Yassir Sahnoun Last updated: German Grammar Check: 8 Online Tools to Build Your Writing Confidence
There is no reason to let German grammar ruin your day.
The internet is full of amazing tools designed for both German learners and native speakers to achieve a high level of German grammatical accuracy.
Online grammar checkers—when used correctly—can help you bridge the gap between “nearly fluent” and “fluent.”
Read on to find out our top eight resources for German grammar checks.
Contents
- 1. Duden
- 2. LanguageTool
- 3. rsp24
- 4. GermanCorrector.com
- 5. TextGears
- 6. DeepL Write
- 7. Scribbr
- 8. JSpell
- How to Use German Grammar Checkers
- And One More Thing...
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
1. Duden
Price: Free up to 800 characters. 15€ (about $16) a month for a 40,000-character limit.
Duden is the number one name in German dictionaries, so much so that people say in dem Duden (“in the dictionary”) as if that were the word for the concept itself. This tool, made by the folks behind the dictionary, is probably one of the most well-trusted and effective out of the whole list.
2. LanguageTool
Price: Free 20,000-character limit. $69.90 per year ($5.83 per month) for 150,000 characters.
LanguageTool is one of the world’s most popular free, open-source grammar-checking websites. It’s available in a ton of different European and Asian languages, and it has a slick and uncluttered user interface.
There’s also a Chrome extension that works by checking your mistakes in text fields—perfect for checking your mistakes in YouTube comments or tweets!
3. rsp24
Price: Free users can check up to 20,000 characters. Premium users can check up to 40,000 characters for 4.16€ a month (about $4.50)
“rsp” stands for Rechtschreibprüfung, or “spelling and grammar test.”
In addition to its effective grammar check tool, rsp24 offers several unique features for both its free and premium users. Features such as extracting your corrected text into a PDF, DOC or DOCX format, add-ons for Chrome and Firefox browsers and the possibility of creating a personalized dictionary make it an ideal tool for German self-learners.
4. GermanCorrector.com
Price: Free.
GermanCorrector.com is especially suited to beginners who are looking for a simple, straightforward grammar check tool to correct basic writing and grammar mistakes. There are minimal ads and the corrections are unobtrusive without seeming too gentle.
You also have the option to auto-apply the corrections, but we recommend not doing that because then you won’t be able to learn for yourself!
5. TextGears
Price: Free up to 500 characters. Pro account from $2.48 a month.
TextGears is a simple grammar checker that will not only check your grammar, but also your spelling, stylistics, punctuation and structure. With a pro account, you’ll have an unlimited number of checks and be able to customize the checker to fine-tune your text. You can also select the “Do not store my texts option” for privacy purposes.
6. DeepL Write
Price: Users can rewrite up to 2000 characters. Sign up to rewrite 3000 characters.
DeepL is a translator used by many language learners. The site also now has a DeepL Write feature which is an AI tool that allows users to check their grammar and punctuation, as well as improve their overall written communication. Just select “German” from the drop-down menu and enter your text.
The tool is currently a Beta version, but still may prove useful for checking your German writing skills.
7. Scribbr
Price: Free.
Scribbr has a grammar checker for German powered by QuillBot which checks your text for spelling and grammatical errors.
After selecting German from the list of languages, you can enter your text and click on sections underlined in red to see potential errors. From there, you can fix each part individually or just click “Fix All Errors” at the bottom of the box (but it may be more helpful to you as a learner to go through each error one by one.)
8. JSpell
Price: Free.
JSpell is another checker powered by AI that allows you to paste or type a text and find out any potential errors it might have, mostly with regard to words and spelling. Once you’ve clicked the “Check” button, you can click through each error one by one and choose to correct them from a range of suggestions. You can also opt to ignore certain errors if you need to and move on to the next one.
JSpell has no word limit, meaning it’s great for checking longer texts.
Of course, whatever grammar checker you use, you’ll get more out of its feedback as you build your own mastery of German grammar.
How to Use German Grammar Checkers
If you’re a proud language learner, using an electronic grammar check program may feel like, well, cheating.
We’re here to tell you that you shouldn’t feel bad about using grammar checkers. However, you’ll need to exercise some caution while using them. Here are our top two tips for using German grammar checkers correctly.
First, don’t take automatic grammar checkers at face value. These tools definitely aren’t perfect. If you run any novels or YouTube transcripts through these grammar checkers, they’ll flag foreign words and slang words left and right, for one thing. Make sure to review all changes suggested by whatever software you use to maximize the quality of your German writing.
Second, once you get the corrections, you need to actually study them. Funnily enough, the things that German grammar checkers are best at are the exact problems that non-native speakers tend to have. If you use the wrong article or incorrectly conjugate an irregular verb, the algorithm will pick that right up. So, using a German grammar checker can actually be an incredible and unconventional learning opportunity: it shows you where you have room for improvement.
Don’t just copy and paste the corrected text—actually write it out again, by hand if you have the time. Really focusing on what you need to improve means that the next time you write something similar, you’ll recall the correct phrasing easily.
German grammar checkers are a fantastic resource for German learners. They can see you through important German writing assignments—and, if used correctly, they can also be a powerful tool for reinforcing your German grammatical know-how.
The most important thing is to not be afraid of German grammar. Just write. And with a little help here and there, you’ll be dashing off German essays in no time.
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
And One More Thing...
Want to know the key to learning German effectively?
It's using the right content and tools, like FluentU has to offer! Browse hundreds of videos, take endless quizzes and master the German language faster than you've ever imagine!
Watching a fun video, but having trouble understanding it? FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive subtitles.
You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word you don't know, you can add it to a vocabulary list.
And FluentU isn't just for watching videos. It's a complete platform for learning. It's designed to effectively teach you all the vocabulary from any video. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you're on.
The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you're learning, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned.
Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)
