10 German Animated Movies You Don't Wanna Miss

By lauraharker  FluentU

 
Cancel your Friday night plans!  Give your flash cards and Tandem Partner conversation practice a little rest and start putting holds on some of your library’s German movies. Not just any movies, though—we’re talking animation today.

Oh yes, you’ll be adding some truly fascinating stories to your shelf, alongside “Toy Story” and “Frozen.” Even if you thought you were way past your animated movie phase, it’s time to rewind the clock and get settled in for some refreshing cartoon time.  There are plenty of reasons why watching German animated movies will help your language.

• Discover the wondrous German film industry. Disney and Pixar may be dominating the American screens, but Germany has its own fantastic animated movie industry too. Sure, you could always watch one of your Disney favorites dubbed into German, but aren’t you a tiny bit curious as to what the Germans are producing?

• Be swept away by fresh stories and interesting characters. Quite a few of their movies are based on local legends and fairy tales—stories you might never hear in America.

• Listen to clear German. Most animated movies use clear, understandable German. After all, they’re aimed at kids who might not be so good at the challenges of their own mother tongue just yet. Thanks to their simple sentences, easy vocab and clearly spoken dialogue, beginner and intermediate German learners will find they have no problem watching these movies.

How to Learn German with Animated Movies

It can be easy to get lost in all the fun of the story and forget you actually wanted to use the movie as a language tool. So consider watching the movie once just to grasp the plot, then a few days later you can turn the same film into an active German exercise.

If you hear a word, but aren’t 100% on the meaning, you should quickly jot it down (or hit pause first). After the movie, check your list. 
1st —did you spell every word correctly? If not, add it to your vocab list and keep returning to it every other day or so until you can spell it from memory. 

2nd, when you look up a word’s spelling, also look up its meaning. Add this to your vocab list too, and keep reviewing it until you know the word inside out!

If you get a bit too stuck and don’t have a clue what’s going on, pause the German version and watch the previous 5 minutes in English just to refresh the story in your head. (Almost every DVD will have an English version. If yours doesn’t, YouTube is your friend.)  

If you manage to watch the full movie in German the first time, well done you! It can also be a good idea to rewatch in English, just to make sure you really did understand everything.  

You can expect that watching these excellent animated movies will inspire your creative side in unique ways.  

All right, now let’s get to the films!

10 Must-see German Animated Movies You’ll Absolutely Love

1. “Der Mondmann” (The Man on The Moon)  is a beautifully animated movie that was released in Germany in 2012. It tells the tale of the man on the moon. One day he becomes bored of being alone up in space, so he decides to head out on an adventure to Earth.  The movie then follows him on his various adventures on our planet with all the friends he meets.

2. “Felidae”  This 1994 cartoon may look like a German version of “The Aristocats,” but it’s actually far from it. In fact, this is the only animated movie on this list that isn’t aimed at kids. It’s a neo-noir horror-thriller, so if you’re not too keen on going back to kids’ films, this is the one for you.  It follows the eponymous Felidae as he goes around his neighborhood trying to solve a string of mysterious feline murders.

3. “Lissi und der wilde Kaiser” (Lissi and the Wild Emporer) is an enchanting animation suitable for the whole family. It’s a parody of the famous Sissi movies, which were popular in Austria and went on to become the most successful German-speaking film trilogy ever. With such a solid base, it’s no surprise that “Lissi” is such a great film!

After a yeti makes a pact with the devil, he must go and kidnap the prettiest girl in the world—enter our heroine Princess Lissi! The movie follows her adventure with the yeti and her subsequent romance.

4. “Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed” (The Adventure of Prince Achmed)  Released in 1926, this is the earliest surviving animation movie in the world, so there’s plenty of reason to watch this classic, even if you don’t need any German listening practice! The movie was made by various famous avant-garde animators of the time including Walter Ruttman and Berthold Bartosh. The plot is based on different parts of the “One Thousand and One Nights“ folk tales from the Middle East.

