My style of learning a new hobby, skill, or anything that doesn’t involve computers requires me to write on a piece of paper.
But, when it comes to learning languages, I have to find other techniques that won’t waste my efforts and maximize the resources available today.
Your home can help you hone your technique in learning a language, for example, German.
Is there a best way to learn German at home?
Learning German at home: What’s the difference?
We’re familiar with learning through institutions and public schools. But many skills and subjects such as learning a new language can be studied at home.
German is a popular foreign language that needs consistent practice to achieve at least an intermediate level in speaking, reading, writing, or listening.
So, many German learners prefer to enroll in study sessions or a formal German studies course at a university.
When you learn German at home, you take away the strict, traditional rules of concentrating on your German studies.
Although, you’ll get more distracted when developing your language skills.
You’ll also notice that you may or may not accomplish consistent practice when you’re learning by yourself.
But the advantage of becoming a fluent German speaker at home is how you can spend less money and budget your time accordingly.
You’ll also appreciate knowing more about the country itself. Knowing German culture is a good way to start doing that.
But before you learn at home, consider these two approaches first:
Studying at a school
If you want to become an intermediate learner right away, there are different language schools that will hone you to become fluent in German fast.
That’s why there are popular German classes for both morning and night.
If you have an upcoming job opportunity in Germany or a chance to get a residential visa if you are a foreigner, learn German in Germany through their German language classes.
Going to Germany
Of course, immersion is the best way to learn German.
Especially if you’re fed German by native speakers all day, you will be pushed and expected to adjust more rapidly to a new language and culture.
Traveling to Germany is probably the most famous way to learn German. You can even rent a home there or start working in Germany while studying the language.
However, you need to have a huge commitment and loads of money, effort, and a desire to face a possible hardship with the environment.
Of course, not all German learners have the money or the accessibility to travel to Germany right away.
Ways to learn German at home
If you want to become a fluent German speaker, continue daily German lessons while studying at home.
But, you have to be proactive in some of the methods, or else, you’ll get bored.
That’s why you can’t just get stuck on learning online courses.
You have to be smart with techniques and learning styles that you’ll adopt and mix it up with other hobbies and if possible with your family and friends.
Start to learn your Die Der Das
Are you focusing only on Grammar rules?
Don’t forget to learn your Die, Der, Das, or German Artikel early in your German courses.
German articles are important since many German nouns have an assigned gender (masculine, feminine, neuter).
For everyday conversations, you have to memorize when to use these artikel and how to combine them with the akkusativ, dativ, and even German false friends.
False cognates or false friends are words that look the same in English or your native language but have a different German meaning.
Read our tips for the best way to learn German articles.
Listen to your audio courses while doing your house chores
According to linguists, German is much more a phonetic language than English. What you see in the German words sounds the way it is spelled.
And what’s a better way to learn German than by listening to German courses online while staying at home?
Repeat your online German language audio by focusing on the usage of nouns, verbs, and other german grammar rules with real conversations.
You can practice German phrases by focusing on your language level. Don’t jump ahead and repeat words mindlessly without even knowing what it means.
It’s better to learn German through context clues if you’ve at least known a few vocabularies.
Except for listening to music, it’s important to at least be familiar with German vocabulary as a beginner.
Feeling overwhelmed? Listen to German music and watch German movies
People feel connected through music as it transcends any language.
Learning through rhythm and studying German songs with lyrics might be a great way to read and listen to German words.
We’ve already covered some German songs you can try to listen to.
If you really want more fun learning German grammar, you can also try movies with German subtitles.
Better yet, watch a German movie and don’t turn on the English subtitles so you can fully try to improve your learning style.
Don’t keep your pronunciation mistakes to yourself
Actually, this is one of the common mistakes people do when learning a language.
They think that they can learn the correct answer just by reviewing at home or depending on the material they’re studying with.
Find German friends online or meet a German speaker through online teaching platforms or forums like iTalki, HiNative, HelloTalk, and a whole lot more.
They can correct your German pronunciation mistakes and even help you practice your other language skills like reading or listening.
Is there a best way to learn German at home?
The best experience that you’ll get from this language learning process is understanding how you think and learn.
We have different ways to understand German grammar. It’s not always just learning through an app or spending tons of money on different online courses.
Find the opportunity to expand your German vocabulary when looking for German friends.
Make your home the best environment that will not make you stressed and enjoy the learning process.