If you decide to take up the study of the German language, then this will be a very good decision, because now you have the opportunity to get the necessary skills really quickly. Of course, as in learning your native language, you will need to get familiar with grammar. This language has a considerable number of interesting rules and writing features that will not be easy for us to understand, but gradually you will delve more and more into how it works in general. In addition, you will need to study the lexical features of German. If in English the problem will be the study of a large number of tenses with all their features, then there are much fewer difficulties and they are given to those who wish much easier. Please note that modern teaching methods are always tied to your ability to speak and express yourself, which is never superfluous, so learning dialogues will be an important part of learning.
Opportunities for obtaining new knowledge will be very large. For example, no one says that it is impossible to learn German on your own. Now there are a large number of specialists who literally fought so that everyone could do it on their own without attending professional courses and at the same time very high quality. You will find a large number of benefits and a very large number of useful tips, materials, techniques. If you really aim at high-quality language learning, then self-study will not cause any problems at all. I would like to note that a lot of useful materials on the German language can be found at http://deutsch-sprechen.ru/, these are dialogues, topics, video tutorials for beginners. At the same time, if it is more convenient for you, you can attend specialized courses where you will study in a group and under the supervision of an experienced teacher. This is not to say that this will be an ideal solution for everyone, but if this is the option you really like, then there is no reason to waste time. Do not forget, also, about the possibility of learning a language with a tutor, whose services are not expensive now, but continue to be very high quality and useful. Individual lessons will always bring one continuous benefit and you will really be satisfied with the work done. This method of learning a language is the most reliable and effective, because this option is preferred by many.
Learning a new German language shouldn't be a big problem if you do it diligently and thoroughly. It cannot be said that all these methods were created and implemented so simply, but gradually the specialists were really able to achieve real success, which means you can too. Now you have access to the knowledge, methods and advice of people who have studied this area for many years, introducing new approaches. Pay attention to the fact that often the impossibility of learning a language qualitatively lies precisely in the plane of your efforts. It cannot be said that this is always the case, but most of the examples in which a person could not master German for many years is based on the fact that little time was devoted to this, and what was allocated was spent inefficiently. Watch how you approach learning, otherwise it’s not worth mentioning distance learning, which has really received very good positions and attracts a huge number of very different people. With the help of the famous program of free calls on the Internet Skype, tutoring classes in a variety of languages have been held for quite a long time and, of course, you will also find tutors here for learning German. If you are new to the modern heights of development in this area, then you are unlikely to be able to immediately trust local specialists, but you can read the reviews of those who have already used these opportunities for their own benefit and make sure that it really works very well. Distance teaching via Skype has been carried out for several years at a very high quality level and a large number of people have been trained who previously did not speak foreign languages at all, but now they cope with them at a very high level, have mastered not only basic knowledge, but also full-fledged conversational skills .
In any case, if you decide to take up the study of German, then you will find a large number of opportunities for this, but if you only pretend that you would like to work on yourself, you will constantly come up with a variety of reasons for working in the right the direction was delayed so that you would not burden yourself with something new once again. Such knowledge will be useful to everyone, so seek professional help.
Judging by the already closed and archived voting on the site, a fairly decent number of readers do not speak German (on the last day of the survey, this figure was 38%). It's time to change it!
Based on this and the wishes of some readers to raise this topic, it was decided to write an article about interesting options for learning the German language. It is options, not methods!
In the article I will try to tell you about the ways of immersing in the language that I know and that seem interesting to me.
Maybe you will learn something new for yourself. I think it will be interesting.
What are the alternatives?
The first thing that comes to mind when it comes to learning a language is:
- School;
- Self-learning;
- Strict tutor;
- Language courses in your city;
Standard, but, you see, relatively boring, or rather ordinary, ways. Of course, no one argues that they are also effective, but, for example, I remember how the university classes were not very entertaining and were reduced to one cramming of words and phrases.
I know that this is a mandatory step and that it needs to be done, but how nice it is to “absorb” the language when you yourself are interested, fun, curious, when there is a goal: why should you master a foreign language as soon as possible.
