“I know this word – so why didn’t I hear it?”
You know your German. You’ve learnt the vocabulary, studied the grammar and can construct a sentence — but then a German person starts speaking and suddenly it all sounds like one long word.
I know the feeling. When I first came to London more than 20 years ago, I could understand the “BBC English” I had learnt — but real-life London English was a different story. I soon discovered that understanding a language in the classroom and understanding it when people actually speak can be two very different things.
Why can listening feel so difficult?
There are as many ways of speaking as there are individual speakers. People speak at different speeds and volumes, articulate words differently and have different accents. Even when you know all the words being used, you may not immediately recognise them when you hear them in natural speech.
There are many reasons for this. Connected speech and reduced sounds can make familiar words difficult to recognise. Intonation can change the meaning or emphasis of a sentence, while background noise, hesitations, interruptions and unfamiliar accents can make listening even more challenging. Real-life conversations are also rarely as carefully articulated as textbook recordings.
And this is why listening is such an important skill to develop.
Good listening doesn’t mean understanding every single word
One of the biggest misconceptions about listening is that you need to understand everything. In fact, good listening does not mean understanding every single word.
Even native speakers sometimes miss words, particularly when someone is speaking quickly or in a noisy environment. We constantly use context, our knowledge of the situation and the information we have already heard to work out what someone means.
As language learners, we can develop the same strategies. Instead of trying to catch every single word, we can learn to listen for the overall meaning first, and then gradually focus on the details that matter.
Listening, like speaking, is a skill that can be practised and improved.
What happens in a listening skills course?
The aim of the course is not simply to give you more listening exercises. It is to help you become a more confident and effective listener.
You will not be thrown in at the deep end! We will approach listening tasks step by step. You might first look at a few key words and predict what you are going to hear. Then you will listen without trying to catch every word. What is the situation? Who is speaking? What are the main ideas?
On a second listening, you might focus on specific information: numbers, names, key facts or logical connections within the text. Finally, we can look at the transcript and investigate the words and expressions that made the recording challenging.
This means that you will gradually move from understanding the main ideas and key words to picking up more and more detail.
Vocabulary lists and, where appropriate, preparatory homework will also help you to get the most out of each listening activity.
From textbook German to real-life German
We will listen to a variety of recordings from different sources, including textbooks and media outlets such as Deutsche Welle and YouTube channels. You will hear different voices and speaking styles.
We will also explore pronunciation and intonation and look at practical strategies for listening more effectively.
The topics will vary, giving you the opportunity to encounter German in a range of real-life contexts. The aim is to help you feel more comfortable not only listening to German but also taking part in conversations yourself.
The course is designed to be inclusive. We will use visual support, transcripts and other strategies to support learners who find listening particularly challenging, including those with hearing difficulties.
Who are the courses for?
German 3: Focus on Listening course is aimed at intermediate leaners of German. At City Lit, this means students on a German 3 Lower or German 3 Upper course. You should have studied German for at least three years.
German 2: Focus on listening is intended for lower intermediate students of German. For City Lit students, that will mean students on a 2 upper course. You should have studied German for at least two years
Please note that this is a listening skills course, so the main focus will be on developing your ability to understand spoken German rather than on learning new grammar or vocabulary.
Learning to listen with confidence
Listening can sometimes be the skill that makes language learners feel that their German is not as good as they thought it was. You may be able to read an article or construct a sentence perfectly well, but suddenly feel lost when you hear a native speaker talking.
The good news is that you can improve your listening comprehension. Listening is a skill in its own right, and with the right strategies and regular practice, it can become much easier.
So the next time a German speaker starts talking and it sounds like one long word, don't panic. Listen for the big picture first — and remember that you don't have to understand every word to understand what someone is saying.
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