How I Learned German in 1 Year (100% Honest)

Summary

In this informative video, Dishant Gupta shares his personal journey and strategies for learning German while living in Bremen, Germany. He emphasizes the importance of structuring language learning, building a strong vocabulary, and using various resources like YouTube videos, podcasts, and language learning apps. Dishant also discusses the benefits of personal coaching and the app Hello Talk for improving conversational skills. His advice on surrounding oneself with the German language and maintaining consistency despite life's challenges provides a motivational narrative for language learners.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker emphasizes the importance of learning German for effective socialization and job prospects in Germany.
• 🏫 The speaker studied at Hochschule Bremen and took advice from seniors and mentors about the necessity of German language proficiency.
• 📝 The speaker suggests structuring the language learning process and maintaining consistency in learning to avoid losing interest.
• 📈 Starting with a daily target of learning 5-10 new German words, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and articles, is recommended.
• 📚 Learning the correct articles for nouns in German is crucial and often overlooked by beginners.
• 🎓 The speaker mentions using YouTube videos, podcasts, and online coaching for improving listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in German.
• 📱 Apps like Hello Talk are recommended for interactive language learning and practicing speaking with native speakers.
• 📺 Watching German videos and series, even if initially difficult, helps improve listening and comprehension skills over time.
• 📖 Reading books and creating sentences with new vocabulary are effective ways to enhance writing skills.
• 🌐 Surrounding oneself with the German language by changing device languages and engaging in German media is encouraged for immersion.
• 💪 Staying focused, consistent, and not giving up, even in the face of personal challenges, is key to successful language acquisition.

Q & A

Why is learning German important for the speaker when living in Germany?

Learning German is important for the speaker because it is essential for socializing, making friends, and finding jobs. Without German, one might feel isolated and struggle to interact with others, even though English is spoken, German is mandatory for better integration and opportunities.

What city in Germany does the speaker live in and what institution is he studying at?

The speaker lives in the city of Bremen and is studying at Hochschule Bremen.

What advice did the speaker receive from seniors and mentors before moving to Germany?

The speaker was advised that learning German is very important in Germany, as it would otherwise be difficult to socialize, make friends, and find jobs.

What was the speaker's initial approach to learning German?

The speaker started with a lot of interest and excitement but found that without a structured approach, the interest would wane, and progress would stall.

What is the first method the speaker suggests for learning German effectively?

The first method the speaker suggests is to structure the language learning process, which includes setting daily targets for learning new words and understanding their usage with correct articles.

What role did YouTube play in the speaker's language learning journey?

YouTube played a significant role as the speaker used it to watch videos of varying levels to improve his German language skills, starting with word learning and moving on to more complex structures.

What language learning apps does the speaker mention in the script?

The speaker mentions Hello Talk as a very useful app for language learning, which allows users to interact with native speakers and improve their skills through conversation.

What does the speaker suggest about the use of language learning apps like Duolingo?

The speaker suggests that Duolingo might be suitable for complete beginners who have no prior knowledge of German, but for those with some knowledge or a break in their learning, more advanced or personalized methods might be necessary.

What is the speaker's opinion on personal classes for learning German?

The speaker believes that personal classes can be beneficial, especially for slow learners or those who need individual attention and the flexibility to make up for missed classes.

How does the speaker suggest improving German speaking skills?

The speaker suggests using language learning apps that create a community for practice, watching German videos, and surrounding oneself with the language as much as possible to improve speaking skills.

What is the speaker's advice on maintaining consistency in language learning?

The speaker advises staying focused, consistent, and constant in language learning. He emphasizes the importance of not giving up, even in the face of personal challenges or setbacks.

What resources does the speaker recommend for improving German reading skills?

The speaker recommends changing the language of all gadgets to German, noting down unknown words, and looking up their meanings. He also suggests reading books like 'Short Stories for German Learning' and using online resources for further practice.

How does the speaker describe his experience with personal tutors and their impact on his learning?

The speaker describes his experience with personal tutors as very beneficial for better understanding and personalized attention. However, he also emphasizes the importance of self-study and not becoming overly dependent on tutors.

