I receive many enquiries throughout the year from prospects looking to learn German in London. Most are in a hurry and would like to be fluent in no time. I have previously written a blog article on whether learning German is a sprint or a marathon; please check out the article if it is of […]
Category: Learning German
Interesting facts to know when learning German: about the German language, why to learn German, how to learn German, the advantages of speaking German.
Shortage of language skills and its economic cost
A shortage of language skills has been identified as a barrier to trade. According to a recent British Chamber of Commerce survey, 70% of businesses have no foreign language abilities in the markets they serve. With the second-biggest UK export market being Germany, insufficient German language skills would hold back any company trying to conduct […]
A take on learning German
My German language journey and the lessons I have learnt Language learning is a marathon, not a sprint. This simple but effective expression rings true on many levels and is at the heart of my language learning philosophy. Learning a new language is like embarking on an open ocean, with several thousand miles separating ourselves […]
Is learning German a sprint or a marathon?
You may want to learn German and wonder how long it will take to become fluent. This question I have heard many times, and there is not one single answer. Assuming you would like to learn German and not live in a German-speaking country, regular German lessons with a native speaking German tutor are essential. […]
Concentration during an online German course
You may find it hard to concentrate during your online German course. Rest assured, you are not alone. Hence I would like to share some tips on improving concentration: Course time is your time. You’ve signed up for the course to learn German. Make sure it is not going to waste and make the most […]
Get comfortable writing in German
Writing emails to coworkers, WhatsApp messages to friends or posting on social media is part of using your German language skills. It can be daunting, and here are a few tips on overcoming your reluctance. Make use of words you already know. If you would like to talk about your niece, for example, and the […]
New Year Resolution
Learning a language not only connects you to a new culture and new people but gives you a new perspective of the world, or at least a unique perspective of the country whose language you are learning. German Language Coach provides German language courses London based from levels A1 to C2 and has helped vast numbers of […]
Learn German online during lockdown
Many countries are still in lockdown and many people are working from home with plenty of extra time at their hands. That’s an extra 90 minutes a day in London if a one-way commute takes 45 minutes. Multiplied by 5 working days and, voilà, there are 7.5 hours every week that need filling. After the […]
Learn German online
I’ve been teaching German on a one-to-one basis and in group settings for many years. I now find myself helping students learn German online to continue earning a living and to minimise disruption to existing students so that they can progress with their German language studies during this Covid19 crisis or upskills by learning German […]
The steroids for language learners
Google translate appears to be a handy tool when you learn German. A word or phrase entered in English often produces the desired result in a foreign target language. Students often assume that online translation software or dictionaries are an acceptable instrument when learning German. An online dictionary is convenient when abroad and needing to […]
Learning a second language
New Year’s resolutions are high on the agenda, with the new decade just three weeks old. Folks have all sorts of good intentions for 2020, and for some, it is learning a new language. Only 34% of 15 – 30-year-olds speak a second language in the UK. That’s very few compared with Denmark, where 99% […]
Foreign Languages after Brexit
Spanish is increasing, French is decreasing, and German is hardly being taught in UK schools. 80% of all 15 – 30-year-olds in the EU speak at least one foreign language. Only 32% of 15 – 30-year-olds speak a foreign language in the UK. Learning a foreign language has almost become a forgotten skill, yet it opens […]
Who learns German?
We often get asked, whether there is a market for learning German in the City of London and who learns German and why. Yes, there is a large market for foreign language learning, especially German. Corporations approaching us are German companies operatingtheir staff to learn German or reacquaint themselves with the language at some stage. Then there are people […]
Tips for learning German
It can be exciting to learn a new language; it gives you new opportunities, helps you learn more about another culture and happens to be very impressive! Whatever reason you have for deciding to learn German, here’s five top tips to not only help you learn faster, but learn smarter and be on your way […]
Reasons to learn German
German is widely spoken in Europe: Count the 83 Million inhabitants of Germany, add Austria, the German speaking part of Switzerland plus Luxemburg, and German speaking minorities in Northern Italy, Southern Denmark and the Alsace in France and you get the picture. Of course, there is more than just the holiday aspect, since Germany is […]
Technology – Help or hindrance?
Technology has without doubt made language learning far more accessible and may have even been responsible for some people taking up a foreign language as it’s a great way to have a little taster before committing to a formal course. However, it can also be incredibly tempting to use the technology at our disposal as […]
The Power of Language
The Goethe-Institute is a German cultural organisation which for over 50 years has been promoting interest in, and study of, the German language around the world. Back in 2007, it launched an ambitious project which saw a series of events take place worldwide under the banner “The Power of Language” (Die Macht der Sprache). The […]
German Language Online
A recent study of languages used on the internet* shows that German is one of the most widely-used languages in the online world. It’s hardly surprising that English is the most-used language, being the main content language for a massive 55% of all websites. Just under 6% of websites use German as a content language. While this […]
Understanding word frequency
A frequency dictionary can be of great help when learning German. It does not, however, replace a good conventional bilingual or monolingual dictionary. Let’s have a look at a few German words and their frequency in the German language: the most frequent word being the definite articles der, die, das and their various forms. You […]
German Word Frequency
You must have come across words that you never seem to be able to remember. Why is it that when learning German you remember some words better than other words? The answers is word frequency. Word frequency analysis is not new and dates back well over 100 years to 1898 when Friedrich Wilhelm Kaeding published […]
Why learning German is so worthwhile
As a nation the British don’t have the best reputation for being proficient speakers of foreign languages. Changes to school curriculums are attempting to remedy this situation and prevent future generations being thought “lazy” by the rest of Europe because so many of us don’t take the trouble to learn a second language. But is […]
Practice makes perfect
One of the things learners of any language frequently bemoan is the lack of opportunities outside of their lessons to put into practice what they’ve learnt. Your German classes will help you develop your speaking and writing skills. However, you can help yourself to further develop your listening and reading skills by availing yourself of […]
German Language Podcasts
You are learning German and wondered where you could practice listening and comprehension? Podcasts are a great way of listening to German on the bus, on the tube or whilst walking. Several podcasts can take quite some time to work through them all before you find what suits you best. We produce our German language podcast, […]
How do you learn German?
If you want to learn German, you might consider a self-learning course, contact a language school or engage a private tutor. Autodidactic learning is probably the most cost-effective way of picking up a new language, and you don’t have to schlepp halfway across London to attend classes. Some get pretty far in using that method. […]
Three good reasons to learn German
German is widely spoken in Europe: Count the 80 Million inhabitants of Germany, add Austria, the German-speaking part of Switzerland plus Luxemburg, and German-speaking minorities in Northern Italy, Southern Denmark and the Alsace in France, and you get the picture. Of course, there is more than just the holiday aspect, since Germany is not exactly […]