How to Use This Book
What this book is
This is a complete self-study course that takes you from your first German word to the level of the telc Deutsch A2 (Start Deutsch 2) exam. It has three kinds of chapters:
- 22 lessons with vocabulary, grammar, useful phrases, a reading text and 8-12 exercises each. Lessons 1-12 cover A1, lessons 13-22 cover A2. Every lesson ends with a Prüfungstraining exercise in the exact format of one part of the telc exam.
- Exam chapters for each level: an overview with strategies for every part of the exam, and two complete model tests (Modelltest, Satz 1 and Satz 2) in the current telc format.
- Reference and answers at the back: a grammar summary, a list of irregular verbs, the answer key for every exercise, the listening transcripts and model answers for all writing and speaking tasks.
Explanations are in English. Everything you practice (texts, dialogues, exercises) is in German.
How a lesson works
Each lesson follows the same order, and it is worth keeping it:
| Step | What you do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lernziele | Read what you will be able to do at the end. | 2 min |
| Einstieg | Read the dialogue twice, the second time aloud. | 10 min |
| Wortschatz | Learn the words in small groups. Always learn nouns with article and plural. | 30 min |
| Grammatik | Read the rules, copy the tables by hand, say the examples aloud. | 30-45 min |
| Redemittel | Learn the phrases as complete chunks. | 15 min |
| Lesen | Read the text without a dictionary first, then check unknown words. | 15 min |
| Übungen | Do all exercises in writing, then check them with the key at the back. | 60-90 min |
| Selbstcheck | Tick what you can do. Repeat what you cannot. | 5 min |
Plan about 4 study sessions of 60-90 minutes per lesson. Do not skip the writing and speaking tasks: they are the parts of the exam where most points are lost.
Listening without audio
This book has no audio files. All listening texts (Hörtexte) are printed in the answer key. To practice listening:
- Ask a friend or family member to read the transcript to you at normal speed.
- Or paste the transcript into a text-to-speech tool (for example the speaker button in Google Translate, or the “Read aloud” function of your browser or phone) and set the language to German.
- Read the task first, then listen. Play the text once or twice, exactly as the exam does (the task tells you how often). Only look at the transcript after you have answered.
Add real German audio every week: slow news (for example “Nachrichten in einfacher Sprache”), podcasts for learners, or German series with German subtitles.
Speaking without a partner
- Answer every speaking task aloud, and record yourself with your phone. Listen back once and compare with the model answer in the key.
- For the exam formats with a partner, play both roles. In Sprechen Teil 2 and Teil 3 the examiners mostly check whether you can ask and react, so practice the questions as much as the answers.
- If you can, find a tandem partner or join a conversation group (many Volkshochschulen and libraries offer free “Sprachcafés”).
Checking your writing
Compare your text with the model answer and check three things, as the telc examiners do:
- Did you cover every point of the task? (Each point is worth 3 points in the exam.)
- Is it understandable? Small mistakes are fine at A1 and A2 if the message is clear.
- Does it have a greeting and a closing that fit the reader? (Formal: “Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren, … Mit freundlichen Grüßen”. Informal: “Liebe Anna, … Viele Grüße”.)
The people in this book
The dialogues and texts follow a group of neighbors in Lindenstraße 12 in Köln:
| Person | Who they are |
|---|---|
| Ana Silva (28) | From Porto, Portugal. Graphic designer at the agency “Pixelwerk”. New in Köln, learning German at the Volkshochschule. |
| Tom Becker (31) | Primary school teacher from Hamburg. Plays football, has a dog called Bruno. |
| Mehmet Yilmaz (41) | Runs the restaurant “Mehmets Küche”. |
| Elif Yilmaz (38) | Doctor at a medical practice. |
| Can (10) and Lara (7) | Mehmet and Elif’s children. |
| Erika Krüger (72) | Retired, lives on the ground floor, loves her garden and her cat Mimi. |
| Jonas Weber (24) | Computer science student, Ana’s classmate, works part-time in a café. |
| Petra Hoffmann | The German teacher at the Volkshochschule. |