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Consider your strategy and overall approach to German.

If you have been working on German for a while and are only treading water, this episode will help you figure out which parts of your learning approach are getting in your way.

You'll hear three of the most common, problematic approaches I've seen in the last 11 years of teaching German and 18 years of teaching a foreign language.

This is part 1 of 2 because part 2 will then guide you into more constructive territory for German learning. …

«Erst Ordnung schaffen.»

the stylist proclaimed as she clipped a section of my hair to the side and combed the section she was about to cut.

Erst Ordnung schaffen.

First, create order.

At that moment the hairstylist probably had no clue what an impact she would have on my life.

Her comment was my official introduction to the German sense of order.

In this first episode of the GermanWithNicole.com Podcast you'll hear how one of my private lesson clients created order and how it has chan…

N.B. While the GermanWithNicole.com Podcast no longer exists, you can still hear all of the audios here on the blog. The audios are available on the blog posts published between August 1, 2021 and October 1, 2024. Viel Spaß beim Hören!

Ihre Aufgabe:

Your task is to listen to the audio below and to note which dates the first three episodes will be released (auf Deutsch, natürlich) and then how often new episodes will be published after that.

All of these numbers are under 20. You'll need to…

If you're looking for listening practice at your level of German, you can now find it in Stube Radio, real German news audios (real German news, but only on pleasant topics) made personally by Frau Warner. There is a PDF transcript for you to download and keep (if you like).

What Stube Radio ISN'T

The most important thing for you to understand is that Stube Radio ISN'T news articles based on the horror-show of the day. It's not some super bored dude reading off the news at a very slow tempo wh…

The difference between "zu Hause" vs. "nach Hause" easily trips up German learners, but it doesn't have to trip you up if you use the tips below.

1. "zu Hause" = (at) home

"zu" is usually used as a preposition, so it would stand by itself and you might think that "zu Hause" means "to home."

This is an exception.

When you say "zu Hause," you're really using it as one block of language.

Think of the sentence "Ich bin zu Hause" and picture it like three wooden blocks:

[Ich]    [bin]    [zu Ha…

Erfolg hat drei Buchstaben: t u n ![1]

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Success has two letters: do!

To be successful at speaking German, you need to speak, and trying to speak without any form or specific goal makes it more difficult. It’s important to give yourself a specific task or framework for speaking.

Most people simply try to talk about everything all the time. That won't help you. Why? Because you know a TON of English/whatever your native language is, however in a foreign language …

Der Frühlingsputz ist ein Muss.

Spring cleaning is a 'must.'

It's not always a lot of fun, however it could be more interesting if you learn the German words for what you do.

Here are 7 words and phrases (including 6 verbs!) to help you learn German as you do your Frühlingsputz.

You can download the vocabulary card and print it out.

You could even use it as a checklist for your Spring cleaning.

Warum nicht?

If you like to do parts of your Spring cleaning over a couple of weekends, you cou…

Germanize your Spring Cleaning!

Es ist an die Zeit für den Frühlingsputz!

It's time for Spring cleaning!

A thorough Spring clean is much nicer when your cleaning products are high quality, biodegradable, and even smell nice!

This week you'll find out what my three favorite German cleaning products are.

Next week you'll be able to download a new, 4x6 card with Spring Cleaning vocabulary on it.

Because what better way is there to make your Spring Clean more enjoyable than to do it auf Deutsc…

Christian Holidays are often public holidays in Germany, so these are good words to know whether you're non-religious, atheist, agnostic, or religious.

The schedule carries over into school and school breaks, too. One of my clients is currently on Osterferien, Easter Holidays, and doesn't have school this week or next.

This week is Karwoche, or Holy Week, and in a non-pandemic year there would be much singing of the Bach Passions: the Matthäus-Passion (St. Matthew Passion), the Johannes-Passio…

The Plusquamperfekt is a form of the past tense in German.

It's generally reserved for high intermediate and advanced learners at levels B2 and C1.

If you're not there yet, I recommend you save this blog post for later.

The remainder of this blog post is in German, as is the explanation video.

Das Plusquamperfekt ist sehr hilfreich, wenn Sie über zwei verschiedene Ereignisse reden wollen, und beide bereits passiert sind.

Es kann viel Spaß machen, wenn Sie das Plusquamperfekt bilden und au…