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The most basic comma rule in German: Listing things, people, features, and actions Posted by Sandra Rösner on Aug 26, 2013
Commas are useful punctuation characters. On the one hand, they help us to sort our thoughts and on the other hand, they facilitate reading – when they are correctly punctuated. So, let’s have a closer look at the most basic comma rule in the German language: Listing things, people, features, and actions. Simple words…
“On me”: “Auf mir” or “auf mich” – German personal pronouns in the dative and accusative case Posted by Sandra Rösner on Jul 31, 2013
I received the question whether it is auf mich or auf mir, which are translated as “on me” in English. The good news is that both forms exist in German and thus they are both correct. The bad news is: Both forms are not interchangeable at will. Which form you have to use is dependent…
Germany music and musicians: Eiserner Steg by Philipp Poisel Posted by Sandra Rösner on Jul 15, 2013
It was at a birthday party about two years ago when I first heard a song of a young and very gifted musician. It was his calm but powerful and distinctive voice that pierced my ear gently. Philipp Poisel is a Germany singer-songwriter. He was born 18 June 1983 in Ludwigsburg, which is in Baden-Wurttemberg…
Practice your listening skills with German radio program: hosts tell about a hilarious SOS Posted by Sandra Rösner on Jul 5, 2013
Understanding or listening to spoken language is one of the four major skills when it comes to successful foreign language acquisition. A couple of days ago, I came across the radio sequence below in which the hosts tell about the wireless communication between an American ship and Spaniards. I find the presenters speak rather distinctly…
Flutkatastrophe in Deutschland – Flood disaster in Germany Posted by Sandra Rösner on Jun 12, 2013
Schweiß tropft von meiner Stirn während ich den sandigen Feldweg entlang laufe. (Sweat is dripping off my forehead as I’m running along the sandy farm lane.) An jeder Stelle des Weges, die ich mit meinen Schuhen treffe, hinterlasse ich eine Staubwolke. (I leave a dust cloud at each patch where my shoe hits the ground.)…
Why applying for a job in Germany is no longer a pain in the neck Posted by Sandra Rösner on Jun 3, 2013
“Warum sind Sie die richtige Person für die Stelle?” “Why you are the right person for our vacant position?” Kürzlich habe ich mein Studium an der Universität beendet. (I have recently finished my university studies.) Jetzt studiere ich Stellenasuschreibungen und Ratschläge, wie man sich für diese Jobs bewirbt, um einen von ihnen ans Land…
Practice your comprehension skills in German with jokes Posted by Sandra Rösner on Mar 20, 2013
Being able to form sentences in German is one part of linguistic competence. Understanding written and spoken content is also important for successful foreign language acquisition. Below, you find three jokes in German and their appropriate English translations. When you are a beginner of learning German as a foreign language, you should read the English…