How to Learn German

I know what you're thinking, "Learning German is hard." Well, it is not as hard as you think. Once you figure out some basic vocabulary and grammar rules, studying German becomes much easier. Plus, Germany and its adjacent countries have such a rich history and culture that learning the language can be really fun! So whether you need to learn German for business or for pleasure, here are ten tips for becoming fluent in this beautiful language.

1. Set concrete goals

To get the most out of your German learning experience, it’s important to set concrete goals. You can do this by asking yourself the following four questions:

1. What am I trying to achieve?
2. How will I know when I have achieved it?
3. When do I want this goal met?
4. How will my life be different once I have achieved my goal (e.g., being able to buy groceries and order dinner in German, being able to speak with native speakers, etc.)?

Be sure to revisit your goals often so that you can see how far you came. The important thing is to change your goals if necessary. It is difficult to achieve your goals if you continue to move the goal post.

2. Learn the rules of German pronunciation

German is a phonetic language, which means that the spelling of words corresponds exactly to how they are pronounced. There's no need to memorize hundreds of arbitrary rules for pronouncing German words; instead you should be able to learn the basic rules quickly and easily as you go along:

1. Vowels are pronounced just as they are in English: a [a], ä [æ], e [e], i [i], o [o], u [u]. The only difference is that in German, vowels have different sounds when they occur at the end of a word (not preceded by another vowel). For example, the word "schön" ends with an open-fronted sound ([ɛ]) while "schöner" ends with an open-back sound ([ø]).
2. Consonants are pronounced differently from English in some cases: c = ts or tz when before e or i; ch = k; d = t when it occurs after long vowels except ä ; f = v ; g = k ; h = h when it occurs at the beginning of words (this is not common).
3. Start off with general rules about vowels and consonants and you can worry about exceptions to the rules later down the line.

3. Practice your German with native speakers and other students

One of the best ways to test your German knowledge is by practicing it with native speakers and other learners. Here are three ways you can do that:

1. Practice with a teacher, tutor or language exchange partner. I recommend using iTalki because you can support tutors while they teach you what they know about German. If you have access to an experienced teacher, take advantage of their knowledge and skills by asking them how they would teach this topic.
2. Read German newspapers online, or in print. Comment on articles with your friends in either German or English.
3. Listen to German music on YouTube, Spotify or another platform. Share any content you find valuable on social media if possible because it can show some accountability if people know you are learning German, they can support you on your journey!

4. Learn German nouns, verbs, and pronouns, and more

You need to learn some basics first. You can start with nouns, verbs, pronouns, and more.

Learning these basics will help you understand what Germans are saying to you. It'll also help you talk with other Germans in German!

Once you've got the basics down pat—or at least somewhat under your belt—you can expand your vocabulary by learning new verbs. I recommend spending more time learning verbs because they involve action, and actions tend to be easily retained in your memory. This is important so that when you talk about something you want or need from a shop owner or restaurant server, for example, you will be able to describe exactly what you want or need without using any English!

5. Talk to others who are learning German

Another good way to learn German is to practice it with others. You have plenty of opportunities for this since there are so many people learning German all over the world. You can find people to talk with in person or online:

1. Your classmates. Germans and non-Germans in your language class will be happy to help you improve your language skills if you are willing to help them improve theirs.
2. German speakers. Those who live in Germany or another country where the language is spoken natively (Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg), as well as those who emigrated from these countries and still keep in touch through social media or phone.
3. Friends. People who speak only English and want to understand a little bit more about German culture using the German language!

6. Build vocabulary and grammar skills in small pieces

Learning a new language is difficult, so you need to take it slow. Start off with just a few words every day and learn them well. When you're learning a language, it's important to look for patterns in the language that are similar across different words. For example, many German nouns have gender—one of masculine (der), feminine (die), or neuter (das)—which makes learning nouns easier because all of them follow this pattern! You can also use flashcards to help you memorize words; try making some cards yourself or using one of the many free tools available on the internet today like Memrise or Duolingo's dictionary system which allows you to see translations while reading German articles or listening to podcasts.

You should also make sure that when studying your vocabulary lists that they're in context so that when you encounter these words again later they'll be familiar with their meaning already established in your mind rather than having an abstract understanding based solely on definitions alone

7. Listen to German music and TV shows

You can also just listen to German music and TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and radio.

Some of the best ways to do this are:

1. Listening to German music
2. Listening to German TV shows
3. Listening to a podcast about a topic you're interested in (e.g., history or politics) in German

8. Read easy books in German

Reading easy books in German is the best way to get started learning a language. It’s also a great way to stay motivated and learn faster.

You can find plenty of excellent books for beginners on Amazon or at your local library. Here are some tips for finding books that will be easy for you:

1. Read books that interest you. If it’s math, physics, or computer science—great! Even if it isn’t your favorite subject, choose something interesting enough to keep you engaged while reading in German.
2. Make sure the book is written in simple language. Short sentences with understandable words will go a long way. The more advanced your reading skills become over time, longer sentences and harder vocabulary words will not be a problem. A book series I recommend is Short Stories in German for Beginners by Olly Richards. When starting out, it makes sense to read texts designed especially for learners like yourself so they won't be too difficult or intimidating right away!
3. Find German translations of your favorite books. You may also want to consider using audiobooks if listening rather keeps your attention better than just looking at words on paper—this can make comprehension much easier once again because spoken language tends toward simpler forms than written dialogue.

9. Work hard on conjugation, declension, and word order

German has a reputation for being one of the hardest languages to learn. Here are some tips to help you master German conjugation, declension and word order:

1. Learn the rules of German pronunciation. The first step in learning any language is learning its sounds and how those sounds interact with each other. Once you get these down, everything else will fall into place more easily. This may seem like a daunting task at first—if it does, then don't worry! There are plenty of resources available online that can help explain what's going on in each letter combination as well as show how words are pronounced in general situations.
2. Practice with native speakers and other students. One great way to improve your pronunciation is by practicing with native speakers if your accent is not perfect yet (you will never sound like a native, so focus on sounding understandable). Another way is by talking with other learners who are also trying their best at speaking the language too—we've all been there at some point! It's nice knowing that someone else understands what we are going through while we both try our hardest not only at pronouncing words but also understanding them when spoken back by others who might not speak German or English fluently yet either.

10. Learn how to use prepositions carefully in German

In English, prepositions are words that describe the location of something. For example, "She is at home." In German, prepositions are used differently.

They are used to describe the time of an event and/or when it will happen:

1. Heute Morgen (this morning)
2. Morgen Abend (tomorrow evening)
3. Morgen Nachmittag (tomorrow afternoon)

Ask for help when needed! The best way for me personally has always been practicing with native speakers, and they would correct plenty of my mistakes along the way which have helped me improve my skills faster than I would have otherwise.

Learn from your mistakes by practicing. If you are interested in mastering the language, don't be afraid to use it—even if only with yourself! You will be surprised at what your brain can retain when you overcome your inhibitions or fear of embarrassment holding you back from having fun with speaking German.

You are just starting out, so do not be afraid to try different methods. One method might work better for you than another, and that is okay! It is also important not to get discouraged if you don't learn quickly. Know yourself, and take it one step at a time.