So, is German easy to learn? This is a question asked by many prospective learners before embarking on a new language journey. The truth is that German, like any language, has its hurdles to overcome. However, it is a language that can be mastered with the right approach, mindset, and professional guidance like native tutors. Do you know how many people speak German? There are about 134 million German speakers worldwide, so you’ll have plenty of conversation to catch up on once you learn!
From its logical grammatical structures to shared linguistic roots with English, there are more reasons why German might be easier to master than you think. We’ll explore these aspects which make German more accessible and which hurdles you can overcome with practice.
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Debunking the myth that “German is hard to learn”
When people think about learning German, they often imagine guttural or challenging pronunciations and extremely long words. This perception is more myth than reality. In fact, not only is English considered a Germanic language, the two tongues also share a surprising 60% lexical similarity, meaning much of the two languages’ vocabulary is similar to each other in form and meaning.
By highlighting the similarities of German and English and learning why German’s slower speech can be a significant advantage for new learners, you’ll see that German is not as difficult as it may seem.
Is German easy to learn for an English speaker?
It absolutely can be! As both languages are considered Germanic, many commonalities are shared between English and German. Sentence structures are often comparable, with both languages utilizing a subject-verb-object word order. You’ll also find it easy to adopt much of the vocabulary like with German verbs and German numbers, as this language shares many similar words with English.
Check out these German terms which are strikingly similar to their English equivalents:
- Gras (grass)
- Foto (photo)
- Mann (man)
- Knie (knee)
- Glas (glass)
These linguistic similarities provide a solid starting point and common ground for English speakers, making the journey to fluency in German smoother and more enjoyable.
Germans speak slower
One common misconception is that native German speakers talk very rapidly, so people think the learning curve for listening and understanding German is much steeper. In reality, a study by François Pellegrino at the University of Lyon has proven that Germans tend to speak more slowly compared to other languages like French, Spanish, and Italian. This slower pace can be a significant advantage for learners, allowing more time to process and comprehend what is being said.
See how the speed at which Germans talk is compared to other languages in the chart below.
| Language | Syllables Spoken Per Second |
| German | 5.97 (± 0.19) |
| English | 6.19 (± 0.16) |
| French | 7.18 (± 0.12) |
| Italian | 6.99 (± 0.23) |
| Spanish | 7.82 (± 0.16) |
| Mandarin | 5.18 (± 0.15) |
| Vietnamese | 5.22 (± 0.08) |
| Japanese | 7.84 (± 0.09) |
German sentence structure is similar
English speakers may find German easy to learn since they share many similar approaches to sentence structure. This is due to their similar linguistic roots and many aspects of similar grammar rules between both languages. Like seeing a familiar face, these comparable features feel comfortable to those who are starting to learn the German language.
As you start to form simple sentences, you’ll likely notice that German follows an order of putting the subject first, then the verb, and lastly the object in the same way that English does. This is known as subject-verb-object order or “SVO” for short. Recognizing this pattern will help you form your first German expressions with ease.
For example, Ich esse Käse translates directly to “I eat cheese.” In both languages, the subject “I” comes first, followed by the verb for “to eat.” Finally the object “cheese” sits at the end of the sentence. This similarity in sentence structure is a familiar foundation on which a new learner can stand to make constructing and understanding simple sentences easier.
Long German words are easy to break down
German is a highly modular language, meaning it often combines shorter words into longer words to express more complex ideas. This is a huge advantage for those looking to learn German, as this shortens the overall list of vocabulary needed for fluent communication and makes longer words more accessible to understand and pronounce.
The structure of German compound words follows a logical pattern made up of three components:
- Root words: These are smaller words that are the main concept of the compound word.
- Example: The smaller word Tag (day) in the word Geburtstagsgeschenk (birthday gift).
- Connectors: Connecting elements are sometimes included in longer words to ensure a smoother pronunciation or to add clarity.
- Example: The “s” between tag- (day) and –geschenk (gift) in the word Geburtstagsgeschenk smooths the pronunciation where the two instances of “g” are used.
- Modifiers: These are additional words which are added to the root word to add specificity to the overall term.
- Example: Adding Geburt (birth) to the root word Tag (day) transforms the word into Geburtstag (birthday).
