My family is all fluent in german,, because they are all from germany .... but after being around it for 20 years i havent picked it up so speaking with people who know the language hasnt exactly worked. Im going to austria + germany in july of next year so i plan on taking it in school for 2 semesters but id like to start now ... all advice is appreciated Thank you !
Languages - 6 Answers
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1 :
Learn the grammar/sentence structure before trying to master every word. It will help a lot and is important to keep in mind while learning. You need to practice outside of the classroom too, think about translating things you hear into German and practice pronouncing it when you are alone.
2 :
The best way to learn a language is to completely immerse yourself in it. Limit what you hear, speak, read (ect) in English and try to listen to everything in German. Rent German movies, listen to online radio stations in German, have your family only speak to you in German and you reply in only German (except when you need corrections in grammar or word usage). You'll be amazed at how quickly you'll pick up the language.
3 :
It's good if you're going to that country since it's much easier to learn the language when you surround yourself in it. But since you want to get a head start, you could take some classes that offer the language. If you don't want to do that then you can also buy/check out books that involve teaching you the language, as well as dictionaries. Go to Amazon since it's really cheap there: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=learning+german&x=0&y=0 Find some catchy songs to sing to (children's song are the best!), make flash cards, talk to your family! Practice, practice, practice.
4 :
Immersion is the best thing you can do. It's good that you are going to Austria and Germany to stay a little while. Even if your family is all German and speak German, if you live in an anglophone (or other language) culture, you are likely to forget a lot of your German from disuse. If you grew up around the German language though, it is highly likely it's all in there somewhere, but you have to cultivate it again for it to be come out. Listening to the radio in the language you want to learn helps a lot, as does reading and writing in that language. But immersion is really the best, because then you have no choice but to learn that language to survive! Unfortunately Germans are often excellent English speakers - so resist the temptation to speak English when you're there!
5 :
try these sites: http://www.foreignlanguagesoftwarereviews.com/learn-german/learn-german-the-easy-way/ http://easygermanlessons.com/ I learned japanese through japanese pod101 and absolutely loved it. Maybe german pod101 will be the same for you. http://www.germanpod101.com/
6 :
If you are a beginner, I would stay away from flashcard methods like Rosetta Stone, Babbel, BYKI, etc. Those methods are good to build vocabulary knowledge but otherwise it has its limitations as a beginner's tool. Knowing many words does not mean you know the language. I would recommend you look into Pimsleur's courses, which are a great tool for beginners. It focuses on conversational skills not just words. It will train your ear to understand natives (very important for a new learner), allow you to speak with very good pronunciation and acquire the core structures and grammar of the language. Their method does not tie you down to a computer, you can do it on the go, in the car, on your iPod, during your commute, etc. This may or may not be an advantage to you. Lastly, I find that it does very well with new students as it is a real confidence builder, which is essential for new students. Good luck.
