Why You Should Learn German
Welcome back to Matteo's World of German!
Snowy Zethau, Sachsen. Certainly not an April Fool's joke!
Before I started working on a blog which I had in mind several years ago, I started to reflect on the 7 weeks I spent volunteering in Germany between March and April 2016. I spent a considerable about of time in towns and communities in which I could never imagine existed before then. It was an experience and a half. Whilst I'm over the age where I can participate in the Internationaler Bauorden projects, in which I worked with others on construction and outdoor projects, the experience gave me a great insight into the language and life in Germany. I would have loved any opportunity to go back and spend another seven weeks over there.
Dresden, Sachsen
Unfortunately, life got in the way. I had to settle down with full time work. I also found myself in a relationship which broke apart. But then in the autumn of 2017, just as I felt like becoming a free spirit, I found another relationship (7 years later, and my partner and I are getting married this year).
Planning that yearly trip to Germany wasn't so easy when I moved into my own place. Nevertheless, my commitment to the German language had always been there. Falling ill and facing my diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes in 2018 certainly provided a lot of uncertainty. COVID not only disrupted travel plans for us all, but for me, it changed my approach towards international travel. Germany, alongside the rest of German speaking Europe, are of course places in which I would feel more than comfortable travelling back to post pandemic.
I learn German through a number of different methods. From watching TV, listening to music, to reading manga.
That's right. Manga.
The Blue Exorcist Farb-Kollektion. A fine addition to the manga comics which I own.
Manga helps as a visual aide to learning another language as you can see which characters are speaking and the emotions which they are expressing. Of course, Blue Exorcist has remained a firm favourite for many years. I have 28 Blue Exorcist mangas to get through before 29 is released later in 2024 (according to Amazon, that is). I find it thrilling to learn a new language. Learning languages doesn't have to be expensive. There are a number of great resources out there, both in print and online. Throughout my studies, I have challenged myself to buy some German DVDs which don't have subtitles.
Let me introduce you to Magda macht das schon!
I discovered the show back in 2018, and it's a sitcom about a Polish Krankenflegerin who, after her previous employer sacks her, find herself looking after the grandmother of a family. Things can go from bad to worse in each episode, but the comedy is next to none. The beauty of a show like Magda is that you don't need to be fluent in German in order to understand what's happening. The jokes and the actions speak for themselves.
I especially love Magda's friendship with Busfahrer Nadir. In an episode from Staffel eins, he kindly reminds one rude passenger…
RTL.de - Magda macht das schon!: Neil Malik Abdullah spielt Busfahrer Nadir (rtl.de)
Lernst du erstmal Deutsch. Und wenn du kannst Deutsch…bitte nicht mit den Fahrer sprechen!
Sehr lustig.
Most people I know would have taken German or any other language in school, and may have forgotten all about it. Yet it's such an epic skill to have. The ability to study another language is golden, and I don’t understand why more people don't use that precious gift on communication with new people around the world. Duolingo, Busuu, Lingodeer and so on are great utensils to learn a new language, but even then those apps can only take you so far. If you have a good understanding of German in particular, why not try investing some time in downloading some of the Mediathek apps offered in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and so on?
ARD and ZDF are Germany's answer to the BBC. Whilst some programmes aren't available to view outside of Germany (unless you have a legal VPN), there is still a wealth of news and lifestyle programmes to keep you up to date with your German skills. Try watching Gefragt Gejagt, the German answer to The Chase. Or theres Tagesschau, the main German news programme. You'll also find a wealth of crime dramas, something which German broadcasters seem to be predominant with. SRF in Switzerland and ORF in Austria are also great apps to have stored to your device, and there are a wealth of radio apps available to download too.
Sometimes stores such as WH Smith stock German magazines. Der Stern or Spiegel are just a couple of those which I've grabbed a copy for a little bit of reading. Again, these magazines are useful in terms of keeping in contact with the German speaking world.
And, of course, there's Spotify for a wealth of music. Try finding the charts and look for songs that are popular in the German speaking world. I will introduce new songs for you to listen to as time goes on. I absolutely love listening to music in German, and some of the topics which they cover are so relatable.
Now this might seem a lot of effort. But why bother?
At the time that I write this post, I am currently working for a German owned company. I am using German as a major part of my self-development, and the reason for that is because I like to challenge myself to do new things, explore the world, and help others. Remember that another language is another opportunity, and the way Germany is sat in the world of engineering, technology, science and industry, it makes sense to have this language at the heart of everything you do. After all, Germany has given us so much. Think of popular brands which you may see in the UK which are German owned. Lidl. Aldi. BMW. Bosch. Volkswagen. Adidas. Allianz. Deutsche Bahn. The list goes on.
German language skills are highly valued by employers. So, no matter which industry you work in or are looking to work in, invest your time in studying a new language, because great things can come from it.
Finally, I think the reason why I love studying German is because I have been thrilled by the culture of the German speaking world. Germans are known to be hard-workers, punctual and efficient, but they are also good-humoured and pleasant at the same time. The quality of life in Germany is excellent, and German towns are beautiful. I love how ethical and sustainable German life can be, and Sundays truly are the day off unless you are travelling somewhere.
If you're reading this blog as an advanced beginner, intermediate or advanced learner, what advice would you offer to those learning German for the first time?
Thank you for making Matteo's World of German a part of your day!
Bis bald. Tschüss!
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