Summary

Babbel combines multi-media visual and auditory learning, social networking interactivity, sound educational methodology, mobile apps (for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad - Babbel Mobile) and desktop goodies (Babbel Refresh) in a one-stop integrated platform for learning German.

They've very recently expanded their platform by adding loads of new features to the Web interface as well as mobile and desktop apps to enhance your German learning efforts online - and take them mobile:

Babbel Refresh: Bite-sized units catered to your individual German learning program, spaced out appropriately and delivered to your via a free desktop app! (Free, works with Windows and Mac.)

Babbel Mobile: Synchronizes your Babbel account with iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad, allowing you to study German on your mobile device - even if you're offline! Babbel Mobile is free to download for everybody, and access to the Vocabulary is available for free for those who already are subscribers to Babbel. If you're not on Babbel, you can purchase the vocabulary as a stand alone app, which has 3000 words and phrases, for a onetime $7.99 USD.

Babbel's interface is the definition of eye candy, works on any modern Web browser, loads quickly and runs solidly. The dynamic learning system reviews you on terms and phrases you've learned while seamlessly incorporating new ones on topics you select. This guarantees you'll be interested in what you're studying - and that it will be the most applicable to your specific needs and goals.

Part of the Babbel learning system involves media-rich (and user shared) virtual flash cards. The flash card stacks are organized into "packages" (groups of cards) that treat common themes (eg, youth hostels, winter sports, restaurants and eating out, fruits and vegetables, clothing, standard greetings, giving and receiving compliments, etc). With input and contributions from the users, these packages get consistently better as more contributions flow in.

Furthermore, an intelligent system organizes all the vocabulary words you've learned. You get a comprehensive overview of everything you've studied - and it signals which are your problem words so you'll know you need to practice them again. This syncs seamlessly with the Babbel Refresh desktop application as well, using your personalized Vocabulary list to calculate reminders for what's best to review next and how often. Wow - talk about helpful!

Add to all of this Babbel's social networking tools, including the ability to hook up with other users interested in sharing and exchanging language skills, and you have a dynamic German-education platform that covers all the bases.

In addition to German, Babbel is available for learning Brazilian Portuguese, English, French, Italian, Spanish and Swedish.

So try a Babbel lesson free and see if it works for you. You can select one of various options for your free lesson, too. Chances are you'll be up and learning in no time, making friends to share with, quizzing yourself on the go and progressing more quickly than you thought possible.

Treat yourself and have some fun learning German - go Babbel!

Free or Subscription?

Wading through the options for learning German online (and off) can be difficult. The free resources for German in particular are sparse and, in our humble opinion, incomplete. Thus it's well worth subscribing to a paid service to truly open the doors to your virtual classroom.

Having researched and tested free and paid options extensively, we definitely say that Babbel sits right at the top of your options - it's incredibly fun and intuitive, offers online and offline solutions and is amazingly fairly priced: between $6.62 and $11.95 USD per month depending on your subscription option. (Compare that with $539 for the full Rosetta Stone German course, for example. You could use Babbel for 67+ months at that price!)

For most people's needs, we recommend the 3-month option which runs $7.95 per month. It's a great way to leap ahead.

Summary

From beginner to advanced levels, GermanPod101.com is an excellent, all-around online environment for learning German. The Pod101 platform, method and technology provide the necessary tools to get you immersed in the German language and achieve the goals you desire and/or require.

Since GermanPod101.com is web-based, you can access your personal German Learning Center from anywhere, and it's really easy to download the podcasts and put them on your mp3 player (iPod, Zune, etc) or mobile phone to take them with you for practice and learning on the go.

One of the most important things when learning a language is good content - and GermanPod101.com has this, and a steady flow of it. This constant flow of fresh content regards cultural aspects of German you will want to know, interesting tidbits about navigating in German society (whether on vacation or living abroad), practical information about getting by and much more.

Your German Learning Center brings together audio podcast lessons, lesson notes and checklists, transcripts, PDFs, video lessons, vocabulary training with flashcards and quizzes plus a German dictionary, grammar bank, a verb reference and plenty more.

