Learning German... Any Tips??

So, I started my german lessons last week and so far so good.

I have a somewhat "vast" experience in learning foreign languages, since I learned english and italian from scratch (although with english I was so little I don't even remember doing anything in particular).

Do you guys have any tips on how to tackle german?

All suggestions are welcome.

 

Approach it with your mind running in English. You'll soon learn that they're practically the same language in essence.

It's kinda hard to explain but I think you'll have an easier time constructing the language in your head based on English than your other languages.

 

Learn a solid vocabulary and don't worry too much about the grammar, it will come to you over time

Read lots of things in German which are of interest to you

Good luck!

 

Maybe you could recommend something for me.

What I've been doing is listening to the Deutsche Welle Radio online while I'm at work, just so I can train my ear... I don't know if this approach will prove to be beneficial but I guess it can't do harm.

Regarding the THINK IN ENGLISH part... I already do that.

I also have some structural grammar thingies in my head that I learned when I tackled Italian...
So my German notebook is a mixture of words in german and translations in italian, spanish and mostly english... Hehe.

I hope to be able to carry a simple conversation soon... Otherwise I will be VERY disappointed

 

I can recommend Michel Thomas' language learning program, it helped me with Spanish. I think he has a very soothing voice, and his approach is also good from a didactical point of view. He recorded the sessions together with two beginners (which creates the atmosphere of you sitting in the middle of it all, learning with them together).

 

K-Panggg: one of the things you can do too. Is listening to German music, and yes I am talking about all musical genres, including the dreaded (to some) Schlager music. And even if your singing voice is shit, then sing along to the songs. Cause that can help you annunciate the German words.
Hell alphagamer mentioned that I was okay to good in pronouncing the German words. But alas, just because some body wrote a speech to me , and I should speak it out loud. I would not understand anything I said. Cause my mind can not fathom the lovely German language. But anyway start with
"Neun und neunsich Luftballons"

of all songs

But if you are more into electronic music. Then
Joachim Witt has released quite a few German songs, also Wolfsheim has made a few German songs, which are quite good, if I must say anything about that. Also Kraftwerks German work has some cool songs in German. Radioaktivität is just one of their great songs. Ask about the German electronic music. And I can mention a lot of awesome German electronic music, and I think other German speaking members can help you in the other genres.

 

German grammar is pretty hard if you're not familiar with the basic structures. But since you're a native speaker in Spanish, lots of stuff including the notorious male/female should be familiar to you. At least most people I know who learn Spanish didn't feel it was all that different, and neither did I, but I quit after the 1st year when I changed schools.

It's a bit hard to recommend anything considering you're only learning for a week. For now I wouldn't overcompensate my mind with all kinds of media, I'd just try to master the basics.
It's absolutely essential to get the basic grammar right because there are very little shortcuts in German other than in English. It's very easy to mess up complete phrases just by cutting out one or two words or even a suffix.

I'd start doing more stuff after the first 9-12 months of learning, like watching movies in German w/out subtitles. There are many great movies, most of them are of older origin though.
Watch Fassbinder and Fritz Lang. Their movies are fantastic and provide a great insight into Germany's society of the 1930's-1960's. If you just happen to like comics, get hold of some. Might not be all that difficult in some "digital format".
Dr. Erika Fuchs was a great translator, her texts in Carl Barks comics are simple enough to be understood by children, yet full of references and on a high level. If you want to learn proper German and enjoy the language apart from romantic poetry by Möricke, Goethe, Novalis - go for Erika Fuchs.

 

Seconded. The man was a genius.

 

Yes, and remember I also studied Italian for 5 years. Italian is a very "irregular" language. With many similarities with spanish, but also many structures that are completely different.

At the moment, the only thing that's giving me trouble are False Friend words... Because since I know several languages, my mind tries to make a connection with the words I already know, everytime I come across a new word in german...

I think once I get this out of the way, things will run smooth.
I love to study grammar
I must be such a nerd.....

 

You are right - I listened to a lot of Heino, initially for the quirk of it, but then I found it actually helping my German :nod:
I still know all the words to "Ich will ein Bier" :lol:

 

One thing I did to learn German was to create a second user on my laptop with all language settings set to German, pick up phrases / names by association etc - helped along with reading.

 

Step one: Learn German
Step two: ?
Step three: Profit

 

The good thing about German for Spanish speakers is that German has genders for words, and the sentence structure of it is more related to Latin than to ancient Germanic, from which most of the words and structures of them do come. If you combine your Latin based language with your vast knowledge of English, German will be a cakewalk for you.

You'll do fine.

 

Sure! Catch up on 10 years of great German video game journalism

http://www.kultpower.de/index2.php

 

Date a German guy?

Otherwise, it will come with time. Online learning is much easier these days. Try to learn a list of words each day, then mix them up over the weekend to try to make them sink in. Verbs and adjectives are the best thing to learn IMO. The grammar should be pretty similar to what you are used to.

Visit german websites. And as Wolverine said, listen to some german music. Maybe even some German videos (Youtube etc.)

 

well, almost everything has been said already...except for: COME HERE
if you feel like you do simple stuff in german, like ordering, addressing people, saying thanks etc etc just come here, sleep on my couch and explore Berlin

 

I don't think Tchoin would be pleased by either suggestion.

Liquitt, do you think there's room for two in that couch of yours so I can bring Tchoin along with me?

LOL

I've been so busy with work lately, that I haven't been able to put all the time I'd want on this. I'm taking it as a hobby... but I'd really like to do it properly.... Specially since the course fee is about 100 bux a month.

Well, in any case keep the tips and suggestions coming, I've already implemented some ideas (like the music) and I'm in the process of looking for the Michael Thomas Language Learning Program...

I remember when back in the day I taught myself to speak Quenya (the language of Tolkien's elves... Yeah, I am SUCH a nerd... ). That was pretty cool. But the course was superbly structured. What I find lacking in my books is the grammar foundation. They are very much centered in SPEAKING and things you may need if you're going to Germany for a visit, but that's not the thing that works best for me. I need the grammar.

 

K-Panggg, I bet you're learning German so you can talk to those German Babes huh? Sorry I don't have any language advice, though it appears the whole world will become apart of the American Empire, the way Authoritarians invade based on resources and greed, not to mention bases in just about every country :/ War sucks, so do war mongers.

 

Well, the day they put a base in my country I will go running and beg them to depose the president and make Uruguay some sort of Puerto Rico....

And the german babes would work, if I were a lesbo... Since I'm not, well...let's leave it at that.

Sadly, I stopped going to class. The fees were very expensive and with my work schedule I hardly had any time to study at home, so the whole thing was a waste.... I wasn't attaining the levels of knowledge I thought I should so I quit.

It was the first academical thing I quit in ages... I felt kinda bad about it...

 

who needs them, make your own language.