German A1 online — free course for absolute beginners, mascot Cleo the fox, preparation for Goethe-Zertifikat A1 Start Deutsch 1, Fit in Deutsch 1, telc Deutsch A1, Free plan no card

A1 is the first level of the European CEFR scale (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). At A1 you can introduce yourself, ask and answer simple questions about yourself (name, age, city), order food at a restaurant, ask for directions, and understand short sentences spoken slowly and clearly. Typical A1 vocabulary is 600-800 words.

The official CEFR guide estimates 60-100 hours of study for stable A1. With Deutsch-Landia and 15 minutes per day, you reach functional A1 in 4-6 months. With 30 minutes per day, in 2-3 months. Duration varies based on prior knowledge (English helps a lot with German through lexical similarities), motivation, and consistency.

You click Start now, take the placement test (15 minutes, free, no card) which confirms your real level. If the result is A1, the system suggests the first lessons from the A1 curriculum with mascot Cleo the fox. The first 7 lessons are free in the Free Plan, enough to see if it suits you.

The 4 internationally recognized A1 exams: (1) Goethe-Zertifikat A1 Start Deutsch 1 (adults, Goethe-Institut, ~80-90 EUR in Romania), (2) Goethe-Zertifikat A1 Fit in Deutsch 1 (kids 10-16), (3) telc Deutsch A1 (~70-90 EUR), (4) OSD KID A1 (Austrian, kids 8-12). All have similar formats: reading, listening, writing, speaking. Deutsch-Landia prepares you for any of them.

Cleo is your guide through German A1: she explains the German alphabet (including ae, oe, ue, ss), correct pronunciation of each sound, first words (Hallo, Tschuss, Danke), the articles der/die/das on simple nouns, conjugation of the verbs sein and haben in present tense. Cleo never rushes, repeats a lot, smiles often. She has native voice and TTS.

The A1 curriculum covers: alphabet + pronunciation, indefinite articles (ein/eine), definite articles (der/die/das), noun plurals, regular verbs in present, frequent irregular verbs (sein, haben, gehen, kommen, sprechen), numerals 1-1000, the clock + days of week + months, W- questions (Wer, Was, Wo, Wann, Wie), Akkusativ + Dativ on common nouns. Plus 1000+ A1 vocabulary words, 8 bilingual stories, 5 educational games.

Yes. The Free Plan includes: complete placement test (15 min, 1002 calibrated questions, no card), first 7 A1 lessons from the curriculum, access to 3 bilingual A1 stories, access to 2 games, dashboard with your progress and recommendations. Enough to start and see if the platform suits you. Upgrade to Premium when you want the full A1 + B2 + C1 curriculum.

For short tourism (3-7 days): yes, enough. You can order at restaurants, ask for directions, ask prices, introduce yourself. For longer trips, complex conversations, or professional environments you need A2 (3-6 more months of study) or B1 (another 6-12 months). Don't be discouraged — even A1 makes a difference: native speakers appreciate any effort in their language.

Yes. The web app is mobile-first responsive, works perfectly on iPhone and Android (Chrome, Safari, Firefox). We recommend tablet for the best experience, but phone is perfect for short 5-15 minute sessions. Native iOS/Android apps are on the 2026 roadmap, but the web version handles touch + partial offline (downloaded lessons are accessible).

A1 = basic survival (introduce yourself, order, ask). A2 = simple communication in past, present, future; you can briefly tell about vacation, school, family. Vocabulary grows from 600-800 (A1) to 1500-2000 words (A2). Grammar includes Perfekt (compound past), modal verbs, prepositions with Akkusativ + Dativ, sentences with weil and dass. A1 takes you from zero to first conversation; A2 takes you from first conversation to continuous conversation.