What is the significance of the speaker's mention of a breakup in the script?

The speaker uses the experience of a breakup to illustrate the importance of resilience and focusing on personal growth and learning, even during difficult times.

What additional resources does the speaker mention for practicing German?

The speaker mentions using the app Meetup to find language learning meetings and interact with Germans and other learners from different countries.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Learning German: Structure and Tips

The speaker emphasizes the importance of having a structured approach to learning German, especially for those living in Germany. They share their personal experience moving to Bremen and studying at Hochschule Bremen, highlighting the necessity of German language skills for socializing and employment. The speaker outlines their daily routine of learning new words, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, along with their respective articles. They also discuss the common pitfalls of unstructured language learning and how maintaining consistency in learning helped them overcome these challenges.

05:00

📱 Language Apps and Online Resources

The speaker critiques certain language learning apps like Lingo and Manli, while recommending community-based apps that facilitate conversation with native speakers to improve speaking skills. They share their journey with online coaching during the Covid pandemic, the benefits of personal classes, and their use of platforms like Super Prof for individual attention. The speaker also suggests using Hello Talk for interactive language practice and recommends specific YouTube channels and podcasts for listening practice to enhance language acquisition.

10:01

🎥 Media for Language Immersion

The speaker discusses using various forms of media to immerse oneself in the German language. They mention watching German web series like 'Nikoj Veg' and 'Aank' as a fun way to improve language skills. The speaker also talks about reading short stories and changing the language settings on all devices to German to strengthen reading abilities. They advocate for surrounding oneself with the language as much as possible, including changing one's environment and media consumption to German, to accelerate learning.

15:04

💪 Staying Focused and Overcoming Setbacks

The speaker shares personal anecdotes about maintaining focus and consistency in language learning, even in the face of emotional setbacks like a breakup. They stress the importance of not giving up and learning from difficult experiences. The speaker also talks about the value of using the Meetup app to engage with language learning communities and the benefits of socializing with people from different countries to practice German. They conclude by encouraging viewers to subscribe to their channel and hope for their success in learning German.

Keywords

💡Language Structure

Language structure refers to the systematic organization of a language's elements such as grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. In the video, the speaker emphasizes the importance of structuring the German language to make learning more effective and to avoid confusion. The speaker mentions that without a structured approach, learners may lose interest and struggle to progress.

💡Vocabulary

Vocabulary encompasses all the words and phrases that make up a language. The speaker stresses the need to strengthen one's vocabulary as the first step in learning German, suggesting a daily target of learning new words that include nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and articles, which are essential for language proficiency.

💡Articles

Articles in German are definite (der, die, das) and indefinite (ein, eine) words that precede and modify nouns. The video script explains that understanding and using articles correctly is crucial for mastering German, as they change with the gender and number of nouns, unlike in English where 'a' and 'the' are more static.

💡Plurals

Plurals are the grammatical form of a noun indicating more than one of something. The speaker in the video points out that in German, plural forms of nouns often change in meaning and require learning new words rather than just adding an 's' as in English, which is a key aspect of vocabulary building.

💡YouTube

YouTube is mentioned in the script as a resource for learning German through videos. The speaker recommends specific levels of YouTube videos (a1, a2, b1, b2) to cater to different proficiency levels of learners, illustrating how online content can be a valuable tool for language acquisition.

💡Podcasts

Podcasts are audio programs that can be downloaded or streamed online. In the context of the video, the speaker suggests using German learning podcasts as part of their study routine to improve listening skills and to gain exposure to the language in a conversational format.

💡Apps

Language learning apps are software applications designed to assist in language acquisition. The speaker mentions apps like Hello Talk, which facilitate interaction with native speakers and provide a platform for practicing conversational skills in German.

💡Coaching

Coaching in the video refers to language classes or tutoring services. The speaker shares their experience with online coaching during the Covid pandemic and the benefits of personalized attention in a one-on-one learning environment for enhancing understanding and consistency in language learning.

