German Typing Test · Deutsch
Die Stadt verändert sich völlig, wenn die Nacht hereinbricht und die Neonlichter beginnen, sich in den vom Regen nassen Straßen zu spiegeln. Die Restaurants öffnen ihre Türen, und der Duft verschiedener Gewürze zieht auf den Bürgersteig, vermischt mit der Musik aus den nahegelegenen Cafés. Straßenverkäufer schieben geschickt ihre Wagen durch die Menge und bieten warme Snacks für jene an, die müde von der Arbeit nach Hause kommen. Touristen laufen mit Karten in der Hand umher, auf der Suche nach dem besten Ort zum Abendessen, während die Einheimischen mit sicherem Schritt vorangehen, da sie jede Ecke kennen. An den Straßenecken stimmen Straßenmusiker ihre Instrumente, bevor sie Melodien spielen, die kleine Gruppen von Neugierigen anziehen. Der Verkehr nimmt allmählich ab, und die Stadt, die tagsüber ununterbrochen zu laufen schien, nimmt einen langsameren, fast intimen Rhythmus an. In diesen nächtlichen Momenten kann man wirklich das lebendige Herz eines so großen und vielfältigen Ortes spüren.
Click the box and start typing to begin.
Germany has one of the highest keyboard-proficiency expectations in the world. German employers don't just want fast typists — they expect Zehnfingersystem (10-finger touch typing) as a baseline skill, measured in Anschläge pro Minute (APM) rather than WPM. Whether you're job hunting in the DACH region, learning German, or benchmarking your Schreibgeschwindigkeit — our free German typing speed test gives you your real numbers in under a minute.
Testen Sie jetzt Ihre Tippgeschwindigkeit auf Deutsch — wählen Sie Ihr Layout, starten Sie den Timer, und erhalten Sie sofort Ihre WPM, APM und Genauigkeit.
Two Metrics, One Test — WPM and APM Explained
This is where German typing is genuinely different from English. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the professional standard metric isn't WPM — it's APM (Anschläge pro Minute), meaning keystrokes per minute. Every key press counts, including Shift for capital letters. Here's how they connect:
| Metric | German Term | Formula | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| WPM | Wörter pro Minute (WpM) | Total characters ÷ 5 ÷ minutes | Net typing speed (standard global) |
| APM / CPM | Anschläge pro Minute | Total keystrokes ÷ minutes | Gross keystroke rate — the German professional standard |
| Net WPM | WpM netto | Gross WPM − errors | Real speed after deductions |
| Accuracy | Genauigkeit | % correct characters | Quality under pressure |
The conversion is direct: 200 APM = 40 WPM. So when a German job listing says "230 Anschläge pro Minute," that's roughly 46 WPM. Our test shows you both numbers so you're never confused about where you stand.
📌 How Anschläge are counted
The QWERTZ Keyboard — What Makes German Typing Different
The standard German keyboard layout is QWERTZ — and if you're used to QWERTY, there are several things that will immediately trip you up:
| Difference | QWERTZ (German) | QWERTY (English) | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Z and Y swapped | Z is top row, Y is bottom | Y is top row, Z is bottom | Z is far more common in German — words like zwischen, zehn, Zeit hit instantly |
| Umlauts on home row | Ä, Ö, Ü have dedicated keys | No dedicated umlaut keys | German text uses umlauts constantly — they're right where your fingers rest |
| Eszett (ß) key | Dedicated key on right side | Not available | straße, heiß, groß — the ß appears regularly in everyday German |
| Numbers require Shift | Top row shows symbols/umlauts by default | Numbers are default | Typing numbers in German text slows you down more than in English |
| M key position | Shifted one position right | Standard position | Catches QWERTY typists off guard |
These differences mean your German WPM will typically run 10–20% lower than your English WPM when you first switch layouts — especially for nouns (every German noun is capitalized, requiring constant Shift use). Give yourself 2–4 weeks of daily practice before comparing scores across languages.
German Typing Speed Benchmarks — Wie Schnell Sind Sie?
