Ich mag Deutsch

[Bjorn]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I found the entire Rosetta Stone for German for $50 and it's already installed and activated on my computer. SUPER! ^_^

That seems like a good start.

[volcaniclastic]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I'm a hands on type of person, and I find that for Spanish, owning a few grammar books and English-Spanish (or in your case, German) dictionaries really come in handy.

Memrise and Duolingo are great (Have you checked out Lingvist? Hellotalk? Lang8?) ...but they are designed to teach you intuitively. They don't teach you the why of a phrase, only the phrase itself. It's more formal, but its definitely beneficial to learn the verb conjugates around the words you're going to use - past, present, future, conditional tenses.

Also, check out podcasts. I don't know any specifically for German, but there's loads for french and spanish, so I can only assume there are also for German.

Also...keep a notebook. Get a blank book, and every time you learn a new word - write it down. It helps with long term memorization. I do that for Spanish, and I organize it by type (did I just learn a piece of furniture? into the house pile of nouns!) - a colour - a number - a place, or a set of directions? Etc.

Watch German movies, read German children's books. For Spanish, I've been reading poetry, and writing the translations above it. Listen to German music, German news, etc.

Submerse yourself.

[Jembru]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I took one year of German in 9th grade and still remember quite a bit, over 40 years later. I liked it.

Really? You have a better memory for languages than me then! I studied German for 2 years and while nowhere close to competent, I was able to do do groupwork with my classmates in German. I even sang the song I posted above in front of the class and got them all to join in, yet when I heard it again earlier, some of the words were totally alien to me now (it came back after a few plays though and now it's stuck in my head!).

I used to suspect I have something wrong with the language centres of my brain. When I quit German to pick up Japanese again, I had to go right back to basics after just a 2 year break. 6 years on my Japanese is coming along nicely but almost all my German is gone. It's really frustrating because it feels like all those hours I'd put in, and the cost of the night classes, was wasted.

[Hawkfeathers]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I took one year of German in 9th grade and still remember quite a bit, over 40 years later. I liked it.

[Jembru]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

Learn all the children's songs! When you learn a new word that's in a song you know, you'll have a bit more context for the word, they're simple enough that you can learn them even when you have a limited knowledge of the language, and they're usually catchy enough that it's like a mini lesson running through your head all day!

( I did a little googling and found this http://www.mamalisa.com/?p=235&t=ec&c=38 )

- - - Updated - - -

Learn all the children's songs! When you learn a new word that's in a song you know, you'll have a bit more context for the word, they're simple enough that you can learn them even when you have a limited knowledge of the language, and they're usually catchy enough that it's like a mini lesson running through your head all day!

( I did a little googling and found this http://www.mamalisa.com/?p=235&t=ec&c=38 )

Don't forget the BEST German kids song EVER..

[Chessa]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

Learn all the children's songs! When you learn a new word that's in a song you know, you'll have a bit more context for the word, they're simple enough that you can learn them even when you have a limited knowledge of the language, and they're usually catchy enough that it's like a mini lesson running through your head all day!

( I did a little googling and found this http://www.mamalisa.com/?p=235&t=ec&c=38 )

- - - Updated - - -

Learn all the children's songs! When you learn a new word that's in a song you know, you'll have a bit more context for the word, they're simple enough that you can learn them even when you have a limited knowledge of the language, and they're usually catchy enough that it's like a mini lesson running through your head all day!

( I did a little googling and found this http://www.mamalisa.com/?p=235&t=ec&c=38 )

[iris]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I liked learning languages... though found Latin hard. And didn't have the opportunity to learn Welsh properly (believe it or not it was only optional when I was young, whereas it is compulsory in schools here now.) I can speak and understand a bit, but not like Mr P. (There is a lovely song in Welsh in Empire of the Sun : https://youtu.be/yyf059psVew )

I am better at reading French and German than speaking it though (I still need to translate foreign history journals sometimes for my own work). I also enjoy watching foreign films in the original language. It's surprising what you pick up from that... I am starting to get a smidgin of Swedish now...

