If you’re diving into German language learning and want to feel more confident in real conversations, you’re not alone. One of the most common goals for learners (especially expats living in Switzerland) is to speak German clearly and naturally.
While there are many ways of improving language skills, the best way to learn spoken German is through daily practice in real-life settings, paired with structured guidance like one-on-one tutoring, listening exercises, and reading out loud from beginner-friendly materials.
The most effective approach is to combine consistent speaking practice with active listening, repetition, and feedback. This includes recording yourself speaking, mimicking native speakers, and using practical tools like flashcards or conversation apps. Reading out loud from German books for beginners to read is also an excellent method, as it helps you get familiar with sentence structure, pronunciation, and common vocabulary used in everyday life.
How to Feel More Confident Speaking German in Switzerland
Regardless of your comprehension, how long you’ve been living in Switzerland, and whether you’ve reached A1 or A2 standards, most people appreciate any foreign national’s effort when they attempt to speak German. Although around 45% of Swiss German people can speak English, it’s almost always worth trying your spoken German. This will also begin to improve your confidence and cement the learning you’ve completed thus far.
There are also contrasts between High German, or Hochdeutsch, and Swiss German, which means it is common for people to speak with different dialects–and the more you engage in conversations, the better your pronunciation will become!
Learning to Speak German With the German Academy Zurich
A German language course is the ideal starting point for an expat living in Switzerland. We’ve developed our online tuition program to provide the fastest and most effective learning formats, including videos, one-to-one tuition, and personalized exercises, which help with all aspects of hearing, reading, writing, and speaking.
Having a private teacher on hand, along with our AI-empowered learning features, is invaluable. If you have a question, need reassurance that your spoken German is clear, or want to check the correct way to say a particular word, you can consult your AI assistant or raise the subject during your next session with your tutor.
We recognize that many Swiss expats need to learn German to at least A1 level to comply with residency permit and visa requirements. We provide dedicated teaching resources and support to ensure you can easily demonstrate the necessary understanding and achieve formal certification.
In the meantime, the ideas below may further bolster your confidence and ensure you feel comfortable speaking German to friends, family, and colleagues.
Recording Yourself Speaking German
It may sound odd, but we often have negative perceptions about how well we can pronounce words in a foreign language or assume our accent makes a phrase far more difficult to understand than it is! Recording yourself, either reciting a few sentences you’re likely to use in your daily life or reading a section of the text, means you can assess how you talk, repeat phrases to perfection, and pick up on inflections or mispronunciations you’d not noticed.
You can even ask a fluent German-speaking friend to listen in and suggest how they would pronounce a specific word or sentence.
Listening to Informal Conversations
Pronunciation is typically the hardest aspect of learning a language, and spending time listening closely to native speakers, either in person or in social settings or public spaces, is a great way to finesse and improve your spoken German. Imitating an accent may help since you’re replicating the shapes and sounds a fluent speaker uses. This can make it easier for a native English speaker to form letters or phonemes that don’t come naturally.
Watching Local TV Shows and Bulletins
We’d also recommend watching local news broadcasts or TV shows or listening to German-language podcasts on your commute. As always, the more you are exposed to fluent spoken German, the more easily you’ll be able to speak at a similar pace and tone!
