It is difficult to imagine learning German without using textbooks. And if you have just started learning, then you won’t be able to do without them.
Hello, dear friends. My name is Alena Kirpicheva, I have been teaching German for about 12 years. Recently, several people have joined me on Skype who, in principle, are not going to study with a tutor; they would like to learn German on their own.
They simply ask for advice - where to start, what to tackle and, in general, where, so to speak, to run, and where not to run.
Where to start?
So, you’ve decided to learn German on your own. The first thing I would recommend is to take some kind of TEXTBOOK as a basis. It would seem a simple solution, but, nevertheless, for some reason, not everyone decides to start with choosing a textbook.
For myself, I have long divided German language textbooks into two types: textbooks published in Germany and prepared directly by native speakers, and textbooks published in Russia. Both of them have both disadvantages and advantages.
German textbooks are aimed at developing speaking skills. In them you will find real German speech and colloquial phrases. Grammar is taken without fail and it is immediately applied in conversation. I love Themen neu, Delfin, Schritte. But what, in my opinion, is a drawback of German textbooks is that the grammar is not always worked out properly.
Those. Exercises to develop grammatical skills are not always enough. This deficiency, however, can be more than compensated for by using some Russian textbook. This is where you will find “grammar heaven”. Lots of different exercises and translations.
Everything is aimed at developing and consolidating grammatical skills. But, unfortunately, this has nothing to do with speaking skills, and the vocabulary is most often outdated.
In my opinion, the best thing is to combine German and Russian textbooks. I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to study on my own “from scratch” using German textbooks - everything there is in German, oddly enough. So if you are a complete beginner, it makes sense to start by using some Russian manual. Everything is laid out there in great detail. Well, then you still need to combine them.
Phonetics
Don't neglect phonetics! Your pronunciation is what the interlocutor hears first of all and from which, in fact, he gets the first impression of your command of the language.
Tell me, whose speech will be easier for you to understand: a person who has good pronunciation and few grammatical errors, or someone who has terrible pronunciation but excellent grammar? I find it easier with the first one. I agree, the opinion is controversial. But still. I would say “they greet you by pronunciation, but see you off by grammar” :)
Yes, repeating words after the announcer is not the most exciting activity. But, firstly, this will serve you as an excellent training in reading rules at the initial stage. And secondly, this will save you from detailed reading of the “introductory phonetic course”, which is found in almost all domestic self-teaching books.
I like the pronunciation books Middleman Doris „Sprechen Hören Sprechen”, Gerhard G.S. Bunk „Phonetik aktuell”, Assimil publishing house “German without labor today” (“Deutsch ohne Mühe heute”). Everything is clear, there are exercises for every sound. So, we’ve chosen a textbook, we’re practicing pronunciation...
Grammar
As for grammar, everything is simple: any tutorial contains a lot of everything for training grammatical structures.
But, you can use something additional. I like the domestic ones Alieva S.K. “German grammar in tables and diagrams”, Ovchinnikova A.V., Ovchinnikov A.F. “500 exercises on grammar”, Tagil I.P. "Deutsche Grammatik in Übungen" and "Deutsche Grammatik". I really like the last two books - everything is very detailed, there are a lot of exercises for each rule.
There are also a lot of grammar books from German publishing houses: Chr. Lemke and L. Rohrmann „Grammatik Intensivtrainer A2″, S. Dinsel and S. Geiger „Großes Übungsbuch Grammatik”, naturally, Dreyer Schmitt „Lehr- und Übungsbuch der deutschen Grammatik”. I wouldn’t recommend starting with it: there is a lot of unfamiliar vocabulary for a beginner. But it will definitely come in handy in the future.
Vocabulary
Learning words is perhaps one of the most pressing issues when learning German. How to determine the gender of a noun? Are there any rules governing this issue? Dear friends, yes, there are some rules. You will also find them in the above-mentioned books.
But, I’m afraid that such rules as, for example, “names of natural phenomena (winds, precipitation) are masculine” or “all nouns with the ending “-ung” are feminine” and two dozen other similar ways of determining the gender of nouns are not they will always be able to help you. Therefore, the gender of nouns MUST BE LEARNED. Deal with it.
Der - Die - Das
Every German noun has an article (which depends on its gender). Let's remember articles with the help of a fun game. Can you complete all the levels?
But the most important thing is to practice vocabulary in conversation. Here we smoothly approach the topic of speaking skills.