And if you enjoy asking questions and learning from and helping other learners, a forum is available for all users.

It's simple to try it for free and upgrade if it works for you.

From Website

At GermanPod101.com, our goal is to make learning the German language easy and fun, while also incorporating culture and current issues into our lessons. We believe that the more you speak, the quicker you learn, so we have designed our program to get you speaking right away. Situational German is heavily stressed, and our team role plays various situations to demonstrate the proper form of German to use when speaking with friends, customers, executives, and so-on. Knowing the proper form to use separates good speakers from great speakers.

GermanPod101.com was developed with the hope of showing the world how fun and easy learning German can be. Here at GermanPod101.com, we truly believe that learning can be fun, while at the same time convenient. We know how busy you are and that each day brings unexpected surprises. That is exactly why we bring the lessons to you and let you decide when they start.

Our innovative, fun, and easy to use language learning system is designed to get you speaking and interacting from the very first lesson. Learn German at your own convenience and pace with short, effective, fun daily lessons and a comprehensive, state-of-the-art Learning Center that provides you with the tools to take your German to the next level! Our interactive learning system consists of free daily audio podcast lessons, accompanying PDF materials, a Premium Learning Center, and a vibrant user community.

Our Method

GermanPod101.com offers a unique learning experience that cannot be found in conventional classrooms. In addition to offering lessons that can be completed on your own time, we approve all of the content we release through a government certified German teacher. Here are just a few of the revolutionary advantages of our method:

Exposure to native speakers and many different kinds of voices and speaking styles…

GermanPod101.com aims to have you speaking German after just one lesson! Our lessons focus on pronunciation and listening comprehension, so that you can start practicing what you learn from our professional teachers. Inside the PDF you will find the necessary tools for reading comprehension, and thorough explanations of phrases and key grammar points, in addition to segments on cultural insight. To address speaking practice, we have state-of-the-art software to allow you to record your own voice so you can compare your pronunciation to our teachers and continue to refine your speaking skills.

When all the aspects of GermanPod101.com are put together, this program provides students of German with ultimate self-study learning course. In addition, we often provide conversations between three people to more closely simulate real-life situations.

Fresh, up-to-date content...

Many German teachers who live overseas have been out of the country for a long period of time and can be “out of the loop” on current words, culture, etc. This is another major gap that we fill. Lessons are carefully crafted to include current events, words, celebrities, and so-on. This is very dynamic content.

Borderless education on-demand...

We also fill a definite demand in remote locations. Our lessons provide you with a mobile classroom, as we bring you German on Demand. German lessons wherever you may be.

GermanPod101.com offers our listeners a unique learning experience that delivers cutting-edge, dynamic content to be accessed at your convenience. With the inclusion of our lesson notes and Learning Center, we offer a full solution that provides the material, guidance, exercises, and testing to really make the knowledge your own. And it doesn’t even stop there - our vibrant and extremely helpful community provide each other not only quick answers to questions, but also give each other a sense of encouragement and motivation that is often lacking.

We focus on German, and German only...

Just German! All we do is German. GermanPod101.com is not a generic package language learning course, such as some of the other big name language learning programs out there. Many other programs “scale” their solutions across several languages, simply recycling the same material over and over - the same pictures, the same conversations, just in a different language. But each language is unique, and at GermanPod101.com we pride ourselves on developing a system that’s only about the German language and German culture!

One stop studying...

Have you ever found yourself lost on the information highway? Sometimes it’s like trying to drink from a fire hose! Hundreds of bookmarks, all with varying levels of quality and credibility. You finally find a great site, but it only updates once a year! GermanPod101.com offers users one stop studying. The learning center has been carefully designed to provide you with the resources you will need to take your German to the next level.

Visit GermanPod101.com.

Free 6-Day German Course

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Summary

The Rocket German product from Rocket Languages has proved to be a highly successful, fun! and fast method for beginners to learn the German language. The Rocket Languages team has designed a multi-faceted course including extensive audio lessons, software and learning games, grammar lessons with audio clips and a member's forum for help on demand.

