A native speaker.
Born and raised in Germany. German is my first language — you'll hear it the moment we speak. Pronunciation correct from day one, not month six.
Geboren in Deutschland
German lessons · Online worldwide & in person Christchurch
Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Soon, you will.
Hello — I'm Vera. Born in Germany, taught at three universities, now teaching one student at a time. Online to anyone in the world, or in person in Christchurch. From $40 an hour. The first chat is free.
Free 15-min chat
·
No card required
·
No commitment
From
$40
/hr · Free first chat
Lehrtätigkeit an · I've taught German at
University of Canterbury
Uppsala Universitet
Stockholm University
Three things you won't get from an app.
30+ years of teaching.
Beginners and PhD candidates, fourteen-year-olds and retirees. There aren't many learners I haven't met. Lessons shaped around you, not someone else's textbook.
Drei Jahrzehnte Lehre$40 an hour. Genuinely.
I've kept the price accessible because I'd rather more people in New Zealand could learn German properly. That's the whole reason I'm doing this.
ErschwinglichFour steps. One free chat.
01
Book a free chat
15-minute video call. Tell me what you want German for, and where you might be starting from.
Termin buchen02
We sketch a plan
I'll show you how to get from where you are to where you want to be — at a pace that fits your life.
Plan machen03
Your first lesson
Online from anywhere in the world, or in person in Christchurch. You'll speak German from the very first lesson.
Erste Stunde04
A rhythm that works
Weekly, fortnightly, or intensive blocks. $40/hr. Reschedule when life happens. No locked-in contracts.
Dein Rhythmus
Native German
Since 1971
About
Have a free chat with Vera
Hallo. I'm Vera.
I was born and raised in Germany, and German has always been my first language — you'll hear it the moment we speak.
I moved to New Zealand more than thirty years ago, and my teaching career started here in Christchurch — eventually at the University of Canterbury, where I taught German for more than two decades. More recently I taught at Uppsala and as a Senior Lecturer at Stockholm University, before returning home to Christchurch earlier this year.
Across those years I've taught German to every kind of learner — beginners and PhD candidates, fourteen-year-olds and retirees, people preparing for exams, for travel, for citizenship, for love.
Now I teach from home — one student at a time. Online to anyone, anywhere in the world, or in person here in Christchurch. I'd love to teach you.
— Vera
Four things that shape every lesson.
Speaking from lesson one.
Languages aren't memorised, they're spoken. From your very first lesson, your voice is part of what we're working on.
Grammar that makes sense.
German has rules — clear, beautiful ones. I'd rather you understand than memorise tables you'll forget by Tuesday.
Culture, alongside.
The way Germans actually speak is full of humour, warmth, and texture. Without those, you've learnt vocabulary — not German.
Lessons shaped around you.
Travel, work, exams, family, citizenship, or pure curiosity — every reason is a real reason.
★★★★★
„Vera makes German feel possible — even at 52, even from scratch. I look forward to lessons every week."
Margaret R.
Christchurch · in-person · A1 → A2
From your first „Hallo"
to fluent.
All lessons follow the Common European Framework (CEFR) — the same standard used by the Goethe-Institut and universities. Whichever level you're at, we'll meet you there.
Anfänger
A1 — A2
Getting started
The architecture of German. Pronunciation that holds up, grammar that makes sense, the words you'll actually use.
- No prior German needed
- Confident pronunciation from day one
- Everyday conversations
- Goethe A1 / A2 prep
Where most students sit
Fortgeschritten
B1 — B2
Becoming fluent
From "I can get by" to genuinely fluent. Opinions, nuance, the jokes. The point German stops being a subject and starts being a language you live in.
- Conversation-led depth
- Cultural & idiomatic fluency
- Work & study German for D-A-CH
- Goethe / TELC B1 & B2 prep
Profi
C1 — C2
Refining your German
Polish your German to near-native level — for academic work, professional life, or simply because you love the language.
- Academic, literary & business German
- Writing & rhetorical polish
- Translation foundations
- Goethe C1 / C2 prep
Two ways to learn. Same teacher.
In person
Vor Ort · Ōtautahi Christchurch
Meet at a quiet location in Christchurch. Lovely for hands-on work, longer conversations, and people who learn better face to face.
- Best for in-and-around Christchurch
- Great for beginners gaining confidence
- Cuppa included
How most students learn
Online
Online · Anywhere in the world
We meet on Zoom — no different from being in the same room, really. From anywhere with an internet connection. Same warmth, same focus.
- From New Zealand to anywhere in the world
- Times to suit your zone — evenings & weekends available
- NZ time works well for Asia-Pacific & Europe
Same teacher · same $40/hr · same free first chat. Many students mix the two.
In their own words.
★★★★★
I'd tried apps for two years and could barely order a coffee. After six months with Vera I'm having real conversations with my partner's family in Hamburg. Night and day.
★★★★★
I needed B2 for a research role in Vienna. Vera built a plan around the exam and around my actual life. Passed first time. Cannot recommend her enough.
★★★★★
Patient, precise, and so warm. Vera makes German feel possible — even at 52, even from scratch. I look forward to lessons every week.
All lessons
$
40
/hr
First chat is free · No locked-in contract
"I've kept the price accessible because I'd rather more people in New Zealand could learn German properly. That's the whole reason I'm doing this."
— Vera
Book your free chat
Questions, answered.
Do I need any German to begin?
Not a word. Most of my students start with no German whatsoever. We begin with the very first „Hallo" and build up at your own pace.
How long until I can hold a real conversation?
Most students hold simple, real conversations within three to six months of weekly lessons. Earlier with practice. Speaking is built in from the very first lesson — the only way that really works.
In person or online — which should I choose?
Both work beautifully. Most of my students are online — across New Zealand, Australia, Europe, and elsewhere around the world. In-person works for people in or near Christchurch who prefer face-to-face. We can mix the two if you like.
Do you teach for Goethe or TELC exams?
Yes — full preparation for Goethe-Zertifikat A1 through C1 and TELC, including speaking and writing components. We'll work to the exam format and shore up your weak spots.
How is this different from Duolingo or Babbel?
Apps give you vocabulary. They can't correct your pronunciation, answer your questions, or adapt to how you actually learn. Real lessons with a real teacher get you using German — not just collecting streaks.
I'm not in New Zealand — does that work?
Absolutely. I teach students all over the world online. I'm based in New Zealand, which works beautifully for the Asia-Pacific region and for morning lessons in Europe and the UK (evening for me). For other time zones we'll find a time that suits us both — we can work it out in the free chat.
What happens in the free chat?
We meet on Zoom for about fifteen minutes. I'd love to hear what you want German for, and where you might be starting from. If you've studied before, I'll get a sense of your level. Then we sketch a plan — yours to keep.
How much do lessons cost?
$40 NZD per hour. The first chat is free. Block bookings are discounted. I've kept the price accessible because I'd rather more people in New Zealand could learn German properly.
What if I need to reschedule?
Just let me know at least 24 hours ahead — no charge. Life happens. We work around it.
Book a free chat
Let's talk about your German.
A short video call — about 15 minutes. I'd love to hear what you want German for, and to let you know how we might work together. No pressure, no card needed.
- i Tell me what you want German for.
- ii I'll get a sense of your level.
- iii Together we'll sketch a plan.
Ready when you are.
A free chat with Vera — find out if we'd work well together.
Book your free chat