As to enjoying foreign films...so does Mr Penry. Especially Das Boot (I think he knows the uncut version by heart now and can watch without subtitles.) I hate dubbed films. One horrible example was Asterix and Obelisk Mission Cleopatra... the dubbed version just cut and missed out so much.

As Dumuzi says - never be afraid to make mistakes. On one memorable trip to Egypt I kept using my handful of words until I began to learn more that way. Plus, as my father always told me, it's polite to attempt the language. Never mind if you get it wrong, people usually appreciate the gesture.

[Tylluan Penry]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I liked learning languages... though found Latin hard. And didn't have the opportunity to learn Welsh properly (believe it or not it was only optional when I was young, whereas it is compulsory in schools here now.) I can speak and understand a bit, but not like Mr P. (There is a lovely song in Welsh in Empire of the Sun : https://youtu.be/yyf059psVew )

I am better at reading French and German than speaking it though (I still need to translate foreign history journals sometimes for my own work). I also enjoy watching foreign films in the original language. It's surprising what you pick up from that... I am starting to get a smidgin of Swedish now...

As to enjoying foreign films...so does Mr Penry. Especially Das Boot (I think he knows the uncut version by heart now and can watch without subtitles.) I hate dubbed films. One horrible example was Asterix and Obelisk Mission Cleopatra... the dubbed version just cut and missed out so much.

As Dumuzi says - never be afraid to make mistakes. On one memorable trip to Egypt I kept using my handful of words until I began to learn more that way. Plus, as my father always told me, it's polite to attempt the language. Never mind if you get it wrong, people usually appreciate the gesture.

[Jembru]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

Dumuzi has reminded me of something that helped me with Japanese. I kept (sometimes still do) a video/audio journal. This not only helped to improve my speaking away from the ears of others, but also helped me to learn the words and phrases needed to talk about my everyday life. Things I'd never learn from a text book.

Lang8 is good if you want to practice writing and get some feedback from native speakers, for the same reason; you're writing a diary, so learning the vocab most important to you. HelloTalk allows this too of course (and you can share images and audio as well as make free calls with your exchange partners, none of which lang8 can do), but it's only available on your mobile. If you like typing on a pc then lang8 is the best option at the moment. I find I write much longer posts on lang8 for some reason, but love the accessibility and social media feeling of HelloTalk.

[Dumuzi]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

Good advice in this thread!

You can also try to start with things that are useful, practical and relevant to you. You want to be able to talk about a certain 'topic'? Learn nouns, verbs and adjectives related to that topic. Then start forming sentences using the new vocabulary you learned. Then practice with someone who speaks the language.

Makes mistakes, doesn't matter, just try to express yourself with the new language you are learning. It's all about communication. With time you'll perfect your language.

[Jembru]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I recommend finding other German speakers or learners to practice with. As good as the apps and flashcards are, you'll gain fluency faster if you can take those phrases and put them into actual conversations. I don't remember a single flashcard I've written, but I remember googling the word bed to tell someone about my weekend

That's why HelloTalk is so awesome!!

[Chessa]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I recommend finding other German speakers or learners to practice with. As good as the apps and flashcards are, you'll gain fluency faster if you can take those phrases and put them into actual conversations. I don't remember a single flashcard I've written, but I remember googling the word bed to tell someone about my weekend

[anunitu]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I spoke and understood French as a kid,it was because My Grand Mother lived with us for a while. Although she could speak perfect English,she would not. She was French Canadian,originally from Paris. We kids had to learn french when she was living with us,and after she died,My Father would not allow us to speak it anymore. Use it or lose it,I can understand a little spoken french now,but not speak it anymore.

[Jembru]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I have forgotten all my German. I took night classes for a while and was in the 'advanced' class but it was pre-intermediate at best (it's just the way adult learning is organised here).

I'd really like to pick it up again at some point though. It's a beautiful language.

When I was in Germany I was teaching myself from an awesome (but very dated) audio course by Deutche Welle called Deutch Warum Nicht in which the learner follows the daily life of a German college student who has an invisible elf that follows him around and talks to him. It was good fun for a free course.

[anubisa]

Re: Ich mag Deutsch

I'm wanting to learn German too. I've got a German book and a few school books that I was able to obtain from the library. I guess it's like anything else worth learning. Just keep at it.