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You have already taken several courses and you can communicate with others relatively easily. However, you still feel a bit insecure and you notice that you still need help and practice with grammar and that you need to expand your vocabulary.
Your goal: You want to speak confidently and express yourself with a broader vocabulary. You may want to work in your dream job soon, and you need confident German for job interviews.
I want to be very clear here: If you are looking for a B2 German course where you want to invest little time and practice, if you do not have time for homework, or if you are only focused on passing the B2 exam, then this is not the right place for you.
B2 is a very demanding language level and requires a solid grammar foundation. If you truly want to learn German, if you are pursuing a career in Germany and want to find your dream job, you must invest time and a lot of practice and shift your focus away from the exam.
In this article, I answer the most important questions about the B2 German course, based on over 20 years of experience and our daily teaching practice.
How long does it take to complete B2 German courses?
How long a B2 German course takes depends on the type of course. Overall, a B2.1 course consists of 100 lessons. That is half of the full B2 level.
A B2.1 morning course, for example, takes place on two days per week and includes a total of 8 lessons per week. An evening course has 4 lessons per week, so it naturally takes longer. An intensive afternoon course takes place five days a week, includes 20 lessons per week, and lasts 5 weeks.
Your German course in Frankfurt at SprachPassion – our B2 courses at a glance
👉 B2 German Courses Frankfurt am Main
Typical course formats at B2 level include, for example:
- B2.1 Morning course, 2 days per week from 9:00–12:15, approx. 12 weeks
- B2.1 Intensive course, 5 days per week from 13:00–16:15 or in the morning from 9:00–12:15, 5 weeks
- B2.1 Evening course, 2 evenings per week from 18:30–20:00, approx. 24 weeks
If you want it slightly more formal or more marketing-neutral, I can adjust the tone.
Please note that course duration can vary from school to school. Some institutes divide B2 into three parts: B2.1 + B2.2 + B2.3. At SprachPassion, we work with two parts: B2.1 + B2.2, as all course books are structured this way. As a result, both levels are slightly longer, with 100 lessons each.
Is B2 German difficult?
The question of whether a B2 course is difficult cannot be answered easily, because several factors play a role:
- How large is your vocabulary already?
- How accurate is your grammar from the lower levels A1–B1?
- Do you have contact with native speakers?
- Do you notice your automated mistakes and can you correct them yourself?
- What is your goal with B2?
Do you want to find out your current language level and get advice on our courses? Contact us for a free placement consultation.
Do I need a B1 certificate to take a B2 course?
No. If you want to take a course, you do not need to present a B1 certificate. We conduct a personal placement consultation with you to get an impression of your language level and to give you feedback.
Please note that having passed a B1 exam can be an indication that you have reached B1 level. However, especially if you passed the exam with a grade of 3 or 4, you should seek honest feedback on whether a B2 course is really the right choice or whether it would be better to repeat B1 or part of B1. Based on experience, grades 3 and 4 usually mean that B1 has not yet been fully achieved and that you are not ready for B2. Grades 1 or 2 are more indicative of readiness for B2.
What matters most, however, is how you speak, regardless of any previously passed exam.
What are the three biggest problems at B2?
⚡ Problem 1: The jump in difficulty
The difficulty level from A1 to C1 does not increase evenly. From the end of A1.2 to the beginning of A2.1, progress is still relatively smooth. But the difference between the end of A2.2 and the beginning of B1.1 is much greater: vocabulary, sentence structure, and grammar become more complex. The most noticeable jump is from B1 to B2, especially in vocabulary. Vocabulary practically explodes at B2 level and requires time and intensive engagement to truly acquire it.
The further you progress in the language, the more complex both vocabulary and the grammar associated with words and expressions become. This means that you should have a solid command of the grammar from A1–B1 when starting B2.
Some learners want to take a B2 course because they have already passed the B1 exam or studied up to B1, but they still have major problems with A1 and A2 grammar. Unfortunately, we cannot recommend a B2 course in such cases, because errors that have been practiced since A1/A2 are often so deeply ingrained that they are very difficult to correct at B2 level.
