There are three elements which make German hard (or easy...ok easier...) to learn:

1. Materials & Resources
2. Methods
3. Instructor(s) or lack there of.

Today you'll learn about these three elements and how they may make German harder to learn, or maybe easier.

Together these elements create one big constellation.

Which ones help you? Which ones are simply good enough? And which elements don't help you?

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!

Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen!

Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen!

(No one is born a master.)

Es ist noch kein Meister vom Himmel gefallen!

Every language takes work to learn, it's a longer-term process, however German seems to be particularly difficult for a lot of people. We here know there is no silver bullet, no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, let's look at your particular combination of resources and see how they fit together.

There are three main resources for your learning: 1) materials, everything from your books to podcasts and worksheets, 2) methods, from how you learn vocabulary to how you practice speaking, and 3) your instructor, instructors, or lack thereof.

The three elements which make German hard...or easy...to learn are:

1. The materials and resources.
   1. Find suitable materials, ones which are suitable for your level, your environment, and the sheer quantity.
   2. It's OK to use paper! Recycle and reuse paper.
   3. Don't inundate yourself--8 apps are not better than 1.
   4. Books with trick questions are bad.
2. The methods (the how).
   1. How do you talk with yourself while you're learning? If you convince yourself you can't, you're right.
   2. Do you have routines, quality habits for learning German? Are all of your German materials in the same room, on the same shelf, with a pencil, ready to go?
3. The instructor, instructors, or lack thereof.
   1. You are your own instructor. Learn to walk yourself through the material.
   2. Your instructor can only do 50% of the work, your 50% of the work is yours. So learn how to learn so you can do your part.
   3. Explore your own way of learning.
   4. Ask questions.

Show up for yourself. Show up for your class. Show up and do the work.

Show up.

Show up.

Show up.

Every language is more or less difficult to learn, however the materials, methods, and instructor each play a major role. As long as you show up.

You can show up for a class of mine here, you can show up for tutoring here, or show up for private lessons here.