The key factor in learning German is to stay motivated. Daily motivation and determination paired with these few tips listed down below will help you start learning German and will make sure that you stay encouraged along the way.
1. Set goals
Setting goals is essential to learning and improving your German language skills @GermanMind or any other German language school. It’s important to have a clear idea of what you want out of your German study and keep those goals in mind as you go about the process. If you want some inspiration here are some examples:
I I want to be independent on my trips to Germany
I want to learn how to introduce myself in German and be ready for Smalltalk
I want to watch a German tv show and be able to understand it without subtitles in 3 months.
Start small.
Don’t try to learn everything at once. Break your goals down into smaller, achievable steps. For example, when you are learning German, start by learning the basics like the alphabet, numbers, and basic phrases. If you want to learn German in an efficient way then set realistic goals for yourself, that way you can challenge yourself and still achieve your goal of learning German. You should create both short-term and long-term goals that you can work towards each day to improve your German. For example, if your only goal is "I want to learn German," this would be too vague for an effective learning plan because there would be no end in sight.
Instead, break down the larger task into more manageable pieces such as "I will learn 100 words in German per week." Then set aside time each week during which you'll study these words using flashcards or another method of memorization. This will help keep you accountable in your quest for fluency in German and give you something tangible at the end of each week! To help you stay motivated and on track to learning and improving your German give yourself a timeline for achieving your goals. Keep track of your German learning progress and celebrate your successes so that you don’t get burned out in studying German.
2. Use Flashcards
Flashcards are a great tool for learning German, you can use basic vocabulary when using flashcards to help you remember German words. Write out the German word on one side of the card and the English translation on the other side and quiz yourself. Take a few cards and try to recall the German word or phrase without looking at the English translation. If you can’t remember it, look at the English translation and then try to recall the German word. This is a great way to test your German knowledge and help you remember the words.
You can also improve your German pronunciation of words by practising saying the German words out loud.
This will help you become more comfortable speaking German. You can practise writing in German too by writing out German words and phrases on the flashcards to help you get used to German spelling and improve your German. To help your brain digest new German words you can separate the flashcards into different categories of content such as German grammar, the alphabet, numbers, etc. You can also add pictures or symbols to help you remember the words.
This will make it easier to recall the words when you need them. Make sure to use them regularly by setting aside a few minutes each day to review your flashcards. Always make sure to mix it up by using different types of flashcards or by changing the order of the cards.
This will help keep your brain more engaged when learning German and makes it more interesting.
3. Listen to German Podcasts
There are many different podcasts available for German learners, so it’s important to find one that is right for you. Make sure to look for podcasts that are tailored to your level of proficiency and that focus on topics that interest you.
When you listen to a German podcast take note of the new German words and phrases, pronunciation, and accent to help improve your German. Listening to a German podcast is not the same as passively watching a movie. When you listen to a podcast, you should be actively engaging with the material. Take notes, pause the podcast to look up words or phrases, and repeat what you hear. Speaking out loud is an important part of learning German. Try to repeat what you hear out loud on the German podcasts, this will help you to absorb the new German words and will teach you how to pronounce German words. Listening to German podcasts provides an immersive and interactive way to learn the language. With German podcasts, you can listen to native speakers and learn German in a more natural way. Regularly reviewing the new German material you’ve learned from podcasts is important for retaining the information.
Writing is another great way to learn German as it can help you practice the language, improve your grammar, and even help you remember new words and phrases.
Write about topics you are interested in to help you stay motivated and engaged when learning German. To start, you should get a journal. You can write about anything you want, from your daily activities to your thoughts and feelings. This will help you get used to writing in German and once you have some basic words and phrases down, start writing sentences. You can also practice writing dialogues in German too by starting with simple sentences and basic phrases like “Ich bin…” (I am…) or “Ich mag…” (I like…).
You can write conversations between two people, or even between yourself and a native German speaker, to understand the flow of German and learn how to form sentences. Remember to read what you write aloud so you can understand how the German words sound off of the paper. It will also help you identify any mistakes you may have made in your writing.
4. Talk out loud to yourself in German
Talking out loud to yourself is a great way to learn and improve your German because when you talk out loud to yourself, you’re engaging in active learning. It may sound strange at first but speaking to yourself out loud in German will enable you to engage in self-correction, help you avoid being afraid of making mistakes and will help you become much more comfortable speaking the German language. Speaking out loud in German will also help you pick up on different German accents and dialects. Start by finding a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed, then you can begin speaking out loud in German by practising simple conversations and repeating words and phrases too. Recording yourself on audio is also very handy when it comes to learning German because you can listen to yourself and pick up on any mistakes that you’ve made, it’ll also help you memorize the German words and sentences that you are speaking.
Conclusion
Starting your journey in learning German doesn’t have to be difficult and there are many ways to keep yourself motivated when learning this beautiful language.
If you’ve enjoyed reading this blog and now want to begin learning German, then make sure to check out the GermanMind website where you can find the perfect German course for your level of German. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or advanced in your German learning GermanMind has great and affordable courses for you to learn and improve your German in Dublin.
Bonus: Having fun is especially important when learning languages! Here are a few examples of why German Sprache is simply beautiful. Have fun!
Top Tip: Write down your favourites and use them in your next conversation with your German friends or in your next German lesson at GermanMind!
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