5. “Die Abenteuer von Pico und Columbus” (The Adventure of Pico and Columbus)  You might recognize “Die Abenteuer von Pico und Columbus,” as it was dubbed into English and released throughout America and Canada after its German release.  The story follows the famous explorer Christopher Columbus on his fearless journey across the waves. He befriends a woodworm, and together the pair have to rescue a magical firefly from her despicable captor.

6. “Ritter Rost” (Knight Rusty) ... is a knight who, along with his trusty dragon, Cole, lives in the kingdom of Scrapland. After winning the great knight tournament, Rost runs into trouble after his horse’s engine is stolen (everything in Scrapland is made out of scrap metal, you see…).  Rost must then set out on an adventure to regain his honor and save the kingdom from the evil Prince Novel.

7. “Sandmännchen” (Little Sandman) How cute is the little Sandmännchen?! This über-charming stop-motion animation comes from the GDR and is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s Ole Lukøje character. --  Now, technically, it isn’t a movie, it’s a very popular children’s TV series, but it’s too much of a German classic to leave off an animation list. Many German children grow up watching the adorable Sandmännchen before going to bed.

8. “Lauras Stern” (Laura's Star) is a children’s book and was made into a feature film in 2004. When Laura moves to a new city, she ends up making friends with a small star who has fallen to Earth.  After Laura mends one of the star’s broken limbs with a band-aid, they—along with Laura’s brother—go off on various adventures.

9. “Der 7bte Zwerge” (The 7th Dwarf), a lively 2014 animation, was released in the cinemas as 3D, and is a sequel to the two live action films “7 Zwerge – Männer allein im Wand” and “7 Zwerge – Der Wald ist night Genug.” The plot takes inspiration from both Snow White and Sleeping Beauty, and follows Bubi—the titular seventh dwarf—as he tries to help the princess to find Prince Charming.

10. “Die sieben Raben” (The Seven Ravens) is an animated puppet film from the 1930s. Based on one of the fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm collection, it tells the tale of a peasant whose daughter is born very ill. He sends his seven sons off to fetch water. They end up dropping their bucket into the well, and when they do not return, the father believes they have gone off to play. Cursing them, he turns them into witches. Once the sister has grown, she goes out to find her brothers. After various adventures, her brothers are finally returned to her and transform back into human form. The puppetry in this old film can be pretty creepy at times, but you’ll soon be enchanted by the charming story.

There are loads of other fab animated movies out there. Once you’re done with all the animated films from German-speaking countries, you can always watch the German dubbed versions of your favorite Disney and Pixar movies...

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After studying German and Philosophy at The University of Nottingham, Laura Harker relocated to Berlin in 2012. She now works as a freelance writer and is also assistant editor at Slow Travel Berlin.

19 Engaging Resources to Listen to German Audio All Day, Every Day

When it comes to German learning, hearing a person speak German to you is the closest simulation of a real-life scenario that you can get.

When you’re learning German outside of a classroom, it’s hard to get that element of immersion.
I’ve always felt that audio resources work wonders for my own German language learning. Primarily, it’s because I can rotate between audio lessons and other fun stuff, like music and podcasts.

Going into a class has multiple benefits, but at the end of the day, you go into a room, with a teacher and classmates, because of the auditory and visual benefits.  Reading a textbook is fine, but this is often so boring. Where should you start? How about opening up the entire Internet for your audio search?

Why Listening to German Audio Is Often the Best Learning Process

Some folks are visual learners, while others fancy themselves as audio or even immersive learners. What are the benefits behind listening to German audio?

• If you don’t pay attention, it forces you to go back and listen again.

• Many argue that passive listening (not really paying attention, but absorbing the audio) is often just as good as regular learning.

• You can listen to audio pretty much where ever you go—in a plane, cab, at work, riding a bike, in the library, walking or while cooking dinner.

• You get to hear people pronounce common German phrases, as opposed to just reading the words.

