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The 5 Phases in Making An English to German Language Shift
By:Hans Muller

Things will certainly not be a breeze when you start learning German. The vocabulary, the conjunctions and the adjective endings might all seem rather confusing at first. The good thing is that learning German isn't very difficult. With some practice over a period of time, you will find yourself quite comfortable with the process.

When it comes to making that shift from talking in English to talking in German, you will notice these five phases.

Phase 1:

This is when you've just started learning the language, and with every passing day of practice, you will notice an increase in your confidence. You will be able to read, listen, write, and speak better. In order for the basics to set in, you should give yourself about 2 to 3 months. At the end of this period you will be confident enough to ask your friends if they want to "ausgehen für Kaffee" instead of "go out for coffee."

Phase 2:

At this point you will realize that looking for direct translations might not necessarily get the right message across. This is particularly true when it comes to translating various English sayings into German, and this is because the literal translation would end up meaning something else altogether. For instance, if you were to literally translate, "He lives in an ivory tower", you will end up implying that the person you're referring to actually lives in an ivory tower.

Phase 3:

At this point you begin to notice the differences between the two languages much faster. Because of this, your thought process quickens. This is when you're no longer frustrated in looking for a particular phrases or words. What happens instead is that your brain starts looking for the German words that it has stored to fit appropriate situations. Although you might not come across as a fluent speaker, you will surely manage to get your message across quite easily.

Phase 4:

This is when you're mastering of the language beings, and you start paying attention to aspects such as complicated past tenses, adjective endings, etc. The reason that these aspects are addressed later in the process is because they aren't particularly useful in learning how to speak basic German. This is also when you will work on increasing your German vocabulary and bettering your writing skills.

Phase 5:

This is the last phase of your German learning experience. This is where you will focus on specific knowledge. Here we find the knowledge that relates to why you're learning German in the first place. For instance, if you are learning the language as work requirement, you will need to master the specific terminology used in your trade. Know that going through this stage is crucial, as this discerns the truly well-spoken individuals from the more casual learners.

How quickly you learn German depends on different factors. For starters, it is important to know that different people have different learning curves, and yes, some people do have a tendency to grasp things quicker than others. What's important though is that you practice regularly and diligently. A great way to hasten the learning process is by finding someone to converse with. If you already live in a German speaking region, feel free to speak in German with the locals you meet from the very first stage.

Care to find out more about the transition from English to German? Visit the GermanLearningCenter today to find out more. http://www.germanlearningcenter.com/english-to-german-language/.






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