Are you looking for the best way to learn German? If you want to find out how to speak German fluently and the best tips and tricks to learn German, you have landed in the right place.
German is the official language of Germany but it is also used in other nations like Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, South Tyrol and Liechtenstein. Something interesting about German is the regional variations and dialects that can be found within the language.
Since German is the language spoken by most people in Europe and so central to business, philosophy, economy and many other disciplines, it is no wonder so many Canadian students are looking to improve their German speaking skills and add this as an extra on their academic and professional CV.
Are you interested in learning German? Keep reading to learn more about finding the best German tutor or German teacher for you and how to find German classes online with the help of Superprof!
Discover German lessons in Toronto here.
How to Speak German: Tips and Tricks
What is the best way to learn German? Is there any way to make learning German easier? Many German students struggle with the basics of learning the language and find themselves confused by their German tuition or German class.
Some learners may feel overwhelmed because of the fact that German uses both male and female forms of words as well as compound words and linguistic cases they are not used to. That said, this is just a matter of learning the right rules and vocabulary, just as with any other new language.
But truth be told, you need to start with the clear idea that you can’t learn German overnight. Here are some tips and tricks on how to speak German that might prove useful as you start diving into the language:
- Try to get an overview of the language and then divide it into smaller categories. This is useful as a learning skill. Our brain isn't good at dealing with tasks that are too big or look impossible to complete so it's important that you give it some leverage. Try to divide your German goal into smaller tasks. You can try to tackle a certain vocabulary or pronunciation or maybe get up to a verb tense each week.
- Try to avoid language interference: If you already have a second language on your skillset and are approaching German as a new one, you might encounter interference. Your brain might try to go back to the logic or words of the other language so you will have to make a conscious effort to fight that tendency.
- Make sure that you master the alphabet: as with any new language, having a good grasp and understanding of the basic German alphabet and its pronunciation is extremely important for a new German speaker.
- Always learn new words in their natural environment: one particularity of German nouns is that they are divided into masculine, feminine or neuter: der, die and das respectively. This is why a good tip is to learn the nouns and their corresponding articles since the moment that you start your German classes.
- Stop translating: if you want to become fluent in German there is one thing you need to steer away from: translating. Don't try to do things the English way and try to think and make up phrases using purely a German reasoning.
- Connect to the language through popular culture. Do you like music, movies or TV shows? Then try to find the best German pop culture resources to help your German learning. Not only will these be fun for you (and provide you with motivation) but can also help you improve your accent, learn new words and better your pronunciation and your speaking confidence.
- Learn how sentences are constructed: it is normal to speak in very basic sentences at the beginning, it happens to everyone. As you progress, they will become more complex so its good to learn how they are constructed from the get go.
- Learn to use prepositions: what are prepositions? Prepositions are words that introduce prepositional phrases indicating time, place and direction. German prepositions commonly adjust the meaning of a verb.
- Use word lists with the most useful German vocabulary: As with any language, making sure you have a good amount of vocabulary is essential since it will allow you to express yourself in a variety of moments and situations. A fact that will make this even more relevant is that the 1,000 most common words in German make up about 80% of the written language so it's good to start learning little by little so you can build up to a solid roster of words and expressions.
- Remove all possible disruptive factors while learning: again, this is advice for any student no matter the discipline they are learning. Try to turn off your phone and make sure to truly disconnect. Even if you struggle with it you will eventually see that your learning sessions will be much more efficient because of this.
- Talk to German speakers regularly: it is important to expose yourself to German speakers as much as possible. We recommend you try to socialize with German speakers so you can practice everything you have learned in your German course and learn new vocabulary.
- Remember that passive skills come first: first comes a phase of listening and reading before you can dive into more active things like speaking and writing. This is totally normal and expected!
- It’s important to have a certain kind of learning structure and learning habits: Make sure you give yourself a good learning structure so you can progress accordingly. If you don't have access to a tutor or a course, you can create your structure with online resources.
- Help yourself with sketches and notes: everyone learns differently and needs a specific strategy. That said, it is important to have something visual at hand that will help you get inspired and retain information in an easier way.
Head here for German lessons in Calgary.
German Classes in Ottawa
Are you looking for a class or course in Ottawa that will help you understand how to speak German? There are many options in this city that can prove quite effective for those looking to study German in a traditional academic setting. We recommend you look at the available levels, courses and costs directly with them to find the most convenient one for you:
- Goethe Institute Ottawa: The Goethe-Institut is the Federal Republic of Germany’s cultural institute. They have presence all over the world and their goal is to promote the study of German abroad and encourage international cultural exchange. They are located at at Saint Paul University, 223 Main street - office: GIG120, Ottawa, ON K1S 1C4, Canada. They offer both in-person and online courses as well as regular, blended and intensive so you can choose the best format for you. They also offer German exams for all levels of ability, ranging from A1 to C2.
- Berlitz Language School in Ottawa: located at 350 Sparks St, Suite 1001 Ottawa, ON Ontario K1R 7S8, they have 16 modern classrooms with air conditioning where you can attend the in-person language courses in Ottawa. The idea is for students to learn their own way and to choose the format that best suits them: you can learn solo, in a group, one-on-one, in-person or online.
- International Languages Program at the Ottawa District School Board: The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board offers Elementary and Secondary International & Indigenous Languages (IIL) Program through the Continuing Education Department. This school year, in-person language classes will be offered as well as continued virtual language class options. The proposal of the International Languages Secondary Program is the following:
- Provide a valuable basis for courses in International Languages at the high school level (for credit)
- Give secondary students and adult students the opportunity to learn or maintain a language or other than English or French
- Prepare students for post-secondary studies in the fields of business, trade and communications
- Enhance student exchanges
- Develop skills for national and international opportunities.
- German Language School Ottawa: Founded in 1971 by the German-speaking community, the school runs Saturday school classes for elementary students (JK to Grade 8) and credit level courses (Grades 9 to 12) in cooperation with the Ottawa French Catholic School Board as part of the Ministry of Education’s International Languages program.
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Find German Tuition in Ottawa
If you are looking for a German teacher who can help you with private German tuition or give you German classes online, we have another available option for you: find a German tutor with the help of Superprof.
Superprof is a platform that helps students all over Canada connect with private tutors in different disciplines. From math to science, piano and many others, we have German classes available as well.
All you have to do is conduct a quick search and look at the available profiles. Check out their experience, their teaching method, wether they are native speakers or not and what other students have said about their lessons in the 'opinions' section.
Once you have a clearer idea of the available German tutors in Ottawa you will be able to pick the one that best aligns to your needs and start learning German!
Find German lessons in Montreal here. Get ready to learn German with Superprof!
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