Pradnya is an Expat living in Frankfurt (Germany).
She’s a Doctor working as Senior Manager for Medical Affairs at Fresenius Medical Care.
She started my program “From Zero to C1 in 25 Minutes a Day” at A2.
She went through my A2 and B1 Module.
My Program offered her a structured learning system that she could easily integrate into her busy life.
Step-by-step she has been improving her German by developing a better understanding of grammar and sentence structure and growing her confidence in expressing herself when speaking.
A few weeks ago she passed the official B1 Goethe exam with an incredible 100% score at Speaking:
- Reading: 70/100 (70%)
- Listening: 77/100 (77%)
- Writing: 96/100 (96%)
- Speaking: 100/100 (100%)
Here’s an interview I did with her so you can learn from her journey going through my program.
Let’s jump right into it.
Pradnya, what did you try before starting with my program “From Zero to C1”?
I had joined two traditional language schools, at 2 different time points. But I would spend almost an hour just getting there and coming back and thus spend nearly 2.5 hours or more for a 90 minute lesson. That would be very tiring.
What was your biggest challenge you faced with learning German?
Making time for going to the lessons after a long day at work. I often felt like doing my homework straight after coming from my lesson but I would be too tired as I start my day really early in the morning.
What kind of program were you looking for?
Something flexible which I could do at my own pace and convenience without investing time in commuting to get to the school.
What was your goal when you started?
To be able to converse with colleagues or other German-speaking people one comes across in the daily life in Germany (eg, in shops, restaurants, banks, etc) and also understand what they say. In addition, I needed to obtain B1 level certificate for my permanent residence permit.
What struck you the most the first time you came across my program?
The perfectly explained concepts and rules of the language and the flexibility. Traditionally, they speak strictly German in all language schools as that is supposed to be the most effective way of learning. However, this program is taught in English and was still very effective.
What was the big difference between my program and the way you learned German before?
As stated above, the rules of the language are explained in an easy-to-understand and easy-to-remember manner and I could study at my own pace and at my convenience. In my experience, there are always some students in the classroom who slow down the speed of the class and that is not nice. Also, the teachers only explain in German and some concepts may remain unclear in that practice. For instance, the adjective endings are explained in such an easy and effective manner in this program while it is a big complicated mess in the traditional method. Also, it is very easy to re-visit any topic of interest because you only have to play that lecture and that is a reassuring feeling.
What are some of the results you’ve achieved so far going through my program?
I understand and remember the grammar rules and am able to converse with my German colleagues. I was also very confident during the speaking and writing parts of the exam.
How did you prepare for your B1 exam to pass it with flying colors?
I just followed the instructions given in the program. They are absolutely perfect and work 100%.
How long did it take to prepare your B1 exam?
Actually, I was not a good student, as I did not study in a structured manner (for various reasons). I started with the A2 program back in July 2018 and went through the lessons in an erratic manner until January 2019. But then I registered for the B1 exam at the end of Jan 2019 and then studied more sincerely and in a more structured manner until the exam on 17 April.
What was the most difficult part in the exam?
The hearing and reading sections turned out to be the most challenging which was surprising as those were not so challenging when I solved the model exam papers. It could be because I was distracted during the exam (perhaps due to the exam stress?).
Which specific resources helped you the most along the way?
The recorded lessons, fluency tests, vocab tools and the recommended learning techniques (that means actually almost all the resources in the program!)
How did you stay focused and motivated through the program?
It was easier once I had the exam date. It is easier to work towards a concrete goal.
How did you manage to combine a full-time job and learning German on the side?
With great difficulty actually. But having a concrete goal helps.
How did a typical daily learning routine look like?
I would listen to the lessons while going about my daily morning business. Also, I would download the lectures and fluency test etc., and listen to them while walking my dog. Then I would spend an hour or more on the exercises and going through the vocab and sentence structure app after dinner, before going to bed. I would also work with the vocab app if I was in the waiting room of a doctor, or if I could catch a few minutes anytime during the day.
How much time did you spend daily on average for your learning?
On an average 1-3 hours.
What did you emphasize the most when learning?
Nothing in particular actually. I tried to follow the steps in the program as closely as I could.
What was your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome it?
Setting aside time and staying motivated were big challenges. But some discipline and a concrete goal helped.
What was the most important thing that helped you become more fluent in speaking?
I would say following all steps of the program.
What helped you the most to overcome the fear of speaking to others?
Actually it is the response from people who I speak with. In my experience, the German people are very encouraging once you start speaking in German with them. Once you see that they understand what you speak, you feel less afraid to speak.
What’s one piece of advice you would give to someone who wants to learn German but finds it hard to find the time due to his/her busy life?
There is never time in our busy lives. But the reward is directly proportional to the efforts put in learning this language, and it is completely worth it. Start with baby steps and take it slow and steady; cramming too much in one day can be exhausting, overwhelming and consequently, discouraging.
“From Zero To C1 in 25 Minutes a Day” is my All-Inclusive, complete, step-by-step, no fuss, hassle free 75 Lessons online program (yes, only 15 lessons for each Module A1/A2/B1/B2/C1) for Busy Professionals like you, so you can go from scratch to become fluent and confident to join meetings with your colleagues, negotiate with your clients and give presentations in front of your bosses IN GERMAN. Even if you have a busy working schedule.
If you’d like to be added to the Waiting List of “From Zero to C1”, enter your information below, and you’ll be the first to know when I re-open the course.