From beginner to "Oberstufe" German in six months

So I've been using the old search engine for threads on German languages schools, learning German, etc. and one poster claimed:

I did, in total, six months of German intensive courses at the Goethe Institut in Bonn and went from knowing nothing to their Oberstufe class. I would thoroughly recommend the classes although the opportunity to speak is limited because the class sizes were quite large - the best points are the good quality teaching, study books and the opportunity to meet so many people from all over the world. The main downside is the expense - a few students left to go to ACB in Bonn - you may want to check them out.

She did Superintensiv at Goethe Institut. Oberstufe is like, intermediate correct? Is this possible only because she did the expensive GI way not to mention Superintensiv, and maybe she has crazy language learning skills? Some people say they've been in Germany for like 5 years and still can't speak the language.. I keep getting conflicting answers/opinions. (btw she won't answer my PM so I've created this topic).

It IS possible, but not probable.
If you want to learn the language that well that quickly it will require a great deal of dedication and probably complete avoidance of this forum and a stubborn refusal to let anyone speak english to you - even if it means communicating with your hands and feet.
I went from beginner to passing the university language exam in 8 months. However, I spoke english to a total of 4 people that whole time, did nothing but spend 20 hours a week in a grammar course, with another 5 hours in reading and dictation courses, and went to a student hang out just about every evening - I was miserable during the darkest parts of winter, homesick, no way to communicate what was inside me, christmas away, blah blah. Oh, then I got a boyfriend who didn't speak any English (obviously not German) and that solidified the German I had learned up to then.
So, if you want to dive right in, and are stubborn enough not to let anyone speak english with you and creative enough to use the language to describe what you are talking about it you don't know the actual word, then I say go for it. But hanging out on tt won't help you

Can only agree with DD here, I worked lived and breathed german for years. Watch German TV, kiddies progs are the best at first. I used to despair but one day it all comes together. Best of luck.

If you're gifted at languages and know how to learn them, you could do it, but it's still a LOT of work and no promises. But I've met plenty of people who, after 6 months, understood the mechanics of the language well enough to test at that level, but who can't really speak very well.

Oh yeah, I agree with Fribble there. I passed the test, and could get through the university classes, but had no business being there for another 6 months. Even now - *cough* a few years later - I sometimes am at a loss for words.

Thanks everyone for your input!

Realistically speaking I don't expect to reach that level (Oberstufe) myself especially since I'll be in Germany for only 4 months; my current goal is to reach ZD level (I believe that is B1?). I'll be taking intensive courses in the morning (20h/week); the rest of my time will be devoted to homework, hanging out at cafes/restaurants to try and hear *something*, and watching my fav. german movies over and over and over again.

NACK. It bis both possible and extremely probable, If:


Bingo. Thats the only way to do it, but it does get you speaking fluently in 6 months at the most.


I was similar in that when I first came over here there were only two of us, but we tried our best not even to speak english to each other. Our first aquaintances here were Italians who spoke little or no English who we were forced to speak German to. Being in the "British Zone" (Osnabrück) the entire world wanted to speak english to us, but we steadfastly refused and forced people to speak german with us. We didnt do any language lessons at all, we just leapt straight into our engineering degrees with a big dictionary and a notebook. You spend the day writing down all the words you heard (adiabatischer Umlaufsprühbefeuchter ;-) ) but didnt understand and use the dictionary to translate in the evening. The next day you have a few more words you understand and so you build your vocabularly exponentially.


If you look at the "Hello" post from me, thats more or less exactly what I said too - My personal bugbear about people who call themselves "Ex-Pats" is the "sitting in an irish pub complaining (in english) about not knowing any Germans" mentality. I think Ive been to an Irish pub four times in twenty years over here - Once to get drunk with (punk band) The Damnned and three times because German friends insisted. Go to German bars and speak whatever German you can. If you dont know the vocab, say it as closely as possible and use your hands and feet to say the rest. It works. Its hard to begin with but it gets easier and its not nearly as difficult as some people will have you think.

I knew a british squaddie who learnt good social German from scratch by picking a bar to be his local and just going there regularly. After a while he got talking to other regulars, got invited to play cards with them etc. His vocabulary was a bit limited to bars, beer and card playing, but seeing as he had a fairly low level of formal education and no language skills to begin with it was an impressive job he did. If he can do it, anyone can. Wanting to is the first and most important step.

andy M

I also agree with Fribble - in 6 months you could pass a test that would say you are on an Oberstufe level, but your practical German, both speaking and understanding, would still be pretty lacking.

I started last summer with knowing absolutely nothing (could maybe count to 10, say hello, goodbye and that was it.) and did 4 months of the integration course (20 hours a week) and feel fairly comfortable talking with my german kid students and have survived through a couple social event (bar/restaurant..) with only german speakers around.

It's been a couple months since my last german class, but I'm fairly certain I could pass the A2 test.

I was working a fairly full teaching schedule and spend most of my time in an English speaking environment, also my classes had about 14 students in them which is a bit too many to get much speaking time. If I had been in more ideal circumstances, and actually studied at home, like I intended.. , I think I could have been a lot closer to passing a B1 test.