Therefore, we expand our list with the following items:
- Preparatory language courses at the university;
- Go to or Austria;
- Go on the Au-Pair program;
- Become a volunteer for any other program;
- Register on Couchsurfing.org;
- Become someone's "buddy" in your city.
Let's go through them in order.
Preparatory language courses at the university
An option due to a frantic desire to study in Germany or Austria. Here you have the language, and immersion in a new culture and the university where you are most likely to study in the future.
For Germany, preparatory courses are usually arranged by the universities themselves (just write a question about the possibility of attending language courses at the university you are interested in, namely Akademischer Auslandsamt) or institutions called.
Universities send applicants who do not speak German well enough, those who need to study some subjects before entering a German university, or all those who want to enter a German university after school or after the first courses of higher education in their home country (not the EU).
I note that in some Studienkollegs admission is possible only through an application for admission to a university, and in some you can simply enroll and take a 1-2 semester German course. Just contact the Studienkolleg in the city of Germany you are interested in and clarify this issue with them.
In Austria, the most famous variant of pre-university language training is VWU - Vorstudienlehrgang der Wiener Universitäten (preparatory courses for applicants to Vienna universities). The duration of these courses cannot exceed 2 semesters and enrollment also takes place directly through one of the universities participating in this program.
Go to a voluntary social year in Germany or Austria
There are 2 articles written about the voluntary social year in Germany (FSJ) on the blog:
- , telling about what FSJ is and what programs exist;
- (thanks to Nastya for sharing her experience of participating in FSJ!).
This volunteer program allows even those who do not speak German at all to take part in it. The main thing is to be in the age group from 16 to 27. Therefore, if you do not have long-term obligations at home, feel free to go help society, learn the language and, among other things, earn some money in your pocket. In order not to confuse anyone, let's call it "as if volunteering."
When else will it be possible to travel to Europe for free? Well, the German language is learned in the process - the best and most effective learning, I tell you.
Go with the Au Pair program
Girls, this is definitely for you. Guys, as far as I know, this program is not very interested, and they take us not so willingly - at heart we are all brawlers.
By participating in this program, you:
- Sit with the children of the family that hosted/invited you. You play with them. take to kindergarten, school, all kinds of circles and sections and then pick them up;
- It is possible to practice the Russian language, reading, writing;
- If you speak German well enough - help with homework (for example, mathematics - German is almost not needed there);
- Help with housework;
- Take care of pets if you are trusted with them;
- Help with food preparation
- and so on.
In return, you get free accommodation, meals, speaking practice, one day off a week, theoretically free evenings, pocket money (at least 260 euros per month in Germany), get to know a new culture, make new friends and, if you are lucky with your family, just fine spend time.
By the way, during the Au Pair you can also attend German courses and make your stay in Austria/Germany doubly productive.
Register on Couchsurfing.org
Couchsurfing is a site, or rather, a community that unites people around the world with a passion for travel, meeting new people and discovering new cities, countries, continents.
The main idea on which the community is built is that with the help of their website you find, get to know each other and spend the night in the house of a person you did not know before. Or you give shelter at home to someone from the community who wrote you their request through the contact form on the site (you can safely refuse).
By registering on the site, you get the opportunity to find a person almost anywhere in the world who will be ready to provide you with a room or just a sofa in his apartment (and who knows, maybe a villa) for a short period of time.
Of course, you can also receive foreign guests in your apartment, thus meeting interesting people, speaking a foreign language (it all depends on who you hosted or whom you went to) and having fun.
Each community member has his own page where you can read his recommendations, other people's comments about this person: how he took them or how they took him. It also contains photos of this user, describes his accommodation and where, in what conditions and for how long you can spend the night.
All in all, a bit adventurous. But often, if you choose a person according to your interests and do not invite freebie lovers with a zero reputation and negative reviews, then you are guaranteed a few days of fun and interesting communication. You can show the guest the city, take a short tour, lift the veil of secrecy of the broad Russian soul (may readers from other countries forgive me), whatever.
If you are traveling to Germany/Austria using this option, then you need to plan your itinerary in advance and contact all those with whom you decide to stay in order to know for sure that you will be received and accommodated for a certain number of days.
