Learning German can be challenging; acquiring any language requires a substantial amount of time, effort, and sometimes financial investment. You may wonder, “Why should I learn German?” “Is learning German worth it?”
Yes, it is! In many ways, actually. For starters, speaking a foreign language opens up a wide range of job prospects. Employers appreciate seeing foreign language proficiency on potential applicants’ resumes. And, with German being one of the most spoken languages in Europe and the 11th most spoken language in the world, it’s evident that it’s a great way to improve your employment possibilities!
Outside of work, knowing German will be pretty beneficial. Remember that it is not only spoken in Germany; it is also an official language in Switzerland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, and parts of Italy. Overall, understanding another language opens up six additional countries where you can easily travel and make new acquaintances! You should check out our article on the 7 finest places to learn German in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria to see for yourself!
Of course, with fluency in German, you can study abroad in any nation that offers German-language programs. As you can see, learning to speak German is an excellent way to foster personal growth in various contexts.
Where to Start Learning German if You Are a Beginner?
Now that we’ve established that learning German is a good idea, you may be wondering what the next steps are: how do you begin learning German as a beginner? You might also wonder, “How long will it take me to learn German?” We’ve got you covered: keep reading for 5 simple ideas on how to start learning German.
1. Learn Basic German Vocabulary to Be Able to Communicate
To learn basic German, you must begin practicing the language as soon as possible—but how can you do so if you don’t know any words? You don’t need to remember the entire vocabulary to begin speaking German with others. It’s also good to make mistakes; just get started, and you’ll develop and master your German over time! Here are some areas you should focus on when learning German for beginners:
The alphabet
It may appear that you never use the alphabet, but keep in mind that you must know letters in any language to inform others how to spell your name, email address, or social network handles, which may easily occur when you begin making new acquaintances! You should also understand when others spell their contact information for you. To start speaking German as quickly as possible, it’s important to understand the pronunciation of German letters, including those that are unique to German, such as ß (Eszett or scharfes S) or vowels “mit Umlaut” (Ü or Ä). You should also make use of this opportunity to teach German to your kids if you have any!
Numbers
Now you have your new friend’s name and email address, but what about their phone number? Numbers are an important part of every language, including beginning German. Make sure you know how to pronounce them and rehearse them so you can comprehend when someone tells you their phone number in German – they often babble without realizing it!
Greetings and phrases to introduce yourself
You may now acquire contact information for any new German friends you meet, which is fantastic! But first, you’ll need to meet some individuals! Knowing basic greetings and how to introduce yourself in German is vital. You may find numerous instructional videos, podcasts, and websites that can educate you on how to do this. Focus on quality rather than quantity: there may be a dozen distinct ways to inquire “How are you?” in German, but do you need to know them all? It’s better to express two things adequately than to learn twelve poorly.
Study, Learn, and Remember Basic German Grammar Rules
When studying German for beginners, the grammar can appear intimidating, but don’t worry! You can begin practicing German in real life by learning a few essential grammar elements. Here are some of them:
2. Formal or informal?
While English only has one pronoun for addressing someone — “you” — German has two. “Sie” is used to show respect to strangers or in formal contexts, but “du” is used for persons with whom you have a more personal relationship. It’s critical to use the polite form “Sie” with new Germans you meet (especially those who are older than you) to show them respect and get your relationship off on the right foot.
All nouns have gender-specific articles.
What genders do you think forks, knives, and spoons would be? In German, a spoon is masculine, a knife is neutral, and a fork is feminine! Yes, German nouns have three potential genders. If you want your beginner language learning trip to go as smoothly as possible, you should start paying attention to the suitable articles for each word right away. It can be incredibly tough to rectify mistakes that have become established in your memory after several years of language instruction!
Basic sentence word order
A beginner German learner may be surprised to hear that German verbs are typically the second part of a sentence. If you have the line “Ich weiß das” (“I know that”), you can express it in backwards word order as “Das weiß ich” (roughly “that knows I”. The crucial thing is that the verb remains in the second position of the sentence. If you get familiar with this German language principle, you will find it much easier to arrange words in the correct order to form simple German phrases.
3. Concentrate on Listening and Reading More Than the Other Competencies
Of course, all four language skills—speaking, writing, reading, and listening—are essential. However, while you’re just getting started, you may be patient with yourself. Speaking and writing will help you progress in the language and establish German friends, but they are also more difficult. As a beginner German learner, you want to avoid overwhelming yourself while simultaneously expanding your German vocabulary as much as possible. One of the best ways to achieve this is to read books and listen to podcasts designed for novice language learners. At the same time, you are strengthening your ability to understand what native German speakers are saying, which is extremely important if you want to communicate with others! To execute this step as efficiently as possible, write down the new words you read or hear, together with their context, and review them frequently to ensure that you have learned them well.
4. Practice With a Teacher or a Website That Can Guide You
While all of these language learning strategies will undoubtedly help you learn German for beginners, there is one thing that may benefit you more than all of them combined: a quality language teacher or website that can assist you through the language learning process. You can practice speaking and writing all you want, but if you overlook your mistakes, you’ll never be able to speak German fluently. Native speakers are frequently too polite to correct language learners, so it’s preferable to practice a few hours per week with a certified language teacher who can ensure you’re talking successfully in German.
A well-designed language website can be equally, if not more, effective! Suppose the online platform offers customized feedback from language specialists. In that case, you will have all of the benefits of private lessons with a teacher, as well as the convenience of being able to study on your schedule and from wherever you want, whether at home, at work, or even on vacation. It may seem impossible to locate a website that includes all of these characteristics. We’re glad to inform you that you’ve just found one! Continue reading to discover why Language Learning is one of the most effective ways to learn introductory German.
Learn German with Language Learnings
One of the simplest ways to study beginner German is through Language Learnings, an e-learning approach created by us. It enables beginners and intermediate students to study German (together with four other languages: English, Spanish, French, and Italian) quickly and easily online. The languages are classified into levels based on the CEFR criteria and require at least 12 study hours to complete (except for English, which takes 25). This should enable you to easily learn any language and compare it to German or other languages.
Here’s Why Language Learnings is the Best Way to learn German
When learning German as a beginner, you want to employ a method that is energetic, exciting, accurate, and simple to understand – and our German teaching approach is just that! Students who learn with us leave with a firm and comprehensive understanding of the language, as well as the confidence and skills to start using it immediately. Language Learnings allows you to learn German remotely, from anywhere. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll be alone on your journey—our team of trained German language coaches will be with you the entire time, providing valuable feedback and ensuring you’re on the correct path.
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