💡Consistency

Consistency is the act of maintaining a steady and continuous effort over time. The speaker highlights the importance of being consistent in language learning, suggesting that maintaining a daily routine of learning and practicing German is key to progress and avoiding setbacks.

💡Surrounding Yourself

Surrounding oneself with the language refers to immersing in an environment where the target language is used as much as possible. The speaker advises changing the language settings on all devices to German and engaging with German media to enhance language acquisition through constant exposure.

💡Meetup

Meetup is a platform for organizing and attending events based on common interests. In the script, the speaker recommends using the Meetup app to find language exchange events where learners can practice speaking German with native speakers and other learners.

Highlights

Importance of learning German in Germany for socializing and job opportunities.

The necessity of a structured approach to learning German.

Daily learning targets for vocabulary acquisition.

The significance of learning German articles along with nouns.

Differentiating between singular and plural forms of German nouns.

Utilizing YouTube for structured German language learning.

The role of podcasts in enhancing German language skills.

The ineffectiveness of certain language learning apps like Lingo or Manli.

Recommendation of personal online coaching for individual attention.

Using platforms like Super Prof for personalized language learning.

The benefits of using Hello Talk app for interactive language practice.

Watching German web series and movies as a learning tool.

Reading German short stories to improve reading skills.

Creating sentences using new vocabulary for writing practice.

Surrounding oneself with German in daily life to enhance immersion.

The psychological impact of personal setbacks on language learning consistency.

Overcoming emotional challenges to maintain focus on language learning.

The Meetup app as a resource for practicing German with native speakers.

The importance of consistency and not giving up in language learning.

Learning from personal experiences and setbacks to improve language learning.

Transcripts

Hello ale Sujan widget s alin e high se Dishant Gupta un yer mish au inspirer

Dishan Ninain I did not understand no problem everything will be understood gradually everything will be understood a lot of

people were commenting and messaging me that how is Dishan Bhai German Sikhu, I am not able to understand,

please help me, tell me some tricks, so today

I am making a video on this topic for you guys, I will get all the help, I will give you all the information,

if you are coming to my channel for the first time, then tell me. Let me tell you that I came to Germany about a year ago

and I live in a very lovely city, Bremen,

and I am studying in Hochschule Bremen. Before coming here,

I had taken advice from some seniors and some mentors. And he told that learning German

is very important here otherwise you will feel left alone, you will not be able to socialize, you will

not be able to make friends, you will not be able to interact much with anyone, these people speak English

but learning German is very mandatory here, you will not get jobs. Leave aside jobs

, it becomes difficult even to find a part time job, so today

in this video I will share my experience of how I learned German, how much

time did it take, what tips and tricks I followed and the rest. It is not like a video

in which in every video it is being told that German

is learned effectively, this is how it is learned, you will get 36 types of videos, but here I

am telling you how I learned, if you are interested then watch it.

There are many more videos to watch, you can watch them

, so the first method which you all have to follow, which I also followed and you

also have to do, is that you have to structure the language. It is very important to structure the

language. If you have started learning the German language or

have been learning it for a long time and still you are finding the German language difficult or you

are not interested, then there is a 100% chance that you have not started the language learning yet.

You have not structured a formal system, you have not yet followed it,

you have not created any system, otherwise you would not have faced such problems. What do many of us

do? We start the German language, we start with interest,

we get excited. Wow, they are learning something new, but what happens is that gradually

the interest disappears and then a time comes that they

close the book and say, I will not be able to do it.

This happens only when there is a lack of structure in your language learning pattern, so

it is very important to create a structure, so my seriousness remained constant

because I used to follow a structure and a proper system seriously, that is why I

was able to effectively learn what structure I should follow. I used to tell you this also, see, I

used to start my day with a target, I used to go with a target

that I have to learn at least five to 10 German words in a day. Now those German words

were nouns as well as verbs. There were also adjectives, there were adverbs, there were also props,

there were also gishes, so you will have to learn all this. What many people do is pick up nouns.