Here are some examples of lengthy German words and how they may be broken down to be better understood:
- Geburtstagsgeschenk (birthday gift)
- Geburt (birth) + Tag (day) + Geschenk (gift)
- Handschuhschneeballwerfer (one who throws snowballs while wearing gloves)
- Handschuh (glove) + Schnee (snow) + Ball (ball) + Werfer (thrower)
- Aufmerksamkeitsdefizithyperaktivitätsstörung (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder)
- Aufmerksamkeit (attention) + Defizit (Deficit) + Hyperaktivität (hyperactivity) + Störung (disorder)
Challenges learners face when wondering if German is easy to learn
While linguistic similarities and slower talking speeds make German accessible for many language learners, it’s a given that there are challenges that can arise during the voyage of learning. Unpacking long, eye-popping words like Nahrungsmittelunverträglichkeit (food intolerance) or adapting to new grammatical rules like gendered nouns can be tricky for beginners.
In this section, we’ll dive into specific challenges in more detail and provide some clarity to help you navigate them. By understanding and addressing these challenges, you’ll be better equipped to find the best way to learn German that works for you!
German words can be really long
On the challenging side of the word-length conversation, the German language can produce long words since the language has an extraordinary way of forming compound words to express complicated concepts and ideas in a single word. Unlike English, which might use many words to describe something, German combines many parts of speech like adjectives and nouns into one extensive word.
These words may seem intimidating to pronounce at first, but it’s important to realize that these behemoth terms are usually just composed of smaller, more manageable parts. This is the trick to pronouncing even the longest, most intimidating German words, which makes learning German easier. By breaking long words into their smaller word components, you’re able to focus on pronouncing multiple small words rather than the full length of the word all at once.
For example, Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft (Danube Steamship Navigation Company) is comprised of these words:
- Donau (Danube, pronounced “DOH-now”)
- Dampf (steam, pronounced “DAHMPF”, with “pf” being one sound)
- Schiff (ship, pronounced “SHIFF”)
- fahrt (to travel/ride, pronounced “FAHRT”)
- Gesellschaft (company, pronounced “guh-ZELL-shahft”)
To pronounce Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft like a pro, simply read out the pronunciation of each component of this word in the order listed above for a result of “DOH-now-DAHMPF-SHIFF-FAHRT-guh-ZELL-shahft.” Once you master the act of breaking down these words, you’ll be an expert in pronouncing any German word that may cross your path!
Mastering gender rules for nouns
How can a fork be considered feminine while an apple is masculine? It’s simple, just speak about them in German! Every noun in German, from apples to cars and men to women, is assigned one of three grammatical genders: masculine, feminine, or neuter.
These gendered nouns can at times seem arbitrary. For instance, Auto (car) is considered neuter, while Apfel (apple) is masculine, and Banane (banana) is feminine. These assigned genders have a reaching impact on your communication, affecting adjectives, articles, pronouns, and more.
English does not have gender rules for all nouns, only the usual articles: “a,” “an,” and “the.” Many other languages utilize grammatical gender rules, but native English speakers will need to learn a whole new concept as they learn German.
However, there are plenty of tricks to help you with this crucial aspect of German grammar. An easy tip is to look at the ending of the given noun, as many endings are associated directly with a grammatical gender.
- If the noun ends in -ig, -ling, -mus, -us, -or, -en, -er, then it’s most likely masculine
- Examples: Materialismus (materialism), Frühling (spring)
- Should the noun end in -in, -ion, -heit, -keit, -schaft, -ei, -ur, -ik, -tät, -anz, or -ie, chances are that it’s feminine
- Examples: Geschellschaft (society), Mathematik (mathematics)
- When a noun ends in -tum, -chen, -lein, -ment, or -um, then you likely are looking at a neuter noun
- Examples: Märchen (fairy tale), Datum (date)
Remembering the correct gender for each noun requires practice and memorization, but there are patterns and rules that can ease this initial hurdle in learning German.
Learning about the four cases
The secret to unlocking even the most complex expressions in German is learning about the four grammatical cases you’ll encounter. These cases indicate the role of a noun or pronoun within a sentence and gives essential grammatical context to what is being communicated. These four cases are called nominativ (nominative), akkusativ (accusative), dativ (dative), and genitiv (genitive). Notice how similar the words for these cases are between English and German, making them easier to memorize.
Each case is used for a unique purpose, as outlined below.
- Nominativ (nominative case): Used for the subject of the sentence, showing who or what is performing the action.
- In the sentence Der Vogel singt (The bird sings), Der Vogel is the subject of the sentence and is in the nominative case.