• Many audio guides are supplemented with learning materials like quizzes or worksheets.

The options are endless when learning German with audio resources.

For example, if you have a Spotify, Amazon or Audible account, you can always start by searching these resources to see if anything pops up. I’ve been known to save German Spotify playlists or to purchase German audiobooks (some of the best ones require a VPN).

Regardless, keep reading to learn more about these resources, from German music playlists to radio stations and educational CDs.

German Music Playlists for All Ages

I enjoy compiling my own playlists, since services like Spotify and Pandora can be a little scattered. However, the greatest part of these services is that you can search for other playlists that people have created and shared online.



Start with the German Pop Spotify Playlist, which is from the popular Goethe Institute, a place for German online and offline learning. This playlist includes favorites from artists like Clueso, LOT, Madsen and Ferris Mc. It’s an exciting selection of songs, all of which experienced popularity at some point. I recommend this music if you’re trying to stay upbeat, like when you’re at the gym or while working.



The German Folk Music playlist on Spotify is obviously a little different from the pop extravaganza you listened to above. This playlist is for the purists. Those who want to hear what people were listening to hundreds of years ago in Germany. This list includes around 20 songs, starting with “Echo Der Berge” and ending with “Servus Pfuat Gott und Auf Wiederseh’n.”
It’s also not a bad idea to check out other streaming services. I recommend Traditional German Music from Pandora. All you have to do is click on the Create Station button, and Pandora compiles a beautiful list of classic German folk songs and chants. Every time you create a station you receive new songs, so it’s kind of fun to try it out. TuneIn Radio also has a solid station for similar results.

German Podcasts for Those Boring Work Hours

The best German learning podcast article is a nice place to start when seeking out step-by-step grammar and pronunciation guides, but since we already have that list on FluentU, I want to outline some awesome German podcasts that have no intentions of teaching you German. That doesn’t mean they won’t help though! Topics range from business to cars, or from news to science. You’ll get so lost in the fascinating content that you’ll end up absorbing the German language naturally.


Antenne Dusseldorf is a radio station, but it also features an extensive list of useful podcasts. Antenne Dusseldorf offers a mobile podcast app for downloading the segments to your phone. Much of the radio station plays music, but they also go through opinionated conversations about world news, and you can check out some of the other podcasts like “Fortuna,” a show covering everything in terms of soccer (or football).


Schweiser Radio provides a gigantic list of podcasts for you to choose from, and the best part is that you can listen to most of them directly from you computer. I like grabbing the feed and inserting it into my podcasting phone app, so everything is in one place. There are tons of options, but as a taste, you can listen to a game show called 1 vs. 100, or even check-in with the hosts of Arena, a podcast discussing the economic climate.

The Radio Bremen Podcasts are similar to how NPR releases some affiliated talk shows, making it easy for people to choose from the subjects they want to listen to. For example, Radio Bremen lets you select from options like the Comedy Club podcast, a place to hear jokes and laugh about the world, or the Voll im Film (Full in Film) podcast for your movie fix.


The ARD Radio Tatort Podcast is a favorite, because several known voice actors lend their voices to entertain you, simulating thrilling stories that may or may not have actually happened. If you’re into thrillers, this is your podcast. The shows usually last about an hour and feature a new story every time.

The Braincast Podcast places a hard focus on the study of the brain. It’s a show for people interested in science, as they bring on guests and experts from all over the world. If you’re familiar with the popular Radio Lab podcast, I would recommend you check this one out.

German Audiobooks for Passing Time While Traveling

Audiobooks allow you to immerse yourself into a world of fantasy, science fiction or romance, all with the help of an MP3 player and headphones. Consider listening to your favorite books in German to learn something new.

