10 Best German Textbooks

*Editor’s Review of the Best. About the selection criteria. This material is subjective, not an advertisement and does not serve as a guide to purchase. It is necessary to consult with a specialist before purchase.

German, like English and French, is always in demand, despite increased interest in Eastern languages: Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese. Everyone pursues his own interests. Some study because of work or study, some are going on a trip. Some have more serious intentions: moving to Germany or another German-speaking country for permanent residence. But many simply decided to learn German because of the language in which Goethe, Schiller, Heine, Mann, and other great writers, who made their country famous throughout the world, thought and wrote.

We have included the best German language textbooks in our ranking, both for beginners and for those who want to improve their knowledge. The selection was based on the opinion of professional linguists and feedback from ordinary people who were able to study the books presented below.

Top German textbooks

The best German language textbooks for children

Deutsch fur Kinder/ “German for Children” by N. Druchkiv.ju., Parshikova E.a.

Rating: 4.9

First place in the rating goes to the manual by Russian linguists N.ju. Druchkiv & E.a. Parshikova. It is designed for children of primary school age who attend all types of educational institutions: both general education and specialized. The authors have created a methodology, which at the initial stage will help to learn how to communicate in a foreign language and fall in love with the German language.

It is based on a communicative and playful system that takes into account as much as possible the psycho-physiological peculiarities of a child, as well as his/her needs. Vivid illustrations, which are practical reinforcement of the theoretical skills, will help to interest your child. After Deutsch fur Kinder you can safely go on to more advanced study. The child will be prepared for a new level of.

The book will help you learn the basic colloquial words and phrases and introduce the phonetics of pronunciation. It is used when working with parents or teachers. They both gave the book an “A” for its easy use, accessibility and effectiveness, and found it to be very effective.

Advantages of

• The program developed by the authors;
• Interesting presentation for children;
• Fast memorization and repetition in practice;
• Conformity to age requirements;
• Many examples and pictures.

Flaws

• not found.

“German Grammar in Tables and Schemes” Alieva S. k.

Rating: 4.8

Honorable second place goes to the textbook by famous Russian linguist Alieva S. k. It will help pupils at the initial stage to learn the basic grammar rules of the German language in a generally accessible form and allow them to go on to a more in-depth knowledge, based on the passed base. Many language tutors use it as a teaching aid for beginning adults as well.

Easy assimilation of the material contribute to practical exercises, as well as schemes and tables that will help quickly orient themselves in the new lessons. The presentation is very accessible and simple. Many people use the textbook to independently master the German language, some – when studying with a teacher.

According to reviews “German Grammar in Tables and Charts” gives you the opportunity, unlike other similar publications, to learn and consolidate the basic rules in a short period of time. Clear and detailed explanations go with reinforced aids, theoretical and practical exercises. Another plus: the book can be used by the whole family, from elementary school children to people of mature age.

Dignity

• Basic grammar rules;
• Tables and charts for better assimilation;
• For all ages;
• Self-education or with a tutor;
• Easy and understandable presentation of the material.

Disadvantages

• not found.

“German for Schoolchildren” Matveev S.a.

Rating: 4.7

The bronze of the rating deservedly goes to the manual for those just beginning to learn and learn a new foreign language. The author used his years of experience and teaching practice. The method accurately fits the capabilities of the child, not overloading, the material is presented easily and interestingly. It’s recommended to lead the training independently, turning to parents or teachers only in cases of additional clarification.

For better comprehension the program is divided into themes. Each one comes with a vocabulary with new words, as well as easy texts and dialogues. Topics are varied: my family, transportation, animals, toys, dishes, food, seasons, and many more subgroups that are most compatible with the age of the learner. The book includes a part where the basic rules of grammar are explained. The child will be able to learn the system of reading German words and sentences.

According to reviews the manual really interests the child, does not give boredom, he does not want to stop and wants to continue learning. Many parents have noted that it is with this textbook managed to instill a love of a foreign language in their youngest students.

