Why Learning German Is Difficult Task: Reasons & Best Tips

Are you wondering about, “Is learning German a difficult task?”, the possible answer for you is Jein. The word lies between yes or no. It implies that there are no straight answers. It all depends on your previous learning experience, style and motivation.

Every new language seems a little bit difficult to start. German also comes into this category. Around 40% of German words are familiar to English words, and 80% of English phrases are of German origin. So, it is not as difficult as it seems. Some find it very easy to pick and learn, while others may need more time and may benefit from German online coaching from well-reputed tutors.

Why German Is Difficult to Learn?

The following is a detailed breakdown of the possible factors that make learning a new language like German difficult:

Complex Grammar Rules

German has four cases such as, nominative, accusative, dative and genitive. Moreover, verb conjugation, noun declination and complex structure make learning German difficult for newcomers. The following are the seven basic grammar rules in German:

1. German verbs come at second place most of the time.
2. Always capitalize German nouns.
3. Usage of German adverbs for time, manner and place.
4. German nouns have genders.
5. 4 cases of German.
6. Noun genders & cases determine adjective endings
7. German plural possibilities

Long German Words

The German language is famous for its long words, such as “Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz”. These words are not only difficult to pronounce but also a challenge to understand. In English, people often use a hyphen to connect the two parts. In German, all parts are pronounced together. Furthermore, the possible reasons for long German words are as follows:

1. German combines nouns, verbs, adjectives and prepositions to create new words.
2. German compound words usually follow a logical structure. The last word usually reflects the meaning and grammatical gender.
3. German is a “synthetic” language. This means it relies more on combining morphemes (small units of meaning) than on separate words, as seen in “analytic” languages like English.

Harsh Pronunciation

There are sounds in German such as the guttural “r”, the harsh “ch” and “ck”. These types of pronunciation do not exist in English. Thus, it seems indigestible for the fresh learner. German pronunciation seems difficult; in fact, this is one of the few languages where pronunciation is quite challenging. The following is an in-depth explanation of harsh pronunciation:

1. Glottal Stops: German uses abrupt pauses in speech, like a “click” sound, that occur before vowels in some German words, especially those that start with a vowel.
2. Consonant-Heavy Pronunciation: German offers numerous consonants in a row, which is not found in English. This may feel more “crunchy” or “forceful” compared to the more vowel-dominated nature of English.
3. Uvular & Palatal Fricatives: German includes sounds like the uvular fricative, like the “r” in French. Additionally, it also uses a palatal fricative, a sound like the “sh” in “she”, which is not so common in English.

Verb Placement

The sentence structure in German often shows that the verb is seen at the end of a sentence, especially in subordinate clauses. This practice is usually against the usual subject-verb order that English speakers are used to. There might be a case when you get to the end of a sentence without actually knowing what is going on. The following is a more detailed explanation of verb placement:

1. Main Clause: The verb in the German language is the second element of the sentence, follows the first element. For example, “Ich liebe das Eis” (I love the ice cream).
2. Subordinate Clause: In this case, the verb is placed at the end of the clause. For example, “weil ich das Eis liebe” (because I love the ice cream).

Gendered Nouns

The German language consist of three types of genders, such as masculine, feminine and neuter for nouns. These genders are not related to the actual sex of the person or object but are simple categories of grammar. The definite articles, der, die, and das, are used to indicate the gender of the noun. The following is a breakdown of gendered nouns:

1. Masculine: Indicated by the article “der”.
2. Feminine: Uses definite article “die”.
3. Neuter: Uses “das”.
4. Plural: All the plural nouns take the definite article “die”.

Thus, because of all the above factors, learning German often seems difficult to learn for the beginner. Moreover, nothing is impossible, so if German is difficult, there are a lot of ways to learn the language.

Tips to Learn the German Language

There are some ways to learn the German language effectively, which are given below:

1. German Alphabet: Familiarize yourself with the German alphabet and its sounds, such as umlauts (ä, ö, ü) and the letter ß.
2. Grammar Rules: Master the basics of German Focus on sentence structure and verb conjugation.
3. Articles: Learn correct articles for their noun, such as der, die, das.
4. Courses: You may even take German online coaching or offline at any of the trusted platforms such as Gradding. They will provide you with comprehensive study material, a free mock test and a demo session.
5. Immersive Activities: Actively engage yourself with German movies, TV shows, music, books, podcasts, etc. to immerse yourself with the language.
6. Find Your Reasons: Last but not least, figure out your reason for learning German for example, study, job or career.

Conclusion

To conclude, numerous factor, contributes to the difficulty level of German. Grammatical rules, gendered nouns and verb placement, etc., make the language learning process a little bit tricky and logical. Moreover, with the tips and practice, you can learn German language fast and smoothly. Just keep faith in yourself and consistent with your preparation.