Product Description

Take the angst out of learning German

Interested in learning to speak German but can't tell the difference between a strudel and a schnauzer? No need to feel intimidated! With German Demystified you'll develop language skills so quickly you'll pass for a wunderkind.

Organized into twenty chapters that cover key grammar topics, this book contains the building blocks for the storehouse of your new German language skills. Covering common verb tenses, essential vocabulary, useful adjectives and adverbs, and even the correct way to ask questions, this guide makes learning what can be a difficult language both simple and entertaining. Test yourself at the end of every chapter for reinforcement that you're fast on your way to speaking, writing, and understanding German.

This fast and easy guide features:

• Clear grammatical explanations that illustrate how the language works
• Numerous examples that place new vocabulary in practical context
• Helpful writing and speaking exercises that bring the German language to life
• Coverage of everyday topics, conversational expressions, and cultural information
• Quizzes at the end of each chapter reinforce new language skills

Simple enough for a beginner but challenging enough for a more advanced student, German Demystified is your shortcut to mastering this complex language.

Customer Reviews (22)

For the Kindle Version
Overall a great book as the other reviews have stated. I did want to toss out my feelings on the Kindle version as it has been beaten up a bit on the reviews. I had no particular issues reading any of the tables on my Kindle 3. I'd suggest downloading the sample of it and seeing for yourself.

Great Supplemental Text
Nice, easy-to-read format. It gives easy to understand explanations of grammar usage and verb conjugation. Lots of practice opportunities as well. It would not, in my opinion, suffice alone as a text to learn German, however as a supplement to other language learning software such as Rosetta Stone or Pimsleur, it is a good buy.

The best book for German
Back in the day, I tried to take a course that was using the Deutsche Na Klar series of books, which were anything but Klar (ha-ha). I wish I'd had German Demystified instead.

German Demystified is the total package. It starts out with simple, clear explanations of grammar. There's no pages of useless filler text like a "...For Dummies" book might have, and neither is it as boring as some traditional textbooks. There's just enough explanatory text to carry you through, no more and no less. Everything is clear, concise, and correct.

Not only do you get prep exercises and tons of useful information, but there are quiz portions at the end of each lesson. The exercises are clear in their intent, as they expect specific answers. If you're a self-learner, this is a sort of holy grail for textbooks. I don't know how many times, in a book like Na Klar, I'd give a response to a language quiz and find that the answer in the back shuffled words around in an unusual way so that my answer- saying the same thing in a slightly different (but correct) way- was hard to grade (I mean I think I'm saying the same thing, right?). Demystified does a good job cutting that out- questions are in a specific format that makes the expected format of your answer obvious from context. This also ensures you are tested accurately on the material, as you can't weasel around a subject using words you're more comfortable with.

Plus, this book is relatively cheap. Good textbooks like this, with quiz portions, normally run multiples of this book's price. I won't name the price I paid for Na Klar, but I can say that looking back I should have skipped out on that class and dined out at a fine French restaurant instead. And dined with my girlfriend. And asked for the wine menu. Having Demystified as my coursebook would have saved me several nights of eating ramen in my dorm, and that makes me hate Na Klar all the more in retrospect.

In short, this is perhaps the best book I've ever come across for helping a new student to learn German. Even for intermediate-level users, this is a great refresher course and quiz book so you can bring your knowledge up to date. Highly recommended. Nothing can replace immersion in a language, but this is the closest you're going to come in book form. If you're looking into taking a German class, I'd say try this book first and skip the class if possible- I learned more from this book than I did in class.

German DeMystified
I'm using Rosetta Stone German and decided to get this book to study during breaks at work. It's an excellent book and it answered many questions I had after using Rosetta Stone. Although the book complements the computer program I think a beginner would get a lot out of the book by itself.

DeMYSTiFied books
When I took Spanish in school I went to my library and found the Spanish demystified book and I love the layout and explanations in the book. When I started learning I couldn't wait to get the German version. Ich liebe dieses Buch. I love this book so much. Every time I work in it I understand German more. I give thanks to Ed Swick for making this happen and I'm glad I've heard of this book. I've only been studying German for 2 months now and I'm loving it. ... Read more

Product Description
Learning German Has Never Been Easier! Whether you are studying the language in school, planning a trip to Germany or Austria, or trying to learn the basics of the language closest to English, German Made Simple is the perfect book for any self-learner. Void of all nonessentials and refreshingly easy to understand, German Made Simple includes:

• Basics of German grammar
• Modern German vocabulary
• German pronunciation guide
• German reading exercises
• German economic information
• Common German expressions
• Review exercises
• Complete answer key
• German-English dictionary ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

sloppy presentation
This book is riddled with typographical and formatting errors.For example, what is supposed to be a heading is placed underneath a section.The formatting in general is not very user-friendly.It's okay if you want an inexpensive introduction to German, but I will avoid books in this series in the future.

One of the better books for language learning
Of all of the books on learning German this is probably the best one for me.It teaches you words and then puts them into sentences and later German conversations so it reinforces the learning process.Sometimes the problem is that some of the words in the sentences are used earlier and on prior pages so you have to go into the glossary at the back of the book to look them up.Nevertheless, this is a good learning tool for a difficult language. I use Rosetta Stone as well as a German/English dictionary and I think I like this book the best of all of them. It's difficult to stay with any of the study materials unless you are dedicated because it can be a chore and requires work.

...
Enjoying the concept of this book, but finding phrases that are grammatically incorrect. The answer guide is a great asset to verify that you are on track and remembering all grammar changes in lesson drills.

Geman Made Simple
Good combination of up to date vocabulary, grammar and practice. Consistent and methodical. Realistic reading material and reference material.

wonderful book!
this book is SO helpful in my venture to further my German! The explanations are wonderful & the exercises are very helpful as well! ... Read more

Product Description

Sharpen your German grammar with skill-building exercises

If you want to be proficient in German, you eventually have to clear the bothersome hurdle of grammar. The best way to conquer this obstacle is through hands-on experience. Covering all facets of German grammar--from prepositions and pronouns to verbal forms and tenses--German Grammar Drills helps you learn often-perplexing topics with fun and engaging exercises.

This comprehensive book features:

• More than 200 drills that demonstrate how the German grammar system works, including review exercises to reinforce your learning
• An answer key to give you immediate clarification on any concept
• Quick reviews bring you up to speed on grammar

Topics include:
Determining the genders of words * Accusative-dative prepositions * Der words and ein words * Relative pronouns * Infinitive clauses * Comparatives and superlatives * and more

Customer Reviews (11)

Solid Review for High School Student
Quick, easy review for our levle 4/5 student.Has helped reinforce gender, cases, etc.[Our student speaks and reads German fairly well, but grammatik "gestinka"]The drills are a good review as we prepare for AP exam.

Not for everyone, but overall a good book.
I've been learning German for about a year now, all through self-study and Livemocha.com. I found this book to be very challenging, for the same reason another review stated: Many sentences that are either examples or parts of the drills use vocab or syntax that have not yet been explained. I actually had to keep a German dictionary by my side while working through this, which made the process three times as slow. It was either that, or resign myself to not understanding about 1/4 of what I was writing.

Another reviewer stated there's no clutter and the font is nice...it's true, however I also found it a little dry. I'm a very visual person, the kind that color codes my notes, so the absence of ANY kind of decor within the book made it seem monotone and inaccessible at times.

That being said, my ability to read German has improved greatly since I first began, so it achieves its primary function. Learning a language requires so much dedication, determination, and PATIENCE, all of which are required to complete this particular book. Think of it as a labor of love.

Not for beginners
Though I am a beginning German student, I am fluent in both Spanish and French, and therefore know a little about learning a foreign language. I purchased German Grammer Drills, German Sentence Structure, and the German Verb tenses. The books all state that they are 'Perfect for the Beginning and Intermediate Learners", but this is not the case. The books give a few examples in English, but almost all of the exercises are in German. That's would be ok, if there were a vocabulary key given in English. But there isn't, which makes it a very difficult book to use. In order to use this book, I would have to sit with a dictionary and look up words in almost every sentence. This is very time consuming and impractical. The exercises in the book would be great for someone much farther along in their German studies. The exercises are simple and not complicated, but the fact that there are no translations makes it extremely difficult to use. One of the first exercises asks you to provide nouns that use the same endings as those in parentheses. There is a list of 15 different endings. As a beginning student, I haven't learned enough vocabulary to be able to think of enough nouns to do the exercise. There is no vocabulary given to draw from.
I think it's a great book to use as a review after you have learned quite a bit of German - to brush up on your skills. But this is definitely NOT the book for a beginner.

Useful grammar trainer and tester
The pages of this book are well laid out and appealing because they ar A4 size, the writing is well laid out and the print is not crowded. It is user friendly to write in it without having to minimize the size of my handwriting.
On the negative side, some might find the pages a bit on the bland side as there are no images or decorations or cartoons, but not a problem really.


The content is logical and thorough starting with " Determining Gender" (a greatly chapter drilling you in all the tricks to know gender) to subjunctive moods and infinitive clauses chapters.(27 chapters)
It includes review tests for sections and the whole book at the end.
The answer key is well laid out and easily readable.