How can I eliminate automated mistakes?
You can train yourself out of any automated mistake, but unfortunately not overnight. If your goal is to speak German like a native speaker, you should keep this in mind. In such cases, it may be better not to attend a group course but to take some 1:1 lessons, where your mistakes are consistently pointed out and corrected so that correct structures truly become anchored in your brain.
Vocabulary and grammar at B2 build on the grammar of the lower levels A1–B1. If you still make many mistakes at these levels, you will learn new B2 vocabulary on a faulty grammatical foundation. This causes incorrect grammar to become even more deeply ingrained, and you learn new words with incorrect structures. Errors then accumulate. In the end, you get stuck at one level and stop progressing. The result is frustration and the feeling that you never really learned German properly and never will.
⚡ Problem 2: Fossilized errors
By B2, many mistakes are already firmly established. Take articles, for example. Many learners think up to B1, “I can communicate, articles are not that important.” Unfortunately, this is a misconception.
There is an approach that claims articles are not so important at A1. I even learned this theory myself at a well-known language school in Frankfurt. In a training session, it was taught that it is enough if the learner can communicate, even with incorrect articles. It is true that people understand someone who says, “I would like the steak.” But if you tell yourself with every difficult word, “People understand me anyway, articles aren’t important,” you will soon not only say “die Steak” incorrectly, but hundreds of other words as well. The more often you say it wrong, the more automated and fixed the error becomes. And the harder it is at B2 to unlearn these mistakes.
This does not have to happen if grammar is learned correctly from the very beginning, starting at A1.
Another example is verb position. Many learners ignore it or do not deal with it intensively enough, or they transfer sentence structures from their native language.
Grammar is the skeleton of a language. It holds words together and allows you to form sentences that make sense and sound German. Grammar is therefore very important. Just like our real skeleton: if something hurts or is broken, we cannot move properly. The same applies to language. With incorrect grammar, you cannot express yourself freely with words and may not reach your goal of speaking German well or even like a native speaker.
⚡ Problem 3: Feeling stuck at the end of B2
Many learners feel stuck at the end of B2. They see no real progress and are torn between repeating B2 or moving on to a higher level. This is usually a sign of remaining gaps, often from lower levels, especially in grammar.
Understanding the language is usually not a problem, and reacting spontaneously in German works well. But in more complex discussions, blocks and insecurities become noticeable. One important factor here is that a language cannot be learned from course books alone. Every course book has its limits. Vocabulary, topics, and grammar presented in a book are only part of the language.
That is why it is so important for teachers to expand on the topics in the book and help learners develop a feel for the language. The way we use language goes far beyond any course book. Especially at B2 (and often already at B1), many learners realize that there are many colloquial expressions used by native speakers that do not appear in course books.
What is the solution?
🎯 You can unlearn all mistakes. Anyone can learn a language really well. And you will learn it properly if you have the right support and practice a lot.
Ask yourself what your exact goal is. Do you want to learn German really well and speak like a native speaker? Then you should be very critical of your own level. Do you know which grammatical mistakes you make? If you have not paid much attention to this so far, try to observe yourself more closely and write down your mistakes, for example incorrect verb position or the placement of “nicht.”
If you feel insecure when speaking, ask yourself in which situations and topics you feel insecure and why. Is it because you lack vocabulary? Because you are unsure about grammar? Or because you simply do not speak German often enough and the language barrier is still high? Ask someone who knows you for honest feedback about the mistakes they notice.
Then tackle one point at a time and try to improve it. Look for additional situations where you are required to respond spontaneously. If you make a certain mistake frequently, try to identify it in conversation and correct it. This will not work immediately, because you probably speak quite fluently and the mistake happens automatically. Do not try to correct all mistakes at once. Focus on one first. And one thing that really helps: speak more slowly than usual.
Listen to podcasts and read magazines. From each podcast episode or article, take something with you that you have learned. Write it down and review it regularly.
