The German language uses grammatical genders. This means that the language has different categories that a noun can fall into. German isn't the only language to use gender. Spanish and French are among the many other that use them too. 

In German there are 3 genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Each gender has its own article. In English we use the article "the" to refer to any noun. It never changes. In German the word "the" will change based on the gender of the noun you're talking about. 

When you use a masculine, feminine, or neuter word in German, you have to use the article that agrees with its gender (you can't say das Tisch). If you do you'll be incorrect and will immediately sound strange to native speakers. 

What makes the German articles so hard is that it's not always easy to remember the gender of German words. Grammatical gender has nothing to do with the nature of the noun and there are often exceptions to the trends of gender in the language.

For example the word for girl: Mädchen is neuter even though you'd think it should be feminine. 

Sometimes you can even have two words for the same object and those two words will have different genders: 

German always stands out when compared to other foreign languages. It’s more closely related to English than most other language groups, but not as closely related as the romance languages and some of the Nordic languages.

 It’s grammar is known to be taxing. It’s pronunciation and long words are nearly infamous. But German is still beloved by millions of learners around the world. Here’s 3 ways using Yabla will help acquaint you with this unique and fascinating language.

1) Yabla will help you with those pesky German articles

The German articles der, das, and die are vital when learning the language. While there are rules that govern them there’s also a lot of exceptions.

Here's a good primer on the German articles

It’s hard to get a handle on their usage without using them over and over until you know them by heart. The best way would be in conversation with a native German speaker who can correct you. 

The worst way is probably rote memorization, because it’s boring and not that effective. Yabla’s video player offer you a middle ground between these two study methods.

You’re not speaking with a German native speaker, but when you watch their videos you are listening to one. Use the German subtitles in Yabla’s video player to pick out the articles and how they're used.

If you really want to challenge yourself turn off the subtitles and try to pick them out by what you here. You can also work backwards from the English subtitles. If you come across an instance in English that you don’t know how to translate to German see what Yabla’s German subtitles say.

2) Yabla will help you breakdown German pronunciation

German words can be notoriously long and difficult to pronounce. Try putting long words into a full sentence at native speed and your mouth and tongue are in for some gymnastics.

 But you can’t ignore the German sound system because pronunciation is key no matter what language you’re learning.

Yabla’s video player is ideal for developing your German accent. Pick a section from one of their German videos and play it back at a slower speed using their slow play button.

Now loop the segment and focus on a specific sentence or group of sounds. As you play it back don’t try to think in terms of which words you hear. Try to think only in sounds.

 To nail a native accent you’ll want to focus on syllables and how they push and pull together in native speech. Do your best to mimic the sound and character of each syllable one by one and then play it back and try to say them altogether with the native speaker.

You can then record yourself saying it and compare the audio to the video. This feedback centered exercise will help your tongue and mouth get used to making German sounds, and your ears will start hearing individual sounds as well.

3) Yabla will help you learn German words without forgetting them

Yabla’s videos help you learn German words in the context of a conversation or situation. This is huge when it comes to remembering new vocabulary. The more information (context) your brain can connect to a new word the more likely you are to remember it.

Watching a video provides this context through visual and audio information. Not only do you hear and see the video but you can also readily see all the words being used in the subtitles.

All these information points will help you recall that German word the next time you try to remember it. One cool thing I like to do is to take a screenshot of the scene I find a new word in and paste it into a flashcard system like Anki. 

Did you know Yabla is often used by high schools to help foreign language students?

I then try to remember the word from only seeing that picture. The picture helps me remember the video scene which in turn helps me remember the new word. It’s not magic, but this technique really does help make remembering words a bit easier.

Conclusion

German isn’t the easiest language to learn, but it’s definitely worth the effort. Yabla is a great way to work through 3 of the most common problems German learners face: articles, pronunciation, and remembering new vocabulary.

A monthly subscription to Yabla starts at $9.95 for a single month. The site also has some free German videos you can try out with their player for free. If you’re learning German go check them out!

​Babbel is a popular language learning course/app with over 1 million users worldwide. Their courses have a reputation for being an effective way to learn the essential vocabulary in a foreign language. 

