Feedback

„I took classes with Bellingua for 2.5 years continuously and successfully passed my Goethe C1 exam! I’ll share my experience here as someone who took the whole journey with them, zero to hero.

I really have only good things to say about the school. In my experience, they were well-organized, the material was high quality and varied, we covered a great deal of useful topics in both grammar and real life, and we practiced all aspects of the language – reading, writing, speaking and listening. I also like that they have “Sprechtraining” every week, extra hours where you practice speaking.

I went through 5 teachers in my time. While obviously I got along with some of them better than others, they were all very knowledgeable, helpful, friendly, and good at explaining concepts. A lot of them are quite young, e.g. still in uni; I personally didn’t find that an issue.

Classes took place in person or online. I never really had issues with the technology but I find it way more engaging to go in person, so I’d recommend everyone do that as much as possible.

I found the homework simultaneously more and less difficult than I expected. It’s certainly challenging, and if you don’t do it, it very quickly builds up and can seem overwhelming; but once you do it, you realize that classes prepared you for it, and it doesn’t actually take too long, and it really does strengthen your knowledge.

Lastly I’ll warn that classes are pretty demanding (appropriately so, imo). I did 2d x week, 2h x day, evenings after work, which was on the border of being too much. Especially starting with B1 you ramp up quite quickly and are expected to learn and internalize an enormous amount of new material, so you can’t afford to fall behind or miss too many classes.

Overall I really enjoyed learning at this school, it perfectly fit my learning style. Hopefully it does for others too!”

Martin from Bulgaria (September 2024)

„7 months ago, I started a journey which opened new horizons: I entered the Bellingua language school. I started as a complete beginner, and now I follow the B1 level. 

3 aspects were essential for me: 

  1. I could seamlessly switch from the semi-intensive afternoon classes into intensive morning classes and then into semi-intensive evening classes (thank you Kim for the admin support!). The material is the same and the pace can be adapted to what life brings my way.
  2. The teachers (thank you Tamara, Fabienne, Luisa, Nerina!), colleagues and the methodology are superb and the results are outstanding. I am completely satisfied with the progress I made, which makes the effort worthwhile.
  3. The ambiance is motivating and supportive, which really helps in the tough days.

My ambition is to keep learning. I warmly recommend learning German at Bellingua, it is a great school.”

Beatrice from Romania (August 2024)

„I joined the intensive course at Bellingua for nine months, from B1 level to C1 level. I chose it because I knew that when learning German, it is essential to be in a rigorous program with motivated participants. German grammar is challenging and requires a lot of effort and time to master.

What I particularly appreciate about Bellingua:

  • The program is challenging and the material is excellent. Participants are frequently corrected by the teachers and assessed in a weekly exam. You have to realize that the courses require a lot of personal work outside the classroom.
  • The teachers are competent, friendly and motivated.
  • The hybrid lessons run smoothly, which gives flexibility.
  • In addition, it was extremely enjoyable to meet other people living in Zurich and to be in a beautiful environment. Bellingua also offers social events, weekly conversation classes and a book club.

I am very grateful to Bellingua for my progress and these wonderful months!”

Lise from France (July 2024)

„I have been learning German at Bellingua in Zurich for about five years. During this time, the following aspects have struck me as particularly positive:

Firstly, I feel that the teachers at Bellingua are competent and patient. This has enabled me to build up a good relationship with my teachers.

Secondly, I have to praise the learning material. The clear structure (e.g. the syntax table) helped me especially with my weak point, which is sentence structure.

Thirdly and finally, I would like to mention the group size. The small groups allowed me to always actively participate in the lessons.

The location of the school in the heart of the city is also ideal for me, as the surrounding area is very urban. Thanks to these strengths and qualities, I would recommend my acquaintances to join a German course at Bellingua.”

Chat from Thailand (June 2024)

„I started learning German intensively at Bellingua at A2 level and continued all the way to C1 level (about 50 weeks). The materials provided are excellent and the problems assigned extremely well selected. I had a great experience with all the teachers who taught me. It was also nice from the social perspective as I got to meet a lot of very cool people, now friends, in my classes. I would highly recommend Bellingua to anyone who wants to learn German well and fast.”

Sara from Slovenia (February 2024)

„Bellingua is a small language school just a ten-minute walk from Zurich main station. As the building is quite small, there is a family atmosphere. But don’t let the size fool you: Bellingua is a very demanding German school that requires a lot of diligence and perseverance. Therefore, the teaching atmosphere is in a sweet spot between friendliness and professionalism.

