Language Learning Tools: Improve Your German

In this post, I would love to tell you more about my favourite apps, podcasts and tools I use to improve my German.

Let us start with the podcasts. My best recommendations for German learners are:

• Daily news: “Tagesschau” for news from Germany and “SRF Tagesschau” for news from Switzerland. In case you are an intermediate student and not yet ready for the native-level German, try “News in Slow German”.

https://www.tagesschau.de/download/podcast/

https://www.srf.ch/audio/

https://www.newsinslowgerman.com/

• German studying: “Top-Thema” and “Das Sagt Man So”. Deutsche Welle also produces other podcasts and resources for the people, learning German, you can check their website here: https://www.dw.com/de/deutsch-lernen/s-2055/
• Topic-centred podcasts: “ARD Radio Tatort”. Tatort-series is a national phenomenon and a part of the German culture which you should definitely become familiar at some point. Great for advanced students, this podcast regularly offers excellent detective audio-plays and criminal stories. You can also download the plays here: https://beta.ardaudiothek.de/ard-radio-tatort/1998988/

For the TV-shows, I recommend Galileo – this amazing programme covers interesting topics on all areas of life and can be listened to and understood by both intermediate and advanced students alike: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1XrG1M_hw8103zO2x-oivg/

Besides podcasts and TV-shows, audiobooks are also an amazing way to have a cake and it (aka both enjoy what you are doing and improve your language while you are at it). My recent discovery is a series of books called “Die Känguru Chroniken”. Bestselling series centres around joint life of the author and a kangaroo. While these books are really easy to read and full of humour, they are also easy to work through for the language students, as every book split into many mini-chapters.

Another recommendation of mine is a wonderful book called “Tschick”. This brilliant story about the teenage-adventures topped German charts for many years and is still very popular among all age groups.

The resource I use to listen to German audiobooks is Audible.de, since it also offers a handy app for your mobile devices. Although this service is paid, it offers a free trial and an opportunity to cancel your subscription at any time.

I also love the monthly magazine “Deutsch Perfekt!” It has texts for students of all levels, as well as additional audio-trainer and other materials. You can order your first issue for free on their website: https://www.deutsch-perfekt.com/deutsch-perfekt-magazin#magazin/

As my German is far from perfect, I frequently use spell-checking software. My favourite is the one from Duden. It has free and paid plans which you can check out here: https://www.duden.de/rechtschreibpruefung-online/

Hope this short list of my favourites helps you on your journey to German proficiency. In the next post, I will tell you more about my favourite sources, podcasts and apps I use for improving my Japanese.

Now, could you tell me which tools do you use to improve your German? What are your favourites? Please, let me know in the comments below.