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Who's going to teach me German?
Seriously. This language is a mother! I try to learn on my own with my book and CDs, but it's just not happening. I never thought I'd need a 3rd language. Yes, I probably sound lazy, but I'm just not getting it when I do study...well, that's not entirely true. When I study I feel like I'm getting it, but the second I walk away from the book it all seems to fly out the window.
Yesterday I was calling a hotel to book for our first couple nights before we can move in and I asked it the woman who answered spoke English. She said a little and I asked if they accepted dogs (it said they did online, I was calling to make sure). I forgot the word for two and the word for dog and ended up barking on the phone. No joke. The woman laughed so hard on the other side I thought she might be peeing herself.
So. Who else is struggling with language right now?
Re: Who's going to teach me German?
Me!!! I want to learn German but I seriously dont know how people do. It doesnt make sense and there are so many rules. It is crazy. (I dont mean to scare you)
Didnt Merkel say that people who move to Germany, should learn the language in like a year? I just dont see how it is possible.
I really want to learn German but I so frustrated by it.
I'm sure you're far ahead of me already! And you already scared me at our GTG so there's no going back now.
I feel like I could probably learn basic conversation in a year since most of it so far seems to have similarities to both English and Spanish.
I'm just so lazy. I want to burrow my head in the sand and only talk to other English speakers when I get there, but I'm going to need it for basic survival when I arrive. I'm already scared of going to the pediatrician because I'll have no idea what's going on.
Le sigh. First world problems right here folks.
1. I think you'll find a lot of people do speak English, so take a deep breath and don't worry too much!! :-) And even if they don't, you'll find a way to communicate what you want, even if it is by barking because, hey, she understood your question then, right? And that's all language is there for - to communicate.
2. German is a difficult language in terms of grammar, but the good news is that even if you totally mess up the sentence order, use a dative instead of an accusative article, and use an intransitive verb like a transitive one, it doesn't matter 90% of the time. Again, the purpose of language is to communicate, so as long as you can do that, it doesn't matter if you're breaking most of the grammar rules in the process.
3. If you've got money, hire a tutor. If you don't have much to spare, look into taking classes at your local VHS (Volkshochschule). It's basically a place for adult ed classes in all sorts of stuff. I've heard of people having bad experiences, but I've only had good ones. The first year I was here I took VHS German classes and am still friends with my teacher 11 years later.
Best of luck with it LadyMadrid. I've been working on it for three years and I'm at about intermediate level. It sucks because I haven't been able to take a class since last May. It was so expensive in Zurich and now I don't have time here.
But a language course will really help jump start you. I also got a http://www.babbel.com/ membership via a groupon a long while ago. And I must say it's pretty helpful. Especially with the conversational stuff.
The grocery store is pretty manageable without much German skills. The only problem for me was noticing that I was buying the wrong kind of Hackfleisch (ground meat) They have one were it's 50/50 beef and pig. I couldn't figure out why I was feeling so sick after eating it till I looked at the packaging closer.
2012 Reading Challenge
Now Nesting from Chicago, IL My nail blog:
2012 Reading Challenge
Now Nesting from Chicago, IL My nail blog:
I found German a lot easier than Spanish.To be fair, I am not fluent in either. Books and tapes don't help me, but it is a good thing to listen to since that's your option right now.
Are you going to take classes when you move? My H took a course at Goethe. It was 4 hours a day/weekdays for a month. It helped him with the basics. He then took an intensive course at a private school in Bavaria for 8 hours/day/weekdays for a month. He has to use German at work and he's better at it now than I am and I studied it in both high school and college. (Don't let the fact that I studied it for so long and am not fluent deter you, I am extremely shy speaking foreign languages and I LOVE to study them. I'm actually shy to talk much in English even though it's my language.
)
I think that the Frankfurt area should have a fair amount of pediatricians who speak English. Ask around. I'll be honest and say that when I first moved here everyone, German and American alike, told me that the doctors have to know English fluently. I didn't find that to be true for my area. My OB/Gyn speaks limited English and the pediatrician doesn't speak that much more. My OB/Gyn's wife (works in the same office) doesn't understand any English. There are others I could go to that speak English fluently, but I really prefer the location of these two. Plus, I have back up plans for both if something were an emergency.
