Learning German for beginners. How to learn German on your own and quickly: simple, accessible ways
It is difficult to imagine learning German without using textbooks. And if you have just started learning, then you won’t be able to do without them.
Hello, dear friends. My name is Alena Kirpicheva, I have been teaching German for about 12 years. IN Lately Several people have added me to Skype who, in principle, are not going to study with a tutor; they would like to learn German on their own.
They simply ask for advice - where to start, what to tackle and, in general, where, so to speak, to run, and where not to run.
Where to begin?
So, you’ve decided to learn German on your own. The first thing I would recommend is to take some kind of TEXTBOOK as a basis. It would seem a simple solution, but, nevertheless, for some reason, not everyone decides to start with choosing a textbook.
For myself, I have long divided German language textbooks into two types: textbooks published in Germany and prepared directly by native speakers, and textbooks published in Russia. Both of them have both disadvantages and advantages.
German textbooks are aimed at developing speaking skills. In them you will find real German speech, conversational phrases. Grammar is taken without fail and it is immediately applied in conversation. I love Themen neu, Delfin, Schritte. But what, in my opinion, is a drawback of German textbooks is that the grammar is not always worked out properly.
Those. Exercises to develop grammatical skills are not always enough. This deficiency, however, can be more than compensated for by using some Russian textbook. This is where you will find “grammar heaven”. Lots of different exercises and translations.
Everything is aimed at developing and consolidating grammatical skills. But, unfortunately, this has nothing to do with speaking skills, and the vocabulary is most often outdated.
In my opinion, the best thing is to combine German and Russian textbooks. I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to study on my own “from scratch” using German textbooks - everything there is in German, oddly enough. So if you are a complete beginner, it makes sense to start by using some Russian manual. Everything is laid out there in great detail. Well, then you still need to combine them.
Phonetics
Don't neglect phonetics! Your pronunciation is what the interlocutor hears first of all and from which, in fact, he gets the first impression of your command of the language.
Tell me, whose speech will be easier for you to understand: a person who has good pronunciation and few grammatical errors, or someone who has terrible pronunciation but excellent grammar? I find it easier with the first one. I agree, the opinion is controversial. But nonetheless. I would say “they greet you by pronunciation, but see you off by grammar” :)
Yes, repeating words after the announcer is not the most exciting activity. But, firstly, this will serve as excellent training for you in reading rules. initial stage. And secondly, it will save you from detailed reading“introductory phonetic course”, which is available in almost all domestic self-teaching books.
I like the pronunciation books Middleman Doris „Sprechen Hören Sprechen”, Gerhard G.S. Bunk „Phonetik aktuell”, Assimil publishing house “German without labor today” (“Deutsch ohne Mühe heute”). Everything is clear, there are exercises for every sound. So, we’ve chosen a textbook, we’re practicing pronunciation...
Grammar
As for grammar, everything is simple: in any tutorial there is a lot of everything for training grammatical structures.
But, you can use something additional. I like the domestic ones Alieva S.K. “German grammar in tables and diagrams”, Ovchinnikova A.V., Ovchinnikov A.F. “500 exercises on grammar”, Tagil I.P. "Deutsche Grammatik in Übungen" and "Deutsche Grammatik". I really like the last two books - everything is very detailed, there are a lot of exercises for each rule.
There are also a lot of grammar books from German publishing houses: Chr. Lemke and L. Rohrmann „Grammatik Intensivtrainer A2″, S. Dinsel and S. Geiger „Großes Übungsbuch Grammatik”, naturally, Dreyer Schmitt „Lehr- und Übungsbuch der deutschen Grammatik”. I wouldn’t recommend starting with it: there is a lot of unfamiliar vocabulary for a beginner. But it will definitely come in handy in the future.
Vocabulary
Learning words is perhaps one of the most pressing issues when learning German. How to determine the gender of a noun? Are there any rules governing this issue? Dear friends, yes, there are some rules. You will also find them in the above-mentioned books.
But, I’m afraid that such rules as, for example, “names refer to the masculine gender natural phenomena(winds, precipitation)” or “all nouns ending in “-ung” are feminine” and two dozen other similar methods for determining the gender of nouns will not always help you. Therefore, the gender of nouns MUST BE LEARNED. Deal with it.
Der - Die - Das
Every German noun has an article (which depends on its gender). We remember articles using exciting game. Can you complete all the levels?
But the most important thing is to practice vocabulary in conversation. Here we smoothly approach the topic of speaking skills.
Speaking skills
Well. It seems like we learned everything - the first 40 words, a couple of grammatical rules, and practiced pronunciation. In general, we armed ourselves. So now comes the most important part. We need to start talking. To have a conversation you need an interlocutor. Since you are learning the language on your own, you don't have many options. Your first interlocutor is yourself. Yes, first you will have to TALK TO YOURSELF.
Firstly, you will always listen to yourself (as they say, it’s always nice to talk to smart person), you will not be in a hurry and will be able to complete the phrase without fuss, calmly. Secondly, you simply have no other options to begin with. Start simple. Describe everything that is around you, everything that is happening.