For example, if I have to say car, we call car outo, then outo. Then

you should have learned that in German. In I it is called outo, but the article with it is not

kept, they do not learn it, they do not learn it, they learn it later, so the

article that comes with outo is ten, like our English, a and D

does not happen here, Dare D means D, Dare means masculine, D means

fame, N does not mean and D means plural, so these are the four articles which we

have to follow, so what do people do, then we remember the noun. If I have a notebook

in my hand, then notebook is called heft, then you will know that notebook is called heft,

but what article should be used with it, those people do not follow this structure, so

what did I do with nouns when I was learning. I used to write nouns daily and also

write articles for example, if there is a computer, then der computers and

what are they called in plural, D computers, so by doing this, I

started making my words. If there is a wall behind me, then it will be called D wand. And if we say 'dewand' in plural

, then we will have to learn this also because what happens in plural,

whatever the meaning of the word changes, it is not like our English

that it is a computer mouse, so it is called mouse and plural. When we say 'mouse'

then it does not happen here, here a different name is formed, so it

is very important for you to do this. Now you people will ask where to learn this word, then you learn the word 'yours'.

Whatever classes you take, I will tell you which class to take, how

to take it, whether to take it or not, where to take it, but for now,

this is a structure, the first structure which you have to note down. You have to strengthen your vocabulary.

Point number one is this. Okay, second point. After this, what I used to do was that

I

used to go to youtube1 a2 b1 b2. For this, those videos are made up of such levels, so if you

search for them, you will get a lot of them. There are videos, I will also put the link

of very important videos, so you will have to watch that too, so

when I used to follow these videos, the day would start first with word learning, second would be

by revising whatever I have learned in the class. The third was watching German videos.

What was the fourth and last? I used to watch German learning podcasts. You will find many

podcasts. If you search again youtube1 podcast, you

will use this type of keywords. You will get many of them, so you will get a lot to learn from them too.

You can put your level in it and podcasts will come as per your level

. My knowledge had become much stronger than that, so all these were practiced - reading, German

writing, German listening, but what to say about German speaking. You will have to learn,

what did you do for this? There are many apps for language learning.

I am not talking about them here. Lingo or Manli are absolutely bad apps. I

will not recommend them to you at all. Why would I

not recommend it, but apart from this, there are language learning apps in which you

create a community, so if I want to learn the German language, then there

will be many Germans around me and I can talk to them and speak like

this. By doing this, my German speaking was improved and if even this is not done,

then

what is the structure of youtube2, how will you frame the sentence, which preposition, which

adjective, which adverb, where to put it in the sentence, you are

not doing youtube2, I am a I am telling you the reality, you

have a little knowledge or you have been studying the language for a long time but there

is a break, so you want to revise yourself a little, Duolingo is fine for them if you

are a beginner and do not know anything about German at all. So don't take Duolingo,

take an advice from your friend, now how did I start, I started online

coaching, at that time the time of Covid was going on and at that time offline coaching was allowed,

otherwise what did I do, there are many coaching institutes,

it is okay. I was getting good knowledge, I was enjoying a lot, initially it was 10-15 days, it

turned into a month, but what was there in that, isn't it, there are many of us, sometimes we are

not able to show consistency in language learning, many of us Sometimes I used to go and

missed the class, then I did not get that much backup class because there were group classes,

so although I got a lot of knowledge in that class, I did not enjoy it because

I missed a lot in it and I wanted that Whatever class is

according to me, what did I do? I thought that brother, I

want a personal class where I get individual attention and even if I miss the class,

I will not let anything like this happen again if the chapter progresses. And then I

have to request for a backup class. According to me, there will be a class, so I know that

many of us are not able to afford personal classes, but if you can,

then you can invest a little. You must do it, I also did it because look,

everyone's level of learning is different, I

am a bit of an average learner, I am a slow learner, so it took me time to learn, that's why I took personal classes,

then I took personal classes online. Where else did you get Super Prof, there is a website

on Super Prof where you can see the freelancers of different languages,

they are there and their prices are also mentioned and

they always give the first class free, if there is a trial class then ₹ Hour 00 Hour ₹ 5000000 Hour

The prices are according to this, so it is not necessary that there are only professors in this, there are

only experts in this, there are some people in this who are students like you like me,

who have recently completed language learning. B1 B2

is done so that their learning becomes stronger, then

they are teaching you through Super Prof. So if you look for such people,

the advantage of such people is that the cost is a little less. Only those with 50 hours are available.

