German Speakers, Other Language Speakers As Well.

[Poh SIti Dawn]

I've been learning German for a year and some change on and off now, I recently took a trip to berlin a week+ ago and realized that I'd like to take the TestDAF which is a test that allows me to go to a university in Germany for free if I pass it.

Has anyone done anything similar to this? And how do you practice speaking a language that you've learned in America if hardly any people that you meet speak it? I've been reading a book in German to get my comprehension up but still I feel as if I were to lie there I'd be fluent in a few months easily.

 

[Poh SIti Dawn]

Bump, I thought this section was for people who were learners? Nobody speaks another language here?

 

[Black smoke and cac jokes]

I've been learning German for a year and some change on and off now, I recently took a trip to berlin a week+ ago and realized that I'd like to take the TestDAF which is a test that allows me to go to a university in Germany for free if I pass it.

Has anyone done anything similar to this? And how do you practice speaking a language that you've learned in America if hardly any people that you meet speak it? I've been reading a book in German to get my comprehension up but still I feel as if I were to lie there I'd be fluent in a few months easily.

Many of us do but you're experience is very unique... I was fortunate to learn the two other languages I know as a kid and therefore didn't need to practice the language outside of my household.

Talk to people in your class/enroll in a class and watch a lot of German TV/continue reading books

 

[L.S.]

I've been learning German for a year and some change on and off now, I recently took a trip to berlin a week+ ago and realized that I'd like to take the TestDAF which is a test that allows me to go to a university in Germany for free if I pass it.

Has anyone done anything similar to this? And how do you practice speaking a language that you've learned in America if hardly any people that you meet speak it? I've been reading a book in German to get my comprehension up but still I feel as if I were to lie there I'd be fluent in a few months easily.

I speak German & French & spent a year studying at universities over there, although I went as part of an exchange program so I don't know anything about the TestDAF, sorry.

You're right that there's no substitute for learning the language that's better than living in the country itself. Knowing you might have to converse with locals at any given moment means you pretty much tune into the language as soon as you wake up after a while.

As for practice, a couple of times a week try reading some newspapers/magazines online (Die Zeit, FAZ, Der Spiegel), watch short news clips (ZDF, Tagesschau) & also try to find some movies with captions. I've watched a bunch of good German movies that have been helpful in picking up the language, as well as learning some history in the process. The latter two help you understand correct pronunciation, too.

 

[Poh SIti Dawn]

Many of us do but you're experience is very unique... I was fortunate to learn the two other languages I know as a kid and therefore didn't need to practice the language outside of my household.

Talk to people in your class/enroll in a class and watch a lot of German TV/continue reading books

What do you mean by that? You learned the language from your parents?

 

[Poh SIti Dawn]

I speak German & French & spent a year studying at universities over there, although I went as part of an exchange program so I don't know anything about the TestDAF, sorry.

You're right that there's no substitute for learning the language that's better than living in the country itself. Knowing you might have to converse with locals at any given moment means you pretty much tune into the language as soon as you wake up after a while.

As for practice, a couple of times a week try reading some newspapers/magazines online (Die Zeit, FAZ, Der Spiegel), watch short news clips (ZDF, Tagesschau) & also try to find some movies with captions. I've watched a bunch of good German movies that have been helpful in picking up the language, as well as learning some history in the process. The latter two help you understand correct pronunciation, too.

Yeahh Spiegel is my favorite one to read tbh, but you're right I could be watching more movies and shows in German. My pronounciation is A1 though, I do really well with that and my spelling as well. I have such a feel for the language and it really flourished once I hit Germany.

 

[88m3]

Spanish is decent but I rarely speak it unless Im joking around now

 

[L.S.]

Yeahh Spiegel is my favorite one to read tbh, but you're right I could be watching more movies and shows in German. My pronounciation is A1 though, I do really well with that and my spelling as well. I have such a feel for the language and it really flourished once I hit Germany.

Plus some good movies went under the radar because they made no international impact. Yeah, it took me a while to get to grips with certain things, such as pronouncing Rs & the "ch" sound correctly.

What made you want to learn German in the first place, breh?

 

[Black smoke and cac jokes]

What do you mean by that? You learned the language from your parents?

I learned Triginya and Swedish since it was mostly spoken around me and English by watching tv

 

[Richard Wright]

They tried to recruit me to go to engineering school in germany. Maybe see if you can get some native speakers to skype you?

 

[Poh SIti Dawn]

Plus some good movies went under the radar because they made no international impact. Yeah, it took me a while to get to grips with certain things, such as pronouncing Rs & the "ch" sound correctly.

What made you want to learn German in the first place, breh?

Yeahh I know a few tbh R's and ch in German or in English?

Ahh met a person when I was younger who was from Germany, ended up being a good friend of mine. High school languages came around and everyone was taking Spanish so I thought lemme be different

 

[Liu Kang]

There is this existing thread : [url]http://www.thecoli.com/threads/language-learning-thread.116689/[/URL]
Never really took off

 

[unit321]

I've been learning German for a year and some change on and off now, I recently took a trip to berlin a week+ ago and realized that I'd like to take the TestDAF which is a test that allows me to go to a university in Germany for free if I pass it.

Has anyone done anything similar to this? And how do you practice speaking a language that you've learned in America if hardly any people that you meet speak it? I've been reading a book in German to get my comprehension up but still I feel as if I were to lie there I'd be fluent in a few months easily.

I took German I, II, and III in college. I was not fluent or even close to it. My reading, writing and grammar were okay. I got all A's. However, listening comprehension and dialogue sucked. You need to engage in German conversation, not just read, study and listen to it.
You need to find a better German speaker than you and then practice conversation often.

 

[Hans Wurst]

watch movies with subs, that, music & games is basically how i learned my english, although i didn't really learn speaking it until i went to england for work


edit: and books, and newspapers, and websites (allhiphop,sohh,coli etc)

 

[blackzeus]

I've been learning German for a year and some change on and off now, I recently took a trip to berlin a week+ ago and realized that I'd like to take the TestDAF which is a test that allows me to go to a university in Germany for free if I pass it.

Has anyone done anything similar to this? And how do you practice speaking a language that you've learned in America if hardly any people that you meet speak it? I've been reading a book in German to get my comprehension up but still I feel as if I were to lie there I'd be fluent in a few months easily.

Gudetacht Frau Fox. Complete immersion (going to a country for the language you're practicing) is best. Other than that:

1) Talk to middle aged German chicks online.

2) Watch German movies with English subtitles

3) Do an online language exchange, where you teach a German English, and a German teaches you German

#1 is my favorite , but #3 works as well, #2 is cool, but I prefer interaction above all other methods to learn a language quickly