German Steps is a free online language learning course hosted by the BBC. By using German Steps, you can learn basic German vocabulary and phrases that are practical for everyday use whether you are just vacationing in Germany or moving there for a longer period of time.
On the German Steps homepage, you will see the six units listed in the middle of the page; each of these units contains four lessons, each of which covers a different topic. For example, under the first unit, Meeting People, you will see the first lesson is called "Introducing Yourself." In this lesson, Berlin native Andrea will take you through the important words and phrases you would need to know in order to properly introduce yourself. She does this by introducing herself to Claus, a man she is sent to meet at the airport. You see photos, hear the spoken German, and have the text displayed (optionally) in German and/or English.
For this lesson on "Introducing Yourself," you can review the vocabulary with the help of a Key Words list, you can study a bit of German grammar with the Grammar Note, and you learn more about culture related to the topic with the Cultural Note. Each lesson contains these same elements for learning.
In total, there are twenty-four lessons divided among the six units, and each lesson contains pictures accompanied by audio as well as the Key Word, Grammar Note, and Cultural Note.
Besides the twenty-four lessons, the German Steps webpage offers these other resources to help you navigate the program: a User Guide that explains how the whole program is laid out, a Syllabus that tells you exactly what you can expect to learn with German Steps, Learning Logs that you can print out to track your progress, an A to Z Vocabulary List, dozens of interactive Grammar Tips, and fascinating Cultural Notes.