You don’t get paid for Couchsurfing, you pay here (flight, food, transport, entertainment), so traveling too long is likely to cost you a pretty penny (unless, of course, you are going to earn money during your trip with street performances, subway miniatures and other nomadic forms of extra work).
Become someone's "buddy" in your city
As defined by Lisa Borzot - member of a student organization
Decided to learn German but don't know where to begin? Or do you want to repeat the material forgotten at school? Do you want to practice on one's own? Specially prepared for you online lessons for the study of the German language.
So what does the site offer you for a successful learning German from scratch?
First of all, especially for the entry level in the form online lessons tutorials were designed German language training A. A. Popova for beginners and advanced levels. No prior knowledge is required from you. All elements of the language are issued step by step. The most important thing that is required of you is wish learn German. At first, you may have a dislike for dull German sounds, with time it will completely or partially disappear. Details about the organization of classes in the study of the German language are written in the first introductory text. Performing the exercises is not at all difficult, because for this there are special forms for entering text, as well as keys with answers. To view the answer, hover your mouse over the key: . You can peep back only after you complete the exercise! If you have any questions, you can ask them under the lesson in the form of a comment.
Go to → list of lessons ← (Click)
Reasons for learning German
- German is not difficult.
Words are both heard and written, you just need to know the letter combinations. You probably don't even have to learn the alphabet, because it is of Latin origin, which most people already know. And if you know English, it gives you a big advantage. English and German have common roots, which means that there are a lot of similarities, which will greatly facilitate its study. In addition, the German lessons on the site are very simple, so if you can't learn them, congratulations, you are very lazy. * there should be Flash's sloth emoji here, but there isn't one* - German is the most commonly used language in Europe.
English, French and German are the 3 official languages of the European Union. In absolute terms, German is the second most commonly used. However, if native speakers are taken into account, German comes first. Knowing a language gives you about 100 million more people to communicate with. Of course, this is not a billion, as in Chinese, but still - German is the language of inventors and innovators.
A large percentage of the most outstanding achievements were first invented in Germany. More than 100 Nobel Prizes went to outstanding German scientists for their achievements in physics, medicine, chemistry, literature and other fields. And that's not including Austria and Switzerland, the other 2 main exponents of the German language. So if you're looking to add a Nobel Prize to your resume, learning German might not be a bad start. Well, at least you can read their scientific papers. - German is an important language in the scientific community.
It is the second most used language in the world of science. One of the reasons for this is that the German book market is the 3rd largest in the world, just after Chinese and English. Only a small number of books have been translated from German into other languages. Therefore, knowledge of German is simply necessary here. - German is the key to world-class higher education.
Universities in Germany have an excellent international reputation. In 2011, the country was the fourth most popular among international students, with over 250,000 of them enrolled in German schools. Moreover, the German higher education system boasts a high number of universities with very low tuition fees and even completely free ones. Not surprisingly, scientists and researchers gather there in droves. Sounds like a good investment for the future. - Germany is the locomotive of the European economy.
German is an interesting choice not only for researchers, but also for businessmen. Germany is the largest economy in the European Union and 4th worldwide. It is home to numerous international corporations and is always at the forefront of new technologies. Speaking to someone in their native language has always been a sign of good manners, and using German with business associates can dramatically increase your chances of effective negotiations and successful professional relationships. - German companies are world market leaders.
Would you like to work for a company that is a leader in the international market? Knowing the German language can help you open the right door. Germany is home to a large number of strong economic players such as Siemens, BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Adidas, Hugo Boss, Lufthansa... And that's not all. Meanwhile, Berlin is turning into a hub for innovative start-ups. Some even call it the Silicon Valley of Europe. Therefore, knowing German offers a huge potential for improving your career opportunities. - German is also a huge online audience.
You don't even have to meet those 100 million people in real life. You can do this while lying on your favorite couch. German sites make up a huge part of the internet. Technically, the German domain.de is the second most popular after.com. Second place in the entire Internet! Yes, I'm shocked myself. - The Germans are everywhere.
