Q&A for How to Learn German

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  • Question
    How do I learn German fast?
    Language Academia
    Language Tutors
    Language Academia is a private, online language school founded by Kordilia Foxstone. Kordilia and her team specialize in teaching foreign languages and accent reduction. Language Academia offers courses in several languages, including English, Spanish, and Mandarin.
    Language Tutors
    Expert Answer
    Find a new hobby and try to learn it in German! For example, if your new hobby is learning about cars, you could watch car-related videos and read car-related articles in German.
  • Question
    Is it possible that I can learn German just by watching videos? I'm following German lessons on YouTube.
    Community Answer
    That might be helpful, but to learn a language fully you should be speaking the language, too. Continue with your videos, but also speak German whenever you can!
  • Question
    Is German simply English but with different words? Do you just string these words together?
    Community Answer
    No, like every other language you cannot substitute every German word with and English word while using English grammar. You have to learn the grammar rules to German and learn the German vocabulary.
  • Question
    Which resources do you recommend? I can't find anything!
    Community Answer
    Download German learning applications on your phone (duolingo is a good one). Also, check in your town for German conversation groups which will improve your skills.
  • Question
    What dictionary do you recommend for a beginner?
    Community Answer
    Try ABBYY Lingvo x5. You can find it online. It shows a lot of examples of word usages, and it easy to use.
  • Question
    How do I pronounce neidlich?
    Sun Donkun
    Community Answer
    If you are English speaker, it's similar to "nide-lich" while this "ch" is similar to "h" in "hue" in British accent.
  • Question
    Does "auf wiedershen" mean "goodbye"?
    Community Answer
    Yes.
  • Question
    How do I say "I'm sorry, I did not get that"?
    Community Answer
    The translation for that is "Entschuldigung, ich habe das nicht verstanden."
  • Question
    How do I say "I am fine" in German?
    Sun Donkun
    Community Answer
    Say "Es geht mir gu,t" (ess-geht-meer-goot) or you can switch between "es" and "mir," to "Mir geht es gu,t" or shorten to "Mir geht's gut" to emphasize "mir" (me). Informally, you can simply say "Es geht."
  • Question
    How long does it take to learn German?
    Community Answer
    It depends on how much you want to learn and how you learn. The answer is different depending on the situation.
  • Question
    How can I go to Germany?
    Community Answer
    If you want to go to Germany, you could either book a flight from your country or drive if you live in a nearby European country. However, remember to keep your passport or ID on you while in Germany.
  • Question
    How many countries speak German as a primary language?
    Community Answer
    German is the official language of Germany, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein, although it is commonly spoken in other areas throughout Europe.
  • Question
    How am I supposed to find a German friend?
    Community Answer
    You can find one on social networking sites. Try searching for "Germany" in the search bar.
  • Question
    What does "wie" mean?
    Community Answer
    "Wie" may mean "as," "such as," "like," "than," "as well as" or "when" in different situations.
  • Question
    How do I say "you" in German?
    Community Answer
    If the person you are speaking to is a friend or child, use "du" (the informal tone). If the person is a teacher, boss, colleague, or another person you respect, use "sie" (the formal tone). If you are addressing a group of people, use "ihr" (the equivalent of "you all" or "ya'll").
  • Question
    Are there any recommended movies or TV shows in German that I can watch?
    Community Answer
    In Aller Freundschaft, Tatort, and Tagesschau are all on ard.de and are available to watch in America.
  • Question
    How do I say, "What is your name?" in German?
    Community Answer
    You can either say: "Wie heißt du?" or "Wie ist dein name?" Both of them are totally fine.
  • Question
    How do I greet someone in German?
    Community Answer
    You can say: Guten Tag (Hello/Good day)! Ich heiße [name]. Was heißt du (What is your name)? PRONUNCIATION: goot-in togg! Eek heis-uh [name]. Voss heist doo?
  • Question
    How would I know if a word needs die, der, or das?
    Community Answer
    If German is not your native language, you just have to learn the articles with the words. Otherwise it is almost not possible to assume the article just from the vocabulary.
  • Question
    Is age a criteria to learn German? I am 37 years old and my native language is Tamil.
    Galasy4969
    Top Answerer
    No. You can learn a language at any age. However, know that it'll be more difficult for you than if you were younger.
  • Question
    What are the best sites to use on a computer that would help me learn German without revealing any information (Visa, PayPal, etc.)?
    Torpi
    Top Answerer
    Duolingo, Memrise, and the German courses on Deutsche Welle don't require personal information, are free, and are best used in combination with one another. There are also many resources on YouTube (including more videos by DW).
  • Question
    How do you say "I know German" in German?
    Torpi
    Top Answerer
    "Ich kann deutsch". This is a good example of the differences between languages - ich kann deutsch" literally means "I can German", but in German this is the set way to say that you know a language. Literally translating "know" in this sentence (either "ich kenne deutsch" or "ich weiß deutsch") would sound as weird to a German speaker as "I can German" does to us.
  • Question
    How do I say “What is your full name" in German?
    Anada Martinez
    Community Answer
    The translation of this question in German is, "Wie lautet Ihr voller Name?"
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