts, to be able to express anything in Dutch. This resulted in me becoming quiet and reserved. In conversations I needed to think well before responding, which led to missing the right moment in the conversation. I watched other people’s conversations flow like a river and I could only stand at the shore as a witness. I felt bad, because I could understand them, I could respond but I was just not quick enough.

Have you ever noticed that in people who speak several languages? In one of their foreign languages they seem to be very measured and careful. While in their mother tongue they speak quickly and confidently. My mother once said to me and my siblings that when we talk German she can’t understand anything “It sounds like a train passing”

I suspect now that it felt that way too. Like missing a train and watching it leave without you.

Very often we stand in our own way in a new language. Over time I realized that most of the pressure came from myself. I wanted to sound intelligent. I wanted to avoid mistakes. I wanted to speak without an accent. But all of that made me hesitant — and hesitation kills conversation.

In all of that I missed the point of language – to communicate! Who cares if I made mistakes? Making mistakes is literally the only way to learn. Who cares if I used an awkward phrasing? As long as the other person got the point. Who cares if I spoke with an accent? That only marks me as someone who has a different native language.

To get out of our own way, we need to face the facts:

• No one started speaking a language perfectly from the beginning

• Native speakers usually make mistakes as well

• Language is for communication, you’re not trying to pass a test

• You can only get better by speaking, if you avoid that you will not improve!

• It doesn’t matter how well others speak. Comparing yourself to other students is pointless and only discourages you. Everyone is different.

So here are some easy to implement tips to improve.

1. Just speak. Yes, this is an annoying tip but actually the only thing that will help

2. Find someone who is willing to patiently practice with you. The “patient” part is essential!

3. Find certain situations that you will only speak your target language, like having a chat with the cashier. Repeat that same interaction so many times that it becomes automatic. Then add a new element.

4. Find certain time slots that you will only speak your target language with. Take for example dinner. In the beginning it will feel difficult and awkward. But after a while you will start learning many new things and repeating known phrases. This boosts your confidence and gives you regular practice and repetition

5. Get a lot of input by reading and listening to content in your target language. But don’t stop there. Pick a word or phrase and try to use it.

6. Reddit or other forums are a great way to practice. Go to a subreddit of your interest in your target language and write some posts.

Now only one question remains: how can you find your own voice in the target language? For a long time, I only spoke general Dutch (ABN). I was afraid of mixing it up. But once I became confident in my ability to speak and improvise in Dutch, I started to play with it. I listened to how Dutch people would speak their language, which “mistakes” they made, which words they shortened, which sayings meant what. Then I implemented those things casually in my speech. Now I could make decisions on which words to use, because my vocabulary was large enough. This meant that I could make sentences that sounded more like me. Well, me in Dutch then.

At some point, the language stopped feeling like borrowed words. It started feeling like another part of me. Not identical to who I am in German or English — but still me.

Maybe that is what fluency really is: not sounding native, but sounding like yourself.

Atia Janssens

Follow more from Atia here:

Subscribe to Atia

By the way, I also wrote about this topic and the strange feeling that can come with expressing yourself in another language: check it out here.

Hallo zusammen!

Have you heard of Shrinkflation, or as many in Germany call it: a „Mogelpackung“?
Literally: a “trick package.” Big packaging, less product inside.

In Germany, people have been discussing this a lot lately because many everyday products seem suddenly smaller, emptier, and more expensive.

Once you start noticing it, you see it everywhere 👀

Let’s explore how you can talk about it in German…

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Hallo zusammen!

Today’s topic is Servicewüste Deutschland, literally “service desert Germany.” The expression gained popularity in the 1990s and is used to describe the feeling (fact) that customer service in Germany can sometimes seem cold, rigid, and/or strangely unhelpful.

The phrase was originally popularized by the German writer and journalist Wolf Schneider.

Viel Spaß!

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Many German learners struggle a lot around A2/B1.

Reaching A2/B1 comes with a lot of hesitation, translating in the head, forgetting articles, or freezing in conversations. It feels like you’ve studied for hundreds of hours and still can’t use German the way you want to.