I must also mention my dear teacher Annina. She is incredibly competent and always notices when a topic is not quite right for the students. Even the smallest mistakes don’t escape her notice, because Annina immediately notes down all mistakes so that she can correct them at an appropriate time.

She integrates challenging topics of conversation into the lessons, which promotes our ability to express ourselves enormously. And last but not least, she was always kind and patient with me, thanks to which I never felt out of place, even though I was quite different from the others in the course due to my age, among other things.”

Deniz from Turkey (December 2023)

„The best German school in Zurich!

I started at Bellingua at level A1. Now, after 10 months, I am happy that I can write this text in German. Thank you very much, Bellingua.

Bellingua has a rigorous curriculum and very nice and smart teachers. Overall, there is a great atmosphere to learn German intensively.

The teaching materials are fantastic, but be careful – you should always do your homework, because the other course participants are also very diligent. For me, this was an important motivation to do more exercises.

I highly recommend Bellingua!”

Vahid from Iran (November 2023)

„A school that lives up to its reputation!

Learning a language requires commitment, and the teachers at Bellingua make sure you get the support you need to achieve your goal. In addition, the evening courses for professionals are a great opportunity not only to learn German in a relaxed yet professional environment, but also to meet new people with the same learning goal.

After the B2 course, I took the Goethe exam and scoring 100% in both the writing and speaking sections shows that the focus is evenly split between grammar and conversational skills.

I am now in the C1 course and after more than 2 years at Bellingua I can definitely recommend the school to all motivated learners.”

Gabriel from Romania (November 2023)

„I started Bellingua in November 2022 in a semi intensive course twice per week. In 10 and half months I managed to make incredibly fast progress.

Bellingua´s methodology is outstanding and the tools it uses (Edulo and Miro) are user-friendly and make it really easy to study, do your Modul tests and exercises.

I highly appreciate the importance they give to grammar, since it´s the basis of any language.

The flexibility they offer to take their courses, either online or in person, is something that has helped me not to miss any class.

Bellingua has a pool of professors of high caliber. I had the chance to have Carlo for A1/2 and B1. He has been “key” in my learning process.

I have passed an external German exam and I had great results thanks to the high level of German I learnt at Bellingua. I am thankful to them and highly recommend this language school to anyone who wishes to make a fast and solid learning process.”

Erica from Spain/Argentina (September 2023)

„I started studying German at Bellingua as a very beginner. I just enjoyed it and most of all I learned a lot.

The structure of the classes is well thought through from tools, to logistics to teaching methods. During the class only German is allowed and every week you have a test, this makes you inevitably learn fast and tons. The classes involve also learning about history and culture of German speaking areas and I found this very enriching.

Everyone at Bellingua is kind and welcoming, staff and teachers are friendly. I loved the common area as well where you can in the pause meet other students and learn also a lot from each other.

I warmly recommend Bellingua to anyone wanting to learn German.”

Luisa from Italy (September 2023)

„At Bellingua Language School, the A2 German course has exceeded my expectations. I must say it’s been an excellent experience so far! The teachers are knowledgeable, and the small class size allows for personalized attention. I’m making steady progress in my language skills. The learning atmosphere is welcoming, and the course material is engaging and practical. I appreciate the focus on conversation practice, which has boosted my confidence in speaking German. The activities with cultural immersion are a big plus as I learned a lot about other cultures/traditions as well. Overall, I’m delighted with my progress and delighted to be part of this language learning community. I highly recommend this school to anyone looking to learn German.”

Tehreem from Pakistan (August 2023)

„I think Bellingua is a very good language school. It is clear that it is a very well managed organisation: people are responsive and friendly and efficient. You notice it from your very first contact with the school. And it is evident in things like the good downtown location and the very good facilities and equipment. I think my experience is affected by the fact that I am working while doing an intensive course, so I don’t get a sufficient amount of time to practice and study each day. I think that if I was not working, the pace and content of the course would be exactly right: hard and challenging, but do-able. I think the high focus on grammar and learning the basics is good. But it means the course tests are really, really hard. The amount of vocabulary (including verbs) in the materials is very high. The approach of highlighting essential verbs and nouns in the materials as obligatory is a good idea. I also want to say that Pascal is a truly excellent teacher. Every one of us looks forward to coming to the class each day, because of his dedication, professionalism, patience and consistent good humour. He is really a perfect language teacher, because he is very clearly a highly considerate, patient and respectful person. Everybody in our class loves coming to class every day, because Pascal makes it fun and dispels any fear or anxiety people may have about making mistakes or having problems.”

