First Week in Germany, No English. Here’s How I Did It
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Note: Written in 2010
From the blog’s origin era (2009–2014), kept as lived evidence of how the method developed. See all the missions.
One week into my German mission, I had spoken German in almost every interaction with German speakers. The exceptions were my American landlord and lunch with a Canadian friend. On several days, I spent hours talking with friends in German.
My German was still limited. School lessons gave me a small head start, but I had received an unimpressive C in the subject 11 years earlier. The useful part of this first week was not perfection. It was learning how preparation, context and patient conversation partners could keep a basic exchange going.
I had tried a similar approach during my first week in Prague while learning Czech. Avoiding English was a personal constraint, not a rule every learner must follow. Here is what I actually did in Berlin.
A note from the Fluent in 3 Months team before we get started: You can chat away with a native speaker for at least 15 minutes with the “Fluent in 3 Months” method. All it takes is 90 days. Tap this link to find out more.
Day One: Preparation
I had hoped to review my old German notes for a week or two before the flight, but time with my family took priority. My mission effectively began on the day I travelled.
In 2010 I carried a phone, an MP3 player and a small categorised vocabulary book. I loaded grammar references and course audio onto those devices, then used the bus and flight to review them. The technology is dated, but the principle still works: put a small amount of useful material somewhere you can reach during otherwise idle time.
I focused on vocabulary for the situations directly ahead of me. On the first day I needed to buy a public transport ticket and check into a hostel. A phrasebook or a few prepared lines would also have covered those tasks.
Day Two: How Context Helped Me
I began with Guten Morgen (“good morning”) and Danke (“thank you”) over breakfast, then went out to handle practical errands.
My first appointment was to view a flat. The landlord was American, so that conversation happened in English. At the tourist information office, however, I asked about maps and monthly transport tickets in German. I looked up a few words just before I went in, and the person helping me waited while I formed my questions.
Buying a SIM card created a longer conversation. Mobile plans and phone settings were different then, and the details are no longer useful. What mattered was that I recognised words such as Netzwerk (“network”) and Mobiles Datennetzwerk (“cellular data network”). Familiarity with my phone menu helped me follow instructions even when I missed other words.
Context did not give me perfect understanding. It let me make a reasonable guess, check it against what happened next and ask for clarification when necessary. That is much safer than assuming you understood everything because you caught a few familiar terms.
People I met that day generally continued in German when they could see that I wanted to try. A smile and a relaxed manner helped, but nobody owes a learner a lesson during an ordinary service interaction. If someone switches languages, you can politely ask to continue in German or accept the help and practise elsewhere.
Days Three and Four: Study Triage
Friends were about to visit, so I spent two days increasing what I could say. Speaking from the start did not mean avoiding study or input. I needed vocabulary, listening practice and enough grammar to make my meaning clearer.
I used “study triage” to choose what deserved attention first. Instead of trying to learn every possible word, I prepared the ones I needed for my own recurring topics: language learning, travel and my work. A missing low-priority word could wait until I had a reason to use it.
German adjective endings were more complicated. They depend on case, gender, number and the determiner before the adjective. In the original version of this diary, I said I would simply add -e because it appeared often. That was a rough emergency strategy, not a grammatical rule, and it produces many incorrect forms.
My first-week goal was to communicate despite those mistakes, but correct endings still mattered. A better approach is to learn a few complete phrases for immediate use, notice their patterns and consult a reliable German adjective endings guide. Fluency and accuracy can develop together, even if one receives more attention on a particular day.
At home, I listened to German radio and television, read newspapers and changed my computer interface to German. That gave me more contact with the language between conversations.
Day Five Onwards: Speaking German for Hours
Several German friends visited during the Easter break. We spent long stretches together speaking German. It felt less like a test because we were catching up, exploring the city and talking about subjects we already shared.
These were friends who understood my missions and had agreed to help. That mutual arrangement matters. Conversation partners are people, not language resources, and accommodation or friendship should never be used to pressure someone into giving you their time.
I could contribute despite my limited German because I prepared subjects I genuinely discussed in other languages. I explained my learning mission, shared travel ideas and talked about remote work. I also listened, asked questions and used conversational connectors when I needed time.
When I lacked a word, I described around it. If I did not know “translate”, for example, I could say “make a document in English from French”. The description was clumsy, but it gave my friend enough context to supply the missing word.
This particular week depended on supportive friends and cannot be copied exactly by everybody. A tutor, a language exchange or a short prepared conversation can serve the same purpose. Choose an arrangement where both people understand the goal and can stop or switch languages without pressure.
My first week in Berlin gave me confidence and revealed what I needed to study next. The useful lesson was not “never speak English”. It was to prepare for real situations, use context carefully, prioritise the language I needed and find willing people with whom I could practise.
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