Deutsch · conversations from Berlin
Learn spoken German by listening in.
Shinar teaches spoken German through 62 short, real conversations set in Berlin: at the market, in a taxi, at work, at a family function. You hear each scene in English first, then in German, then tap any word to hear it and see its meaning. This course is in beta while native speakers review it.
- 62
- scenes
- 31
- free
- 3
- levels with tests
Updated
How do you learn German with Shinar?
- 1. Hear it in English. Two people talk in Berlin. You follow every word, so you know exactly what is going on.
- 2. Hear the same scene in German. You already know the story, so the German clicks instead of washing over you.
- 3. Learn every word. Tap any word to hear it again and see its meaning.
A real scene: At the weekly market
The opening lines of a free scene from the app, exactly as you would learn them.
| English | German |
|---|---|
| How much is a kilo of tomatoes? | Was kostet ein Kilo Tomaten? |
| Four euros a kilo. | Vier Euro das Kilo. |
| That’s too much. Give it to me for three. | Das ist zu teuer. Geben Sie es mir für drei. |
| Not possible. Three fifty, final offer. | Geht nicht. Drei fünfzig, letztes Angebot. |
Common German words for everyday conversation
Some of the first words you will hear in Shinar's free scenes.
| German | Meaning |
|---|---|
| was | what |
| kostet | costs |
| ein | a |
| Kilo | kilo |
| Tomaten | tomatoes |
| vier | four |
| Euro | euros |
| das Kilo | the kilo |
| das ist | that is |
| zu | too |
| teuer | expensive |
| geben Sie | give (polite) |
| mir | me |
| für | for |
| drei | three |
| geht nicht | not possible |
| drei fünfzig | three fifty |
| letztes | last |
| Angebot | offer |
| dann | then |
| zwei | two |
| bitte | please |
| bitte schön | here you go |
| sieben | seven |
All 62 scenes in the German course
Beginner 21 scenes
- At the weekly market · Auf dem WochenmarktFree
- Making weekend plans · Pläne fürs WochenendeFree
- Oops, sorry! · Oh, Entschuldigung!Free
- Ordering a döner · Döner bestellenFree
- Buying strawberries · Erdbeeren kaufenFree
- Trying on a shirt · Ein Hemd anprobierenFree
- At the Späti · Im SpätiFree
- Your ride is here · Dein Fahrer ist daFree
- Buying a train ticket · Eine Zugfahrkarte kaufenFree
- Visiting Oma · Besuch bei OmaFree
- Paying by card · Mit Karte zahlenFree
- Calling a friend · Eine Freundin anrufenFree
- What do you do? · Was machen Sie beruflich?Free
- Coffee at the bakery · Kaffee beim Bäcker
- Homework time · Hausaufgaben
- Lunch with colleagues · Mittagessen mit Kollegen
- Calling the plumber · Den Klempner rufen
- I lost my phone! · Mein Handy ist weg!
- Currywurst stand · An der Currywurstbude
- Football in the park · Fußball im Park
- At the movie theatre · Im Kino
Intermediate 21 scenes
- Catching a taxi · Ein Taxi nehmenFree
- Good morning · Guten MorgenFree
- It's raining! · Es regnet!Free
- Is lunch ready? · Ist das Essen fertig?Free
- Catching the bus · Den Bus nehmenFree
- Renting a flat · Eine Wohnung mietenFree
- A parcel for you · Ein Paket für SieFree
- At the pharmacy · In der ApothekeFree
- Dinner at a friend's home · Essen bei FreundenFree
- Lunch break · MittagspauseFree
- Asking for directions · Nach dem Weg fragen
- Calling Mum · Mama anrufen
- At a German wedding · Auf einer Hochzeit
- At the doctor's · Beim Arzt
- Booking an appointment · Einen Termin machen
- Hotel check-in · Einchecken im Hotel
- Buying a dirndl · Ein Dirndl kaufen
- Fixing a cracked screen · Display reparieren
- Cooking with your mother-in-law · Kochen mit der Schwiegermutter
- The Advent calendar · Der Adventskalender
- Daily stand-up · Daily Stand-up
Advanced 20 scenes
- Meeting someone new · Jemanden kennenlernenFree
- First day at work · Erster ArbeitstagFree
- Flying kites · Drachen steigen lassenFree
- A bad grade · Eine schlechte NoteFree
- Project timeline · ProjektzeitplanFree
- Best friends · Beste FreundeFree
- Did you hear? · Hast du schon gehört?Free
- How was your day? · Wie war dein Tag?Free
- Meeting the in-laws · Die Schwiegereltern
- Asking for leave · Urlaub beantragen
- Deadline day · Abgabetag
- Hiring a cleaner · Die Putzhilfe
- New neighbours · Neue Nachbarn
- Merry Christmas · Frohe Weihnachten
- Painting Easter eggs · Ostereier bemalen
- Exam tomorrow · Morgen ist Prüfung
- Office gossip · Büroklatsch
- Surprise party · Überraschungsparty
- Moving away · Umzug
- Cousins catch up · Cousin und Cousine
Questions about learning German
How can I learn spoken German fast?
Listen to real, everyday German in situations you already understand. In Shinar you hear each conversation in English first, so the German that follows makes sense straight away, then you learn every word in it. A few minutes a day with short scenes works better than long grammar sessions.
Do I need to learn a new alphabet for German?
No. German uses the same letters as English, plus ä, ö, ü and ß. You learn by ear first, and every word is explained in English.
Is Shinar good for beginners in German?
Yes. Scenes start at Beginner (greetings, shopping, ordering food) and move through Intermediate to Advanced, with a listening test at the end of each level.
Is the German formal or how people really talk?
Shinar uses everyday spoken German as heard in Berlin, with “du” for friends and “Sie” for strangers, not textbook-formal language.
Is it free?
31 scenes are free, with no ads. Shinar Pro unlocks all 62 and every new scene pack.
Where can I download Shinar?
Shinar is coming soon to Google Play for Android phones. An iPhone version will follow.