A study by the Foreign Service Institute estimates approximately 30 weeks or 750 classroom hours to learn German. The Institute created a list of the most difficult languages to learn, and they rated German at level 2. Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, in comparison, take up to 88 weeks or 2200 hours. So German is relatively … Read more
If there is one thing you need to know about Germans, then it’s their admiration for structure. To have a structured life, you have to structure your day. What comes with this is knowing how to talk about the days of the week in German. Days of the week are something you learn pretty much … Read more
Imagine you’re at a house party in Germany. You’ve just arrived and greeted all the other people in your best German. Everybody is having fun, and you have an excellent opportunity to meet new people and practice your conversation skills. Unfortunately, you need to go to the bathroom. In this case, you would excuse yourself … Read more
So, you’ve decided to learn German. Excellent choice! Be it for love, work, or just fun, speaking German is a great tool to have under your belt. But what if you don’t have time to go to hours of classes every week? Can you learn a language by yourself? In a nutshell, my answer as … Read more
While on holiday in Germany or any other country, it is not usual to cook in a hotel room. After all, you are on vacation! You don’t want to spend your free time in the kitchen. Instead, go to a restaurant and try the tasty local food. It is not a coincidence that all tourist … Read more
Say there is a stranger on the street heading towards you. There is high chance he wants the answer to one of the following questions: Excuse me, can you tell me what time it is? or Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to…? You can learn about how to tell the time … Read more
German is the twelfth most widely spoken language globally, with over 135 million native and non-native speakers. It is also the most commonly spoken language in Europe. So why should you become the next learner? What good reasons are there to learn German? In this article I will tell you about my six best reasons … Read more
Excuse me, can you tell me what time it is, please? How many times has a total stranger asked you this? Checking the time on your watch or smartphone is one thing, but telling the time in German can be tricky. Germans are very punctual people – after all, they are known for their love … Read more
Be honest with me! What do you associate with Germany the most? I guess there is “beer” among your first three thoughts. And there is nothing wrong with that. Germany is famous for its beer, and above everything else, the celebration of this beverage that takes place yearly in Munich – the “Oktoberfest”. Maybe the … Read more
After a long flight, you have finally arrived in Germany. Now it would be good to get to your hotel. But how? The public transportation system can be challenging to understand in a foreign country. The German system is well structured, but it might be hard to understand the announcements on the bus/ train. In … Read more
“The awful German Language” is an essay by Mark Twain. Der Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän is a 42 letter German word, the meaning of which you will find out later. Perhaps you hear such points about the German language and think, “No, that doesn’t sound easy, I’ll give it a miss.” But let me tell you that, in … Read more
Just like in many other countries around the world, coffee is the No.1 non-alcoholic beverage in Germany. In England, people traditionally celebrate the “5 o’clock tea”. In Italy or France, people meet in the evening to have an aperitif together. And in the German culture? It is widespread to meet up for “Kaffee und Kuchen” … Read more