Advantages

• fascinating way of presenting the material;
• Working through phonetics and grammar;
• Many interesting exercises;
• A wide coverage of vocabulary topics;
• the program corresponds to the children’s abilities.

Disadvantages

• not found.

“German Language. Time for grammar. For Primary School” by Artemova N., T. Gavrilova.

Rating: 4.6

The fourth line of the rating takes the manual, which is used in public school programs, as well as in individual classes for children, regardless of the basic level of knowledge. The material complies with state standards and is the best textbook for elementary school students. The main advantages of the book – it’s easy, simple and comprehensible to children.

Artemova N. and Gavrilova T. – Practicing teachers linguists, authors of books on learning German, approved by the Russian Ministry of Education. A large number of visual aids allows you to consolidate knowledge. The exercises vary in difficulty level, but they correspond to the age development and will not lead a child into a dead end when solving them.

Respondents commented that the textbook was very perceptible indeed, and children enjoyed studying it both at school and with tutors. It’s included in the list of textbooks recommended for use in secondary schools, which is another compelling argument for choosing it.

Advantages

• corresponds to the younger school age;
• Simple and accessible presentation for children;
• An interesting and fascinating methodology;
• Reinforcement tasks of varying complexity;
• Compatible with all basic textbooks.

Flaws

• not found.

Textbook for kids “German” Diadicheva A. v.

Rating: 4.5

On the fifth place of the rating – a textbook for children who are just beginning to get acquainted with the new, incomprehensible language. It will help to learn German culture, fall in love with the speech, will be a starting point for its mastering. The book covers a variety of school programs. Under the guidance of parents, the child will be able to easily learn words and expressions, pronounce them correctly, as well as translate texts.

The book consists of 19 lessons, which include theoretical lessons supported by practical exercises. The presentation of the material is carried out in an easy game form, so the child will not get tired and not bored. For clarity, there are bright, colorful illustrations. Conversational models help you quickly and easily begin communicating in a foreign language from the very beginning of learning.

Parents confirmed the effectiveness of the methodology Diadicheva A.v. It helps in the shortest time confidently master the basic words from the German lexicon, corresponding to the age of the child. Children are happy to learn new expressions and begin to understand the most common ones.

Advantages

• Interesting and understandable to children methodology;
• Lots of illustrations;
• fascinating tasks;
• Developmental games;
• quick memorization of the material.

Flaws

• none.

The best German language textbooks for adults

“Practical course of German” Zavyalova V. M, Ilyina L. v.

Rating: 4.9

On the first line of the rating the manual, which in the shortest time will help to master the language and communicate fluently with German-speaking people on everyday and business topics. The course is very understandable even for those who have never encountered the learning of this foreign language. It will be a starting point before more serious mastering of German. The authors – professors linguists Zavyalova V. m. and Ilyina L.v.

Total Lessons – 19. They include a brief review of grammar rules, texts on more common (everyday) topics, the system of lexical exercises. Learning occurs in an easy and accessible form, mastering the lesson does not cause difficulties, after the theory you need to go through practical exercises, if necessary, using the vocabulary, located on the last pages.

The book covers such topics as “Hotel accommodation”, “Country Studies in Germany”, “Sports”, “Internet”, “Travelling by car, train, plane” and many other dialogues that will help you get accustomed to a foreign country. The book is often used by German tutors and teachers to prepare for exams or proficiency tests.

Advantages

• clear presentation;
• Meets state standards;
• For a wide range of students;
• a lot of training exercises;
• For beginners and language learners.

Disadvantages

• not found.

“German for Dummies” by Wendy Foster / Intermediate German For Dummies

Rating: 4.8

In second place in the ranking is a guide for beginners, or rather for “dummies” – those who have just decided to self-study and do not have any language skills. It is worth noting that the book will not only teach you the basic international words and expressions, to simply speak in a European country. With it, you can learn the basic grammar rules and phonetics, and most importantly, learn the peculiarities of the German language for further study.

The book provides practical exercises after the theory in order to memorize words better. Lots of examples to make learning more understandable. The exercises will help to improve pronunciation and get it as close to the level of native speakers as possible.

