For beginners, online resources to learn German help you investigate the language and discover your learning style. For more advanced students, they can offer additional resources. Online lessons take you through grammar tips, basic questions, vocabulary building, the alphabet and numbers. The BBC German learning resource has German jokes, news headlines, quizzes, tests and in-depth articles. Many Internet sites have sections for travelers with key phrases to help tourists in shops, restaurants and hotels. Click on online resources that test your level of German with tasks and questions. It's a good idea to know your level of German before signing up for classes or buying a German course book or CDs, in order to make sure you're engaged at the most appropriate level.
Once you've tested your level of German and made the most of free online learning tools, take a more structured course with books, or a CD or tape. Courses are also available to download from the Internet in MP3 and Acrobat format. Courses typically include reading, writing and speaking exercises along with games, tests and lists of vocabulary. Choose an audio course with native speakers to help you understand different accents and learn how to pronounce words correctly. Some courses provide an e-tutor to answer questions and issue tests. Pick up a German dictionary and a grammar book to help you check words.
One of the best resources is a class where you can learn face-to-face with a German speaker, practice your pronunciation, ask questions and have fun. Choose a course near your home, or if you're serious about language learning and want to progress fast, book a series of classes in a German-speaking country. Immersing yourself in German is a great way to become familiar with the language.
Learning a language should be fun. Learning German is more entertaining and you'll make faster progress if you use other resources in addition to books, dictionaries and language CDs. Many Internet sites provide forums where you can ask questions of native German speakers and chat with other learners. Watch German series on DVD, check out German TV programs on the Internet and read newspapers and simple books in German. Listen to German music to learn about the culture and language through song lyrics. Search for popular artists and groups on the Internet. Learning in this way also helps you discover more about the people, culture, food, drinks, celebrations and politics of German-speaking countries.