If you want to learn any new language the very thought of it can be quite daunting. It's such a strange and wonderful thing people speak different languages, yet we all breathe the same air and on a very esoteric level we all need and want the same things (and at the same time we don't). German is not only one of the oldest language, but arguably one of the most interesting. Learning to speak German can be one of the most enriching learning experiences that will give you so much more than just another language to converse in.
When you learn a new language you learn much more than just a new skill. A language reflects a culture and there are a lot of things that simply cannot be translated from one language to another. Language is not just a means of communicating, but a means of understanding a group of people's way of thinking and way of ?being?. When you learn a new language you learn to see the world from a different perspective and it causes you to even look at your own world with fresh eyes ( and to see that we don't all look at things the same way). Learning to speak German will open your eyes to this incredibly interesting culture that you can only truly access by learning the language.
German, as a language is not that far removed from English. Many everyday words with Anglo-Saxon origins are almost exactly the same as the English words ? although the pronunciation is slightly different. Consider these words and you will see what I mean:
English ~ German: arm ~ der Arm mouse ~ die Maus name ~ der Name finger ~ der Finger
Since there are a lot of similarities, it's not that hard to learn German. If you are English speaking you can actually read German text with little difficulty ? even though you may not understand any of it. The real challenge in learning to speak German is with the pronunciation and vocabulary. Vocabulary is quite easy to learn as you can memorize a lot of it while pronunciation is much more difficult as you are accustomed to English pronunciation. There is no quick fix for learning to speak German, but there are some basic things to keep in mind that will greatly improve the pace at which you learn the new language.
If you can, you should spend as much time as possible with German speaking people. If you can't, then you should watch German movies, listen to German music and tune in to your favorite German radio station online ? even if you don't understand it yet. Scientist claim that 90% of what we learn happens subconsciously and this is especially true for languages.
It is also vital that you enroll in a good German course. There are many excellent courses available online that utilize some of the new learning technologies that can greatly enhance the speed at which you learn German. It doesn't have to take years to learn how to speak German. Some people, believe it or not learn German in as little as 8 weeks. The important thing is to work yourself up to a level where you can start conversing effectively and meaningfully with a German speaking person. This would allow you to get out there and speak the language in the real world and this is when you greatly increase the speed at which you learn to speak German.
German people are profusely proud of their language and any effort from you to speak their language will be met with respect and appreciation. Most German people will gladly help and encourage you. German is not just some ?little? language. It's extremely popular and is widely spoken all over the world. From Switzerland to Liechtenstein and even as far as Namibia, German is alive and whether you are learning to speak German for business or pleasure, it will greatly enrich your life.
The title of this article is a little bit misleading because even native German speakers do make mistakes all the time and say the wrong words. However, when they are learning how to speak German there are some common mistakes that beginners usually make and this article is intended to help you avoid making these same mistakes. Making mistakes is a part of learning and you learn from them. However, many adult learners become frustrated when they make the same mistakes over and over.
Just as in English, there are many German words that have dual meanings. One of these is the word for also It does mean also but it also means You can use it at the beginning of a sentence when you want to say and in the middle or at the end of a sentence, when you want to convey the meaning of.
Many beginners confuse the words and when they are learning to speak German. Both are used to connect sentences and serve as conjunctions, but is an adverb. It means in a situation of if something happens, then I will act in a certain way. means for or because and is a true conjunction.
Another word that causes confusion for beginners in learning German is reund? which means friend. If you are speaking of one male friend, then it is correct to use reund? If the friend is female, then you must use reundin? Several female friends would mean you have to use the plural form of the word, which is reundinen? However, if there is a mixture of male and female friends, you use the plural form of the masculine word ?freunde. There is also another complication with using this word in the German language. The word for friend is not used loosely and refers only to those considered close friends. It can also have a romantic connotation if you do not specify that the person you are speaking of is not a boyfriend or girlfriend. In this case you would have to clarify further by adding to the phrase, meaning riend of mine?
are both German prepositions that mean One easy way to distinguish between these words and use them correctly is to think of as meaning and of meaning a direction. and sound so much alike in German, that many people often confuse them and use them incorrectly. They have completely different meanings. means and means in front of. It would sound really funny to a native German speaker if you were to confuse them when speaking.
If you want to say you or another person is a student in school, you have to use the correct word to denote which kind of school you attend. The word student is the same in German and English for males, and a female student is studentin. This word refers to a person attending university or college. If you want to speak of a pupil still in grade school, you have to use the word schuler for male and schulerin for female.
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