Conversation Skill
Well then. It seems like we learned everything - the first 40 words, a couple of grammatical rules, and practiced pronunciation. In general, we armed ourselves. So now comes the most important part. We need to start talking. For a conversation you need an interlocutor. Since you are learning the language on your own, you don't have many options. Your first interlocutor is yourself. Yes, first you will have to TALK TO YOURSELF.
Firstly, you will always listen to yourself (as they say, it’s always nice to talk to an intelligent person), you will not rush and you will be able to complete your sentence without fuss, calmly. Secondly, you simply have no other options to begin with. Start simple. Describe everything that is around you, everything that is happening.
For example, you have mastered the construction „Das ist ein(e) …”, did the exercises. Let’s start training: walk around the apartment and say: "This is a table, this is a chair, this is a cup, this is a spoon". Bring a dictionary with you to look up unfamiliar words. 🙂
You have learned several verbs and their conjugations - describe what you are doing: “I wash the dishes. The cup is here. Mom is talking on the phone". It's simple. Don't build long sentences right away. Work within the grammatical rules you have already covered. And gradually, expanding your vocabulary, learning new grammatical rules, complicate your sentences.
Describe everything that happens around you, what you see and hear. In general, gradually increase your momentum. This way you will understand the memorization of articles (especially when cases begin) and grammar. A monologue speech will be built.
For dialogic speech, still look for a real interlocutor. The forums are full of people looking for someone to talk to in their target language. Go there, you will find a lot of friends. Again, Skype opens up many new opportunities. You can find native speakers, just pleasant conversationalists.
Let's celebrate! In principle, I believe that a tutor, by and large, is needed to teach how to speak. This is an interlocutor who will correct mistakes. You can handle grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation yourself, although it will certainly be easier with a tutor.
I think at this point I would like to put a comma in my thoughts on this topic. There are still some points that I would like to highlight. But I will leave them for the next article. Any questions? Feel free to write in the comments!
The manual consists of two parts: a tutorial and a phrasebook.
The self-instruction manual presents grammatical rules in simple, accessible language, and also provides exercises to consolidate vocabulary and grammar. While studying grammar, you simultaneously learn many words and expressions that are useful in everyday life using examples.
In the phrasebook you will find a range of topics for new acquaintances, friendly conversations and everyday communication.
At the end of the manual there is a list of Internet sites where you can find a lot of interesting information about Germany, the Germans and their culture. The manual is intended for everyone who wants to learn German.
CONTENT
Preface 4
Grammar
Reading and pronunciation 6
Article 9
Noun 12
Adjective 17
Pronoun 24
Verb 28
Number 53
Preposition 56
Adverb 67
Basics of word formation 71
Simple sentence 84
Complex sentence 94
Test 98
Answers to exercises 100
Phrasebook
Speech etiquette 112
Conversational situations 115
Time, days of the week, months, seasons 122
Nature and weather 127
Dating 138
Flirting 147
Work 152
Hobby 158
In the city 162
Museums and theaters 169
Transport 176
At customs 199
In the bank 202
At hotel 204
In store 210
In the restaurant 230
Sports 243
In the hairdressing and beauty salon 252
Religion 255
Medical assistance 260
Internet Guide 269
Reading and pronunciation.
Learning to read German is not difficult. You should pay attention to only a few features. Features of reading consonants:
- The letter h at the beginning of a word or root is read as an aspirated x: Herz (heart). In the middle and at the end of words, it is not read, but serves to lengthen the previous vowel: fahren (to ride), froh (cheerful, joyful).
- The letter j is pronounced like y, and in combinations ja and jit the Russian ear hears ya and yu: Jahr (year), Juni (June).
- The letter I is always softened when read: Blume (flower).
- The sound g is pronounced by most Germans with a burr: Re gen (rain).
- The letter s before or between vowels is read as z: Sonne (sun), lesen (read).
- The letter fi is read as s: grofi (big).
- The consonants k, p, t are pronounced with some aspiration: Park (park), Torte (cake), Koffer (suitcase).
- The letter v is pronounced like f: Vater (father). Only in rare cases (most often in borrowed words) is it pronounced as in: Vase (vase).
- The letter w is read like the Russian sound in: Wort (word).
- Double consonants are read as single consonants, but at the same time they shorten the vowel in front: Sommer (summer), Mutter (mother).
Download the e-book for free in a convenient format, watch and read:
Download the book German for beginners, Self-instruction manual, Phrasebook, Groshe Yu.V., 2008 - fileskachat.com, fast and free download.
Download pdf
Below you can buy this book at the best price with a discount with delivery throughout Russia.
