Resources for learners of German
photo: Christian Kadluba
Deutshe Sprache, Schwere Sprache? Not if you have the right resources to hand!
The best way to practise your German, apart from marrying a German/Austrian/Swiss person, is to immerse yourself in the language during an extended stay in a country where it is spoken. That way, you will see the language in its own context and will use it in everyday situations. You will also discover the joy of bakeries in that part of the world. And maybe the dubious pleasure of the currywurst.
In the meantime, here are some websites that will help you fine tune your German skills:
(the titles are links)
About.com German (all levels)
Lots and lots of help for learners of German. The pages about grammar are especially useful and explain the many intricacies of German grammar remarkably clearly. The pages on German prefixes are superb.
BBC German (all levels)
The Beeb provides a great range of materials and exercises for learners of German, including interactive series, online tests and plenty of cultural background stuff to help your learning.
Deutsche Welle (all levels)
Truly impressive resource with videos, podcasts and loads of activities for you to try. Deutsche Welle is Germany’s international broadcaster and produces television, radio and online content to “promote understanding of Germany as an independent nation with its roots in European culture and as a liberal, democratic, constitutional state based on the rule of law.”
On the Deutsche Welle site, you will also find Marktplatz, a free online course on German in the workplace.
Portsmouth University Beginners‘ German (beginners)
A beginners’ German course with twelve chapters of dialogue and exercises. Nice and clear content aimed at learners in the first stages of German. Includes nice regional examples as well as standard “Hochdeutsch”.
Deutsche Grammatik – Übungen (intermediate)
No-nonsense Grammar tests for learners of German. Lots and lots of tests for your pleasure.
Jetzt Deutsch Lernen (advanced)
The Goethe Institute’s interactive online German learning resource. One of the coolest features of the website is the “Jetzt Chat” which allows users to speak with native German speakers at various times of the day. You can even find them for a chat in Second Life!
And last but not least…
LEO German-English dictionary
LEO is a superb online dictionary. Really comprehensive, with well-presented results and suggestions, you will probably need this a lot during your studies. It can be a little disconcerting when you enter an English word and receive 15 German options in return but, hey, that’s German…