Learning German will give you easy access to all of central Europe. While English may be everywhere, German is the second language of choice for many people in central Europe, not to mention the native language of the most populous country in Western Europe. The German language is related to English, so in some ways English speakers have an advantage in learning German, but there are a number of sounds which are new to native English speakers, and the grammar and word order is a little complex and can take a little getting used to. Let's take a look at the best products available to learn German.
Internet/Free Easily the single best online source for anyone learning German is
About.com.
It has lessons from the very beginning, right on through to intermediate and advanced. Grammar, verb conjugations and how to use them, pronunciation guides with audio examples, idioms, cultural material and load of links to other sources. There are even weekly e-mail lessons. About.com employs guides, professional teachers, who provide qualified oversight of the material for each topic. It's like having your very own German tutor. This is a fantastic resource that can supplement your chosen method, or if you can't spend any money, with a little extra hard work this site can provide most of your learning needs. I think it is better than many methods that you will find for sale in stores for learning German.
Internet/Free Another great resource for learning German is
German-Grammar.de
This is a free website with grammar, vocabulary, dialogues and lots of audio.
The Living Language series, published by Random House, brings to life a well thought-out program in a compact package, by using a 'building block' approach to learning German. The Basic Complete set includes a 40 lesson coursebook, which doubles as a phrasebook because it has lots of variations of the most common or useful phrases, a dictionary with plenty of idioms and expressions, and 3 90-minute cassettes or cd's. It's a package with great value.
Book/Audio Combo
This is a notch up from the Basic Complete set, it includes a 400+ page coursebook and 4 cd's that are coordinated with the book. An additional 4 cd's to work with away from the book makes a nice overall package for learning German for a reasonable price. There is also an advanced level to continue to study German.
Audio Only Pimsleur German Comprehensive
Pimsleur is the king of all-audio programs. The all-conversation approach works well for German which has a few sounds relatively difficult for a native English speaker. The only drawback to Pimsleur is that there is only a little bit of reading practice. There is a reading booklet and cd in each level, but I think some kind of supplemental reading material is needed. I'd still choose Pimsleur Comprehensive over all other methods, it's simply the best. Read my
review of Pimsleur,visitor reviews of Pimsleur, or listen to the first lesson of Pimsleur German free below!
Rosetta Stone's immersion style method is one of the very best for learning German. Their approach is one of full media - images, audio, written words etc., and intructs you expertly in every aspect of language - listening, speaking, reading and writing, and make it interesting in the process. They offer a cd-software based personal edition or a unique alternative. For a subscription fee, you can have complete online access to their German software. If you can take advantage of their 500+ hours of instruction in a few months, you can get one of the best language learning products at a bargain price! Otherwise, the personal edition software will give you complete access all the time, for the full price, of course.
Rosetta Stone is an excellent choice for learning German. Read my
review of Rosetta Stone
or see for yourself how Rosetta Stone works for you and try out the free demo -
Resources for Learning German
Here is a short list of links and resources you can use to supplement and advance your study of German. Also, for penpals, language learning forums, chats and other helpful resources, go to the
General Resources page.
The German language "speaks Being," while all the others merely "speak of Being."