Reading German is one of the most effective ways to learn German. Without reading German you will not go very far. So I hope reading is one of your favorite pastimes. Reading German will be a constant process throughout the German learning process. To constantly increase your German language skills you will need to read German in all levels - beginner, intermediate and advanced. Reading German is so effective, because it will help you to understand German words, which in turn will improve your ability to hear and speak German.

But don't fret too much about all this reading you have to do. Fortunately, the choice of the reading material is entirely up to you. I would only like to suggest that your material for reading German be your favorite topic, your favorite interest. When you read on your favorite interests, reading German can become a pleasure you look forward to. For instance, I like politics and history, so I may choose articles on German political parties or Frederick the Great for my German reading. Also, as soon as you can, use a German-only dictionary. Learning the definition of words in German, not your mother tongue, will help you German language skills to take-off!

Reading German can also help beginners really move out of the gate. I recommend easy reading for beginners. If you try reading material over your head it can lead to frustration and giving up on German and we don't won't that. I can tell you what my reading was when I was a beginner. I read children's books and fairy-tales - that's right. The grammar and vocabulary is easy - you got to walk before you can run. I have to tell you about one of the stories I read, because it was so enjoyable. It is called Krabat by Otfried Preußler and was an enchanting and wonderful story. It was the 1972 German children's book prize winner and you can still find it on Amazon. (By the way, ignore the poorly-translated English title, its very inaccurate!)

There are some imperatives in the process of learning German and one of those is reading German. You just can't skimp on it. Its on the top of the list of important ways to learn effective German. When I started to learn German, it seemed like a difficult language that I wasn't getting the hang of too well. Then I decided to get some things to read in German and a whole new world opened up to me. That's when I got going.

The best part about learning German is that the process can be a fun and adventurous experience. When you are learning German you can experience a very wonderful and rich culture and you'll realize that this culture has had a strong influence on a large part of the world. Many of the children's fairy tales we grew up with have German origins. Classical music composers such as Mozart, Wagner and Bach were German. Of course, I don't have to mention the German auto industry or German food, wines and beer. Now with the age of the internet, learning German is not reduced to sitting in a stale classroom. Internet courses, such as www.Quick-Basic-German.info make learning German quick, fun and easy. Then, once you have nailed down the basics of German, I recommend you do what I did and go spend a few weeks or months in a German-speaking country and start enjoying all the richness and beauty of everything German. Herzlichen Glückwunsch beim Deutschlernen!