German seems so difficult! Grammar, articles, pronunciation... And yet, you decided to do it and start teaching him. Today we will tell you where to start learning a language and give you some tips useful tips for a quick and efficient start.

First of all, decide on the goal - why do you need german language? Want to add a line to your resume and impress an employer?

Are you planning to go on holiday to Germany and are trying to acquire a minimum vocabulary sufficient to make purchases in shopping centers, order dinner at a restaurant, etc.? In this case, an elementary level of knowledge will be quite enough and striving to comprehend all the subtleties of grammar and pronunciation is not your primary goal.

It’s another matter if you need German for work to communicate with clients or partners from Germany. Solid knowledge with an emphasis on business vocabulary, business letter writing and negotiation skills in German will come in handy here. Do you want to receive higher education in Germany? You can’t do without an advanced level: you will have to listen and understand lectures in German, make presentations and write scientific works, communicate with classmates and professors.

Depending on your final goal, your lesson plan will be built.

The next important point along with the goal is your motivation.

Interest is the engine of progress. It doesn’t matter what your interest in the German language will be based on - be it economic interest ( new position or a new place of work) or a purely personal interest (a cute deskmate / a pretty neighbor). Perhaps all your life you have dreamed of reading Goethe and Schiller in the original? Do you want to understand what the cute German boy from the new video is singing about in that song? Chat? The main thing is your interest and desire! You must have a desire to study the language, learn new things, strive to comprehend new level and move on. This requires a third condition - regularity of classes.

Spend at least 1 hour every day learning the language.

New words that we remember first enter our working memory and replenish vocabulary. If you have read/heard a new word, but have not formed a stable connection with context or emotions in your memory, very soon this word will be regarded as redundant or unnecessary information and will be relegated to “storage shelves.” After just two weeks of not using the word, it moves from the active stock to the passive one. Therefore, you need to study the language regularly and constantly.

The next rule is to study a little every day. You shouldn’t immediately try to remember “” or understand all the tenses and case forms. More effective technique will try to master new material gradually, but - as mentioned above - regularly. Make yourself a simple rule: learn. In a month you will already know 300 words, in a year 3600, and in three years your vocabulary will already be about 11,000 words, which is close to the vocabulary of a native speaker, sufficient for communication in everyday life.

Try to talk and write as much as possible!

Active speech activity promotes effective language learning. It is no coincidence that the most effective technique in the world today is considered communication technique. Communication, or communication, is what, according to teachers and methodologists, should be the basis of any foreign language lesson. Think about the question: do you speak German? (in English, in Russian?). We ask whether a person speaks this language, not whether he can translate or read.

Study both independently and with a teacher.

There are many cases where individuals have studied foreign language independently, using textbooks or tutorials, and achieved some success in this. But do not underestimate the role of the teacher - this is your ideal interlocutor in a foreign language lesson, a partner for composing dialogues and a person who will help correct mistakes and answer questions. What's better - to study individually with or go to ? Everyone should answer this question for themselves, because... someone is more inclined to work in the group, someone, on the contrary, feels less confident in the group and will be ashamed of their mistakes. And for some, additional motivation in learning a language can be the opportunity to communicate with group mates, discuss news, exchange opinions, etc. It is worth paying attention to the size of the group - 8-10 people are considered ideal, maximum 12, otherwise the lesson will be ineffective.

Moreover, the answer to this question will also depend on financial opportunities each - individual lessons with a tutor can be more expensive than classes in a group. Learning a language at a prestigious language center is also unlikely to be cheaper than courses offered at universities for students. Fortunately, nowadays there are many resources on the Internet that provide access to language courses and training programs, online dictionaries and language tandem sites where you can register and exchange knowledge. A huge number of videos and podcasts on YouTube make it possible not only to train listening comprehension, but also to get acquainted with the nuances of pronunciation, expand your cultural fund and learn a lot about another country whose language you are studying.

Many who want to learn a language go to university to become translators or teachers, but this is not the best option if you want to learn to speak the language. It happens that the first course foreign language studies- all linguistic theory and no practice, you discuss in Russian why some prefixes in German are separable and others are not - well, how will this actually help you at Oktoberfest? Another thing - language courses in the country of the language being studied: here you are immediately immersed in the language environment, situations of real communication and have the opportunity to “play out” and put into practice everything that was studied in class at school before - here is the topic of “food” and “dating”, “at the station”, “at the bank”, “shopping”, “travel”, etc. It is best to take such a course when you have already achieved a certain level of knowledge and want to move to a new, qualitatively different level.

