Signing Up for a German Course in German: The Sprachschule Conversation

There's something nicely circular about this lesson: it's the German you need in order to sign up for German lessons.

That's not a joke at your expense — it's the situation thousands of people are in, standing at a language-school reception with just enough German to be embarrassed and not quite enough to explain themselves. This conversation is designed for exactly that moment.

Weiterbildung is one of the eleven official FIDE topics, and it's one you're living right now. The vocabulary you learn here — levels, fees, deadlines, instalments — is the same vocabulary for any course, from a cooking class to a professional qualification.

Key phrases to know

• Ich interessiere mich für einen Deutschkurs. – I'm interested in a German course.
• Welches Niveau haben Sie? – What level are you?
• Ich denke A2, aber ich bin nicht sicher. – I think A2, but I'm not sure.
• Können wir einen Einstufungstest machen? – Can we do a placement test?
• Wie lange dauert der Test? – How long does the test take?
• Wann könnte ich anfangen? – When could I start?
• Ich möchte mich für den B1-Kurs anmelden. – I'd like to register for the B1 course.
• Wie hoch ist die Kursgebühr? – How high is the course fee?
• Kann ich in Raten zahlen? – Can I pay in instalments?
• Gibt es eine Probestunde? – Is there a trial lesson?

How it sounds in practice

The advisory conversation, between an Interessent (I — prospective student) and a Berater (B — advisor):

I: Ich interessiere mich für einen Deutschkurs. 
B: Welches Niveau haben Sie? 
I: Ich denke A2, aber ich bin nicht sicher. 
B: Wir können einen Einstufungstest machen. 
I: Wie lange dauert der? 
B: Etwa 45 Minuten. Er ist kostenlos. 
I: Gut, und wann könnte ich anfangen? 
B: Nach dem Test können Sie direkt nächste Woche einsteigen.

The line to steal is "Ich denke A2, aber ich bin nicht sicher." It's an honest answer to a question you genuinely can't answer, and it does the job perfectly — the advisor immediately proposes a way to find out.

The pattern Ich denke…, aber ich bin nicht sicher rescues you whenever you half-know something. Compare it with guessing confidently and being put in the wrong class for three months.

Also notice "und wann könnte ich anfangen?" — the und at the start simply chains your next question onto the conversation without a fresh, formal opening. Small word, very natural.

Actually enrolling

At the desk, between a Teilnehmerin (T — participant) and the Sekretariat (S — office):

T: Ich möchte mich für den B1-Kurs anmelden. 
S: Haben Sie den Einstufungstest gemacht? 
T: Ja, letzte Woche. 
S: Die Kursgebühr beträgt 600 Franken pro Semester. 
T: Kann ich in Raten zahlen? 
S: Ja, drei Raten sind möglich. 
T: Super, dann melde ich mich an.

"Kann ich in Raten zahlen?" is the question of this lesson. Course fees in Switzerland are substantial, and instalments are very often available — but almost never offered unprompted. Asking costs you nothing.

Learn the reflexive verb properly, because it's everywhere: sich anmelden (to register). Ich möchte mich anmelden. Ich habe mich angemeldet. Wo kann ich mich anmelden? Its opposite, sich abmelden (to deregister, to cancel), is what you'll need for a missed lesson, a child's absence from school, or leaving your Gemeinde.

And beträgt — "amounts to" — is the formal verb Swiss institutions use for sums. Die Gebühr beträgt… Die Frist beträgt… Worth recognising even if you never say it.

Swiss culture note

Here's what a lot of newcomers never discover: you may not have to pay full price. Many cantons and communes subsidise German courses for foreign residents as part of integration policy — sometimes with vouchers, sometimes through named partner schools. Employers also frequently contribute. Two questions worth asking: "Gibt es Ermässigungen?" ("Are there reductions?") and, at your Gemeinde, "Unterstützt die Gemeinde Deutschkurse?"

Look out for courses labelled fide. These follow the official Swiss curriculum built around exactly the everyday situations this series covers — and they lead to the language certificate accepted for permits and citizenship.

Common mistake to avoid: registering and then not cancelling properly. Swiss course fees are usually due whether or not you attend, and withdrawal deadlines are strict. If you have to stop, tell the school in writing and ask what's possible: "Kann ich den Kurs unterbrechen?" Longer illness or a work posting is often accepted; simply drifting away is not.

Two smaller things. A Probestunde (free trial lesson) is very common — take it, and use it to hear whether the teacher speaks Standard German or Swiss German in class. And punctuality genuinely matters here: arriving five minutes late is noticed in a way it isn't everywhere.

Try it yourself

You want an evening German course, you're somewhere around A2, and the fee is more than you can pay at once. Practise saying out loud:

• I'm interested in a German course.
• I think A2, but I'm not sure. Can we do a placement test?
• How high is the course fee?
• Can I pay in instalments? Are there reductions?

Then the enrolment: say you'd like to register, that you did the test last week, and ask when you can start.

What's next

Getting into the course is the easy part. The next lesson is what happens inside it — introducing yourself on the first day when you're nervous, and the small negotiation of arranging group work with someone whose free evenings don't match yours.

This lesson is part of Module 6 (Weiterbildung) of the FIDE A1/A2 Exam Prep. The full book covers all 11 FIDE topics with dialogues, vocabulary, and cultural notes. It's available here and as an interactive app with audio practice at app.fide-prep.ch.