A2 Topics Verkehr

The Nothelfer-Kurs in German: Signing Up and Saying You're Unsure

The first-aid course you need for a Swiss driving licence — and the German for the hardest thing to say in any language: "I'm not sure I'm doing this right."

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Before you can get a Swiss driving licence, you have to sit through a Nothelfer-Kurs — a first-aid course. Most newcomers discover this at the exact moment they're trying to book their theory exam.

It's worth doing well, and not only for the licence. This lesson contains the two most useful "difficult" sentences in German: I'm not sure and can you show me again. If you can say those two things calmly, you can survive almost any conversation — including the exam.

Key phrases to know

  • Ich möchte mich für den Nothelfer-Kurs anmelden. – I'd like to register for the first-aid course.
  • Wann ist der nächste Kurs? – When is the next course?
  • Wie lange dauert der Kurs? – How long does the course last?
  • Mein Kurs ist nicht mehr gültig. – My course is no longer valid.
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