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

We decided to learn German, but you don't know where to start? Or do you want to review material you forgot at school? Do you want to study on one's own? Were prepared especially for you online lessons on studying German language.

So, what does the site offer you for success? learning German from scratch?

First of all, especially for entry level in the form online lessons tutorials were prepared on teaching German A. A. Popova for beginners and intermediate levels. No prior knowledge is required from you. All language elements are presented step by step. The most important thing that is required of you is wish learn German. At first you may have a dislike for dull German sounds, but over time it will completely or partially disappear. Details about the organization of classes for learning German are written in the first introductory text. Doing the exercises is not at all difficult, because there are special forms for entering text, as well as answer keys. To view the answer, hover your mouse over the key: . You can only peek back after you have completely completed the exercise! If you have any questions, you can ask them under the lesson as a comment.

Go to -› list of lessons ‹- (Click)

Reasons to learn German

• The German language is not difficult.
  Words are both heard and written, you just need to know the letter combinations. You probably won't even have to learn the alphabet, because it is of Latin origin, which most people already know. And if you know English, it gives you big advantage. English and German have common roots, which means there are a large number of similarities, which will greatly facilitate its learning. Also, the German lessons on the site are very easy, so if you can't learn them, congratulations, you're very lazy. * There should be a Flash sloth emoji here, but there isn't one.*
• German is the most commonly spoken language in Europe.
  English, French and German are the 3 official languages ​​of the European Union. In absolute numbers, German is the second most commonly used language. However, if native speakers are taken into account, German comes first. Knowing a language gives you about 100 million more people to communicate with. Of course, this is not a billion, as in Chinese, but still
• German is the language of inventors and innovators.
  A large percentage of the most outstanding achievements were first invented in Germany. More than 100 Nobel Prizes have gone to outstanding German scientists for their achievements in physics, medicine, chemistry, literature and other fields. And this does not include Austria and Switzerland, the other 2 main representatives of the German language. So if you are going to add Nobel Prize to add to your resume, learning German might not be a bad place to start. Or at least you can read their scientific works.
• German - important language in the scientific community.
  It is the second most commonly used language in the world of science. One of the reasons for this is that the German book market is the 3rd largest in the entire world, just after Chinese and English. But only a small number of books have been translated from German into other languages. Therefore, knowledge of German is simply necessary here.
• German is the key to world-class higher education.
  German universities have an excellent international reputation. In 2011, the country was the fourth most popular destination for international students, with more than 250,000 enrolled in German schools. Moreover, the German system higher education boasts a high number of universities with very low tuition fees and even completely free. It is not surprising that scientists and researchers gather there in droves. Sounds like a good investment for the future.
• Germany is the locomotive of the European economy.
  German is an interesting choice not only for scientists, but also for businessmen. Germany is the largest economy in the European Union and the 4th largest in the world. It is home to numerous international corporations and is always at the forefront of new technologies. Communicating with someone in his native language has always been a sign good manners, and using German with business partners can dramatically increase your chances of effective negotiations and successful professional relationships.
• German companies are world market leaders.
  Do you want to work for a company that is a leader in the international market? Knowing German can help you open the door you need. Germany is home large quantity strong economic players such as Siemens, BMW, Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, Adidas, Hugo Boss, Lufthansa... And that's not all. Meanwhile, Berlin is emerging as a hub for innovative start-ups. Some even call it the Silicon Valley of Europe. Therefore, knowing German offers enormous potential for improving your career opportunities.
• German also has a huge online audience.
  You don't even need to meet these 100 million people in real life. You can do this while lying on your favorite couch. German sites make up a huge part of the Internet. Technically, the German domain .de is the second most popular after .com. Second place on the entire Internet! Yes, I'm shocked myself.
• The Germans are everywhere.
  Even if you're not planning on visiting a German-speaking country or you're not keen on stalking Germans online, don't worry: Germans will find you. If you have traveled, you must have already noticed this phenomenon. German citizens are some of the most insatiable travelers. With six weeks annual leave and a lot of money to spend, you can run into these “poor souls” anywhere in the world. It is only recently that the championship has passed to tourists from China, and before that the Germans were the leaders. Therefore, even a little knowledge of the language can be useful to you on the road.
• German culture is part of the world heritage.
  Although Germans have a reputation as analysts and lovers of logic, the German-speaking world is also home to outstanding minds in the fields of music, literature, art and philosophy. This is the language of Goethe, Kafka, Brecht and Mann. It was the native language of composers Mozart, Bach, Schubert, Beethoven and Wagner. Revolutionary philosophy was first written in German when Kant, Hegel, Nietzsche and Heidegger were just beginning their creative activity. Learning German gives you the opportunity to appreciate the masterpieces of these creators in the original. Just look at Goethe's Faust!
• If none of these reasons apply to you, then this reason is Rammstein.