Many respondents who chose this textbook for self-study noted the ease and accessibility of presentation, there were no difficulties with either theory or practice. After the lessons they can express themselves in German-speaking countries in everyday speech and even in business matters. According to reviews it is one of the best books for beginners, and it is recommended to start with the foreign language.

Advantages

• For beginners;
• Grammar rules and pronunciation;
• Clear and accessible presentation;
• Good consolidation exercises;
• Quick assimilation of the program.

Disadvantages

• not found.

The short study guide “German for Ten Minutes a Day”. by Christine Kerschul

Rating: 4.7

The third place of the rating is occupied by the tutorial, which is recommended to those who have no opportunity to attend language courses, but do not know where to start home learning. Its author is the famous American writer and linguist Christine Kerschul. Despite the fact that the work is over 30 years old, it still has not lost its relevance and is in demand by people of all ages.

The textbook will not give a deep knowledge of German, but after spending only 10 minutes a day, you can learn to communicate fluently with people from Germany, Austria, Switzerland. The author recommends you not to skip steps and definitely start with “Step 1” even if you already possess these skills to some extent. To consolidate the passed material you need to repeat. If some expressions cause difficulties, you can always use the dictionary.

Easy to follow and easy to follow. The guide has puzzles and riddles, pictures, and a list of the most common expressions and words. According to the reviews the guide helped to acquire the necessary level of German to be able to communicate quite well. A handy pronunciation system helps a lot in the learning process. Many people recommend the book by K. Kerschul’s guide to learning conversational German quickly.

Advantages of

• The lesson is only 10 minutes a day;
• Quick mastering of the program;
• Comprehensible help for better memorization;
• A wide vocabulary for communication;
• unique pronunciation system.

Disadvantages

• Only for speaking, not for grammar.

“German. 30 lessons. From zero to perfection” Bogdanov A.v.

Rating: 4.6

The fourth line in the rating – a book by the famous linguist Alexander Vladimirovich Bogdanov, who, thanks to many years of practice, managed to create a unique learning system and started using it since the early 1990s. It will help people even with zero level of knowledge in 30 lessons to master the German language, to understand speech fluently, to communicate easily.

The first lesson begins with the basic rules of pronunciation. Having mastered them, you can proceed to more difficult lessons. The material is presented easily, some moments even in a playful form, which allows you to not get hung up on some difficult issues, but to deal with them, using both theoretical and practical exercises.

All the respondents were exceptionally positive about the author, his style and his methodology. After studying, everyone could read confidently, translate even without a dictionary, communicate with the German-speaking population. Many people commented on the very affordable cost of the textbook and recommended not to put the purchase off, but to start the course immediately.

Advantages

• The author’s own methodology;
• emphasis on phonetic rules;
• free spoken language;
• easy pitch;
• good practical exercises.

Shortcomings

• not found.

“Phonetics. We read and speak German” Guz M.n., Sitnikova I.o.

Rating: 4.5

Completes the rating of the guide, which in a short time teaches the phonetic peculiarities of the German language, will help to master the skills of pronunciation and speak fluently with the locals in Germany or Austria. It includes theoretical exercises, which are quite easy and accessible to students, and even a beginner will not experience difficulties. The book is recommended both for self-study and for the course with a teacher.

The first stage includes familiarization with the peculiarities of pronunciation, basic information about phonetics. It concludes with practical setting exercises. The book goes on with the characteristics of the sounds, a detailed analysis of each one, as well as the peculiarities of their articulation. The authors will reveal the main rules of reading and spelling. The third section is fully devoted to German intonation. Here you can learn about melody and phrasal accents.

The final stage is additional training tasks and quick phrases. At the end of the book you will find a dictionary with basic words and expressions. According to reviews, the book helps to quickly learn the pronunciation of native speakers, who then perfectly understand the speech, and the person himself freely communicates with them.

Advantages

• intensive pronunciation program;
• reinforcing practical exercises;
• accessible presentation;
• phonetic features of language;
• Free communication in German.

Shortcomings

• not found.