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German is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and is spoken in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and other countries. Germany is a country with a developed economy, an interesting history and a bunch of beautiful cities. This means that German can be useful both for business and work, and for exciting travel.
website I have collected for you the best resources for learning the language of Goethe, Nietzsche and Til Schweiger. Das ist Fantastisch, isn't it?
- Deutsch-online - here you can download several options for video, audio and online courses to choose from. In addition, the site is full of additional material that will help you learn the language in a fun way: games, exercises, tests, German radio and online television.
- Deutsch.info is a multilingual site that combines German lessons with practical advice about living and working in Germany and Austria.
- Speakasap - free and paid courses with audio and video accompaniment and exercises.
- Englishonlinefree - suitable for beginners: there are reading rules, basic grammar, a phrase book, short videos, books and other materials.
- Lingvister is an online school for learning German and other languages via Skype with extensive speech practice.
- Deutsche-welt - on the site you can find online courses, as well as many collections of courses, articles and dictionaries of the German language.
- Study.ru - the resource offers systematic online lessons, video lessons, audio books, tests, useful articles, interesting collections of words and phrases, and song lyrics.
German on social networks
Communication with native speakers
- Livemocha is a popular social network for everyone who studies foreign languages. Training is based on the principle “if you help, they will help you.” Lessons and exercises are offered, the accuracy of which is checked by native speakers. And here you can simply communicate with other users in German.
- Busuu is a virtual community for learning German and other foreign languages. On the website or in the mobile application, you can learn words and video chat with other members of the social network.
- MyLanguageExchange - the site makes it possible to find a foreign interlocutor who is interested in learning your native language. Then you can talk to him on any topic in text or voice chat.
- Lang-8 - here native speakers will help you correct mistakes in writing: you write the text, and foreign users correct mistakes and comment. Useful when preparing presentations and important letters.
Mobile applications
- Hellotalk - simply choose the language you want to learn (more than 100 languages are available) and immediately meet native speakers of that language.
- Duolingo is a free app with well-organized and user-friendly content, perfect for beginners.
- Tunein is an application for listening to the radio.
Blogs
- De-speak is a Russian-language blog of a German language teacher with a large number of video lessons, audio lessons, articles and topics.
- Claudi um di e Welt is an interesting blog of a traveler from Germany in German with stories about different countries and good photographs.
- Berlin Ick liebe dir - blog about Berlin in German. As the authors of the blog write, “a blog for Berliners, for those who love Berlin, and for those who want to live in it.” News about city cultural events, colorful reports about restaurants, exhibitions and nightclubs, stories about interesting people.
Dictionaries and vocabulary
- Multitran is a simple and convenient dictionary with a large number of words. The local community of translators will suggest translation of a complex expression or a rare word.
- Languageguide - the site will allow you to master basic vocabulary. Hover your cursor over an item and you'll hear the correct German pronunciation of the word or phrase.
30% of people “fail” at language courses. They give up because there is no time, it is difficult, there is no more energy, or because interest has disappeared. Why? It's simple. Outdated teaching methods that work against our brains. So how can you learn German quickly and forever?
With a systematic approach, you can learn German to an advanced level (that is, free and fluent communication on any topic, level C1) in 12-17 months, without living in the country of the language. System training includes:
- Set a language learning goal and go towards it
- Find a teacher or courses that fit your goal. No independent learning, otherwise it will take years to reach your goal
- Presence of success factors
Now about each point separately.
1. Set a language learning goal and go towards it
First you need to determine what level you have now and what level you want to reach. If the level is beginner, and for your purposes you need to master the intermediate level, then the learning time will be significantly reduced to several months. The same goes if you have an intermediate level and want to reach advanced.
The second important point is to set yourself a time frame. By what time do I want to reach my desired level? What specific date and month? A time limit is an excellent motivator not to put things off until later, but to get busy, despite the rush at work, illness, holidays and lack of mood. The goal should have a specific date that you will strive for.
2. Find a teacher or courses
Classes at a language school and with private tutors can be divided into three types:
First type: The pace of classes is slow
To get an entry level, you need to attend for at least six months. Then another two years to master the intermediate level. The courses are usually inexpensive, but to achieve an intermediate level, you need to take 4-6 courses. The total is not cheap, and a lot of time is spent. This is the most common type of language school not only in Russia, but also in Germany.
Second type: The pace of classes is medium or fast
You will have to adapt to this pace. If you missed a couple of weeks due to a cold, you will have a lot of catching up to do. Most often on your own. No one will return money for absence from classes (at least without a medical certificate). There is no individual approach. I have also met tutors who worked at their own rhythm, moving on to the next topic even when the student had not yet mastered the previous one. This rush is especially common when the deadline for taking a test or exam is approaching. Although, in my opinion, it does not justify the tutor’s decision to move on.
