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If you pick up a German book that is more than fifteen or twenty years old, you’re likely to notice some spelling discrepancies when compared to German texts today. This is the result of the German Spelling Reform that was initiated in 1996 and has gradually been getting phased in ever since.

In most cases, the changes are very subtle. Under German Spelling Reform, there is a greatly reduced usage of uniquely German characters such as “ß”. You may also see that some verbs with nouns built into them (such as “eislaufen,” or ice-skating) have been separated into two words, as they are in English. Informal pronouns such as “du” and “dir” are not capitalized (as they inconsistently were in the past), while formal pronouns such as “Sie” and “Ihnen” always begin with a capital letter. And words such as Katostrophe (catastrophe) have be changed to something that looks more distinctly German (Katostrofe).

Why was this already heavily-regulated language ripe for Rechtscreibreform, as German spelling reform is known in its native tongue? The very orderly Germans felt that their language was rife with inconsistencies in both spelling and usage. Austria, for example, is passionately attached to the scharfes S or Eszett (“ß” ) – on the other hand, Switzerland had pretty much phased out the letter altogether, replacing it with a simple double S.

The haggling over German spelling reform across was bitter, protracted, and intense. For this reason, the changes everyone eventually agreed on were more than the traditionalists wanted but less radical than the reformers sought. The rules governing the use of the Eszett versus the double S are extremely confusing and still inconsistent. Another goal was to cease capitalizing nouns, and that didn’t happen either. After several conferences, an uneasy consensus was reached, and in 1996 most German-speaking countries (and a few with significant German-speaking minorities) signed the agreement. Over the course of the next eight years, according to the agreement, the tenets of German Spelling Reform would gradually be phased in, with all schools teaching the new spelling and all government agencies using it exclusively.

It’s one thing to pass a resolution to standardize spelling in education and government; it’s another to get the average person in the street to go along with it. The new spelling is being used in schools and government offices, but few other people have warmed to German spelling reform. It’s too soon to fully assess the effect the German Spelling Reform will have on the German language; for now, students of German should simply be aware that discrepancies exist, and understand why.

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Technorati Tags: German, german language, german spelling, German Spelling Reform, learn German, learning German, speaking german

One of the most difficult aspects of learning German is conjugating German verbs. Why are some German verbs harder to learn?

All regular German verbs, also called weak verbs, are composed of a stem onto which a suffix has been grafted. When regular German verbs change tense, they do this in a predictable manner as well, by keeping their stem consistent and adding a consistent suffix or prefix to indicate the tense change.

It’s possible that irregular German verbs are said to be strong because they have a mind of their own, plowing forth without any consideration for linguistic rules or conventions. In the irregular German verb “sprechen” (to speak), the stem “sprech” seems like it ought to become “sprecht” when combined with the pronoun “er” (he) – but it becomes “spricht” instead. If the German verb “helfen” were regular, we could take the stem “helf” and add “te” to it and produce “er helfte,” but no! The correct way to say “he helped” is “er half.”

There is also a third German verb class which is neither weak nor strong, regular nor irregular, but mixed – sharing characteristics of both other types. Fortunately, there are many more regular German verbs than irregular ones, and newly-created German verbs such as “surfen” are always regular.

Mastering irregular German verbs takes hard work, so put yourself in the best physical situation to do it. There are a vast number of techniques available today that will enable you to tailor your study methods to the precise way you learn.

Experiment with flash cards, figuring out by trial and error the best way for you to use them to memorize your German verbs. Some people actually learn best by writing — copying and recopying the material they’re trying to memorize.

Listening to your own voice repeating the irregular German verbs over and over will powerfully imprint the conjugations on your mind.

Kinesthetic learners, who need physical involvement to maximize their intellectual output, should be able to find excellent computer-based programs to master the intricacies of irregular German verbs.

Trying to learn too much material too fast never works. When you feel confident that you can conjugate the irregular German verbs, ask a fellow German student to test your new-found knowledge.

Regardless of whether you’re a visual, an auditory, or a kinesthetic learner, you’ll need to commit to a program of rote memorization in order to conquer irregular German verbs.

Learning German verbs is easy with the Rocket German MegaVerbs software game. Get your copy of Rocket German Premium now and learn to speak and understand German fast.

Technorati Tags: Conjugate German Verbs, German, german language, German Verbs, learn German, learn to speak German, learning German, speak German

Earlier, most of the people found German language home studying a bad option till the time they were unaware of the benefits of German language home study.

Similar to regular courses, desired qualification or a degree can be acquired as numbers of courses are available online.

The process of German language home study is a better choice for people facing economic crisis.

Being an inexpensive deal, German language home study is looked upon as a good choice than costly regular courses.

Such a home based education system is not restricted by geographical boundaries.

The admission process of online courses is very easy as compared to regular courses.

The colleges or German language certified universities make the payment process easy for students by allowing easy payment methods.

