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Need help choosing a German course

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Greendog
Triglot
Groupie
United States
Joined 5273 days ago

47 posts - 52 votes 
Speaks: English*, French, Spanish
Studies: German

 
 Message 1 of 5
05 February 2011 at 8:30pm | IP Logged 
Hi everyone,

So for the longest time I've been trying to teach myself German. I had a couple course books for German prior to my decision, and I also bought two new ones. However, none really catch my interest (except Assimil, but there's a problem with it for me), and have made me near leave German with the exception of talking to Germans online to study other languages.

The books I have are: The Everything Learning German Book which I got when I was very little, and moves way too slowly I think, German Made Simple - this one is ok, but I'm not crazy about the format - Teach Yourself German, way too slow and easy and completely shies away from grammar, and the Assimil Course. I like the Assimil Course, but I feel like I want to have a traditional basic course before I start the Assimil (I keep forgetting the cases while I do Assimil).

I like to approach languages with a pretty grammar heavy approach first and then move on to Assimil, or courses like that. I bought Essential German Grammar with the intention of using that as my primer, but it warns in the beginning that one should not use it as a textbook.

Does anyone have any suggestions of courses? Thanks in advance!

Edited by Greendog on 05 February 2011 at 8:32pm

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zekecoma
Senior Member
United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5347 days ago

561 posts - 655 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: German, Spanish

 
 Message 2 of 5
05 February 2011 at 8:53pm | IP Logged 
Cases should be easy to remember. Think of it this way:
Nominative - Think of nominative as you want to nominate someone or something (Subject)
Accusative - Accusing someone or something (Direct Object)
Dative - You're dating someone and they don't live with you (Indirect Object)
Genitive - I can't really come up with something for that (Possession)
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Elexi
Senior Member
United Kingdom
Joined 5568 days ago

938 posts - 1840 votes 
Speaks: English*
Studies: French, German, Latin

 
 Message 3 of 5
05 February 2011 at 8:56pm | IP Logged 
Hugo German in 3 Months is heavily grammar based, although it doesn't use the traditional grammar terminology normally used in German, but instead uses English grammar terminology (i.e. Accusative becomes Direct Object or DO, Dative - Indirect Object or IO). I found the chapter on how prepositions effect case changes to be the best out there.

You could try the Living Language Ultimate Beginner-Intermediate course (which I like).

Or alternatively Living German: A Grammar based Course

Edited by Elexi on 05 February 2011 at 9:32pm

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Greendog
Triglot
Groupie
United States
Joined 5273 days ago

47 posts - 52 votes 
Speaks: English*, French, Spanish
Studies: German

 
 Message 4 of 5
05 February 2011 at 9:23pm | IP Logged 
Zekecoma, it's not what they mean as it is the articles that go with them. Accusative is easy, but I just tend to forget how to decline words in the other cases when I use the Assimil and then I have to keep looking back at older lessons.

Elexi, thanks for the suggestions! I was looking at the Living Language course (I used one for French which was great), but it seems to be out of print for German and I was having trouble finding a copy. That Living German book sounds great! I think I'll try it out.
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Cammela
Tetraglot
Newbie
Senegal
Joined 5056 days ago

28 posts - 31 votes
Speaks: French*, ItalianC2, Spanish, GermanB2

 
 Message 5 of 5
06 February 2011 at 10:16pm | IP Logged 
Ich glaube, dass :

Assimil 1986      *****
Assimil perfectionnement *****
Assimil 1950      ****
Assimil 2004      ***
Tys         &nb sp;     **
Tys further       *****    
Colloquial        **

MT(too basic)     ***
Rocket          &n bsp;  *
Linguaphone       **
Deutsche Welle     ***
Deutschkurs       ****
Bbc         &nb sp;     **

Hugo         &n bsp;    **
Lingq         & nbsp;   **
Livemocha        *
Busuu         & nbsp;   ****

Ultimate II       ***
Themen          &n bsp;  **
Lagune          &n bsp;  ***
Schritte        &nbs p; ****
Routledge        ***

De Agostini       ***** cum laude;-)
Strokes          ;  ****
Tell me more      ***
Rosetta Stone     *
Pimsleur(basic)       &nb sp;    *
15-minute German(basic)    *****
Hammer's German grammar    *****
A conciseve German grammar ***
Berlitz think and talk German *****



Edited by Cammela on 08 February 2011 at 5:59am



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