I would not recommend this book for a total beginner unless you are happy to look up any unknown words.There are no vocabulary boxes or lists. On the plus side the vocabulary is not trying to be difficult. There are also some excercises which ask you to finish a sentence or write one given a cue , so for these you would need a teacher to mark your response.
I am pleased I have bought this book! I have two other ones on grammar but I would not give up this one.

Confusing
I bought this book because my teacher tries to stay away from the grammar as much as possible and unlike most people I actually enjoy grammar. This book was not helpful at all, it ended up confusing me more then it helped me. I do not recommend this book at all, it's only a waste of time and money. I looked at other grammar books and found this one: Interactive German Grammar Made Easy by Lisa Kahlen. I highly recommend Interactive German Grammar Made Easy because it not only explains things in a simple and easy way but it also comes with a CD that has a native speaker to read the sentences to you. Interactive German Grammar Made Easy also has many exercises in the book and on the CD. ... Read more

Product Description
Ideal as an introduction, supplement, or refresher. Modern course, with strong phrase material and a wealth of pictorial and amusement aids. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (45)

Dieses Buch ist einfach Hammer!
Jemand, der als Englischsprecher Deutsch lernen will, muß dieses Buch kaufen!
Anyone learning German as an English speaker must buy this book. I've been studying German for over 3 years now and as an advanced speaker I still never tire of going back to this book. As others have mentioned the book IS older, but therein lies much of it's appeal. The illustrations are outstanding, often funny and refreshingly politically-INcorrect in places. Teaches you all kinds of words your whatever 101 German course doesn't. If you are really serious about learning the language beyond being able to ask for your dinner check or which way the train station is you'll not regret owning this book.

NIcely written
I guess this book will work for a true beginner as well as for a "false beginner" like me who wasted her time on other guides. I strongly recommend this book. Don't waste your time on something else. Buy this one! By the time I decided to buy this book, I had read a few other books and spent a lot of time trying to teach myself. Nothing worked. Then I bought this book, and, Oh God, now I can speak, read, and understand German! I am very impressed.

Lucy, I'm home!
This is indeed a reasonably thorough and logical presentation of basic German. But there are a couple of negatives.

First, the print is very small, andthe font is not clean, nor does it contrast well with the paper. A superb reading light and perfect close vision are required. And even then, it's exhausting after an hour or so.

Second, the vignettes and examples (even the drawings) are weirdly, annoyingly dated. This is apparently simply a reprint of something written in the late 1940s or early '50s.

One example: Even now, Germans smoke more than Americans or Canadians. But this book seems almost obsessed with tobacco and smoking. Very 1950s mindset.

This is a substantial and serious book, and certainly worth the money. And it is simply a must for the heavy smoker who wants to learn German as it was spoken when I Love Lucy was a hot new show. :)

Not Good

I thought it was completely not good, and think that for me, personally, this method of learning is unhelpful and counterproductive. As an ESL teacher, I would not teach english in this way. It is a confused, unorganized barrage of unnecessary (for beginner speakers) vocabulary from the beginning. The core vocabulary that should be taught at the start is not included until later, and even then isn't well organized.

How to speak and write German
I found it a little hard to grasp the different sounds,
it has a lot of good grammer lessons.Instant Immersion
was a better buy for me.


... Read more

Product Description
Thousands of years ago, seafront clans in Denmark began speaking the earliest form of Germanic language--the first of six "signal events" that Ruth Sanders highlights in this marvelous history of the German language.

Blending linguistic, anthropological, and historical research, Sanders presents a brilliant biography of the language as it evolved across the millennia. She sheds light on the influence of such events as the bloody three-day Battle of Kalkriese, which permanently halted the incursion of both the Romans and the Latin language into northern Europe, and the publication of Martin Luther's German Bible translation, a "People's" Bible which in effect forged from a dozen spoken dialects a single German language. The narrative ranges through the turbulent Middle Ages, the spread of the printing press, the formation of the nineteenth-century German Empire which united the German-speaking territories north of the Alps, and Germany's twentieth-century military and cultural horrors. The book also covers topics such as the Gothic language (now extinct), the vast expansion of Germanic tribes during the Roman era, the role of the Vikings in spreading the Norse language, the branching off of Yiddish, the lasting impact of the Thirty Years War on the German psyche, the revolution of 1848, and much more.

Ranging from prehistoric times to modern, post-war Germany, this engaging volume offers a fascinating account of the evolution of a major European language as well as a unique look at the history of the German people. It will appeal to everyone interested in German language, culture, or history.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

German:Biography of a language
Clear and cogent discussion of the formation of the German languange in its historical context.

German's development placed in historical context
I bought this book based on a favorable review in The Economist, and I was not disappointed.As a non-linguist and a non-speaker of German, I found the book's emphasis exactly right for me.Specifically, it describes the history of the language in the broad historical, political, cultural, and religious context in which it developed, and it devotes some time to other Germanic languages that shared beginnings with German.In this regard, unlike the negative reviewers, I found the peripheral historical material to be helpful context; and I didn't find it to be overly repetitive.While there are occasional examples of passages in the German of a particular era, which I didn't find useful but a linguist probably would, one of the negative reviewers is right that there are not too many examples.So if you are looking for an analysis that is at all technical, this book is not for you.But I think it should be judged according to what it aims to accomplish, and it accomplishes its aim of providing the language's history in context admirably.

The best way to give an idea of what it covers is to list its chapter and sub-chapter names:

Ch. 1: Germanic Beginnings:
Indo-European Proto-Language and culture...Agriculture comes to the Germanic homeland...A Proto-Germanic language emerges...The Germanic sound shift...Substrate hypothesis...Uralic influence?...Language prestige

Ch. 2: The Germanic Languages Survive the Romans:
The Battle of Kalkriese, 9 AD...Why did Arminius ambush the Roman legions?...The linguistic consequences...The Germanic tribes: From clans to warbands to tribes...The Celts...The Germanen go to Britain: The Anglo-Saxons and the English language...The Germanic 'Volkerwanderung', 375-568 AD...The Goths and the Gothic language...The Vikings: Raiders, traders, neighbors...The end of the Western Roman Empire...The Germanen under Roman rule...The religion of the Germanen...The Germanen overwhelm the Empire...The Germanic languages, ca. 800 AD...Roman views of the Germanen...Germanic life and society...Germania and the Roman Empire

Ch. 3: A Fork in the Road:
600 AD: Idorih...The second sound shift...Theodiscus, Diutisk, Deutsch: German takes a name...Life in the Early Middle Ages...Eighth century Germanic languages...Old High German, 750-1150... Yiddish: A new branch of High German...How the days of the week got their German names...The early influence of Latin...What causes sound shift?...Substrate hypothesis, again

Ch. 4: Bible German and the Birth of a Standard Language:
1522: September Testament...The history of European printing...Readers...Martin Luther...Life in the Sixteenth Century...The Reformation...Social control...Finding a language fit for the Bible...Loosening the ties to Rome...Other German Bibles...Translation as an art...Latin: The beginning of the end

Ch. 5:The German Language Gets a State:
1871: High German follows the Empire...Setting the stage: The German Confederation, 1815-1871...Language and state...Pronunciation...The language of bureaucracy...Linguistic nationalism...German as a literary language...Intellectual life in the Nineteenth Century...Social democracy and the 'Kulturkampf'...Daily life in the German Reich...Germany and Europe

Ch. 6: Postwar Comeback Times Two: A High Point, a Double Fall from Grace, and Recoveries:
A "German epidemic" conquers America...The 'Dichter und Denker' go to war...German cultural capital declines...Nazism and the German language...German revives at home...The German Democratic Republic, 1949-1989...Tendencies in contemporary German...German at home: Four national standards...German as an international language...Language contact and language change: The case of Finnish...Early Germanic languages in a Deep Freeze: The case of Icelandic

Finally, at the end of each chapter is a timeline of events in German-speaking Europe and outside it, corresponding to the chapter's linguistic era.Again I found that these timelines did a nice job of providing context.The book is short (215 pages + 10 page bibliography + 15 page index) and is written in an easy-to-read style.

Badly needed an editor
This book reads like a stream-of-consciousness first draft.

The giveaway is the endless repetition. Why do we need to be told THREE TIMES that Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the church door at Wittenberg in 1517 and that this was a seminal event in the beginning of the Reformation? Why do we need to be told TWICE that in Wittenberg alone, 100,000 copies of Luther's translation of the Bible were printed during Luther's lifetime? Why do we need to be told THREE TIMES that the 30 Years War devastated the German countryside and made life miserable for the peasant population? And those examples are just from one chapter; they are representative of an endemic problem.

Then there are the issues of the content itself, which the previous two reviewers have discussed. It seems to me that in a book purporting to be the biography of a language, it would have been useful to include more examples of that language as it evolved than this book has. It certainly would have been more relevant than the mini-biography of Luther's wife or the details of exactly when the major Lutheran church bodies in the United States got around to disassociating themselves from Luther's excoriation of the Jews. The author tells us, several times, that High German is so called because it developed in mountainous southern Germany and Low German because it prevailed in the lowlands of the north - yet gives just a single, one-word example of the sound shift that distinguishesthe two languages. The author talks about how Luther in his Bible translation combined his local dialect with chancellery German, but gives not a single example that illustrates this.

