At Doposcuola di Eva, 55 Via Forestale in Morbegno, bookings are now open for the basic German course. The lessons are Tuesdays in the evening, from 19:30 to 21:00, and before you sign up you can do a trial lesson by calling 339 885 4141.

Maybe you’ve been thinking about it for a while—because of work, for trips, or because you’ve only ever seen German in schoolbooks and it’s left you curious. Then, between one commitment and another, and the nagging doubt that you might not be cut out for it, you keep putting it off. The basic course is there to start from scratch, without needing to already know anything, with time to get comfortable with new words, sounds and rules.

For people living in Valtellina and Valchiavenna, Switzerland is close by, and German becomes a real, practical thing—especially when you think about work across the border. How useful it is depends on the area: in Switzerland German is the most widely spoken language, while Italian is mainly spoken in Ticino and in parts of the Canton of Graubünden. In German-speaking areas, being able to speak it opens up communication with companies, colleagues and clients. There’s also a detail worth knowing: in German-speaking Switzerland, in everyday life, Swiss German dialects are spoken, while standard German is used for writing, so the language you study comes first—the local spoken variety comes later.

German is handy even from this side of the border, for anyone working in tourism, hospitality, catering or retail, especially when dealing with German-speaking customers.

The reputation of German being a difficult language comes from very long words and a grammar that to Italian speakers feels familiar only up to a point: articles, conjugations and agreement rules we do know—but the four cases and the neuter gender much less so. A basic course helps you deal with this, tackling the difficulties one at a time, with exercises and practice, instead of giving up before you even start.

At Doposcuola di Eva, language courses are organised taking into account the schedules of both people who work and people who study, and the Tuesday evening slot gives you an hour and a half of German at the end of the day.

The trial lesson is there to help you get to know the teacher, see how the course is run, and understand whether it’s right for you. To book it and get information on costs, start date and how to take part, call 339 885 4141.

Course: German, beginner level
Venue: Doposcuola di Eva, 55 Via Forestale, Morbegno
When: Tuesday, 19:30 to 21:00
Information and bookings: 339 885 4141