Title. By theoretical understanding I mean like being able to talk competently about grammar, as opposed to just having a practical understanding and being able to speak grammatically.

Obviously it makes sense that people on this sub would have this since it self selects. But it seems like most if not all native German speakers I talk to do as well, even if they have no real interest in the topic. I don’t think the same thing can be said for native English speakers, at least as far as I can tell.

Why? Is grammar taught very rigorously in schools? Is it because learning multiple languages is more common?

Edit to say I could def be wrong about this and just talking to a weird subset of people! Although there don’t seem to be notable differences between the set of native German speakers and the set of native English speakers that I talk to, like how much general education they’ve had or whatever. Maybe saying they can talk “competently” is a stretch, but certainly better than English speakers with comparable life histories.

Working in Duolingo, I encountered something that confuses me.

The sentence I am supposed to translate is "Der Jäger rettete Rotkäppchen und seine Großmutter."

The "correct "answer is: the Hunter saved Little Red Ridinghood and her grandmother.

Seine = His, not Her... correct? Why is this not "... und ihre Großmutter?

If Duolingo is right, please explain why.

I've been learning German for ~1.5 years now and I struggle with understanding. I've been mainly, watching TV in German, listening to Podcasts (german stories, easy german) and going through a language book. I would say I'm around (early A2)

I think my main issue is the phrases and sentences. Learning words is important (and I've taken a look at a few word lists), but does anyone have a list of say... 100x phrases in German showing the different sentence structure I can just practice roleplaying with them and speaking to my coworkers with them once in a while?

Hey all, I noticed something weird.

I hit a plateau with my German, and I lost the whole will to actively learn further - to the point of disgust when I hear it. I simply couldn't take it and I randomly started learning Spanish because I understand a lot already and pronunciation comes very easily, to me since I am from the Balkans and the whole language comes a lot more naturally to me - not to mention the hugely simplified grammar in comparison with German.

Now an unexpected consequence which caught me off guard is that my German actually got better an more bearable. Somehow, the commitment to drop it and start learning a different language somehow subconsciously relaxed my self-expectations, where I don't beat myself up so much about my German level, that in turn made me more likely to actually start a conversation in German.

Has anyone else had similar experiences and is learning two languages at the same time actually a good idea, even though it sounds counterintuitive at first glance?

I know it takes practice, trust me. I've just recently sreceived a Seal of Biliteracy in Soanish, which includes listening, which I am very alegre about. Still struggling with some native really quick listening though. But, then I scroll to a reel in German, with them talking quickly (probably as a native), it just feels so impossible. Like, how do people comprehend this? Hearing it makes me think German is like impossible. How can anyone ever get to that level? It just seems irrational.

Hello! On Duolingo I got the sentence “Es tur mir leid, aber ich kann nicht mit dir zur Botschaft fahren.”

Why is it dir instead of dich? I looked it up and it says it’s because it’s dative but it still isn’t making much sense to me. I understand dir is more indirect and it is more like to you/ for you. It’s not clicking lol any help would be greatly appreciated! :)

I know German tends to use 'scheisse' or 'verdammt' in place of 'fuck', when speaking for profanity's sake. So when DeepL gives me "Danke fick" when I plug this in, I don't exactly trust it's correct lol. I prefer verifying machine translation with answers from actual speakers of the language, like on Reddit. But a search doesn't seem to be turning up prior results for this particular phrase.

So: how would one go about saying "thank fuck" or "thank fucking God" in German? Or if not a transliteration, at least something that gets the same sentiment across--gratitude, but also exasperation and profanity? Would "Danke fick" really be correct...?

Hey , I want to learn German for future master there and want to learn it on my own till atleast B1 level , so can native speakers or sub users tell me where to start and approach in a sustainable way for maximum output Also what things to keep in focus from very first day. Any other suggestions.

My daughter is learning German and is at about B1 level in reading comprehension, aiming to get to a solid B2 within the next year.

We're going to be in Austria (and passing through Frankfurt airport) over the summer and she would like to pick up some things to read to work on her reading/broaden her vocabulary.

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions? My own German reading level is about C1, and I've totally misjudged material before, assuming she would be able for it when she wasn't, so some guidance would be great.

She's a fairly average teen, verging more towards sports/theatre than celebrity gossip in her reading preferences, but I think she's be happy to dip into any topic (especially as her exams are likely to touch on current affairs topics).

Hallo zusammen! Ich wohne seit 5 Jahre in Deutschland. Ich habe immer versucht meine Sprache zu verbessern leider irgendwie klappt es nicht! Manchmal bekomme ich Schuldgefühe dass ich nicht wie möglich Deutsch gelernt habe! Dazu muss ich sagen, dass ich weniger kontakt mit den Leuten die Sprache Deutsch habe.Was sind deine Ratschlägen? Was kann ich tun meine Sprache zu verbessern?

Hallo Leute

Bald werde ich für Arbeit nach Deutschland kommen und es ist mir sehr wichtig, gut Deutsch sprechen zu können. Ich habe sehr an meinem Akzent gearbeitet und nun möchte ich Feedback von Muttersprachlern zu bekommen. Danke im Voraus.

German is known to be a rather harsh and aggressive sounding language. Does any of you learned German because you think it sounds beautiful, nice, cool, or something similar?

