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.
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. The video was later uploaded to YouTube shortly after the platform launched, where it quickly gained international attention.
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. By 2021, the Easy Languages network had grown to include over a dozen channels in various languages, modeled on the same interview-based format.
The project has expanded into more than 40 languages, with each channel presenting street interviews featuring subtitles in both the local language and English. A franchise system helps new contributors launch channels while maintaining the educational and visual identity of the network. Many franchises have their own membership tiers for users to gain access to exclusive content.
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
The project has received praise in GermanyâÂÂs mainstream press for its accessibility and grassroots origins. In 2023, the German governmentâÂÂs public diplomacy platform featured Easy German as an example of successful online German instruction.