Ratingen is located in immediate proximity to Düsseldorf. With more than 90,000 inhabitants the town is middle-sized. People who like being outside in nature, can explore the woods which surround Ratingen. There are many paths for walkers, bikers and people on horseback. Furthermore the recreation parc “Green Lake” and the open air theatre at the “Blue Lake” are popular destinations.The centre of Ratingen is the townplace with its fountain and the surrounding old houses. Three times a week it is market day.  Then it is possible to buy meat, cheese and flowers here. Extremely favored are fresh vegetables and fruits, which are mainly grown on farms in the Ratingen’s environment. In combination with “St. Peter and Paul”, the old church,... Show more

Is Your Coffee as Strong as Your German Apologies? One of the most important things to learn about a language, aside from introductions, is how to apologize in case you find yourself in the unfortunate situation that you need to do so. In the case of German, the most general word of apology is "Entschuldigung“. This literally means "apology“, and it's used in most situations: when you've accidentally done something bad when you want somebody's attention when you want people to make room Keep in mind though, that you should not use it when somebody tells some sad news about themselves, because that is not something you should apologize for – unless you had any stake in it. If you need something stronger than... Show more

How to Really Learn German in Just Minutes a Day and Stick with it Get an Instant 10% OFF with coupon code FF2009 for a limited time. The Myth What if I told you mastering German wasn't that hard. That actually learning the language itself is not nearly as difficult as you may have heard. And that the problem to progressing is an age old one...failure to execute. The Real Issue Said another way, "People don't progress 'cause they don't do! If you don't do the work, you won't reach your goals." It's a bold statement, but think about it. How many things have you tried, only to give up at some later point in time. Exercising daily, diets, hobbies, etc. Language learning is no exception. We tend to start out strong,... Show more

Do you want to make a lot of progress in German this year? Here's your chance to become famous and win a prize for doing so! The GermanPod101 Challenge 2009. Hear about it in the news podcast dated January 11th. How it works: Upload a video to Youtube in which you speak German. Tag it with "Before GermanPod101 Challenge 2009". This will be your before picture, so you should submit it as soon as possible. Study German. You have 6 months (until the present series reach no. 25) to make as much progress as possible. The competition from other GermanPod101 members should be an extra incentive to do as much as you can. Joining late is possible but not recommended, as you won't have as much time to make progress. Upload another... Show more

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year from everyone here at GermanPod101.com! We're grateful to have listeners just like you, and we're eagerly waiting for the upcoming year to learn German together! And when the New Year comes around, be sure to make a resolution to study German with GermanPod101.com! Have a healthy and happy holiday season. From the GermanPod101.com team!