Many people are wondering if there’s an easy-to-use spelling and grammar checker for German like Grammarly for English. Well, yes and no, or as we say in German JEIN. But we before we look at some potential candidates, let’s delve into a bit of historical context. German Spelling: A Reform Of Reforms Did you know…
Articles by André Klein
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German
NEW: Dino lernt Deutsch Episode 10: Schlamassel in Stuttgart
In case you missed it on the newsletter, there’s a brand new Dino lernt Deutsch episode! That’s right, episode 10 is out now and this time Dino is going to Stuttgart, Germany’s 6th largest city, capital of Baden-Württemberg and home to Mercedes-Benz. Ready for your next German learning adventure? In this sequel to Digital in…
Hacks & Tutorials
How To Create ANKI Flashcards From Your Kindle Vocabulary Builder
The Vocabulary Builder on Kindle Paperwhite (and Oasis, Voyager) is a powerful feature for language learners if used right. It collects all the words that you look up, including their definition and context. You can then use a rudimentary flashcard system and group them into “learning” and “mastered”. However, for serious spaced repetition practice, the Kindle…
German
1929: The Year Babylon (Documentary)
Did you enjoy Babylon Berlin, the critically acclaimed German TV series? Perhaps even used it to boost your German listening skills? If you’ve ever wondered about the historical accuracy of the series there’s a great documentary which aims to provide some context around the year in which the event of the series take place. 1929: Das Jahr…
German
Howdy! This is Texas German
Have you ever wondered how many German dialects there are? Between the breezy Northern Platt and the homely Southern Boarisch, it’s actually quite difficult to come up with a definite number. Theoretically there are as many dialects as there are German speakers. Especially when you travel farther away from Europe, it’s remarkable how local communities over time created…
News
Introducing: The Bookshop Redesign
It’s the year 2018. We still don’t have flying cars, but Wikipedia lists more than 30 different ebook file formats. As much as I love to read (and create) ebooks, there are so many different competing formats and platforms out there that it can sometimes get a bit confusing. What’s the difference between PDF and ebook formats?…
Meet detectives Baumgartner & Momsen and learn German effortlessly with special emphasis on idioms and natural language crammed with humor and suspense.
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Tips & Strategies For Learning German With Stories
Learning German with stories can be a great way to expand your vocabulary, boost your passive grammar skills and get a general feel for the language, all while enjoying a (hopefully) entertaining yarn. But how to do it the best way? Preparing vocabulary first? Or just dive right in? Today I’d like to share a few…
German
6 Famous German Beer Styles & Brands You Have To Taste For Yourself
German beer is inarguably one of the most famous staples of German culture, way up there with Sauerkraut, cakes, automotive engineering and wearing socks and sandals. (Sorry for that.) But have you ever asked yourself how many German beers there are? According to some sources, there are more than 7800 (!) different beers from more…
German
These 5 German Cakes Will Make Your Mouth Water
One of the most rewarding aspects of learning a new language is getting to know a whole new culture and cuisine! We have a saying in German: “Liebe geht durch den Magen.” – “The way to a (wo)man’s heart is through her/his stomach.” And the same probably goes for languages, too! Today we’ll take a…
German
Global German: Meet Monte Joffee from New York City
After talking to the German learning group from Sioux Falls, I’m happy to share with you another interview today. Meet Monte! In the late 60s he took some introductory courses in college, fell in love with the language, but through the course of a busy career and family life his skills gradually declined. Being a true…
German
11 Yiddish Words in German And Their Ancient Hebrew Origins
Did you know that some of the funniest, most expressive words in German aren’t actually German but Yiddish? They’ve become such an integral part of our language that even native speakers aren’t always aware of their origins. Interestingly, while American English also embraced many Yiddish expressions, these aren’t always the same ones that made it…
