By: Colorado Dreamers | this.little.wandering

LINDSEY STIRLING TIME

German is not that difficult as we think. Learning a new language is always a struggle in the beginning but with practice, it starts to become natural as our native language. In this post, I’ll give you some tips to start learning or improve your German.  

Phonetics: start with learning the vowels and consonants. The vowels and consonants sound way different in German. Learn how to read the words, especially the ones with the umlaut: ä, ö and ü. They have an especial pronunciation and, if you want to be understood, learn them. For example, schon means already while one of the meanings of schön is beautiful. 

Basic words and expressions: ja, nein, danke, bitte, auf Wiedersehen, ich, du and etc. This is a good start and they are very useful words. Move on to basics like ich bin, ich heisse…

Vocabulary: I would this is the most important thing in learning a new language. There’s no point knowing every grammar rule if you have nothing to say. Read texts and write every word that you don’t know. If it’s a substantive, also look for the articles (der, die or das) and the plural. You can use flashcards to help to memorize those words.

German cases: this is what people are afraid about learning German. I’m not gonna lie because this shit scared me as hell. Stop seeing it as a bad thing, because it’s not. First of all, you need to know the gender of the words so you can actually use them. If you don’t know the articles, you are going to use the cases wrong. Second, we use wich case after certain verbs and prepositions, so you also need to know how to use that stuff. Maybe soon I’m going to do a post explaining the four cases…

Listen: get used to the language. Music, tv shows, movies, podcasts, everything is very useful in this process. You might catch yourself while you are studying: hey, I remember this word from that song.

Don’t give up: stop thinking that you won’t learn German, because you will! Push yourself and study, because no one else will do that for you. It always seems impossible until it’s done. I’m here with you!

The ray-ban people have found me

french linking words 🌿

Ainsi – Thus, In This/That Manner

La fée transforma ses jambes en queue de poisson, et ainsi, la princesse devint une sirène. The fairy transformed her legs into a fish tale, and thus, the princess became a mermaid.

C’est Ainsi Que – It’s This Way

Elle a travaillé dur pendant dix ans. C’est ainsi qu’elle a gagné la compétition. She worked hard for 10 years. She won the competition that way.

Alors – Then, So, Hence

Jean Noël ne pouvait pas supporter le bruit dans le club, alors il est sorti. JN couldn’t bear the noise in the club, so he went out.

Alors Que – While, Whereas, When

Alors que Sophie aime le jazz, Marie déteste ça. Whereas Sophie loves jazz, Mary hates it.

Aussitôt Que –As Soon As

Aussitôt que la chatte s’est endormie, les souris se sont montrées.

As soon as the cat fell asleep, the mice showed themselves.

D’autant Plus – All The More

Il partageait sa passion de la danse. Elle l’aimait d’autant plus. He shared her passion for dance. She loved him all the more.

D’autant Plus Que – Even More So Since

Je suis vraiment déçue. D’autant plus que je lui avais dit de venir chez nous. I am really disappointed. Even more so since I told him to come to our house.

Bien Que – Even Though (*Followed By The Subjunctive)

Elle l’a fait, bien qu’elle n’en ait pas eu envie. she did it even though she didn’t feel like it.

Si Bien Que – Hence

Ils parlaient à demi-voix si bien qu’elle ne pouvait pas les entendre. They spoke softly, hence she couldn’t hear them.

Cependant – Nevertheless, Meanwhile, However

Je ne suis pas de son avis. Cependant je le suivrai. I don’t share his opinion. Nevertheless I will follow it.

Dès – Since, From

Dès ce moment, il a refusé de parler d’elle. From that moment, he refused to talk about her.

Dès Que – As Soon As

Je te téléphonerai dès qu’elle arrivera. I’ll call you as soon as she gets here.

En Tant Que – As (A)

En tant qu’ingénieur, elle est très précise. As an Engineer, she is very precise.

Lorsque – When

Ils ont cueilli les cerises lorsqu’elles étaient mûres. They picked the cherries when they were ripe.

Malgré – Despite

Malgré son effort, cela n’a pas suffi. Despite her efforts, it wasn’t enough.

Même Si – Even If

Il ira même si elle n’y va pas. He’ll go even if she doesn’t.

À Moins Que – Unless (*Followed By The Subjunctive)

Vous ne pourrez pas voir la directrice à moins que vous ayez un rendez-vous. You will not be able to see the director unless you have an appointment.

Néanmoins – However, Nevertheless, Nonetheless

Elle avait peu d’argent néanmoins elle lui a tout donné. She had little money, but she gave all to him nonetheless.

Pendant Que – While, As

Marc étudie la chimie pendant qu’il écoute la radio. Marc studies chemistry while he is listening to the radio.

Pour Que – So That (*Followed By The Subjunctive)

Il a couru pour qu’elle ne l’attende pas trop longtemps. He ran so that she wouldn’t wait for him too long.

Pourtant – Although, Still, Nevertheless

La femme a plus de quarante ans, mais c’est pourtant une beauté. The woman is over forty, but she is nevertheless a beauty.

Puisque – Since, Because, As, Seeing That, For That Reason

Puisque sa maman ne voulait pas jouer au Monopoly, le petit garçon est sorti jouer dehors. Since his mother didn’t want to play Monopoly, the boy went to play outside.

Quand Même – Even Though, All The Same, Nevertheless

Ce n’est pas lui qui chantait le mieux, mais il a gagné la compétition quand même. He wasn’t the best singer, but he won the contest all the same.

Quant À – As For

Quant à lui, il préfère ne pas discuter de ce sujet dangereux. As for him, he’d rather not talk about this dangerous topic.

Quoique – Though, Although (*Followed By The Subjunctive)

Quoiqu’elle ne sourie pas beaucoup, en réalité elle est très contente. Although she doesn’t smile much, in fact she is really happy.

Quoi Que – Whatever, No Matter What (*Followed By The Subjunctive)

Quoi qu’il dise, elle ne le croit pas. Whatever he might say, she won’t believe him.

Sinon – Except, If Not, Otherwise, Except That, Unless

Ne sors pas sans manteau, sinon tu vas attrapper froid. Don’t go out without a jacket, otherwise you’ll catch a cold.

Tandis Que – Whereas, While

Il préfère aller à la plage pour les vacances, tandis qu’elle préfère aller à la montagne. He likes to go to the beach for vacations, whereas she prefers the mountains.

I want to say I can't believe my dad's girlfriend would set me up for theft, but here we are.

Blueberry Hand Pies

Peleș Castle in Sinaia, Romania.