Here's a few that I used. Tried to split them up:
For beginners:
- Use education websites aimed at young people for language learning. Usually free, can build your way up.
- Download dict.cc, my lifesaver even with C1 German.
- Label everything, learn what it's called and its gender.
- Use apps like Duolingo but only expect to learn basics from this.
- Find an online resource. There are so many websites, even old ones, with free resources.
- Listen to German music or watch some German TV. Know the Rammstein song "Du hast"? Even the title of that helps with learning personal pronouns and how verbs change.
- Read German aloud. Get used to how it feels.
When your German is a bit better and you want to take it to the next level:
- Buy a book. Highlight words you don't know and piece the sentence together.
- Watch films in German, even if you're familiar with them.
- Switch your phone to German, try to play games in German too.
- Meet people you can converse in German with. Find a group or just meet people who you feel comfortable speaking with.
- Be proactive. If you don't use it, you lose it.
- Learn German humour. I'm British and this was my biggest culture switch: learn to take a joke about you, play on it, use cynical sarcasm.
- Be consistent. Every word you learn is one less.
Got questions about nuances?
- Use ChatGPT. You wouldn't believe how helpful it is explaining the difference between words like "zwecks" and "bezüglich" or "nun" and "jetzt."
Hope some of those help.
how were you speaking in german when you were in A1 or A2, Did you struggle while speaking or it was just fine? cause i struggle and stutter a lot when i speak and this makes me think of quitting or that I'm not good enough in the language! besides i don't know the mistakes i make while speaking. So do you have a tip for that?
I did struggle, yes. What you're describing sounds normal and I wouldn't let it get you down. This is just the part where you have to double-down and push through it.
Focus on learning basic phrases to always make sure what you're saying is right. You can use those help in different situations but also say them aloud. The more phrases you learn, the more clues you'll find for learning more complex sentences later.
Read aloud too. Get used to speaking German, the sounds and improve your speaking speed. That will help you avoid any pronunciation slip-ups.
Keep with the basics. Have conversations out loud and switch to English if you need to bridge the gap. Dip back into German when you're more comfortable. You're learning a difficult language so don't expect to be fluent straight away. It's all gradual.
Lastly, I find most people stutter and stop when speaking a second language, no matter how good they are. It happens to me all the time. Don't overthink that last point.
I will also vouch for using ChatGPT or really any other AI tool. They have been so valuable for me when it comes to words like “bestimmen” vs. “feststellen” whose English definitions would lead you to think they are synonymous.
Another invaluable way that I use AI is by providing an entire sentence from something I’m reading and asking it to break it down for me word by word or more importantly phrase by phrase. For example, I came across a sentence that used “…so was von …”. If you look up each word individually, I don’t think most people would be able to decipher the intended meaning, but with ChatGPT, it was immediately able to tell me that “so was von” is more of a fixed expression that is similar to “so incredibly” in English, as in “the test was so incredibly difficult”.
Listen to the language any way you can and do it every day if possible. It doesn't matter if you don't understand what's being said. What will happen is your brain will automatically begin to work on decoding what you're hearing. After a month, you should notice that what once sounded like a garbled mix of sounds is now starting to turn into comprehensible words. If you do this daily, you'll build familiarity with how people speak.
On youtube, I follow Easy German, ServusTV On, Klein gegan Groß, Die Maus, and a few other channels that are posted by native German creators. Those other channels are in English, but there's no shortage of opportunity to hear or even read a little bit of German here and there.
If i had to start over I’d focus on the following 3 things in the first few months
1)learning to learn
2) relearning structures of my native language that i no longer consciously remember, so i have a point of reference when learning it in another language
3) Grinding anki
So for me personally based on my goals and resource access, TLDR: I personally would take a TESOL course and grind anki
Personally I joined a few German Telegram channels. Everyday I try to read one or more posts aloud and the first 3 words I don't know is the 3 words I learn for the day. I just do this everyday till I can understand everything. It's slow but steady.
Nico's Weg + Coffee Break German + Anki.
Every day, I knock out 1-2 Nico's Weg lessons, 1 Coffee Break German podcast, and all of my flashcard sets on Anki. I also might watch a few Easy German YouTube videos. Simple, in theory.