A good editor would have caught these things. This book clearly did not have one, or perhaps it had one but the author was not willing to accept the editor's advice.

I give it three stars because amid all the chaff, there is some wheat, especially for someone like myself who is trying to relearn German a half century after studying it in school and who is curious about the history of the language. But the book could have been, and should have been, so much better.

Also skeptical --- I echo "enttäuscht"
When the book appeared on my AMZN Recommended list, I checked it out. Here is what gave me pause:

1 - The author's comparatively modest academic credentials (I 'googled' her --- Oxbridge she ain't).
2 - The first pages (sample) were about burial rites --- what are their relevance?
3 - Her gratuitous excursion into contemporary politics and her unhelpful polemics (Introduction, p.6). What's wrong with 'flak' = FLiegerAbwehrKanone (the acronym is capitalized for non-German speakers), or 'Stuka' = STUrzKAmpfflugzeug --- to name just two examples?

These are negative impressions. The fact that Oxford UP published it should have been a 'positive' --- but occasionally they do miss the boat. See my very negative review of the hard-to-use "The Concise Oxford English-Arabic Dictionary of Current Usage" (Dictionary) (Hardcover).

In comparison, the Wikipedia article on the "German Language" is exceedingly well done, with care and thoroughness. A pleasure to read, and I have bookmarked it for myself for easy retrieval and reference!
I am a native-speaker of German and, as evidence of my commitment, I proudly contributed to polishing a minor awkwardness (not a mistake!) under "Grammar" - section: 'Separable prefixes' --- the 'literal translation' paragraph.

A WONDERFUL book, by a real expert, is "Old English and its Closest Relatives: A Survey of the Earliest Germanic Languages" [Paperback] by Orrin Robinson. It is so much more than its title promises --- and worth every penny!

It seems to me (now confirmed by "sascha" on 29 July2010 - "enttaeuscht") that this book is a 'popular' history for 'general readers' and not for real aficionados. Therefore, 'caveat emptor.'

I think that I'll hold off on acquiring this book, unless further reviews change my mind.

enttaeuscht
I was very disappointed by this book. But perhaps I brought more to it than the average reader, since I have academic work in European history and linguistics. I thought the author's linguistic information was rather elementary. But my primary complaint is, that in woefully short book (215pp of text, some of which is taken up by timelines that could have been omitted), the author devotes too much space to Germanic languages other than German and too much space to nonlinguistic matters. For example, 20 of the books 215 pages are devoted to an historical overview of the invention of printing, the Reformation and the 30 Years War. I don't dispute the importance of this background, but anyone who buys a history of the German language will probably know it already ... Read more

Product Description
Order das beste Bier at Oktoberfest!
Hitch a ride on der Autobahn!
Say ?Wilkommen? to your neuen deutschen Freunde!

Learning to sprechen Sie Deutsches is fun?and far easier than you might think. German and English are closely related?you already know viele Phrasen! With this guide, you will make sense of this fascinating language in no time.

This practical, hands-on Buch comes with easy-to-understand lessons, useful exercises, and a CD for pronunciation help. Building on the German language?s close relation to English, this all-new edition covers everything from basic introductions to verb conversions. You will learn to:

• Ich m?chte ein Berliner, bitte. Order food with ease.
• Wie viel kostet der K?se? Ask how much items cost.
• Der Vater kaufte seinem Sohn ein Fahrrad. Understand direct and indirect objects.
• viel / mehr / am meisten. Use superlatives to communicate more effectively.
• Der Ball wird von dem Mann geschlagen. Know when to use passive voice.

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellent resource
As a native English speaker, German seems very easy to learn compared to the Spanish I took in college and the Greek I studied in seminary. The author of "Everything Learning German" does an excellent job of covering the basics of German grammar by relating German language concepts to the principles of English grammar that we (native English speakers) already know. I read through this entire book very quickly and never experienced any frustration of not understanding the topic. I am now going through the book a second time for review and to complete all of the exercises (full answer key is provided). The audio CD that is included with the book is very well done, but you will need more practice hearing, comprehending, and speaking; for that, either Pimsleur's or Michel Thomas's CDs would be a good choice. I also like to repeat many different exercises and examples, and so I am working with "German Grammar Drills" and "German Verb Drills." If you want to learn German, "Everything Learning German" is an excellent place to start.

A handy learning aid
I am a native English speaker, and I find myself living in Germany for the forseeable future. I wanted to learn completely by immersion, but my progress stalled. I bought this book to assist me and I love it. I sat down and read it through, and before I even did the exercises I understood so much more about German. I had several "Oh yeah! I get it now!" moments. I find the explanations helpful and the grammar sections to be pretty straightforward. And of course, the random facts are interesting and break up the reading nicely. Having said all that, German is my fourth foreign language. I can't really remember the problems I had studying my first foreign language, but this book seems to be on a level helpful to anyone. I'm currently on my third time through it, and as yet have found no faults according to my own learning needs. For the price, I say it's a good gamble; incredibly helpful at best and a useful reference (to augment other texts) at worst. To those just learning a second language, don't give up. The hardest part about learning a language is learning how you personally learn another language best. Once you get the knack (and the appropriate learning aids), they're cake.

A Godsend
As a holder of a masters degree in German who has used the language professionaly throughouta liftime, I am well aware of the pitfalls that accompany its learning. They are frequently the reason for aban doning the pursuit of its mastery as unending challenges stifle enthusiasim..This book simplifies the bugaboos of sentence, declension, and case to a remarkable degree and in the process provides comprehensibility to the extent of puttingtheseeminglunattainable within ones immediate grasp.As is ever the case,A time commitment is needed,but rapid progress shold be possible for any student who is willing to spend a relitivly small amount of time when compared to other systems.For the college student fullfilling requirements, the basic knowledge in this book will save much time and effort and encourage further painless pursuit...Just addvocabulary and GO!!!!!
A fine and useful book to anyone with an interest in the German language. ... Read more

Product Description

Go beyond Guten tag and add thousands of words to your German vocabulary

To communicate comfortably in German, you need access to a variety of words that are more than just the basics. In Practice Makes Perfect: German Vocabulary you get the tools you need to expand your lexicon and sharpen your speaking and writing skills. And how do you this? PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Each chapter of this comprehensive book focuses on a theme, such as family or travel, so you can build your language skills in a systematic manner. As you lay the foundation for a burgeoning vocabulary, you will perfect your new words with plenty of exercises and gain the confidence you need to communicate well in German.

Practice Makes Perfect: German Vocabulary offers you:

• More than 100 exercises
• Concise grammatical explanations
• An answer key to gauge your comprehension

With help from this book, you can easily speak or write in German about:

Different occupations and jobs * German holidays and traditions * Taking the train * Growing your own garden * Where it hurts on your body * Your house * Your family and friends * What you studied in school * Your favorite TV show * Your family's background . . . and much more!

Customer Reviews (5)

No plurals
This book seems to be aimed at the upper beginner/lower intermediate German learner. The words are pretty simple (rabbit, step-father, to hike), which is fine and exactly what some people are looking for. What isn't fine, though, is that the plural form is NOT given, which is a big flaw considering that there are many German plural forms and that they're usually not easy to guess at.

Definitely helps expand your vocabulary.
This book is broken down into sections of related vocabulary grouped together.They are words that are common, every-day language.All the vocabulary in this book could be easily used in common, daily conversation.I use it as a supplement to the textbook in my german 102 class.It has definitely given me an advantage when working on classroom exercises because I already know some of the vocabulary used that hasn't necessarily been covered in class yet.If you're looking to expand your conversational vocabulary, this workbook will definitely help.

Okay, but not great.
I'm not sure what level they expect their readers to already have attained, but they don't seem to have much of a grasp of how to teach... I was disappointed, really.I can't fault them for the words they provide -- most of the vocabulary IS helpful, but the book just uses too many words which AREN'T in the vocabularies provided, without any explanation whatsoever.It reads like they expect you to already know and speak German, yet somehow still need help with words like girl/boy/house/mother/father.

Practice Makes Perfect is Perfect!
I'm a MS & HS German teacher and I think this book is a great resource for teaching students or teaching yourself. Each new section begins with an explanation of the grammar concept, followed by several practice exercises. The explanations & exercises are very comprehensive and the answer key is included in the back of the book. I own all three books in the series (Pronouns & Prepositions, Verb Tenses, & Vocabulary) and I recommend them all!

not perfect, but good practice
I found this one while looking for a way to brush up my reading knowledge of German. There are 20 chapters, each fairly independent (I skipped agriculture and didn't miss it). Vocabulary list, common expressions like "Check, please" and "take 2 aspirin and call me in the morning", and rather mild grammar exercises rather than lectures on the genitive case. Good for someone wanting to make college/high school German practical, or just to review it if you've been away awhile. I have an audio course picked out for my next stage. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

This book is not for beginners.
I actually do like this book, but I would not recommend it to a beginner.

