There are many online courses, some of which are free or partly free. For example, Deutsch-Lernen.com offers lessons for beginners and grammar lessons at an advanced level. There is a test to evaluate competency, jokes and famous quotes. The E Language School breaks up its online lessons into words, verbs, phrases and grammar and has exercises using German fairy tales, including Rapunzel and Hansel and Gretel.
deutsch-lernen.com
learngerman.elanguageschool.net
Online dictionaries, such as Reverso, contain thousands of words and phrases and a section on how to conjugate German verbs. There are also translation websites, such as Quick Dic. This translates words and idioms from English to German or German to English, giving the gender and the phonetic spelling for how to pronounce them correctly.
dictionary.reverso.net
quickdic.org
Playing online games is an effective way of learning. Digital Dialects at http://www.digitaldialects.com/German.htm is one of these sites and it has features for beginner, intermediate or advanced. Games, with or without audio, involve vocabulary, phrases, verbs and greetings. Separate games on topics include numbers, colors, food, clothing and animals. More games are available at German Online Games and Learning at www.transparent.com/learn-german/games.
Online tests are a good way of monitoring progress. These test knowledge about the language and show any weak areas in need of revision. Tests are available at www.allthetests.com/language-tests-english-quizzes. Tests can also show what at what level one should join a course. Find these test by using sites like the Goethe-Institut at www.goethe.de/cgi-bin/einstufungstest/einstufungstest.pl.
My Language Exhange at www.mylanguageexchange.com/Learn/german.asp
is a site where registered members can email, voice chat or text each other. It's an opportunity to write or speak to native German speakers. Members can practice everyday conversational German and make friends. The site also has lessons and tips to assist. After signing up, it's easy to select someone from the list and use the contact information to make an introduction.
Social media sites, such as Facebook ,have groups of like-minded people who want to chat with other German speakers. The German Speakers of Greater Washington D.C. is one of these Facebook pages. It's another chance to practice and socialize virtually.