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Discover the Best German Classes in Los Angeles
German is a Germanic language that is hundreds of years old, and is the 11th most widely spoken language in the world. It is the official language of Germany, Austria, and Lichtenstein, and the most commonly spoken language in the European Union. Like English, it uses the Latin alphabet, however, it also has some unique additional characters. Another unique thing about the German language is that it has a large number of compound words, where multiple words are combined to create new words with specific meanings.
Los Angeles has a significant German community, and a number of connections to German culture. According to U.S. News & World Report, German is the most common ancestry in California. During the 1930s and 1940s, a large number of Germans–including many artists and intellectuals–immigrated to the Los Angeles area in particular in order to escape World War II and the regime of Adolf Hitler. Many other Germans have also immigrated there since then. In 1967, Berlin and Los Angeles strengthened Los Angeles’ connection with German culture by becoming sister cities.
Why You Should Learn German in Los Angeles
Learning German can benefit you in a number of different ways. Many large engineering, manufacturing, technology, and automotive companies are based in Germany, and the country is also a hub for education and research. Knowing how to speak German can be helpful if you plan to be involved in any of these business or academic fields.
Germany is also an important cultural center, and is home to many famous musicians, filmmakers, writers, and intellectuals. Understanding German can help you more deeply engage with the country’s rich cultural heritage. If you have any German ancestry, it can also be a great way to connect with your own heritage.
In-Person German Classes in Los Angeles
You’ll find a few different schools offering in-person German classes in the Los Angeles area. Santa Monica College runs a course called German for Beginners, which has six sessions and costs $99. It is designed to teach students the fundamentals of this language, including a working vocabulary and important grammar rules. By the end of the class, they should be able to speak and understand simple sentences. Santa Monica College is located about two miles from the beach, and offers many different classes designed to help people enhance their careers or explore their personal interests. Students who want to sign up for an in-person class at Santa Monica College must have a valid U.S. phone number and a valid California address.
Another in-person option in the Los Angeles area is German 1 at Stommen. Strommen is a language tutoring agency that started in 2006. German 1 is an introductory class, and a variety of practical concepts and memo techniques are used to make student progress quicker and more fun. The course is designed to make an easy start for beginners.
Virtual German Classes
Another option is to take an online German class. Online classes are popular with students who don’t want to deal with the time and money involved in commuting, or would simply prefer to learn from home. With online classes, students get live instruction and can ask questions and get feedback, just like with in-person classes. Some students actually like this format better because they are more comfortable asking questions from behind a screen. A downside to online instruction is that you usually have to supply your own materials, however, with a subject like German, this is unlikely to pose a significant problem.
Fluent City offers German–Level 1, a ten-session course that costs $399. This class is for beginners who want to start learning the basics of conversational German, or for people who haven’t spoken any German in a long time, and need a refresher. Students learn the basics of reading and writing in German including verb conjugation in the present tense, number and gender agreement, question form, plurals, and possessive adjectives. They also have the chance to engage in conversational German with the instructor and other students. The maximum class size is ten people. After completing this course, students should be able to introduce themselves, talk about their day, and describe their profession and hobbies.
ABC Languages also offers a virtual German class for beginners, called German–Beginner 1. It is designed for people with no knowledge of the German language. Students engage in formal learning sessions where they learn about grammar and the structure of the language, in addition to verbal sessions where they interact with other students. The course covers basic conversation skills, vocabulary, and grammar. There are six class sessions and the total cost is $250. Students in this class meet via Microsoft Teams.
Private Group German Classes in Los Angeles
A group class is a great way to entertain a diverse gathering of people. If you need to plan a work team-building event, a birthday party, or another special event, and need something for your guests to do, consider booking a private group German class or another group class through CourseHorse. The booking process is quick and easy; there is no registration, and no booking fees. Within 24 hours, you’ll get a confirmation of all your event details. In most cases, CourseHorse also lets you make changes to your booking up to 72 hours prior to the event.
Groups who enjoy languages might be interested in a private group class called Virtual Icebreaker: Get to Know Your Teammates. This is a fast-based, interactive team-building event, where participants learn new things about other group members. Participants start by gathering interesting facts about each other. After that, they split into groups and interview one another. At the end, everyone gets back together as a group, and talks about what they learned. This class is designed to help people get to know one another better. It runs for an hour, and up to 80 people can participate at once. The cost is $360 for 15 people, and $10 for each additional person after that.
If you’d like to hold your event in person, many CourseHorse providers can come to your home or office, or they can hold the event at an external venue. Most virtual events take place on Zoom, however, Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, or WebEx can also be accommodated. Contact CourseHorse to get more information about private group events.
