Every German Class in Portland, OR (2020)
Have you wanted to learn German for a while and are finally ready to get serious?
Or perhaps you’ve started learning German with Duolingo, Rosetta stone, etc., but find they’re not teaching you the ‘bigger picture’ of how German actually works.
Sometimes even finding a good German class locally can be challenging, though.
So, I created two resources to help guide you:
- Below I listed ALL the German learning options in the Portland area.
- I created a FREE training for you entitled: ‘How to Actually Learn German and Avoid Wasting Years Trying’. ( ➡️ Click here to access)
German language classes:
Portland is home to two quality adult German language organizations:
1. German American Society of Portland
The German-American Society of Portland is a high quality organization dating all the way back to 1871. Their home-base, the “German Haus” plays host to many cultural and informative events such as concerts, lectures, and social events such as our monthly Stammtisch. And, of course, their yearly Oktoberfest celebration.
They run an adult language class with over 70 hours of instruction that runs for 30 weeks from September to May.
They place students in skill-appropriate groups and are taught in a full-immersion environment.
Learn more about their language class here.
Phone: (503) 775-1585
Address: 5626 NE Alameda St, Portland, OR 97213
2. German International School Portland
While primarily a German-English bilingual school for young children (preschool through kindergarten). They do offer teen and adult German classes as well.
There are 4 adult classes for beginners through advanced levels. The classes run for 15 weeks twice a year.
Learn more about their language class here..
Phone: (503) 626-9089
Address: 3900 SW Murray Blvd, Beaverton, OR 97005
German in a college setting:
The University of Portland
The University of Portland offers three different German degree pathways. A German Studies Major, A German Studies Major with Language Concentration, and a German Minor.
The classes, unlike many universities that focus heavily on, say literature, focus on learning the language. They even have three different ‘Conversation and Composition’ classes. Awesome.
Click here for UP’s German Department
Phone: (503) 943-8000
Address: 5000 N Willamette Blvd, Portland, OR 97203
Portland State University
Portland State University offers both a minor and major in German and offer a range of course from literature, culture, film, to a multitude of language classes.
They offer two unique study environments: 1. their renowned ‘Deutsche Sommerschule am Pazifik’ summer immersion school and 2. their study abroad program.
Click for their German department’s page
Phone: (800) 547-8887
Address: 1825 SW Broadway, Portland, OR 97201
Lewis & Clark
Lewis & Clark’s German program offers a ‘German Studies major’. For just having one degree offered, they have plenty of courses including beginning through advanced German, as well as literature and cultural courses.
Click for their German department’s page
Phone: (503) 768-7000
Address: 0615 SW Palatine Hill Rd, Portland, OR 97219
Portland Community College
They don’t offer a degree in German but PPC offers a variety of day and evening German courses as well as an established German club and a monthly Stammtisch.
Click for their German page
Phone: (971) 722-6111
Address: 12000 SW 49th Ave, Portland, OR 97219
Reed College
Reed College offers 2 different tracks in German, none of which are focused on the German language…🤷♀️
Click for their German department page
Phone: (503) 771-1112
Address: 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd, Portland, OR 97202
Other learning options:
Private German lessons:
I’m not aware of anyone teaching privately in the Portland area. You may be able to find one through various nation-wide platforms but those can be hit or miss.
German Clubs & Meetups:
German American Society of Portland
Not only do they host German classes, the German-American Society of Portland is also the area’s largest German organization.
They host a monthly Stammtisch on the third Friday of every month.
They also host a yearly Oktoberfest.
View their upcoming events on Facebook.
Phone: (503) 775-1585
Address: 5626 NE Alameda St, Portland, OR 97213
Portland German Conversation
They meet the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month for intermediate small-group casual conversation. Note: Native speakers are welcome (if you’re patient!); beginning learners are welcome but may find the conversations difficult to follow.
Their event site
Meetup location: Taborspace – 5441 SE Belmont St, Portland, OR 97215
St. John’s Stammtisch – Deutsch Reden
They meet the 3rd Wednesdays of the month for fluent speakers
Their event site
Meetup location: Urban German Wursthaus – 6635 N Baltimore Ave Suite 201, Portland, OR 97203
And, while not language related, Portland has some best German food in the entire country:
PDX Dönerländ Food Cart
What’s there to say? They’re delicious and I wish I could have one every day. Am I obsessed? Perhaps. And I’m OK with that.
Their website
Location: 625 NE Killingsworth St, Portland, OR 97211
Stammtisch
Intimate German bar that serves the best Bier available in Portland. Unlike other bar-type establishments, the food is unlikely to let you down.
Their website
Phone: (503) 206-7983
Location: 401 NE 28th Ave, Portland, OR 97232
Otto & Anita’s Schnitzelhaus
The OPPOSITE of a franchise in the best possible way. All the baking and cooking is done by the owners, (you guessed it) Otto and Anita. Everything is made fresh and in small batches.
They serve all the classic Bavarian food but my personal favorite on the menu is the Maultaschen. YUM.
Their website
Phone: (503) 452-1411
Location: 3025 SW Canby St, Portland, OR 97219
Urban German Wursthaus
Come here for a quick bite of their (highly-rated) German street-food and beer. You might also see their food cart around town at various events.
Their website
Phone: (503) 286-3686
Location: 6635 N Baltimore Ave Suite 201, Portland, OR 97203
Prost!
Prost! (the German equivalent to “cheers!”), is (you guessed it) a German bar that also serves pretzels and sausages.
You’ll want to come here on a nice Portland evening and enjoy a German Bier on their patio.
Their website
Phone: (503) 954-2674
Location: 4237 N Mississippi Ave, Portland, OR 97217
Gustav’s Pub & Grill
With 3 locations in the Portland area, Gustav’s serves fresh, seasonal German cuisine with an occasional Northwest twist.
Their website
Locations:
Tigard: 10350 SW Greenburg Rd, Tigard, OR 97223
Clackamas: 12605 SE 97th Ave, Clackamas, OR 97015
Vancouver: 1705 SE 164th Ave, Vancouver, WA 98683
Bargarten Bavarian Social Haus
Owned by the same company as Gustav’s, it’s pretty much the same with more of a Bavarian Social Haus atmosphere 😉
Their website
Phone: (503) 809-2437
Location: 2905 SW Cedar Hills Blvd, Beaverton, OR 97005
Edelweiss Sausage & Delicatessen
The best German shop in Portland. They have a large deli carrying a selection of specialty German meats and cheeses plus many German grocery items such as mustards, chocolates, wine, more.
Their website
Phone: (503) 238-4411
Location: 3119 SE 12th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
