| Learning a new language is often considered a costly | | | | offer a wide variety of methods to learn German, |
| task and people spend tons of money on buying | | | | ranging from standard basic-to-advanced lessons, to |
| books, courses, taking daily German lessons or paying | | | | word memorization games, text-video quizzes (like the |
| for audio tapes, video lessons and so forth. Now, | | | | ones that have you attach a specific word to a |
| there's an alternative to all of this: free language | | | | specific image - sort of like an interactive flashcard |
| lessons online. | | | | game) and so forth. Using games to increase German |
| Not all languages can be learnt online. It depends on | | | | vocabulary or strengthen your grammar rules is also a |
| what you're trying to learn and what your mother | | | | solid option. Although many consider these games |
| tongue is or what other languages you're already | | | | "childish", they're actually quite important and efficient, |
| familiar with. For example, learning Chinese online won't | | | | since you're learning while having fun and we all know |
| be as easy as learning German through the same | | | | that this is a major boost to assimilating new words |
| methods. Chinese requires more careful assimilation of | | | | naturally. |
| grammar rules, vocabulary and learning steps whereas | | | | One good tip would be to try and find quizzes and |
| German can be learn more "freely" (and I'm not talking | | | | games that don't simply use words. Sure, you can |
| just about the financial costs). If you're reading this, | | | | easily memorize a few words each day, but they |
| you're either at least moderately familiar with English, or | | | | won't be "printed" in your memory as strongly as if you |
| English is your mother tongue and this is a good | | | | would have something visual attached to them. Our |
| starting point to learn German online, since there are a | | | | brain holds visual images much longer in our memory |
| lot of connections that can be made between the two | | | | than simple strings of characters and words, so it's a |
| languages. | | | | good idea to associate a picture to each word. When |
| With German becoming an increasingly important | | | | learning German, it's even easier to do this since |
| language on the international stage, more and more | | | | German has a lot of cognates with English (words that |
| people leave their course books behind and seek out | | | | look or sound alike in the two languages and that |
| websites that can offer free language lessons online. | | | | share a common meaning) so you can stamp the |
| They're faster, more convenient, you can go through | | | | English word instead of a visual image to the new |
| them from the comfort of your own home and most | | | | word. |
| importantly, they are much easier to assimilate, since | | | | However, watch out for false cognates as they can |
| an online lesson, unlike a course book for example, can | | | | be quite misleading. False cognates are words that |
| combine visual and audio elements to make your | | | | sound or look alike in both languages, but their meaning |
| learning process faster. In the past, this was not | | | | is completely different, so if you don't learn to spot |
| possible as websites were pretty blunt back then, they | | | | them, you could be using words in completely |
| were just "clones" of course books with text, text and | | | | inappropriate contexts. Fortunately, the list of false |
| more text. | | | | cognates is not that high between English and German, |
| With the increased interactivity offered by many | | | | but it's still a good idea to learn these exceptions by |
| language learning sites out there, you can take online | | | | hard. |
| quizzes, play language games on the Internet, or on | | | | I'll leave it to you to find the right websites for learning |
| some sites, take audio/video lessons like you would | | | | German online, but know that you shouldn't just settle |
| from an audio or video tape. Forget about wasting | | | | for the first one you find. Try learning from two |
| time going to your local store, buying the tape, buying a | | | | sources and go through several websites before |
| good stereo and a set of headphones - now you | | | | settling in on these two. In most cases, this will offer |
| have all these bundled up for free on the Internet. | | | | you a more complete coverage of the German |
| Technology is a blast, isn't it? | | | | language. |
| Many websites (such as Internet Polyglot for example) | | | | |