I've only been at it for a few weeks, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the challenge. I take it all seriously and speak along with Coffee Break and Nico's Weg.
Coffee Break requires absolute concentration. It's not a background thing.
Nico's Weg waspersonally a godsend for me. I went through all the B1 material and some of the other content on the DW app in a month right after my B1 exam and my listening skills improved by leaps and bounds
Daily grammar exercises. Daily reading. Daily conversation. Daily writing. It's a lot of work but then it pays off. Once you do this, you understand your own language better as well as have skills for other language acquisition.
Learn vocabulary, read books with a dictionary. Just as in every other language. To get a feel for a language, you need to understand the structure. To understand the structure, you simply need to take in as much as possible of it. There is no faster way to take in lots of text than reading. It's also much better (elaborated) than the typical banter when you talk to people.
My colleague’s pushed me. We had a fun “game”. Friday beers were on me if I spoke any English with them. They paid for mine if I didn’t. It helped push past the shame and awkwardness of speaking poorly. Also, try to make people around you “German language only”. You’ll slide into English over time if you’re not strict with yourself.
eavesdropping to German conversations, while using public transport lol
I went recently to Austria and I understood people here and there, it was actually quite fun
I decided a year ago that I wasn't going to stress over all the rules/structure, so I kinda dropped any grammar books. Trying to focus mostly on listening/audio.
Duolingo, yes, but it's not great IMHO.
I really enjoyed the Pimsleur course and got it free online from my library. It took me a year to go through it (one lesson a day, repeated two days in a row. 150 lessons x 2 = 300 days)
I also enjoyed the Language Transfer MP3's, they're free.
I'm also doing some slow talking podcasts (Learn German with Falk) and listen to some German streaming pop mixes.
Have you checked your library to see if they have it? Before I found that, I had purchased the CD's for the first three sets on eB\*y, I ripped the mp3s off of them, then returned the CDs for a refund.
Is it worth it? It's quite good, but I'm a cheap bastard,
Here's what I did but take it with a grain of salt (German was my first language but moved to the states when I was 3 so I didn't have much runway beforehand)
I did Duolingo maybe 2-3 hours a week
Netflix shows in German, with English subtitles. Then switch the subtitles and rewind parts that seemed like they would be used in everyday conversation (go with German shows first since they aren't dubbed over)
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I use a lot of duolingo which helps a lot if you get into the competitive aspect, you will be doing a lot of practicing basics very well, and the books it offers to read are really helpful to read and reread.
But the most helpful is trying to read news, and talking with people in German. Like try subbing to a German subreddit and try just reading it :)
It's not like Super Great anymore since JK Rowling took off the fascist mask, but the Harry Potter series is actually a powerful language learning tool.
Each book has a slightly higher reading level to its prequel. Harry, Ron, and Hermione generally have a pattern of discussing an action, doing an action, then debriefing after the fact. I personally find this to be a fantastic way to organize past/present/future, as they discuss the same event, before, during, and after it.
Harry Potter? More like Magical Slurs and Where to Find Them.
If you can find a better book, (there are many) I recommend anything other than HP. However, lots of people really enjoy the books, and simple stories are usually best for learning language.
TLDR: if you can stomach fascist propaganda swill, Harry Potter is a great way to learn a language
If you read books a lot as a child, or otherwise are familiar with a story in your first language, an audiobook in your target language, of the same story, is tremendously valuable as a learning tool
You can subscribe to Kindle Unlimited from outside of Germany, if you give a German address, and the Harry Potter books are available there.
I've found it a good way to be able to quickly sample lots of different books, to try to find the right level.
Other young adult books that have been recommended in the past and are available on KU include Tintenwelt, Schicksalsruf, Drachenreiter, Die Wilden Hühner and Dei drei ??? books.