But from a linguistic and cognitive perspective, this stage is completely normal.

German is objectively demanding in the early stages because your brain has to manage several unfamiliar systems at the same time:

• grammatical gender

• 4 cases

• flexible word order

• verb placement

• adjective endings

• separable verbs

• and a large amount of information packed into single sentences

For English speakers, this is especially difficult because English has lost much of this grammatical complexity over time. English relies more heavily on word order, while German still marks grammatical relationships through cases and endings.

That’s why many English speakers understand vocabulary relatively quickly but struggle with accuracy and sentence construction. The similarity of the vocabulary creates a lot of frustration because, on the one hand, understanding is easier, but actually using German is still difficult.

At the same time, speakers of Slavic languages often adapt faster to cases and grammar patterns because similar systems already exist in those languages.

So, depending on your background, German challenges you differently.

But here’s the good news:

By the time you reach B1, you have already encountered the majority of core German grammar structures at least once. Your brain is no longer dealing only with completely new information.

And this matters because cognitive load decreases with familiarity.

The language starts feeling less chaotic.

Less random.

Less overwhelming.

From this stage onward, improvement depends far more on repetition and automaticity than on constantly learning new rules.

In other words:

The challenge slowly shifts from “understanding German” to “processing German faster.”

That is why learners who continue practicing consistently after B1 often improve much faster than they did in the beginning.

Their brain starts recognizing patterns automatically instead of analyzing every sentence from scratch.

This is also why repeated exposure and output matter so much at this level:

Speaking.
Writing.
Listening.
Reading.

Not once.

But hundreds of times.

So if you’re currently around A2 or B1 and feel frustrated, remember this:

You are probably standing in the hardest part of the climb.

And if you keep going consistently, there’s a good chance that German will soon start feeling far more natural than it does right now.

LG und schöne Woche 💪
Marwan

Get more real German between lessons. 2× weekly conversational German training: real dialogues, audio, explanations & speaking reps 📩

Hallo zusammen!

Today’s training is about something many people experience abroad: the strange feeling of slowly becoming a slightly different version of yourself in another language.

Before we start today’s training, I’d love your quick input.

I’m currently refining these sessions to help learners become more comfortable speaking real conversational German.

Your answers directly shape what you’ll get here in the future.

And as a thank you for participating, I’ll invite a few people to a complimentary 1-on-1 speaking class with me!

Here’s the survey:

Start Survey

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Hallo zusammen!

Today’s topic is Dorfmentalität, literally “village mentality.” Depending on who you ask, it’s either cozy or exhausting. This dialogue plays with that tension.

Before we start today’s training, I’d love your quick input.

I’m currently refining these sessions to help learners become more comfortable speaking real conversational German.

Your answers directly shape what you’ll get here in the future.

And as a thank you for participating, I’ll invite a few people to a complimentary 1-on-1 speaking class with me!

Here’s the survey:

Start Survey

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Speaking with confidence in German doesn’t come from consuming more content. Watching another Netflix series or YouTube video might improve your understanding, it won’t train you to respond under pressure, though.

It’s completely normal to feel unsure in unknown speaking situations. Your brain has to process everything at once: new words that you haven’t used much before, grammar rules, tone, real-time pressure, social expectations, etc. It’s normal that you slow down, hesitate, sometimes go blank, and just prefer to switch to English… However, all that is simply a lack of experience in that specific moment.

Confidence grows in direct proportion to experience.

The more you’ve been in a situation like ordering food, making small talk, explaining an idea, taking a call… the more familiar it becomes. Your brain starts recognizing patterns, and it anticipates what’s coming. What once felt stressful becomes manageable, even automatic over time.

The problem is that in German-speaking countries, these repetitions don’t always happen often enough.

People switch to English quickly. Conversations can be short and functional. Social opportunities are not always as frequent or accessible as in other parts of the world. So if you rely only on real-life exposure, your progress will be slower than it needs to be.

