Everything You Need To Learn German

Everything You Need To Learn German

German is a West Germanic language that is mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is one of the world’s major languages and the most widely spoken language in the European Union.

Globally, German is spoken by approximately 120 million people, most of whom reside in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. There are also significant populations of speakers in the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Belgium, and Poland.


40 GERMAN Positive Affirmations Flashcards (with English Translations) – [PDF DOWNLOAD]

40 GERMAN Positive Affirmations Flashcards (with English Translations) – [PDF DOWNLOAD]

£4.20

Printable GERMAN Flashcards [PDF Download]

Printable GERMAN Flashcards [PDF Download]

£3.20

German Verb Conjugation Practice [PDF Download]

German Verb Conjugation Practice [PDF Download]

£3.20

“I am” Phrases – Flash Cards: German

“I am” Phrases – Flash Cards: German

£11.99


German shares varying degrees of linguistic similarity with other Germanic languages such as Luxembourgish, Dutch, and Yiddish, as well as Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, and even English. In fact, Luxembourgish is so closely related to German that some consider it simply a dialect of German.

Native English speakers will notice the similarities between German and English, something like 30% lexical similarity, but will also, no doubt, notice the glaring differences, of which there are many.

As such, German is still considered to be one of the harder Western European languages for English speakers to learn. This is due mostly to the complex German grammar system.

(Read this post to learn the basics of the German language.)

The awesome thing about German’s importance in the business, science and technology industries is that there’s been a concerted effort to promote the teaching of it. Some schools in the UK even teach it as a second language.

All this to say, learners will have almost an unlimited supply of German resources to take advantage of and choose from. We’ve compiled a list of some of the most useful we could find.

German Language Learning Books

We’ve spoken of German’s complicated grammar rules before, so it should come as no surprise that a lot of German learners rely on language learning books to get them through the complexities of the language.

The fact is, there’s very little you can do in the language without getting comfortable with the German gender and case systems. A good German course or study book will get you past this hurdle and get you speaking grammatically correct German in no time.

You should also pick yourself up a concise German-English dictionary, as you’ll need one handy to look up the plethora of new words you’ll come across during your studies. A good German dictionary will show you words in several contexts, as they’re used by natives.

The Everything Learning German Book: Speak, write, and understand basic German in no time
Amazon.com
The Everything Learning German Book: Speak, write, and understand basic German in no time
German English Bilingual DK Visual Dictionary
Amazon.com
German English Bilingual DK Visual Dictionary
German-English, English-German Dictionary, 2nd Edition
Amazon.com
German-English, English-German Dictionary, 2nd Edition
Der, Die, Das: The Secrets of German Gender
Amazon.com
Der, Die, Das: The Secrets of German Gender
Deutsch Aktuell, Level 1: German Workbook
Amazon.com
Deutsch Aktuell, Level 1: German Workbook
Grammatik aktiv (Deutsch als Fremdsprache - German as a foreign language (B2-C1)
Amazon.com
Grammatik aktiv (Deutsch als Fremdsprache - German as a foreign language (B2-C1)
German Made Simple: Learn to Speak and Understand German Quickly and Easily
Amazon.com
German Made Simple: Learn to Speak and Understand German Quickly and Easily
GERMAN in 10 minutes a day: Language course for beginning and advanced study
Amazon.com
GERMAN in 10 minutes a day: Language course for beginning and advanced study
2000 Most Common German Words in Context
Amazon.com
2000 Most Common German Words in Context
Speak German in 90 Days: A Self Study Guide to Becoming Fluent
Amazon.com
Speak German in 90 Days: A Self Study Guide to Becoming Fluent
Conversational German Dialogues: Over 100 German Conversations and Short Stories
Amazon.com
Conversational German Dialogues: Over 100 German Conversations and Short Stories
Easy German Phrase Book: Over 1500 Common Phrases For Everyday Use And Travel
Amazon.com
Easy German Phrase Book: Over 1500 Common Phrases For Everyday Use And Travel
German All-in-One For Dummies, with CD
Amazon.com
German All-in-One For Dummies, with CD
Complete German Grammar Verbs Vocabulary: 3 Books in 1
Amazon.com
Complete German Grammar Verbs Vocabulary: 3 Books in 1

German Children’s Books

Most of us think of children’s books as being designed for kids, but this is not always the case. For learners of German, reading German-language stories written for children is one of the best things you can do to improve your language skills.