The LoyalBooks database consists of public domain e-books and audiobooks, meaning you don’t have to pay a dime to listen. Click on the German tab on the left to reveal options like “Die Elixiere des Teufels” (The Devil’s Elixirs), “Michael Kohlhaas” and “Der Schimmelreiter” (The Rider on the White Horse). Listen directly through your computer or download the audiobooks to your device.
Pairing Amazon and the German Audible is a wise choice. Audible is owned by Amazon, so you can find most of the same audiobooks on both. Regardless, try using a VPN to access the best content on the German Audible. Listen to best seller like “Game of Thrones” and “Fifty Shades of Grey,” all in German. Audible provides a handy app for listening on your phone or tablet.

Hoerjuwel has a German category, which you can then break down into subcategories like science fiction, fantasy, children’s books and humor. These audiobooks are not digital, so you must wait for them to get delivered to your home.

German Radio Stations and How to Get Them

Nowadays, podcasts and radio stations are pretty much the same thing. Since a person in the United States or any other country for that matter, would have a tough time finding a German radio station on an FM/AM receiver, I provided a few digital radio stations for fun music, morning talk and other ramblings.

ListenLive offers a huge list of German radio stations, all streamable from your computer. This is the closest thing you can get to tuning your box radio to a station in Germany. Choose from regional locations like Munich, Hannover or Potsdam. You can find everything from pop, top 40, news, adult contemporary and Christmas music.

Last FM German Music is your ultimate source for music produced in Germany or created by German artists. Most of the music you’ll find on here is in German, but the occasional English song is thrown into the mix. Listen to music genres like German speed metal, German jazz, rock and classical.

Deutschlandfunk provides listening options for those who want to feel like they’re reading a regular newspaper. It’s like checking out USA Today or The Huffington Post. Deutschlandfunk covers politics, sports, culture, the economy and more.

Audio Lessons and Courses for a Classroom Environment

If you’re not quite to the level where you can listen to a German podcast without it sounding like gibberish, consider some of the following audio learning resources.


DeutschAkademie provides ten chapters with various lessons a piece. You learn German for free, and all of the resources are given to you in audio form. Start with lessons for German sentence structure, then move onto more advanced lessons covering things like the German participle.


The All Audio German CD serves as a valuable tool for learning in your car or anywhere you go. The six compact discs focus on bringing you to fluency, with short and easy to follow lessons. The CDs tackle areas like grammar, dialogues, culture and vocabulary.

GermanPod101 is my favorite audio resource for learning German, since it has beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. The video and audio lessons teach you how to communicate while travelling, while conducting business or simply in order to speak with your German speaking relatives.

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Joe Warnimont is a blogger and adventure-seeker. When not riding his bike around Chicago, you can find him sprucing up his German skills. He has watched “Run Lola Run” about ten too many times.

NOTES AND FURTHER TIPS:  

Dodging Regional Blocks with a Virtual Private Network

Have you ever searched for a German resource on Google, only to find that it redirects you to the English version of what you’re looking for? Just the other day I tried to pull up a popular German podcast (produced and spoken in German,) but Google sent me to a version with English audio dubbed over it. The nerve!

How do you get around this problem? With a virtual private network (VPN) of course! This is a legal way to block your IP address and pretend like you’re browsing from a different country. Here are a few great options to get started doing this:

• TorGuard — This is an anonymous VPN service that starts at only $4.99 per month. The speeds and bandwidth are unlimited, so you don’t have to worry about streaming too much audio or even too much video. The anonymous web proxies let you protect your identity when switching to another IP address, and it works with most web browsers.

• IPVanish — This company focuses on unlocking content from any location, meaning that it’s just right for streaming German audio. It works on Windows, Apple and Android interfaces, and it starts at $6.49 per month.

• Cyber Ghost VPN — This option is free for Windows, Mac and Android, with a few paid plans for faster speeds. It keeps your identity anonymous when tapping into German servers, while not maintaining any logs of your browsing history.

• Private Internet Access — My final suggestion starts at $3.33 per month, and it lets you run the VPN on five devices—you can work with even more devices if you upgrade. The instant setup is nice for beginners, and the unlimited bandwidth is always a bonus for streaming media.

