Top 20 online German tutors near me (2023)

Varsity tutors can help students of all ages get started with private German lessons. Whether you have a child learning German or are learning the language as an adult, learning a new language can be both exhilarating and incredibly challenging. This is especially true if you have limited opportunities to practice your skills with other speakers outside of the classroom. A private German tutor can provide invaluable assistance as you or your child work to learn this influential language. Read on to find out more about German and how Varsity tutors can help you connect with qualified German teachers.

What are some of the benefits of learning German?

Did you know that German is the most spoken language in Europe? It is the native language of more people than any other language in the region. In part, this is because Germany has the largest population in the European Union. Not only do over 80 million people speak the language within Germany's borders, but it is also an official language of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria and Luxembourg. Furthermore, it is the native language of many people in eastern Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, northern Italy and eastern France. Many native speakers are also found in parts of the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania. By learning German, you gain the ability to communicate with both these native speakers and those who have also learned German as a second language. It is the third most popular foreign language in the world, and in Japan and Europe, it is the second most popular after English.

German is a powerful business language. Germany is the number one exporting nation and has the third most robust economy. It is an economic powerhouse of the European Union and being fluent in the language can open up many global career opportunities in finance, international trade and business. It is a technologically advanced country with many innovative companies pushing the boundaries in the fields of computers, biotechnology and engineering.

However, as compelling as these reasons are, many people have much more personal reasons for wanting to learn this popular language. German is the largest cultural heritage group in the United States in many areas. About 15 percent of Americans identified as having German ancestry, making it the nation's largest ethnic group. Many people want to learn the language to more effectively study family heritage through genealogical research, or they want to visit ancestral villages with the possibility of communicating with distant relatives.

Whether you want to learn German as part of a degree program, to complete family research, or to travel with greater linguistic confidence across the European Union, sessions with a personal German instructor can help you achieve your language learning goals more efficiently. .

What are some of the skills that German teachers can help me learn?

German teachers can help you with all areas of your German studies, whether you are learning the language on your own, in high school or university classes. They can even help children who are learning the language in elementary or high school. It is important that the instructor you or your student work with is fluent in the language and able to serve the student at their own level.

Some of the specific topics you might want to review with your private instructor include imperfect tense, subordinate clauses, dative, present and imperfect subjunctive, constructions, participles, modal verbs, passive voice, adjective declension, prepositions, accusative, sentence structure, cognates, reflexive verbs and verb separation. Your private instructor can help you with any of the above topics, but this list is not exhaustive. All aspects of the German language can be covered in private sessions.

As part of an undergraduate or postgraduate program, you will take several semesters of German. Depending on the focus of your degree programme, there are many other courses you can enroll in with a Germanic focus. These courses may include German Studies, German Literature, Austrian History, Business German, European History, German Composition, Contemporary German, German History, German Poetry or German Opera. If you need linguistic or academic support on one of these courses, or others focusing on the German language or history, working with a private instructor can be beneficial.

While technical language details such as grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure and history are all vitally important, they are not the only areas where private tutoring can be valuable. In fact, private tutoring is perhaps more relevant when learning to speak and listen to the language.

The key to fluency in any language is having the opportunity to interact with others in the language. If you are taking a class or learning German on your own, you will have limited opportunities to speak and hear the language spoken naturally. When you work with a private trainer, you can practice both and get feedback instantly.

The nuances of a spoken language are very different from the technical skills needed to learn to read and write. The way you speak in English differs from the way an English teacher expects you to write a paper. The same is true in German. By working with a private instructor, you have the opportunity to work on German inflection, conversation and listening outside of an academic format that can make learning to communicate with native speakers more instinctive. The aim is to evolve from translating every thought from English into German to achieving the perfect integration of thoughts into speech that can only be mastered with extensive practice. Working with a private trainer allows you to work towards that goal.

How is working with a German teacher different from taking a class?

When you take a foreign language class, the instructor is faced with the challenge of providing a solid linguistic foundation upon which a diverse student population can build their language skills over time. Each level of German has a set of learning expectations that the teacher must strive to meet. This structure is efficient, but it doesn't always work well for individual students.

When you work with a German teacher, you have a personal instructor who can take the time to get to know your learning style, language goals and where specifically you need more language support. Your private instructor can use this information to create a personalized learning plan designed to meet your language learning needs.

What you work on and the methodologies your instructor will use are up to your needs, not a predetermined course schedule or an instructor's preferences. As your needs and abilities change, your instructor can adjust the session curriculum to match. That kind of customization is impossible in a classroom environment.

Another critical difference is in the way courses and tutoring are scheduled. Class times are determined by the needs of the school. You must change your personal schedule based on available classes. With private lessons, you can plan your sessions around your existing schedule.

How can I get started with German lessons?

Varsity Tutors makes it easy to get started teaching German in many different ways. You can choose to work with your private German instructor in person or online.

When people start thinking about finding someone to help them learn German, they initially think their best or only option is to work with someone local. While working face-to-face with someone while learning a new language is critical, it no longer means you are physically close to your instructor. Whether you choose to work with someone in person or remotely, you can receive the same personalized instruction and other benefits associated with private language instruction.

When working with an online instructor, you will utilize a live learning platform. This allows you to see your instructor as if he were sitting right in front of you. You can see and hear them, so it's easy to ask questions, practice pronunciation and get real-time feedback.

The biggest difference between working with German teachers in person or online is how easy it is to schedule your sessions. It can be difficult to find private German tutors nearby on your own. When they are available, you may find that they are often reserved for the most desirable session times. By considering remote sessions, you gain access to many highly qualified personal German instructors. Many of your options will be in different time zones, which can make finding session times that are convenient for your schedule much easier. Whether you need to work with someone before class or late after work, finding someone who can accommodate your schedule becomes easier when you have more candidates to choose from.

If you're ready to take your language learning to the next level, let Varsity Tutors connect you with a qualified German teacher who can help you reach your language acquisition goals more efficiently. Education consultants are ready to help you get started.