Category Archives: Learn German
Looking for tips for learning German? From recommendations for German language music or films, here are some of my best tips and tricks for learning German. From one German learner to another!
Learn German with Music of Messer
Learn German with Music of Tim Bendzko
When your debut single is a big hit, it can be difficult to live up to expectations. There is a lot of pressure on your shoulders. But for Tim Bendzko, that simply has not been a problem. Since grabbing the attention of music fans in 2011 with the track “Nur noch kurz die Welt retten,” he has kept music fans eagerly listening. The German singer-songwriter has stayed true to himself while continually winning over fans with his memorable and likable pop-tinged tracks.
So this month, let’s get to know Tim Bendzko better and learn German with music!
Learn German with Films of Werner Herzog
Filmmaker Werner Herzog does it all. He is perhaps best known as a director but he is also a writer, a producer, and, from time to time, an actor. Since directing his first short in the early 60s, he helped shape the New German Cinema movement along with the likes of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Margarethe von Trotta, Wim Wenders, and Volker Schlöndorff. Herzog has been incredibly prolific with both feature films and documentaries on his resume.
How is all of that for a sales pitch? If you’re not already familiar with the films of Werner Herzog, now is a great time to get to do so and practice some German along the way!
Learn German with Music of Die Fantastischen Vier
German hip hop groups and rappers like K.I.Z. and Cro are currently gracing the top of the German language music charts. However, it was bands like Die Fantastischen Vier that paved the way. But one should not talk about the group in the past tense. These guys haven’t hung up their microphones just yet. The four-member group has had big hits that are sure to catch your ear.
Fanta Vier, as they are affectionately called, is a winning combination for German learners. Their delivery is clearly articulated while the lyrics and music videos are often entertaining and very humorous. Let’s get to know Die Fantastischen Vier better with this month’s German music feature.
Learn German with Films of Benno Fürmann
With piercing blue eyes, if you have already seen actor Benno Fürmann in a film, you would probably remember him. And with over 100 acting credits to his name in film and television, it wouldn’t be out of the realm of possibility.
For this month’s German film recommendations to help you learn German, let’s better get to know Benno Fürmann with three great films: North Wall (Nordwand), Jerichow and The Princess and the Warrior (Der Krieger und die Kaiserin).
Learn German with the Music of Cro
German rapper Cro certainly isn’t the first musician to have a gimmick. His just happens to be a panda mask that covers the top half of his face, obscuring his identity. It features an upside-down cross drawn on the mask between the eyes.
Who is Cro, really? While you may ask that about any celebrity or public figure, it is especially relevant when learning about this music star. With no official private identity, we have only the information he provides in song as insight.
But while Cro might be considered a rapper, his music is positively poppy. Since the release of Raop, his debut full-length, in 2012, the young musician has been a star of the German music scene scooping up awards and topping the music charts.
Let’s get to know Cro for this month’s German Music feature!
Learn German with Films of Martina Gedeck
Martina Gedeck is an acclaimed actress who is well respected and has dozens of awards to her name. Gedeck’s trademark is not being pigeonholed: she’s appeared in comedies, dramas, and everywhere in between. And she is known for major roles in German films including The Lives of Others and The Baader Meinhof Complex. If you are not already familiar with Martina Gedeck, now is most definitely the time to become familiar with this talented actress.
This month’s German film recommendations for practicing your German skills are Jew Suss: Rise and Fall (Jud Süss – Film ohne Gewissen), The Elementary Particles (Elementarteilchen) and Mostly Martha (Bella Martha).
Learn German with Music of Casper
If you are reading this post, then you are probably already pretty aware of how challenging it can be to learn a new language. So, as a German learner, you can empathize with and be wildly impressed by the rapper Casper. Raised in America, he moved to Germany at the age of 11 when his parents split up. And despite having a German mother, his German-language knowledge was practically non-existent. Today, Casper is one of Germany’s most popular rappers. Like I said, impressive — right?
Let’s use his journey and his successes as motivation set to a fantastic soundtrack. This month, learn German with the music of Casper!
Learn German with Films of Ulrich Tukur
For nearly forty years, actor Ulrich Tukur has been appearing in television and films. And in that time, he has not allowed himself to be pigeonholed. He has starred in dramatic films retelling important moments of history, clever comedies, and everywhere in between. So this month, let’s get to know the award-winning actor Ulrich Tukur and learn German with film!
16 TV Shows Set in Munich & Bavaria
Before the days of streaming all day every day, television offered a special connection with its audience. Whereas films are an occasional commitment of a couple of hours, television shows are a weekly part of life. The characters and settings become personal. And with tv shows set in Munich and across Bavaria, you truly get to experience the region in a new way.
You can be entertained with a humorous take on everyday life or become immersed in a local crime series. There are options for whatever strikes your fancy.
If you speak German, the options are seemingly endless. But thanks to today’s connected world, many streaming services offer English language subtitles for shows.
Sit back and get ready to binge Bavarian style with these 16 TV shows set in Munich and across Bavaria! (If films are more your style, try 13 Great Movies Filmed in Munich & Bavaria.)
Learn German with Music of Juli
In the early 2000s, the German music scene was seeing an exciting new wave of pop music. What makes the music from this time so special — especially for us language learners — is that this movement was dominated by German-language pop music. The female-fronted quartet Juli is one of the most popular of these German pop groups.
What makes Juli so much fun is that their music is easily accessible but with a bit of an alternative twist that is kind of catchy and perfect to sing along to. So this month, let’s get to know Juli while learning German!
Learn German with Films of Rainer Werner Fassbinder
If you’re a fan of German cinema or the art house scene of the 1970s, then you’re likely already familiar with Rainer Werner Fassbinder. The German director, writer, and actor is considered to be an important figure in the New German Cinema movement that took place from the 1960s until the 1980s.
The Criterion Collection has honored a number of his films. The works are typically low budget, filmed quickly, and full of gritty realism along with commentary on society. Although Fassbinder died in 1982 at the age of 37, he made an astonishing 40 full-length films.
This month, let’s better get to know Rainer Werner Fassbinder and practice the German language at the same time.
13 Great Movies Filmed in Munich & Bavaria
While it certainly is not as fun as being there in person, you can immerse yourself in all that Munich and Bavaria have to offer from your sofa. Or wherever you prefer to watch!
That is right: I am talking about movies filmed in Munich and around the state of Bavaria. You can fill an afternoon with a romantic comedy or learn something new with a historical drama. There are options for whatever strikes your fancy, although the options are more limited if you do not speak German.
If you want to experience Bavaria without seeing a film that is set in the German state, keep reading! I have some honorable mentions that might surprise you.
So, go ahead, grab a Bavarian Bier (or your favorite beverage) plus some popcorn, and check out these movies filmed in Munich (and Bavaria)!
If you prefer television shows to movies, check out these TV shows set in Munich and Bavaria.