Brandenburg Gate
Brandenburger Tor
Berlin's 18th-century triumphal gate - once split by the Wall, now a symbol of a reunited Germany.
Discover Deutschland
Welcome to Germany
Germany (Deutschland) sits in the heart of Europe - a federal republic of 16 states, rich history and world-famous culture. Spin the globe below, zoom into Germany and hover any state to explore it.
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The country
About Germany
The Federal Republic of Germany - Bundesrepublik Deutschland - at a glance.
Berlin
Capital
~84 million
Population
357,022 km²
Area
16
Federal states
Euro (€)
Currency
3 October
National day
+49
Calling code
CET (UTC+1)
Time zone
4th largest economy
A world leader in engineering, manufacturing, science and exports.
The heart of Europe
In the centre of the continent, sharing land borders with nine countries.
Made in Germany
A quality mark recognised worldwide across cars, machinery and technology.
A short history
Germany through the ages
A few milestones that shaped the country it is today.
- 1517
The Reformation
Martin Luther sparks the Protestant Reformation in Wittenberg.
- 1871
Unification
The German states unite into a single nation for the first time.
- 1949
A divided country
After WWII, Germany is split into West (FRG) and East (GDR).
- 1989
The Wall falls
The Berlin Wall comes down, opening the path to reunification.
- 1990
Reunification
East and West Germany reunite on 3 October - now Unity Day.
- 2002
The Euro
Germany adopts the Euro, replacing the Deutsche Mark.
Places to see
Famous & historical places
From fairy-tale castles to Gothic cathedrals and the Alps - a few of the landmarks that make Germany unforgettable.
Neuschwanstein Castle
Schloss Neuschwanstein
The fairy-tale castle in the Alps that inspired Disney's Sleeping Beauty palace.
Cologne Cathedral
Kölner Dom
A soaring Gothic cathedral, 632 years in the making and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Black Forest
Schwarzwald
Dense evergreen hills, cuckoo clocks and the home of Black Forest gâteau.
Romantic Rhine Valley
Oberes Mittelrheintal
Castle-topped cliffs and terraced vineyards along a UNESCO-listed stretch of the Rhine.
Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest
The world's largest folk festival - six million visitors, beer tents and lederhosen.
Culture
What Germany is famous for
Cars & engineering
Home of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen - and the Autobahn.
Food & festivals
Bread (over 300 kinds!), sausages, pretzels, Oktoberfest and famous Christmas markets.
Castles & history
Fairy-tale castles like Neuschwanstein, medieval old towns and rich history.
Music & thinkers
The land of Bach, Beethoven and great philosophers and scientists.
Study for free
Most public universities charge little or no tuition, even for international students.
Made in Germany
A quality mark recognised worldwide across machinery, chemicals and technology.
Now the language
Say hello to German
You have met the country - now meet its language, spoken by around 100 million people across Europe.
The language
What is German?
German (Deutsch) is a Germanic language - a close relative of English and Dutch. It is the most widely spoken native language in the European Union, with around 100 million native speakers. If you can read this, you already recognise more German than you think.
~100 million
native speakers
6 countries
official language
30 letters
incl. ä ö ü ß
Goethe
global certificate
Three genders
Every noun is masculine (der), feminine (die) or neuter (das). You learn each word together with its article.
Nouns are capitalised
Unlike English, every German noun starts with a capital letter - das Haus, die Katze, der Mann.
Formal vs informal 'you'
German has two words for 'you': 'Sie' for strangers and formal settings, 'du' for friends and family.
Close cousin of English
German and English share the same Germanic roots, so hundreds of words look familiar - Hand, Finger, Wasser, Maus.
The alphabet
26 familiar letters + 4 special ones
The German alphabet has 30 characters - the same 26 as English, plus four extras. Once you know how each sounds, German is one of the most consistent languages to read aloud.
Ä ä
A-Umlaut
like the 'e' in 'bed'
Ö ö
O-Umlaut
like the 'i' in 'girl', lips rounded
Ü ü
U-Umlaut
like 'oo' in 'dude', lips pursed
ß
Eszett
a sharp 'ss' sound
Where it's spoken
German-speaking countries
German is an official language in six European countries. The three core ones - Germany, Austria and Switzerland - are often called the DACH region.
Germany
DeutschlandCapital · Berlin
The largest German-speaking country.
Austria
ÖsterreichCapital · Vienna
German is the national language.
Switzerland
die SchweizCapital · Bern
One of four official languages.
Liechtenstein
LiechtensteinCapital · Vaduz
German is the sole official language.
Luxembourg
LuxemburgCapital · Luxembourg
Co-official with French & Luxembourgish.
Belgium
BelgienCapital · Brussels
Co-official in the east of the country.
Why German
The pros of learning German
From career and study to travel and the joy of the culture - here's what learning German unlocks.
Career advantage
German opens doors in engineering, science, finance and trade across Europe's largest economy.
Study for free
Most German public universities charge little or no tuition - even for international students.
Travel with ease
Speak with locals across Germany, Austria, Switzerland and beyond on your travels.
100 million speakers
Join the most widely spoken native language in the European Union.
Sharpen your mind
Learning a second language boosts memory, focus and problem-solving.
Unlock the culture
Enjoy German books, music, film and ideas the way they were meant to be experienced.
How learning is measured
From A1 to C2
German proficiency is measured on the international CEFR scale, from A1 (absolute beginner) to C2 (mastery). The Goethe-Institut offers the most widely recognised certificate at each level. Everyone starts at A1 - including you.
A1
Beginner
Greetings, introducing yourself, numbers and everyday survival German.
A2
Elementary
Daily routines, shopping, the past tense and short conversations.
B1
Intermediate
Opinions, work, travel stories and connected everyday speech.
B2
Upper-Intermediate
Abstract topics, debate and fluent everyday communication.
C1
Advanced
Nuanced, professional and academic German.
C2
Mastery
Near-native precision across every register.
Ready to say your first German word?
Begin at A1 - completely free, no account needed, starting from absolute zero.
Start learning German