Easy Languages (YouTube)

Easy Languages is a language learning network that produces street interviews and subtitled conversations to teach more than 40 languages through authentic unscripted speech from local people who speak that language or dialect.^[1]

History

The project began in 2005 in Münster, Germany, when media educator Janusz Hamerski led a school video workshop and, with participant Cari Schmid, created a video teaching German greetings.^[2] The video was later uploaded to YouTube shortly after the platform launched, where it quickly gained international attention.^[2]

In 2014, YouTube selected Easy German for its education-focused creator program, prompting Hamerski and Schmid to move to Berlin and expand the project professionally.^[3] By 2021, the Easy Languages network had grown to include over a dozen channels in various languages, modeled on the same interview-based format.^[4]

Format and Global Reach

The project has expanded into more than 40 languages, with each channel presenting street interviews featuring subtitles in both the local language and English.^[2] A franchise system helps new contributors launch channels while maintaining the educational and visual identity of the network.^[3] Many franchises have their own membership tiers for users to gain access to exclusive content^[5].

The company also has a partnership with the educational German Language company Seedlang, as many employees of Easy Languages make content for Seedlang's apps^[6]

Recognition

The project has received praise in Germany’s mainstream press for its accessibility and grassroots origins.^[2] In 2023, the German government’s public diplomacy platform featured Easy German as an example of successful online German instruction.^[7]