jumpstart with cognates - Course 1

Essential A1 Basics

Your first German sentences. Spontaneous. No overthinking.
Write your awesome label here.

Natural learning. Real structure. Right from the start.

Natural learning does not mean unstructured.

I've seen it happen over and over: people start learning German with real enthusiasm — videos, apps, texts. Then the energy fades. Not because they gave up too easily, but because the material was working against them. Vocabulary with no logic, input that's too difficult too soon, progress that feels invisible.

And then that quiet thought: Maybe German is not for me!

Do you recognise yourself here?

That thought is wrong. Comprehensible Input works — the problem is unstructured material, not you. This course gives you the right input, in the right order, at the right time.

Achieve quick results thanks to comprehensible input and cognates

This course – and the entire curriculum – combines two highly effective methods. Firstly, there is comprehensible input, which ensures that you understand the content, can follow along, and pick up the language as you go.
Alongside that, I use cognates – words that are very similar in English and German. The advantage of this is that you can draw on a shared vocabulary right from the start and let your brain pick up the grammar differences between the languages.

Authentic Input

Although the speaking speed, sentence complexity and vocabulary are tailored to your current language level, the videos, audio recordings and texts remain authentic. 

Repetition and Variation

Through a variety of repetitions and variations, your language use becomes more flexible. And your reaction time improves.

Flexible Path

Thanks to a variety of tasks, you can tailor the course to your interests, prior knowledge and areas where you need extra support. This ensures that you’ll enjoy the course.
Having tried many different German courses before, I must say that Kathrin's method is definitely my favourite. She makes German grammar less daunting. I can strongly recommend her course.
Tomás Rocha Rinza, Mexico
Live course student
I have bought your course and am currently working my way through it. It's great, I love the stories and exercises, it's well thought out and totally worth the small outlay. I would recommend learners to join your school.
David via Youtube
Selfstudy student
Kathrin's lessons are accessible and fun. I enjoyed the videos [on Youtube] so much that I started signing up for her online material, which is excellent. I appreciate that Kathrin is so flexible and supportive. Thanks for all you do — your work is excellent.
Mark, USA
Live course student

Everything you find inside this course

320+
minutes of input
100+
new words
16
workbook pages
The course combines various vocabulary topics with corresponding grammar in a wide range of materials. It includes carefully selected input and gives you at least 8 hours study time. Not counted the many hours of repeated input.
You can work as intensively or as slowly as your schedule allows. However, consistency is key.
You can find a detailed list of the course content here:
Vocabulary Topics
Grammar Topics
Learning Materials
Language Skills
In this course, we cover typical topics and vocabulary for beginners:
  • Introducing Yourself: Question words, numbers, verbs (sein/haben), negation
  • Story "Doktors Idee": verbs sein/haben, negation, body parts, some drinks, some people and a few other cognates
  • Flags and countries: colors, negation, question words
  • Monster: colors, numbers, body parts, verbs haben/sein, negation, question words


As you can see, we revisit various topics throughout the course, apply them in different situations and consolidate the vocabulary for the upcoming chapters of the curriculum.
Even though we won’t be focusing on grammar, after this course...
  • you’ll be able to conjugate the verbs "haben (have)" and "sein (be)"
  • you’ll be able to understand and form simple sentences
  • you’ll be able to form and answer yes/no questions
  • you’ll be able to form and answer basic wh-questions
  • you’ll be able to negate sentences using ‘nicht’ and ‘kein’
  • you'll be able to place adjectives after the noun
  • you'll be able to use first connectors like "und (and)" and "aber (but)"


This basic knowledge should be firmly ingrained as early as possible and be able to be recalled automatically.
This course includes:
  • written stories
  • audio versions of the stories
  • various video formats with loads of language input
  • a few short grammar pop-up videos with additional explanations
  • interactive exercises with feedback
  • a workbook full of exercises
  • video solutions to some of the workbook tasks
  • tips and hints on how you can continue learning in your everyday life
  • a forum where you can post questions and texts
Listening
Every video is designed to train your ear from the start. You hear authentic German at a pace that matches your level — comprehensible, but never dumbed down. The more you listen, the more natural German will sound.
Reading
Every story comes with a written version. You read along, at your own pace, as many times as you need. This reinforces vocabulary and sentence structure without ever feeling like a grammar drill.
Speaking
Some videos include response pauses — you answer out loud, not just in your head. It's a small shift that makes a big difference: from passive listener to active speaker.
Writing
The workbook gives you structured writing practice at every step. You're also encouraged to write your own short story based on what you've learned — and share it in the course forum for feedback.

Is this Course for you?

I don’t just sell anything to anyone. I want this course to be right for you, and I want you to be happy with it and succeed.

This Course is perfect, if you...

  • ...have little to no prior knowledge of German (A1)
  • ...prefer a natural approach over grammar rules
  • ...understand the importance of a solid foundation
  • ...are looking for structure in your selfstudy
  • ...want to use your language skills spontaneously and flexibly

Who is your teacher?

All the videos, audio files, texts and exercises were created by Kathrin.
She is the brains and heart behind comprehensible GERMANi. As a qualified early years educator, she knows exactly how people learn naturally. She has gained her knowledge of language acquisition through various courses, university seminars and the best teacher: hands-on experience.
With a great deal of love, creativity and patience, she has been teaching the German language for more than 5 years and looks forward to welcoming you as a student too.

Questions?
Send me an E-Mail
Let's get started

Take your knowledge to level A1!

Frequently asked questions

How much time do I need per week?

That depends on you — the course is designed to fit around your life. Most learners make great progress with 3–4 hours per week. This includes time spent relistening to the stories, reading in your ebook and applying the "practice tips" given. The material is structured in short, focused units so you can learn in 20–30 minute sessions rather than long marathons. Consistency matters far more than intensity: 20 minutes daily beats 3 hours on Sunday.

Do I need any prior knowledge of German?

No. This course starts from zero. The only requirement is that you speak English, because we use cognates — words that are similar in both languages — as your launchpad. This gives you a head start that traditional courses ignore entirely.

How do we learn Grammar?

Not the traditional way. You won't be memorizing tables or drilling rules. Grammar is introduced naturally through comprehensible input — you absorb the structure by understanding it in context, the same way children learn their first language. You will understand why German works the way it does, but it will feel intuitive rather than like studying.

What if I've tried learning German before and failed?

That's actually the most common starting point for students in this course. Most people don't fail because they lack talent — they fail because the material was too hard too soon, or jumped around without building on what came before. This curriculum is specifically designed to prevent exactly that.

What do I get access to after purchase?

You get immediate access to all course materials: videos, audio recordings, written stories, interactive exercises, a 16-page workbook with video solutions, and a forum where you can ask questions and post your own texts for feedback.

Is there a refund policy?

There is currently no formal refund policy. That said, if you have a genuine issue with the course, reach out directly at kathrin@tprs-german.de — questions and concerns are always taken seriously. Before purchasing, you're welcome to explore the free content on Youtube to get a feel for the teaching style.

How is this different from apps like Duolingo or Babbel?

Apps are great for building a habit, but they lack structure and progression. You often end up with a scattered vocabulary and no ability to form real sentences spontaneously. This course builds a solid foundation in a deliberate sequence — every lesson prepares you for the next one.
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