About Bretzi
What is Bretzi?
Bretzi is an app for learning German, made for adults who live in Germany or are moving there. It teaches the German of daily life, work and the exams, from complete beginner to C1, with short lessons, word games and speaking practice with an AI conversation partner.
Who is Bretzi for?
For anyone aged 16 or over who needs German for life in Germany: newcomers, people preparing for an exam, and people who want to feel more at ease at work, at the doctor's or with the neighbours. You can start from zero or at the level you already have.
How is Bretzi different from other language apps?
It is made for one country. The lessons, words and conversations follow life in Germany, you practise real situations such as a visit to the doctor or a job interview by speaking out loud with SprachBuddy, and you can prepare for the exams people there take.
Is Bretzi an official or government app?
No. Bretzi is an independent app. It is not BAMF and not a government service, and it cannot register you for an exam. For official rules and dates, see bamf.de.
Which devices does Bretzi work on?
iPhone and iPad with iOS 18 or later, and Android phones and tablets with Android 8.0 or later. Both have home-screen widgets, and there is an Apple Watch app for quick word practice. There is no web or computer version.
Which languages can I use the app in?
English, Türkçe. You can switch at any time in Settings > Preferences > Language.
Learning
Which levels does Bretzi cover?
From A0, for complete beginners, up to C1, following the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Each level is a path of lessons that you follow in order.
How do I choose my starting level?
When you set up the app, you pick the description that matches what you can already do. Not sure? Start lower. You can change your level later in Settings: going down is instant, and going up to a level you have not reached yet takes a 40-question level-up test.
What is a lesson like?
A lesson is a short set of exercises: choosing and typing answers, putting words in order, filling gaps, matching, listening, writing down what you hear, spotting mistakes and speaking. After each answer you see why it is right or wrong. Grammar is part of the lessons, with tips, examples and conjugation tables, and each unit ends with a conversation from daily life.
Why does the app ask me to review before a new lesson?
When enough words or past mistakes are due, the path asks you to go over them before it opens the next new lesson. Reviews bring back what you learned just as it starts to fade, so it stays with you. Your words also come back in short daily reviews.
How does Bretzi help me learn words?
Words from your lessons come back in reviews, spaced out over time. The Words tab has a dictionary, a word of the day, flashcards, a game for learning which article goes with a noun, and word puzzles, all free. You can save words you look up or hear in a podcast and practise them later.
Is there listening practice?
Yes. Lessons have listening exercises and dictation, where you write down what you hear. For longer listening there are podcasts with a transcript that follows the audio.
Are there podcasts?
Yes. Each episode has a transcript that follows the audio. Tap a word to see what it means and save it, and play the audio slower or faster. Some episodes are free; Premium opens all of them.
Can I practise writing?
Yes. Lessons have typing and dictation exercises. With Premium, Sentence Check corrects sentences you write and explains why, and exam practice gives AI feedback on the writing part.
How much time do I need each day?
You choose a daily goal of 5 to 30 minutes and can change it in Settings. The app is built for a short session every day, and your streak counts the days you keep it up.
Can I use Bretzi offline?
No. The app needs an internet connection for lessons, conversations and exam practice.
Speaking and AI
Can I practise speaking?
Yes. You can have voice conversations with SprachBuddy, act out situations such as a visit to the doctor, the town hall or a job interview, and get your pronunciation scored. These speaking features come with Premium.
Who is SprachBuddy?
SprachBuddy is the app's AI conversation partner. You call it and speak German out loud, about everyday topics or a situation you want to practise, and you can read the conversation back afterwards. It is software, not a person, and says so before you start. Voice conversations come with Premium: up to 15 minutes a day, within a monthly limit.
Does the app check my pronunciation?
Yes. You say a word or a sentence and get a score with feedback on what to improve. Pronunciation scores come with Premium.
Can I learn words from a photo?
Yes. Take a photo of a letter, a sign or a menu, and the app picks out the words so you can save and practise them. The photo itself is not kept. Photo scanning comes with Premium.