A lot of learners underestimate the value of simulated experience.

You don’t have to wait for the perfect situation or the perfect conversation partner. Yes, working with a teacher or tutor helps a lot, but it’s limited by time, availability, and cost.

What actually accelerates progress is deliberate, structured repetition:

• Guided speaking tasks

• Clear conversational prompts

• Situations you can revisit and practice multiple times

• Tools that let you respond, make mistakes, and try again

It’s not a replacement for real life, of course.

But it prepares you for it.

It gives you the repetitions your environment doesn’t naturally provide so much.

And those repetitions are what build confidence.

Just experience, repeated enough times.

I’ve seen this again and again in my tutoring, and it’s precisely why I created these training units that I send out every Wednesday and Saturday.

There are almost 1,000 of you receiving them now, and it’s great to see how many are actually using them and making real progress! If you haven’t started yet, don’t let it slip; this is how you get closer to becoming a confident German speaker.

Because confidence doesn’t come from knowing more.

It comes from having done it before.

LG und schöne Woche 💪
Marwan

Hallo zusammen,

Today’s topic is the Vokuhila. The iconic haircut of the 80s and 90s. Vo Ku Hi La is Short for: Vorne kurz, hinten lang - short in the front, long in the back. Business in the front, party in the back.

What’s interesting is that this style was especially popular in East Germany, where there was often a push to feel modern and different in subtle ways… it’s making a comeback lately.

If you want to discuss things like this with others, feel free to join the subscriber chat - it’s free and you can access it right here 👇

Join the Subscriber Chat

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Mike: Martin. Was ist mit deinen Haaren passiert?

Martin: Gefällt's dir?

Mike: Das ist ein Vokuhila.

Martin: Ich weiß. Ich hab's extra so gewollt ⍟.

Mike: Ehrlich gesagt… steht dir das richtig gut. Das hätte ich jetzt nicht gedacht.

Martin: Hab ich dir doch gesagt. Der Friseur war auch erst skeptisch, aber dann meinte er, der kommt gerade voll zurück ⍟. Überall in Berlin sieht man das wieder.

Mike: Stimmt eigentlich. Ich hab das bei ein paar Typen gesehen und dachte, das ist Ironie. Aber das ist's anscheinend nicht mehr.

Martin: Gar nicht. Die Fußballer haben's wieder salonfähig ⍟ gemacht - Rüdiger, ein paar aus der Bundesliga. Und dann ziehen die Jungen nach, und plötzlich ist's ein Trend.

Mike: Dabei war der Vokuhila jahrelang das Symbol für schlechten Geschmack. Mein Onkel hatte den in den Neunzigern - mit Schnurrbart dazu. Das Foto hängt noch bei meiner Tante.

Martin: Genau das ist das Schöne daran. Der ist so lange uncool gewesen, dass er jetzt wieder cool ist. Das funktioniert immer so.

Mike: Schlechte Musik, schlechte Mode, schlechte Frisuren - alles kommt irgendwann zurück.

Martin: Und diesmal bin ich früh dran. Ich bin quasi ⍟ ein Trendsetter.

Mike: Du bist ein Mann mit einer fragwürdigen Frisur, der das gut findet. Aber ja - in dem Fall treff ich's wohl zu.

Martin: Danke. Ich glaub, das war ein Kompliment.

Mike: War es. Knapp ⍟, aber ja.

Part 2 - Listen 👂

Hear the Dialogue (switch to slow version if the original is too quick)

Audio 🎧

Slow Audio ⏳

Part 3 - Understand 💡

Read the explanations & translation (take your time, ask questions in the comments if something is unclear)

A) Explanations 💬

⍟ ich hab’s extra so gewollt – A spoken phrase used to clarify that something unconventional or surprising was a fully deliberate choice and not an accident, often said with a hint of defiance or pride in casual conversation. (English: “I did it on purpose” or “that was intentional”)

