German Language Blog

We're looking for passionate and enthusiastic individual to be the Guide to the German Language site on About.com!

What sort of information do we want the new Guide to provide?
Well, we're looking for someone to create a learning tool for students of German. We're also looking for content that will help teachers, language enthusiasts, and visitors to German-speaking countries.

What sort of person are we looking for to be the new Guide to German Language?
Our ideal candidate:

• Will be fluent in both German and English
• Have previous experience teaching the German Language
• Will be strong writers, capable of explaining the complexities of grammar, alphabet, etc.

If this sounds like you, and you've got excellent writing skills and the desire to reach and teach a broad audience through your writing, why not go over to our application site to learn more about our hiring program and submit an application?

Lola (Franka Potente) runs
through the streets of Berlin.
Worksheets > 'Lola rennt'
Film Info > 'Lola rennt' Trivia
Foto: Bernd Spauke/Sony Pictures

In addition to our own film reviews and guides, here's a great online resource for teachers of German. This German site offers teaching guides (Filmhefte) for over 50 German-language films, plus Hollywood movies. Web: www.film-kultur.de
Also see: www.bpb.de

More: German Movie Guide for teachers and students
More: German Cinema - Information and links

A local German conversation group—or "Stammtisch"—is a good way to practice your German and meet new friends! Here's an illustrated success story about a popular German conversation group in Seattle. There are similar groups in many places around the globe. There may already be a Stammtisch in your area, but if not, you could start one.

Pronouncing German: German Pronunciation Guide (Hazards - Part 3)
Daily German: Wort des Tages - Beginner or advanced

The German fascination with Shakespeare began in the early 1700s when English repertoire companies crossed the Ärmelkanal to perform the Bard's plays all across Germany and Europe. Ever since then the "Swan of Avon" has become an important part of German culture, entering the language ("Ende gut, alles gut") to the point that one could almost believe that Shakespeare was German. If you think I'm making viel Lärm um nichts ("much ado about nothing"), you should read more about this topic, and discover among other things that the German Shakespeare Society is the world's oldest such association. Then you can take our Shakespeare Quiz on the German titles of the Bard's plays.

Practice Your German: German Games and Quizzes
Daily German: Wort des Tages - Advanced or beginner

In February 2008 at the Academy Awards in Hollywood, the golden statuette for "Best Foreign Language Picture" went to the Austrian film Die Fälscher (The Counterfeiters). Written and directed by Stefan Ruzowitzky, this Austrian-German production was filmed in France, Germany, and Austria. The film is based on the true story of Jewish concentration camp prisoners given the task of forging huge amounts of pound and dollar notes in return for better living conditions than regular camp prisoners. Ruzowitzky's motion picture, the first Austrian film ever to win an Oscar, examines the moral dilemma created by this pact with the devil. My review...

More Films: Recent German Films
More Reviews: German Films on DVD
Film Guide: Films in German
DVD Guide: DVDs for German

The German verb schaffen is both an irregular (strong) verb meaning "to create" and a regular (weak) verb meaning "to make, do, accomplish, manage." It's part of our German Verb Guide. It includes the complete conjugations for many verbs in all tenses. You can learn how to conjugate schaffen and many other verbs in our ever-expanding German Verb Guide.

German Verb Index: Verb-Lexikon - full German-English verb index
German Vocabulary: Daily German - beginning or advanced

Today, on March 8, in many parts of the world people observe International Women's Day. Although this observance actually has its roots in the U.S., the commemoration is largely ignored in North America. There is a German connection as well. Learn more about this and other holidays on our "German Customs in March" page. For instance, Switzerland has an interesting holiday known as "Tag der Kranken."

German Word of the Day: Wort des Tages - Advanced or beginner

Katharine ("Kerry") Close won the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the German word "Ursprache." The runner-up, Canadian Finola Hackett, misspelled the German word "Weltschmerz," starting with a "v" instead of "w." She should have studied the words and expressions in our glossary of terms that English has borrowed from German. Take a look at this annotated list of Lehnwörter—from "Alzheimer's" to "zinc."

When Languages Collide: Denglisch: English in German
Wort des Tages: What's today's German Word? (advanced or beginner)

These study tips and bits of practical advice can help make your learning of German more effective. See how you can improve your foreign-language learning skills. More...

Avoid Mistakes: The Top 10 German Mistakes Made by Beginners
Daily German: Wort des Tages - Advanced or beginner

This special list of the most frequently used German words for reading is helpful in pinpointing the first 100 German words you really should learn. Unlike our Top 1000 German Words list, this one has been edited to eliminate duplicates and variations of the same word, such as dass and daß, or the various forms of the verb sein. Do you know all of the Top 100 words listed?

Daily German: Wort des Tages - Learn a new German word each day!