Learning German can be fun if you have the right tools. Keep a notebook for writing down new words and study tips, and use a dictation app to improve your pronunciation.
Learn how to select the correct article for a noun 9 times out of 10. Then, use a few tricks to remember that over 65% of one-syllable words are masculine, while endings like ent, het and ung are feminine.
Grammar
Grammar is one of the parts of language that can send a lot of people into a fit. But it’s not always as complicated as people think: it’s a matter of learning the right things in stages, and it can be easier than you might think.
A lot of German grammar comes down to learning how to distinguish between tenses that don’t match up with English and understanding irregular verbs. Plus, you need to understand things like word order and time expressions that change the way a sentence is read.
Most apps will filter out the grammar you don’t need as a beginner or lower intermediate student, and they’ll also explain things in stages so that you can progress confidently with your learning. In addition, a good app will include lots of examples to make rules clearer and more concrete. You can also use your own flashcards to reinforce these concepts – for example, using a set of cards where you note a noun on the front and its gender article (der, die or das) on the back.
Vocabulary
When it comes to German, knowing a few hundred basic words will help you get started. This vocabulary is a good starting point as it covers all the grammatical categories of the language (nominative, accusative and genitive). The more of these words you know, the easier it will be to understand advanced German.
You can also use an online lexicon, such as Deutsched or Forvo, to help you learn vocabulary and pronunciation. These sites can show you how to pronounce each German word and what English sound they correspond to. They also have practice sheets where you can enter new German words and hear their correct pronunciation.
Another great way to practice your German vocabulary is to listen to videos that are relevant to your interests. Some apps, like FluentU, have native German videos with interactive subtitles. They also have a spaced repetition app that presents you with words at increasing intervals to help you commit them to memory.
Listening
If you want to learn German at a faster pace, try listening to podcasts that have accompanying transcripts and practice exercises. This way you can focus on the specific grammar and vocabulary that’s being taught, rather than just following along with an audio recording of a native speaker.
You can also use a site like Clozemaster to train your listening comprehension with dictation-based German lessons. This is a great way to train your ability to listen and write down what you hear, and it can even help you understand spoken German better by introducing you to idioms and pronunciation.
Another good resource for listening is a podcast series called DaZPod. Episodes for upper-beginner and intermediate learners tell life-like stories with relevant, authentic German. They start off with some English, but gradually the episodes are mainly in German and feature role-playing scenarios. The podcast is no longer in production, but you can access its archives for free or pay a subscription for additional learning resources.
Reading
Reading is a great way to improve your German and it’s also one of the most fun ways to learn. Whether it’s a book on your favorite hobby, or a comic about life in Germany, you can find interesting and level-appropriate German texts to read and practice with.
It’s important to remember that learning through reading is just one method of language study, and should be used alongside listening, speaking and writing. Incorporating extensive and intensive reading into your language learning is a great way to increase your overall comprehension while practicing grammatical concepts and building vocabulary.
You’ll start by learning how to count in German, then help Jens sell the junk he found in his Oma’s basement, while picking up some new words along the way. You’ll even get to work on idioms, which can be really helpful for understanding how people speak more colloquially and can make your German sound more natural. Remembering idioms can be difficult, but they’re worth the effort once you know what they mean!