Audio Programs in Review

by FluentU's jenniferyoung

Listen Up: The 5 Best Audio Programs for Learning a Language

It’s time to get back on the right track. As an adult, you might find it frustrating to struggle with language learning while young kids become fluent just like that. Or you've heard people say, "Kids absorb knowledge like a sponge."

So why can’t it be that easy for you?  Well actually, it sort of can.  Maybe not exactly as easy, but close to it. Back when your vocabulary was limited to “mama” and “dada,” listening was how you learned new words and phrases.

Anything you overheard, your brain soaked up, and eventually you repeated it back.
The same method will work for you as an adult, because that’s how your brain is wired to learn a language. There are plenty of other benefits to learning a language through listening, too.

Why Learn a Language Through Listening?

Learning a language by listening can greaty improve your success in speaking like a native and the speed at which you achieve your language goals.  Let’s take a look at some of the reasons for this.

Some of us just learn better that way

Do you learn best by listening?  If so, you’re not the only one. A lot of us are the same.  While some learn most efficiently by reading books and using flashcards, others are more attuned to aural learning (just a fancy term for learning by listening). For these people, using an audio CD or MP3 program is one of their best bets for becoming fluent. It’s also a great way to practice speaking the language by responding to audio prompts.

In fact, for people who learn best by listening, using other methods can be quite frustrating!
So if you know you’re an aural learner, don’t worry—there are plenty of resources out there for you, even if your brain is a little slower than when you were three years old.

It’s a scientifically proven way to learn a language (for all of us)

According to science, listening may be the best way to learn a language for everyone, regardless of their usual preferred language style. So it’s not just those who consider themselves aural learners who can benefit from listening. The rest of us can, to.  Studies have shown that being exposed to the spoken language helps the brain absorb it,  even if you don't understand what's being said!  

Research on how the brain processes language has led to the revelation that hearing a language could very well be the most important aspect of a language learning curriculum. It helps our brains adapt to unfamiliar pronunciations and new grammar structures.  (We may even be able to learn a language in our sleep, just by listening to it!) 

Still, you probably already know that learning a language takes a lot of time and dedication, so it’s important to know you’re putting in time and energy where it’s going to pay off the most. It’s good to realize that learning by listening is sure to bring about results.

There are lots of great resources out there

If an aural language learning experience is what gets you to fluency, then audio CD and MP3 programs are the resources that can take you there. In these programs, you hear words, phrases and sentences spoken to you. Practices and exercises give you the opportunity to use them yourself. These lessons increase in difficulty and complexity in a natural progression. This provides you with constant feedback about how to properly pronounce words and create sentence structures.
The best thing about audio programs is that you can start learning by listening at any level. No experience in the language? No problem! By listening to audio resources, your brain will start to pick it up right away.

You can easily mix audio with other methods

While listening may be a scientifically proven key to learning a language, combining audio programs with other methods will give your brain an extra boost.  A comprehensive language learning curriculum may also include textbooks, written exercises, in-person language practice, TV programs, computer tutorials and others.

FluentU combines audio with elements of all of the above by taking real-world videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turning them into personalized language learning lessons.
 
Using a combination of different approaches forces you think about language in different ways. It helps you master the breadth of language skills, from writing to participating in real conversation. Try different approaches and see what works for you. It’s not necessary to do everything—just what helps you make progress learning the language.

If you want to learn a language with fun videos, then FluentU’s a pretty good bet!

You can learn at home, during your commute or on the go

Learning a language using audio CD and MP3 programs is one of the most convenient ways to boost your fluency. You can listen to them practically anywhere—whether it’s in the car, during your workout or while doing chores around the house.

