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 Learning German - Easy or Hard?  
Learning another language takes work and practice, but it isn't like learning math or science, where you have to spend hours and hours poring over a textbook. This article explains why learning German can be easier than you might think.

By Bart Icles

When you think of learning a new language usually there are two lines of thought.

The first is what it would be like to spout off in another language. You think of impressing your friends, family, and anyone listening. You daydream of all the places you could visit with ease and how knowing the language would let you explore the country so much more.

The second line of thought is the hours and hours you think you would have to spend studying. You consider the struggle it would be and how you aren't sure if it would be worth the work

There are a few things right with both lines of thought.

The first one is true; when you learn to speak fluently, it will both sound impressive and be quite useful in travel. The second line of thought though only has part truths. Learning another language takes work and practice, but it isn't like learning math or science, where you have to spend hours and hours poring over a textbook.

Instead, you learn some vocabulary and then practice. Then learn some sentences and practice; and then learn grammar and how it works and then practice. You can do that while walking down the street. You can practice during breaks at work or while you are eating lunch.

An even better bit of trivia is that if you have chosen to learn German, you will be pleased to know that speaking English will greatly help. This is because English and German come from the same base language: Germanic. German and English are by far the largest Germanic languages in the world, and they have quite a bit that go hand in hand.

German and English are very similar in the way their grammar is structured. Another big similarity is vocabulary. For instance, this is a real German sentence: Winter kommt im November (Winter comes in November). Or there is: Mein Name ist Harry (My name is Harry). These are just two examples that show you how similar learning German can be to English. There are quite a few things that are different though, so don't think you can just change a few words and speak German.

You will find similarities as you study German, and learning German will probably turn out not to be as difficult as you might have originally guessed. Picking up a new language is both a great hobby and an excellent resume builder. It will take some work to learn; don't fool yourself into thinking it won't; but also don't get overwhelmed by making it harder than it really is.

About the Author:

Bart Icles knows that learning another language can have a real impact on your life. Learning to speak German is a great task to take on. When you learn how to speak German, you will open up a completely new playing field in your life. Article Source: A Language Guide - http://www.a-language-guide.com

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  Article added 08/12/08.

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