Is the content made with AI?
Much of it, yes. Lessons, questions and explanations are drafted by AI. Lessons and questions are checked automatically and reviewed in batches. The conversation partner and the pronunciation feedback are AI as well, and AI can be wrong: if something looks off, report it with the flag on the question. More on our AI transparency page.
Exams
Which exams can I prepare for?
For the Einbürgerungstest, Bretzi has B1 practice for reading, writing, listening and speaking, plus questions on life in Germany (Leben in Deutschland). For university, there is practice for TestDaF at B2 and C1. Official information on the citizenship test is on bamf.de; TestDaF is run by the TestDaF-Institut.
How does exam practice work?
You practise each part of the exam on its own, with a timer. The app grades your writing and speaking with AI and keeps your results, and a readiness score for each part shows where you stand. It is practice part by part, not a full mock exam. Exam practice comes with Premium.
Is Bretzi enough to pass the exam?
No app can promise that you will pass, and we do not publish pass rates or how long it takes to pass. Bretzi gives you lessons, speaking practice and practice for each part of the exam. Use it together with the official information and practice material from BAMF at bamf.de.
Can I book my exam through Bretzi?
No. Bretzi is for practice only: it cannot register you for an exam or book a date. How to sign up is explained on the official websites, such as bamf.de.
Progress and motivation
How do streaks and streak freezes work?
Your streak counts the days in a row on which you practise. A streak freeze keeps it going on a day you miss; you get some for free, and Premium gets more. On iPhone and iPad, Premium can sometimes restore a streak that has just broken: the app offers it when it can.
What are bretzels for?
Bretzels 🥨 are your score. You earn them with lessons, reviews and conversations, and they decide your place in the league. They have no money value, and you cannot buy them.
Is there a leaderboard?
Yes. The league ranks learners by week, by month and of all time, and you can compare yourself with friends. Joining is optional: you choose the name others see, and learners who have not joined appear anonymously. The weekly league starts over every Monday.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes. When you finish every lesson of a level, you get a certificate for that level with a link anyone can use to check it. It records what you did in Bretzi; it is not an official language certificate and does not replace an exam.
How can I follow my progress?
Every Monday the app gives you a recap of your week, and you can get it by email as well. Premium adds a detailed report that AI writes from your own progress. You can turn the emails off in Settings.
Can the app remind me to practise?
Yes. Turn on the daily reminder in Settings and choose the time. The app asks for permission to send notifications after your first lesson.
Account and privacy
Do I need an account?
Yes. You sign in with Apple, Google or your email address; with email we send you a one-time code, so there is no password to remember. Sign in with Apple is only on iPhone and iPad. Your progress is saved to your account.
Can I use Bretzi on more than one device?
Yes. Sign in with the same account and your progress comes with you. Your subscription belongs to the store you bought it in: on another device of the same kind, sign in to that Apple or Google account and use Restore Purchases.
How do I delete my account?
In the app, go to Settings > Danger Zone > Delete My Account and confirm. Your account and its data are erased for good after 7 days; signing in again before then cancels the deletion. Deleting your account does not cancel a subscription, so cancel that in your store first.
What happens to my data?
We do not sell your data, and the app shows no ads. It is stored on servers in Germany, in the EU. You can ask for a copy of your data, or for a correction, through support. The privacy policy explains what we collect and why.
What happens to what I say or show to the AI?
In a voice conversation your phone connects directly to the AI provider, so the audio does not pass through our servers; we keep the written transcript and feedback. Recordings for pronunciation checks and photos you scan are not kept. Please do not share sensitive details such as ID numbers or medical information. More on our AI transparency page.
Help
How do I contact support?
In the app, go to Settings > Contact support. Our reply appears in the app and comes by email too. You can also use the support form on this website or write to [email protected]. Replies are written by a person.
I found a mistake in a lesson. What should I do?
Tap the flag on the question and tell us what is wrong. A person reads every report, and the question is fixed or taken out. You can follow your report and our answer under My reports in the app.
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