Learn German in Vienna: 11 Tips For Travellers, Students And Expats

Each year, thousands of travellers, students and expats learn German in Vienna. Some travellers just want an hour of key German phrases in a local coffeehouse. Students and expats are usually after in-depth language courses. I have listed the best schools and private teaching resources to kick start your search: from a one-hour session in a coffeehouse to exam preparation courses. If you'd like to pick up the local Viennese dialect, learn a few phrases of Wienerisch!

Best Private German Lessons in Vienna

1. Teacher Finder

Learn German in Vienna: coffeehouse teachingLearn German in Vienna. To learn German at your own pace handpick your teacher and personal schedule. For example, culture travellers will not require the same 'treatment' as university students. On top, studying with a teacher who shares your interests is much more fun.
To get started, use great platforms like Teacher Finder, which match you with an experienced teacher in Vienna, often within hours.
Usually, clients meet their teachers in their preferred environment. Whether their own homes or a quiet corner of a Wiener Kaffeehaus. Over the past years, lessons over Skype have become equally popular. To begin with, teachers arrange timings and logistics directly with you by email. As for payments, you can pay onsite or electronically (their fee is EUR 30 per hour). Find a German teacher in Vienna.

2. IPSA Private Lessons

Learn German in Vienna. Private German lessons can be booked either stand-alone or in addition to the schools' Intensive German Language Courses. Your German teacher will study with you when you want, and what you want, from Grammar and pronunciation to conversation and business German. Lessons are mostly based on the course system of the Goethe-Institute.

IPSA (Worldwide Consortium of Universities, Colleges and Language Schools) Private German Lessons; visit website for further information;

3. Berlitz Total Immersion© Private German Course

Learn German in Vienna. Clearly, Berlitz' offer is the Ferrari among German private language courses in Vienna. Their Total Immersion© one-to-one course is one of the fastest ways to learn German. As a matter of fact, Berlitz uses a learning method that was developed with the psychological institute of McGill University in Montreal.

On the practical side you will speak German at least half of your time with the teacher during 12 units of lessons per day, between one and six weeks. You will think, listen, talk and even lunch in German (with your teacher) every day. Visit website.

Best Group Courses To Learn German In Vienna

The history of Vienna is incredible. It opens doors for all kinds of majors to learn from its history. While in Vienna, our students have gone to museums, palaces, a concert at the Musikverein, various churches, and their own excursions. (Vienna) is the safest place abroad; everything is stable. Students go off by themselves more in Vienna than any other abroad program because it is so safe." Stella Walling, Director of International Studies, Franklin Pierce University, NH, USA

Here is a selection of both fun and effective intensive language courses:

1. Berlitz Group Instruction German Courses

Learn German in Vienna: Berlitz
Learn German in Vienna. Berlitz is well known as the premier language school among professionals in Vienna. It offers group courses in various sizes (2 to 3; 4 to 6; 7 to 9 people).
The school uses its own developed way of teaching languages, the Berlitz Method©, which makes students think and talk in the foreign language right from the start. No repetitive grammar drill. In general, courses take place for about 3 hours each morning. Visit website.

2. IPSA Intensive German Course

Learn German in Vienna. If you are serious about learning German, IPSA (Worldwide Consortium of Universities, Colleges and Language Schools) offers an intensive German training course for international students, executives and diplomats. To provide a prominent exampkle, former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon reportedly studied German at this school.

The intensive course with 20 lessons a week sweeps beginners and advanced German students through a course programme on seven different course levels that is based on the Goethe-Institute's course system. With only 8 to 9 students in each class, your individual learning interests also get covered more easily. How old do you need to be to participate? In fact, the minimum age for all courses is 16 years. See website.

3. Alpha Intensive German Course (from one week)

Learn German in Vienna. This course gets you prepared for various German exam levels (Goethe Institue, OESD, WBT, UNIV. Freiburg, University Entrance Exam). Usually, courses take place every morning from Monday to Friday for almost three hours each day, between 1 and 52 weeks, depending on your individual target.

For more intensive learning, you can top up your course with phonetics and multimedia lessons, and lessons about people and culture, and film. Most of the international participants who learn German in Vienna at the Alpha school are between 20 and 35 years old. Visit website.

4. Actilingua Intensive German Course (from two weeks)

Learn German in Vienna. Like IPSA, this is another crash course that takes you through the fast lane. During 1 to 11 weeks you take five to six lessons every morning or afternoon. As for a certificate, you can earn your Austrian German Diploma (OESD) at various levels. Regarding the group structure, the multinational groups include 5 to 12 participants. On average, students are between 18 to 35 years old and represent all levels. Find out more on the website.

Before You Go: Additional Resources

Unless you already speak five languages, learning how to learn and getting a head start before taking up a course will boost your progress. This page about learning a foreign language gathers valuable best practice from people who have successfully mastered a foreign language. For dedicated German language resources and tools check out the tips below.

1. Software

My husband reviewed quite a few pieces of German language training software when he decided to learn German. Learn more about his views of software, in particular of the Rosetta Stone German language training.

2. Books

Being a linguist by education was an advantage when reviewing German language text books. Reviewing training books about your own native language would have otherwise be difficult. Learn more about the best German books.

3. Learning German For Free

There are a few online language training communities that facilitate learning German for free. All you need to do in exchange for using the community resources is to help out other students who study your own native language. I signed up for a few to test them. Learn more about some of these communities and learning German for free.

Wienerisch

Naschmarkt flea market seller
Just overhear a local conversation at a Viennese sausage stand and you will get Viennese language in full colour: Essentially, Wienerisch is peculiar, unique, and full of interesting finds.
Many Viennese still use it in everyday life. Not only are there films and books in Viennese, and a dedicated form of song, the Wienerlied.
My Wienerisch guide provides a primer about the origins and essential characteristics of Viennese without getting too linguistic. You will also get tips on where in Vienna to experience real Wienerisch.
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Discover Vienna’s charm effortlessly! Start with a stroll through the historic city center, visiting St. Stephen’s Cathedral and Hofburg Palace. Explore world-class museums like the Kunsthistorisches Museum and the Belvedere.

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