This book is hopeless for beginners in German.
This book is not a first German reader, do not buy it if you are new to German! (Try Asterix comic books in German). To me it's a waste of money, a year ago it was far to too hard to read in German, and now after a year learning German and living in Germany it's still too hard and irrelevant to modern German. The root problem is that it was written in 1964, probably for school German lessons. The material it draws from are very deep and would tax most native English English speakers in English! (e.g. 'Now I am many an hour's distance from that place....', '....descends into the fearful arena....','...man must meet nothing with resolution....' and so on). The corresponding German is equally academic and complex.

If you could learn even some of this German, imagine the laugh when you said in conversation 'Vor dem Handeln, im Handelm hat er alle Ursache, den Versatand beweglich zu erhalten', which in English is 'Before acting, in acting, he has every reason for keeping his intelligence mobile....'.

Good but not perfect for a FIRST german reader.
I don't claim to have great knowledge of the German language, which is why I purchased this book.I was expecting stories at say the middle school range of language. But this is definitely college reading level (in English) and therefore much more difficult than I expect for the German.

Love the concept, but to try and read text from German philosophers (in german) as a FIRST reader, is very challenging.

Ilo

Ein gutes Buch, aber nicht unbedingt fuer Anfaenger geeignet
Wie man schon mehrfach in den anderen Rezensionen beschrieben hat, sind die Texte, wenn auch hoher Qualitaet, recht anspruchsvoll.

Wenn man seine Sprachkenntnisse mit einem heitereren Text vertiefen moechte, empfehle ich das Buch Der, die, was? So lernt man eine Menge ueber die deutsche Sprache und hat viel Spass dabei!

Not a beginner's book!
Although there does appear to be a concise accompanying translation of each item, I would not call this a "beginners" book.The text and language is for the most part esoteric and complicated making translations of little value to the beginner reader.A beginners book is one tht begins with simple langage and concepts and slowly grows in complixity, terminology, tenses, and cases.Such is defintely not the case here.But if you like German literature and/or are at a more advanced stage in your study, then its okay. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn German without a book! The experts at Living Language present a simple, hands-free way to learn.

Drive Time German is an innovative German language learning package that includes 4 hours of lessons on four CDs. It’s a portable course that teaches German vocabulary, German grammar, German pronunciation, conversation and even culture. Pick up the German language while you’re commuting to work, running errands, taking a trip with the family, or even while jogging or working out! The Drive Time German course package includes

•4 CDs with conversational lessons — hear how German is really spoken
•Lots of warm-up German pronunciation exercises, simple explanations, examples, and real conversation practice
•A 64-page learning reference book with German vocabulary lists, dialogue scripts, and a German grammar summary for extra practice ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

This works for me
It's slow going, but these CDs eat up the drive time.My accent has improved and I'm headed into disc 2.Definitely worth what I paid for them.

There are a lot of choices in this area.These CDs are fine.

A useful tool to improve your German
I learned German in school decades ago but never used it, and wanted to prepare for
trip to Germany this summer. Learning Chinese since then made it even harder to go back to German -- got to remember that "Wo" means "where" not "I" regardless of a low, high, rising, or falling tone. This course isn't perfect, but it was a big help for bring back my basic knowledge of German.

The first disk "On-Ramp to German" is really a separate course, intended just to give a taste of the language. The main course in disks 2-4 is intended to give an ability for basic conversation. Disk one was probably added as an afterthough to give complete beginners at least a small chance; some things such as colors are later repeated in the main course. I don't agree with those who say the pronunciation in disks 2 to 4 is too fast -- it is natural conversation. CD players have Rewind and Previous Track buttons, and I needed to make frequent use of them. Breaking the disks into many tracks, each one clearly announced for lesson and section (1a through 17h) in the first seconds, is a very big help. Complete beginners will need to rewind and review each section many times, while those with a strong background might be OK with listening only once or twice. The use of native speakers is a plus, and each lesson is well organized.

The criticisms that I have with the course are
1) Some odd selections of vocabulary words that probably won't arise very often -- such as "spark plug", "parquet floor", and "baggage cart" but leaving out many much
more common words
2) Dialogs using grammar that hasn't been introduced yet. Each lesson on disks 2-4 has vocabulary words, then a dialog, then more vocabulary -- then the explanation of the new grammar in that lesson. Even then, much of the grammar especially about word ordering isn't explained until later lessons.

But these aren't huge problems, and the course is still very useful provided that you rewind and review the lessons appropriate to your proficiency in German.

Helps Alongside A German Course
I can't really review this product from the perspective of someone who didn't already speak German. When I first started listening to the CDs, I was a few months into an elementary German course, and had grown up around adults who spoke the language. So I was somewhat familiar, but certainly not an expert (or intermediate, for that matter). I have only listened to the first CD (twice) so far, but it has helped me a lot with articles and colors. I found my second time through the CD to be grueling, as I had listened to it all once before. But for anyone who is learning German and wants a little boost, I do recommend these CDs. Just pay close attention the first time so you don't have to pull your hair out for a second hour.

Quite simply, it's just a crappy product.
I bought this tutorial after using and enjoying the Drive Time: Japanese set.Frankly, this series sucks.The main problem is that the speakers speak WAY too fast.It's not something that being comfortably familiar with the German pronunciation of letters will solve either.They just speak too quickly.It's as if you're eavesdropping in on a conversation between two people in Berlin which, for me, means I'm going to catch about every other word, if that.So, as an intro tutorial, it's just too fast.The narrator says you can learn from their CD's without any books or materials which is not true for me.If I didn't have the book to refer to, I'd never confidently learn some of these words b/c I wouldn't be able to see them spelled/written in order to discover what letters are making those words that they're flying through at 90 mph.The CD's would probably be good for an intermediate speaker who simply wants to practice HEARING German spoken as a native would speak it.For the beginner who only knows 'frankfurter' and 'kindergarten' and is just starting out, these are vastly more frustrating than they are helpful.

Not for beginners
I was very happy with disc 1.Each new word was repeated 3 times, each was spoken slowly and distinctly enough for a beginner, and each was used several times throughout the disc.There was plenty of time to repeat the words, phrases, and sentences.You were quizzed regularly, and the correct answer was given immediately afterward.

Today I played disc 2 and see no reason to ever try discs 3 and 4.You hear each new word, phrase, or sentence once.They are spoken at the rate a fluent German speaker would use.Although the instructions at the beginning of the disc say to repeat things as often as necessary, that is not only impractical, it would be dangerous to do while driving.There is so much new vocabulary and grammatical information that it is (for me, at least) impossible to remember.I could not even hear the words distinctly.How many words in that sentence?I have no idea because it's not possible to hear the words separately.

I listened to the entire disc, hoping that the beginning was only a sort of introduction and that the remainder would go back over things.It was a false hope.The disc is jammed full and quickly done.There are entire conversations that you are supposed to participate in after only one exposure to the content.Not only that, verbs are conjugated (once), and you must remember it all for use later.

If you have some exposure to the language already, are concurrently taking a class, or have a German-speaking friend or relative, this set would probably be a nice supplement and way to practice.But for a complete beginner, it is, in my opinion, frustrating and depressing.I feel as though I wasted my money. ... Read more

Product Description

Practice Makes Perfect helps you put your German vocabulary andgrammar skills together!

You may have all the vocabulary down pat and every grammar point nailed--but without the skill of knowing how to put these elements together, communicating in your second languagewould be nearly impossible. Practice Makes Perfect: German Sentence Builders picks up from where othergrammar books leave off, showing you the variety of structures and how to combine them tomake solid sentences. And like every Practice Makes Perfect title, these books feature crystal-clearexplanations, numerous realistic examples, and dozens of opportunities to practice, practice, practice!

Customer Reviews (2)

Not a Beginner's Book
I am new to the German language, and I bought this book to help me. Of no fault of the book, it is not for a beginner, or for an intermediate student. It presupposes fairly advanced fluency with the language.

Personally though, I am quite dismayed by teachers (and writers of text books) of German, who love to make a not-so-easy language like German, then work hard to make it more intimidating. I have not not come across a single book which makes the study more inviting. Even for the German language, no matter how important its grammar may be, I am sure there is another way to teach the language.

Chinese has such books. Sanskrit is more difficult than German. My own mother tongue Gujarati, from western India is not easy either. However, I have tried with great success (based on their reception and reviews) to simplify Sanskrit Sanskrit: An Appreciation Without Apprehension, and Gujarati A programmed text to learn Gujarati (Setubandh language series). Teachers of languages, and students of these languages may want to look them up. I am not just trying to plug my books. The point is, even as a teacher of languages, my problem with the German remains formidable.

Comprehensive verb review
This is a very comprehensive German verb workbook and I found it to be exactly what I needed to prepare for an upcoming trip to Germany and Austria.This product is probably best for a student with some familiarity with the language, as it is very comprehensive.I have had two years of High School German and one year of college level German, albeit many years ago, and found this book to be an ideal review.With Germanic languages, the verb is integral to the listener's ability to understand the meaning of a given sentence, and this guide enables the student to attain the level of confidence required to understand the action.I wish I had used this product when I was in high school, as it would have certainly accelerated my progress with the language.I have also tried Rosetta Stone and other similar DVD-based products, and found them to be too slow for the type of review I needed.As a break to my German verb studies, I found German news programs via the web to be an ideal supplement to this guide, allowing me to tune my ear to normal conversational German.In summary, I find this product very useful and give it an A-plus.Sehr gut! ... Read more

Product Description
This Conversational program contains 8 hours of interactive audio-only instruction, effective language learning with real-life spoken practice sessions.

