Ten Ways to Keep Your German "rostfrei"
Part One: From Online Radio to Projects
Wer rastet, der rostet. Every now and then I get requests from visitors to the German Language site for advice about how they can keep their German current, or how to keep up their momentum once they have reached a certain point with their German skills. They know the true meaning of the German proverb: “If you rest, you rust.” They want to keep their German “rostfrei”—free of rust, rust-proof.
This two-part feature offers tips and advice on how to keep both your German and your enthusiasm from getting rusty. Most of the ideas we present are either free or low in cost. Many are also useful for beginners. Only a few could be considered costly. Here are the first five of our “Ten Ways to Keep Your German 'rostfrei.'”
1 Listen to German radio and TV
This is more easily done than you may think—and extremely effective for keeping your vocabulary and listening skills current. The Web is a wonderful source of audio in German from all over the German-speaking world. A good example: Eins Live from Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR). Listen to the latest news and other programs in German. And it's basically free—other than your normal online costs. The most common software used for online audio/video is RealOne, available for free downloading. Most live-radio sites also offer a link to RealOne. (We also use it for our own free online German for Beginners course.) Our Radio in German links can quickly connect you to many other online radio and television resources in German.
Another great German audio (and video) resource, available all around the world, is Deutsche Welle. Both the radio and TV broadcasts of Deutsche Welle ("German Wave") are targeted primarily at overseas listeners. DW does this via every means possible — satellite, shortwave (Kurzwelle), cable and TV stations, and the Web. Visit the DW Web site to see how you can receive their programming in dozens of languages, including German, of course. DW also offers live audio on the Web using RealOne or MediaPlayer.
Also see: Adventures with German TV in the USA and our helpful Streaming Audio/Video FAQ.
2 Listen to audio cassettes/CDs in German
This may cost more than using the Web, but it has many benefits. One of the best German audio resources is Schau ins Land — a monthly audio magazine on cassette. It offers authentic German language (and music) on a variety of current topics. Your subscription also includes a very useful annotated script with glossary. You can listen to Schau ins Land in your car or at other times when you might otherwise simply waste time. (See our review of Schau ins Land.) A cheaper but less reliable alternative (if you have friends or contacts in Europe): Have someone send you tapes recorded off the air.
3 Read German on the Web
Regular reading is one of the best ways to build vocabulary and keep up with what's going on in the cultures of Austria, Germany, and German Switzerland. Our Reading links can quickly connect you to many online periodicals in German. Almost every magazine and newspaper in German Europe has an online edition—including many small-town newspapers. And you can even download German literature to read from sites such as Projekt Gutenberg.
For added interest, you may also want to try some of the many Web exercises that we link to in our Online Courses links. The better ones are sort of an online scavenger hunt for information in German. Try Katherine Munro's German Exercises on a variety of topics, which use split frames for easy access. You can find more Web exercise sites in our Online Courses listing. (See Part Two for more reading ideas.)
4 Subscribe to a German newsletter, newsgroup, or news summary
A previous feature mentioned two free electronic newsletters in German that are weekly guides to what's new on the Web. Another feature, "German Newsgroups and Lists," offered information and links for using Internet newsgroups and mailing lists to improve your German. One of the best regular news sources in German is the GERMNEWS Web site that offers daily and weekly news summaries of what's going on in Germany—in German (or English). It is also available as a mailing list, with a news summary arriving in your emailbox each day. Another plus: If your German isn't that strong, you can subscribe to both the English and German versions—and compare the two. (Both versions sometimes have typos or other errors, but since it's all done by dedicated volunteers, you shouldn't complain.) I also like the new Google News Deutschland—with headlines and stories in German, along with das Wetter. You can even personalize this page for future visits! The German AOL, Yahoo!, and other German sites also offer German, European, and world news in German.
Don't forget our own Weekly German Course Newsletters!
5 Start a German project
This idea can take advantage of all the other nine tips. Find a topic or theme that interests you. Perhaps you like sports... or you're into movies... or you like to cook. Whatever your interest may be, start doing research in that area in German. Make a project out of finding vocabulary related to your interest. Discover publications in German about your topic. Do Web searches in your field using a German search engine (Suchmaschine) such as Fireball.de, Google.de or another search engine. One of our earlier features, "The 'Klammeraffe' and Other Interesting Items" was about two free weekly "eNewsletters" in German that can help you find interesting Web sites in many categories. Doing such a project can revitalize both your German-learning and your daily routine.
NEXT > Part 2: Five More Tips
MORE > Are You Listening to German? (Using the Web to Improve Your German)
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