Want to learn how to become fluent in German but you’re not sure how? Then keep reading to find out how you can go from the basics to immersing yourself in the German language. So, let’s get started!
1. Immerse yourself in German
In order to become fluent in German, you must immerse yourself in the language. If you can’t physically go to Germany then bring Germany to you by immersing yourself in its rich culture. Make everything around you German, change the settings on your phone to German, listen to native German speakers by watching German news, tv shows and movies, read newspapers, books and magazines in German.
Make it a routinely thing that fits into your daily schedule so that you can naturally slip German into your day. In other words: make it a part of your life to become a GermanMind!
2. Learn useful German vocabulary from the start
To get fluent in German, you need to learn as many German words as possible. You can use flashcards to help you memorise words, a dictionary to check the spelling of words and a German-English dictionary to translate words that aren't in English.
Do you already know our Vocabulary booklet? This booklet will make your German learning journey a lot easier. Download now! Then go to our Free Downloads and check out our other Free Downloads.
3. Learn through listening at every opportunity
There are many ways to learn German, but listening is the most important skill. The more you listen, the better chance you have of learning a new word, sentence or phrase and fully understanding it. Listen to German TV shows, movies and music in your free time. You don't need any special equipment; just use headphones or plug them into your laptop or phone. Listen to radio stations like Deutsche Welle (DW), which broadcasts in English and German; this will help you with your pronunciation as well as vocabulary.
Listen to podcasts that teach German through audio books or interviews with native speakers these can be downloaded from iTunes or other podcast apps on mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets.
4. Watch native German speakers who are talking at real speed, not just children or newscasters.
Watch German TV and movies. Watching native German speakers in action is one of the most effective ways to learn German. This can easily be done online, on YouTube or other websites that offer videos with subtitles in English. If you don't understand what's being said, use the subtitles as a guide to help you pick up on how words are formed and pronounced. You will learn more from watching these kinds of videos than by just listening!
Talk with yourself! This sounds silly but talking aloud while walking or doing housework helps you become fluent in German because your brain has to work hard at it and retains more information than if you just listened passively.
5. Read with your ears
Reading out loud will help you with pronunciation, which is essential to learning German. Your brain will get used to hearing the sounds of German and will eventually internalize them. Reading aloud is not only good for pronunciation but also helps you understand written German more clearly and quickly because you’re actively processing what you’re reading. There are many ways to read out loud in German but here are a few tips:
Don't be afraid of making mistakes! It's okay if sometimes your tongue gets tied or if there are some words that still sound funny. Don't worry too much about how fast or slow you're going; just focus on getting through the text without forgetting anything important along the way.
Listen carefully for any sounds that don't match up with their written form this can happen when there isn't an equivalent character in our alphabet system (i.e., sch & ch), or even when two different types of letters collide (like "ng"). The best way to practice this skill is by listening closely while watching native German speakers talk naturally at real speed it may seem scary at first but trust me: it's worth it! If possible, try turning off subtitles so your brain has no choice but to use its auditory capabilities as much as possible; this exercise should become second nature once done enough times over time.
6. Try to read out loud as much as possible.
The best way to improve your German is by listening to it. The more you engage with German, the more you’ll learn and be able to use it. Reading out loud improves pronunciation because you are forced to hear how a word sounds when spoken properly. It also helps you remember vocabulary better as you tend to listen better than read silently.
Reading out loud in German will also help you understand grammar better because you’ll get used to hearing words in their context and see how they work together in sentences or phrases.
Reading out loud in German comes with the benefit of helping you pick up on new German vocab as you’ll encounter them while reading and listening.
7. Go back and review old material regularly
If you're just starting to learn German, or have been studying it for a while, it can be very helpful to go back and review old material regularly. Not only will this help you remember what you've learned, but it will also help you learn more effectively because of how memory works.
In order to make new memories stick, they need to be recalled frequently enough that they get stuck in your subconscious mind. This process is called "rehearsal." The more often we recall something from memory without having to think about it consciously the greater chance our brains have of making the connection stronger and stronger over time.
8. Learn the words and phrases that you will use every day.
Once you have the basics down, it's time to learn the words and phrases that you will use every day. It's easy to get hung up on conjugating verbs and trying to understand new grammar rules, but before you do that, it's important to focus on learning words and phrases that are most relevant for daily life.
Learn the words that you hear every day: You will hear these words often in German conversations and if you don't know them yet, your conversation partner will keep repeating them until you do!
Learn everyday conversation staples: These are things like "thank you" ("danke"), "goodbye" ("auf Wiedersehen") or "how are you doing today?" ("wie geht es dir?"). They're simple but indispensable for communicating with others as much as possible in German!
9. Keep a vocabulary journal.
Keeping a vocabulary journal is one of the most effective ways to improve your German. A vocabulary journal is a place where you can record new words, their definitions and examples of how they are used in context.
If you make an effort to write down new words every day then it will help reinforce them in your memory so that they stick around longer.
It’s also beneficial because it helps prevent forgetting by using repetition techniques like including example sentences from real-life conversations or reading materials.
10. Practice, practice, practice.
To become fluent in German, you must practice your German skills. Practice makes perfect, and the best way to do this is with a native German speaker who can correct your mistakes and help you improve. A good option would be a native speaker with whom you can speak both English and German fluently. This allows them to help you more easily understand the grammar and structure of their language while also helping them understand yours more clearly. At GermanMind you can do this by learning German from amazing teachers that are fluent in both English and German.
11. Try to stay positive about mistakes
Learning German is not just about learning new words and phrases, it's also about learning how to use them. And in order for you to feel confident using your German, you need to be able to express yourself without hesitation or self-doubt. This could take some time and that's okay! Learning German is more of a lifelong journey than a destination; so, don't get discouraged if you're still making lots of mistakes, even after being fluent for years.
12. Start putting it all together
Now that you've learned the basics of German, it's time to put it all together. To become fluent in German, start using the language you have learned in various contexts and situations. You can also use your new German language skills with different people to help improve your fluency even more.
Conclusion
You can become fluent in German if you stick with it! The best way to become fluent in German is to practice, practice, practice. Don’t give up when you have a bad day or get frustrated because you don't know something. Everyone learns at their own pace, so don't compare yourself to others and don't be afraid to make mistakes. There is nothing wrong with asking for help!
If you want to find the best way to become fluent in German then take a look at the GermanMind website where you can find German courses for all levels of ability, from beginner to advanced to improve your German.
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