Learning German

[wurzel]

Anyone got any recommendataions for any German language courses - online or otherwise? Need a bit of a crash course - got about 3 months by which time I want to be able to do basic verb conjugation etc. TIA

[Paddy]

Anyone got any recommendataions for any German language courses - online or otherwise? Need a bit of a crash course - got about 3 months by which time I want to be able to do basic verb conjugation etc. TIA

Different people have their own preferences because we don’t all learn in the same way. If you are in the UK, go to the library and try some out. You can even back-up their CDs for them free.

[shaunbhoy]

Whilst I was stationed in Germany in the early 80s, I was sent down to Italy on a training course for 4-5 months. Whilst down there I decided to try and learn German so that when I returned north, I would be able to converse freely with the locals.
Bought a book and an English-German dictionary, and put a few hours into learning it.
When I returned to the Fatherland, I was able to construct quite complex sentences, and had a reasonably good accent too.
So much so that many Germans believed, when I spoke, that I was actually quite fluent.
Where it all went wrong though was, despite the fact that I knew what it was that I was saying, I often had no clue what their reply was.

Still, I think most of them appreciated the effort I had made, so all was not lost.We generally just defaulted to English.
I suppose I can honestly say that I can speak German. I just can't always translate when someone else speaks it!!

[scooterscot]

I've been using the pimsleur method, not the exact one I've linked there but the result is the same. Before I tried michel thomas, while you get history in the lessons also you need more time for sure.

With the Pimsleur I find myself using being able to make use of what I've learnt very quickly; 'excuse me', 'what is the time' 'when could you have that ready' 'I would like to order etc.. ' lots of stupid small stuff and before you know it your constructing your own sentences.

If you want to impress a German I've been told learn 'eine kleine Schachtel Streichhölzer bitte' (a small box of matches please)

[TimberWolf]

Different people have their own preferences because we don’t all learn in the same way. If you are in the UK, go to the library and try some out. You can even back-up their CDs for them free.

WHS. Even my very local library is heaving with audio books, including lots of language books, and the larger central library overfloweth with them. Underrated places libraries, all sorts down there. I sometimes go down there to do my printing too (10p per page).

[MarillionFan]

I believe that you only have to speak English but use more V's in front of words when talking in a rough voice.

VE HAVE VAYS OV MAKING YOU TALK HERR VURZEL

Simples.

[VectraMan]

I started with the Michel Thomas course (bought the "advanced" one too), which I think are really good if you know nothing, but there's big holes in what you do learn and you won't gain listening skills or much vocabulary.

I also bought a good beginners online course called Rocket German, although it was a bit expensive for what it was, and more recently I found a great intermediate course from Audible (the publisher is Innovative Language Learning - I think there's beginners' versions too). That's what's been going round and round in my car for the last few months. As always there's no shortage of beginners' material, but once you get to an intermediate level it's much harder to find anything.

BTW verb conjugation is quite easy in German. It's the cases and crazy word order that make it difficult.

My biggest problem is I'm no good at sitting down and memorizing vocabulary. I know enough of the grammar that I could probably speak German quite well if only I knew what all the words meant.

[AtW]

Whilst I was stationed in Germany in the early 80s

So in the event of WW3 you'd be on the sharp edge of Soviet tanks stationed in Germany?

The fate of the free world was clearly in bad hands back then - good thing nothing serious happened and you could continue to peal potatoes for the duration of the tour

[mudskipper]

I believe that you only have to speak English but use more V's in front of words when talking in a rough voice.

VE HAVE VAYS OV MAKING YOU TALK HERR VURZEL

Simples.

VHS. Jawohl.

[sasguru]

I've been using the pimsleur method, not the exact one I've linked there but the result is the same. Before I tried michel thomas, while you get history in the lessons also you need more time for sure.

With the Pimsleur I find myself using being able to make use of what I've learnt very quickly; 'excuse me', 'what is the time' 'when could you have that ready' 'I would like to order etc.. ' lots of stupid small stuff and before you know it your constructing your own sentences.

If you want to impress a German I've been told learn 'eine kleine Schachtel Streichhölzer bitte' (a small box of matches please)

Du bist eine insellafen spiesser.