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Hi, I'm Birte Harring!
Languages and cross-cultural communication have been a central theme all my life.
Born in Aachen, Germany, and raised across Germany, the USA and the Netherlands, I experienced first-hand how language affects not only communication, but also confidence, connection and the way we are perceived by others.
Learning English and Dutch as a child taught me very early on what it feels like to know exactly what you want to say, but not yet being able to express it naturally in the moment.
And that experience has stayed with me.
After studying at the Universities of Marburg and Göttingen, Germany and qualifying as a teacher in the UK, I now have over 20 years of experience in supporting English speakers communicating in German-speaking environments.
And I recognised a pattern that felt very familiar to me:
Many highly capable professionals already understood far more German than they felt able to express naturally and confidently in real conversations.
They clearly didn't lack ability or professional expertise! But communicating under pressure in another language often creates a gap between what you want to say and what actually comes out in the moment.
My own lived experience and the insight I gained working with professionals became the foundation of Better German.
I founded Better German in 2017 to support professionals who want their spoken German to reflect the same clarity, credibility and professional presence they already have in English.
Having lived in the UK for over 20 years, I’ve also seen how communication styles differ between English-speaking and German-speaking professional environments, and how easily capable professionals can feel misunderstood, less articulate or less authoritative than they actually are.
My work focuses on helping you close that gap.
My approach is based on a simple principle:
real confidence in German develops through active communication, meaningful practice and learning how to express your own ideas naturally in real situations.
That is why my 1:1 coaching sessions focus not only on language itself, but also on helping you think, respond and communicate more freely under real conversational pressure.
Today, I support internationally mobile professionals and expats who work with German-speaking colleagues and clients and who need to communicate with greater clarity, presence and authenticity in meetings, discussions, networking situations and everyday working life
Language is so much more than just words. Language shapes how we see ourselves, connect with others, build trust and present ourselves professionally.
My goal is to help you communicate in German in a way that reflects who you really are and what you are truly capable of.
I look forward to welcoming you to the Hive.