If you feel insecure when speaking, look for opportunities, such as hobbies, where you can speak German. Do not hold back too much. If you enjoy painting, join a group that meets regularly. If you like sports, find a fitness group to go running with. Do you enjoy hiking or gardening on your balcony? There are so many ways to connect with native speakers. Even the process of finding people already improves your language.
After every encounter in German, take some time to reflect: which new words did you learn, how did the other person react, which words did they use? Do not tell yourself, “It was all too fast and I felt stupid again” or “It’s so hard to meet people.” That mindset keeps you stuck. Stay persistent. There is no situation in which you learn nothing. You always learn something. From the bottom of my heart, I recommend putting these suggestions into practice. 😉
In our courses, we meet you where you are. We support you so that you benefit as much as possible, gain confidence when speaking, and finally reach the point where you continue to develop linguistically instead of standing still or constantly holding yourself back due to self-doubt.
Which grammar should you already know before a B2 German course?
When starting B2, it is important that you can handle certain structures. It is not enough to just understand them; you must be able to actively use them. And using always means speaking:
- Participles and perfect tense
- Sentence structure with perfect tense
- Simple past (Präteritum)
- Past perfect (Plusquamperfekt)
- Sentence structure with modal verbs
- Comparative and superlative
- Personal pronouns: nominative, accusative, dative
- Possessive articles: nominative, accusative, dative, genitive
- Verbs with accusative: list
- Verbs with dative: list
- Genitive
- Two-way prepositions: in, an, auf, neben, zwischen, vor, hinter, unter, über
- Prepositions with accusative: für, durch, um, bis, gegen, entlang
- Prepositions with dative: aus, bei, mit, nach, seit, von, zu, gegenüber
- Conjunctions and sentence structure with weil/da, wenn, als, ob (all indirect questions), dass, obwohl, damit
- Infinitive constructions: um…zu, zu-infinitive
- Sodass, so…dass
- Deshalb, darum, deswegen
- Trotzdem
- Trotz, wegen, aufgrund
- Two-part connectors
- Position of “nicht”
- Reflexive verbs: list
- Passive voice: present, past, perfect, with and without modal verbs
- Fairly secure use of subjunctive II present (requests, advice, wishes, unreal conditions)
- Less secure use of subjunctive II past
- Relative clauses: secure in nominative
- Relative clauses: less secure in accusative, dative, genitive
- Relative clauses: was, wo
- Je…desto/umso
- Present and past participles as adjectives (less secure)
- Verbs with prepositions: list
- Pronominal adverbs: darauf, dafür, dazu, etc.
- n-declension
- Future tense for plans
Which vocabulary should you know when starting B2?
You now have a list of grammar topics you should already know before starting B2. The same applies to vocabulary. To check this, take all your course books from A1 onward and review the vocabulary lists. Check whether you still remember the meanings. There is also a list that gives an overview of vocabulary expected up to B1: Alphabetische Wortliste B1 .
Then select the words you have forgotten or feel unsure about and actively review them, for example by writing example sentences.
What do you learn in a B2 German course?
In a B2 course, you mainly learn the following grammar topics:
- Two-part connectors
- Comparisons: je…desto/umso, comparative adjectives
- Comparative clauses with als ob/als wenn in subjunctive II
- Negation
- The pronoun “es”
- Statt zu, anstatt zu, statt, stattdessen
- Ohne zu, ohne dass
- Um…zu…
- Relative clauses: accusative, dative, genitive, with prepositions, wer, was, wo, wohin, woher
- Future tense for plans, assumptions, commands
- Subjective meaning of modal verbs
- Dadurch, dass; indem
- Noun-verb combinations
- Passive voice: all forms
- Passive substitutes
- Stative passive
- Indefinite pronouns
- Cohesive words for texts
- Nouns with prepositions
- Verbs with prepositions
- Adjectives with prepositions
- Indirect speech in subjunctive I
- Nominalization of verbs
- Verbalization of nouns
- Modal particles
- Present and past participles as adjectives
- Prepositions with genitive
You might think, “But I already learned this in B1.” That is true, but one fundamental principle of language learning is repetition. Repetition is essential.