The Pimsleur Method provides the most effective language-learning program ever developed. The Pimsleur Method gives you quick command of German structure without tedious drills. Learning to speak German can actually be enjoyable and rewarding.

The key reason most people struggle with new languages is that they aren't given proper instruction, only bits and pieces of a language. Other language programs sell only these pieces -- dictionaries; grammar books and instructions; lists of hundreds or thousands words and definitions; audios containing useless drills. They leave it to you to assemble these pieces as you try to speak. Pimsleur enables you to spend your time learning to speak the language rather than just studying its parts.

When you were learning English, could you speak before you knew how to conjugate verbs? Of course you could. That learning process is what Pimsleur replicates. Pimsleur presents the whole language as one integrated piece so you can succeed.

With Pimsleur you get:

• Grammar and vocabulary taught together in everyday conversation,
• Interactive audio-only instruction that teaches spoken language organically,
• The flexibility to learn anytime, anywhere,
• 30-minute lessons designed to optimize the amount of language you can learn in one sitting.

Millions of people have used Pimsleur to gain real conversational skills in new languages quickly and easily, wherever and whenever -- without textbooks, written exercises, or drills.

Conversational German includes the 10 lessons from Pimsleur's Basic German plus an additional 6 lessons.

The 16 lessons in Conversational German are the same first 16 lessons in the Pimsleur Comprehensive German Level 1. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Excellent introduction
This is an excellent way to introduce a language.The Pimsleur German course operates based on structure and vocabulary separately:rather than learning phrases, you learn speech.This actually teaches you the language, even though it leaves vocabulary far behind.

As far as structure versus vocabulary goes, consider the syntactic layout of a language.In German, "I am going to drink," "I am drink," and "I drank" are the same; so "I drank beer" or "I will drink beer" would be "Ich trinke Bier."As far as vocabulary goes, you may also want to drink a beer:"Ich möchte ein Bier trinken."Now you have used the vocabulary "Ich," "Bier," and "trinken" in multiple structures.This means the words are familiar; the structure needs little explanation and is eventually learned by exposure.

Discussing Wine (Wein) or "something" (etwas) to eat would reuse structure rather than vocabulary.You may have something to eat:"Ich habe Etwas essen."The same structure "I (verb) (noun) to (verb)" has been reused, and is immediately familiar when presented (by context of the lesson, which explains what's about to be said).Half of this sentence (its structure) is familiar; the rest (its vocabulary) you will learn.

These blend together constantly, reusing structure and vocabulary constantly rather than constantly reusing the same structure to teach 300 vocabulary words ("I ate pie" "I ate chicken" "I ate beef" etc to teach you the words for "pie" "chicken" "beef").Most significantly, every lesson starts with a short conversation and ends with a longer conversation.Because of this, language vocabulary and structure comes into play strongly:the conversations flow, and so cannot reuse simple structure or overuse vocabulary.

Because of this method, you actually learn the language well before you can make use of it.You're already used to hearing and speaking German; but at the end, you have 50-100 vocabulary words to work with, and can barely ask for directions or buy food.Further study will fill in quite quickly, simply expanding your vocabulary and adding finer points of grammar and structure on.I found that even only on lesson 5 or 6, I understood German as German and not as English-German translation; I actually speak German, rather than thinking in English and working to translate to German.

Whether you plan to continue with Pimsleur German I or take another strategy such as reading a book in German or studying formally in class, Conversational German is an excellent place to start and will bootstrap your understanding of the language extremely well.4 years of Spanish study out of a book (high school, college) left me struggling to study, still trying to call up conjugation rules and vocabulary; 16 lessons of spoken German have left me not understanding those rules in any formal manner, but able to speak fluidly.Also, I only study sparsely; but I retain 100% of the information absolutely, even if I drop off for 3-4 months at a time.If I had to go to Germany, I would be confident in my ability to expand my understanding of the language in a matter of days or short weeks to fit whatever need I find.

Quick and Easy Conversations
This method leads to quick conversations. I am amazed at how easily I am learning the vocabulary and sentences. It is not uncommon for you to surprise yourself when the instructor asks you to say, "Would you like something to eat?" and you find yourself quickly saying the phrase. The Pimsleur method does not use visual learning at all, so that is one warning for those who may want to see something like a picture or phrase written out, but for me it has been a refreshing new way to learn a language.

Love these CDs!
I listen to these CDs while I am riding my bike!Very easy to understand and very easy to "repeat" after them!The words and pronounciations are very clear.

Good jump start for language learning.
The Pimsleur method is a good way to jump start your language acquisition and speaking skills, but it is hardly a way to become fluent or to master a second language. For German one of the best resources once you finish the Pimsleur course is
[...] from Deutsche Welle. It is basically the Goethe Institute's free language course. If you finish it with a good score you should pass the German language certification exam.

This is a GREAT way to learn!
My boyfriend commented on how much better my accent was after only 4 lessons! I have used other cd's but this one really helps with breaking down the words and pronunciation. I am absolutely going to purchase the next set of cd's! ... Read more

Product Description
German Survival Guide is a down-to-earth, bare-bones introduction to German that aims to make a trip abroad as smooth and enjoyable as possible. This information-packed mini-course concentrates on preparing readers to travel in Germany and Austria in a limited time by focusing on what is most useful or interesting to travelers and cutting out unnecessary vocabulary and grammar.

This Survival Guide helps readers communicate in the German language and culture. It prepares travelers for what to expect and how to deal with it, what to say and when to say it. It's like three books in one--a phrase book (so you know what to say), a grammar book (so you know how to say it), and a culture book (so you understand daily social expectations)--all focused on a traveler's needs.

Learn how to greet people and introduce yourself in German, how to line up lodging, order food and pay properly, how to shop and ask for directions in German, how to drive a car or take the train in Germany and Austria, how to get help in an emergency or talk about your family or discuss the weather, and much, much more!

Get key insights into German and Austrian social conventions: why not to use first names, how not to look like a tourist, how to tip, how to have good table manners, how to be a gracious guest, how to act on a nude beach.

Discover the fine points of ice cream parlors, grocery stores, train stations and the Autobahn. Read how to handle tricky room windows and grumpy bathroom attendants. Learn insider German words so commonly used that you will want to know them even though you don t have to.

This book is packed with culture notes, study tips, travel hints, and reality checks galore. It includes optional exercises for practicing material from the lessons, German-English and English-German dictionaries, and inside-the-cover Survival Summaries travelers can use on the spot. In addition, German pronunciations are written throughout the book, so users always have guidance on how to pronounce new words and phrases. Includes an extensive index to help readers find the topics they want, fast. All this packed into one volume small enough to tuck into a bag and take along. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Helpful
I was nervous about my trip to Germany and this book was very helpful. I foumd that most people I came across in Germany speak English. But this book helped when it came to the practical things like meals, bathrooms, shopping, hotels.

Language and Culture
I presented this book to some members of my class in German and asked for their opinion.They as a whole believed that this book was more valuable because it not only discussed the basics of German but also gave you an insight into the culture and thinking of germans.

Less Survival More Translation
This book although has some good tips has more tedious translations then tips.If I had wanted a book on what to say I would have purchased one.

A concise and useful guide

Last summer my family and I traveled in Germany, Austria, and several other European countries, and I wish that we had had a guide such as the German Survival Guide with us then. I would find the material inside the front and back covers very useful. It is quick to locate, and the information given includes the terms and phrases that people need most often.For additional words, the German-English and English-German dictionaries are available at the end of the book. The specific chapter we would have used the most would be Ch. 3 on Restaurants and Food since we frequently ate at restaurants without English on the menu. The other parts that are especially helpful are the cultural notes that are interspersed throughout the book. If we travel in Germany again, we definitely will take this book with us!

German Survival Guide
I am very impressed by the information in the German Survival Guide. I took German in college several years ago and had forgotten most of what I had learned, so the guide is a great refresher. The pronunciation guide is excellent and very easy to read. Even if I had not had German, I would be able to pronounce the words in an appropriate manner in order ask for the things I would need.

In addition to the pronuncation guide, the cultural notes are great. I think that when traveling this is a very important aspect, as I certainly do not want to do something or say something to upset the native speakers.

I have traveled to many different countries and if I would have had a guide such as this, I would have been better prepared and less apprehensive about the language and the customs of the country. ... Read more

Product Description
Five outstanding selections from noble tradition: Heinrich von Kleist’s "The Earthquake in Chile," E. T. A. Hoffmann’s "The Sandman," Arthur Schnitzler’s "Lieutenant Gustl," Thomas Mann’s "Tristan," and Franz Kafka’s "The Judgment." For each selection the editor has supplied complete literal English translations on facing pages. Foreword. Introduction to each story.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Sorry, couldn't finish these
Let's stop the pretentious gobbledy-gook; here's the straight dope on this collection of "literature":it's absolutely dreadful.When I was younger, in the 1960's and 1970's, I had to suffer through this kind of immature, "anti-establishment" and "stream-of-consciousness" silliness, which was all the rage among the pseudo-intellectuals and the newly arrived "bobos in paradise" in the colleges and in the press.Today it's not shocking, surprising, or even interesting -- just boring, like watching "hip/groovy" 1970's movie reruns on Saturday television.The novelty of the style has worn off and all that remains are poor stories.Sorry I can't tell you more about them, but they're so awful I just can't finish them.Google up a sample of each author yourself and see what I mean.