German professional standards are significantly higher than the global average. Here's the full benchmark table used in German-speaking workplaces and education:
| APM (Anschläge/min) | WPM (approx.) | Level | Deutsch Level | Real-World Standard |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Below 100 | <20 | Beginner | Anfänger | Learning phase, no professional use |
| 100–180 | 20–36 | Basic | Grundkenntnisse | Vocational school minimum (Abschrift: 180 APM) |
| 180–230 | 36–46 | Average | Durchschnittlich | Office assistant, general Bürojob |
| 230–300 | 46–60 | Good | Gut | Büromanagement exam standard (230 APM required) |
| 300–400 | 60–80 | Professional | Professionell | Sekretärin, executive assistant, 10-Finger certified |
| 400–550 | 80–110 | Fast | Schnell | Europasekretärin certification (300+ APM error-free) |
| 550+ | 110+ | Elite | Elite | Competition level — Deutsche Meisterschaften standard |
🏆 Real data point
Professional Requirements in the DACH Region
If you're job hunting in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, here's what employers and certification bodies actually expect:
| Role / Certification | APM Required | WPM (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bürojob (general office) | 180–230 APM | 36–46 WPM | Standard minimum for office work |
| Kaufmann/-frau für Büromanagement | 230 APM | ~46 WPM | Official exam requirement, 10-min test |
| Sekretärin / Secretary | 250–300 APM | 50–60 WPM | Error-free expected |
| Europasekretärin | 300+ APM | 60+ WPM | Certification requires 300 APM, fehlerlos |
| Berufsschule / VHS course minimum | 180 APM | ~36 WPM | End-of-course Abschrift standard |
| Data entry / Dateneingabe | 300–400 APM | 60–80 WPM | High accuracy required, 95%+ |
| Transcription / Protokoll | 400+ APM | 80+ WPM | Near-perfect accuracy, fast turnaround |
The Zehnfingersystem — Why Germany Takes It Seriously
In German-speaking countries, Zehnfingersystem (10-finger touch typing) isn't just a productivity tip — it's a formal skill taught in Berufsschulen (vocational schools) and listed on CVs. The system is based on strict home-row technique:
- ✓Left hand rests on A-S-D-F (QWERTZ: A-S-D-F)
- ✓Right hand rests on J-K-L-Ö
- ✓Every key is assigned to a specific finger — no guessing, no looking
- ✓Shift is always pressed with the opposite hand from the letter
The hard ceiling for non-touch typists in German is around 150–180 APM (30–36 WPM) — because constant noun capitalization, umlaut access, and the ß key all become bottlenecks without proper 10-finger technique. The payoff for learning the system properly: practiced Zehnfingerschreiber comfortably reach 200–400 APM in everyday use.
German Special Characters — Das Müssen Sie Beherrschen
Our test passages include all the characters that define real German typing proficiency:
- ✓Umlauts — ä, ö, ü (and capitalized: Ä, Ö, Ü) — appear in für, können, über, Österreich
- ✓Eszett (ß) — Straße, heiß, Spaß, Fuß — dedicated key on QWERTZ, right of Ö
- ✓Capitalized nouns — every noun in German gets a capital: Tisch, Arbeit, Tastatur — that's a Shift press for the majority of content words
- ✓Swiss exception — Switzerland uses ss instead of ß entirely. Swiss QWERTZ keyboards don't have a ß key. If you're in Switzerland, ss is always correct.
Who Is This Test Built For?
- ✓💼 DACH job applicants — Germany, Austria, Switzerland office, admin, and secretarial roles
- ✓🎓 Berufsschule and VHS students — preparing for the 10-minute Abschrift exam
- ✓📋 Kaufmann/-frau für Büromanagement candidates — targeting the 230 APM certification requirement
- ✓🌍 German language learners — building keyboard fluency alongside language skills
- ✓🇨🇭 Swiss professionals — QWERTZ with ss instead of ß, specific to Swiss standard
- ✓✍️ Translators and technical writers — working in German for EU, automotive, engineering, and pharma sectors
- ✓💻 Developers working in German-speaking companies — IDE, documentation, email all in Deutsch
Frequently Asked Questions
What's a good German typing speed?
230 APM (about 46 WPM) meets the official Kaufmann/-frau für Büromanagement exam standard. 300+ APM (60+ WPM) is professional secretarial level, and 400+ APM (80+ WPM) is fast, near-transcription-level typing. The German competitive world record is 955 APM (≈191 WPM).
What's the difference between WPM and APM?
WPM (Wörter pro Minute) counts every 5 characters as one word. APM (Anschläge pro Minute) counts every individual keystroke, including the Shift key for capital letters — the standard metric in German, Austrian, and Swiss professional typing. Roughly, 200 APM equals 40 WPM.
Why is my German typing speed lower than my English speed?
QWERTZ moves several keys compared to QWERTY, umlauts (ä, ö, ü) and ß need dedicated keystrokes, and every German noun is capitalized — all of which add real Shift-key overhead. Expect your German WPM to run 10–20% lower than English at first; this gap closes with 2–4 weeks of practice.
Do Swiss keyboards use ß?
No — Switzerland uses ss instead of ß entirely, and Swiss QWERTZ keyboards don't even have a dedicated ß key. If you're testing for a Swiss role, ss is always the correct form.
Is this German typing test free?
Yes — completely free, no signup, no download, and no limit on how many times you can test.
Wählen Sie oben Ihr Layout — QWERTZ oder QWERTY — stellen Sie Ihren Timer ein, und beginnen Sie zu tippen. Ihre Tippgeschwindigkeit (WPM + APM) und Genauigkeit werden sofort angezeigt. Set your timer, pick your layout, and start typing — your APM and WPM are ready in seconds.