To read about the general strengths and weaknesses of Babbel's language courses check out our Ultimate Review of Babbel. In this article we're going to look at Babbel's German course and see whether or now it's worthwhile for German learners. 

In Babbel German right for you?

Yes 

If you're a beginner

Beginners usually have their pick of language courses. Companies know that the market for beginner courses is a lot larger than the one for advance students. Babbel is no different. Thus their German course has a substantial amount of beginner and intermediate content. 

At the time of this article there are 69 German mini-courses within the main Babbel german course. Each mini course can have 10-15+ lessons, so except to learn a lot of German in you're new to the language. 

If you want a strong foundation in German

Babbel German isn't a perfect course, but it's great at teaching the fundamentals of the German language. With the amount of grammar and vocabulary taught in the German course you should be able to understand German (if not speak it) at a B1 level (intermediate). 

At this level you should be able to have predictable daily conversations and talk about simple events in the past, present and future, as well as plans and desires. 

No

If your German level is high

Babbel simply doesn't offer advanced lessons in their language courses. Advanced and upper intermediate students won't find a lot of value in Babbel German.

If you want to focus on speaking

Babbel doesn't prepare you well for using German on the fly in a real life conversation. The course doesn't require a lot of recall from the user. Typically when Babbel asks you a question you're given a list of possible answers and much choose from the list. 

This makes the course easy to use, but it doesn't do a lot to develop your production of the language.   

Pros & Cons of Babbel German

Pros

It's good for mastering those pesky German articles

​German articles are often cited as the bane of native English speakers. With three possible options (der, das, and die) and a fair amount of exceptions, remembering which article to use and when can be nothing short of a headache. 

A brief intro to the German articles​​​​​

One great thing about Babbel German is that is has specific lessons on individual grammar topics (like articles). The lesson on articles will show you the general rules and exceptions and then for the rest of the lesson you will be quizzed on them.

This allows you to practice the articles until you're comfortable with them. Usually this kind of laser pointed language practice is only possible after spending a couple hours making flashcards and drilling through them several times.

It's good for learning German cases

Any language that uses grammatical cases is going to pose a special challenge to a native English speaker. We simply just don't use them anymore (we used to in Old English). The concept can take a little getting used to.

A brief intro to German cases

 Much like it does with German articles, Babbel German breaks down the cases into individual lessons so that you can tackle them one at a time. This isn't the only way to learn German cases but it is one of the most recommended.    

There's no shortage of German lessons

 Not all Babbel courses have the same amount lessons in them. Less popular languages like Danish and Russian take hit and only offer beginner lessons, with little to no attention given to intermediate content. With German this isn't an issue. The language is one of the most popular foreign languages to learn among native English speakers.

As a result you can except a substantial amount of lessons that go past the basics of the language.  

Cons

No advanced lessons & little speaking preparation 

Babbel German's greatest shortcomings are the two found it all Babbel courses: There simply isn't any material for advanced students and on its own the course will leave you ill prepared to speak freely in the real world. 

What other people are saying about Babbel German​

Alternatives to Babbel German

Final thoughts

Babbel German is a good option for beginning or low intermediate German students. Their courses teach vocabulary and are also good for memorizing some of the tougher parts of German grammar.

Babbel German isn't ideal for developing your speaking skills and like the rest of Babbel's language courses it doesn't have anything to over advanced student. Still with a low price tag and a 20 day money back guarantee it's worth checking out for yourself to see if it's right for you!

Updated December 15th, 2023

Rosetta stone is often the first course that comes to mind when you think about learning a foreign language. Their courses are loved by some and hated by others. 

We take an in depth look at the Rosetta Stone method in our  Ultimate Rosetta Stone Review. There we get down into the nitty gritty of what makes Rosetta Stone tick, and what its common strengths and weaknesses are. 

We limited the subject of this article specifically to the features of Rosetta Stone German, as not to rehash the same information we covered in the full review.

Here we'll look at some of the unique features of the German language and how they relate to the Rosetta Stone method. 

Enjoy!

Is Rosetta Stone German Right for you?

Yes for beginners

Rosetta Stone German is designed for beginners who have little to no experience in learning a foreign language. If you are looking for a course or method that will gradually teach you the basic structure and vocabulary of German then Rosetta Stone is worth considering.