For example, you have mastered the construction „Das ist ein(e) …”, did the exercises. Let’s start training: walk around the apartment and say: "This is a table, this is a chair, this is a cup, this is a spoon". Bring a dictionary with you to look up unfamiliar words. 🙂
You have learned several verbs and their conjugations - describe what you are doing: “I wash the dishes. The cup is here. Mom is talking on the phone". It's simple. Don't build long sentences right away. Work within the grammatical rules you have already covered. And gradually, expanding your vocabulary, learning more and more new grammatical rules, complicate your sentences.
Describe everything that happens around you, what you see and hear. In general, gradually increase your momentum. This way you will understand the memorization of articles (especially when cases begin) and grammar. A monologue speech will be built.
For dialogic speech, still look for a real interlocutor. The forums are full of people looking for someone to talk to in their target language. Go there, you will find a lot of friends. Again, Skype opens up many new opportunities. You can find native speakers, just pleasant conversationalists.
Let's celebrate! Basically, I think that a tutor by and large and is needed to teach how to speak. This is an interlocutor who will correct mistakes. You can handle grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation yourself, although it will certainly be easier with a tutor.
I think at this point I would like to put a comma in my thoughts on this topic. There are still some points that I would like to highlight. But I will leave them for the next article. Have questions? Feel free to write in the comments!
I think that first, so that interest in the language does not disappear, it is worth starting with materials that are entertaining and educational at the same time. In this regard, I can advise you this:
1. German is a language that immediately begins with difficulties. The difficulty with this is the articles that determine the gender of the noun, and it - this gender - in German most often does not coincide with Russian (the most famous example here is “das Mädchen” - a girl, which in German is neuter; the article das indicates the gender, and there are also der and die + indefinite ein and eine). So you either have to stupidly memorize ALL the nouns along with the articles that belong to them, or use the game "", and it is an excellent remedy for memorizing articles (and for replenishing vocabulary, by the way, too), since they are divided into simple, medium and complex. Don't ignore this game.
Well, I’ll allow myself a little self-promotion) I once wrote short fairy tales on German grammar, and they were published on the de-online website. One of these fairy tales is "". People liked it) Read it, maybe it will somehow help you in learning articles.
5. There is also a good audio course for beginners: " ": consisting of four episodes, it tells the story of student journalist Andreas and his invisible companion Ex. Each series includes 26 lessons with dialogues, exercises and audio materials. There are textbooks for this course (one for each series), which are downloaded separately.
6. As for textbooks, in addition to “German grammar with a human face” (a textbook with pure theory, without exercises), I can also recommend the textbook by V.V. Yartsev " German grammar? Don’t be afraid!”: there is a very interesting, humorous presentation of the material in the form of a journey through different clearings in the forest. Exercises are offered for each section, and answers to them are given at the end of the textbook.
7. For memorization irregular verbs- the song " ": these verbs are sung there in rhyme, thanks to which they are perfectly remembered. There are 40 irregular verbs in this song - that's just the beginning.
30% of people “fail” at language courses. They give up because there is no time, it is difficult, there is no more energy, or because interest has disappeared. Why? It's simple. Outdated teaching methods that work against our brains. So how can you learn German quickly and forever?
At systematic approach You can learn German to an advanced level (that is, fluent communication on any topic, level C1) in 12-17 months, without living in the country of the language. System training includes:
- Set a language learning goal and go towards it
- Find a teacher or courses that fit your purpose. No independent learning, otherwise it will take years to reach your goal
- Presence of success factors
Now about each point separately.
1. Set a language learning goal and go towards it
First you need to determine what level you have now and what level you want to reach. If the level is beginner, and for your purposes you need to master the intermediate level, then the learning time will be significantly reduced to several months. The same goes if you have an intermediate level and want to reach advanced.
Second important point- set yourself a time frame. By what time do I want to reach my desired level? What specific date and month? A time limit is an excellent motivator not to put things off until later, but to get busy, despite the rush at work, illness, holidays and lack of mood. The goal should have a specific date that you will strive for.
2. Find a teacher or courses
Classes at a language school and with private tutors can be divided into three types:
First type: The pace of classes is slow
To obtain First level, you need to go for at least six months. Then another two years to master the intermediate level. The courses are usually inexpensive, but to achieve an intermediate level, you need to take 4-6 courses. The total is not cheap, and a lot of time is spent. This is the most common type of language school not only in Russia, but also in Germany.
Second type: The pace of classes is medium or fast
You will have to adapt to this pace. If you missed a couple of weeks due to a cold, you will have a lot of catching up to do. Most often on your own. No one will return money for absence from classes (at least without a medical certificate). There is no individual approach. I have also met tutors who worked at their own rhythm, moving on to the next topic even when the student had not yet mastered the previous one. This rush is especially common when the deadline for taking a test or exam is approaching. Although, in my opinion, it does not justify the tutor’s decision to move on.
Third type: The pace of classes is determined individually
Here the student pays not for the time spent studying, but for the result. For comparison: In the first type of courses we are told – “ Pay for six months and go to classes". Theoretically, in six months you can master half of the initial A1 course. At least that's what it says in the description. But if you don’t master it, you’ll have to repeat the course.
