Practice German on video chat: everyday dialogues
To practice German on video chat, start with short phrases about a hobby and prepare how to ask for repetition. Agree on du or Sie and choose a simple exchange: describe something you enjoy, ask a preference and summarize the answer before changing topic.
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Introduce yourself and agree on du or Sie
Du is informal and Sie formal. Asking which form to use avoids assuming familiarity. These examples use du after agreement.
Do not explain your whole background when introducing yourself. Eine kurze Vorstellung—a short introduction—can be just your chosen name and a hobby.
- Hallo, ich lerne Deutsch. Hast du Lust, ein paar Minuten zu sprechen? — Hello, I'm learning German. Would you like to talk for a few minutes?
- Können wir uns duzen? — Can we use the informal du?
- Ich koche gern und höre gern Musik. — I enjoy cooking and listening to music.
Discuss hobbies with short structures
Gern expresses enjoyment of an activity. Use it in an answer and ask a question back, practicing both speaking and comprehension.
| Ask | Example answer |
|---|---|
| Was machst du gern? — ¿Qué te gusta hacer? | Ich lese gern. — Me gusta leer. |
| Welche Musik hörst du gern? — ¿Qué música te gusta escuchar? | Ich höre gern Jazz. — Me gusta escuchar jazz. |
| Was möchtest du lernen? — ¿Qué te gustaría aprender? | Ich möchte Gitarre spielen lernen. — I would like to learn to play guitar. |
Recover a word or sentence
Distinguish an unfamiliar word from a sentence spoken too quickly. You can ask them to type a word if you both want, but avoid sharing links or personal documents as support.
- Kannst du bitte langsamer sprechen? — Could you speak more slowly, please?
- Was bedeutet das? — What does that mean?
- Kannst du das Wort schreiben? — Can you write the word?
- Ich brauche einen Moment. — I need a moment.
Exercise: find a shared hobby
The task is to discover a shared preference or compare different ones. You do not need to agree or have the other person correct your grammar.
- 1
Name two hobbies
Use two sentences with gern. Avoid adding several new ideas to one sentence.
- 2
Listen to two answers
Ask Was machst du gern? and repeat the key word to check understanding.
- 3
Compare
If you agree, use Ich auch — Me too. Otherwise, ask for a reason or example.
- 4
Review
After saying Danke für das Gespräch — Thanks for the conversation — write a complete sentence you want to use again.
Bring your practice to notmegle
notmegle offers browser-based 1:1 video conversations for adults 18+ and requires an account. Before searching, prepare your camera and microphone, review available preferences and agree on the topic and language with your partner.
A preference does not guarantee an immediate match or establish someone's level or native-speaker status. The service does not replace lessons, assessment or a teacher. You can move on, block or report when needed.
Sources consulted
Primary sources reviewed for this guide. The consultation date appears beside each link.
- CEFR levelsCouncil of Europe · accessed on
- CEFR: companion volume and language versionsCouncil of Europe · accessed on
Frequently asked questions
How do I ask someone to speak more slowly in German?
Kannst du bitte langsamer sprechen? means Could you speak more slowly, please? For formal address, use Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
Should I correct every mistake when practicing German?
First agree whether the other person wants corrections. For this exercise, focus on conveying and understanding a preference and review one sentence afterwards.