Blog
Articles on learning German: methods, common difficulties, exams and resources.
- Der, die or das? How to guess the gender of German nouns The endings and word groups that predict the gender of most German nouns, the exceptions worth knowing, and a way of learning articles that sticks. Grammar
- The four German cases explained simply What the nominative, accusative, dative and genitive do, how to work out which case a noun needs, and the one article table worth learning by heart. Grammar
- German word order: verb second, verb at the end Where the verb goes in German main clauses, questions and subordinate clauses, why the second verb moves to the end, and the time, manner, place habit. Grammar
- How long does it take to learn German? Hours for each level Realistic hours to reach A1, A2 and B1 in German, what the US Foreign Service Institute and German integration courses say, and three study scenarios. Learning German
- Is German hard for English speakers? What is easy and what is not Why German is easier for English speakers than its reputation suggests, which parts really take time, and practical ways to get past each difficult point. Learning German
- German pronunciation for English speakers: ü, ö, ch, r, z and more How to say the German sounds that English lacks, from ü and ö to both ch sounds and the German r, plus the letters English speakers most often misread. Learning German
- A1 German roadmap: what to learn first, and in what order A step-by-step plan for A1 German: which grammar to learn in which order, the vocabulary topics that matter, and links to practise each step. Learning German
- Which German level do you need for a visa, permanent residence or citizenship? A1 for spouses, B1 for permanent residence and citizenship, A1 or English B2 for the Opportunity Card: what German law requires and the main exceptions. Exams and visas
- Goethe-Zertifikat A1 (Start Deutsch 1): exam parts and how to prepare What happens in each part of the Goethe-Zertifikat A1: Start Deutsch 1, how the 100 points and the pass mark of 60 work, and a four-week preparation plan. Exams and visas
- doch, ja, mal, halt, eben: German modal particles explained What doch, ja, mal, halt, eben, denn and schon add to a German sentence, how they soften or strengthen it, and where they go in the word order. Everyday German
- Du or Sie? How to address people in German When Germans say du and when they say Sie, who offers du first, how it works at work, in shops and online, and what to do when you are not sure. Everyday German
- Perfekt or Präteritum? Which German past tense to use Why spoken German prefers the Perfekt, which verbs stay in the Präteritum even in conversation, and where written German uses the simple past. Grammar
- man, einen, einem: saying "you" and "one" as an object in German German man only works as a subject. As an object it becomes einen or einem, and it uses sich and sein. Rules, examples and the mistakes learners make. Grammar
- Sache, Ding, Gegenstand or Zeug? Four German words for "thing" When German uses das Ding, die Sache, der Gegenstand or das Zeug, the fixed phrases that decide most cases, and four questions that help you choose. Everyday German
- Polite requests in German: "Machst du bitte …", "Kannst du mal …" and the missing question mark How German makes requests polite with bitte, mal, können and würden, why "Du machst bitte …" sounds firm, and why some requests end with a full stop. Everyday German
- Talking about the future in German without the Futur Why German usually talks about the future in the present tense, when werden is needed, and how the Perfekt replaces the Futur II: "Bis morgen habe ich es." Grammar
- Gendern for learners: Lehrer*innen, Lehrer:innen, Studierende and how to say them What forms like Lehrer*innen, Lehrer:innen and Studierende mean, how they are read aloud, where you will meet them, and which forms are safe in exams. Everyday German
- Notes, signs and to-do lists: the German infinitive style Why Germans write "Milch kaufen", "Bitte nicht rauchen" and "Zwiebeln schneiden": how the infinitive works in lists, signs, recipes and short notes. Everyday German
- German diminutives: -chen and -lein (Häuschen, Löwchen, Fräulein) How German makes nouns small with -chen and -lein: why they are always neuter, when the vowel gets an umlaut, which endings drop, and the regional forms. Grammar
Source: minaaraf.com/en/blog/ · Written by: Fatih Ün, minaaraf.com · Terms of use: minaaraf.com/en/terms/