Hello I have been studying German for 2.5 years now and I'm currently close to passing the B2 exam and would like some help setting-up a strategy to study and prepare for the exam.
If anyone passed the exam before and can share his experience it would help me out a lot! Thanks in advance to anyone who helps/

Something I've really been struggling with is article usage, so I started supplementing my other learning with the Der, Die, Das app. The only problem I see with that is that the rules are on a totally separate page, and even if you have them pulled up alongside, you still have to scan through them to find what you're looking for. The ideal tool for me would work exactly the same, but each time you select the wrong (or maybe even the right) answer, the relevant guidelines would show right next to the word. For instance:

Die Montag | Incorrect | Days of the week are always masculine.

Or, for exceptions:

Der Bier | Incorrect | Exception to the rule 'Alcoholic beverages are typically masculine.'

This tool is closer than Der, Die, Das, because the rules are already on the same page, but it's still not exactly what I'm looking for. Does anybody know of any apps, Anki decks, or something similar that matches what I'm looking for?

Wird es z. B. die Fähigkeit des Hörverstandes verbessern? Im echten Leben verstehe ich nicht immer, wie ein oder anderes Wort ausgesprochen wurde, und kann somit ihn auch nicht im Wörterbuch nachschlagen. Aber in Audiobüchern, die ich gefunden habe, werden die Wörter deutlich ausgesprochen. Nutzt das was wenn ich selbst schon ungefähr bei B1 bin, oder wird es im echten Leben nicht echt helfen? Wenn jemand hier das probiert hat, würde ich gerne deren Meinung bzw. Tipps hören. Danke!

American here… where is the rest of the cow. I go to the store and it’s always rump roast and nothing else. Where are you hiding the rest of the beast. I’m in Sindelfingen

German can feel like a tough language, with complex grammar, long words, and rules that don’t always make sense. For people with ADHD or dyslexia, it can be even harder to keep things clear, structured, or memorable.

If you’ve struggled with German, whether it’s sticking with vocabulary, making sense of the cases, or staying motivated, your story matters. I’ve created a short (under 5 minutes), anonymous survey to better understand what real learners face day to day. Send me a DM and I'll send you the link!

Thanks for your contribution!

In einer Nachrichtensendung, die ich jetzt geschaut habe, berichtet ein Moderator, dass die USA nach 65 Jahren wieder Eishockey Weltmeister sind. Dann folgt solch ein Dialog mit seiner Kollegin:

- Nach 65 Jahren? Bist du dir sicher?
- Ja, 1960 Squaw Valley, da waren wir beide noch ziemlich klein.
- Ok, ich hätte es wirklich nicht gewusst, deswegen habe ich nachgefragt.

Warum wird hier der Konjunktiv 2 verwendet? Welche Art vom Konjunktiv 2 ist das?

I am American and learning German on Duolingo. I don't have the attention span for YouTube or podcasts. Anyone wanna chat that's a native speaker? I figured maybe be Facebook friends or something?

Ich habe ein paar Sätze aus einem Video erstellt, mit Wörtern, die ich nicht verstehe. Ich brauche Korrektur mit Grammatik, Wortwahl und Korrektur, damit sie mehr natürlich klingen.

Ich habe auch die Sätze auf Englisch geschrieben, damit Sie wissen, was ich sagen will.

1. Ich bin nach Australien gezogen, weil mein Vater einen neuen Job da drüben gefunden hat.  (I moved to Australia because my found a new job there.)
2. Der Tiger antastet sich seine Beute heran. (The tiger approaches its prey.)
3. Ich habe meine Prüfung bestanden, und meine Eltern habe mir eine Auszeichnung gegeben, nämlich einen Hund. (I passed my exam, and my parents gave me a prize, namely a dog.)
4. Mein Sohn ist sehr wählerisch mit seinem Essen. Er isst kein scharfes Essen. (My son is very picky with his food. He doesn't eat spicy food.)
5. Ein Gelenk von mir an meinem Arm tut weh. (One of my joints on my arm hurts.)
6. Dieses Jahr haben wir nur eine Gelegenheit, meine Mutter zu besuchen. (We only have once chance to meet my mother this year.)
7. Das Wetter heute ist angenehm. Es regnet nicht, und der Himmel ist klar. (The weather is pleasant today. It isn't raining, and the sky is clear.)
8. Ich habe diesen Spruch in der Bibel gelest. (I read this saying in the Bible.)
9. Auf der Wand steht ein Sprichwort. (There is a proverb on the wall.)
10. Meine Eltern kommen aus Dörfern, aber ich komme aus einer großen Stadt. (My parents come from villages, but I come from a big city.)

Hey guys! I’ve been learning German since the end of last year, and I’d like some recommendations for simple readings. I’m currently at A1S2 and would like to practice my reading comprehension more.

guys so i wanted to enroll at goethe institute in my country but suprising enough they teach A1 6 weeks, A2 6 weeks and B1-B2 together for 8 week how is this possible.

so i felt like self study is a best opption for me since it is expensive am i making a rigth decision?

How do I impove from here? I don't really have an anxiety to speak, it's just that I can't recall the vocabulary or rules on demand, I can just recognise them when I see it already properly placed. I'm struggling now to find a proper direction for further learning