German
Learning German? Here's a great collection of German language learning resources to help you get fluent in German! Start learning German today.
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Fall into Fluency: 6 Activities to Boost Your Language Learning this Season
Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you. Walt Whitman The leaves are changing color, the weather is cooling, and pumpkin spice lattes are back at Starbucks (YUCK). That can only mean one thing: it's time to cozy up with a cup of coffee and start (or restart) your […]
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Deutsch(land) Part II: Culture Shock or How to Offend a German
I then explained that I gathered how Germans (at least in Berlin) were domineering, yet friendly, assertive, but also timid. Perhaps it was the ever presence of authority in the form of police and if you didn't see them, you definitely heard the sirens. Later in our conversation he would say, “I'm not sure. It's like they sense danger and appear out of nowhere!” Despite that, Berliners were also carefree like children at the playground or teenagers at a mall with unlimited funds. Even I was surprised to see open bottles at the park, on the train, and as I walked on rugged streets. My first instinct as an American was, “OMG!! You're going to get arrested!!” At the same time, I found order. People weren't even pushing others to get into the Bahn. Is this real life?!
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Deutsch(land) Part I: Language Hacking
As always, if you are in need of a physical book it goes without saying that your local library can assist you. Some libraries and schools offer access to Mango Languages, which is essentially a better and free version of Rosetta Stone. By the way, never buy Rosetta Stone. That's just my two Euros.
Links
- Alison German – offers several free courses.
- Ba Ba Dum – interactive flashcards available for several languages.
- BBC Languages German – although it is no longer being updated, it's still a good resource.
- Coffee Break German
- Deutsch-Uni
- Deutsch Akademie
- Deutsch Lernen
- Deutsche Welle
- Easy German – “Learn language from the streets!” They have other languages available. It's one of my favorite YouTube channels.
- Goethe-Institut – expensive!
- Grammatik by Bruce Duncan at the German Studies Department at Dartmouth College.
- italki – perfect for a more personalized language learning experience. They also have an app and you can pay per lesson!
- Lingua – choose from 5 languages. Vocabulary games, spaced repetition.
- Linguanaut German – another free language resource with other languages available.
- Pimsleur – language immersion course. A bit pricey, but well worth it!
- Sesamestraße – Sesame Street in German!
Apps
- Beelinguapp: Learn Languages with Audiobooks – free with in-app purchases. Available for iOS and Android,
- Duolingo – FREE. I know many folks who don't like Duolingo, but it has its upsides. It's easy to start, just download the app or head over to their site and start learning. I especially love chatting with the bots and trying to earn more lingots (in video game speak, cash, coins, and rubies) to unlock more culture lessons.
- Larousse Allemand-Français dictionary – $4.99 for iOS and $4.49 for Android.
- Mango Languages – subscription required; $19.99/month or FREE with any participating library. I used to get this for free from my local library, and one day they suddenly stopped supporting it. It's similar to Duolingo, but it focuses more on visual and audio. The monthly subscription is $19.99, but you'll have over 70 languages at your fingertips. I love those in-between lessons that give you cultural tips. You can access Mango Languages via the web and download lessons through the app (iOS and Android) on your phone or tablet.
- Polly Lingual German – free with in-app purchases. This used to be called Wie Geht's German and now is part of a language suite where you can learn other languages also. I have this on my AppleTV as well as on my iPhone for easy access and learning on the go. If you want to unlock all 13 languages, you'll need to get the Polly Passport. The annual fee is $9.99. I love this subscription because I can also access it on other devices. It's also one of the cheaper options out there. One thing to note is that you can also hire a Polly Ambassador who are live video tutors. Their rates and experience are listed clearly.
- Speak and Translate by Apalon Apps – free with in-app purchases. Available for iOS only.
Books
- A Frequency Dictionary of German (Routledge)
- Barron's Learn German: The Fast and Fun Way
- Berlitz German-English Dictionary/ Englisch-Deutsch Wörterbuch
- Bescherelle L'Allemand Pour Tous – learning German through French
- Collins German Phrasebook
- Collins Easy Learning German Grammar
- Collins Easy Learning German Verbs
- Cortina Conversational German in 20 Lessons
- German at a Glance by Henry Strutz
- In-Flight German: Learn Before You Land by Living Language – just the basics ma’am. It’s intended to be used while you’re on your way to your destination.
- Language Hacking German by Benny Lewis
- Learn German: Ultimate Guide to Speaking Business German
- Learn German with Paul Noble for Beginners – Complete Course: German Made Easy with Your Personal Language Coach
- Next Steps in German with Paul Noble for Intermediate Learners – Complete Course
- Passport to German (Revised and Expanded Edition) by Charles Berlitz
- Short Stories in German for Beginners by Olly Richards
- Streetwise German: Speak and Understand Colloquial German by Paul G. Graves
- The Berlitz Self-Teacher: German
- The Everything Learning German Book by Edward Swick
- The Singer's Manual of German and French Diction by Dr. Richard G. Cox
updated: 2023/05/16
Sometimes The Best Plan is No Plan at All
I started learning German (Deutsch) but briefly stopped after my trip to Germany. I learned more by being in real-life situations like ordering food and asking for directions. Thanks, In-Flight German! For German, I like spaced repetition, dictation, and old German New Wave music videos from Falco.
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