[basilmabraham]

Originally Posted by JVH

+1 to whatever black rider has posted. Goethe is a good place to learn. Another place is Max Muller.

Viel Glück!

Edit - In India, Goethe is Max Mueller. My bad for that mistake!!!

I studied for German A1 from Goethe Institut Tirvandrum during my stint in Allianz. It was pretty easy for me as I started the course after my return from Germany. The two years in Germany really helped me to pickup the language. The course was done just for the certificate. So, like all posts above, being in the vicinity of people who speak the language is the best way to learn it. Various websites, voice tutorials and institutes like Goethe help a lot.

My wife was able to pick up the language at a volkshochschule in Munich. She went there for 2 months and was able to get daily conversational ability. We both stopped when we got to the grammar part.

Currently learning some Yorùbá, a Nigeria language as part of my job. its not easy.

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by black_rider

The best way to learn a foreign language is to live where the language is natively spoken. That way you are exercising your learning throughout the day. If this is not possible, the next best is to join a classroom course, like at Goethe. They have some native speakers too for teachers. And their method of teaching assists you in naturally learning the language.

Originally Posted by JVH

+1 to whatever black rider has posted. Goethe is a good place to learn. Another place is Max Muller.

Edit - In India, Goethe is Max Mueller. My bad for that mistake!!!

Originally Posted by avikannan

Hi friend,

I had done B1 from Goethe institute(max mueller bhavan , both are same) , and then was in germany for 3years , i can with experiance say that the way this institute teaches is best. Their teaching methods are same everywhere , be it india or their center in germany itself.
Tschuuus und Alles gute!

Wunderbar ! (Wonderful)

I have enrolled for German classes at Goethe Institut, classes are really good. Once I complete A1 level and get confidence, can I directly appear for B1 level or intermediate A2 level is also required? Also how difficult is B1 (considering the transition from A1->A2->

Originally Posted by basilmabraham

I studied for German A1 from Goethe Institut Tirvandrum during my stint in Allianz. It was pretty easy for me as I started the course after my return from Germany. The two years in Germany really helped me to pickup the language. The course was done just for the certificate. So, like all posts above, being in the vicinity of people who speak the language is the best way to learn it. Various websites, voice tutorials and institutes like Goethe help a lot.

Any websites you recommend for learners?

She went there for 2 months and was able to get daily conversational ability. We both stopped when we got to the grammar part.

I am going bonkers with the grammar part (masculine / feminine etc), Basil any tips for grammar and pronunciation? Specially those long names.

Spike

[black_rider]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

Wunderbar ! (Wonderful)

Any websites you recommend for learners?

I am going bonkers with the grammar part (masculine / feminine etc), Basil any tips for grammar and pronunciation? Specially those long names.

Spike

Do not refer websites now. Nor the dictionary; esp. the Anglo-German one. Learn like kids do. Do not try to relate it with other languages you know. Because all languages have some things peculiar which cannot be translated/do not have anything corresponding in any other language.

Watch DW-TV. Make yourself more familiar with the sounds of the language. This is what we were told in A1. Dictionaries were "verboten" (banned) till B2, I think. Read simple text for pronunciation.

Pronunciation is pretty straightforward in German. All vowels and their combos have their specific sounds. There are other rules and exceptions as well. But its all pretty simple. Not like English

[basilmabraham]

I agree with bloack_rider, the pronounciation is pretty simple when compared to English. A is always pronounced A, U is always U etc... learn the basics from the book supplied by Goethe. Which one are you enrolled in? Trivandrum? Talk to Frau Sudha there, she is a great tutor, quote my name, I am sure she remembers me. (Basil from Allianz)

I had downloaded a few mp3 tutorials which you can listen to. They teach you basic pronounciation and word usages. Do not try to learn all in one day, will confuse you, demotivate you and will help you in no way. Learn like the kids are learning in LKG, learn the pronounciation of each letter, put them into simple words, learn how the letters are pronounced in the words, and so on. Take one step at a time and it will all fall into place.

[SPIKE ARRESTOR]

Originally Posted by black_rider

Do not refer websites now. Nor the dictionary; esp. the Anglo-German one. Learn like kids do. Do not try to relate it with other languages you know.

Originally Posted by basilmabraham

Which one are you enrolled in? Trivandrum? Talk to Frau Sudha there, she is a great tutor, quote my name, I am sure she remembers me. (Basil from Allianz)

They teach you basic pronounciation and word usages. Do not try to learn all in one day, will confuse you, demotivate you and will help you in no way. Learn like the kids are learning in LKG, learn the pronounciation of each letter, put them into simple words, learn how the letters are pronounced in the words, and so on. Take one step at a time and it will all fall into place.

