How to Speak German Without Thinking About Grammar

“I wish I could use grammar correctly when I speak German …”

 “I want a more natural use of correct cases and verb tenses…”  

“I make so many grammar mistakes when I speak German. I guess I should speak English to be on the safe side...”

Can You Relate to Those Thoughts?

If yes, you’re not alone.

Many adult learners find it challenging to speak German spontaneously without constantly thinking about grammar. Often, after realizing that they made a mistake, they’ll instantly regret even trying to communicate in German, quickly reverting to English.  

Or, they want to say something fast but start thinking about all the grammar rules they’ve learned, and it takes them forever to communicate what they want. If the native speaker they talk to is impatient enough to wait and listen to you, the moment is gone.

They’ll stress, panic, or freeze.

Sound Familiar?

If, after hours and hours of learning German, you constantly think about grammar or you are scared to communicate with native speakers, then read on.

Because today, I’ll be talking about the reasons for and strategies and techniques to help you overcome this mental block and start to speak more naturally in German.

Specifically, I will talk about strategies and techniques you can use to improve your confidence in speaking German.

But First, Let Me Tell You That I Totally Understand You.

I’ve been in your shoes many times…

After moving to the new country, I felt embarrassed that I could not speak my second language fluently after many years of study.  

The first time I walked into a coffee shop to order my coffee, I froze. Afraid of making mistakes, I couldn’t believe that something so basic, so simple – ordering coffee – was so overwhelming.    

Sometimes I wanted to communicate with native speakers on a deeper level, but I hesitated to say something because I did not want to sacrifice accuracy for speed. When I tried, it took me forever to create a sentence. The native speakers assumed that I’d already finished my turn, and they interrupted me while I was just going to get to the point.   

It wasn’t very encouraging.

To overcome these painful and embarrassing situations, I took a step back to understand why it was difficult for me to communicate in everyday situations. Even as an introverted language speaker, I developed strategies and techniques to become a confident and fluent speaker. I want to share some of them with you, but first…  

Why Are You Not Able to Communicate Efficiently and Effectively in German?

Generally speaking, our receptive vocabulary (words we can comprehend and respond to) is up to ten times bigger than our productive vocabulary (the one we can express and speak out).

 Same with grammatical rules.  

We often know them in theory (declarative knowledge), but we cannot apply them in natural conversations in German (procedural knowledge related to skills).  

There are even two verbs in German that reflect these two types of knowledge: 

“Ich weiss, was dieses Wort bedeutet, aber ich kann es leider nicht verwenden, weil….”
(“I know the meaning of this word, but unfortunately, I don’t know how to use it because …”)


“Ich weiss, dass das Verb im Nebensatz am Ende steht, aber leider vergesse ich immer diese Regel…”
 (“I know that verb is at the end of the subordinate clause, but I always forget this rule …”)

There Are Always Reasons Why We Are Not Able to Use Theoretical Knowledge Efficiently and Effectively

1. Your confidence in a controlled classroom environment does not automatically carry over to real everyday situations.

Suppose you are an introverted language learner (👋). In that case, it’s even more problematic since it can be challenging to feel comfortable even trying to speak in front of other people.

2. You are afraid of making mistakes, which is part of any learning process, including learning new languages. Because…

3. You want to be perfect.

You continue using the same learning techniques over and over again. You write grammar exercises and become a master of grammar, hoping the quantity will turn into a quality one day. But you are afraid of taking the next step and hesitate to speak German because you are scared you might make a mistake.

4. You haven’t nailed down the grammar concepts you struggle with to the extent that you can’t use them in speech, no matter how many times you try.

You are an intermediate language learner (i.e. you have been learning German for some time), but still don’t know how to conjugate the verb in the Perfekt tense in German.

Deal with these grammar topics one by one. By focusing on them, you will turn each of them into a speaking habit, the so-called micro skill. As a result, you won’t have to think about grammar because it’ll become automatic, and you’ll be able to concentrate solely on communicating your message instead.

5. You are trying to go beyond your level of German.

You are a beginner learner (A1 or A2 level). Still, you expect to engage in deep conversations about complex topics with the German vocabulary and grammar you have never learned.

Try to simplify your thoughts and use the simple language you know to have more opportunities to target grammar topics you need to master.

6. You don’t practice independently outside of your class time.

You need to reflect and identify the way you learn best (e.g. are you an auditory learner or a visual one? Maybe both?).

Once you figure out what works for you, which is not an easy task in your learning process, it’ll become easier to decide which learning activities and methods to use to progress. Also, your learning journey will feel more enjoyable.

Over the many years of my teaching career, I’ve taught various students from all over the world — talented students who had learned German for years and beginners who came to me with zero skills in learning a new language.

No matter their level, they took private German lessons or group courses with the hope and ambition to speak German confidently. And with enough practice, many of them succeeded in reaching their goal.  

Based on their (and my own experience as a lifelong language learner), I can tell you why some students achieve their language goals faster than others.

How Can You Improve Your Fluency in German?

1. Find Your Own Way, Taking Charge of Your Language Journey

Challenge yourself. If you understand everything in your classroom or find the materials too boring, find enjoyable audio or video texts that will stimulate your mind. Listen or read texts at your level; eventually, you’ll encounter specific grammatical structures so often that they will become automatic.

2. Create Opportunities for Practicing German Inside and Outside the Classroom

If you think you speak German too slowly because each time you want to say something, you have to think about which endings to pick or which rules to apply, don’t pressure and criticize yourself.

We learn languages in various ways, and it takes some of us longer to become fluent.

Don’t give up on grammar. Look for more practice. For example, find a patient tutor to listen to you, no matter how long it takes. You will see the progress soon.  

Talk to yourself. Record yourself speaking German without stopping, every time increasing the time. If you get stuck, don’t worry. Just pause. Breathe deeply. And then continue with your next idea. No one else has to listen to you or your recording but you.  
By experimenting with its grammar and words, you’ll build a German-speaking habit that will help develop a “feel” for German.

3. Make Errors Work For You and Not Against You

Don’t be ashamed of your mistakes. You wouldn’t be here if you could already speak German fluently, right?

Native speakers make tons of mistakes, too, so forget yours and focus on the most important thing that you are understood.

4. Don’t Strive for Perfection. Strive for Communication

We don’t live in a perfect world. It is important to accept and embrace that any learning process, including learning a new language, involves many mistakes.

Learn to live with uncertainty by not getting nervous or feeling embarrassed every time you make a mistake when having a conversation. With a lot of practice, you will become fluent in German. Don’t be shy to ask for clarification if there is something you do not understand.

5. Use Mnemonics and Other Memory Strategies to Recall What You Learned

Try to process the materials you learned and write down the information. Then connect it to something more meaningful or structured.  

For example, use the abbreviation ADUSO to learn the coordinating conjunctions in German (ADUSO = aber, denn, und, sondern, oder).

Or use the association technique to learn the gender articles of German nouns. For example, each time you memorize a masculine noun, connect it to a silly image by linking it to a word in your native language. (The more you exaggerate, the better.)

Related: Master Gender Articles in German

6. Stop Making Comparisons

Don’t compare yourself to other speakers of German, native speakers, or learners.

Native speakers learn their mother tongue differently.  

Every language learner has unique strengths and different backgrounds (e.g. you don’t know when they started learning German, their experience, etc.).

And most importantly….

Celebrate Your Accomplishments, No Matter How Big Or Small They Are

Learning a new language is intellectually and emotionally one of the most challenging things you can do. Be proud of your achievements. With these actionable strategies, you will succeed in becoming fluent in German.