| Germans love speed (Can you say BMW?) Speed | | | | the Internet such as radio ( or nab a learning cd, |
| is also deeply ingrained in American culture. | | | | like this audio program ( An immersive audio |
| Between commuting, emails, microwavable | | | | experience can't be beat for learning quickly. |
| everything, it's natural we want results and we | | | | 6. Jam Out to German |
| want them now. How about learning German in | | | | Nab some great German tunes and take a look |
| just over a week? In the essence of these fast | | | | at the notes found on the inside cover. |
| times, here are ten fun ways to learn to speak | | | | (Kraftwerk anyone?). These handy liner notes |
| German uber fast. Was fällt dir denn | | | | often have the song lyrics printed inside and are a |
| eigentlich ein? (What's the big idea?) | | | | great resource to expanding your German |
| 1. Go on Vacation | | | | vocabulary. Listen to the tunes and skim the |
| If you've always wanted to visit your | | | | lyrics. Soon enough those catchy songs will stick |
| great-grandfather's hometown in Germany, | | | | to your brain and you'll be belting out German with |
| there's not a better time than today. The fastest | | | | a native accent. |
| way to speak German is to travel to Germany | | | | 7. Play to Win |
| and submerge yourself in the language. Not only | | | | Studying a foreign language doesn't have to be |
| will you see historic architecture and beautiful | | | | boring. Find your favorite games in German. You'll |
| countryside, but you'll also perfect your essential | | | | quickly pick up on phrases and new vocabulary |
| German. | | | | and have fun while doing it. This is a win-win |
| 2. Take a Walk | | | | situation. Playing your favorite games and learning? |
| Find German-speaking people in your | | | | Who'd a thunk it? Oh and if you're feeling |
| neighborhood. In most large cities there are | | | | especially frisky, test your German Scrabble skills. |
| culture institutes with language exchange | | | | Viel Glück! (Good luck) |
| programs. Join a German conversation group, | | | | 8. Get Creative |
| often sponsored by community outreach and | | | | Put the mojo back into your language learning bag. |
| heritage societies. . "Language is not a genetic gift, | | | | One idea is to grab some sticky notes and write |
| it is a social gift. Learning a new language is | | | | German words or phrases for everything all over |
| becoming a member of the club -- the community | | | | your house. Deck out the living room, kitchen |
| of speakers of that language," says Frank Smith, | | | | (Enjoy your meal! Guten Appetit!), garage, even |
| famed reporter, editor and the author of "The | | | | the toilet paper in your bathroom (besides, that |
| Book of Learning and Forgetting." | | | | word will be very useful when you travel abroad) |
| 3. Make it a Blockbuster Night | | | | and it's a fun way to boost your German |
| Watching a foreign film is another great way to | | | | vocabulary. |
| learn German. Amazon suggests, "The Lives of | | | | 9. Express Yourself |
| Others", "Run Lola Run," and "The Pianist" as a | | | | Do you have a favorite German expression? |
| few of the top internationally successful German | | | | Learn another one. Every time you learn an |
| flicks. You'll hear German spoken fluently and learn | | | | essential German phrase you're expanding your |
| to train your ear. Try to avoid subtitles or dubbing | | | | word power. Soon enough, you'll be speaking like a |
| which will distract from the experience. (But you | | | | native. Warum ist mir das nicht eingefallen? (Why |
| might turn them on after just to see how close | | | | didn't I think of that?) |
| you guessed at that 13-syllable word). | | | | 10. German Class |
| 4. Become a Bookworm | | | | When you're ready, attend a class or get a tutor. |
| Checking out German novels, travel guides and | | | | The structure will help you develop a routine for |
| books that describe German are excellent | | | | quickly learning the language. Try the Pimsleur |
| resources to enrich the learning process. | | | | Approach ( which offers a fabulous program |
| Parallel-text versions of (German and English side | | | | designed to make learning German actually fun. |
| by side) of classics like "Socialism: Utopian and | | | | Forget about boring vocabulary lists and repeating |
| Scientific (Preface by: Karl Marx) by Frederick | | | | pointless verbatim. Imagine simply listening and |
| Engels, "The Eighteenth Brumair of Luis | | | | absorbing language in the same structure you |
| Bonaparte," by Karl Marx, and "Dream Psychology: | | | | learned as a child. Everything is broken down |
| Psychoanalysis for Beginners," By Sigmund Freud. | | | | exactly the way kids learn. It's simple, fully audio |
| It's one thing to make a reference to Freud, but | | | | (so you can multitask) and is the easiest program |
| another thing to impress people by telling them | | | | to engage with the least amount of effort. |
| you actually read the original text in German. | | | | Now that you have several language learning ideas |
| 5. Turn on your Radio and TV | | | | planted in that brain of yours, the next step is |
| One of the key skills in learning a new language is | | | | pick a few and run with them. Start incorporating |
| how the mind comprehends the spoken word. | | | | bits of the German language and culture into your |
| Nowadays, many cable companies broadcast | | | | routine and soon enough you'll be speaking like a |
| German programming. "When you know another | | | | native in no time. Learning German opens up so |
| language; you suddenly realize there is a multitude | | | | many opportunities. Smith sums it up perfectly; |
| of worlds. You can become a member of EVERY | | | | "One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two |
| club," says Smith. In addition there are many | | | | languages open every door along the way. |
| German radio stations that can be accessed via | | | | |