Anonymous, from the UK (August 2023)

„I just want to add a special mention about Luca. He is specially pleasant to work with. He is always happy, active and motivated and he makes sure that he consistently lifts the atmosphere of the class and makes sure that every person in the group is included and part of the class making the classes very enjoyable and lively, which I find key in order to learn a language, specially on difficult days. You can feel that the group really enjoy the class. It has been a real pleasure to be part of his class.

In terms of the school, I love Bellingua, I have been on and off (due to personal reasons) taking classes since 2020 and I find the school extremely professional. I would not go to any other school.

Thanks very much for everything and looking forward to continue learning with you!”

Shaila from Spain (August 2023)

„I’ve taken the semi-intensive course at Bellingua from A1 to the end of B2 without a break. During this time my German has improved steadily. The course is really intensive and demanding. But it’s totally worth it! I especially like the zero-tolerance policy for mistakes. The materials that Bellingua uses are unique to the school and are exceptionally good. I have not only learnt German, but I’ve also had tons of fun with my classmates, some of whom have become good friends. My advice to future Bellingua students is: don’t take a break, as the German saying goes, you rest, you rust! I have already signed up for the C1 course.”

Jessica from the UK (July 2023)

„My satisfaction regarding the intensive course has been total. Every single piece of Bellingua gives a reason to be impressed: the progressivity of the learnings, the timely and perfectly fitted exercises to ease the assimilation, Julia’s great presence and clear explanations, and also the agreeable people, environment, settings, organization and communication we can find at the school. Very thorough service engineering supports all this, and I value it very much. Not to mention the efficacy of the method: thank you so much for the knowledge and confidence to speak you gave me! Long live Bellingua.”

Laurie from France (June 2023)

„I attended Bellingua for almost a year and got so used to it, that I would like to continue, but unfortunately this was my last stage.

The atmosphere was always very cozy, friendly and at the same time challenging, which always motivated me. The classes were well structured, the teachers explained the lesson content clearly and the homework was in line with the topic covered in class.
If you have any questions, you can always ask the teachers or the office; you always get an answer or good advice.

I completed the B2 and C1 levels at Bellingua in a semi-intensive course, so I had classes twice a week. I used to take an intensive course at another school and I can say that the semi-intensive course at Bellingua was better and more informative than the course at the previous school.
For these reasons, I can highly recommend Bellingua!
All my classmates at Bellingua were also very happy, which made for a good atmosphere in class.

I already miss this exciting time and wish you many new good students!”

Anastasiia from Russia (February 2023)

„Absolutely the best language school I have ever attended!

I never learned German before and in 30 weeks of intensive course I reached German level B1. Now I work and continue to practice the language every day thanks to my good grammar skills.

I attended an intensive course, which was certainly very demanding, but the method at Bellingua manages to keep you focused. Bellingua is a school I recommend to those who really want to learn the language in a short period of time and can dedicate themselves to constant learning 5 days a week. It takes perseverance and determination. Otherwise, there are more ‘soft’ levels for those who have more time available.

The environment is very friendly and the office is always very helpful and efficient. My teacher was great because I was always actively involved in the lessons. Boredom – The word does not exist there.

During the break there is the possibility to meet other people from all over the world, which, besides giving me the opportunity to make new friends, also gave me the chance to practice the language.”

Bleona from Italy/Albania (November 2022)

„I started my 100-week journey with Bellingua in February 2020 with basically no knowledge of German. Something memorable about this journey was the “No English rule” that we had ever since the very first class. That was scary at first, but I discovered it’s the best way to learn a new language. The teachers created a safe space to practice the language without any fear, to make mistakes and to learn from them. Progress happened at a natural and steady pace. With the right balance of grammar and vocabulary, I quickly felt that I can use the learned German knowledge outside the class: reading short articles, understanding jokes on the Internet and making small talk with people. That kept me motivated and now I can do more than that: I read books, watch TV series in German and get to enjoy every chance I have to talk to other German speakers without much effort.

Thank you, Bellingua!”

Mircea from Romania (February 2022)

„A friend recommended Bellingua because I said I wanted a fast-paced German class for working professionals. I’ve been taking classes for two months now. The pace is exactly what I expected, just fast enough to keep me on my toes. The materials are great. I like how Bellingua uses its placement tests to create homogenous groups according to the students’ skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening which means you really do feel confident that you are learning German in an all-rounded manner.