Germany is a wonderful country with good cuisine and delicious beer, a developed economy and beautiful landscapes, excellent training programs for students, so that's it more people want to learn German from scratch.

This article is intended for persons over 18 years of age

Have you already turned 18?

Features of learning German

Many people want to find out how and whether it is even possible to learn a foreign language (in our particular case, German) quickly, simply and painlessly. Yes, this is possible and quite feasible, but in pairs, with a teacher or in special linguistic courses, sometimes it turns out easier and better. And here the point is not that someone will explain the basics of grammar to you and put the necessary information into your head, because in the end you can come to everything on your own. The fact is that the courses increase your desire to learn. The main problem that all beginners face is the lack of strong motivation, interest, fortitude, and self-control. It is these qualities that allow, after long days, weeks and months, to begin speaking a foreign dialect with ease and beauty.

If you do not have a clearly defined goal and the desire to achieve it, then it is very difficult to force yourself to sit regularly for several hours a day over textbooks, memorizing words, sayings, articles, irregular verbs and grammar.

b"> Where to start learning German from scratch on your own?

The beginning is always the most difficult thing in the learning process; the final result depends on how everything goes. There are many different methods and ways to learn a foreign syllable, but you must start, of course, with the very basics - the alphabet, letters and their sounds.

You can purchase manuals that are usually bought for children, tutorials for beginners from scratch, or download free initial video lessons on sites that help you learn German on your own. Children's books and textbooks are very good option, if you do not know a single foreign dialect, since they have a clear plan and structure, they explain grammar and rules in an accessible and simple way, taking into account the psychology and knowledge of a beginner.

c">Ways to learn a German home

In order to achieve desired results, you need to make some efforts, show self-discipline and perseverance, because you will need to spend several hours studying textbooks. But besides standard cramming and memorizing grammar rules, you can use other learning options.

Increasingly, in schools, children or language courses use a game method that makes it easy to remember the necessary information, assimilate complex grammar and expand your vocabulary. The easiest way is to place cards in the house with the names of objects in the language being studied, a table irregular verbs or articles that are so difficult to remember. When your eyes come across a particular entry, you will remember its meaning. In the future, the task can be complicated by adding to the words different characteristics or descriptions.

It is not without reason that children at school are advised to read a lot in order to learn to speak well. Even if you don’t understand everything well yet, still look through books and magazines in the desired dialect, look at pictures and look for words in the dictionary, write them down in a notebook, enriching your speech.

If you have already completed several lessons on your own, learned the basic greeting phrases and want to continue in the same spirit, then you should register on special free training sites. You can have conversations with a student like yourself, chat with an ethnic German, or find a German-speaking friend who is studying Slavic languages, with whom you can exchange valuable advice and help in training.

d"> Difficulties in learning German that shouldn’t frighten you

It is impossible to answer the questions about whether it is difficult to learn German, how long it will take to do it, and how quickly you can start reading and writing. It all depends, as mentioned above, on your determination and perseverance, desire and patience. But even the most diligent students face difficulties, here are some of them:

• many dialects that are not always understandable to those who learn the language from scratch;
• rapid speech, during which words are distorted and letters disappear;
• complex grammar with many irregular verbs, articles and other things;
• incomprehensible sentence structure and slang.

But they should not frighten, because everything can be overcome, learned and understood, found in smart books, heard over a glass of beer and a plate of delicious sausages, because the people of Germany are very responsive and will always help someone who is trying to master their native language.

Independent learning of the German language from scratch is not fiction and illusion, but reality. If a person has the desire, a notebook, headphones and at least access to the Internet, everything will be possible. Although here you need something else, the most important thing, without which you won’t be able to fully study the German language on your own. Free time is necessary, and the more you have, the better.

Study Plan

The first step is to carefully plan your “home” course. That is, make a plan for learning German. It is very easy to do this on your own, since a person will be guided solely by his abilities, prospects and capabilities. Of course, you need to start with the basics. That is, from the alphabet. You need to practice pronunciation of letters and sounds, memorize them, because this is really important. Once this has been mastered, you can begin where everyone starts - the “Getting Acquainted” topic. This is the easiest lesson, since within its framework a person becomes familiar with the construction simple sentences, for example, these: “Mein Name ist Anton” (translation: “My name is Anton”). And, of course, from this lesson a person begins to accumulate his vocabulary. The number of expressions, verbs, nouns, connectives and everything else is important. After all, the richness of his German speech depends on how wide the student’s vocabulary is. And, of course, the question arises - where to learn a language, with what, what to use? There are a lot of courses, both free and sold for money. In addition, you can buy several books and study from them. There are a lot of ways, everyone can find the one that suits them.