No for intermediate or advanced learners

Once you get into an intermediate level of German Rosetta Stone drops the ball. Their courses can teach basic concepts and grammar just fine, but the complexity of German grammar doesn’t work well with Rosetta Stone’s method.

1) German is a little further from English

German holds an interesting place in the collection of foreign languages. For a native English speaker German is easier to learn than slavic, middle eastern, or Asian languages. But German is more difficult than the Romantic languages (French, Spanish, Italian, etc).

Rosetta Stone works better the closer a foreign language is to English. This is mainly because Rosetta Stone was mostly likely design for Spanish or another Romantic language, and the method was copied for all other languages.

This means that Rosetta Stone German is fairly effective, but German will be more difficult to learn than some other languages.

The real challenge for Rosetta Stone German is grammar....

2) German has complex grammar

Compared to English and the Romance languages, German grammar is more complex. While we won’t get into the finer details here, just know that are four cases in German. For each case nouns (people, places, things,) will be used in a different form. 

Pia and Lisa explain the German cases

Each case contains adjectives that change based on gender (German has 3 genders by the way). If this wasn’t enough German also has its fair share of exceptions and special cases that break the rules you learn.

There are also 3 articles (one for each gender) in German. This wouldn’t be too bad, except a lot of the time the gender of specific German words don’t always makes sense, making the correct article hard to remember.

Here's a little more info on German articles

In our Ultimate Rosetta Stone Review we talk about how Rosetta Stone works pretty well when you’re learning basic grammar and vocabulary. However Rosetta Stone becomes less effective when you get into more complex grammar concepts.

This is because Rosetta Stone uses zero English and sticks to using pictures to teach you the meaning of a word.

With German’s complex grammar system you can imagine how difficult if might be to nail down all of the rules and exceptions using absolutely no translations.

It’s a noble effort on Rosetta Stone’s part, but in practice using only pictures simply isn’t as effective when it comes to more advanced material.

3) The German Alphabet

The German alphabet consists of 26 letters much like English. There also a series of combined letters and 3 umlauted forms (umlauts are dots placed over vowels).

There are a fair amount of letters in the German alphabet that will look and sound either familiar or similar when compared with English. And of course there are some sounds and symbols that will seem completely new.

The similarity of the German alphabet makes the language more suitable for the Rosetta Stone method. You don’t have the problem of learning a new script like Russian or Arabic, which makes German a bit easier to learn whether or not you use Rosetta Stone.

Rocket German

Conclusion

Rosetta Stone German might work for you as an introduction to basic German vocabulary, especially if you work best with a visual learning style.

Once your level of German improves and you encounter the complexities of the language, you will probably find Rosetta Stone to be less effective. This is because The Rosetta Stone method does not work well in teaching grammar for non-romance languages. 

German is a difficult language to learn whether or not you use Rosetta Stone, but in the end, there are probably some better options out there for learning German. 

Rocket German offers a lot if you want a strong foundation in German grammar and literacy as well as some German. The Pimsleur German app will get you conversational in German quickly. And GermanPod101 gives you a lively introduction to German through audio and video lessons that will keep you engaged more easily than the repetitive lessons in Rosetta Stone.

Rosetta Stone German can work as a supplement to your learning, but not the main course.

Germanpod101 was one of the first courses I came across while searching for German learning resources. The site has a reputation for being both an affordable and effective way to learn German. 

In this post we explore the ins and outs of Germanpod101 and give some practical tips on how or if it can be used to increase your German abilities. Enjoy!

Is Germanpod101 right for you?

Beginners and intermediate German learners will get the most out of Germanpod101. More advanced students may also find some value in the site. However the bulk of the podcasts are for beginner and intermediate students.

Germanpod101 is primarily an audio based course, so if you want to practice listening to native German speakers then this product is a good option.

The site is also a great tool if you are still learning German grammar and vocabulary. The lessons are set up so that you learn new words and concepts in the context of a scripted but natural conversations.

If you’re looking for a way to practice German while on the go, then Germanpod101 is great for that as well. All site content is available via their mobile app which you can use at no additional cost. Their app is available on Iphone, Ipad, and Android devices.

