According to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), at B1 level you can talk about yourself, understand the main points of a conversation, and communicate in most everyday situations. This is exactly the stage when German becomes a tool for communication rather than simply something you study. Your vocabulary is broad enough to talk about familiar topics. At the same time, another challenge often arises: you have the knowledge, but putting it into practice in a real conversation can still be difficult.
You can overcome this language barrier through regular speaking practice. The more often you speak, the easier it becomes to move familiar words and structures from your passive vocabulary into active use, express your thoughts more naturally, and feel more confident in a dialogue. One of the easiest ways to practise is to talk to a partner who is also learning German and is roughly at the same level.
How to Practise German Effectively with a Partner
You do not need to come up with a complicated topic or make sure your interests match every time you practise speaking. Instead, start with simple situations that you encounter in everyday life.
To make your practice sessions as effective as possible:
- set aside a specific amount of time during which you speak only German (15 to 20 minutes is enough to start with);
- choose a topic and prepare a few questions in advance;
- take turns asking and answering questions;
- switch roles during the dialogues;
- make a note of recurring mistakes and discuss them after the conversation.
When it comes to correcting mistakes, it is useful to agree on an approach beforehand: either correct each other immediately or write down mistakes and discuss them after the other person has finished speaking. However, interrupting too often is not helpful.
It is also useful to repeat the same topic several times. The first time, you may still have to search for words and remember the right structures. By the second attempt, speaking will usually feel much easier.
Topics That Make It Easy to Get Started
A large part of our daily communication revolves around ordinary, everyday things. Choose dialogue topics that match the vocabulary you already have. Start with simple situations and gradually make them more challenging: keep the conversation going, ask follow-up questions, explain your point of view, and so on.
Tell your partner about your family, your home, and the everyday tasks you have to take care of. Talk about what a typical day looks like for you, what you do after work, where you shop, and how you spend your weekends. You can also discuss your favourite dishes, household chores, leisure activities, holiday plans, or your latest purchases.
To prevent the conversation from turning into a series of short yes-or-no answers, ask open-ended questions. For example: “What does your typical day off look like?”, “What would you like to change about your home?”, or “What do you usually buy for the week?”
At B1 level, the goal is not simply to name objects or actions, but to express a complete thought: describe events, explain reasons, talk about plans, and give your opinion in simple but understandable sentences.
Practise dialogues in which you:
- ask for directions;
- buy a train or bus ticket;
- ask about a timetable;
- check in at a hotel;
- order food at a restaurant;
- ask about the price or features of a product;
- explain a problem to a hotel or shop employee.
For example, one of you can play a tourist who does not know how to get to the train station, while the other plays a local resident. Then switch roles and change the situation slightly.
If you are planning to live, study, or work in a German-speaking country, make sure you regularly practise speaking about professional and educational topics. Tell your partner about your education and experience, describe your responsibilities, a typical working day, or the profession you would like to pursue. You can also practise a job interview: one person asks typical questions from an employer, while the other answers and talks about their education, experience, and skills. Then switch roles.
Topics related to learning are just as useful. Talk about your favourite subjects, courses, exams, career choices, or plans for further education.
B1 level is often the minimum language requirement for certain jobs, vocational training programmes, or internships. Being able to talk about your experience, understand a question, and keep a professional conversation going therefore has not only educational value but also a very practical benefit.
These exercises are valuable because they force you to recall individual words and respond quickly to your conversation partner. Over time, familiar phrases become almost automatic, and speaking in a real-life situation becomes much easier.
What Most Often Gets in the Way of Speaking
These are some of the most common mistakes and obstacles that prevent you from expressing yourself confidently and developing your speaking skills:
| Waiting until you can speak without mistakes before starting a conversation. | Mistakes are a natural part of the learning process. Native speakers rarely focus on minor mistakes. And the more you speak, the more quickly you will notice your progress. |
| Paying too much attention to grammar. | If you are constantly checking word order and endings in your head, your speech becomes slow and unnatural. At B1 level, it is more important that you get your message across and understand the other person. You can discuss and correct mistakes later. |
| Being afraid that others will not understand you. | Many learners are reluctant to speak German because they are unsure whether they can express their thoughts correctly or understand the response. Start with simple sentences. If you do not understand your conversation partner, simply ask them to repeat the sentence or speak more slowly. |
You do not need to set aside a lot of time for speaking practice. It is better to speak German for 15 to 20 minutes every day than to have one long practice session only occasionally.
The main goal at B1 level is not to speak perfect German without a single mistake. It is to be able to communicate in German in everyday situations, understand your conversation partner, and express your thoughts. Little by little, speaking becomes easier, and familiar words and phrases come to mind more quickly when you need them.
In German classes at IISC, you take part in discussions and practise speaking in a wide range of situations. Our teachers choose tasks appropriate to the group’s level, identify and correct recurring mistakes during lessons, and explain challenging points.
At the same time, independent practice remains an important part of the learning process. Practising with a partner helps you consolidate what you have learned, use German more confidently in everyday life, and make progress even faster.