Languages

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Well, I am pretty sure that you have heard the term, “Use it or lose it.” This is particularly true when it comes to learning and mastering a new language. I was born into a multilingual and multicultural background, and I have always been interested in learning more new languages.

However, I came to realize that my German was embarrassingly rusty when I was interrailing Munich, Berlin, and Düsseldorf about two and half years ago. Apparently, I was losing my ability to use German, simply because I didn’t use it often enough to be able to master and maintain it.

Something needed to be done about my German, and I, therefore, included learning and mastering German as my New Year’s resolution. I am convinced that learning German back from scratch will benefit me more than just randomly catching up with it.

Having said that, I have developed my methods of self-study that usually work for myself in learning and mastering new languages, and German in particular. Furthermore, if you, just like me, also want to learn and master German on your own, I have included some resources that would hopefully be useful for you as well:

1. Learn the German Grammar and Usage

Learning the grammar and usage of German from scratch is a must in understanding German as a written and spoken language. There are other German grammar books available that are cheaper and more compact. However, if you are determined to learn and master German, these eTextbooks are must-reads, which include clear descriptions of all the main grammatical phenomena of German, their use, and accessible exercises. The eTextbooks also distinguish the most common forms of usage, both formal and informal.

• Hammer’s German Grammar and Usage – Routledge Reference Grammars (German Edition) 7th Edition
• Practising German Grammar – Practising Grammar Workbooks (German Edition) 4th Edition

2. Read German short stories

In my opinion, you simply cannot separate learning the German language from reading German short stories. To me, those two methods are inseparable and symbiotic, even. By reading short – and usually easy-to-understand – stories, you can learn how to use particular German words in a sentence, for instance.

• Learn German With Stories: Dino lernt Deutsch (Complete Series for Beginner)
• Learning German through Storytelling: Baumgartner & Momsen (Complete Series for Intermediate and Advanced)

3. Listen to German short story audiobooks

Learning German – or any other language – does not only involve reading but also listening. Listening to German short story audiobooks has contributed to my understanding of the German language. By listening to those German audiobooks, you can hear and listen to how sentences are being slowly and correctly spoken word by word by the author (a German native speaker), and you can repeat them as well.

4. Practise using Duolingo

I am sure that you, or at least some of you, are already familiar with Duolingo. I love it, not only because it is free but because it also continues in development, is convenient (Duolingo app), interactive, and most of all, fun. I do not believe that one can fully learn a new language only by using Dualingo and its apps, but it is a free, fun tool that is also quite capable of complementing your learning process of the German language, or any available language for that matter.

5. Read, listen, watch German Newspapers and websites

Maybe you don’t have a German relative, lover, friend, or neighbor to practice your German with. Me neither. But, remember the term I mentioned above, “Use it or lose it”. To practice your German, use it or at least get familiar with everything Germans do by reading, listening, and watching German newspapers and other websites. My favorites are ZDF and DW because they are more interactive.

• Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen (ZDF): News, Live TV
• Deutsche Welle (DW): News, Media Center, TV and Learn German
• Deutsch Lernen: Learn German online for free with DW

Bonus tips:

• Click here to buy or rent Hammer’s German Grammar and Usage or click here to buy or rent Practising German Grammar from Amazon eTextbooks.