Bored on your commute? Waiting in line at the DMV? Sitting at home with nothing better to do? Turn on your audio language program and get learning! If you have a CD player, or a mobile device that plays MP3s, you can make the most of your do-nothing time with these programs.
Even if you’re just passively listening, your brain will still pick up the language.
So if you want to learn a new language, you may as well listen to your audio language programs whenever you find yourself idle. You may be surprised how much learning you can squeeze in!

Listen Up: The 5 Best Audio Programs for Learning a Language

At last, we reveal the top audio language learning programs that will skyrocket you to fluency! We carefully considered the options and selected these resources for their value, effectiveness and entertainment.

These audio resources are highly valuable for any type of learner. In order to really understand a language, you have to practice your ability to hear it and speak it, which are exactly the skills that audio programs test you on.

So listen up, and start acing your language now with audio language learning programs!

Pimsleur

The gist of the Pimsleur approach is this:

1. You hear the words and phrases in the target language.
2. You hear them in your mother tongue.
3. You translate the word from your mother tongue to the target language.

The course is based on research by Paul Pimsleur, a linguist who sought to discover the fastest way to learn a language. The length of each course varies from around 15 to 45 hours, depending on the language. The courses are broken up into half-hour sessions. Nearly everything is audio-based, and even the provided reading material is meant to be read along with the audio lessons. More than 50 languages are offered.

Pros: With the Pimsleur method, the pressure is on you to respond with the correct translations. This provides a built-in motivation system that inspires you to do better with every attempt. The material from previous lessons is repeated in subsequent levels, so there’s a lot of reinforcement.
Cons: There’s limited context provided in the lessons. Most of the vocabulary seems to be oriented toward people traveling for business. You’ll learn select words and phrases, but not necessarily those that would be most useful to you.

Levels: There are typically up to three or four levels, with 30 lessons per level.
Cost: Price varies by language and format. German, for example, is $450 for a four-level course on MP3 ($970 on CD). All prices are listed on the Pimsleur website.

iSpeak

iSpeak is an MP3 language learning program from McGraw-Hill that focuses simply on learning new words. The package for each language includes 1500 high-frequency words and phrases, all in MP3 format. Each comes with a visual cue to associate with the word that appears on the screen.
Simply load the program onto your MP3 player and select the word or phrase you want to hear. On an iPod, you’d find this by going to “Artist” and selecting from a list of themes, then to “Audio” and selecting from a list of topics.

Pros: iSpeak is compatible with iPod and most other MP3 players, so no matter your preference of device, you can use iSpeak to help you with your listening skills in the target language. The portability and simplicity of the program make it a perfect choice for travelers.

Cons: The program is limited, with just 1500 words and phrases. It doesn’t do much for improving grammar and building conversation skills. There are only a handful of languages available. Still, it’s a convenient way to pick up new terms in select languages, especially if you’re a beginner.
Levels: There are no distinct levels. Programs focus mainly on beginning-level vocabulary.
Cost: Programs are priced at $7-15.

Michel Thomas

This audio-only method provides an opportunity to learn from a “teacher” who reads a lesson and asks you to repeat it. You’re “in class” with two other students also heard on the recording. The course introduces words and phrases that are explained in detail, which you later (along with the other two students) use to construct simple sentences. The total course for each language consists of 12 hours of audio.

Michel Thomas was a linguist and language teacher who spoke many languages and developed a system for rapid language learning. He was highly successful, with diplomats and celebrities numbering among his clients. These audio CDs are based on his methods.

Pros: Because there are other students recorded on the lessons, you get to feel like you’re really in class, and the progression seems natural. The Michel Thomas method is a more economical alternative to the Pimsleur method. The structure of the course gives you the tools to make real conversation in a short time.

Cons: The Michel Thomas method uses a lot of mnemonic devices to help you remember words and phrases. If this doesn’t work for you, it may seem tedious. For some, the pace might be too slow, since it’s dependent on the progress of the other two “students.”

Levels: There are no distinct levels, but the program progresses to intermediate difficulty.
Cost: The entire series of each language will run you about $75-100.