I'm just a student of German but the English translations seem to represent the originals just fine.So if you like these kinds of stories, by all means, buy the book.

If you'd like to practice your German on a slightly higher intellectual level than Appelbaum's collection, try the "Franz" children's books, from Christine Nöstlinger and Eberhard Dietl von Oetinger Verlag[...].

Good tool for learning german

This book is great for people trying to learn german and having previous knowledge of english. The study of german with this book is facilitated by the format of the book: left page in german, right page in english. Still, taking into account that german has a different syntax than english, you might need some focus and a dictionary next to you.
Overall, a good tool to learn german and if studied in connection with LingQ, you may learn enough german verbal units in 1 year: if you assimilate 10 words/day, with a total of aprox. 3000-3200 words/year.

Cristian, Romania

Still reference these in graduate studies...
This book of five short stories is fabulous. I bought this book to continue studying German after two years of high school study. The reading was difficult to begin with, but the accompanying literally-translated English text made it understandable and enjoyable.

I'm now in graduate study in Germanistik studying these authors in more depth, often referencing these very stories as part of an author's oeuvre. I still find myself using this book even though the English translation has since become superfluous.

The reviewer who previously described them as "grotesque" should stick to Disney tales. German literature is not known for fluff. So although these short stories are certainly not light material, if you continue with Germanistik you'll certainly read these authors again, although already with a basis to understand their style.

Great, REALLY ADVANCED stories
Each of these stories is a gem.This is some great story-telling, and it's worth the price of the book just to read these masterpieces in English.As literature, this would probably warrant five stars.If your are truly proficient in your German, by all means buy this book.

BUT... if you are at more intermediate level you will find this book well beyond your abilities.In my case I know a few thousands words, can hold simple conversations, managed just fine ordering dinner in my last trip to Germany, and do okay with a German comic book.The complex vocabulary and intricate sentance structures were well beyond my grasp.

The shortcoming in this case is the reader.If you have been studying German for many years and wish to hone your skills, this book could be for you.If you have been at this for just a couple years, you will only find it frustrating.

A WONDERFUL COLLECTION OF IMPORTANT GERMAN SHORT STORIES
I am a retired Internist. In college, I was privileged to Major in both Chemistry and German Literature. Now, after so many years, I find myself again reading familiar stories in the original German, without the need of a large and clumsy German-English Dictionary to spoil the flow of the prose. The works in this slim volume are all masterpieces, and, for me, old and much beloved friends. I am grateful for the dual-language series which brings me such tremendous pleasure. ... Read more

Product Description
Speak German Fluently with the Most Complete, Up-to-date All-Audio Course Available

LEARN GERMAN ON THE GO–LEARN ANYWHERE
If you have trouble finding time to fit in language lessons, All-Audio German is the perfect solution. Developed by the experts at Living Language®, this program is designed for people on the move. You can learn German as you drive, work around the house, or exercise at the gym.

SHORT, EASY-TO-FOLLOW LESSONS–NO READING REQUIRED
An English-speaking narrator guides you through 35 short lessons–just listen and repeat after native German speakers.

VOCABULARY–GRAMMAR–DIALOGUES–CULTURE
Begin with vocabulary and grammar basics before hearing a lively dialogue that includes the most current German idioms and usage. Interactive exercises reinforce what you’ve learned. You’ll also learn some intriguing facts about German customs and culture.

HANDY LISTENER’S GUIDE
No reading required, but our newly expanded 112-page listener’s guide is a handy visual reference for spelling and text of all the dialogues. The guide also provides a brief grammar summary and a glossary of grammatical terms.

Includes:
·6 audio cassettes
·Listener’s guide ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

satisfied
sasisfied but didnt' realize it wasn't avle to be used on a ocmputer..I'm in Germany and am needing to learn language quick;y

Disappointed
I was disappointed with this product.The woman speaker does a great job but the male speaks way too quickly for a beginner and even too quickly for someone refreshing their german.Don't bother with this product.The good thing about this is that it also comes with a book and that is very helpful.

Works but can't be the only material
The "listen & repeat" thing does work & I learn a lot after listening to each lesson a couple of times. But I'm not always sure what I heard is what is being pronounced, & the CDs don't provide guidance for pronunciation past the introduction on alphabet. Moreover, when it comes to grammar, it'll be a lot better to have a book. The little book that comes w/ the CDs does not have everything talked about on the CDs; it only has the dialog & the vocalbulary for each lesson.

Good Audio Course.
This audio course is good. I do think it would be a little fast for a complete beginner to use in their car, but for those who already have some knowledge, it's perfect. On the contrary, it would be fine for a complete beginner to use at home when they're able to devote plenty of attention to the lesson.

The lessons aren't very long. Each lesson consists of about 7-9 parts which in total would last for about several minutes. Though you are supposed to go over each one a few times until you understand the lesson.

It does teach some grammar, although i recommend a separate book for that for more understanding in why some things are said a certain way.

One thing that bugs me about this course is that between the german man woman who are talking in the exercises, the man usually says some things quickly and unclear, which can be frustrating at times. You'll find yourself going back several times trying to hear what the guy said. This course does come with a booklet, but it only covers the main conversation of each lesson, then it includes some vocabulary for that lesson which is great. At the back of the booklet are some simple and basic grammar tables which can be very useful.

I definitely recommend this course to any beginner.

Perfect for advanced beginners
For those new to learning German, this program may move too fast to fully understand the content (especially CD 2 onwards), however it would be recommended to sit down with the handbook and move through the exercises in accordance with the CD to gain a fuller understanding. The content is great and covers various important areas of the German language (especially situations that may arise when travelling in a German speaking country). Therefore great as a 'do-at-home' resource but too intense for the car. ... Read more

Product Description
Hammer's German Grammar and Usage has long occupied a pre-eminent position in the field of German studies. Unrestricted to the formal written language, it is firmly based on current usage, covering all the main grammatical phenomena of German and embracing regional variations of the modern standard language. The combination of reference grammar and manual of current usage has proved invaluable for students and teachers of German at intermediate and advanced level. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Wow
My wife and I have been trying to self-teach ourselves German for years, and we still have absolutely no clue about the intricacies of the language. When do you use what gender? How do ab_en verbs work again? And conjugation- it's a mess.

Until you pick up Hammer's German Grammar and Usage. There's so much in here that's left completely out of other books. I'm quite fluent in German alcohol, but I never realized that there's such a simple pattern to the gender (der everything, except for das Bier). These simple facts are laid out with perfect clarity in this book, when they're totally absent from most others. The format of such rules is even blindingly simple- "Rule: ... Exceptions:", and that's it. No unnecessary fluff, just the facts of the language printed clearly for your reference.

I could go on about this book, but I'll leave it at this: This is *the* book for self-learning German grammar. If you want to learn German, or even if you know German but you just need a grammar refresher, you must get this book.

Great resource
This is probably the best you can get. It gives detailed explanations of any problems you may encounter in learning German and quite often really useful tips at how to simplify things. If you're like me it's best to use this book together with tons of reading material so that you can get enough practice. I can never remember all the grammar, inflections and other forms without seeing them in writing many times when reading books (they have to be entertaining).
Recently I read Die Biene Maja und Ihre Abenteuer (German Edition) and Bissula (German Edition); great books that make German grammar fun!

See my list "Great German Books".

Prima!
This book is absolutely amazing! I have taken German for about three years in college and two in graduate school. All of those "exceptions" to the rule are explained in detail with plenty of examples. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to master the language, teach, or to the intermediate to advanced student.

Hammer's German Grammar and Usage
An excellent reference for beginning, intermediate, and advanced German speakers.Explanations are clear and thorough.I should have purchased this book years ago!

The Book I Want On A Desert Island
This is hands-down the single book I would want to have if stranded on a desert island.Words cannot describe the awesomeness that is this book.Mr. Durrell's masterpiece demands superlatives.As far as printed material goes, this is all you need to go from intermediate to fluent in German.(Of course you still need to practice speaking, listening, and writing to become fluent).I am a U.S. citizen now living in Germany, and this book vastly improved my German.I can't say enough about it.Get it!Keep a copy next to your bed and review a chapter before you sleep.What makes it so good?It's comprehensive without being watered down.It's dense and succinct without lacking necessary examples.It's accurate - I have impressed native speakers with my command of German word usage learned from this book.Simply wonderful! ... Read more

Product Description

Experience the language learning method millions around the world have come to trust

Unlike most language learning systems, the Michel Thomas Method enables you to naturally and intuitively develop the building blocks for language comprehension. You learn at your own speed--listening, speaking, and thinking through the language. Guided by language teacher extraordinaire Michel Thomas, each CD takes you through an interactive lesson with two other learners. By the end of the program, you will have the ability to put together words and phrases together naturally and make your own sentences. You will have basic vocabulary, conversation skills, and the confidence to speak in German.

