You Don’t Need to Move to Germany to Learn German

The Myth: “Just Move to Berlin”

They say the fastest way to learn German is to pack up and move to Berlin. This advice is almost as dumb as it is insulting.

I know plenty of people who learned German without ever setting foot in Germany and just as many people who lived in Germany for years and still can’t speak it.

Your location does not dictate your learning.
Your environment does.

In this post, I’ll show you how to transform your current environment into a dynamic, German-speaking ecosystem that accelerates your progress without moving abroad.

Step 1: Turn Your Devices into German

Start with the things you interact with most: your phone and computer. Switch them into German.

Change Your Phone Language to German

Android

1. Open Settings
2. Search for Language
3. Tap Add a language or System languages
4. Add Deutsch
5. Choose Deutsch (Deutschland) unless you have a specific regional reason not to

Once you do this, most app names will switch to German, and many apps will automatically serve German content.

Keyboard tip:
You don’t need a German keyboard. On Android, long-press:

• A, O, U → umlauts
• S → ß

You can also long-press the space bar to switch keyboards if needed.

iPhone

1. Open Settings
2. Tap General
3. Select Language & Region
4. Tap Add Language
5. Choose Deutsch
6. Set German as your primary language

Change Your Computer Language to German

macOS

1. Open System Settings
2. Search for Language
3. Click Language & Region
4. Add Deutsch
5. Set it as primary
6. Restart

Windows

1. Go to Settings
2. Select Time & language
3. Click Language & region
4. Choose Deutsch as your display language
5. If it’s not listed, click Add a language
6. Use Administrative language settings to apply it system-wide

Browser and Keyboard Settings

Your browser may not automatically switch languages.

In Chrome:

• Set German as your preferred language
• Tell Chrome never to translate German
• Enable translation into German from other languages
• Adjust search settings so results default to German

Typing Umlauts and ß on a Computer

macOS

• Umlaut: Option + U, then the vowel
• ß: Option + S

Windows

• Install US-International Keyboard
• Umlaut: Shift + ", then the vowel
• ß: Alt + S

Step 2: Remove English from Your Digital Life

Now that your devices are German, it’s time to clean up what you consume on them.

Switch Your Music to German Only

No English music.

• Start with a German playlist
• Like songs you enjoy so the algorithm learns
• Take note of artists you like and build your own playlist
• Stick to German only. Every genre exists in German

Turn Social Media into a German Language Oasis

• Unfollow accounts that don’t help your German
• Follow German learners, teachers, and native speakers
• Like helpful posts aggressively

Want to speed this up?
Delete your social media data to reset the algorithm completely. Then rebuild your feed intentionally.

Rebuild Your YouTube Algorithm

1. Delete your watch history
2. Unsubscribe from non-German channels
3. Subscribe to German learning channels
4. Watch German content only
5. Create playlists for later review

If you must watch non-German content, use a different account.

Step 3: Consume All Media in German

Anything you consume in your native language, replace it with German.

• Podcasts → German podcasts
• News → German news
• Streaming → German dub
• Books → German books
• TV → German TV and movies

Free resources:

• ARD Mediathek
• ZDF Mediathek

Step 4: Join a German-Speaking Community

You need people.

• Facebook groups
• Subreddits
• Discord servers
• Online courses
• Conversation groups

The platform doesn’t matter. Consistency does.

Step 5: Force Your Brain into German Mode

There is no menu option for this. You have to work at it.

Narrate Your Day in German

From the moment you wake up, think in German:

Ich gehe ins Bad.
Ich ziehe mich aus.
Ich schalte die Dusche an.
Ich nehme Shampoo und reibe es auf meinem Kopf.

When you don’t know how to say something, write it down and look it up later.

Use Sticky Notes

Label objects around your house in German. Add an example sentence if possible.

Translate Your Real Conversations

After conversations in your native language, replay them in German in your head and note the gaps.

Step 6: Still Do Daily German Lessons

Immersion alone isn’t enough.

• Vocabulary
• Grammar
• Structure

Your lessons should add variety and challenge.

Step 7: Track Progress and Celebrate Wins

• Understanding a full song
• Watching a movie without subtitles
• Having a short conversation

A Structured Way to Stay Consistent

If you want a structured way to apply everything in this post, check out my book Discovering Deutschland.

You follow three friends through Berlin, experiencing the city entirely in German.

There’s also a 170-page workbook packed with comprehension questions, grammar practice, and vocabulary exercises.