Thank you guys, that is indeed helpful.

Basil, I have not enrolled in Trivandrum. As you guys said, I will stick to the material from Goethe, the book itself seems quite exhaustive.

I had downloaded a few mp3 tutorials which you can listen to.

Any more info on these mp3 tutorials, links if any?

Spike

[basilmabraham]

Originally Posted by SPIKE ARRESTOR

Any more info on these mp3 tutorials, links if any?
Spike

I do not remember the link now, I have the files with me in my laptop at Cochin. I am now in Nigeria for a few months, so cant access them. IIRC I downloaded them through torrent, search for 'German Tutorial' or something similar in Extratorrent.

[pganapathy]

Bom dia (good morning), boa tarde (good afternoon) e bom noite (good night) to all of you in Portuguese.

Meu carro e muito rapido (If only this were true, it translates as my car is very fast).

Given that Portuguese is my second language (20 years of calling Mozambique home does that to you) I could put in a lot more here but will refrain from doing so.

[avikannan]

Originally Posted by pganapathy

Bom dia (good morning), boa tarde (good afternoon) e bom noite (good night) to all of you in Portuguese.

Meu carro e muito rapido (If only this were true, it translates as my car is very fast).

Given that Portuguese is my second language (20 years of calling Mozambique home does that to you) I could put in a lot more here but will refrain from doing so.

Its quite similar to español right? Mi carro es mui rapido!!

[Abhay]

^ mi coche es muy rapido - would be the español version...
and yes sorry to be a grammar nazi

I did a bit of German back in college so can't remember anything apart from the basics, but spanish is something which is very close to my heart. I have learnt it and can read/write well enough..speaking is slightly more problematic since I don't get much if any practice .

Portuguese by association isn't very difficult to understand either.

[avikannan]

Originally Posted by Abhay

^ mi coche es muy rapido - would be the español version...
and yes sorry to be a grammar nazi

I did a bit of German back in college so can't remember anything apart from the basics, but spanish is something which is very close to my heart. I have learnt it and can read/write well enough..speaking is slightly more problematic since I don't get much if any practice .

Portuguese by association isn't very difficult to understand either.

Abhay , thanks for the correction , but CARRO is also used by columbians & venenzuelans . Pls correct if i'm wrong.

[Abhay]

most likely yes, South Americans have a very different vocab to the spaniards when it comes to colloquial stuff - due to the geographical/cultural differences and influence of native languages and customs (pre Spanish rule). even with *cough* abusive language :

[girishglg]

Originally Posted by pganapathy

Bom dia (good morning), boa tarde (good afternoon) e bom noite (good night) to all of you in Portuguese.

Meu carro e muito rapido (If only this were true, it translates as my car is very fast).

Given that Portuguese is my second language (20 years of calling Mozambique home does that to you) I could put in a lot more here but will refrain from doing so.

Surely languages such as Portuguese are getting more and more popular with clients acquisitions from the African continent especially in the IT sector many African nations have it as atleast one of their major languages. Not sure if there are training centers in our country who teach languages such as Portuguese which may not be as mainstream as the popular ones - German and French

[pganapathy]

Originally Posted by girishglg

Surely languages such as Portuguese are getting more and more popular with clients acquisitions from the African continent especially in the IT sector many African nations have it as atleast one of their major languages. Not sure if there are training centers in our country who teach languages such as Portuguese which may not be as mainstream as the popular ones - German and French

Portugal was one of the smaller colonial masters. Spain conquered a lot more than them. There are only 5 african countries, then there is Brazil and Portugal, thus seven in total that speak portuguese. The other places are Goa, Macao and East Timor, which were just small Portuguese naval bases if you will, rather than entire countries they conquered.

Still, there are places where you can learn Portuguese, but it is not remotely as main stream, except possibly in Goa and Daman & Diu.

[mjumrani]

Guys I am planning to do my Masters in Germany and I wanted to do a course in the language.
My friends in Germany say that Max Mueller is over-rated.
I live in Delhi, so is there some other place I could join?

[Abhay]

In what way is Max Mueller over-rated? If you are in a hurry, it is your best bet. There are plenty of private tutors around as well (atleast here) but not sure why MM should not be good enough for you (assuming it is a beginner/intermediate course you need)