- Akkusativ (accusative case): Used to show when a noun or pronoun is the direct object in the sentence. This means it is receiving the action of the sentence, rather than performing the action.
- In the sentence Ich sehe den Vogel (I see the bird), den Vogel is the direct object since it is being seen, rather than the one who is seeing. Therefore, den Vogel is in the accusative case.
- Dativ (dative case): Used to show the direct object of the sentence. A direct object is a noun or pronoun to whom or for whom the action is being performed.
- In the sentence Ich gebe dem Hund einen Knochen (I give the dog a bone), dem Hund is in the dative case since it’s the direct object to whom the bone was given by the subject of the sentence.
- Genetiv (genitive case): Shows possession or relationship, usually between nouns. In English, this is often referred to as the possessive case.
- In the sentence Das ist das Haus des Mannes (That is the man’s house), des Mannes is in the genitive case because the man owns the home.
Many learners find that familiarizing themselves with common words that trigger each case can help with this aspect of German. Words such as für (for), which is always followed by the accusative case, and mit (with), which requires the dative case, are great indicators on how to properly form your sentences. While German cases may initially seem complex, learning them is easier with memory tips such as these and practice.
Getting a handle on German pronunciation and umlauts
It’s normal to be a little intimidated by the pronunciation of German words, but the truth is that pronunciation rules are more consistent in German than in English. If you’re familiar with how to pronounce the differences between the words “tough,” “through,” “bought,” and “dough” in English, then you’ll have no issue picking up the rules of German pronunciation!
German is largely considered a phonetic language, meaning that words are mostly pronounced how they’re spelled. English words like “bologna” and logic-defying endings like “-ough” which can be pronounced several ways. But German words like danke (thank you, pronounced “dan-kuh”) and Lebensmittel (groceries, pronounced “lay-bens-mit-tel”) remain consistent in their pronunciation rules and can easily be sounded out. Knowing this can help build your confidence in tackling longer words in German.
Umlauted vowels (ä, ö, and ü) are often tricky for German learners to pronounce, as they do not appear in English. These are vowels with a marking of two dots above them, and they’re pronounced a bit differently than their unmarked counterparts. This chart can help you learn how to pronounce each umlauted vowel.
| Umlaut Vowel | How to Pronounce |
| ö | Form an “o,” and pronounce the sound similar to the “e” in “her.” |
| ü | Say “ee” like in “cheese,” but round your lips to make an “o” sound. |
| ä | Pronounced like the “e” in the English word “bet”. |
Practice is essential for mastering pronunciation. Don’t be afraid to mimic the sounds you hear from native speakers or to repeat words with which you have some trouble. Over time, this will become more natural as you adjust to new pronunciation rules.
Frequently asked questions about learning German
“Is German easy to learn?” won’t be the only question you have when considering adding German fluency to your skill list. Check out the answers to other frequently asked questions about if the German language is easy to learn.
How long does it take to learn German?
While this varies depending on your level of practice and exposure to the language, many learners reach a conversational level in around 6-12 months. A very high level of professional fluency may take up to 3 years or longer. Rosetta Stone offers over 200+ hours of training for full German proficiency through immersive learning rather than memorization.
What level of German is considered fluent?
Fluency in European languages like German is widely determined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). This framework organizes language proficiency into six levels (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2). A1 is considered the lowest level of fluency and C2 is the highest level of fluency.
For example, German speakers at a B2 level are considered proficient or fluent and are capable of a variety of conversations, reading texts, and writing on various subjects they’ve encountered. Rosetta Stone aligns with CEFR so learners are set up to speak confidently in any setting as they learn new languages.
Are there any tips for improving my German pronunciation?
Listening to native speakers and regular practice can greatly improve your German accent and intonation. Consider checking out the TruAccent speech recognition engine offered by Rosetta Stone for detailed and direct feedback on your pronunciation.
What should I focus on first when learning German?
Those just starting to learn German will find it helpful to focus on building a strong foundation in simple grammar rules, practical phrases, and basic vocabulary like numbers and family members. Once you have a solid grasp of these building blocks, you’ll find more complex aspects of German easier to learn.
How important is cultural understanding when learning German?
While it’s entirely possible to speak German without knowing anything about German culture, engaging in traditions like German holidays and cuisine can make the experience of learning a new language much more rewarding and enjoyable. Your motivation is your greatest asset in language acquisition and is worth investing in by enriching your learning experience with cultural context through stories in the Rosetta Stone App. They’re told by native speakers so you can get to know the culture as you learn the language!
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