Learn German Language with Free Lessons & Tips

The list is based on frequency of use across fiction, non-fiction and spoken German.

Yiddish (also known as the Jewish language), refers to the language spoken by Ashkenazi Jews — Jews from Central and Eastern Europe, and their descendants. Yiddish basic vocabulary and grammar have their origins in medieval West German. Also, it integrates many other languages, like German, Hebrew, Aramaic and various Slavic and Romance languages.

Yiddish can be considered to be a dialect of German. I say this because a German speaker can understand 85% of Yiddish without much difficulty.

It is evident that Yiddish and German are closely related languages. So, trying to learn both the languages at the same time may create confusion for you. As you progress, you may find it difficult to differentiate between the two languages.

Although grasping ability differs from one person to another and you might be good at switching your mind between two skills, but it is always better to stick at one thing. You should first choose German, gain proficiency in it, and then move to Yiddish. It is because the German language has a vast set of rules and vocabulary. So, learning this language would create a strong base for learning Yiddish. Also, you would be able to relate more with the typical words, often used by the native speakers.

The anglo-Saxons (which are now termed as British people) are said to have their roots in Germany. They used to speak Proto-Germanic language, which is now called as old German.

Many words and expressions of the modern English are inherited from different languages. The primary reason behind this is the history the trade over the centuries. According to a study, 25% of the English words are derived from French, and 28% have the origin in Latin. 

During the modern time, the English language was exported to different parts of the world through British colonisation. Also, in the recent past, a significant infiltration of German words and phrases can be seen in the English Language. There are many commonly used terms such as Kindergarten, Uber, and Iceberg have been taken from the German language.

As a matter of fact, German culture has penetrated in modern British life. It can be witnessed in the food items (like Hamburger and Frankfurter), in the literature (Glockenspiel and Leitmotiv), and the historical references (Blitzkrieg and Realpolitik).

To be more specific, there are certain domains where the impact of the German language can be witnessed more. These include, for instance, cooking, the fine arts, politics, war and the military, language and linguistics, and others.

German has a wide range of variation when it comes to dialect. There are 16 Federal States and 3 city-states in Germany, and almost everywhere, one can find a slight variation in the dialect. So, some of the German may pronounce Ä differently than E.

Below is a comment made by a linguistic expert on a website:

“In standard pronunciation, short "ä" is [ɛ], and short "e" is [ə], [ɛ], or [e], where the last one occurs in foreign words ("Methode" [meˈtoːdə]) but rarely in native ones ("lebendig" [leˈbɛndɪk]). That means that most of the time, there is no audible difference between short "ä" and "e". For instance, the vowels in "nässer" and "besser" are the same, namely [ɛ].”

“Long "ä" is [ɛː], long "e" is usually [eː], so the long vowels are clearly distinguished.

“Dialects often differ. Many North Germans, for instance, will consistently replace [ɛː] by [eː], and if I remember correctly, there are South German dialects that make a difference between short "ä" and "e".

“For non-native speakers: Replacing short [e] by [ɛ] is unproblematic. Short [e] is rare, there is no risk of semantic ambiguities, and many people will simply not notice it. Replacing long [ɛː] by [eː] or vice versa can lead to semantic ambiguities ("ich sehe/ich sähe"). It will be noticed and it's considered as a mistake, but it's a mistake that is also common among native speakers, so I think that you will be understood.”

Watching movies with subtitles is becoming popular all over the world. The primary reason for this is people find it easier to get accustomed to the accent of the foreign language. So, this is quite famous in the folks living in urban areas.

Just like any other languages in the world, people living in a small town and villages prefer to watch movies in their native languages. They feel more connected when they hear the characters speaking the language they speak.

If you want to watch the movies in their original language, you will have to search for theatres in big cities. Even there, you will have to run a little because not every theatre showing movies in the original version.

In Germany, a city like Munich has only 3 to 4 theatres which would show an original movie. That too, you will have to book an advance ticket for it. That may be the reason why people don’t get into this hustle and are satisfied with the dubbed version itself.

However, there are chances that one might find the original version of the movies on the TVs with the subtitles in the native/local language.

I hope I answered your question.

Glad that you asked this question. Both the words have alike meaning, and if you are new to the language, or are in the learning process, it is obvious to have a doubt like that. Even some Germans have confusion while using the two words.

Now, coming to your question, ‘Geschehen’ means ‘happening’. It can be a verb as well as a noun.

For example:

Das Geschehen = the happening

Etwas ist Geschehen = something has happened

Whereas, ‘Tun’ means that someone does something.

For example:

Ich tue Etwas = I do something

Tun Sie Bitte die Bücher aufs Regal. = Please put the books on the shelf.

Overall, German as a language can sometimes be confusing. There are confusing word pairs, and some of the words have two or three different meanings.  

For example:

The German word ‘abgefahren’ has two meanings, i.e. departed and wicked. The term ‘angeben' can mean both ‘to state’ and ‘to brag’. Thus, it's not surprising that learners often find it confusing when to use which. 

In case you’re a beginner who is learning German, then you need dedication, perseverance, and most importantly, you need to spend a lot of time to grasp the language. On top of that, German grammar is relatively complex, thus beginners often struggle with grammatical cases. 

Hope this helps!

The German translation of 'Good morning' is 'Guten morgen'. Here are some ways to wish good morning in German:

1. Good morning dear: Guten Morgen Liebling

2. Good morning my love: Guten Morgen mein Lieber

3. Good morning, honey: Morgen Schatz

If you have to say "Jackson, wake up, it's time for school." in german; then it would be "Jackson, früh aufwachen, es ist Zeit für die Schule."

If you like to speak German fluently for a personal reason, then you can take German language classes to accelerate your learning process. You can also find skilled German trainers to learn step-by-step; an experienced trainer can make your language learning experience better.

If that’s not possible, then you can learn by yourself with the help of resources available both online and offline. You can refer to German grammar books to understand better, listen to audios, watch German movies with subtitles and more. 

People say that learning the German language by yourself is hard as this language is complex, but it is not impossible. There are people who have successfully mastered this language all by themselves. If you’re someone who speaks English well, then it will be an added advantage. It is because a lot of vocabulary and grammar will be familiar to you. 

Hope this helps!