As spring approaches, the shifting weather patterns offer a unique insight into the German language. Like in many other cultures, proverbs about the weather are a common thread in German discourse. While Germans may not engage in small talk as frequently as English speakers, mastering these proverbs is a testament to your command of the language and your understanding of German culture. Germans refer to Kaiserwetter when there is blue sky and sunshine. Its origins can be found in Austria, where the emperor Franz Joseph’s birthday was mid-August when the weather was dominated by the sun and bl ..read more

On your journey of learning German, you inevitably encounter a situation that requires you to express something limited to an amount, some people, things or an activity. That is straightforward and can be expressed using the adverb nur (only).  Here are some example sentences: Es kostet nur einen Euro. It only costs a Euro. Nur er kann das machen. Only he can do that. Ich habe nur 10 Euro. I only have 10 Euros. Sie spielen nur Fußball. They only play football. A young family with 2 children, however, may say one of the following: Wir haben nur 2 Kinder.  Wir haben erst 2 Kinder ..read more

There are several different ways to form plurals in German. It can be difficult to predict plural endings with complete certainty, and therefore, once again, learners are advised to learn the plural forms when they first encounter a noun in the same way that they would learn the genders of nouns in German. Learners of German will, as they progress, encounter certain patterns in the plural formation. Here are some tips on how to form plurals. Plural in -n or -en A large number of nouns fall into this category, including feminine nouns ending in: -e die Schule, die Schulen -ei die Bäckerei, die ..read more

German is a useful language, and the reasons for learning German are varied. Many of my students here in London learn German for work or their businesses; others have connections with Germany, be they friends, family, or partners. Another group wants to speak German specifically at level B1 to apply for German citizenship at the German Embassy in London or to obtain a work or settlement visa for Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. Proficiency has to be demonstrated by passing an exam. This article explains how to achieve language level B1 and what the exam entails. Mastering B1 German Your Germa ..read more

Hallo liebe Lernende, herzlich willkommen zur nunmehr 32. Episode unseres Podcasts. Sollte euch dieser Podcast gefallen, dann bewertet ihn doch bitte und sendet uns Anregungen oder Themen für neue Episoden. Mehr Informationen über die Produzenten erfahrt ihr unter www.languagecoach.co.uk. Das heutige Thema ist das Jugendwort des Jahres 2023. Dies wurde letzte Woche auf der Frankfurter Buchmesse vom Langenscheidt-Verlag bekannt gegeben. Jugendliche stimmten seit Juni über ihr Lieblingswort ab. Die Beteiligung soll im sechsstelligen Bereich gelegen haben, gezählt wurden allerdings nur Stimmen de ..read more

People of all ages learn German in London through classes or private German lessons. Because Germany is only an hour’s flight from the United Kingdom, you can put your German language skills to use relatively easily. German Youth Language You may wonder how youth language can be helpful unless you are part of Generation Z or the Centennial generation. To include youth language in your German repertoire is useful when wanting to make yourself understood whilst talking to Generation Z. If youth language is not part of your active vocabulary, then being at least familiar with it helps you unders ..read more

It might have taken you some time to decide to learn German. Seldom do we decide on a whim to learn a new language as it is quite an undertaking and rarely a short-term project. People learning German tend to have a connection with the language or German-speaking Europe, be it through family ties or an interest in culture, music or history. Many have studied German at school; for others, it is work which requires them to engage with the language. Having decided to learn German, consider the settings in which you want to study. German language levels Whichever setting you choose, study a Germa ..read more

Hallo liebe Lernende! Wahrend sich der Mensch in der Bautechnik erst seit der Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts der Fertigbauweise bedient, verwendet er in der Sprache seit jeher vorgefertigte Bauteile. Charakteristisch für diese sprachlichen Fertigteile ist, dass sie der Form nach recht stabil sind. Daher können sich diese recht einfach eingeprägt und angewendet werden. All diejenigen, die ihre sprachliche Ausdrucksweise verbessern wollen, ob nun Muttersprachler oder auch nicht, sollten sich mit dem Bereich der festen Wendungen vertraut machen. Vor allem die Umgangssprache ist gekennzeichnet durch i ..read more

German Idioms are part of everyday language use and a great way to articulate something that often cannot be summed up with a hundred words. This article examines some commonly used German idioms, sayings and proverbs around items of clothing which lend themselves perfectly to form metaphors. We’ll illustrate their meanings, give examples and delve into the etymology of the most interesting German proverbs or those that aren’t entirely obvious. We dress from head to toe as the weather demands. You probably became familiar with vocabulary around clothing when you first started learning German ..read more

Prefabs in construction are relatively new, having been used since the middle of the twentieth century. Prefabricated components in language, on the other hand, have been in use for centuries in the form of idioms and expressions. Like other languages, German has a large spectrum of phrases at its disposal, and new phrases are regularly added. For anyone learning German who would like to demonstrate their articulateness, it is advisable to acquaint themselves with some of these. Typical for these linguistic prefabs is that they do not need to be altered or changed; hence they can be easily me ..read more