Tackling such a massive task as learning a new foreign language can be an extremely difficult and confusing task. However, by being aware of certain caveats, you can make this experience much easier and more enjoyable.
Table of Contents
1. Look For Logic in the Language
Language is a system that has an internal structure that organizes a huge number of units, connections. In our speech, we extract what we need at a certain point in time. Imagine assembling cubes, puzzles, solving logical problems or equations.
- Ich wohne in der USA (I live in the USA)
- Ich spreche Deutsch (I speak German).
If the subject is not in the first place, it is still next to the predicate:
- Morgen gehe ich in den Park (I will go to the park tomorrow).
You know the declension of the indefinite article – you will also know the declension of negation, possessive pronouns, and even a little declension of adjectives. Agree; if you constantly see that the words Zimmer, Fenster have no endings, then you can intuitively guess that the same thing will happen with Tiger (even if it’s a different genus). Conclusion: look for logic.
2. Use Associations
When trying to learn a difficult word, try to put it into a personal context. 100% you will make some assumptions and personal associations, which will make you remember it no matter what.
For example, you wake up at night because the big Shrek is above you. What is your first reaction? Fright. So Schreck haben – to be scared. It can be matched in rhyme words: schnell (fast) – Chanel, there may be an association in butt language: langsam (boring) as long Sam. By the way, all these real-life examples from classrooms that students shared.
3. Look for Clues in Your Native Language
Wondering why an iceberg is an iceberg? And if we break this word in two, we get Eis (ice) and Berg (mountain). And there it is – you get the iceberg.
Or a backpack from the words Rücken (back) and Sack (bag), and a sandwich from Butter (butter) and Brot (bread). The only difference is that for the Germans, a sandwich is really bread and butter. There are many more similar situations like Dach, Absatz, Komma, Kreide, Motor, Papier, Zifferblatt, Halstuch, Wachter where you need to look more deeply into words themselves to learn them simply.
4. Be Careful With Similar Words in English
Yes, we have many borrowed words, but some have a very distant meaning. A gift, which we are so happy to receive in the context of using English, will be offered to cockroaches and mice in German because it is poison. The English become, to which we are accustomed, will not be understood by logic in the phrase Geld bekommen. Become money? No, get the money.
5. Watch Original Videos
You can find excerpts from TV shows, backstages, explanations, and blogs on YouTube. In addition, on some sites of German TV channels, such as ZDF, you can watch the original series in the public domain. Quite often, doing this can be much more beneficial than simply doing writing tasks, which is why such platforms as MasterPapers are so popular. Deutsche Welle regularly produces training series for different levels with tasks.
6. Listen to Music
Even if you do not understand all the words, listen to the pronunciation. If you liked the song – find the lyrics and practice repeating. To sound good in a language is no less important than to know its grammar. And don’t say that you don’t get annoyed when a person confuses sounds and you can’t really understand what you’re talking about.
7. Repeat the Learned Material
Speech is a skill; if we do not train, do not consolidate it, it disappears. Therefore, when learning a language, it is very important to devote time to repetition, practice. Repetition is essential to learning anything long-term, especially when it concerns learning a language.
For example, when some students decide to use the paper writing service MasterPapers, they often delegate the homework completion to other professionals. This leaves them to focus on learning and repeating the theoretical parts of their courses.
In the End
As you can see, there are many ways to make life easier for yourself while learning a foreign language. However, don’t try to implement all these techniques into your learning routine – you will just end up exhausting yourself. Instead, try some things out and stick with the ones you enjoy the most, just like you would choose a writing service from a review – Review of The 4 Most Uprated Academic Writing Services – Business.
Even if you choose to employ only some of our tips, you will still benefit greatly. Studying languages is a very involved process, so the more you learn, the better you’re off.
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