It also aids in saving money that can be used for travelling purpose.

Furthermore, the time saved on travelling can be compensated for studying German language.

The students who have enrolled themselves in online German language courses have the advantage of flexible study.

The students are free to study German language at any time of day or night without any restrictions.

An access to timely and small breaks serves as a stress-buster for students when studying German language at home.

The online German language study ensures spontaneous test feedbacks and results by keeping a record of their personalized improvement

Today, people give utmost importance to regular German language study courses as they are not aware about the benefits of German language home study.

Regular German language study courses have always been favored by students as they were kept distant to the benefits of German language home study.

The most significant aspect of online courses is that 24/7 services are offered to students.

The only interaction that takes place between the mentors and students offers no scope for hesitation.

The attention is given to each single student which motivates them to learn more.

Last but not the least; one can avail these benefits of German language mome study irrespective of their age. Regardless of the fact that you are married or may be working, you can follow up with your studies and job simultaneously.

Working and studying simultaneously has become easier with online or German language home study.

Technorati Tags: German

The German language is one of the most widely spoken languages in Europe; as well as millions of other people who speak German globally. German is a second language taught in most educational institutions worldwide and is one of the twenty three official languages. English and French are the other two widely spoken languages. Now let’s look at how do most people learn German.

Besides learning German as your second language at schools and other institutions, there are numerous very good courses available; on CD and DVD, as well as books. These methods are the most common when learning German.

There are many private teachers offering classes after working hours; and in my opinion this is an excellent way to learn because you are interacting in direct German conversation with your colleagues as well as your teacher.

If you browse online you will find many interactive German courses available. Beginners; intermediate and advanced courses are offered. There are sites that you can log into and actually have conversations with German speaking people; who assist you with conversation and grammar.

There are complete courses which come with CD’s and books to help you pronounce the words correctly. If you are fortunate in speaking Dutch or Afrikaans then learning the German language

is far easier than if you were Spanish speaking. Besides learning online you can order many of the courses offered and the companies will deliver or ship the courses to you.

Many people learn German using interactive audio courses; which illustrate step by step grammar from beginners to an advanced stage. No matter if you are new to the language and have never spoken German, most of these courses will have you speaking some German within a week.

The younger generations are volunteering to stay with German families and learn the language by interacting daily with the family, who don’t speak the student’s mother tongue. This is probably one of the best and quickest methods of learning any foreign language. And this is how many people learn to speak German. Next: Follow the links below to read more about learning German.

Technorati Tags: German

The German language is one of the most widely spoken languages in Europe; as well as millions of other people who speak German globally. German is a second language taught in most educational institutions worldwide and is one of the twenty three official languages. English and French are the other two widely spoken languages. Now let’s look at how do most people learn German.

Besides learning German as your second language at schools and other institutions, there are numerous very good courses available; on CD and DVD, as well as books. These methods are the most common when learning German.

There are many private teachers offering classes after working hours; and in my opinion this is an excellent way to learn because you are interacting in direct German conversation with your colleagues as well as your teacher.

If you browse online you will find many interactive German courses available. Beginners; intermediate and advanced courses are offered. There are sites that you can log into and actually have conversations with German speaking people; who assist you with conversation and grammar.

There are complete courses which come with CD’s and books to help you pronounce the words correctly. If you are fortunate in speaking Dutch or Afrikaans then learning the German language

is far easier than if you were Spanish speaking. Besides learning online you can order many of the courses offered and the companies will deliver or ship the courses to you.

Many people learn German using interactive audio courses; which illustrate step by step grammar from beginners to an advanced stage. No matter if you are new to the language and have never spoken German, most of these courses will have you speaking some German within a week.

The younger generations are volunteering to stay with German families and learn the language by interacting daily with the family, who don’t speak the student’s mother tongue. This is probably one of the best and quickest methods of learning any foreign language. And this is how many people learn to speak German. Next: Follow the links below to read more about learning German.

Technorati Tags: German

http://www.ef.com/schools
At the EF schools you can learn a language where it’s natively spoken. EF offers courses for all levels, and the results are guaranteed. Students can start any Monday, year round, and study for as long as they’d like – from 2 weeks up to a whole academic year abroad. They can combine their language course with professional internships, or prepare for official exams. This video explains the programme, and the different study destinations:

Study English in the USA, UK, Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, or Malta.
Study French in Paris or Nice, France.
Study Spanish in Barcelona or Malaga in Spain, in Quito, Ecuador or in Playa Tamarindo, Costa Rica.
Study German in Munich, Germany.
Study Italian in Rome, Italy.
Study Chinese in Beijing or Shanghai, China.

Duration : 0:8:24

Read more…

Technorati Tags: abroad, Chinese, Course, EF, English, french, German, Italian, language, learn, lesson, school, schools, spanish, study, TOEFL, TOEIC