German kids’ books use simple language and short sentences. This makes them ideal texts for readers who are just starting to learn a new language – particularly a challenging one like German.

Often, these books include fun, memorable illustrations, which makes them especially useful to learners feeling their way through the stories.

Some of the German kids’ books on this list are bilingual English-German stories with parallel text, which makes it easy for readers to follow along without constantly consulting a dictionary when they encounter words they don’t understand.

The Toddler's Handbook: Bilingual (English / German) Numbers, Colors, Shapes, Sizes, ABC, Animals
Amazon.com
The Toddler's Handbook: Bilingual (English / German) Numbers, Colors, Shapes, Sizes, ABC, Animals
Der Kleine Prinz (The Little Prince): German
Amazon.com
Der Kleine Prinz (The Little Prince): German
Ein Haus für Herr Maus (A House for Mr. Mouse): English/German Bilingual Children's Picture Book
Amazon.com
Ein Haus für Herr Maus (A House for Mr. Mouse): English/German Bilingual Children's Picture Book
Die Katze hat's gefressen (German Edition)
Amazon.com
Die Katze hat's gefressen (German Edition)
Kann die Sonne schwimmen?: German Children's Book
Amazon.com
Kann die Sonne schwimmen?: German Children's Book
Am I small? Bin ich klein?: Children's Picture Book English-German
Amazon.com
Am I small? Bin ich klein?: Children's Picture Book English-German
Nelly's Funny Birthday Surprise - Nellys lustige Geburtstagsüberraschung: English-German Children's Book
Amazon.com
Nelly's Funny Birthday Surprise - Nellys lustige Geburtstagsüberraschung: English-German Children's Book

German Fiction

Once you’re ready for more complex material, you’ll probably want to pick yourself up some German books written for adult readers. These books tend to be rich in description and dialogue, which makes them ripe with material for learners of German.

German fiction is also an excellent source of colloquial language, slang, idioms and regional expressions that can give your vocabulary skills a real boost.

German Short Stories For Beginners: 20 Captivating Short Stories To Learn German
Amazon.com
German Short Stories For Beginners: 20 Captivating Short Stories To Learn German
Harry Potter Und der Stein der Weisen (Harry Potter German)
Amazon.com
Harry Potter Und der Stein der Weisen (Harry Potter German)
Grimms' Fairy Tales: Dual Language German-English
Amazon.com
Grimms' Fairy Tales: Dual Language German-English
Intermediate German Short Stories: 10 Captivating Short Stories to Learn German
Amazon.com
Intermediate German Short Stories: 10 Captivating Short Stories to Learn German
Charlie Und Die Schokoladenfabrik (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory): German Edition
Amazon.com
Charlie Und Die Schokoladenfabrik (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory): German Edition
Alice in Wonderland / Alice im Wunderland - Parallel Text in German and English
Amazon.com
Alice in Wonderland / Alice im Wunderland - Parallel Text in German and English
Gänsehaut - Es wächst und wächst und wächst... (Goosebumps in German)
Amazon.com
Gänsehaut - Es wächst und wächst und wächst... (Goosebumps in German)
Gänsehaut - Der Werwolf aus den Fiebersümpfen (Goosebumps in German)
Amazon.com
Gänsehaut - Der Werwolf aus den Fiebersümpfen (Goosebumps in German)
Gänsehaut - Um Mitternacht, wenn die Vogelscheuche erwacht (Goosebumps in German)
Amazon.com
Gänsehaut - Um Mitternacht, wenn die Vogelscheuche erwacht (Goosebumps in German)

German Movies & TV Shows

German language learning DVDs do exist, and though they’re aimed at children, learners of all ages can get a lot out of them. They usually feature colorful animations, catchy melodies, and generally make learning German fun.

German movies and TV shows are another great way to take in German language, particularly if you’re able to watch them with German subtitles. Not only will you be improving your German listening comprehension, you’ll also experience the language spoken by native speakers – regional dialects, colloquialisms etc.