Features​

Podcast episodes

The mainstay of Germanpod101 are its podcast lessons. Each episode is about 15 minutes long and features a German conversation involving a particular topic. The topics range from grammar, culture, to conversational phrases (like how to say hello).  

Lifelike situations

The folks behind Germanpod101 try to make the podcasts relevant to real life situations, and so far they have done a decent job. Each episode has one or more “hosts”.

 At the beginning of each lesson they give you a summary of what the lesson will be about. They may also include some interesting info on the German that will be used.

Conversations are natural and interesting

The hosts share personal stories and anecdotes to keep the episodes personal and engaging. This helps keep the mood light, especially when you’re in a very grammar heavy lesson. Germanpod101 stands in contrast to other dry and more matter-of-fact audio courses.

​Tools and Resources

Germanpod101 has an interesting selection of extra tools & resources to help you learn German. A lot of them can be found free elsewhere on the net but some are useful. 

My 3 favorite are the flashcard system, pronunciation review, and the lesson transcripts. Just a heads up: you need a premium or premium plus membership to get these features.  

Flashcards

Germanpod101 offers their own spaced repetition flashcard decks. They make it easy to build your own deck using words you learn in the podcast. You can literally make a new card with one click which is a lot easier then making your own Anki deck.

Pronunciation & accent review

Germanpod101 also has a cool feature that lets you playback words at slow or regular speed and compare your pronunciation to the native speaker’s.

Lesson transcripts

If you have the premium or premium plus subscription level then all podcast episodes come with a transcription of the lesson and German conversation. This is one of the most useful features even though it’s probably the least exciting. 

Other features

Other features include word lists, conjugation sheets, and a German dictionary. As I said before some of these you can find on the internet for free. Even so, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have them in one place.

Price

Subscription levels​

There are three subscription levels for Germanpod101: basic, premium, and premium plus. Like most subscription sites the longer your subscription, the lower the price is per month.

With basic you get access to all podcast episodes, lesson notes, and checklists. The price of this level can be as little as $4 a month for 24 months or as high a $8 a month for 1 month. 

Premium gives you all the content in the basic plan in addition to the majority of the extra tools & resources such as flashcards, pronunciation help, and lesson transcriptions. Premium prices start at $10 for 24 month and run up to $25 per month for 1 month.

​Premium plus offers everything in the premium and basic levels with the added benefit of a professional personal assessment, lesson plan, and instruction from a teacher. Premium plus goes from $22.88 per month for 24 months to $47 per months for 1 month. 

Best value​

Unless you want lesson transcripts the basic level is probably your best bet. The premium level isn’t bad either and I think it’s worth it just for the lesson transcripts. The premium plus is steep and you’re better off saving your money and finding a tutor on Italki.

Germanpod101's shortcomings​

No speaking required​

As a learning tool Germanpod101 works well, really well even. But it shouldn’t be the only thing you use to learn German. Their content is good but listening to a podcast will never be better than talking with actual native German speakers.

You can use audio to learn all the German words there are, but without using them in real conversations your ability in the language will stagnate. 

No community​

​Language learning is by nature something best done in a community of other learners. It would be great to see Germanpod101 add some sort of feature to connect its students.

Best way to use Germanpod101​

Study and review

​Germanpod101 is used best if you work through each podcast episode practicing the meaning and pronunciation of any new words. Then you can use their flashcard deck to review them and make them stick. 

Listening & pronunciation​

Using the the dialogues, lessons scripts, and slow playback can really help improve your German pronunciation. You can use these features to make note of any sounds or words you have difficulty with, and then focus your efforts on mastering them. 

Extra German learning time

You can use Germanpod101 on your phone or tablet. Take full advantage of this. Use the app to fills the cracks in your daily schedule with more German practice. Whether you're on the way to work, at lunch, or in line at the store; if you have some headphones and your phone you can practice German pretty much anywhere. ​

Rocket German

Conclusion

Germanpod101 more than holds its own as a German learning tool. It’s effective and is affordable with cheap monthly subscription options. Its strengths lie in its ability to help you with your pronunciation and teach you grammar and vocabulary. However, it shouldn’t be the only resource you use to learn German. It’s best as a complement. 

With a free week trial it’s at least worth trying it out for yourself.