I recently spoke with an Israeli friend who learned to speak German fluently after living in Germany for only a year and a half. Already after six months living there, she became extremely conversational in German. What were her secrets? With her tips and others I’ve gleaned, here is some advise for learning German – or any language.
1. Desire. My friend was much more determined than her peers to learn German. You must really want to learn the language to overcome the early hurdles involved. She remembered how all of her friends in her educational program wouldn’t bother to take museum brochures, while she consumed them, just as she did with anything written in German. She had the basic ingredient: desire.
2. Take a course. Naturally, my friend took a course, but a course will only go so far if you don't apply what you learned and actually attempt to converse.
3. Insist on speaking German. In major German cities, you could get by with English. Don’t let Germans speak English with you! Insist on speaking German, even if you think you’re imposing and even if their English is better than your German. They might appreciate the effort and become your best teachers.
4. Find a tandem partner. Through the Facebook group “>YouTube and find the German-dubbed Disney songs! You'll be able to figure out the words by association and internalize their use, as well as memorize some useful phrases like “>”Einmal in Traum” (“Once Upon a Dream” – Sleeping Beauty). To get you inspired, here I am, leading the way with one of Disney's best!