German is a stereotypically hard language to learn. At some point, you’ve probably stumbled upon memes and videos comparing words in German to those in other languages. And, expectedly, the German words are almost always longer or more difficult to pronounce. But let’s face it: While German may be slightly unorthodox, it definitely isn’t an impossible language to learn. The real problem lies not in learning the language, but in mastering it—understanding all of its grammar rules, knowing all the exceptions, and being intimately familiar with all its nuts and bolts. Mastery of German requires full immersion in the language. Speaking of immersion, few methods compare to intentional listening. German podcasts, in particular, provide... Show more

German may sound complicated at first. It scares off many learners, especially when they listen to people speaking some of its more complicated dialects. Even as a fluent German speaker, I find it unbelievably hard to understand the Swiss German variety. To this day, I still have to ask if the person can switch to Hochdeutsch (formal German). But some people, including yourself, may end up managing to get the courage to push past the fear and frustration. Once you do, things will get much easier, especially once you start picking up the essential beginner and intermediate German words.  Words will start to make more sense, and you’ll slowly but surely start to figure out that a lot of German vocabulary consists of compound... Show more

Remember the last time you had to make an important call?  When you had that shaky feeling in your chest…the one you get right after you hear the ring on the other end? Or maybe you’re one of those gifted people who can screw up their courage and take it easy. While we’re slowly ditching what used to be the main function of telephones—voice calling—for things like texting and Facebook, there are still moments when we need to pick up the phone.  This in mind, language learners will still benefit from memorizing a few German phone call phrases in today’s SMS-based world. While in Germany, you’ll have to order food from a new favorite restaurant, call the local barbershop for a reservation, or phone your boss with an urgent... Show more

If you’ve just started learning German, you might be struggling to get past the beginner stage. Maybe you feel overwhelmed by the Germanic umlauts on vowels (ä, ö, ü), or maybe that eszett letter (ß). Perhaps it’s the pace of spoken German that’s made you question your decision to start learning. While there’s definitely truth to those concerns, worry not. There are several short and easy-to-learn words in German that can serve as a springboard while you become familiar with the language.  Memorizing even a few basic German words for beginners will be enough of a stepping stone to help you eventually learn more. This is because many German words are composed of several shorter words that, when combined, have a unique meaning.... Show more

Imagine if everything in language was straightforward and perfect. Like, literally. No typos. No jokes. No slang. Just everyone meaning business. It wouldn’t be much fun, would it? The imperfections found in languages, dialects, and communication in general are what make them fun.  We all like to communicate clearly, but that never allows for any awkward, unforeseen, or weird moments—moments which could be pretty funny, if you think about it. Knowing how flawed our communication is, we try our best to hide our imperfections. As a learner of the language, you can do this well by using German filler words. Table of Contents What are filler words and why do we use them? The Top 10 German Filler Words Pros... Show more

Are you a people-pleaser? Someone who goes out of their way to make others happy and can’t say no to anyone?  Of course, learning a language is all about developing new skills, embracing new experiences, and accepting challenges…so you’ll probably be saying yes quite a lot. Yet, you still need to know how to say no if you want to master the German language! In this article, we’ll look at negation in German. You’ll learn how to make negative sentences, how to answer a yes-or-no question correctly, and how to politely decline an offer or invitation…without making anyone upset. Sure, saying no isn’t easy for some of us. But I assure you it will be (at least from a language-learning point of view!), after you’ve read this.  ... Show more

First of all, what is a verb?  Together with nouns, verbs are the most important part of any sentence. They’re words that we use to describe actions (singen - to sing), states of being (existieren - to exist), or occurrences (entwickeln - to develop). They have to agree with the subject, which represents who or what is performing the action.  Basically, every type of sentence requires a verb to be complete. This is why it’s so important to give them due attention when learning a foreign language—especially German! Today, we’ll talk about German tenses and how to correctly apply them to verbs. German verbs are one of the most challenging aspects of learning this beautifully complex language, but don’t worry. We’ll have a look... Show more

What dedicated language learner could pass up an opportunity to spend endless days studying German and all its nuances? Unfortunately, in our society, time is money and the reality of things can be quite different. Most of us just don’t have the time to study languages at our leisure.  Because time is such a constraint, there’s an important question to ask yourself before beginning to learn this beautiful language: How long does it take to learn German? Mark Twain said: "A gifted person ought to learn English in 30 hours, French in 30 days and German in 30 years." But it might not take quite that long! I’m sure we all instinctively look for the fastest and easiest ways to learn new things. Being efficient with our time allows... Show more

Proverbs are popular sayings that provide a little dose of wisdom—a truth that is, sometimes, so obvious that it’s overlooked.  If you really want your language skills to shine, knowing some popular German proverbs is a great way to start. And of course, it will also help you fit in with the German locals and better understand their culture! In Germany, there’s a great variety of wisdom-infusing sayings—whether we’re talking about a lot of sausages, some bears and rabbits running around in forests, or some serious-sounding, deep stuff!  As we say, "There is no time like the present." So let’s get to it. These thirty popular German proverbs will add versatility and color to your spoken language, so that even locals will mistake... Show more

Have you ever visited a city filled with an eclectic mix of cultures, history, and wonderful sights, as well as a vibrant creative life? If the answer is no, then you should start thinking about a trip to the German capital. Even John F. Kennedy, the U.S. President, loved it!  "All free men, wherever they may live, are citizens of Berlin. And therefore, as a free man, I take pride in the words, ‘Ich bin ein Berliner!’ " But really, why should you visit Berlin? Imagine a hub of history, art, music, and graffiti that attracts millions of tourists annually. Sounds pretty good, right? Follow our Berlin travel guide and rest assured you’ll have an incredible experience.  We’ll keep it short by describing only the top ten places to... Show more