What are good ways to learn German?

German and English are both ‘West Germanic languages’ and share similar language DNA. This means that as an English speaker, you’re going to have a much easier time learning German. In fact, over 26% of English vocabulary has shared roots with German, from grammar structure to vocabulary. Given the attractiveness of this country, companies from around the world are seeking out German speakers. In fact, just about any major international corporation will have some affiliation with Germany. However, you’ll be able to understand more of their creative and thinking process by learning the language. Learning to speak German is a challenge, but it’s the tenth most-spoken language in the world. It’s, therefore, one which is very much worth learning, so that you’re able to communicate with over 200 million people. One of the best ways to absorb a language is to force yourself to speak it every day. And one of the best ways to do that is to leave yourself without any other choice. Some have said that Italian is a fast-growing language to potentially take over German in the next decade, but that would be underestimating the power of German. Whether you plan to travel to Europe, live there, or go there for business, German would be top on the list of languages to prioritize.

1. Create a study plan and set goals: You can’t learn German overnight. First, you need an overview about the German language and after that, you should divide the whole subject matter into small categories. Create a list with all the topics you want to work on and determine when you want to start with each one. Try to be realistic and do not put yourself under too much pressure. It’s more manageable to learn German step by step than in 2 weeks. 
2. Expand Your Vocabulary with Nouns, Verbs and Adjectives: Once you’ve picked up some basics, it’s time to expand your vocabulary with nouns, verbs and adjectives. Try to set yourself a daily goal—for example, learn three new nouns, verbs and adjectives (for nine words total) every day.
3. Always learn German words with their correct article: You’ve probably noticed that articles are very important in German. So, when you study the vocabulary you should always consider the correct article. It’s not just “Haus” (Eng.: home) but “das Haus”.  If you do that right from the beginning, it will save you a lot of work afterwards.
4. Memorize Reusable German Phrases: This is one of those “language hacks” that can get you on the road to real German communication faster. Now that you’ve learned German word order, you can start hanging out with some basic German phrases. Just like with single words, begin practicing simple phrases that you might say on an average day.
5. Make it a habit: It goes without saying that signing up to a term of face-to-face language classes or taking a trip to Germany isn’t on the cards right now. But don’t be disheartened: that doesn’t mean you can’t start somewhere. Taking a free online German language course on an app like Multibhashi is a great way to get started without stepping outside your front door.

Always remember to treat yourself after you learn how to greet someone in German by watching a German TV show. Cook a German dish after learning a new tense, or indulge in German chocolate after you’ve memorised a bunch of vocab.