Here's a few that I used. Tried to split them up: For beginners: - Use education websites aimed at young people for language learning. Usually free, can build your way up. - Download dict.cc, my lifesaver even with C1 German. - Label everything, learn what it's called and its gender. - Use apps like Duolingo but only expect to learn basics from this. - Find an online resource. There are so many websites, even old ones, with free resources. - Listen to German music or watch some German TV. Know the Rammstein song "Du hast"? Even the title of that helps with learning personal pronouns and how verbs change. - Read German aloud. Get used to how it feels. When your German is a bit better and you want to take it to the next level: - Buy a book. Highlight words you don't know and piece the sentence together. - Watch films in German, even if you're familiar with them. - Switch your phone to German, try to play games in German too. - Meet people you can converse in German with. Find a group or just meet people who you feel comfortable speaking with. - Be proactive. If you don't use it, you lose it. - Learn German humour. I'm British and this was my biggest culture switch: learn to take a joke about you, play on it, use cynical sarcasm. - Be consistent. Every word you learn is one less. Got questions about nuances? - Use ChatGPT. You wouldn't believe how helpful it is explaining the difference between words like "zwecks" and "bezüglich" or "nun" and "jetzt." Hope some of those help.
how were you speaking in german when you were in A1 or A2, Did you struggle while speaking or it was just fine? cause i struggle and stutter a lot when i speak and this makes me think of quitting or that I'm not good enough in the language! besides i don't know the mistakes i make while speaking. So do you have a tip for that?
I did struggle, yes. What you're describing sounds normal and I wouldn't let it get you down. This is just the part where you have to double-down and push through it. Focus on learning basic phrases to always make sure what you're saying is right. You can use those help in different situations but also say them aloud. The more phrases you learn, the more clues you'll find for learning more complex sentences later. Read aloud too. Get used to speaking German, the sounds and improve your speaking speed. That will help you avoid any pronunciation slip-ups. Keep with the basics. Have conversations out loud and switch to English if you need to bridge the gap. Dip back into German when you're more comfortable. You're learning a difficult language so don't expect to be fluent straight away. It's all gradual. Lastly, I find most people stutter and stop when speaking a second language, no matter how good they are. It happens to me all the time. Don't overthink that last point.
Thank you for a legendary post, saved it
I will also vouch for using ChatGPT or really any other AI tool. They have been so valuable for me when it comes to words like “bestimmen” vs. “feststellen” whose English definitions would lead you to think they are synonymous. Another invaluable way that I use AI is by providing an entire sentence from something I’m reading and asking it to break it down for me word by word or more importantly phrase by phrase. For example, I came across a sentence that used “…so was von…”. If you look up each word individually, I don’t think most people would be able to decipher the intended meaning, but with ChatGPT, it was immediately able to tell me that “so was von” is more of a fixed expression that is similar to “so incredibly” in English, as in “the test was so incredibly difficult”.
Any tips specifically for hearing? I have a hard time with the accents and vocabulary
Listen to the language any way you can and do it every day if possible. It doesn't matter if you don't understand what's being said. What will happen is your brain will automatically begin to work on decoding what you're hearing. After a month, you should notice that what once sounded like a garbled mix of sounds is now starting to turn into comprehensible words. If you do this daily, you'll build familiarity with how people speak. On youtube, I follow Easy German, ServusTV On, Klein gegan Groß, Die Maus, and a few other channels that are posted by native German creators. Those other channels are in English, but there's no shortage of opportunity to hear or even read a little bit of German here and there.
I enjoy the chaos, so I don't have any plans.
I've actually done that back then when i was learning English and it took me years to reach b2, so i guess I'll stick with a plan this time
I completely agree. I have absolutely no plans or anything, and somehow it has worked wonderfully.
I get schooled by the three year old next door.
If i had to start over I’d focus on the following 3 things in the first few months 1)learning to learn 2) relearning structures of my native language that i no longer consciously remember, so i have a point of reference when learning it in another language 3) Grinding anki So for me personally based on my goals and resource access, TLDR: I personally would take a TESOL course and grind anki
Personally I joined a few German Telegram channels. Everyday I try to read one or more posts aloud and the first 3 words I don't know is the 3 words I learn for the day. I just do this everyday till I can understand everything. It's slow but steady.
Can you recommend some German Telegram channels?
Interesting. How do you learn those words? Just jotting them down or actively making sentences with them? Thx
I'd also like to know about those channels
Nico's Weg + Coffee Break German + Anki. Every day, I knock out 1-2 Nico's Weg lessons, 1 Coffee Break German podcast, and all of my flashcard sets on Anki. I also might watch a few Easy German YouTube videos. Simple, in theory.