Customer Reviews (16)

I'm having a blast with Michel Thomas
As a PhD linguist and professional Spanish teacher, I adore languages and the process of language learning.I learned a little German years ago as a graduate student, and dropped the subject when I reached the past tense, but have always enjoyed using the little German I know and have wanted to learn more.Because we will be hiking in Switzerland next summer, my son suggested that I use my commute time to improve my German.

I chose Michel Thomas over Pimsleur based on the Amazon reviews and have not been disappointed.In fact, Michel Thomas is one of the two or three best language teachers I have ever encountered.I am about halfway through the Beginning course and am really having a blast, practicing like crazy during my commute and laughing out loud along with Mr. Thomas and his two students.

I don't mind Mr. Thomas' French accent or the farcical difficulties of the male student.It's all helps to make what could be a sterile process more human and enjoyable.

It's interesting to compare Mr. Thomas' pedagogy with current second language learning theory.New language teachers are taught to NEVER use English in the classroom, to avoid translation exercises, and to create circumstances in which language serves as a means of communication rather than as an intellectual object of study.Mr. Thomas breaks all these rules but does a great job regardless!In fact, my enjoyment of and progress from the CDs is making me question my training -- at least a little.I am curious how his techniques ramp up to a full classroom environment instead of the semi-tutorial setting of the CDs.

Very Pleased
This is the second Michel Thomas language CD set I have used, having previously studied Michel Thomas Method French For Beginners, 10-CD Program (Michel Thomas Speak...).I took two semesters of college German (and did very well), but time has eroded my grasp of the language.

I enjoy being able to listen to these CDs in my car and not needing to read any books or write anything.(I usually go back one chapter on the CD each time I get into the car, just as a review.)I am always amazed at how quickly I pick up the material (usually before the "students" on the CD) and how well I can remember it, even weeks or months later.(I haven't listened to the French CDs in over two years, and still remember it well!)

I have studied both German and Spanish in traditional classroom settings (textbooks, professors, written exercises) and have learned a lot by that method.This method, though, allows me to quickly pick up the spoken language, and fits into my current lifestyle.

I would not hesitate to pick up any other languages done by this same instructor, as I am now 2-for-2 with them.

A language program that WORKS!
Having taken spanish for a total of four years (three in high school and one year in college) I can tell you honestly that Michel Thomas' method is BY FAR, a faster and superior way to learning a language (I am actually enjoying learning German!). It involves constant interaction where at the end of just one hour of listening, I could say (and understand what I was saying and why the sentence was constructed the way it was) complex sentences in German such as "I am sorry, I don't know where it is, I can't find it".That is far better than taking 4 hours of college to finally learn the alphabet and a mere simple phrase like, "Hola, me llamo es Jeremiah".

Many other reviewers have already written out, in detail, Mr. Thomas' exact format, so I won't bother here.What I will say is that you really do learn fast and, believe me when I say, languages don't come "naturally" to me.But the way Mr. Thomas does his program makes language learning a natural process of listening, thinking about what you listened too, and then finally speaking.You will HONESTLY be able to make your way around in practical situations by the end of this 10 CD program (about 12 hours).Then take the advance to become fluent (a mere 5-6 hours more).That is FAR SUPERIOR to the 200 hours of time I spent in a class room over 4 years, to only finally barely become a little fluent.FIVE STARS ALL THE WAY!

Buy this if you want to speak German!
As an American Diplomat stationed abroad I suddenly discovered unexpectedly that I had to learn German for my next assignment. In preparation for my 6 hour per day German language instruction I purchased a couple highly recommended German CD courses available on this site.After four months of intensive German language training I stumbled upon Michel Thomas' German CDs.As they were on sale I purchased them.Wow!I should have had these CDs before I took the intensive language training!This teaching technique sticks in your head.No memorization, no drills.His philosophy is that it is the teacher's responsibility to teach so the student remembers.It works, too!

I now buy these as gifts for friends and family going on vacation or before an assignment and language training.This sets you up to converse confidently in a language (hey, fluency comes with time and much practice).

These CDs are great.Buy them.

R. Curtis
[...]

eases the transition nicely
When I first moved to Germany, just the sight of German on a sign was enough to make my chest tighten, and even though I had this image of myself just being such a trooper and grabbing the thing by the horns, the reality was that it seemed intimidating and impenetrable. This might not be the fastest or most rigorous way to get it happening, but Michel Thomas' friendly encouraging manner, and the third-student thing, really makes it seem way more possible. So, but by bit I am working my way through, and hmmm, I am learning. As others have suggested, I will be reinforcing it with other programs as well, and i think the ease this series has given me will make dealing with them that much easier. ... Read more

Product Description
Our best-selling language series just went Beyond the Basics!

Now there’s a fantastic new way for language learners to take their German to the next level and go Beyond the Basics! Ideal for people who already have some introductory knowledge, the brand-new Beyond the Basics courses take students further in key areas, including vocabulary, grammar, culture, and natural-sounding conversational skills. Each course includes twenty lessons that feature more challenging dialogues as well as numerous examples, explanations, and practice exercises. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Great companion
I own several German Courses from Rossetta to Pimsleur amongst others, I purchased this course to try to expand what I have already learned; this is a great course if you already have a little knowledge of German. What I like about the Living language courses is the booklet companion, is very helpful and it teaches you some grammar. Pimsleur is a great introductory course but after you're done with level 3, it leaves you wanting more. Rossetta is good but I found it kind of boring. Beyond the basics teaches you more advance conversation. The other courses concentrate too much in asking for directions, how's the weather and how to order in a restaurant. All in all I give Living languages a 5 stars, Pimsleur 4.5 and Rossetta a 4.

Solid but Imperfect
Since this kit is designed for people who are beyond the basics, I believe that the CD is kind of a waste of time and money because it is doing little more than reading the text in the coursebook, which is something that is of only moderate use to someone who is already in the intermediate range.The dictionary is ok if you don't already own a better one.The coursebook itself is quite useful because it has problems at the end of the chapter that the reader can complete.Many other such books lack practice exercises, which never fails to mystify me.If you feel that you benefit from hearing the words pronounced, then I highly recommend this kit.If you don't need to hear the words, then only the coursebook will be of use to you.

A book from the pre-wordprocessor era
The general evaluation of the book:

A good self-study material for those who have already had a course covering the basics. Or for those who are so-called false starters.

However, from book editing viewpoint, the book is a nightmare:

1. No active page headings, on the top of each page you have only the title of the book, which makes it a little difficult to locate something specific quickly.
2. Headings on a page are mostly inconspicuous, so you need to look carefully where you are inside a lesson.
3. Perhaps the book is too grammar centered, which is reflected in putting the grammar into the book twice, once inside the units and once at the back. Probably a shorter and tabular description inside the unit and a reference to the grammar summary at the back could have saved some space for some extra material.

All the lessons have the same structure:

1. A long conversation with English translation after each turn
2. Usage notes to expressions and structures in the conversation
3. Culture Notes (in English)
4. Grammar and Usage (the book has a thorough grammar curriculum) (a very long section)
5. Exercises (surprisingly short compared to the previous section)
6. Key to the exercises

What can you find at the back of the book?

1. an 83-page grammar review
2. a 10-page-long guide to letters, e-mails and internet resources
3. the rules of the 1998 German Spelling Reform (2 pages)
4. a short index (2 pages)

What's on the CDs?

1. Each conversation of the book (fast, natural speech speed)
2. Each conversation again but broken up into easily repeatable chunks to help you learn the language while in a car, or cooking in the kitchen or pottering in the garden

Some positive and negative features of the mini dictionary included in the package:

+ it's small enough to carry around anywhere
- one with weak eyes may need to buy a magnifying glass to be able to read the minuscule letters
+ It highlights the most common words, using all capitals, and lists some useful expressions with them.
- it does not have any grammatical information to the words (e.g. plurals to nouns, irregular forms to strong verbs, etc.)

