Aryna is an Expat living in Basel (Switzerland).
She works at F. Hoffmann-La Roche as Portfolio Lead.
The biggest challenge she faced when learning German was finding the time:
“My biggest challenge was finding time for studying. Despite living in Switzerland for 6 years, I found it hard to “absorb” German language. I needed to dedicate time to study in a more purposeful way, which was not easy for me – work and two small kids are taking up all the time I have.“
She started my program “From Zero to C1 in 25 Minutes a Day” at A2.
My Program offered her a structured learning system that she could easily integrate into her busy life.
Step-by-step she has been improving her German by developing a better understanding of grammar and sentence structure and growing her confidence in expressing herself when speaking.
A few months ago she gave it a try and took the official B1 TELC exam.
She was able to pass the exam with an incredible 95% score in Speaking and 100% in Reading and Writing:
- Reading: 75/75 (100%)
- Listening: 72,5/75 (97%)
- Writing: 45/45 (100%)
- Speaking: 71/75 (95%)
Here’s a complete interview I did with her so you can learn from her journey going through my program.
Let’s jump right into it.
Aryna,
What did you try before starting with my program “From Zero to C1”?
I did an A1 course 6 years ago, and started an A2, but had to drop out as I could not regularly join the classes due to other commitments
What was your biggest challenge you faced with learning German?
My biggest challenge was finding time for studying.
Despite living in Switzerland for 6 years, I found it hard to “absorb” German language in a passive way. Partly, this is because I work in an international company, where all interactions are in English. On the other hand, outside work the locals speak in a dialect, which is very different from High German taught in classes. This meant that I needed to dedicate time to study in a more purposeful way, which was not easy for me – work and two small kids are taking up all the time I have.
What kind of program were you looking for?
The course had to be flexible, self-paced, and shifting as much of the learning effort into the “passive” mode as possible, so I could learn while I do other things
What was your goal when you started?
The short-term goal was to pass my B1 exam, which I needed for renewing my permit. Long-term, I am very keen to become comfortable using German in daily life without feeling restricted to only very basic topics.
What struck you the most the first time you came across my program?
Two things stood out for me:
- Manuel comes up with very logical explanations for difficult grammar topics. Personally, I am not great at learning by heart: endless tables of declination endings make me want to pull my hair out… Just as one example, after seeing Manuel’s strong/weak adjective ending lecture, I finally internalised this topic, stopped guessing and hoping for the best.
- When no logical rule is possible, Manuel comes up with unbelievably catchy mnemonics or other little tricks. His Dative / Accusative preposition tunes are real earworm masterpieces – I will never be able to get them out my head even if I wanted
What was the big difference between my program and the way you learned German before?
The program finally made it feel like I am learning the language in a more natural and fun way.
I experienced two language learning modes in the past: I learnt English in a traditional classroom/textbook format, spending countless hours doing exercises, with plenty of sweat and tears. Later in life, I learnt Spanish to C2 level, by leveraging the environment – friendships, travel, music, etc – it was effortless and fun. With German, I struggled to make myself commit to the traditional way again, and was failing to find the right environment for passive learning. Manuel’s programme allowed me to “immerse” myself and I finally started making progress.
What are some of the results you’ve achieved so far going through my program?
I passed my Telc B1 exam, with 97% score
How did you prepare for your B1 exam?
By the test date, I had completed Manuel’s A2 level course, and finished first half of B1
How long did it take to prepare for your B1 exam?
I started using Herr Professor course about a year before my exam
What was the most difficult part in the exam?
I find the speaking part the most terrifying.
Which specific resources helped you the most along the way?
A2 and B1 course materials were amazing. I also really liked daily Verb Juggling sessions – these short recordings appear easy, but by doing them regularly I noticed that it takes me much less time to build a sentence in German, and I can speak with fewer mistakes in a more fluent way.
How did you stay focused and motivated through the program?
I have to admit, I was going through the program very slowly, and with pauses, alongside giving birth to my younger son and returning to work after maternity leave.
However, what I noticed was that in those weeks when I managed to fit in at least some listening, I could feel the progress, and it was very motivating.
How did you manage to combine a full-time job and learning German on the side?
Most of the course materials can be done in parallel with other tasks. I would listen to the podcasts while cycling to work, cooking, or before falling asleep.
What did a typical daily learning routine look like?
I would try to start the day with Very Juggling during breakfast (my family loved it :)). 3-4 days a week, I would manage to listen to 20-40 min of course recordings on the side, and/or go through a memrise package. Occasionally, I would do 15-20 min of the scriptorium technique at Step 4 in your system (although I didn’t manage to do this nearly enough vs recommended). Closer to the exam date, I would practice writing once a week, and work for 30-60 min on another section of the exam once a week or so.
How much time did you spend daily on average for your learning?
Probably only 20-40 min, on average, and mostly while doing other things. This is far less than I would have liked, and much less than recommended – I was not a good student… However, it was better than nothing, and I made a lot of progress nonetheless.
What did you emphasize the most when learning?
Doing at least something every day, even if only 5-10 min listening to the podcast.
What was your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome it?
I mentioned lack of time already. Also, I am ashamed to admit that for a long time I really didn’t like the language itself – the sound, the rhythm, the language logic and flow. I didn’t get it, which made me annoyed. Interestingly, through the course, Manuel sometimes brings up interesting insights on how certain aspects of language could be linked to German character and psyche. Most of it is just tongue-in-cheek, but somehow it helped me to understand the language better, and I gradually learned to “accept” it.
What was the most important thing that helped you become more fluent in speaking?
Listening is the main “channel” for this course. I found it really helped me get past the initial hurdle of needing at least 5 min to formulate a simple sentence. Once I could say something without the person on the other end losing patience, it got a lot easier!
What helped you the most to overcome the fear of speaking to others?
It’s a constant feedback loop – managing an easy conversation once makes it 100 times easier next time, and so on.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to learn German but finds it hard to find the time due to his/her busy life?
Don’t assume that if you can’t consistently give a lot of time and effort to learning German, you can’t progress, so there is no point in starting. With Manuel’s programme, because it emphasises learning in a passive way, I found that a lot more of the material is ”internalised”, even if I was not fully consistent, and had to make a pause at times.
“From Zero To C1 in 25 Minutes a Day” is my All-Inclusive, complete, step-by-step, no fuss, hassle free 75 Lessons online program (yes, only 15 lessons for each Module A1/A2/B1/B2/C1) for Busy Professionals like you, so you can go from scratch to become fluent and confident to join meetings with your colleagues, negotiate with your clients and give presentations in front of your bosses IN GERMAN. Even if you have a busy working schedule.
If you’d like to be added to the Waiting List of “From Zero to C1”, enter your information below, and you’ll be the first to know when I re-open the course.