6 Effective, Yet Fun Ways to Learn German

German isn't the easiest language to learn. Their use of declensions is among the most unique among European languages, comparable in some degree to that of some Slavic languages such as Russian and Ukrainian. Still, it is fun to learn, if only for the fact that Germans are infamous for pairing up words with one another in whimsical and creative ways. Grab yourself a German dictionary and you'll be guaranteed to smile at those word formations. There are more than a few fun ways to learn German. Let's look at some of them.

Be literal. Look up German words on the Internet

The place where all the memes and all the dad jokes go is a worldwide known basket of information called the Internet. There you' will find ways to translate or straight-up read words in foreign languages. As mentioned, Germans have a penchant for linking words in ways that just might make sense. Look them up whenever you're feeling lebensmude (life tired).

Get a learning app

No jokes, there are great. They play short fanfares whenever you pass a test, they reward you with points for doing your homework and they offer word games for you to play during recess. You'll find a few free ones if you dig them online, though languages schools also encourage you to download their own.

Watch a movie or series with subtitles

Think of that one episode you've watched over a dozen times or that one movie you can quote without even trying. Those would be the perfect tools for you to use while learning a new language, since you would already know the words, all you had to now was translate them to German and potentially binge-watch that first season while you do it.

Look up German songs

You would be surprised at Germany's wild array of contributions to music. Between folk and heavy metal, there is a ton of choice for curious listeners. Music is one of the lifelong friends of learning, as it enhances memory and triggers your listening skills. Again, use the internet, use music apps and listen to Germany's greatest hits and always remember to sing along.

Organize a meet-up

Be it through your school, university, or online forum, it has never been easier to interact with fellow language students. You can either look-up existing meet-ups or start your own one. This way you'll get to practice the language through both speaking and listening. You'll become an active learner instead of just a passive one. You'll find some great people along the way.

Change the language on your phone

Imagine how your daily routine might feel like when once you have completely immersed yourself in a foreign language, how your subconscious will be bombarded with keywords and instructions. Imagine how fluent you can become on basic commands such as read this or change that. Iphones will even allow changing add a language to your keyboard so that you can actually text a friend in German without even trying.