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Would you like to learn more German?
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- Category: German vocabulary
Today is the first day of Hanukkah (or Chanukka...no matter which way you spell it, it's the Festival of Lights!) It's the perfect opportunity for you to learn about Chanukka - auf Deutsch!
Currently there are approximately 98,500 members of Jewish communities in Germany. These members are a part of about 110 Jewish communities all around Germany, which you can read about here.
More on Chanukka - auf Deutsch!
When you've learned the vocabulary words, try reading this short article on Chanukka.
Want to try your hand at baking Sufganijot? Try this German recipe here.
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- Category: German culture and food
'Tis the season for concerts of the Messiah, composed by German composer Georg Friedrich Händel. (Which means I'm off to sing this weekend so I'm publishing this blog post early for you.) According to the legend, he locked himself in a room and composed night and day; according to his notes, he did write the entire piece in 24 days. The original autograph (what Händel wrote) was 259 pages long (source).
Here are 5 facts you might not have known about Händel:
1. Händel was born in 1685 in Halle, Germany. This was the same year Johann Sebastian Bach was born.
2. It's traditional in the English-speaking world to stand when the performers begin the Hallelujah Chorus. This tradition began supposedly when the Messiah was being performed in London and King George II stood. We've all been following suit ever since (source).
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- Category: Reading German
Amended: This post now includes 8 Easy German Book recommendations for A1-level learners,
3 from adult literature and 5 from young adult literature.
All of the books listed here are A1 books, however if you look in a bookstore, make sure you look for an emblem or a marking with the EU flag and/or "A1" on it. No matter where you buy it, I recommend you purchase a physical copy so you can take notes in the book and also so you can use the included audio/mp3 download with the book.
These are books I recommend for you for several reasons:
- You're in a class and you'd like more homework. (Yes, you can ask for more homework.)
- You love to read.
- You'd like to read a German story book, but you aren't sure where to start.
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- Category: Speaking German
Assertiveness, old German ladies, and "gut."
Do you hail from the middle of the country? Nothing kicks the Midwest out of you like German, as Laura F. wrote in response to last week's post:
Growing up in the Midwest, one of the principles I absorbed was that it is terrible to hurt other people's feelings. In my early adulthood, I was really too agreeable for my own good. In Germany, living in their culture and using their language, I learned to be more assertive. It was in German that I first told people things like, "No, I'm not going to give you money," or "Leave me alone."
These are incredibly valuable lessons, especially for women who were not taught to make a fuss when they need to make a fuss. It's like those boundaries are simply clearer and they come through the German culture.
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- Category: Speaking German
For some people, German truly changes their lives. I know it did for me--I had never actually learned to speak a foreign language before and it opened up a whole new world of experiences, literature, travel, media, music, and more. Learning to put that verb alllll the way at the end of the sentence helped me think in larger, more encompassing thoughts, which changed how I planned what I wanted to say.
A lot of my clients have had life-altering changes by learning German and I want to share a few of them with you. I also want to hear how German has changed your life (or how you want to or will change your life by learning German!), so be sure to submit your story via the contact form!
So, los geht's!
Understand your German partner/spouse/friend so much better.
1. Have fewer fights with your German spouse.
Long-term relationships are hard. A Long-term relationship with someone who has a very different understanding of the world can be even more challenging, especially if you are married to one and you are not familiar with cornerstones of German culture, one of them being routines.
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