I Can Now Give Presentations in German in Front of People!

My name is Jorge, I come from Spain and I have been living in Vienna since January 2025. I consider myself a curious person – sometimes attentive, sometimes a bit scatterbrained (depending on the situation) – and very social. I enjoy talking to people and discovering new cultures, people and things.

In Spain I worked as a social educator. When I moved to Vienna, I already knew a few cool but not very useful German words: “Scheiße”, “schmusen” and “Sonne tanken”. That was definitely not enough to work in the social field. That’s why I attended courses from A1.2 to B2.2. In addition, I joined several conversation trainings.

Want to learn a new language as well? Find out here how Jorge benefited from the German course offer at our language school. Let’s get started!

Customer Support & Atmosphere at DIALOG

DIALOG: How did the personal support at DIALOG – DER SPRACHCAMPUS help you, and what influence did it have on your German learning success?

JORGE: Honestly, there were many different ways in which they supported and helped me. What stood out most to me was their attitude: patient, attentive and understanding towards my mistakes and my many questions. Thanks to their tips, I can concentrate better or simply speak without constantly thinking about things like TEKAMOLO.

DIALOG: How did you experience the atmosphere? Did it help you feel comfortable and motivated while learning German?

JORGE: The atmosphere was extremely open at the beginning of my German learning journey. Because of that I immediately felt comfortable at DIALOG. The small groups make it easier to start speaking with each other, which makes perfect sense because German is a language – and to speak German you clearly have to practice German.

Course Groups & Course Offer

DIALOG: How did the trainers support you while learning German? Which aspects of the courses did you like the most?

JORGE: The trainers – especially Elisabeth – helped me make great progress. One of the most important things for me was my pronunciation. I still struggle with “sch” and “ß”, and she really helped me improve. It also helped that the trainers have experience with many different languages.

DIALOG: Which teaching methods and technologies helped you improve your German?

JORGE: The different teaching methods, topics and personalities enrich the classes. You notice it when you start making progress. One cool aspect was how they introduced content through games. Some games practiced everything from vocabulary to pronunciation. It was also very important that the lessons were organized around reading, listening, speaking and writing. And I shouldn’t forget the role of music: I still remember the song “Juli” by the Wise Guys and how it helped me learn the subjunctive.

DIALOG: Did the German courses and additional activities (such as workshops or “after-work beer”) help you feel more comfortable in the new city and use German in real situations?

JORGE: At DIALOG I attended a conversation course for more than a month, two days a week. It’s amazing how much a safe learning space can help. There we can improve and prepare for life “outside” – not only to survive it but to manage it and even enjoy everyday life. I can now give presentations in German in front of people. My German is not perfect, but I feel much more confident and I enjoy using it.

DIALOG: Did you benefit from the flexible class schedules? Was it possible to combine German courses with other commitments?

JORGE: Absolutely. During my German courses I had to send more than a few emails asking for schedule changes. At the beginning I wrote emails starting with “Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren”. Now I start with “Liebes Team, noch eine Bitte”. That shows the level of trust. They really helped me a lot, and thanks to their support I was able to get the job I wanted.

Tools & Self-Study

DIALOG: Which digital tools (websites, apps etc.) helped you improve your German?

JORGE: I have always had – and probably will always have – a problem with vocabulary. For me it is important to practice it regularly. I used Anki, Memrise, Busuu and others, but now I mostly use Notion, where I combine spaced repetition with writing. My recommendation is: don’t install millions of apps – choose a few and really use them. Some websites I’ve been using for months are DW Deutsch Lernen, YouTube (Easy German, grammar explanations, etc.) and Lingolia.

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DIALOG: What helped you most when learning? How did you improve your German outside the courses?

JORGE: I think it’s necessary to focus not only on the goal but also on the structure. My daily routine includes something active and something passive. Every day I try to write or read something short. It is also useful for me to consume content in German: music, news, podcasts – anything, even recipes.

It was also important for me not to switch to my native language or to English when I forget a word. I take my time to answer properly. The more you practice, the less time you need. It’s worth it. Luckily we learn German in Vienna – that means there are plenty of opportunities. Don’t be shy and speak German, Oida!

Learning German in Vienna

DIALOG: What are your favorite words or phrases in (Austrian) German? And which ones do you find funny?

JORGE: I find it funny how people often replace “a” with “o” in many words. It’s funny but also difficult to understand sometimes. Or how verbs change depending on the situation. For example: “Jo, sicher, mochma.”

DIALOG: Is Vienna a good city for learning German?

JORGE: Yes, definitely. Through language immersion you can improve your German enormously. There are also many opportunities – events, clubs, language cafés or shared activities where you can practice German.

DIALOG: Which phrases should newcomers in Vienna learn? Do you have more tips for settling in?

JORGE: “Kannst du das bitte noch einmal sagen?” Find someone who can help you. We are not alone. There are many groups of foreigners who support each other when settling in.

DIALOG: What is the best thing to do in Vienna when you need a break from learning German?

JORGE: In summer, without a doubt, go to the Danube. In winter you can do something indoors, join club activities, drink a coffee or a beer. Or switch the order: go to the Danube in winter and drink coffee in summer. That’s allowed too.

Learning Success & Conclusion

DIALOG: Do you feel the course gave you the tools to communicate successfully in a German-speaking environment?

JORGE: DIALOG is simply a good and competent place to learn German. But I think you also have to make your own effort. DIALOG does its best – and we should do the same. I learned a lot there and they gave me a safe space where I could not only practice but also overcome my own limits.

DIALOG gave me a safe space where I could overcome my own limits!

DIALOG: What is still difficult in everyday life, even though you already communicate well in German?

JORGE: A larger vocabulary is still a challenge and a goal. Sometimes I don’t understand people because I don’t know certain words. Luckily there is context – and with it, my best friend, I can often guess the meaning of a sentence.

DIALOG: How did DIALOG meet your expectations of a German course and would you recommend the school to others?

JORGE: To learn a language, it’s not enough to only use Duolingo on the toilet.

DIALOG helped me when I asked a hundred times what modal particles are, why they exist, when I said “für mir”, or when I had to postpone my course because of work. They are both a language school and nice people. You can decide: do you want to learn a language – and all the effort that comes with it – alone or in an overcrowded school? Or do you want to feel well supported and learn the difficult German cases with a smile?

Here you can get an insight into our additional material: Learning material for C1

March 2026