Psychological attitude

After accepting such important decision- to start learning a new language - you need to give yourself an attitude. The first thing you need to do is determine for yourself how much time you can devote to studying. You need to start from small things - starting from the number of hours per week and ending with the amount of lessons per month. It’s not for nothing that professional courses are compiled on an hourly basis. You should also calculate how many minutes it will take to take a break. It is very important, sometimes you need to be distracted, switch to another type of activity - this way the information is absorbed much better. And besides, interest in the language will never fade away, since a person will always feel rested, fresh and ready to learn new things. Motivation is also important. It is necessary to record your successes, analyze your own achievements in order to see that there really is a result, and strive for perfection. And, of course, you can dream about a trip to Germany or other countries where state language is German. After all, by understanding the indigenous people, you can make your vacation much easier.

Success comes gradually

Many people, starting to study the German language on their own, ask themselves: how much time does it take to master it perfectly? The answer depends on many things. How often does a person study German, how many hours a week does he devote to it, how hard does he work on topics, and so on. However, we can say with confidence that ideally no one will be able to master it in two months. The German language is as rich as Russian. Just perfecting perfect pronunciation can take a year, since a person learns to speak in the process of mastering new words. But if you spend enough time on this and delve deeply into each topic, then in two years you can master German so that even the indigenous people, upon hearing his speech, will accept him as “one of their own.”

Immersion in the language environment

It will do self-study learning German from scratch is even easier. At least in terms of pronunciation. By the way, those people who communicate with native speakers of this language and listen to songs in German master it much faster. They say that you don’t have to buy textbooks or study courses to start speaking. You can simply move to Germany and bring your zero German to a good conversational level in six months. However, this option is not realistic for everyone, and not everyone can take the risk.

Audiovisual training

So how can you make learning German on your own easier? The film is the first thing that can help. Video recordings in German with subtitles, due to sound accompaniment and simultaneous visual translation into Russian, will help not only to learn to understand the speech of German residents. A person will also understand how to correctly pronounce and translate a particular word. This will make your independent learning of the German language more interesting and varied. A film is a combination of business and pleasure, since you can watch a new film (or “remember” something you’ve already seen before) and strengthen your skills in a foreign language. In fact, today you can find a lot of different films translated into German. For example, "Pirates" Caribbean Sea”, or “The Lord of the Rings”. By the way, watching films that you have already seen before is even better, since you already have an idea of ​​how events within the plot will develop, and you can pay more attention to subtitles and German voice acting.

The most difficult topic

Speaking about independent learning of the German language from scratch, a few words should be said about the most difficult topic that exists in the program. If we exclude scientific terminology, then these are verbs and their correct use. The importance of this part of speech cannot be overestimated. After all, in fact, without a verb, not a single complete sentence can be made. But it’s not enough just to know how “to speak”, “to do” and other words are translated. It is necessary to perfectly memorize the table of irregular verbs, learn how to control them, and learn how to decline by cases and persons. Mastering this topic will take a lot of time, and therefore should not be left without due attention.

Communication

When self-learning German from scratch gives significant results, you can think about starting to communicate with native speakers. Nowadays, it is very easy to make this idea a reality. Fortunately, there are different social media, through which you can meet someone from Germany, and then, after correspondence, switch to video communication. This is a very useful practice because colloquial speech is the most important stage, which contains self-paced learning of the German language from scratch. The program, of course, is already very voluminous and consists of dozens various topics. However, only through communication will you learn to master German, learn to listen to dialects (of which there are a huge number in Germany and German-speaking countries), and understand abbreviations and slang. Of course, at first it will be a little difficult to communicate, but you can always have a translator, phrase book or notes at hand. This will serve as a reference material at first. And then, gradually, the need for hints will disappear by itself. After just a couple of months of intensive communication, the result will be noticeable - a much larger vocabulary, competent speech and correct sentence construction.

Constancy

Finally, there are a few things to consider when starting to learn German on your own from scratch. The main thing in this matter is consistency. Once you start, you shouldn’t give up, forget about lessons, or put it off until “later.” You need to develop the habit of studying the language regularly, at the same time, for the same number of hours. Of course, it is advisable to increase the number of classes, but gradually. Many people, following this principle of self-studying the German language, leave only positive reviews. Of course, little can be achieved without difficulty, but what can be achieved today just like that?