⍟ der kommt gerade voll zurück – A colloquial spoken expression used to describe something that is currently making a strong comeback in fashion, culture, or popular taste, common whenever trends and revivals come up in everyday conversation. (English: “it’s making a total comeback right now” or “it’s coming back in a big way”, literal: “it’s coming back really fully right now”)

⍟ salonfähig – An informal but widely used adjective describing something that has become socially acceptable or mainstream enough to be taken seriously, often used when talking about trends, opinions, or behaviour crossing from fringe to respectable. (English: “socially acceptable” or “mainstream”, literal: “fit for the salon”)

⍟ quasi – A very common spoken particle used to soften a claim or signal that something is approximately or effectively true without being exactly or officially so, slotted naturally into everyday speech across all registers. (English: “basically” or “kind of” or “almost”)

⍟ knapp – Used on its own or as a short spoken add-on to mean that something barely qualifies or only just applies, a compact and punchy way to acknowledge something while keeping a slight reservation intact. (English: “just about” or “barely” or “but only just”, literal: “tight” or “close”)

B) Translation 🔄

Mike: Martin. What happened to your hair?

Martin: Do you like it?

Mike: That's a mullet.

Martin: I know. I did it on purpose.

Mike: Honestly… it actually really suits you. I wouldn't have expected that.

Martin: Told you. The hairdresser was sceptical at first too, but then he said it's making a total comeback right now. You see it all over Berlin again.

Mike: That's actually true. I'd seen it on a few guys and thought it was ironic. But apparently not anymore.

Martin: Not at all. The footballers made it mainstream again - Rüdiger, a few from the Bundesliga. And then the younger guys follow, and suddenly it's a trend.

Mike: And yet the mullet was the symbol of bad taste for years. My uncle had one in the nineties - with a moustache to go with it. The photo is still up at my aunt's place.

Martin: That's exactly what's great about it. It was uncool for so long that it's cool again now. It always works like that.

Mike: Bad music, bad fashion, bad haircuts - everything comes back eventually.

Martin: And this time I'm early. I'm basically a trendsetter.

Mike: You're a man with a questionable haircut who's happy about it. But yeah - in this case I'd say that's fair.

Martin: Thanks. I think that was a compliment.

Mike: It was. Just about, but yes.

Part 4 - Write ✍️

Writing Practice (don’t skip, writing trains your brain to actively form sentences, and this carries over into speaking)

Answer ONE of these:

• Kennst du ungewöhnliche oder typische Frisuren-Trends? Beschreibe ein Beispiel.

• Warum kommen manche Trends nach vielen Jahren wieder zurück?

• Welche Rolle spielen Mode und Stil für deine persönliche Identität?

Send me your text by replying to this email, and I will answer + give feedback to the first 20 replies!

(check your spam folder just in case)

💬 Alternatively:
Post your answer in the comments.

(you are more likely to get feedback)

Leave a comment

Part 5 - Speak 🗣️

Spoken Conversation Practice 🗣️

Have a short 5-minute conversation with your KI Sprachbuddy. This is your real speaking training. You can talk about today’s topic, or choose something else.

I suggest talking about ONE of these topics:

• Kennst du ungewöhnliche oder typische Frisuren-Trends? Beschreibe ein Beispiel.

• Warum kommen manche Trends nach vielen Jahren wieder zurück?

• Welche Rolle spielen Mode und Stil für deine persönliche Identität?

Talk to KI Sprachbuddy

Access required 🔐 To use the KI Sprachbuddy, please enter the password below.
I update it occasionally for security. For the most up-to-date password, please check your latest email.

Password: Deutsch123

Wer könnte das heute noch tragen? 😏

Send it to someone who could actually pull this off 😄

And if you enjoyed it, tap ♡ and share it. Some styles… and some conversations… deserve a comeback.

Share

LG
Marwan

Hallo Leute!

The assumption that Generation Z (born roughly between 1995 and 2010) fundamentally does not want to work is a myth. Studies show that they are just as productive as previous generations. Why does this myth persist, though?

Let’s explore in German.