I've recently discovered an English-speaker's baby/toddler's group in a nearby city on facebook. They post/comment many times a day about going to the park, finding things to do around town and doctors. See if you can find something like that for Frankfurt.
One more thing. Someone once suggested something to me when talking with Germans here. I admit, it's the lazy way out, though. She says instead of asking if they speak English, (the answer is always either "a little" or "no"), ask if they understand it. They may not feel comfortable speaking English, but usually understand more than they speak.
I hate that stuff with fiery passion of a thousand suns and DH can't understand why. I didn't realize the first time I bought it here and it was gross. I made sure to always specify from then on out that we need to buy ground beef only.
I think skype dates speaking only german with you would end up with me barking again since I know so few words.
Then you'd get to see me in action though and let me know if you were German if you understood what I wanted.
Thanks for all the other tips! I would love to take a class, but I don't think we'll have the money and I probably won't have a time that I can go since DD won't be in daycare and I don't know when DH will be getting home.
I will definitely look into whenever I arrive though. I have already found an english speaking playgroup in Frankfurt that I'm planning on going to. Thanks to Obsession (I think it was?) who told me about toytowngermany!
I am sorry! I didnt mean to scare you. In my classes, they only teach you grammar and there doesnt seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Plus, my teacher is obsessed with everyone using Dativ and Akusativ correctly. And since I cant remember for the life of me the gender of the objects, it is a lost cause. It just makes me mad, that after three years I can only say simple sentences and people who study French and Italian are like almost fluent.
Do they really sell 50/50 ground beef? I have never seen it or tried it. It is supposed to be cheaper?
"Weisswein, bitte."
It's about all I need
It was cheaper in Switzerland to get the 50/50 mix. Which was why we were always buying it. Until I finally looked at the package. It was me who discovered this and not my German speaking husband! It was also the only package of meat where they didn't have a picture on it. In Switzerland they put pictures on all the meat packages. Which is amusing for the horse and ostrich they would sell.
Get a start on the German and then we will start Skyping.
You would like the Babbel as it's pretty inexpensive compared to classes and you go at your own pace. It also focuses on conversation and vocab and less on grammar. It's 33 Euros for 6 months. If you PM me your email I can send you over a free one week trial.
2012 Reading Challenge
Now Nesting from Chicago, IL My nail blog:
Babbel also has a free iPhone/itouch app for German. A few other languages too if anyone else is interested. It's got a pretty great list of vocabulary on there that's separated into different categories. You can speak and it will recognize if it's right or not.
Plus all of it you are able to access online. So you could bring it with you places to help with vocab.
2012 Reading Challenge
Now Nesting from Chicago, IL My nail blog:
It's quite common here. If you buy pre-made hamburgers at the butcher's, that's what they tend to be. Check out the pre-packed meat in the grocery store next time you're there, you're bound to find it.
Can't stand the stuff.
I'll teach you German if you can teach me Hindi? haha
I'm trying to learn it, but I'm also struggling. Part of it is having to learn a new alphabet. Did you know there are 38 classical consonants in Hindi? I can't "hear" the difference between most of the sounds.
I figure the most I can get under my belt before the move, the easier it'll come with immersion... that's my hope.
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." -Isaiah 61:10 NKJV
Um, I have near-native fluency and still can't remember genders. Luckily when speaking even the Germans just gloss over the relevant endings that prove you know gender, so my ignorance really only comes out in writing.
Also, I'd be willing to help out in skype conversations if you'd like. Of course, for the next 5 months I'll be in the US so the time difference will be there, but alli's in Chicago, too, so maybe we could arrange something that would work for all three of us (I won't be *too* far from Chicago).
Aw, Kelly and Allibally, you've made me feel so much better!
If I ever get to the point where I actually know some German words I will certainly PM you to set up that skype date or at least to ask annoying questions.
Kelly, when do you leave for the US?
Tomorrow! Ask any questions you have - if it's easier, you can PM me. Just let me know you sent me a PM since I never check it.
You can email via Facebook too if you have questions on stuff. I can ask DH the questions too. His brother lives in Frankfurt but probably doesn't have much info on things you would be looking to find.
But you could try finding a Tandem partner. You meet for coffee spend half the conversation in English and Half the conversation in German.
More the merrier. haha
2012 Reading Challenge
Now Nesting from Chicago, IL My nail blog: