{"id":93067,"date":"2023-08-29T03:24:44","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T07:24:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/learn-german-magazines-online\/"},"modified":"2025-02-23T22:44:06","modified_gmt":"2025-02-24T03:44:06","slug":"learn-german-magazines-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/german\/learn-german-magazines-online\/","title":{"rendered":"9 Best German Magazines to Learn the Language"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Magazines add a colorful splash to anyone&#8217;s language-learning experience.<\/p>\n<p>Germany has a magnificent tradition of printed media\u2014the Western printing press was born in Mainz, after all. As a result, the array of high-quality magazines with fascinating, worthwhile articles is immensely diverse.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a <em>Zeitschrift\u00a0<\/em>(magazine) for every subculture, niche interest and field of knowledge! You can get an <em>Abonnement<\/em>\u00a0(subscription) to most of these, or<em> Abo<\/em>\u00a0for short.<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s have a look at nine magazines with their roots in Germany.<\/p>\n<p>[fluentu-toc]<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<h2>1. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.spiegel.de\/magazine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Der Spiegel<\/a><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german2.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright\" title=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german2.jpg\" alt=\"10 best magazines for learning german Der Spiegel\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/h2>\n<p><i>Der Spiegel <\/i>is one of the foremost news magazines in the world, reporting on affairs of national and global significance and featuring strong investigative journalism.<\/p>\n<p>It tends to lean left on the political spectrum and is like a German blend of <i>Time<\/i> and <i>Newsweek<\/i>. German learners will pick up high-level analytical language, political terminology and a broad-based awareness of current events.<\/p>\n<p>After all, the last thing you want is to be a clueless tourist when entering into discussions with native German speakers\u2014the odds are good that your<em> Gespr\u00e4chspartner\u00a0<\/em>(conversation partner) will delve through the surface chit-chat quickly and want to tackle some deeper topics. Check out the <a href=\"https:\/\/abo.spiegel.de\/?b=SPOHNAVABO&amp;requestAccessToken=true&amp;sara_icid=disp_upd_9h6L5hu8K1AAnttzYATx3hvk7taDkP&amp;targetUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.spiegel.de%2Fmagazine\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">print and digital versions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>2. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.focus.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Focus<\/a><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german3.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2251 alignright\" title=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german3.jpg\" alt=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/h2>\n<p><i>Focus<\/i> (the German word would be<em> Fokus<\/em>) is another news-based publication, with a <em>Schwerpunkt<\/em>\u00a0(emphasis) on economics and politics.<\/p>\n<p>Many of the pieces tend towards shorter formats rather than the long-form journalism showcased in <i>Spiegel<\/i>, which can be helpful if you\u2019re scanning for information or want to test your vocabulary with a quick read.<\/p>\n<p>Staying informed on the German <em>Wirtschaft<\/em> (economy) can be particularly helpful for language learners who are active in business, hoping to get hired by German companies or have regular dealings with German clients. You can get <a href=\"https:\/\/www.focus-magazin.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">both the print and digital versions<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>3. <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.zeit.de\/wissen\/zeit-wissen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Zeit Wissen<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german5.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2255 alignright\" title=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german5.jpg\" alt=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n<p>If the cutting edge of science makes your heart beat faster, <em>Zeit Wissen<\/em>\u00a0is magazine for you.<\/p>\n<p>Stories present the latest news from the research world, including updates from the areas of medicine, energy, technology, physics and more.<\/p>\n<p>Reading this magazine is particularly rewarding for German students who are also pursuing a career in the hard sciences and want to acquire advanced vocabulary or those who are simply ravenous for <em>Wissen<\/em>\u00a0(knowledge).\u00a0You can order the <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.zeit.de\/die-zeit-und-magazine\/zeit-wissen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">print version<\/a> or the <a href=\"https:\/\/premium.zeit.de\/zeit-wissen-abo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">digital version<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>4. <em><a href=\"http:\/\/stern.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Stern<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german7.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2259 alignright\" title=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german7.jpg\" alt=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n<p><em>Stern<\/em> offers plenty of human interest pieces, cultural coverage and profiles of prominent people, generally accompanied by high-quality photo spreads.<\/p>\n<p>The language won\u2019t be as challenging as the average article in <i>Focus<\/i>, but it can be a great publication for learning about significant figures in German society and is often entertaining.<\/p>\n<p>Not that they don\u2019t also have hard-hitting political articles, but the overall tone is lighter than most of its news magazine competitors. It&#8217;s also available in <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.stern.de\/de_DE\/stern-aktuelle-ausgabe\/stern-magazin-aktuelle-ausgabe.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">print and digital formats<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>5. <em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.titanic-magazin.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Titanic<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german8.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2260 alignright\" title=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german8.jpg\" alt=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n<p>The keen satire of <i>Titanic<\/i> is a laugh factory for German learners\u2014nobody and nothing is sacred to these pen-wielding pranksters. It\u2019s humor, politics and <em>Gesellschaftskritik<\/em>\u00a0(social criticism) rolled into one.<\/p>\n<p>Read it for the jokes, study the verbal style and improvise on your own arsenal of witty, sarcastic and deadpan rejoinders\u2014and then go get a real news magazine to make sure you know what\u2019s actually going on in the world.<\/p>\n<p>You can get a subscription to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.titanic-magazin.de\/abo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">print version<\/a> and separately buy the <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.titanic-magazin.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">digital version as a PDF<\/a> in the <em>Titanic <\/em>online shop. It&#8217;s also possible to get the digital magazine through the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.titanic-magazin.de\/app\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">app<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2>6. <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.theeuropean.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The European<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german9.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2262 alignright\" title=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german9.jpg\" alt=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n<p><i>The European<\/i> is a political magazine dedicated to presenting a broad spectrum of arguments and perspectives.<em>\u00a0<\/em>At the moment, the content is published through the website.<\/p>\n<p>Contributing authors come from diverse backgrounds in journalism, politics, science and industry. The level of analysis is elevated and the issues complex\u2014if you\u2019re a beginning language learner, you may need to <a title=\"The 5 Best Dictionary Apps for Learning German\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/german\/best-german-dictionary-app\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">keep a dictionary handy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The reward: You\u2019ll be more able to hold your own in challenging discussions. Writing a a term paper on European politics? Familiarizing yourself with a wide range of standpoints will allow you to anticipate counterarguments and deftly defend your assertions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2><em>7. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brigitte.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brigitte<img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-44154 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/Brigitte-Magazine-Cover.jpg\" alt=\"Brigitte Magazine Cover\" width=\"150\" height=\"191\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n<p>The most popular women&#8217;s magazine in Germany, <em>Brigitte <\/em>has been in circulation since 1886! It was originally called <em>Das Blatt der Hausfrau<\/em> (Housewife\u2019s Journal) and was renamed\u00a0in 1954.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>It has articles on topics on such as fashion, beauty, health, food, lifestyle and more. You don&#8217;t need any specialized vocabulary to read the articles, since they cover everyday themes. There are <a href=\"https:\/\/shop.brigitte.de\/de_DE\/brigitte-magazin\/brigitte-wunschabo\/991.html?utm_source=brigitte&amp;utm_medium=Site-Homepageeinbindung&amp;onwewe=0600&amp;utm_campaign=top-navi&amp;utm_content=abo-angebote#oc=selbstzahler&amp;medium=print\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">print and digital versions<\/a> available.<\/p>\n<h2>8. <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.bunte.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bunte<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german10.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2263 alignright\" title=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german10.jpg\" alt=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" width=\"150\" height=\"209\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n<p>What do Elyas M\u2019Barek, Heidi Klum and Bastian Schweinsteiger have in common? They are all prime candidates to appear in the bright pages of <em>Bunte.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Fresh gossip, fluffy interview pieces and society updates\u2014this is essentially a glorified tabloid in glossy format. <i>Bunte<\/i> is rather similar to <i>People<\/i>, with all the latest on Germany\u2019s stars of the silver screen, runway and sports world.<\/p>\n<p>There is also plenty of coverage dealing with international celebrities, so if you need to keep track of your favorite stars, do it in German and pick up new words while you\u2019re at it. There are <a href=\"https:\/\/bunte-aboshop.de\/magazin\/?hnr=extern.verlag.bunte.navigation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">print and digital versions<\/a> available.<\/p>\n<h2>9. <em><a href=\"http:\/\/www.11freunde.de\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">11 Freunde<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german11.