Learn German while you do something you enjoy

Melker is our student for a period of 6 weeks, two hours every working day. Some days are classroom based, learning A1 basics. Wednesdays are town days: Melker and his tutor Caro or Claus from the Deutsch in Freiburg team go to the Münster market, the supermarket, the butcher, the fishmonger or a homeware store and talk about what they see, talk to shop assistants and have a coffee at the end of the morning documenting new vocab.

And then they are some cooking Thursdays in my house. At the first one we cook my simple Asian vegan soup which we then have for lunch whilst the conversation in German continues: Melker and Yvon (my Frensh husband) are discussing Swedish, French, German and Swiss age and speed restrictions for various types of motorcycles. More than anything this lunch time conversation proves that if you are passionate and interested in something you can talk about it even at A1 level of German.

The second Thursday we swap roles. Melker is the boss and I am his assistant. He arrives with the recipe and ingredients for Kabeljou and a colourful salad followed by Kladkaka cake, vanilla ice cream and fresh raspberries. We love all of it, though Melker is critical of the outcome of the Kladkaka pudding, a Swedish chocolate cake which does not turn out quite as sticky as expected. Over lunch we discuss apprentice ship salaries in Germany, Switzerland and Sweden and we learn that Swedish apprentices do not get a salary.

My laptop is always on the kitchen surface to document relevant vocab. Melker’s next step is then to go over and revise the new words of this document, write sample sentences and short reports to consolidate his learning.

If you are thinking of coming to Freiburg and would like some practical German and cooking classes as part of your course, please let us know. You can do this at any age and without starting an apprenticeship in a Swiss restaurant.

© Copyright Barbara Classen and Melker Scott