Early Lingo Alphabet at School - German Learning DVD
Amazon.com
Early Lingo Alphabet at School - German Learning DVD
Early Lingo in The City - German Learning DVD
Amazon.com
Early Lingo in The City - German Learning DVD
Windstorm 4 ( Ostwind: Aris Ankunft ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Germany ]
Amazon.com
Windstorm 4 ( Ostwind: Aris Ankunft ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.2 Import - Germany ]
Das Leben der Anderen(German Language) [DVD] [2007]
Amazon.com
Das Leben der Anderen(German Language) [DVD] [2007]
THE RESTAURANT- STAFFEL 1 [DVD]: Swedish TV Series with additional German Dubbing
Amazon.com
THE RESTAURANT- STAFFEL 1 [DVD]: Swedish TV Series with additional German Dubbing
The Restaurant - Staffel 2 [DVD]: Swedish TV Series with additional German Dubbing
Amazon.com
The Restaurant - Staffel 2 [DVD]: Swedish TV Series with additional German Dubbing

German Digital Courses

If reading books isn’t really your thing, but you’re open to other ways of learning German, then a German e-course could be just what you need to get started in the language.

German e-courses are great for those who want to start speaking the language quickly, usually from day one, as they’re usually focused on communication as opposed to language theory. You’ll pick up things like German grammar and how to structure sentences in a more organic way.

Udemy offers an extremely affordable, comprehensive German course that comes complete with a whopping 17 hours of video instruction, plus lots of downloadable learning worksheets. Lifetime access, access from almost any device, and membership to the active community of learners on the same course are just some of the perks of this course.

There are also plenty of German audio-only courses to choose from, and all of the major language program providers (Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, Paul Noble and Rocket among them) offer at least one reputable German course.

GERMAN UDEMY COURSES

German Udemy

GERMAN AUDIO COURSES

Rosetta Stone Learn German Bonus Pack Bundle| Lifetime Online Access
Amazon.com
Rosetta Stone Learn German Bonus Pack Bundle| Lifetime Online Access
Pimsleur German Conversational Course - Level 1 Lessons 1-16 CD
Amazon.com
Pimsleur German Conversational Course - Level 1 Lessons 1-16 CD
Learn German with Paul Noble
Amazon.com
Learn German with Paul Noble
Learn German with Rocket German Level 1: 120 Hours of Online Lessons
Amazon.com
Learn German with Rocket German Level 1: 120 Hours of Online Lessons

German Flash Cards

Flash cards are always a good way to solidify your German knowledge. They’re highly effective for memorizing vocabulary, and you can use them on-the-go, which makes them particularly useful if you don’t have time to sit down and study your textbooks or learning materials.

German Flash Cards - Most Important Words and Phrases for Beginners
Amazon.com
German Flash Cards - Most Important Words and Phrases for Beginners
Briston German Vocabulary Learning Flash Cards with Pictures for Beginners
Amazon.com
Briston German Vocabulary Learning Flash Cards with Pictures for Beginners
German Vocabulary Flash Cards
Amazon.com
German Vocabulary Flash Cards
CARDDIA German Vocabulary Flashcards for Beginners (Illustrations - with Example Sentences)
Amazon.com
CARDDIA German Vocabulary Flashcards for Beginners (Illustrations - with Example Sentences)

German Products

There are other products that can facilitate your German learning experience, and provide variety, making the process much more fun. A pack of German language learning stickers or colorful German vocabulary posters, for instance, are likely to inspire you to stick to your studies.

German Language Learning Stickers
Amazon.com
German Language Learning Stickers
AGO Auf Deutsch - Card Game for Beginners Learning German
Amazon.com
AGO Auf Deutsch - Card Game for Beginners Learning German
German Posters - Set of 8
Amazon.com
German Posters - Set of 8
100 Most Used German Verbs Poster
Amazon.com
100 Most Used German Verbs Poster

Free German Worksheets

German worksheets help you practice the various skills you pick up during your German learning journey. They can also help you identify any weaknesses in your language knowledge, so that you know where to focus your efforts.

A German word search puzzle will improve your vocabulary skills, while German writing prompts help you improve your writing and general communication skills. Our German PDF worksheets are completely free and available for anyone to download.

German Quizzes and Games

You can really improve your German vocabulary whilst having fun by playing games in German or taking a German-language quiz.

Body Parts in German Quiz

Word Search: German Verbs 1

Quiz: Animals in German (With Articles)

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