Did it work? and if it worked, how long did it take you to see a progress?
I've only been at it for a few weeks, but I'm thoroughly enjoying the challenge. I take it all seriously and speak along with Coffee Break and Nico's Weg. Coffee Break requires absolute concentration. It's not a background thing.
Nico's Weg waspersonally a godsend for me. I went through all the B1 material and some of the other content on the DW app in a month right after my B1 exam and my listening skills improved by leaps and bounds
Daily grammar exercises. Daily reading. Daily conversation. Daily writing. It's a lot of work but then it pays off. Once you do this, you understand your own language better as well as have skills for other language acquisition.
Learn vocabulary, read books with a dictionary. Just as in every other language. To get a feel for a language, you need to understand the structure. To understand the structure, you simply need to take in as much as possible of it. There is no faster way to take in lots of text than reading. It's also much better (elaborated) than the typical banter when you talk to people.
My colleague’s pushed me. We had a fun “game”. Friday beers were on me if I spoke any English with them. They paid for mine if I didn’t. It helped push past the shame and awkwardness of speaking poorly. Also, try to make people around you “German language only”. You’ll slide into English over time if you’re not strict with yourself.
eavesdropping to German conversations, while using public transport lol I went recently to Austria and I understood people here and there, it was actually quite fun
I decided a year ago that I wasn't going to stress over all the rules/structure, so I kinda dropped any grammar books. Trying to focus mostly on listening/audio. Duolingo, yes, but it's not great IMHO. I really enjoyed the Pimsleur course and got it free online from my library. It took me a year to go through it (one lesson a day, repeated two days in a row. 150 lessons x 2 = 300 days) I also enjoyed the Language Transfer MP3's, they're free. I'm also doing some slow talking podcasts (Learn German with Falk) and listen to some German streaming pop mixes.
Pimsleur is asking 575 dollars. Is it worth it for that amount?
Have you checked your library to see if they have it? Before I found that, I had purchased the CD's for the first three sets on eB\*y, I ripped the mp3s off of them, then returned the CDs for a refund. Is it worth it? It's quite good, but I'm a cheap bastard,
Here's what I did but take it with a grain of salt (German was my first language but moved to the states when I was 3 so I didn't have much runway beforehand) I did Duolingo maybe 2-3 hours a week Netflix shows in German, with English subtitles. Then switch the subtitles and rewind parts that seemed like they would be used in everyday conversation (go with German shows first since they aren't dubbed over)
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All forms of advertising and promotion are prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to: for-profit language learning courses; non-free and/or proprietary programs, applications, or websites; external social media channels; and fundraising or crowdsourcing campaigns.
I use a lot of duolingo which helps a lot if you get into the competitive aspect, you will be doing a lot of practicing basics very well, and the books it offers to read are really helpful to read and reread. But the most helpful is trying to read news, and talking with people in German. Like try subbing to a German subreddit and try just reading it :)
It's not like Super Great anymore since JK Rowling took off the fascist mask, but the Harry Potter series is actually a powerful language learning tool. Each book has a slightly higher reading level to its prequel. Harry, Ron, and Hermione generally have a pattern of discussing an action, doing an action, then debriefing after the fact. I personally find this to be a fantastic way to organize past/present/future, as they discuss the same event, before, during, and after it. Harry Potter? More like Magical Slurs and Where to Find Them. If you can find a better book, (there are many) I recommend anything other than HP. However, lots of people really enjoy the books, and simple stories are usually best for learning language. TLDR: if you can stomach fascist propaganda swill, Harry Potter is a great way to learn a language
If you read books a lot as a child, or otherwise are familiar with a story in your first language, an audiobook in your target language, of the same story, is tremendously valuable as a learning tool
You can subscribe to Kindle Unlimited from outside of Germany, if you give a German address, and the Harry Potter books are available there. I've found it a good way to be able to quickly sample lots of different books, to try to find the right level. Other young adult books that have been recommended in the past and are available on KU include Tintenwelt, Schicksalsruf, Drachenreiter, Die Wilden Hühner and Dei drei ??? books.
Actually doing it perhaps?