Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 3, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2510 times:
The best way to learn a language is to spend as much time as possible in a country where the language is spoken. In your case Germany, definitely not Austria or even Switzerland because those guys are speaking everything else than proper German.
I learnt more English during an 8 week stay in California than I learnt in 12 school years.
Max999 From United States of America, joined Dec 2005, 912 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2501 times:
Try the Deutsche Welle website; there's a free online German learning section. It has free MP3s you can download and PDF files to print out.
Beowulf From Singapore, joined Jul 2003, 721 posts, RR: 15 Reply 5, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2494 times:
Not even a month ago there was a similar topic Learning German.. Help Needed (by UAalltheway Dec 7 2005 in Non Aviation)
IIRC, there were some good suggestions made in that thread.
There is a search function, and it works quite well.
Krushny From Spain, joined Dec 2000, 776 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 2483 times:
The best way to learn a language is to spend as much time as possible in a country where the language is spoken. In your case Germany, definitely not Austria or even Switzerland because those guys are speaking everything else than proper German.
From my experience, I do not advise to travel to Germany to practise the German language. Those guys are so damn polite that the moment they see you struggle with German, they switch to English instantly to make you feel more comfortable.
Try Austria instead, Österreicher seem to be prouder of their heritage and they will gladly hold a conversation tolerating your atrocious German.
Maybe Eastern Germany is different; my experiences were in the 80's Bundesrepublik and damn, I even did more German practise in Yugoslavia or Hungary than in Germany!!!
B727 From United States of America, joined Oct 1999, 513 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 2464 times:
My father was from Austria, this is the main reason I want to learn, but he lives across the contry from me.
Stlgph From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8994 posts, RR: 27 Reply 9, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2430 times:
I know of a few people who have bought cabaret and Broadway show cast albums in English, then turned around and bought the German cast recordings of the same show. She has been been able to pick up quite a bit.
Eternal darkness we all should dread. It's hard to party when you're dead.
Lindy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 10, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2418 times:
Don't learn German from the books. Maybe its me, but I wouldn't recommend this technique. I've studied German language 4 years in Elementary school, 3 years in High school and 6 months (after that I came to USA) in college.
All those years I was B student, but when I went to Germany two months ago as a tourist I had to use English language to get around. I didn't understand a word they were saying to me (Trip report from my trip to Germany and Luxembourg is comming very soon).
When I came to this country I didn't speak English at all! I just knew "Hi, how are you, yes, no and thank you" - thats it.
I took some English evening class in High school. Mostly we talked - our teacher didn't want us to start with writing. After only 2 weeks I could communicate like regular immigrant And I landed very decent job which is still my job after 9.5 years.
Dtwclipper From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2406 times:
Quoting 9V-SPF (Reply 11): Definitely not. Eastern Germany is not a good place to learn the language either because german is not very commonly spoken there.
BigOrange From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 2358 posts, RR: 3 Reply 13, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2399 times:
Dtwclipper From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 2370 times:
Quoting Klaus (Reply 15): the cliché, they're of course all speaking with a heavy saxonian dialect
Yes, but every region has their own Dialect. I learned German near STR but didn't speak Schwaebisch, not did I learn Schwitzer Dutsch in CH.
Quoting Klaus (Reply 15): Language-wise you still may have better luck in one of the larger cities in the
I disagree.
I spent most of my time in small cities when I was learning the language. This forced me to use my skills rather then be confronted by people who wanted to practice their english.
Sponsor Message: 
From United States of America, joined Oct 1999, 513 posts, 
From New Zealand, joined Jun 2005, 8435 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From Singapore, joined Jul 2003, 721 posts, 
From Spain, joined Dec 2000, 776 posts, 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
(Trip report from my trip to Germany and Luxembourg is comming very soon). 
From , joined Dec 1969, posts, 
From Austria, joined Apr 2001, 573 posts, 
Printer friendly format 
