at a standstill

Oh my, when was it ever easy to learn a language. As an adult learner it seems so stilted and endless to start feeling comfortable with pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. I learnt Portuguese and Afrikaans literally by osmosis, so to speak. I think the only way I am ever going to get a handle on this is to go and sit in a village in Germany or other German speaking country, where no speaks English. That was the case in Mozambique. In South Africa we lived in a rural area and we were sent to an Afrikaans primary school. The teachers spoke very basic English and it was a case of sink or swim. Within a term I was speaking, writing and reading, albeit badly. English was our home language.

What a lament! 

Sebongela

Hallo Sebongela,

You're right, learning a new language as an adult is a little different but there are also some advantages. As a mature learner you usually know your prefered learning style and what learning strategies work best to meet your goals. Plus, you already speak more than one language which helps immensely. 

You also don't necessarily have to be in Germany to immerce yourself in the language. There are lots of things you can try to bring German into your everyday life. For example, you can put post-it notes with the name and article on your furniture and objects that you use on a regular basis. You can write your grocery/to-do lists in German. You can even try and think in German, even if it's just about very basic things.

If you feel like you've hit a wall, what about trying something fun, such as watching a movie  in German (with subtitles)? Or you could focus on areas you're struggling with for a while before moving on to the next topic. 

Don't be discouraged, you will get there and remember, learning a new language is a marathon, not a sprint. 

If there is anything in particular you're struggling with, let me know and I'm more than happy to help!

Tschüss!

Julia

Hi again,

I just wanted to add, have you seen our 'Expert Tips' at the end of each Interactive Audio lesson? There are lots of helpful tips and techniques to help you get the hang of German as effectively as possible.

Grüße,

Julia

Hi Julia

Thank you for those tips and the encouragement. I am not struggling and am still really passionate and enthusiastic about learning Italian and German. Just as a child it was more effortless and more sub-concious than actually making a choice to learn as a adult. I have an Austrian friend and she and I were having coffee. She quoted an idiom and I was thrilled to understand every word. Also have a delightful German penfriend and she writes in English, but does put in German sentences, which is great too.

Danke

Sebongela

Hallo Sebongela,

That's great to hear! Keep up with the great work!

Grüße,

Julia