In B1, many topics are introduced, but awareness and recall are only strengthened through repetition. In addition, grammar topics are revisited with more complex vocabulary and then deepened at B2 level.
Our experience shows that many learners say, “I’ve done this before, but can we repeat topic X?” And those who did not feel the need for repetition are often very grateful in the end, because they were not aware that they still needed practice.
In almost all cases, learners respond with, “Ah, now I understand it, and it’s easier for me to use it.”
Topics beyond grammar at B2
Of course, B2 also includes other areas besides grammar, such as reading comprehension, discussions, listening, and writing. Topics can vary, but often include:
- Communication
- Sports
- Working life and vocational training
- Nutrition
- Environment and climate change
- Future and technology
- Language
- Cities and urban life
- Architecture
- Culture
- Digitalization
- Media
- Consumption
- Body awareness and health
- Home and identity
- Science
- History
- Music, creativity, art
- Travel
- Relationships, family, friendship, living together
- University and higher education
What should you be able to do when you finish B2?
You should be able to use the grammatical topics mentioned above correctly in speaking and writing. Topics you have reviewed should be used more accurately and confidently than at B1 level.
You should also feel more confident in German and not feel that you still have many gaps. Your teacher should give you detailed feedback on your level and recommendations for what to learn or review next.
Here is a summary of B2 language competencies as defined in the Common European Framework of Reference (in German):
- You have a good command of grammar and do not make errors that cause misunderstandings.
- You have a broad vocabulary for general topics, your profession, and your interests.
- You speak relatively fluently and can communicate with native speakers without major difficulty.
- You can correct most of your mistakes yourself.
- You can express yourself clearly and in detail.
- You can discuss more complex topics.
- You can argue and negotiate successfully.
Can you work in Germany with B2 German?
Yes. To work in Germany, you generally need at least a B2 certificate.
Link: Information about working in Germany (in German)
Passing the B2 exam is your entry point into professional life. However, the exam alone is not a guarantee of success in the job market. The exam is often just a formality to be shortlisted. In the job interview, employers assess how well you actually speak German. Companies generally prefer applicants who speak German confidently and accurately.
You should aim to pass the exam with at least a good or very good result in all skills: reading, listening, writing, grammar, and speaking. Most importantly, you should truly master German beyond the exam. A passed exam does not always reflect your real language ability in everyday professional situations.
Read our tips on how to successfully pass the B2 Telc exam:
Do I need B2 for vocational training?
If you want to pursue vocational training in nursing or a commercial profession, you need a certified B2 level. This means passing a B2 exam from Telc or the Goethe-Institut. Adult education centers, for example, offer Telc exams.
If you want to start vocational training in Germany, first research opportunities in the city where you want to live. Use Google, for example: vocational training as X in Y (city).
You can find out exactly which language certificates you need for your profession or training at the German embassy in your country.
Link: Information about vocational training in Germany (in German)
Can I take an exam at SprachPassion?
We focus exclusively on teaching the language and do not offer exams ourselves. However, we prepare you intensively for exams in our 1:1 training. All our exam participants who have given feedback so far have passed their exams with “good” to “very good.”
I want to learn German really well and prepare for a job interview.
Can I take a B2 exam without attending a B2 course?
You do not need proof of a B2 course to register for an exam. You can simply register. However, we recommend familiarizing yourself with the exam format beforehand so you know what to expect. Take a look at our exam preparation page and contact us. Do it properly from the start so you pass the exam on your first attempt. Many people fail simply because they lacked proper preparation, and that preparation does not have to take long.
I’d like to get more information on your exam preparation.
Do you have any further questions?
We have compiled some of the questions we are frequently asked. If you have additional ones, feel free to ask, and we will expand this post. That benefits everyone!
My team and I look forward to your input 😊
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