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-2264 alignright\" title=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/site\/\/5\/10-best-magazines-for-learning-german11.jpg\" alt=\"10 best magazines for learning german\" width=\"150\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><\/em><\/h2>\n<p>Speaking of Bastian Schweinsteiger, if you\u2019re a <em>Fu\u00dfball<\/em> (football \/ soccer) fanatic, a subscription to <em>11 Freunde<\/em>\u00a0might be just your cup of tea.<\/p>\n<p>The magazine presents in-depth interviews with players, historical reflections and other interest pieces delving into <em>das sch\u00f6ne Spiel<\/em>\u00a0(the beautiful game).<\/p>\n<p><i>11 Freunde<\/i> aims to appeal to fans of all clubs in the <em>Bundesliga<\/em>\u00a0(national league) and will keep you abreast of all the latest developments in Germany\u2019s number one sport.<\/p>\n<p>By picking up soccer fan lingo and obscure facts, you can build street cred with <i>Fu\u00dfball<\/i>-obsessed German <em>Kumpels<\/em> (buddies) and the regulars in your local sports bar. Never again be labeled an \u201cevent fan\u201d who only tunes in every two years for the European or World Cup! Check out both the <a href=\"https:\/\/aboshop.11freunde.de\/de_DE\/abo-fuer-mich\/fuer-mich.html?itm_source=11freunde&amp;itm_medium=Site-Homepageeinbindung&amp;onwewe=0601&amp;itm_campaign=meta-navi&amp;itm_content=abo_generisch#angebote\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">print and digital formats<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Whether you ultimately opt for a digital subscription or the printed product, magazines offer a unique way to regularly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/german\/learn-german-reading-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hone your reading comprehension<\/a> while entertaining or informing yourself on your favorite topics.<\/p>\n<p>So check out these magazines and watch your German improve!<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<p>\r\nFluentU is one of the best websites and apps for learning German the way native speakers <em>really<\/em> use it. <strong><a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">FluentU takes real-world videos\u2014like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks\u2014and turns them into personalized language learning lessons<\/a>.<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nWatch authentic media to simultaneously immerse yourself in the German language and build an understanding of the German culture.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nBy using real-life videos, the content is kept fresh and current. Topics cover a lot of ground as you can see here:\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2005\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/German-5.jpg\" alt=\"learn-german-with-videos\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nVocabulary and phrases are learned with the help of <strong>interactive subtitles and full transcripts<\/strong>.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2006\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/German-2.jpg\" alt=\"learn-german-with-subtitled-video-clips\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nHovering over or tapping on any word in the subtitles will automatically pause the video and instantly display its meaning. Interesting words you don\u2019t know yet can be added to a to-learn list for later.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2007\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/German-6.jpg\" alt=\"learn-german-with-interactive-lessons\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nFor every lesson, a list of vocabulary is provided for easy reference and bolstered with plenty of examples of how each word is used in a sentence.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nYour existing knowledge is tested with the help of <strong>adaptive quizzes<\/strong> in which words are learned in context.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-2008\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/German-7.png\" alt=\"practice-german-with-adaptive-quizzes\" width=\"307\" height=\"546\" \/><\/a>\r\n<p>\r\nTo keep things fresh, FluentU keeps track of the words you\u2019re learning and recommends further lessons and videos based on what you've already studied.\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nThis way, you have a truly <strong>personalized learning experience.<\/strong>\r\n<\/p>\r\n<p>\r\nStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. <a data-bid=\"1\" data-no-instant=\"1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/try\/april-sale-3331\/\" rel=\"noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Magazines add a colorful splash to anyone&#8217;s language-learning experience. Germany has a magnificent tradition of printed media\u2014the Western printing press was born in Mainz, after all. As a result, the&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":251784,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"9 Best German Magazines to Learn the Language | FluentU German Blog","description":"German magazines are a great way to improve your German while reading about something you're interested in. Check out these nine magazines in German, ranging from topics such as politics to celebrity gossip and soccer. You'll explore titles such as \"Der Spiegel,\" \"Focus,\" \"Stern,\" \"Bunte\" and more. Let's get started!"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[525,526],"tags":[],"coauthors":[626],"class_list":["post-93067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-german","category-resources"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/60"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93067"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93067\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":246624,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/93067\/revisions\/246624"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/251784"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=93067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=93067"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=93067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}