Living Language Drive Time

The Living Language Method prides itself on giving language lessons that involve multiple senses. Its regular offerings include CDs and a book in multilevel packages that encompass audio, visual, written and interactive approaches to language learning. The company’s Drive Time series is an audio-based program designed for commuters and anyone looking for language lessons on the go.
Each language comes with eight conversational lessons that guide you through vocabulary warm-up exercises, examples and opportunities to practice. You also get a CD of vocabulary words and a listener’s guidebook with vocabulary lists, dialogue scripts and summaries.

Pros: The Drive Time series gives you a lot of bang for your buck. You’ll progress rapidly through increasingly challenging lessons for a fraction of the price of many other programs. If you like thorough explanations of new material, this course is for you.

Cons: It’s not as immersive as some other programs. The structure is very traditional, and with the explanations, there’s a lot of English on the recordings. Some learners may find the pace to be a little on the fast side.

Levels: The entire eight-disc series take you from Beginner to Advanced.
Cost: The price is about $20 for a basic package, and $35 for the Deluxe Package.

Berlitz

A well-known name in the linguistic world, Berlitz offers a variety of language learning programs, including those that focus on audio CDs. The focus of their programs are typically conversation-based and centered around real-life conversation. There’s less focus on vocabulary and grammar lists.


Berlitz has one-CD sets, like Spanish in 30 Days, that can get you started for an upcoming trip, as well as multi-CD sets like Italian Berlitz Basic that give more in-depth lessons. The contents of each CD can be easily downloaded to an iPod or MP3 player.

Pros: There are a lot of different Berlitz products to choose from. Using Berlitz means you’ll be able to get high-quality books published by the company to complement your audio learning. Berlitz uses the “direct” or “natural” method that emphasizes learning a language to be able to communicate. For those who want to start using a language right away, Berlitz gets straight to the point.
Cons: The quality of the materials on the audio language programs can vary from language to language. With more than 30 language offerings, you might not get what you expected.

Levels: Most of their audio-focused products are for beginners. Their Confident series caters to “advanced beginners.” Their textbooks, which come with a CD, come in beginner to advanced levels.
Cost: Price varies widely, but expect to spend $20-30 for one set.

Audio CDs and MP3s for language learning can be the next best thing to a personal tutor.
They’ll talk to you, prompt you and guide you along as you master speaking your new language. Plus, you can take them wherever you go!  Your language learning doesn’t have to stop in the classroom or at home.  Take it with you, increase your practice time and see your efforts pay off!

Konsum und Lebenstil

Hoer zu!

HIER BEI LANGENSCHEIDT IST EIN GESPRAECH MIT DREI ABSICHTEN UEBER KONSUM


Was macht Herr Kolonko frueher?
Was ist ihm passiert?
(Warum aendert er sich sein Lebenstil?)
Wo wohnt er jetzt?
Wie ist sein Leben jetzt anders?
Wofuer muss er nicht mehr bezahlen?
Wie verdient er sein Geld?

Was sagt Frau Zoeller sazu?
Wie ist ihr Leben?

Was will Herr Fritsche dazu sagen?

Laut Frau Zoeller, worauf sollten wir uns konzentrieren, erst nur wenn die Wirtschaft gut geht?

Was will Herr Fritsche damit klarstellen, wenn er sagt:  ,,Unsere Umwelt ist doch unsere Lebensgrundlage."

Nimm ein paar Zeilen aus diesem Gespraech aus, und schreib ueber einen Lebenstil, in dem du dich am liebsten, in den naechsten 10-15 Jahren finden wirst!

TED Talks: Patricia Kuhl: The linguistic genius of babies | Video on TED.com

Patricia Kuhl: The linguistic genius of babies | Video on TED.com

Time for us to adjust our "culture-bound listening" skills.  With practice, of course it can be done!  We also have many more thinking skills than an 8 month old, so no worries about our ability to learn a foreign language in high school.

But how exciting that this is being studied.