The 3minGerman hub
Learn German Vocabulary Fast
The methods that work, the tools that do it for you, and free resources — all in one place.
The method
How to Learn German Faster
Why you forget new words (the forgetting curve), the research behind spaced repetition, and the step-by-step system that keeps words for good.
Read the guide →
+
Free tool
3minGerman Chrome extension
Dual German + English subtitles on any YouTube video. Click any word, save it, and learn it with the daily spaced-repetition quiz.
German flashcard sets
Free themed word sets with articles, plurals and example sentences — study them like Anki cards.
Free resources
Word lists by level
A1–C1 German vocabulary lists with articles and translations.
Themed word packs
Food, travel, work, home — learn words by topic.
Free A1 course
Short video lessons with exercises for beginners.
German videos
Watch with dual subtitles and tap any word.
German vocabulary lists by level: German A1 vocabulary list · German A2 vocabulary list · German B1 vocabulary list · German B2 vocabulary list · German C1 vocabulary list · German vocabulary for work · German dictionary A–Z with articles
Guides: how to speak German faster · German job vocabulary for work · how to add German subtitles to YouTube
Blog: learning German, faster
Vocabulary guides, research and practical German for life in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Learning German vocabulary fast: 10 questions answered
1. What is the fastest way to learn German vocabulary?
Combine two things: meet new words in real context (a video, a sentence, a voice) and review them with spaced repetition — short reviews at growing intervals, right before you would forget. 3minGerman does both: dual subtitles on YouTube to learn words in context, and a daily quiz that repeats the words you clicked.
2. How many German words do I need?
Roughly 650 words for A1, about 1,300 for A2 and around 2,400 for B1 (the size of the Goethe-Institut word lists). With a few thousand of the most frequent words you understand most everyday conversations.
3. How many new words can I learn per day?
10–20 new words a day is sustainable for most learners when you also review. At 15 words a day you reach B1 vocabulary (about 2,400 words) in under six months.
4. Why do I forget German words so quickly?
That is the forgetting curve, first measured by Hermann Ebbinghaus in 1885: without review, most new information fades within days. Each well-timed review makes the memory last longer.
5. What is spaced repetition?
A review method where each word comes back at growing intervals — for example after one day, a few days, a week and a month. Words you know well come back less often, difficult ones more often.
6. Are flashcards (like Anki) good for German?
Yes — active recall with flashcards is one of the most effective ways to memorise words. They work best with context: an article (der/die/das), an example sentence and audio. 3minGerman builds the cards from words you met in real videos.
7. Should I learn German words with der, die, das?
Always. Learn every noun together with its article and plural (der Tisch, die Tische). Learning the article later is much harder than learning it once from the start.
8. Can I learn German vocabulary by watching YouTube?
Yes, if you make the input understandable. Dual German + English subtitles let you follow real videos, and tapping unknown words turns watching into vocabulary learning. The free 3minGerman Chrome extension adds this to any YouTube video.
9. How long does it take to learn German to B1?
With daily practice most learners need around 6–12 months to reach B1. Vocabulary is the biggest part: about 2,400 words, which is achievable in six months with 15 words a day and consistent review.
10. Is 3minGerman free?
Yes. The Chrome extension is free to install, the vocabulary lists, flashcard sets and A1 course on 3mingerman.com are free, and your first videos are free.