In the third type of classes it is proposed to pay for the result - “ Want an intermediate level? Please. Pay once and study until you learn everything. As much time as needed.“Some people manage in three months, while others need eight, because they work two jobs and because they have to pass the exam. But the price for both the first and second cases one, and the rhythm of classes is chosen individually. There are very few such schools, but they do exist.
How do you know what type of school is right for you? It all depends on life situation, ability and willingness to learn the language. You need to determine how much time you have per day and per week to study the language. Not only in courses, but also independently at home. You also need to evaluate at what pace it would be most comfortable to practice. You can also attend trial classes on several courses and choose the most suitable ones. If there are no language schools in your city or it’s a long way to get to them, you can use the services of online schools. Online courses today are not inferior in quality. And you don't have to go anywhere.
3. Presence of success factors
There are a number of factors that will help determine whether you can learn a language quickly and permanently in the place or with the teacher you are currently studying with. These factors play a key role.
Variety of educational materials
At the initial stage, you can study one basic and one grammar. But as the language level increases, the materials should expand - texts, videos, games, discussion training, projects, etc. Materials must be up-to-date, no copies from textbooks of the last century.
Selective Grammar Study
I've gone through all the German grammar, but in truth I only use 30-40% of the structures from the grammar books. In other words, like most Germans. No one uses all the rules described in the Helbig und Buscha grammar. It is important to train only 30-40%, and the rest to practice only for understanding, if suddenly it comes up somewhere. To quickly learn German, you don’t need to overload yourself with unnecessary information, otherwise the study will take a long time and the effect will be small.
Selective vocabulary
The logic is the same here - we don’t learn everything, but concentrate on common words and expressions. First of all, we train the words that we use in current topics (everyday affairs and a couple of specialized topics related to work and profession). First of all, we practice expressing our thoughts on these topics.
Learning spoken language
No expressions from the classics of German literature, no outdated words. Reading German literature is good, but learning German from it is not relevant.
Germans' eyebrows go up when they hear from a foreigner some literary phrase that they themselves have never heard before, and they are even more surprised by the question - “What, don’t you say that? And Thomas Mann wrote so!”
It is clear that previously there were no other sources of original German texts, but now there is plenty of material, both textual, audio and video.
Control
Not just at the end of the course. And not just written. And not only the official one. The teacher must monitor and record any progress of the student in order to react in time if something was not learned.
Feel constant personal progress
For example, you study with a tutor for a month or go to courses. What can you do in a month? Just say hello, introduce yourself and say goodbye? Or not only that, but also talk about yourself, your family and work, place an order in a restaurant, ask directions from a passerby and talk about the weather with your German neighbor on the plane? Do you feel the difference?
Motivation
Having set a goal for learning a language, we are already interested in studying regularly and completing assignments on time. But sometimes this is not enough. Therefore, the teacher must also not only convey knowledge, but also motivate different ways– from interesting story about Germany before time limits on delivery homework. However, do not forget to motivate yourself personally. For example, you could wear a German flag bracelet or keychain as a reminder to exercise every day. Or the opportunity to write your first greeting card in German after this topic has been covered. You need to think about what can motivate and encourage you to study the language regularly.
Individual approach
To learn German or any other language, you definitely need to take into account an individual approach. There are language courses with a group of 15 people or more. Here you can hardly hope that the teacher will regularly monitor the personal progress of each student. Most often, if the majority of the group has understood the material, the teacher moves on to the next topic. What if you're in the minority? Still don't understand the topic and want some more explanations and exercises? What if you were not present for previous classes? What if you remember visual images better, but the teacher gives only text? Some people find it easier to learn words separately, while others remember them in context. How to tailor classes to suit yourself?
Ideally, the teacher leads the class based on the students' goals, using everything, and goes through the topic until all participants understand it.
I wish you to learn German quickly, quickly and well, well, so that you no longer sit over textbooks, but enjoy the result!
Good luck to everyone!
10 tips on how to learn German quickly and forever was last modified: November 2nd, 2018 by Catherine
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This channel contains video tutorials, exercises and simply interesting reports about. All classes are taught by native speakers, thanks to which you can not only learn grammatical rules, but also hear correct pronunciation words There is also a small section with audiobooks, which is useful for practicing listening comprehension skills.
1) Yartsev V.V. Deutsch fur Sie und... is a two-volume book that will give you an excellent base on all aspects of the language (the best in my opinion subjective opinion— note by E. Kashaeva)
2) Yartsev V.V. “German grammar. Don't be afraid." - German grammar is very accessible
Practicing German pronunciation
12) Pronunciation + many other aspects of the language http://www.youtube.com/user/LanguageSheep/featured
13) German phonetics for Russian speakers :) http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5iQEtkZ2oNA2ccipGiw82g
14) Resource with a description of phonetics in text format: http://www.english-german.ru/?cat=27
21) Explanatory (German-German) dictionary with links to other dictionaries: http://canoo.net. There is a Wortformen section where word forms are given (an important and super-useful section!)
25) A simple but necessary list of frequency words. Lists of 100 to 10,000 words are available, frequency lists of English, Dutch and French http://wortschatz.uni-leipzig.de/html/wliste