Are you eager to master the German language efficiently and witness rapid progress? Dive into the ultimate guide penned by an Oxford-educated native German tutor with over 25 years of invaluable teaching experience. Let's explore the absolutely essential topics that pave the way to German proficiency.
What are the essential topics you need to learn properly to master the German language?
No. 1 Verbs, verbs, verbs!
First, learn to conjugate regular and irregular verbs in the present tense in German and do exercises on German verb conjugation to consolidate what you have learnt. Before you turn to other tenses, learn about separable verbs and study the the most common reflexive verbs in the language. The gradually learn how to form different tenses like the Perfekt tense , the Präteritum in German, the Plusquamperfekt, and the future tense in German . Identify logical patterns that apply to them as you will find it much easier to commit something to memory if there is a logic to what you're trying to drill in.
No. 2 Understand German syntax!
Focus on German word order, i.e. where to place words in a German sentence to avoid some of the most common mistakes foreigners make in the German language. Some tricky subordinate clause conjunctions that you need to get to grips with are als and wenn, um...zu and damit, nachdem and bevor. There are also two special kinds of subordinate clauses- relative clauses and infinitive clauses, which you need to learn as you progress to elementary level and beyond.
No. 3 Learn how to use German articles
Spend enough time learning and practicing the four cases in German and their function in a sentence, and try to memorise the most important gender rules in German. The cases are very important in the language as they allow you to distinguish between the subject and the object in the language. Without them, your German will plateau and remain very simple.
No. 4 Pronouns, Prepositions, Adjectives!
With a solid understanding of the cases, you should then turn to pronouns, prepositions and adjective endings to learn how they influence the usage of the cases. On our blog, you will find posts that help you get a better understanding of the difference between mir and mich, sein and ihr, prepositions with the accusative case, as well as dative only and genitive prepositions in German.
No. 5 Build your vocabulary
Memorise German words with flash cards and write sentences for essential vocabulary that are both intuitive and self-explanatory. You will see that you learn new words more effectively. Without context and repetition, you will forget words quite easily. Start with the ten most useful German verbs, learn how to express preferences in German, and try to use the most common words and phrases in German. From there on, focus on certain contexts like the general topic of food and learn how to order a meal in German etc. The more context there is to your learning, the better.
As you progress, embrace the journey of consistent practice and application. Fluency in German is a culmination of mastering these essential topics and refining your skills through continuous practice. While other advanced topics like the subjunctive mood and the passive voice exist, the focus on these core areas ensures a strong foundation for language acquisition.
For other tips and resources, check out our post on how to learn German properly- a German tutor's guide.
Feel free to reach out with any questions on the topics discussed or the German language in general. Best of luck on your path to fluency!
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