Learning German: Expectations, Challenges, and Tools
By Petr H
Benefits of learning German
Like with any other foreign language, learning German has various benefits and can positively affect several areas of your life. If you or your employer do business with German-speaking countries, you can improve the chance of a career advance or make yourself ready to take advantage of new business opportunities by learning German. German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and other countries and regions) are also very attractive travel destination and interesting cultures. Of course, knowing at least the basics of German can make all the difference on your trip to Germany.
How long does it take to learn German?
German is not the most difficult foreign language to learn, though it definitely is not easy. Like any other foreign language, it requires serious effort and dedication to master to fluency. How long it will take for you to become fluent in German (or at least able to communicate with natives) will depend on various factors, for example how much time you can invest in learning German every week, how strong your motivation is (this can be a huge factor), or what your native language is. English speakers find German easier than natives of most other languages, because English and German belong to the same language group.
Learning German grammar
Compared to English German has some new grammar features, which could make your learning process a challenge at times. The first thing that comes to mind is the infamous der, die, das – unlike in English, you must learn the gender for every noon, in order to be able to use noun, articles, and adjectives correctly in sentences. Good news is that verbs and tenses behave similarly in German and English, though German verbs use different endings (compared to the -s vs. no -s in English). Overall, learning German grammar can be a challenge, but you will find many grammar features familiar from English.
Learning German vocabulary
With German vocabulary it is similar as with grammar. You will find many German words almost identical to equivalent English words – here again English speakers have big advantage. When learning German nouns, make sure you immediately learn the gender (der, die, das) with the noun.
German pronunciation
German pronunciation is not too difficult (definitely easier than French) and most words are pronounced quite logically according to how they are written. Learning where to put stress in German words and sentences is essential for using the language in real world communication.
Learning German, motivation, and self-management
Will you succeed in learning German? How fast will you become fluent? In the end, it only depends on you and on how much you want it (not how much you think you want it – that can be different). Not least, it will depend on how much you are willing to invest in learning German – there can be a small financial investment when buying courses or books, but the major investment is your time. Consistency is the key here. You don’t need to spend 20 hours per week on learning German (though that could accelerate your learning big way), but you need to make sure your German learning is consistent. Try not to skip lessons (be it a course or your self-study sessions at home), unless you have a really valid reason to do so. In the end, your ability to manage yourself, your expectations, distractions, and motivation fluctuations, will be the main factor to determine how fast you will become fluent in German.
How to find suitable German learning courses and tools
All said about motivation and self-management is true, but choosing the right tools for learning German can simplify and accelerate your learning process considerably. Quality is more than quantity here. Don’t end up like those permanent beginners who buy every hot new German course out there, only to do lesson 1 and 2, drop it, and look for something better. There is no course that would teach you German without effort on your side. Find a few potentially suitable courses online, look at reviews by other learners, take advantage of free trials (good language courses should offer a free trial or at least a money back guarantee), and as soon as you have decided and selected one or two courses, stick with it. That alone will take you ahead of the majority of German language beginners.
German Language Mission provides free German lessons and learning tips, all based on personal experience. For example, you can learn 8 ways how to increase the probability that you will become fluent in German or a step-by-step guide on how to find the best German language software.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Petr_H
http://EzineArticles.com/?Learning-German:-Expectations,-Challenges,-and-Tools&id=6576965
