Self-Studying German by jt.onam 1. Jan 2010
I am a high school student, trying to self-study German. I'm not doing for college applications or anything, but for my own interest and myself. No school or learning center around my area teaches German, so it is really hard to find free German books or any teacher to maybe guide me in the right direction. Is there any advice any of you experienced learners wants to give me? | iamjenhearmeroar 3. Jan 2010
i'm doing the same thing. i'm saving up for rosetta stone, i have a book , german demystified - a self teaching guide. i really like it, you learn a good vocabulary and then work through that book. it explains all the grammar and things well, other than that you just need to memorize words which this website is perfect for. | angelia2041 5. Jan 2010
www.lingq.com with native german speakers and some tapes . To listen and speak and practise more. But I hope to improve my spoken German. A willing heart. | Stardust27 13. Jan 2010
I took a German I class my sophomore year of high school. I planned to take German II, but my school stopped the course because not enough people signed up. I never got my German II class, but surprisingly I still remember most of the basics as a current Senior. My advice is to stick with it. Make flashcards, say the words out loud, get the correct pronunciation even when it is really hard. Pronunciation is the hardest part about German. You'll feel like an idiot, but once you have the basic pronunciations down, it will be a breeze when you go to the more difficult words. :)
If you have any further questions, let me know and I will be glad to help!
Auf Weidersehen! | Anajox 31. Jan 2010
Look up the Deutsch Aktuell books. | cbrandkamp 6. Feb 2010
Here are some guidelines and reference materials for you to consider:
1. German Verb Drills. You can find this book at any book store or on line. An absolute requirement. It provides great explanations and exercises. Once you have mastered that, there is a Grammar version by the same author. If you can methodically work through these books you'll have a far better grasp of it all.
2. Listening via some kind of CD, etc. I have run through them all and for consistency, progress, overlap and retention of words and phrases, the Pimseler series is about as good as it gets. True, it's more of a 'where is the bathroom' kind of tourist phrasing/sentences, but you will be thoroughly pleased with your progress. I think we NEED that kind of progression when studying on our own.
3. You need a workbook and study guide. The ONLY one which I have found to be very useful is this: Paswort Deutsch. It's all in German and you can get them directly from their site. Now, at first blush you may be wondering how you might learn German from a German only book if you can't speak/read it yet. Oddly, it works. You will be given vocab words that you must translate, they're used in a sentence, and they're use in the texts themselves. There are two books which go together with each level. The workbook and the practice book.
4. Rosetta vs. Tell Me More. I have used both, and for my experience and needs, Tell Me More was a far better tool for taking me much further down the line to fluency than Rosetta. And that's what I'm going for. You don't see the marketing blitz for Tell Me More, but look up some of the reviews on it. I believe you can also get a trial. Like Rosetta, it will cost you a few bucks, but if you stick with it, it will deliver for you.
5. Lastly. Daily routine. I commute on the bus to work and that half hour each way is my German time. I'm either working the workbooks (forcing myself to write my new words in a sentence), listening to Pimselr, or learning verbs. Doesn't matter, just hide yourself in a closet for no less than an hour a day (again, two half-hour stints are just as good). You've got to get this into your brain.
Hope this helps.
Chris | timbod 24. Feb 2010
Podcasts are great. I can highly recommend "Slow German" by Annik Rubens and "Slowly spoken news" (langsam gesprochene Nachrichten) by Deutsche Welle. | sparroe 6. Mar 2010
Listening to radio stations or watching tv from Germany (over the internet) can be a great way to add some variety to your learning routine, and also give you a better feel for context, slang, culture, talking speed and rhythm, and accents. Also, if you find a good course that works for you, stick with it as far as it goes, because it can be really frustrating to go from one course to another, when each covers things at different times, and you're half-bored, half-confused most of the time. | josephpeterson 25. Mar 2010
I am in the same place...I'm a freshman and already had a basic knowledge of German for several years, but I really want to know more - like you, with no specific reason other than interest. I must say that this website is the best thing I've found. Just learn the words and then use them! Also, German: How to Speak and Write It is a good book for beginners, but you can get bogged down with unnecessary words and archaic language after the beginning of the book. Good Luck! | heiss8 26. Mar 2010
These are all very good ideas! For me it has been a mixture of many different things and this flashcard site helps tons! I started with Rosetta stone but there is SO much it doesn't teach you and can make things confusing when you start learning rules and such but it is a good visual one. Another good visual for watching the way the mouth moves with the language is not only podcasts and deutsch tv which are awesome - but also youtube - mostly singers, and there is a deutschland itunes if you change the country, then find good music, then see if it is sold on the USA itunes. One of my favs is SIlbermond, and they also have a podcast and on youtube which is one of the best for getting some good almost in germany experience. I also listen to music and try and memorize and learn simple phrases. You could also go online and get books from college courses and use them without the instructor but after two college courses I took - I actually found about.com to be more easily understood and it was the same info from class so I know it is a well done source and it has quizes and everything. My kids love to watch kinder on youtube and they are picking things up faster than me! Hope this helps! Lots of luck! | must041968 23. Dec 2010
http://leicht-deutsch-lernen.com/ | kahne9riggs10 24. Dec 2010
livemocha.com also allows you to practice speaking and writing languages and native speakers correct your errors. |
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