Do I need German to become an au pair in Germany?

What level is expected

German missions normally ask for basic German knowledge, in practice A1 of the Common European Framework, proven by a certificate. A1 means simple everyday sentences: introducing yourself, shopping, times, family, short instructions.

It is a modest level and most people reach it in three to five months of steady work. It is also the level at which life with children becomes possible rather than exhausting.

Which certificates count

If there is no Goethe-Institut in your country, telc and ÖSD exams are often available through partner schools. Our country pages say whether a Goethe-Institut is present.

• Goethe-Institut A1 (Start Deutsch 1) — accepted everywhere.
• telc Deutsch A1 — accepted everywhere.
• ÖSD Zertifikat A1 — accepted everywhere.

How to learn before you travel

We offer an optional A1 course for au pairs. It is a separate, voluntary product and it is never a condition for a placement — making it one would be a way around the fee cap the law sets for au pairs (§ 296 para. 3 Social Code III).

• Half an hour a day beats three hours on Sunday.
• Learn the vocabulary of a household first: meals, clothes, times, weather, school.
• Speak from week one, even badly, with a study partner.
• Book the exam early — dates fill up, and you need the certificate for your file.

German during the stay

The family contributes 70 euro a month to your course and pays your travel to it, and must give you the time to attend. Many au pairs reach A2 or B1 during the year, which is a real qualification to take home.

What about English?

Many German families speak English well, and the first weeks often run in English. That is fine as a bridge, not as a plan. The families who are happiest a year later are the ones where German took over at the kitchen table by month three.