Third type: The pace of classes is determined individually
Here the student pays not for the time spent studying, but for the result. For comparison: In the first type of courses we are told – “ Pay for six months and go to classes". Theoretically, in six months you can master half of the initial A1 course. At least that's what it says in the description. But if you don’t master it, you’ll have to repeat the course.
In the third type of classes it is proposed to pay for the result - “ Want an intermediate level? Please. Pay once and study until you learn everything. As much time as needed.“Some people manage in three months, while others need eight, because they work two jobs and because they have to pass the exam. But the price for both the first and second cases one, and the rhythm of classes is chosen individually. There are very few such schools, but they do exist.
How do you know what type of school is right for you? It all depends on your life situation, ability and willingness to learn the language. You need to determine how much time you have per day and per week to study the language. Not only in courses, but also independently at home. You also need to evaluate at what pace it would be most comfortable to practice. You can also attend trial classes on several courses and choose the most suitable ones. If there are no language schools in your city or it’s a long way to get to them, you can use the services of online schools. Online courses today are not inferior in quality. And you don't have to go anywhere.
3. Presence of success factors
There are a number of factors that will help determine whether you can learn a language quickly and permanently in the place or with the teacher you are currently studying with. These factors play a key role.
Variety of educational materials
At the initial stage, you can study one basic and one grammar. But as the language level increases, the materials should expand - texts, videos, games, discussion training, projects, etc. Materials must be up-to-date, no copies from textbooks of the last century.
Selective Grammar Study
I've gone through all the German grammar, but in truth I only use 30-40% of the structures from the grammar books. In other words, like most Germans. No one uses all the rules described in the Helbig und Buscha grammar. It is important to train only 30-40%, and the rest to practice only for understanding, if suddenly it comes up somewhere. To quickly learn German, you don’t need to overload yourself with unnecessary information, otherwise the study will take a long time and the effect will be small.
Selective vocabulary
The logic is the same here - we don’t learn everything, but concentrate on common words and expressions. First of all, we train the words that we use in current topics (everyday affairs and a couple of specialized topics related to work and profession). First of all, we practice expressing our thoughts on these topics.
Learning spoken language
No expressions from the classics of German literature, no outdated words. Reading German literature is good, but learning German from it is not relevant.
Germans' eyebrows go up when they hear from a foreigner some literary phrase that they themselves have never heard before, and they are even more surprised by the question - “What, don’t you say that? And Thomas Mann wrote so!”
It is clear that before there were no other sources of original German texts, but now there is plenty of material, both textual, audio and video.
Control
Not just at the end of the course. And not just written. And not only the official one. The teacher must monitor and record any progress of the student in order to react in time if something was not learned.
Feel constant personal progress
For example, you study with a tutor for a month or go to courses. What can you do in a month? Just say hello, introduce yourself and say goodbye? Or not only that, but also talk about yourself, your family and work, place an order in a restaurant, ask directions from a passerby and talk about the weather with your German neighbor on the plane? Do you feel the difference?
Motivation
Having set a goal for learning a language, we are already interested in studying regularly and completing assignments on time. But sometimes this is not enough. Therefore, the teacher must not only convey knowledge, but also motivate in various ways - from an interesting story about Germany to time limits for submitting homework. However, do not forget to motivate yourself personally. For example, you could wear a German flag bracelet or keychain as a reminder to exercise every day. Or the opportunity to write your first greeting card in German after completing this topic. You need to think about what can motivate and encourage you to study the language regularly.
Individual approach
To learn German or any other language, you definitely need to take into account an individual approach. There are language courses with a group of 15 people or more. Here you can hardly hope that the teacher will regularly monitor the personal progress of each student. Most often, if the majority of the group has understood the material, the teacher moves on to the next topic. What if you're in the minority? Still don't understand the topic and want some more explanations and exercises? What if you were not present for previous classes? What if you remember visual images better, but the teacher gives only text? Some people find it easier to learn words separately, while others remember them in context. How to tailor classes to suit yourself?
Ideally, the teacher leads the class based on the students' goals, using everything, and goes through the topic until all participants understand it.
I wish you to learn German quickly, quickly and well, well, so that you no longer sit over textbooks, but enjoy the result!
Good luck to everyone!
10 tips on how to learn German quickly and forever was last modified: November 2nd, 2018 by Catherine