I was especially impressed by the technology used to enhance the studying experience. For example, the Edulo app works very well on my iPhone, which means I can study vocab, grammar, or even complete homework when I’m on the go. I must confess I was very sceptical about virtual learning until I attended class via Whereby. It works really well! The teacher involves students who join virtually just as much as students who are attending in person. Bellingua is not the cheapest option but I’m happy that I chose Bellingua because I feel that my time is used most effectively.

Many thanks!”

Jessica from the UK (January 2022)

„I have been studying with Bellingua since May 2021, attending semi-intensive evening online classes. I am very satisfied with my teacher Nina, with the online learning and collaboration platforms (Edulo and Miro) and with the effectiveness of the teaching methods. All these helped me to achieve excellent results for my Goethe certificate. In addition, the entire team is really helpful and nice. I strongly recommend Bellingua to motivated people who want to have fast progress with learning German.

Thank you Bellingua!“

Tatiana from Romania (January 2022)

„When I came to Switzerland, the first thing I had to do was to look for a German school on the Internet. I got many positive recommendations about Bellingua. And after some time in this school I realized that I am at the right place and this was the best decision.

Learning German at Bellingua is something wonderful and the best thing that could have happened to me. I have had a very good experience and I would definitely recommend Bellingua to all German learners. The teachers are nice, helpful, patient and the teaching methods are of the highest standard.

I am very grateful to Bellingua for my progress.”

Lidia from Peru (September 2021)

„I have successfully learned German from scratch with Bellingua, from A1–B1. After my very positive experience, I can highly recommend Bellingua to any motivated student who wants to level up their language knowledge quickly and with a solid grammar base. The study materials and the teaching style are well researched and excellent. The staff are very helpful and try to address your concerns in the best way possible.

After doing both in-person and online classes, I can confirm that the online classes work perfectly well. In fact for working professionals, this is our only chance to study after work and I did this successfully for one full year.

This also means that you can be anywhere in the world and still attend the classes from Bellingua. Learning German does not have to be difficult if you have a great team to guide you.

Thank you again, Bellingua!”

Samarpita from India (August 2021)

„I have spent the last 18 months learning with Bellingua, from A2 all the way to (preparing for) the C2 Goethe exam.

The courses were all well prepared and well researched; the teachers dedicated and enthusiastic. No lesson was routine and no task too mundane. I especially appreciated the large amount of time devoted to speaking in class.

The quality of the in-house teaching material was second to none – from the reams of precise yet comprehensive grammar explanations to the carefully thought-out (and oftentimes amusing) exercises – all accessible via their specially developed multi-platform app edulo.

The weekly tests were strenuous but never stressful, and the constant progress was motivating.

Despite the enormous challenges posed by the pandemic, Bellingua adapted quickly and effectively to online-first teaching (rather better, may I add, than I managed with my own lectures at ETH!)

A hearty thanks and a solid thumbs-up to everyone at Bellingua!”

Will from the UK (July 2021)

„Bellingua has exceeded all my expectations: friendly teachers, small groups and top level material. I really appreciated how well they adapted during Covid-19, without compromising the teaching quality. I would highly recommend Bellingua to everybody who is serious about their German learning.

Thank you“

Zuzana from the Czech Republic (May 2021)

I really enjoyed the B1 German course at Bellingua. Compared to other courses I attended previously this was very well structured and organized. The pace was fast but not too fast to allow continuous learning without feeling bored. We were given a lot of learning material throughout the course. I very much enjoyed the small group breakout sessions and frequent conversations.

The teachers are Bellingua’s strongest asset, they are so good at making us absorb the language while being kind, patient and helpful but also fun and entertaining. While I was originally very sceptical to attend courses online, the system used in Bellingua surprised me and it worked very well to keep us engaged.

Veronika from the Czech Republic (May 2021)

„After some online research on available German schools in the Zurich area, I started learning German at Bellingua. Having finished the A1, A2 and B1 levels at Bellingua, I am very happy with my choice. The well structured modules and the regular exams ensure the progress of the entire classroom. This kept the courses interesting and allowed me to easily get my B1 certificate from TELC. I recommend Bellingua to all fast learners who want to learn German efficiently.

Egeyar from Turkey (April 2021)

„I joined Bellingua in January 2021 to learn German after moving to Zurich from Italy. I began with absolutely zero knowledge of German!

