Only at an advanced level. Babylon Berlin rewards strong German with period Berlin slang and a dense political crime plot, and below that level you will likely spend the episodes reading subtitles rather than learning from what you hear.
- Level
- Advanced
- Format
- Show
- Year
- 2017
- Episodes
- 48
- Length
- about 57 min each
- From
- ARD Mediathek
Why it works for learners
Few shows offer this range. You hear police officers, politicians, cabaret performers and people from the city's poorer streets, all in a Weimar Republic setting, so social class comes through in how people speak. The vocabulary of politics, crime, money and history is rich and hard to find in modern dramas. If you are already comfortable with contemporary German, it shows you how far the language stretches, across 48 long episodes.
What makes it hard
Berlin slang and dated expressions will be new even if your German is good, and the crowded plot gives you little room to relax. Political factions, side stories and quick exchanges in noisy club scenes all pile up at once. Many characters also speak quietly or indirectly.
How to use it
Read a short overview of the Weimar Republic first, so the politics make sense. Use German subtitles if you can get them, and keep a list of Berlin expressions. Watch slowly, one episode at a time, and do not imitate 1920s slang in conversation.
More for German learners: our German guides.
Keep it where you'll see it
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