Language learning journey: How Noah uses Wokabulary to learn German
By Noah —
What is the best way to learn a foreign language? It depends — on you. Everybody needs to find their individual learning practice that suits their character, learning level, and life situation. This is especially true if you want to achieve long-term learning success.
In this series, Wokabulary users are sharing their language learning journeys.
Today, Wokabulary user Noah tells us how they learn German.
Why I started learning German
My journey on learning German started when I took German as a second foreign language in school. I dug deeper when I came to Berlin as an exchange student a few years ago – and I really fell in love with the city.
As my study program was in English and I was mostly in a mixed friends group of German and international students, my English got far better, but my German did not 😅. I took a course at university the whole year – so in class and in theory I was getting better – but I hardly ever spoke German socially.
Getting more „professional“ with my learning habits
Last year, I came to Berlin for a job and decided to put some more effort into learning the language and be more “professional” about it – regarding tools as well as the goals I set for myself.
Since we are a very international team at work, we usually speak English. So, work is not a place where I will get better.
So, I signed up for a weekly language class at a public education center (it is called Volkshochschule here), as I really enjoy learning in a group where I am able to speak and where I am guided by a teacher and prepared resources.
Until now, I did write down words and grammar I was learning in textbooks, but wasn’t too systematic about it. Being an advanced speaker, I especially wanted to expand my vocabulary, not only with words I learn in class by also by using more colloquial words. I also wanted to better remember some words that I look up again and again in a dictionary.
I checked some flash card and vocabulary learning apps on the App Store and ended up using Wokabulary. I especially like that I can directly start adding words and create a structure by adding different tags for topics and word types.
During class, I enter new words on the iPad, but when I am on the way and come across a word I do not know, I would enter it on my Phone. I usually start with a word quiz in the morning, but try to build small learning sessions into my day.
My language learning tip: setting long-term and short-term goals
One thing I find especially important when learning a language is to have the long-term goal in mind, but also to create realistic short-term goals for while you are on your way there.
For me, the goal is to be fluent in German and especially feel confident in social situations. For the next months, I have set myself the goal to learn 20 new words each week. That is really achievable, and I am usually beyond it 😊. But it is always better to outperform yourself!
Do you want to share how you use Wokabulary?
Do you want to help new users to get a better understanding of how Wokabulary can help them during their language learning journey? Share with us what helps you to learn languages and how you learn using Wokabulary!
If you want to share your routine, drop us a line at team@wokabulary.com and tell us a bit about you and your motivation to study languages.
- What language(s) do you learn? For how long?
- How are you studying? — On your own? In a school or university course?
- How does Wokabulary help you?
- Do you have a tip for effective language learning you want to share?
