Congratulations, you’ve joined the club! By just opening this article, you’ve become a learner of German. Excited? Well, that’s how easy it really is. Lots of people say that learning German is hard, but it’s really just something you have to approach methodically. And that’s because of German grammar. While German vocabulary is based on roots and quite logical, and German pronunciation is easy to master with a few new lip shapes, the grammar tends to prove difficult for learners (though some say that it’s getting simpler over time). So now that you’re learning German, what exactly is it that you need to pay attention to? How complex are the different parts of German grammar, and what is it going to take to master them? It’s time... Show more

German is a language with a long history of great writing. It’s no wonder that there are a lot of excellent quotes that have been passed down through the centuries! In order to help you become a more eloquent German speaker, GermanPod101 has compiled a list of the best German quotes in several different categories.  As you study these quotes, you’ll also start to make important connections concerning the grammatical structures being used. The end result? You’ll pick up German grammar without even realizing it! Table of Contents Quotes About Success Quotes About Life Quotes About Time Quotes About Love Quotes About Friendship Quotes About Food Quotes About Health Quotes About Language Learning ... Show more

Did you know that Germans aren't that punctual? They have a reputation for always being on time, sure. But the Deutsche Bahn, the German train system, has more delayed trains than you might imagine. Given that fact, and all the other pressures of modern life, you'll need to be quite aware of the time in Germany. Do you know how to ask for it? Or, perhaps, how to talk about time in general?  This article is more than just a phrasebook for telling time in German. Time touches a lot of facets of everyday life and language, and the phrases you learn here are things that you can carry over into the rest of your German studies. Table of Contents Asking Others for the Time Hours in German Minutes and Seconds ... Show more

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when you think about German people? You’ve probably heard things like "German people are always on time," and "They’re direct and have good manners." Well, I would say this is almost always the case. But now the question is: What are these so-called good manners and what does German etiquette look like? Almost every nation defines this a little bit different. Let’s just take some Asian countries, such as China, for example. While in most European countries, you can’t burp, smack, or slurp at the table, in most Asian cultures this is called good etiquette. This means that the food was tasty and that you’re satisfied. But when doing this at the table of a German family, this would be... Show more

Have you ever heard about the German bureaucracy? Well, if you haven’t heard about it yet, we can tell you that Germany is a true king when it comes to bureaucracy. This includes filling out forms, and what else? You will have to confirm a lot of deadlines! This is one of the reasons you should learn the days of the week in German, and have a good grasp of the calendar dates in German. You’ll get instructions either from a German office authority or when you receive letters. But in every case, there will be some kind of instructions on a deadline that you need to fulfill. From sending information back to bringing documents to German officials, you’ll be given plenty of dates both verbally or in writing. To make sure that you understand... Show more

When you’re traveling outside of your home country, there’s a very good chance that you won’t speak the language of that country. For that reason, it can be really helpful to learn some basic German travel phrases before going to Germany, Austria, or even parts of Switzerland, Belgium, and Luxemburg. In this article, we’ll provide you with German phrases for tourists that will help you survive basic daily situations. For instance, when traveling to the center of Europe, you’ll probably have to take a train at some point. (And if you don’t have to take one, we suggest you take one anyway. This experience is part of traveling to Germany.) Once you’ve bought your ticket at Deutsche Bahn (the German railway company) and you’re ready to... Show more

Learn all the German New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join GermanPod101 for a special German New Year celebration! Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March - December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated. So, how do you say Happy New Year in... Show more

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in German? GermanPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of German Christmas phrases! Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native German speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases... Show more

When it comes to foreign languages German sometimes gets a bad rap. People are quick to highlight the most difficult parts of the language and write it off as being next to impossible to learn. There are some unique features of the German language that can be challenging to native English speakers, but that need not scare new learners away. With the right focus, and a little persistence you can start speaking the German language correctly and comfortably. In this post we’ll take a look at how to master three of the most difficult parts of the German language. Why it’s important to pinpoint the hard parts of learning German As a new German learner the complexity of the language can seem pretty intimidating. It doesn’t help that... Show more

1. Schedule your time. One of the most important factors in keeping your motivation up is developing it into a habit. Whether it be 20 minutes or 3 hours, schedule time to study every day and stick to it. Regular exposure solidifies what you learn and keeps you progressing. To make sure you stick to your routine, a great idea is to build a schedule for your day and decide that every day/Monday/weekend, you study from 6pm to 8pm. Just remember that 30 minutes a day, every day, is better than a binge 8-hour study session at the end of the week (though it’s obviously better than nothing). 2. Learn a word a day with our great Word of the Day learning tool. Trying to learn everything at once and getting overwhelmed by the sheer number... Show more