Can learning German be fun? Yes, It CAN with these movies!

Learning German with German Movies

As a polyglot who grew up speaking multiple languages, I’m a firm believer that getting exposed to your target language is so important when learning a new language. That being said, throwing yourself out there in the world of German without knowing its basics can be only extremely exhausting. Watching German movies is one of the things you can do to bridge the gap between first learning German with a textbook and going out there to actually speak it.

In this post, I’ll recommend 6 movies you’ll love if you want to learn German while getting familiar with the German culture, history, cities, and many more.

Movie #1. A coffee in Berlin (comedy)

I can’t talk about moving to Germany as a 20-something without mentioning Berlin, can’t I?
The movie describes the life of a boy in his 20’s who puts off all the important life decisions to later and refuses to grow up. It was so interesting to watch this movie because I agree the Peter Pan syndrome is definitely one of the characteristics of our generation. In the movie, Niko breaks up with her girlfriend and drops out of his law school to search for meaning, but he does not do much in reality.

Besides, this movie is great for those curious about one of the world’s hippest cities, , and the people who live there. Berlin was previously divided into East and West due to political ideology until 1991. Shortly after the Berlin wall was demolished, young people from all over Germany moved to the city for affordable housing and opportunities.

Nowadays, it is Europe’s where the brightest entrepreneurs from all over the world with big dreams.

German Movie # 2. Goodbye Lenin! (comedy)

The movie is about a young anti-communist, a young man who tries to hide the fact that communism has failed from his mother. His mother, a loyal Communist party member, fell into a coma when she saw Alex participating in an anti-communist rally.
This movie is so funny, and I’m sure you guys will like it too!

German Movie #3. The reader (Romance)

Partially based on a true story, this movie is about a German lawyer. He finds out that the older girl he had a relationship with and disappeared abruptly was involved with the Nazi in the past.

If you are interested in German culture and history, give this movie a go. The book „The Reader“ by Bernhard Schlink is one of the 100 books to read by DW, translated into 40 languages.

German Movie #4. 100 Things/100 Dinge (comedy)

What do you value the most in life? Did you struggle to fit all your stuff in a couple luggage’s , having a hard time deciding what you REALLY need?

Tony and Paul decide to let go of all their belongings for 100 days, retrieving one of the items each day. Through this process. The best friends learn what is really important in life. The minimalist lifestyle has become extremely popular for the past few years, where people focus more on the purpose of owning things than materialistic things. This movie is perfect for those who have thought about minimalism and what’s really important in life.

German Movie #5. Alice in the cities (drama/ adventure)

This black & white German movie is from the 1970s, so this is your chance to experience Germany back in the days.

Philip, a German journalist, drives across the United States to research an article, but he loses his job in the states. He is forced to return to Germany with a young girl Alice because Alice’s mother had left the child in his custody due to an urgent business. The story goes on to show the friendship developed between the mother and Philip. I loved how this takes place in the US and a small German town, Ruhr.

German Movie #6. Nico Weg

Last but not least, Nico Weg is a series (from A1 to B1) of educational movies by Deutsch Lernen Mit Der DW. This is one of the best (if not THE best) ways to learn German because they use German vocabulary and grammar that you will learn in respective levels (A1 to B1), and it’s a story of a Spanish guy moving to Germany for better opportunities (we can all relate). It covers essential topics like opening a bank account, buying fruits and vegetables, and making new friends while keeping the storyline of an engaging movie.

Tip: You can go on the website or download the app for grammar and vocabulary exercises on this movie.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this post. I’m studying for my German language test, which I’m planning to take this March. I’m a little bit nervous but am also enjoying the process using different apps, listening to German songs, following German influencers on Instagram. Let me know in the comments section down below your favorite ways to learn German!