My teacher Judith, has managed to teach with the perfect speed, and patience and just enough challenge to keep me fully engaged and constantly learning. As we have been in the time of a pandemic, all classes have been fully online, using a variety of tools such as Edulo, Whereby and Miro. The online learning has been absolutely fantastic. In particular Edulo and Miro provide wonderful tools for practice and interaction.

I am extremely pleased with my course and decision to join Bellingua and highly recommend it.
Puja from Canada (April 2021)

„I started at Bellingua at the end of level A2 and never doubted that I would stay at this school. Already in the first lesson I was convinced that I had chosen the right school. All the students in my group were already quite fluent in German, had a rich vocabulary and were very good at grammar. This strong group, together with a professional teacher, always motivated me to study hard. And as a result, I made great progress.

A fixed curriculum also plays an important role in the learning process. And in this respect, there is no better school than Bellingua. All lessons are thoroughly thought out, informative and contain a variety of exercises (including digital work with self-monitoring). In addition, all the teachers I have met at Bellingua have proven to be very nice people and professionals in the field of German. I highly recommend Bellingua to everyone!“

Kseniia from Russia (April 2021)

„I started the semi-intensive German course at Bellingua last November. I find the teaching method very efficient and adaptive to the pace of the audience. Thanks to the available online solutions at Bellingua, I could fully concentrate on and continue learning German despite the limits due to Covid-19.

If you are serious about learning German properly, I suggest Bellingua.“

Reza from Iran (April 2021)

„With no doubt the best German school in Zurich. Nice and well prepared teachers, from level A1 to the top. I had no problem at all to pass my B1 Goethe test. Moreover, during Corona-times I switched to online teaching: with their smart tech tools, the quality remained at the highest level. Highly recommended!”

Alessio from Italy (April 2021)

„My job requires me to travel 80% of my time around the world. Due to Covid-19 Bellingua teaches its courses online which gave me an opportunity to start my german language course even though I am not in Switzerland most of the time.

Since Oman is 3 hours ahead of Switzerland the class is starting at 9:00PM (Oman time) which is great because sometimes I have to work until late and I’m still able to attend the class.

Overall the course is going very well and I hope the online course will be maintained also in the future for the people like me who travel very often.”

(Bellingua: Yes, our customers will always be able to attend our hybrid courses either on site in Zurich or online through a video-link.)

Chun from Oman (February 2021)

„All the teachers I have met here have been very professional, committed and motivated. I find the regular revision modules and weekly tests an ideal way of consolidating my knowledge.

I would recommend Bellingua to anyone who is motivated and who wants to learn German thoroughly!“

Varvara from Russia (2017)

„Bellingua is a very friendly, professional school. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to master the German language and enjoys learning alongside other motivated students.

You learn twice as much at Bellingua as in other schools.“

Claire from England (2017)

„The teachers are friendly but strict and no-nonsense; the weekly tests were always slightly out of reach. But the pressure and accountability worked. After 6 months, I could participate in parent- teacher conferences in German; after 9 months, I could read the leading Zurich newspapers. And when I was particularly pressed for time, the private lessons really helped.“

Alexandra from the USA (2017)

„I can sum up my experience of Bellingua in one word: outstanding!

Excellently organised teaching by experienced, committed teachers creates a unique, fun atmosphere that‘s conducive to learning. I made progress every week.“

Aleksandar from Serbia (2017)

„When I joined Bellingua, I could already speak German at A2 level. Compared with other schools, learning at Bellingua is not easy, but it’s worth it. Bellingua is the most suitable language school for anyone who wants to learn German to virtually native-speaker level. The school places great value on expert teachers and efficient teaching methods. I am very grateful to Bellingua for this.“

Olena from Ukraine (2017)

„I cannot recommend Bellingua highly enough. I find the school‘s teachers and the overall learning model very efficient and rewarding.“

Marius from Romania (2017)

„Since flexibility is important to me, Bellingua is the perfect choice. I can book as many modules as I want to and I can end my contract at any time if my plans change.

If you want to learn a lot productively and you can spend a good amount of time studying at home, Bellingua comes highly recommended.“

Paulina from Poland (2017)

„I chose Bellingua on my friend’s recommendation. After the first two introductory weeks, thanks to the professional teachers and the fact that the groups were small and tended to progress at the same rate thanks to regular tests, I found Bellingua to be the best place for me to learn German.“

Milos from Serbia (2017)