If you get only those with ₹ 2000000, then learn from such people. I also learned like this and

I did not find any deficiency in learning. This was the best decision of my life and the best

resource. Now it is not that I am running tuition. I did everything on tuition only and

became dependent on that tutor that he is the one who will feed me the solution, now

my work is not over, tuition will only help you at 30, 40, but at 60 you

are your own hard work, your own dedication. If it happens then the routine which I just told you which I

was following earlier remained my continuation and tuition helped me

in better understanding, this is the third benefit of coaching. Now I

talk about the resources which I have mentioned the other resources that

I used to watch like German videos etc. documentaries, I will also tell you about the apps that

I use. First of all, the app that I used was Hello Talk. Hello Talk is a very amazing app and I

trust it . If you install Me Take My Advice, you will not only enjoy it,

you will not find the German language hard at all, you will not find it difficult, it will not

seem like a task, you will have fun, you will meet new people, interact and communicate,

what are your German speaking skills? It will improve a lot. Now let's talk

about the listening videos which I used to watch and which I had started youtube3

Nikoj Veg Nikoj Veg, you will write it right? youtube1 level a2 level b1 level, this

is quite an amazing story and also funny and it will be fun to watch. You are also romantic in it, the whole

meaning is everything in it and it is made for those people who are beginners in German,

I used to watch this and another web series which was

YouTube's Aank, it was a comedy series and I enjoyed it a lot. In a way,

it was like Friends but it was in German and

it is only to improve your German language. So when I started watching such web series,

then when you will follow this step. Neither do you have many other resources.

There are many books which I used to follow and read. One book I

remember is that the first book I brought was Short Stories for German Learning.

My advantage was that My father has a books and stationery shop, so

I went to the shop and picked up any book, but if you cannot do that,

there are not many resources for German reading

, Google 2 level, so you can download these, still I would like to share some I will mention you the links

in the description, so you can download that also as a beginning and

for writing, then look at whatever you are learning, learn to make sentences, I

used to write sentences, what I used to do, five or 10 sentences, whatever I The new words that I had learned, the new

verbs that I had learned, the new nouns that I had learned, the new adjectives that I had learned, so

using them all, I used to make five or 10 sentences daily and write them,

then in this way my writing also became fine. Now the third method. Let's surround yourself with

German. Look, this is very easy to do and also very boring because see

what will happen in surround. When your level is like a beginner, then

you will face some difficulty in surround. Now how to do surround, you know everything. You have to do everything in German,

you have to eat in German, sleep in German, write in German, talk

in German, take bath in German, everything is in German,

talk to your family in German, your family will say, what are you doing? What are you saying? Don't care.

Friends will say that he has gone mad, has he become a fool? How is he talking?

Tell them, brother, you can call me a madman or call me a fool, I do

n't care about me. If you want to improve your German, I will stay like this. You

have to stay with me, otherwise go to hell. I am worried about my career, so I have to go.

I have to improve my life by any means. I want to learn German, so by doing this you will learn

German. You will have to surround yourself, now watch German, you will watch movies, listen to German songs,

initially you will not like it because you will not be able to understand, anything

will be going over your head, one day, two days, it will be a little better, five days more

. It will be better, on the 10th day you will get some understanding, so keep listening till

you get clear understanding, keep listening, keep listening, you

can write this on youtube's for learning German, there

are some easy songs in it, increase your level by doing this. If you start doing this,

if you start following a proper life style then you will

start enjoying, your curiosity will start increasing that yes brother, now I understand and see.

Like I told you about some web series, you will start with these easy ones and gradually

increase your level. If you are not able to understand in the beginning, then we will understand through action only.

