No matter how good you are at learning languages, there are times when you could feel exhausted from studying grammar rules. Even if they do not, language is a living entity.

Just as crucial as understanding its principles and workings is comprehending how it is employed in context. Even if you are familiar with the tenses of the word reflektieren, can you use it effectively in a sentence?

Reading in German will make it easier for you to comprehend how German speakers communicate. Even if you enjoy reading historical fiction or fairy tales, you will learn about customs.

For instance, the opening line of many German fairy tales Isis War Einmal … often begins with “once upon a time” and uses the passé simple (literal) tense. If the author decides to write things phonetically, more current anecdotes will illustrate how people speak now, including the sounds of their words.

How to read in German

Reading in a foreign language can be terrifying and usually just irritating. It turns out that because it has so many straightforward principles, learning German is not as challenging as most people think.

Given that English and German belong to the same language family, you might be surprised by the things you learn without trying. It is undoubtedly a valuable one as well.

The following are five tips for reading German.

Choose a story that interests you

Naturally, there are circumstances in which this is not feasible, such as when you are required to read a certain narrative for class. However, if you conduct your independent research, you ought to be able to find intriguing German tales.

This post’s list ought to be helpful in that regard. When a story grabs your attention, you are more inclined to look up unfamiliar words and stick with them through difficult passages. After all, you do want to know what happens in the end.

Accept that reading in German (or any foreign language) is not like reading in your native language

Although it might not appear motivating at first, this serves as a constant source of learning.

No matter how proficient you become, your brain will have to work a little harder, and regardless of how advanced your language level is, you will probably still occasionally need to look up a word or break down a difficult sentence.

According to studies, learning and practicing a foreign language is a great way to exercise your brain and may help prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Reading in another language has even been linked to health advantages.

Know that it will get easier

Reading German will get simpler. However, there’s always a possibility that you’ll run into some challenging terminology or syntax. Like anything else, perfecting something requires practice.

I now find it much easier to read Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Sorrows of Young Werther novel or poetry than I did when I first started reading him years ago. The ease of reading naturally also applies to nonfiction, making it simpler to read things like newspaper articles and class notes. So proceed.

Accept difficulty and defeat

Regardless of how proficient your German gets, it is doubtful that you will ever again have trouble reading. For instance, even native German speakers may struggle to understand the writing styles of some authors.

Therefore, if you have problems reading a certain book or author, try to determine why rather than getting irritated with yourself. Is it a result of their language choice, subject matter, or sentence structure?

Decide if you want to or need to continue reading after that, and if you do, be ready to use a dictionary and other sources. And remember guideline number two: Reading challenging German literature can be frustrating, but it’s also a great way to learn and train your brain.

The good news is that if the next book you choose to read is even a little bit easier, you will notice a change.