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Hallo zusammen,

If you’re learning German in Germany/Austria/Switzerland, your situation is fundamentally different from someone learning casually.

Your language ability is often directly tied to your quality of life.

The jobs that you can apply for.
The studies you have access to.
Your ability to integrate and connect with the locals.

That pressure creates a very specific kind of motivation.

At the beginning, it’s intense, and it helps you get started.

You feel behind a lot. You feel urgency all the time. You feel like you need to “catch up.”

So you act.

You study hard.
You consume content.
You maybe even take lessons.

And for a short period, it works.

But then daily life takes over. Work drains you. Social situations default to English. The friction of real German becomes exhausting.

And your motivation drops.

You’re not lazy.
You don’t lack discipline.

Motivation was never designed to carry something this long.

That’s the mistake.

Most learners rely on motivation to do a job it cannot do.

Motivation is an emotional spike. It is reactive, unstable, and dependent on context. It disappears exactly when you need it most. When things get repetitive, slow, and uncomfortable.

And that’s precisely where language learning lives.

Especially when living in Germany/Austria/Switzerland.

Because here, learning German is not a project with a clear end. It’s an ongoing process embedded in your everyday life.

Which means the only thing that works is structure.

Think of it like hygiene.

You don’t shower once because you felt motivated.

You do it regularly because it’s part of your system.

Language learning has to function the same way.

Consistent & predictable.

Integrated into your routine to the point where it requires minimal decision-making.

This is where most people fail:

They don’t build a system that they can actually sustain alongside a real life in Germany.

They rely on bursts.

And bursts always collapse.

If you want to make real progress, you need to remove motivation from the equation as much as possible.

Replace it with something simpler:

A clear structure.
Small, repeatable exposure to real German.

That’s exactly what I focus on in my training units.

Giving you something you can return to every single week.

Because in the long run, consistency is not just more effective than motivation.

It’s the only thing that survives it.

LG
Marwan

Hallo zusammen!

Today, we’re talking about a DDR classic. I guarantee you, almost everyone in Germany (east and west) can hum or sing the title melody of that program. I’d even bet that most of you who are from Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, or Bulgaria will know this little fellow.

If you don’t know him, why don’t you go ahead and watch an episode and tell us what you think?

Watch an episode of "Unser Sandmännchen"

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Hallo Leute!

I just created this chat, which is a space for everyone here to actually use their German and not just read it.

We can chat together, practice, and talk through what you’re currently working on or struggling with, and I’ll be happy to jump in with some tips and feedback along the way!

Come join us there. I’m looking forward to getting to know you.

Join chat

How to get started

1. Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.

Get app

2. Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.

3. That’s it! Jump into my thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.
   

LG

Marwan

Hallo Leute!

Today’s dialogue plays with a slightly crazy idea: walking from Berlin to New Delhi. Two friends explore whether something like that is even possible, talking about distance, time, borders, and what it would actually take to make it happen.

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Hallo zusammen!

Today’s topic is Heimweh & Fernweh. Two words that capture something hard to translate directly.

• Heimweh = home + pain → the feeling of missing home

• Fernweh = far away + pain → the desire to be somewhere else, to explore, to leave

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more

Hallo zusammen!

Today’s topic: die AfD. A controversial and unavoidable one. It shapes debates about identity, migration, and the future of Germany. Sooner or later, if you live in Germany, you’ll probably talk about it. 🤔

🚀 From today, this is part of the Conversational German Program

→ Learn how Germans actually speak
→ Handle real, nuanced conversations

⚠️ But here’s the change:

The free version is now limited

❌ No audio (normal + slow)
❌ No explanations
❌ No exercises
❌ No writing practice
❌ No speaking practice (KI Sprachbuddy)

If you want the full experience - the part that actually makes you improve:

🎧 Train your ear
💡 Understand authentic dialogues
✍️ Build your own sentences
🗣️ Practice speaking anytime

This is the difference between
👉 reading German
and
👉 actually using it in real life

Part 1 - Read 👀

Read the Dialogue (out loud if you can)

Read more