Do you want to learn how to read German? Good for you! Learning to read German (Deutsch) is a worthwhile endeavor you should try to achieve. German is not terribly difficult to read because there are many words an English reader will already recognize. Since most Americans only know English, you should be one of the few and proud who reaches out to expand your world. Maybe you had some German in high school long ago or have some German ancestry, then plow further into learning German so that you can really use it! Or maybe you have to learn to read German for your education. For those who pursue graduate level education a reading knowledge of German is often one of the requirements. Whether you are required to learn German or just have a healthy curiosity to learn it, then this article can briefly point you in the right direction. The goal is to read German and with these practical suggestions you will be on your way to that goal. I had to gather all these suggestions piecemeal when I learned to read German, but hopefully you can benefit from what I learned through my process.
No matter what your level of German is, you must master a list of the most common vocabulary. This can easily be found on various websites or in books about learning German at the library or a bookstore. Get your hands on some of these lists and yes you will have to memorize them. Many of the words are similar to English, which will make it easier. Make flash cards to help drill yourself. Use them while you are standing in line at the store or other times when you have a few minutes to drill yourself. Mastering this list will greatly set you toward your goal of reading German.
After you have mastered some of the essential words, now you can seek out basic German texts. One helpful way to start if you are familiar with the Bible is to get a German Bible. These can be found used through various websites or there even are some websites that list the German Bible text for you. Because you are already familiar with the English Bible, reading well-known passages in German over and over will implant in your mind further vocabulary words as well as acclimating yourself to German grammar. One approach is to scan through the English passage first, maybe 10-20 verses, and then plow through the German. Going back and forth one verse at a time is acceptable to get you started, but not advisable to continue very long. For some words, do check the English, or look in a German dictionary to expand your vocabulary. Over time force yourself to take larger chunks of German and you will find that you understand more and more of what you read. Your vocabulary will expand just by reading the German. Try even to read through entire books of the Bible over and over. Your mind has an amazing capability of processing and understanding language.
You should also try to find other basic German texts on websites or through German beginner books. Fairy tales are fun to try, since they are already well known. Read them over and over, and you will find that you start to understand more and more. You might also get a newspaper or find news through a German website. Find an area you already know a good bit about, like sports, entertainment or politics. Read through it over and over, and your mind will continue to process vocabulary and grammar so that you begin to understand more and more.
So far, the above suggestions have been basic without suggesting a textbook. This is intentional as you should really craft your learning toward your area of interest. If you are interested in German entertainment and culture, then push yourself and plunge into it now. If you are required to learn to read academic German in your field of study, maybe in science or religion, then seek out articles and texts that are in that area. Especially helpful is if you can find something in German that already has an English translation. This is gold because you can first read through a paragraph in English and then plow through that paragraph in German. Circle key words to learn and memorize them. Read it over and over, and you will find that your mind processes more and more so that you are on you way to your goal. Warning: Getting to the point of reading scholarly and technical German in the sciences, social sciences, and humanities can be done but it will take a larger investment of time. For example, learning to read modern theological German or advanced literary texts is not a quick and easy achievement, but it can be done. Solid work every day will get you to your goal.
Alongside the above, or preferably after you have spent some time on your own plowing through some basic German, you should get a general dictionary. No need to spend lots of money on one because you can find plenty at used bookstores or on the web. You may also seek out a dictionary tailored to your interest as well. There are also many websites easily found, and you may find some that are tailored to your interest. There are also many programs that can be purchased as well, but spending lots of money is not necessary or advisable to truly learn to read German.
There are several books that are tailored toward learning to read more advanced German that I would suggest you find through your library. They can also be purchased new or used as well. I found one of the best to be German for Reading by Karl C. Sandberg and John R. Wendel. Another very helpful and humorous book is German Quickly by April Wilson. Also worth a look is German for Reading Knowledge by Hubert Jannach. These books, and others you may come across, will be helpful for learning vocabulary, understanding the grammar, and providing texts to read and re-read.
However, do not expect to quickly read German in just a few weeks. If you work a little each day, at least a solid twenty to thirty minutes, then you will advance toward your goal. It will be a few months to really see great progress but plunge on because the more you work at it the better you will get. At some point between six months and one year, you will truly gain a solid grasp. For advanced German, it will take at least a year to really get to the point that you can navigate through a German text with some facility. Keep at it! Do not give up! Every time you read a text, you get closer toward your goal of reading German better and better. Read it over and over until you have mastered it. Review previous texts to check yourself.
The above suggestions might appear too haphazard or even schizophrenic, but I have found that the best approach is through your own interests. Spending lots of money is completely unnecessary. Coming at German head-on by first plowing through basic texts is much more helpful, cheaper, and fun! Your mind is an untapped resource that can learn any language. Force it to grasp German and believe it or not you will learn to read German. Now go find some German and get going!
