German Lessons in Darwin

Criminal- Netflix Series

Binge-watching German series is actually educational! Listening to people speaking in German in real-life contexts is crucial to develop your listening skills, so why not watch a series of German origin, such as Criminal, a series of stand-alone episodes in which each one consists of a gripping-police investigation to solve a crime. Watching Criminal in its original language can be challenging even for advanced learners, but try not to use the dubbed version of the series. Instead, turn on the English subtitles and start training your ear. Learn more about Criminal here!

Goodbye, Lenin! - German Film

Are you in the mood for a comedy? Enjoy Goodbye, Lenin! while improving your German proficiency! The film follows the story of Alex, a boy whose mother suffers a heart attack and falls into a coma. During this period, the Berlin Wall falls and East Germany ceases to be communist. When the woman recovers, the doctor warns Alex that shock could result in another (this time fatal) heart attack, so the movie is full of absurd and hilarious situations where Alex tries to shield his mother from the changing landscape in Berlin. Watch it with subtitles if you need some help understanding the vocabulary while training your ear to recognise German pronunciation and accents! Click here to find more about Goodbye Lenin!

Oktoberfest- Festival

Oktoberfest is the largest and most well-known German festival in the world. It is held almost everywhere and Australia is no exception. From Adelaide to Brisbane, and Sydney to Canberra, you can enjoy the best craft beer and delicious German food in the annual event that takes place every September. Put on your Dirndl and Lederhosen and have the time of your life with the more than 40,000 people that attend this festival every year in Sydney. Indulge in a fun-filled feast of authentic German food and traditional entertainment and put your German into practice with other learners and native speakers. Enjoy Oktoberfest in Sydney!

YTTITY

Are you in the mood for fun, eclectic content in German to improve your range of vocabulary and skills while being entertained? Then, subscribe to YTTYTI, a channel that is popularly known as the German amateur version of “Jackass”. In addition to pranks, watch the stars play video games and sing funny German-language parody songs. For instance, they take famous songs in English by superstars like Demi Lovato or Taylor Swift, translate (badly) the lyrics to German and sing them (badly, too!). All the videos have English subtitles, as well the lyrics for any songs in German, so the channel is great for beginners, too! Click here to subscribe.

DoktorFroid

If you’re looking for a gaming channel with content that goes beyond the ordinary, DoktorFroid is the channel for you. Instead of playing and joking about it, he instead analyses how games work, interesting characters, storylines, etc., and he does all of this infused with German humour and slang. So, you will not only learn a lot about gaming in general, but you’ll also pick up new German words and conversational phrases while fine-tuning your listening comprehension. Just turn on YouTube’s subtitles if you need them and enjoy this wonderful content! Click here to subscribe.

Yummypilgrim

Yummypilgrim, a channel run by a German woman called Mira, is the perfect choice for language learners looking to develop their vocabulary about travel and food. She usually visits restaurants and describers their dishes and also uploads delicious German recipes which are quite easy to follow. Her videos are carefully subtitled in English, so you won’t have trouble understanding them, even if you are a beginner. Don’t miss out on her playlist called “Food Haul”, where she features food from all around the world, describing how each item tastes. Yummy! Learn more about cooking here!

Männer - Herbert Grönemeyer

Männer is an incredibly popular German song that talks about men and the obstacles they encounter every day in a fun, satirical manner. The singer uses clear enunciation and the lyrics include easy, everyday German structures, like “men can...” (Männer können) or “men have...” (Männer haben), so it’s a nice option for those who are just starting a German course and want to improve their skills using real-life, interesting materials. Further, you’ll become familiar with vocabulary related to human interactions, like hug (Umarmung) or kiss (kuss). Click here and give the song a try.

Du Hast - Rammstein

Learning German through music is a great way to acquire new vocabulary and structures in a meaningful way, while improving your listening comprehension skills. And what better way to do this than by using songs you’re already familiar with, such as Du Hast by Rammstein? This song has been used in many popular movies, such as The Matrix, so you’ll probably recognise it instantly. The song repeats the same phrase (Du Hast - You got me) with some variations to the lyrics throughout, so you’ll be quick to understand it after just a few listens, even if your level of German is basic! Click here and give the song a try.

Leider Geil - Deichkind

Those looking for German-language hip-hop to improve their skills while having a good time are in luck. Leider Geil is a humorous, satirical song that is very popular in the German-speaking world. The lyrics revolve around the concept of leider geil, an untranslatable term that means “unfortunately awesome”. For example, the song talks about very fast cars, which are great but at the same team pollute the environment. The song is fast-paced and includes a lot of conversational phrases and slang, so it’s more appropriate for intermediate to advanced-level learners! Click here and give the song a try.