There are many Internet sites with all kinds of courses you can take to help you learn German free of charge. Whether you are just beginning your studies in the German language or you want to take a refresher course, you will find what you need.  There are also many free reference tools for you to use online to help you with aspects of the courses, such as dictionaries, explanations for the rules of grammar, practice exercises and more. You don't need to shell out any money for tuition, nor do you need to live in a German speaking community to gain the knowledge you need to become fluent in the language.

Start your course in German by learning some common phrases. You do need to use a site where you can hear these phrases being read by a native speaker so that you learn the correct pronunciation right away instead of learning the phrases in isolation and then have to change the way you speak them.  Some of the commonly used phrases in German are:

- Ja ? yes

- Nein ? no

- Bitte ? please

- Danke ? thank you

- Bitte schon ? you welcome

- Guten morgen ?good morning

- Guten abend ?good evening

- Guten nacht ?good night

- Sprechen sie Englisch? ?Do you speak English?

Through learning some simple phrases, such as these, you also pick up some German vocabulary. For example, you learn that means good and means do you speak?

When you take a free course in German, you will learn the alphabet and the sounds of the letters, the rules of grammar and how to conjugate the verbs. Take full advantage of games in the German language because these will extend and reinforce your learning and you will have fun at the same time. When learning any new language it is important that you make it enjoyable. Don't underestimate the power of song when learning German because through simple songs you also gain new vocabulary words.

As you listen to the native German speakers reading passages in the course, make sure you pay attention to the pronunciation of the words. Listen to each passage several times and then practice reading it on your own. If you are not sure how well you are doing, record your reading and them play it to compare it to that of the native speakers online.

As you complete each module of the course, complete the practice exercises and then take the tests on each one. If you find that you have made mistakes, review the material and the instruction to determine where you made the mistakes. It is important for you to fully understand the concept of each lesson before you proceed. This is because each lesson builds on the one before and assumes that you have mastered the concept. If you rush through the course, you may miss important features that you will need to know in later lessons. Time and practice are the two main ingredients in learning German and since it is free, you can take all the time you need to get it right.