German Basics Part I – Script

Video 01.01 Regenschirm [optional subtitles]

In this lecture you will hear and read sentences about an umbrella. Listen
closely and repeat each sentence.
You can always pause the video if you need more time to repeat. Repeat
everything that is said in this lecture.
An English translation will be available for each sentence (subtitles). The
grammar and structure that you need to know will all be explained in the next
video along these same sentences.
Note that the translation for Das ist … can be This is … as well as That is …
Collect the new vocabulary, so you can start a set of flashcards. You can use
paper flashcards or a digital version like Anki or Quizlet. Make sure that you
always use an image for your flashcards if possible, rather than just a
translation. Similar to these video lectures, put an image of an umbrella on one
side of the flashcard (or draw one) and write down der Regenschirm on the
other side. That way, after a lot of repetition, the image of an umbrella will
trigger your memory of the German word, which is preferable to always
translating from one language into another.
Video 01.02 Regenschirm (explanation)
Now the sentences from the previous lecture will be explained, regarding
grammar and structure.
Make sure that you understand all the information. This is really your
groundwork, the very basics that you will need to build upon. Every detail
matters here. You can watch the video repeatedly to make sure that you got
everything.
Take notes and also write down the examples, so you can keep studying
afterwards with this information at hand.
Video 01.03 Hund [optional subtitles]
In this lecture you will see sentences that are built in the exact same way as the
umbrella-sentences. Only that now it's a dog instead of an umbrella, and there
are also some new adjectives. Everything will be translated again in the
subtitles.

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As before, repeat everything that is said in this video. Say the sentences out
loud to get used to pronouncing German.
Don't forget to note down all the new words, so you can start a vocabulary
collection for your flashcards.
Video 01.04 Apfel [optional subtitles]
Here are more examples using the same structures as before, this time with an
apple and some additional adjectives.
As before, repeat the sentences and write down the new words for your
vocabulary collection.
When you go into studying afterwards, study the complete sentences to
practice the grammar. You don't need to use additional nouns and adjectives
yet, only the ones you have seen so far. But you can exchange the adjectives of
course. The important part is that you don't study the rules too much. You
need to understand the rules. But what you need to practice is the application
of the rules: the complete sentences. So, repeat those sentences, repeat them
in your head and also say them out loud.
Video 01.05 Test: Stuhl, Ball
You can now test your knowledge. For this, you will need a pen and paper.
Let some time pass between the last lecture and this test. Take some time to
study the vocabulary and the structures that you have seen. Once you feel a bit
more confident, when the sentences sound more familiar to you, apply your
knowledge in this test.
Find out if you have really understood the rules and if you can use them
correctly.
Video 01.06 Solution: Stuhl, Ball [optional subtitles]

Now your main task starts. Don’t move on to other videos quite yet. In the next
few days, watch the example sentence video again and repeat the sentences.
Additionally, find more masculine nouns in a dictionary. Only use nouns that
are definite, simple items such as Tisch (table), Teller (plate), Rock (skirt). Make
sentences that are exactly like the ones in the lectures. Don’t add new
adjectives yet. Then repeat the sentences until they feel familiar.

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Video 01.07 Flasche [optional subtitles]
You have seen sentences with Regenschirm, Hund and Apfel. In this lecture you
will see the same type of sentences again, but this time we will be using nouns
that are feminine.
You will get the sentences first for listening, reading and repeating. In the
lecture that follows this one, everything concerning the grammar will be
explained.
Video 01.08 Flasche (explanation)
Video 01.09 Katze [optional subtitles]
You have seen how to use articles and adjectives with feminine nouns when
you describe things. In the following two lectures you will see more sentences
of the same type and structure with other feminine nouns.
Always repeat everything and don't forget to note down the new vocabulary.
Video 01.10 Zitrone [optional subtitles]
Video 01.11 Test: Lampe, Blume
Up next is a test to see if you can use the grammar for feminine nouns. As with
the test for masculine nouns, it is advisable to first study the vocabulary and
the structure some more by repeatedly connecting images to the words and by
repeating sentences with this structure. It's not enough to be able to
remember it when thinking about it. The point you want to get to is where the
words and sentences sound familiar to you, where you don't have to make an
effort to say them.
Understanding the sentence structure is one thing. The other one is to get
them into your system. Repetition is key here.
Once you feel more familiar with the words and sentences, you can do this task
and see if you can apply the rules to new words you are given. Get a pen and
paper and show what you can do!
Video 01.12 Solution: Lampe, Blume [optional subtitles]
Video 01.13 sauer, dunkel
In this lecture you will learn about two adjectives that work a bit differently. It's
a small difference to what you have seen so far. There are other adjectives that

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work like sauer and dunkel but only a few (another example would be teuer -
expensive), so you can view them as an exception.
After this lesson, you can practice what you have learned by mixing up the
nouns with the adjectives you have learned so far. So instead of die Zitrone
being sauer, it can now be der Apfel. Or you can make sentences with die
Blume being blau this time instead of rot and so on.

