German speaking practice with shadowing
German shadowing means speaking along with a German recording while following its words, rhythm and pauses. Begin with a captioned line you understand; repeat after the speaker before trying to speak along.
Try this line first
Was sehe ich jetzt?
1:32–1:37 · Opens on “After the speaker” · Free, no account
Meaning: “What do I see now?”
Three more lines, from short to long
Try the first line twice, then choose a longer line below. Return to this guide to choose the next exercise.
Next line
Ich spreche in einfachen Sätzen.
0:47–0:52 · Opens on “After the speaker” · Free, no account
Meaning: “I speak in simple sentences.”
Next line
Ich sitze hier und spreche Deutsch.
2:14–2:19 · Opens on “After the speaker” · Free, no account
Meaning: “I’m sitting here and speaking German.”
Next line
Ich sehe einen Tisch und einen Stuhl.
1:41–1:47 · Opens on “After the speaker” · Free, no account
Meaning: “I see a table and a chair.”
Practise speaking German alone: a 10-minute routine
Most advice on German speaking practice starts with a partner or a language exchange. With nobody to talk to, say short sentences about what you are doing right now. This routine uses the lines above: copy a line from a real speaker, then change it to say something true about you.
- Warm up with „Was sehe ich jetzt?“: listen, then record it after the speaker twice.
- Record „Ich sitze hier und spreche Deutsch.“ Then say your own version out loud, „Ich sitze … und spreche Deutsch.“, with where you are in the gap (in der Küche, im Bus).
- Record „Ich sehe einen Tisch und einen Stuhl.“ Then look around and name two things you see the same way: „Ich sehe einen … und eine …“ (einen for der words, eine for die words, ein for das words).
- Finish with „Ich spreche in einfachen Sätzen.“, then answer the warm-up question again in your own words, at the speaker’s pace.
Sada compares your takes of the video lines with the captions. It does not score the sentences you make up, so say those aloud and match the speaker’s rhythm by ear.
German shadowing by level: A1, A2, B1 and B2
Start from your level, not from the hardest video. The levels here are our estimate of these lines and videos, not an official rating.
- A1: start with the two shortest lines, after the speaker, not with them: „Was sehe ich jetzt?“ and „Ich spreche in einfachen Sätzen.“ Choose 0.75× under “More options” if you need it, and say each line three times before moving on.
- A2: the four lines on this page in order, shortest to longest. Then open the two German Shadowing videos (A2–B1, hand-written captions) and repeat them line by line after the speaker.
- B1: the same German Shadowing videos, now “With the speaker” at normal speed. Then try the Easy German interviews (B1–B2) after the speaker.
- B2: the Easy German street interviews “With the speaker”. The speech is natural and fast and the captions are automatic, so listen to the original before you trust the text.
At every level: record, then open Compare and play your take against the original. Sada shows the words it heard and missed and your timing; it does not grade individual sounds.
Video and caption sources
Exercise text and ranges checked against the captions Sada uses on 2026-10-04. Captions may change; automatic captions can contain errors.
- Learn to Speak German Without Thinking | Shadowing — German Shadowing · 20 min · level A2–B1 · hand-written captions
- Learn to Speak German in 20 Minutes | Shadowing — German Shadowing · 20 min · level A2–B1 · hand-written captions
- We Asked Couples in Berlin How They Met — Easy German · 14 min · level B1–B2
- How Important Is Money to You? (German Street Interview) — Easy German · 14 min · level B1–B2
German sounds to listen for
- ch after a, o, u: As in “Buch” and “acht”: a rough sound at the back of the mouth, like clearing your throat gently. Not a “k”.
- ch after e, i: As in “ich” and “nicht”: softer, close to the “h” in “huge” said with more air.
- ü and ö: Say “ee”, then round your lips as for “oo” without moving your tongue: that is the ü in “für”.
- The last letter: German whispers the end of a word: “Hund” ends in a t sound, “Tag” in a k.
How to practise
- Open an exercise from this guide. The link selects the exact line, with “After the speaker” chosen. Read it once and check that you understand it.
- Press Record. Listen first, then say the line after the 3, 2, 1 count; recording stops automatically. Press Stop if you need to end early.
- Keep the speaker’s pauses and rhythm. Use a comfortable voice; headphones help keep the original out of your recording.
- Record a take, then open Compare and play your recording and the original. Review words and timing; Sada does not grade individual sounds.
- Record the same line again, changing one thing you heard. Return here for a longer line; choose “With the speaker” when you are ready to speak along.
How well does Sada hear this language?
Compare shows recognised and missed words against the captions, plus timing feedback when usable word timings are available. It does not grade individual sounds or certify your accent. Automatic captions and recognition can be wrong, including around accents, apostrophes and numbers: replay the original and your take before deciding what to change. Earlier synthetic-voice tests (2026-09-25) are not evidence of accuracy for learner recordings.
Other languages
Questions people ask
Does Sada work for German?
Yes. These checked German lines open with “After the speaker” selected: you hear the line, then record it and compare. Feedback depends on the captions and speech recognition; it is not a grade of individual sounds.
Are videos with automatic captions OK?
Yes, Sada works with YouTube’s automatic captions. Hand-written captions are more accurate, so start with those when a video has them.
How can I practise speaking German without a partner?
Speak a little every day: copy short lines from real German speakers, then change them to describe your own day, out loud. The 10-minute routine on this page does that with four checked lines. A language exchange or a tutor adds real conversation later; shadowing gives you the sounds and rhythm to use there.
What level should I be to start German shadowing?
You can start at A1 with short lines of four or five words, after the speaker and at a slower speed, saying each one three times. Move to speaking with the speaker and to natural interviews from B1. This page has four checked lines, shortest to longest.
Practise again tomorrow? Get one short sentence a day, ready to record in one tap.
You don't need to speak fast.
A slow line to begin with: listen to how “don’t need to” runs together, then say it at the speaker’s pace.
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