Useful and affordable
This new series is perfect for anyone who has been "dabbling" in a language and is interested in "finding their voice" so to speak. There are 4 cds with 5 scripted dialogues on each. First you just listen, than it is repeated with time beween each phrase for you to repeat. Each lesson is followed by "Grammer and Usage" where you repeat more sentences. Nowhere but in the book are translations and clarification found.
The format can be challenging at first, because being a beginner you won't understand much. You have to read the book and be persistant to make it work. It really forces you to start listening and understanding dialogues in normal speaking pace. ... Read more

Product Description
Our best-selling audio language-learning program provides comprehensive grammar and vocabulary to beginners and advanced students, offering guidance in pronunciation in addition to language fundamentals. Updated for the 21st century and re-recorded with fresh voiceovers, Learn In Your Car includes terminology for cell phones, computers and the Internet, as well as contemporary currencies and usages. Listeners learn pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar of a new language without the need of a textbook: Level 1: Key words and phrases, basic grammar skills, emphasizes travel needs; Level 2: Expands vocabulary, new grammar concepts, more day-to-day activities; Level 3: Broadens vocabulary base, more advanced grammar skills, enriches conversational ability. 9 hours of audio on 9 compact discs, 3 booklets with recorded text for reference & grammar notes, Zippered CD Wallet, Travelogue DVD.Amazon.com Review
Look ma, no textbooks! The Learn in Your Car series treats youlike a child--in the best possible way--starting with one-word phrases("please," "good-by"), counting exercises, and simple nouns ("bus,""train") designed to imitate a child's learning process. First youhear the words in English, then they are repeated slowly in clear,unaccented pronunciations. The method is extremely effective for thosewho don't know a thing, or for those who want to brush up by testingthemselves when the English words are spoken. The tapes emphasize thebuilding blocks of communicating in a foreign country rather than rotephrases that only apply on the tape and not in real-lifeexchanges. Level 1 painlessly covers basic verb forms, essentialprepositions, near future and past tenses, as well as shopping, hotelreservations, and other travel-related situations.The seriesincludes French, German, Italian, Russian, Japanese, and Spanish inthree levels that can be purchased individually or in boxed sets. Eachlevel contains two 90-minute cassettes (or CDs) and an accompanyingbooklet (not for use behind the wheel) with helpful explanations andscripts for the lessons. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Learn German in your car
I have wanted to learn German and have gone there without knowing it. Now I am finally learning it on my drive to work daily. I thought it would be hard but I am surprised with how it is finally sinking in. It really isn't hard and I would recommend these CD's.

fun but no serious way to learn a language
These things are great to listen to, to hear the pronunciation of various native speakers (they might use 3 different speakers over the course of the 3 volumes) but there is no way that you're going to learn a language this way unless you are a mimic. They are good for practice and pronunciation, though.

They don't make you come up with the translations on your own.
It's too easy to sit back and wait a few seconds and just listen to the correct translation.

And it's far too distracting to try to drive and listen to this at the same time.
It's cool to rip to mp3 and listen to on a hammock though.
I've spent enough time studying languages to know that the only way to really learn them is to force yourself to translate back and forth between English and the foreign language and build-up your vocabulary. But still that will not give you the proper or even a realistic pronunciation, and that is where these CDs really help. I've studied German off and on for 20 years and this is the first real exposure that I've had to those tricky German phrases from native German speakers where I could go back and replay it instantly if I wanted to. In that regard it works well.

CDs are a rip off!!
I live in europe and wanted to continue to improve my German. When the Cds arrived I quickly tried to play them on every device I own with no joy. Amazon or this company would not refund my purchase. Spent a lot of money for nothing, very disappointed!

Learn in Your Car: German
I bought this for myself, to help me learn basic German, just for fun.I like the product a lot.I learn well aurally so they work for me...It probably looks like I'm talking to myself in my car but I don't care...

VERY GOOD, TONS OF CONTENT...one thing though.
I read the other reviews and someone pointed out that the male speaker speaks way too fast, while i personally can keep up with him after 2 years of off and on courses here and there, someone else unlike me for the first time might have trouble, and i must bring that to attention. That is why i subtracted a star. The female speaker is fast as well..but its doable,
sometimes when the guy is speaking i just want to scream Sprechen Sie Langsamer bitte!!! (speak more slowly please!)

for the price at 32 bux form amazon..honestly..this is a STEAL regardless.

... Read more

Product Description
More than 2,000 German idioms are listed with their English language meanings in this updated edition. Each entry defines the idiom and presents an idiomatic phrase in a model sentence in both German and English. This pocket-size book makes a handy classroom supplement and a valuable travelerÂ's companion. The bookÂ's clear vinyl jacket adds a measure of protection when itÂ's carried around in travel situations. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Idioms in one place
Since German is a very idiomatic language, such a book as "German Idioms" is an extremely useful tool.It makes it much easier to find any idiomatic use of a particular word along with examples.

Contains some nice bits
Arranged alphabetically by relevant word, this book contains some interesting idioms.Some of the idioms have a historical or cultural basis, but this isn't explained, so the curious student would have to follow up in a heavier and more expensive reference work--for example the big "Wahrig" German-to-German unilingual dictionary.For example, "German Idioms" lists "nach Adam Riese" 'according to Adam Riese' as an idiom meaning "exactly" (i.e., as when you're confident you've added a column of figures correctly), but doesn't say who A.R. was; the big Wahrig does this, however briefly.The same goes for "nullachtfuenfzehn" (meaning "no great shakes," Wahrig explains it comes from the standard dimensions of an ordinary German apartment).However, "Lieschen Mueller" is in the idioms book but not in Wahrig.So, I'd say the idioms book is good as a scholarly provocation but not as a scholarly fulfillment; but for that reason alone it's good value for the money and should be amusing for the advanced student of German.

When I just can't find the words....
I am a high school German teacher.In Henry Strutz's German Idioms I found a wonderful reference book that has provided me as well as my students with the appropriate expressions in German in many subject areas. The 2000 idioms cover a wide range of subjects including the expressionthat Germans hold their thubms for luck: "den Daumen druecken"-while we cross our fingers. If you are looking for a book that will helpyou grasp a general knowledge of German, this is not the book for you.Thereader with a basic knowledge of German will be able to use the English andGerman indexes in the back to look up key words to find idioms on specifictopics.Sometimes its difficult to know what keyword to look up in orderto find an idiom on a specific subject. This is a better book for those whoare interested in finding the English equivalents of German idioms, not theother way around.There are many funny idioms that have made learning newvocabulary for my students as well as myself much more enjoyable. The bookis definately worth the money. ... Read more

Product Description
The most accessible, well-balanced history of the Germanlanguage available! No comparable work is available in English or German thatgives readers an adequate foundation in the methods, goals, and results ofhistorico-comparative linguistics as they apply to the German language and itshistorical antecedents. Waterman's monograph excels through its clearpresentation of materials, the extensive use of charts and maps, and a well-organized bibliography. A wealth of examples document a surprisingly broadreview of German language issues. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Best consumed by Advanced Students of German or Linguistics
Everything the other reviewer has said completely applies, however, I'd like to add a couple of caveats for those who might want to check out this book.Altho it's in english, the large sections of German lyrics, mideavel mysticism, poetry, german bible translations, or simply german words transformed from ancient to modern forms, are not at all translated.I would not suggest buying this book, unless you are fluent, or nearly so, in German. Also, if you have never studied linguistics, or an ancient indo European language (ie, Ancient Greek, Latin or Sanskrit), I think you'll be frustrated with the book.I've studied Latin, I'm nearly fluent in German, and I'm familier with Anglo Saxon. I've looked into Russian, and even have a linguistics course under my belt.So I didnt find the book to be over my head, but rather, totally fascinating. Besides the German cultural history, you get a HUGE dose of Ancient European and near Eastern history, especially early Indo-European tribal migrations. Germanic tribes invading the Roman empire spread Germanic vocabulary influence from Spain to The Black Sea (where the East German, ie GOTHIC, language lived.) German cognates exist all over Europe. The constant back and forth between ancient germanic and romance languages, explains the derivation of our modern western European languages. The long transistional vocabulary lists from old germanic, Old High German, and middle High german, into the modern forms, helps in reconstructing the changing meanings of modern German words, as well as picking up more german vocabulary. I still had many limits in my ability to get all I could from the book. Had I read more ancient Latin andGreek historians, and had a better understanding of German dialects, (as a native German might have), I would have ingested much more information from the book.Still many questions were answered, not only about the history of Germanic languages,but also how sound and grammer changes occured to other Indo European languages, such as modern Russian.In conclussion, if you're an advanced student of German, or historical Linguistics, you'll enjoy the book. However, a casual student of word origins, or someone who had a couple years of german in high school, or someone gathering info about ancient european tribal movements, I'd stay clear of this book.There are tons of beginner's books on linguistics, and ancient northern European history, which would be better suited for your needs.

thorough for beginners, not inaccessable
This book covers all of the main concepts you will need to know when studying history of the German language.It's very organized and was great help to me as Iwas getting my German degree.It was also the only book I could find on the subject in English at the time (this was 2 years ago) and had to special order it.Also- if you are using "Geschichte der deutschen Sprache" by Peter von Polenz in a class and are struggling with translation you REALLY need the Waterman!It will clarify much of the von Polenz.
If you are looking into getting this book, you're probably interested in specific content, so here is a list of the chapters:
Ch. 1 Indo-European(pg.3-18)
Ch. 2 Germanic (pg. 20-49)
Ch. 3 Old High German Period from Beginnings to 1050 (pg 52- 81)
Ch. 4 Middle High German Period 1050-1350 (pg 83-97)
Ch. 5 Early New High German Period, 1350-1600 (pg 102-135)
Ch. 6 New High German Period 1600-1800 (pg 137-147)
Ch. 7 New High German Period from 1800 (pg 163- 193)
Ch. 8 A Brief Description of the Sounds of German (pg 201-208)
Appendix 1: Plates
Appendix 2: Maps
Bibliography (pg 233-275)
Index
If you are a German studies student this is a must have, but
even if you don't have a background in linguistics and are interested in european history, you are likely to find the Waterman fascinating. ... Read more