As before, stay on this topic for a few days. Watch the example sentence video
again and repeat the sentences.
Additionally, find more feminine nouns in a dictionary. Only use nouns that are
definite, simple items such as Gabel (fork), Decke (blanket), Jacke (jacket).
Make sentences that are exactly like the ones in the lectures. Then repeat the
sentences until they feel familiar.
Also include the sentences with the masculine nouns in your repetitions but
don’t mix the masculine and the feminine ones up. You can for example repeat
the sentences with the feminine nouns in your lunch break, and then the
masculine ones before you go to sleep. Let some time pass between those two
chunks.

Video 01.14 Haus [optional subtitles]

This lecture's topic is a neuter noun. The sentences used here are the same
type and structure as before but with the grammar rules that apply to neuter
nouns.
As with the other sentence-lectures, listen, read and repeat everything, and
note down new words for your vocabulary collection.
The specific grammar points will be explained in the lecture after this one.
Video 01.15 Haus (explanation)
Video 01.16 Buch [optional subtitles]
In these next two lectures, you will see more examples with neuter nouns.
Again, we're using the same type of sentences here. Listen, read, repeat and
note down new words.
Video 01.17 Auto [optional subtitles]
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Video 01.18 Test: Pferd, Glas
After you have understood the grammar and repeated the words and
sentences for a couple of days, you can take this test to see if you are able to
apply the rules to other neuter nouns. Take a pen and paper and make
sentences with new nouns and adjectives. Show us what you have learned!
Video 01.19 Solution: Pferd, Glas [optional subtitles]

Now add the neuter noun chunk to your repetition cycle. Watch the example
sentence video again and repeat the sentences.
Additionally, find more neuter nouns in a dictionary. Only use nouns that are
definite, such as Bild (picture), Kissen (pillow), Messer (knife). Make sentences
that are exactly like the ones in the lectures. Then repeat the sentences until
they feel familiar.
Keep repeating the masculine and feminine nouns as well, but don’t mix the
genders up. Work with separate chunks. Let some time pass between those
chunks. Always start with the chunk you’re the least familiar with.

Video 01.20 Regenschirme [optional subtitles]

Now that we have covered all three grammatical genders, we will have a look
at the plural nouns. In the following lecture you will get sentences with the
plural of a few nouns that you have seen in previous lectures. The sentences
will still be of the same type and structure as before but of course they include
the grammatical adjustments for plural nouns.
Please note that Das sind … can translate to These are … as well as Those are …
Don't get confused as everything will be explained in the lecture that follows
this one. For now, just listen, read and repeat.
Video 01.21 Regenschirme (explanation)
Video 01.22 Hunde [optional subtitles]
In this lecture, you will see more examples for plural nouns. They are all nouns
that you have seen before in the singular. Since you now know that the articles
and adjectives are grammatically all the same for all plural nouns without any
distinction in gender, you can concentrate a bit more on the plural noun forms.
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It makes sense to add them to your set of vocabulary. You can also go back to
the lecture die Regenschirme - the umbrellas with your new knowledge of
structure and note down everything you might have missed when you watched
it the first time.
Don't forget to repeat everything - say it out loud.
Video 01.23 Test: Blumen
After studying plural nouns and repeating words and sentences a lot over a few
days, you can take this test and see if you are able to apply the rules.
Take a pen and paper and write down everything you can come up with.
When you study after that, when you repeat your words and sentences, make
sure that you stick to what we have done so far, especially if you haven't
studied German previously. The German language structure is very sensitive to
change, and it is not obvious for new learners. Sometimes you make a very
small change and have a brand-new set of grammar rules you need to apply.
We will go through that step by step, so you're not going to miss it. But we
want to make sure, that you don't get ahead of yourself and then learn
structures that you will later have to un-learn again (which is a lot more work
than learning how to do it correctly from the start).
Once you have covered the basics and you enter more fluid zones of the
German language, there will be a lot of mixing up and plenty of room for
mistakes. It will save you a lot of work then to have built a solid basis now in
the beginning, where the rules are still very straight forward.
Video 01.24 Solution: Blumen [optional subtitles]

Back to your individual practice: add the plural noun chunk to your repetition
cycle. Watch the example sentence video again and repeat the sentences.
Additionally, find the plural of the other nouns you found before in a
dictionary. Make sentences that are exactly like the ones in the lectures. Then
repeat the sentences until they sound familiar to you and you feel comfortable
saying them.
Stick with just these exercises for at least a couple of weeks until you know the
sentences inside-out.

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Video 01.25 Quiz
You might not be aware of it but you have gathered a lot of information and
the better you can apply it, the easier you will have it later (in comparison to
people who don't study as meticulously as you do). The structures you have
learned so far are an integral part of the German language, they will come up in
different versions over and over, and they are also important to understand
German in terms of how the language works.
So, after you have studied the material from the last lectures (no matter how
long it took you - it takes as long as it takes), you can now do a quiz where
everything is mixed up together, which means this is the toughest type. On the
other hand, it's a multiple-choice quiz, which takes away the difficulty a bit. It is
also timed, but if you feel that you need more time, just pause it between the
questions and the solutions. Try to get to the point though, where you don't
have to do that anymore. If it takes you a lot of time to find the correct answer
or if you are unsure what the correct answer is, stop the quiz and go back to
studying (=repeating). Return to the quiz when you feel that you're closer to
mastering the material.
In any case, if you cannot understand why you got the wrong answer, there will
be a lecture afterwards, in which all answers are explained.
Video 01.26 Quiz (explanation)

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