Even if you don't intend to visit a German-speaking country or don't feel like stalking Germans online, don't worry: the Germans will find you. If you have traveled, you must have already noticed this phenomenon. German citizens are among the most insatiable travelers. With six weeks of annual leave and plenty of money to spend, you can run into these "poor fellows" anywhere in the world. It is only recently that the championship has passed to tourists from China, and before that the Germans were the leaders. Therefore, even a little knowledge of the language can be useful to you on the road. - German culture is part of the world heritage.
Despite the fact that the Germans have a reputation as analysts and lovers of logic, the German-speaking world is also an outstanding mind in the fields of music, literature, art and philosophy. It is the language of Goethe, Kafka, Brecht and Mann. It was the mother tongue of the composers Mozart, Bach, Schubert, Beethoven and Wagner. Revolutionary philosophy was first written in German when Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche and Heidegger were just starting out. Learning German gives you the opportunity to appreciate the masterpieces of these creators in the original. What is Goethe's Faust alone worth! - If none of these reasons are right for you, then this reason is Rammstein.
Every modern person understands that learning a language today is an integral part of success not only at work, but in life in general. But sometimes this fact is not enough to encourage oneself to the learning process.
Most often, there is motivation from the outside, that is, when someone makes you do it: parents, teachers, boss. However, even this is not enough for a successful study. Therefore, in order to learn, for example, the German language, the impulse should not come from an outsider, but only from you.
Before you start learning, you need to ask yourself a question about the reason why you would like to know this or that language. The answer to it will become your goal, the achievement of which will help you in the process of learning the language.
Following this, it is necessary to correctly and clearly formulate this goal. Decide how long you need to master a foreign language. At the same time, this goal must be realistic in execution.
Make a study plan, or rather, determine how much time you will spend on learning and how much on rest. Insignificant breaks of several minutes every half hour of classes will make it possible for your desire to study not to fade away. In order to always remain interested in learning a language, you need to feel invigorated and rested.
An excellent tool for supporting motivation is encouragement or a sense of accomplishment. To do this, you need to systematically record your results and achievements, do their analysis.
Learning a large number of words in a day - will it help to learn the language, is it possible? This question is often faced by most people who are trying to replenish their vocabulary base in a short period of time. In fact, this is real only when using mnemonics. However, there is not much benefit from this.
Mnemonics is the process of constantly repeating memorized words. In order for words to remain in your memory for a long time, they need to be repeated for a very long time. For example, you are learning the words of the German language. You memorize one hundred words a day. By the end of the week, you should have repeated all seven hundred. You won't get any result.
In addition to this, the words that you will memorize thanks to mnemonics may not be useful to you in everyday communication. It is better to choose another method that will be much simpler and more effective. For example, you can learn words using a variety of flashcards, or by comparing or choosing alternatives.
Many people are interested in the effectiveness of memorizing words through the use of the twenty-fifth frame. It will be possible to recall the words that have been learned by this method only when a person is introduced into a trance. This process does not occur in active memory, so the person is not aware of what he is currently remembering . From the foregoing, it can be understood that the twenty-fifth frame in the knowledge of languages is ineffective.
What do you need to do in order not to forget what you have already learned?
To keep all the knowledge gained, you need to practice. A learned language, for example, German, should always accompany you through life. There are a large number of ways of independent knowledge of the language, which allow you not to forget, but on the contrary, to develop and improve the level of the language being studied.
The best way is to read books, magazines, newspapers in the original. The only condition is that for the first time it is necessary to choose literature that will not be difficult for your level of knowledge of the language, and then it is more difficult to take. There are also many adapted editions that are suitable for students with an intermediate level. Information about the starting vocabulary for free communication and reading is located in the output. Greater efficiency is guaranteed by audio books, which have not only the text that appears on the computer screen, but the voice pronunciation of words, sentences and text. Thanks to such books, it is easier for students to perceive the text and remember how to pronounce this or that word correctly.
Also, the methods of self-learning a foreign language include watching films in the target language with subtitles, listening to songs in this language, chatting online with people who speak this foreign language, and many others.
However, the most productive option is considered to be in a country where the language you learn is the main one. Don't be embarrassed that you have a terrible accent or a lot of speaking mistakes. This will not surprise anyone, but you will get invaluable experience that will help you master the language.