Making Time for German Isn’t About More Time, It’s About Making Time Work for You

The most common complaint I hear from my German learners?

“I don’t have time.”

We all know the feeling: you want to learn German, but life gets in the way. Between work, family, and other commitments, finding the time to study often feels impossible.

I get it. I face the same challenge when it comes to learning Italian!

But what if the real issue isn’t that you don’t have enough time, but that you’re not using the time you already have as efficiently as you could?

In this post, I’m going to show you how you can learn German without carving extra hours out of your day. It’s about integrating learning into the moments you already have, and the Better German Community Hive is here to help you do just that.

The Time Struggle: It’s Not About Finding More Time

When we say, “I don’t have time,” what we usually mean is that we feel overwhelmed by all the things we’re trying to juggle. The idea of setting aside time to learn a language can feel daunting, especially when your schedule is packed.

The key is to stop thinking of learning as something that requires long sessions.

Instead, focus on small, manageable moments a few times throughout your day. By making learning German a natural part of your routine, you can steadily make progress without adding extra pressure.

That’s why the Better German Community Hive is designed for busy learners like you: offering flexible resources and lessons that easily fit into even the busiest schedules.

5 Smart Ways to Make Time Work for You

1. Learn While Doing Other Things

Turn ordinary tasks into learning opportunities. Whether you’re cooking dinner, commuting, or running errands, you can listen to a German podcast, audiobook or music. This way, you’re absorbing German without extra effort, and who knows, soon you might be singing along, too!

And the Hive provides short, engaging video lessons (approx. 5min) that allow you to learn on the go, maximising your time without disrupting your day. You could even listen to these whilst you’re sitting on the toilet – I won’t judge! 😊

2. Micro-Learning Moments

Instead of feeling pressured to set aside an hour for concentrated study once a week, why not dedicate powerful 5-10 minutes a day? Whether it’s reviewing vocabulary, listening to a short video, or practising a new phrase, these small moments all add up and must not be underestimated.

With the Hive’s flexible lessons, you can tailor your learning to fit into any part of your day, no matter how busy you are.

3. Repetition in Real-Life Contexts

Pick a few words or phrases to repeat in everyday situations. You could practise saying simple things in German as you go through your day, like naming the items you see in your home (post-its around the house are really useful for this!), thinking in German during your commute, or even talking to yourself out loud. Again, I won’t judge 😊

By using German in context, it will start to feel natural.

4. Repurpose What You Already Know

If you’re already working on something, whether it’s emails, social media, or a blog post, why not take a few minutes to translate it into German? You’ll be practising while staying productive.

By using real-life materials, you’re not just learning German in a vacuum; you’re integrating it into your daily life. And if you are looking for inspiration, use our weekly challenges to get you writing a few sentences in German every week!

5. Don't waste time endlessly looking for answers

How many hours have you spent online searching for answers to your questions, only to end up with confusing or questionable advice? In the Hive’s Q&A forum, you can post your questions directly, and I’ll answer them personally. No more endless scrolling or guessing, life is too short for that! Just clear, helpful answers to keep you moving forward.

Frictionless Learning: Making German a Seamless Part of Your Routine

Learning doesn’t have to be complicated. Tools like spaced repetition apps make it easy to review vocabulary without thinking about it. That’s why I LOVE Quizlet and recommend it to all my Hive members! And if you need more structure, the Hive offers 1:1 lessons to guide you, ensuring you make steady progress at YOUR pace and without extra stress. Just contact me if you are interested!

Conclusion: Making Time for German Isn’t About More Time, It’s About Making Time Work for You

You don’t need to find extra hours to learn German. Instead, focus on being efficient and making the most of the time you already have. By integrating micro-learning into your day, using passive learning methods, and tapping into flexible resources, you can make steady progress without overwhelming yourself.

Ready to make time for German? Join the Better German Community Hive for a free trial and start making your time work for you.

And if you are already a loyal member: THANK YOU! I love having you in our Hive, interacting with you each week and helping you learn. Remember that, as a member, you can offer a 10% discount to any of your friends, colleagues or family members who wish to learn German in our Hive, too!

Just ask me for your personalised discount code. And as a thank you from me, I'll have a token of gratitude waiting for you, too :-)

Your "Queen Bee",

Birte

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P.S. If you haven’t already, watch my video to show you lots more about our Better German Community Hive!