Why do people often say German is a difficult language to learn? Is it because it’s aggressive language?
Are you looking for a native speaker? Or do you want to just rely on online German classes?
Let’s review some of the reasons and excuses that people say when they can’t learn German.
Is learning German really that difficult?
Language learners that are not familiar with Germanic languages or aren’t their mother tongue will find German hard if you don’t immerse yourself fully.
It may only seem difficult at first, but if you make it an everyday activity, you’ll definitely find your own tips and techniques to learn.
Yet, we can talk about how people stop halfway when learning.
If you can relate to one of these excuses below, don’t hesitate to discuss them with us!
Reason #1 German letters and words are really hard to pronounce
Attention to pronunciation is very crucial for German and if you keep on using English when learning German, you really won’t learn it properly.
Start with easy German phrases and slowly pronounce the differences between the vowels and the important letters with special rules in them.
Mimick your target language’s diction and accent when listening to a basic conversation.
Reason #2 Procrastination
According to studies, procrastination is one of the greatest enemies of a person who wants to achieve their goals.
Most learners that retain words benefit from studying for at least 15-25 minutes and a quick 5-minute break.
Then, go back to study for 15-25 minutes more and repeat the process.
You can also try breaking down your lesson plans into smaller, tangible goals per day.
We recommend doing a checklist and or a schedule planner for each day.
Reason #3 No time to study
If you are learning German just for short-term goals or business purposes, chances are, you’ll forget them eventually.
Being busy with your daily life is inevitable and not everyone can really spend 1-52 weeks learning German with online courses or attending a language class.
So, don’t sign up for classes that you can’t even commit to.
Reason #4 You focus more on the fun instead of retaining words
People commonly choose to watch Germans videos with English subtitles and value the fun and entertainment and that’s completely okay.
Anyone can start learning German just by watching their favorite movie, or series, listening to their favorite German song, or even reading short stories.
Yet, if you’re spending your time just looking at the words and not writing them down or knowing what they actually mean, you’ll be wasting your time.
One useful language hack is to find listening exercises that teach the right German sentence structure.
Reason #5 Learning techniques doesn’t mean learning them fast
Do you like different language learning methods when learning German?
Language apps, enrolling in a language class, or even starting with memorizing the German alphabet with a language partner are just some of the language learning steps you’ll encounter.
But, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll learn German fast and easily.
It depends on how well you’ll memorize and use these words daily.
Accurate sentences are also not always mandatory.
It’s actually helpful if you listen to German speakers to get the right German pronunciation.
Reason #6 You only learn German grammar or vocabulary separately.
As mentioned earlier, it’s okay to take one language topic at a time.
But, if you’re spending weeks (or even a month) studying only one aspect of German, you might not be learning it naturally.
Even with the obvious issue of learning German genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter), it’s still recommended to study grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation altogether.
Actually, there are more reasons and excuses, especially for people who can’t even multitask.
Complete your goals one day at a time and surely, you’ll reach your goals without confusion or hesitation.
Learn German With Audio
One of the best ways to really learn German is to listen to audio courses that include topics like basic dinner conversations, topics about everyday life, and conversations that you can use daily.
There are classes with 15-minute conversation audios to try out. Some even offer a free trial for 14-days.
On the other hand, you can also listen to German podcasts. These are free on platforms like Spotify, Stitcher, Apple, or Google or from German language learning websites.
You can enhance your listening skills and read the German transcript with English translations afterward.
Change your perception when you say I can’t learn German
Overall, motivation is one of the main reasons to keep you focused on learning German.
If you can relate to any of these reasons above, let us know by your comment below. We can totally help you!
Discover how to learn German on Spotify here.