Are you a nurse who plans on having a nursing job in Germany in 2025? Learning the German language for nurses is the first hurdle to overcome. You must feel it is impossible to learn German quickly with your schedule with nurse shifts in the hospital. However, if you focus on the right things, you are capable of learning quickly for many aspects of the German language.

First, let’s determine a list of the vocabulary you will use most commonly in this clinical practice:

– Medical German vocabulary

– Helpful phrases for patient relationships

– German words associated with being in a hospital

You can use flash cards or online flash card programs such as Anki, Nemo Medical German or and Quizlet to really make a healthy medical German vocabulary for the nurse.

Register for a certified German course for health professionals (A1–B2); Weskill India specifically designs them to prepare you for your medical interviews, licensing exams, and basic clinical connections, cultural understanding of the landscape, and people.

Are you working in a German hospital or Pflegeheim (elderly care home)? Don’t be shy – take every opportunity to speak with your patients or colleagues and use German while doing it. Real life conversations will increase your fluency, while also helping you perform well in the B2 Pflegeprüfung or Fachsprachprüfung (specialized medical exam assessing German proficiency) for nurses. 

Use any opportunity such as short-breaks while commuting to listen to German healthcare podcasts, learn the vocabulary developed by Weskill India, watch YouTube videos. If you can, commit to 10-15 minutes each day, before you know it you will be a fluent German language healthcare worker!

Connect with other international nurses in Germany through LinkedIn, WhatsApp or Telegram groups. Practice with them and get inspired!