Right, I am not even saying that you should torture yourself. But listen and trust me as much as you can,

initially you will face some difficulty but later it will

become very easy for you and you yourself will feel that yes friend Dishant had given very good advice,

initially I was not enjoying it but now. So you are saying that you started out of compulsion,

now you have started enjoying it, so the same will happen with you guys, now what do you

have to do in reading, whatever gadgets you have, whether you have a phone, a laptop, a TV, anything,

you have it. Do not change the language, change it from English to German. I know, initially

you will not be able to read. You will say, 'Dude, what is happening? But the benefit from it will be that

you will note down whatever words you do not know the meaning of. You will see their meanings

and then make them in your notebook along with the same articles and by doing this your

vocabulary will also become stronger and you will also be able to surround yourself, your reading will also

become stronger, so you have to do this in reading, the things which I am telling you. Well, it's

not like you have to throw them out of here after listening to them, you have to follow them, if

you have seriousness then look at the fourth method, stay focused, stay consistent, stay constant. I

would like to remind you that a very important lesson in our life is not

giving. Up but in the end, we humans are full of emotions and sometimes it

happens that we have gone through many stages of life, we have

seen many faces, many times we are very dedicatedly focused in language learning.

They are studying it, they are improving, they are making progress, but sometimes there

are some unlucky people like me, I will not say only unlucky, but there

are people like me who also go through heart breaks, I had a breakup and That

breakup was such that I was completely shattered, those two-three-four months

of my life were such that I was unable to understand it, it felt like

everything was over because I had given so much importance to that person

in my life, in that relationship with him, I forgot that I am also important, I too have

any ambition in my life, any goal, any passion, so many times, I can only say this

that Brother, it is easy to say, it is very difficult to do, only the person to whom it has happened

knows what is going on, but life has to move on,

see, in childhood, we must have seen that many times this used to happen, we got sick. We used to get

sick and to get rid of the disease, we had to take medicine. We did not feel like it. It

was a very bitter medicine but we had to take it. In this case,

you have to understand that brother, it was a disease and now you will have to take medicine. Move ahead. Hey friend, if

someone among you has had a breakup and then you are feeling that you are missing her a lot

or are not able to move forward then just tell her that thank you friend, you have done

good for me. I am doing this for my own growth,

I am thanking you so much and I hope that I will reach far ahead in life and after that

I will say thank you again to you that because of your breakup, you have helped me.

I have been rejected because of that, I am here now, it may have been a little too much, but

it doesn't matter, friend, see, learning is learning, learn from this, I have learned from this also, so you all should

also learn, one more thing which I remember again and again. What I used to think was that I

have already wasted too many years of my life, that is, I have wasted a lot of time in having fun and roaming around at night. All

I was thinking of myself was that

no, I have done enough. And now you have wasted these two-three months, now

don't do more than this, then when such dedication comes in you, then you will keep doing it continuously, you

will keep growing and if you follow the tips and tricks that I have told

you seriously. Will you trust me? You

will thank me from the heart because you will say that yes friend, what Dishan was telling me

was very effective. Today Dishan has told these things to me and due to this my German has improved and

look, I too. I am not an expert in German language, I am still

learning the German language here, but these were the mistakes that I made in my life, I

wasted a lot of time, but I had a passion and a hope that remained

. Yes brother, I can learn, I can learn, I can learn, so he just

helped me to continue this language learning and still I am not an expert.

I am not here, even after coming here I learn, I communicate with the people who come here too. There

is an app called Meetup in German, you can download it by coming here. There are also

language learning meetings in Meetup, in which you can also talk to Germans. You can

go and meet them, you can hang out, you can socialize and

you can meet people who are different

like you, who have come from other countries, from China or from non-German speaking countries. We can practice the language

by talking to each other and doing this, I am slowly growing and

I feel very good because see here, my language is also improving

and I am also socializing. I don't feel left alone, even isolated, I

don't feel free, so I hope whatever I have told you, I have shared my experience, you

all would have liked it. If you liked the video, then please like

this video as much as you can. Share Comment If you have any doubt and if

you have not subscribed to the channel then please subscribe to the channel, then all the people who

are watching this video, I will pray from my heart, I really hope, I truly hope from my

heart that you guys Come to Germany early and learn German

if there is still any problem.