I have personally been using Rocket Languages Japanese now as a total beginner with next to no knowledge of the Japanese language and the results have been excellent. I have used a lot of different language-learning methods (as you can tell from this website!) and the Rocket method is both quick and interesting, and I always find myself looking forward to the next lesson.

Don't just take our word for it. Try it out and if you don't like the results, you can get all your cash back for 60 days after you place an order. No risk there! And if you're not quite ready to jump in with both feet, try the free 6-day German course below...

From Website

Rocket German is designed to be the easiest to follow system for learning how to speak German available. It is an interactive course that makes you want to study. Also, it's practical. You'll discover exactly what to say in virtually all situations.

With Rocket German, you are going to learn German rapidly, effectively, and easily. You are going to be able to speak at a restaurant, at an airport, with new friends...

With the Rocket Languages German Program you get:

A Rocket Languages Interactive Audio Course that prompts you to speak German in a conversational and friendly way so that the words just stick in your mind! Learn a language the easy way!

Mega Software Learning Games that are specifically designed to increase your vocabulary and understanding of German and allow you to have fun in the process!

Fully illustrated and easy-to-follow Grammar Lessons, for those of you who love to know how German works. Most of these come with embedded audio clips in the lessons so that you can hear exactly how the words are pronounced!

If you have any questions, you can either email us or post a message on our Members Only Learners Forums, where our team of language experts and fellow enthusiasts will respond to your needs. With every Premium order you get unlimited and full access to our Forum - imagine having a teacher, virtually "on call" 24 hours a day!

And of course all Rocket Languages products are backed by a 60 Day 100% Money Back Guarantee. We're that confident, and it's that simple.

Rocket Languages will teach you how to speak German naturally, so you can read, write, speak, and understand the language as though you have lived there all your life - these are truly cutting-edge multimedia courses!

Find out more about Rocket German.

All Rocket Languages

View all Rocket Language courses.

Summary

Vocabulix is a great resource for verb conjugations and vocabulary building through self-testing for English, German and Spanish language learners. Have a look at the verb conjugators for English, German and Spanish. Or test yourself in either of these thrree languages with the verb drills tool.

As the name would have you believe, you can also increase your vocabulary skills using their vocabulary builder, which allows you to determine a level of study, choose the type of test and review the terms before starting. Quite handy!

Also of note are the friend finder and lesson creation tool (available only when logged in).

Use Vocabulix Here!

You can use the tools below to conjugate verbs quickly right here, too!

From Website

Learn Languages free and online with Vocabulix: Improve your vocabulary skills in foreign languages, online and free!

Vocabulary Builder

With over 90 predefined vocabulary lessons or create your own foreign language lessons and share them with other online users (also: French, Italian, Portuguese, Czech...)

Verb Drills

Learn Spanish verb conjugations, learn German conjugations or learn English conjugations with this efficient tool. Verb drills

Verb Conjugation Tables

In Spanish, German and English.

Visit Vocabulix.com

Summary

Pukka German a free audio podcast for intermediate to advanced German learners. The Pukka German podcast focuses on real-life German, including colloquial German, slang, German idioms and funny German sayings. A few example podcast topics are Oktoberfest, Gobsmacked, Money, Party and Like Clockwork.

The lesson audio, podcast transcripts and vocabulary lists are totally free and there is an option to become a pro member to gain access to online quizzes for a reasonable price. Pukka German is vibrant and filled with useful content for people that want to learn the kind of German language that is used in everyday life. The podcast production quality is that of proper studio recordings and the website is quite colorful as well.

Overall, this is an excellent, vibrant, relatively new podcast for students of German. Bravo Lisa and Tyler!

From Website

Who is Pukka German for?

Our German podcast is aimed at independent learners of German of all ages from intermediate to advanced levels. Whether you are a student, business professional or a language afficionado you will find plenty of useful material on the site to help you speak more fluent and interesting German.

We do not teach beginner German so you will need to have the German basics under your belt already to get the most from our German podcast and online quizzes.

Pukka German Inspiration

On arrival in Freiburg, I realised that in order to properly integrate and enjoy living out here, I was going to have to learn German.

Immediately I devoted considerable energy to learning the German basics as quickly as possible. I used language learning software, CDs, a multitude of books, online resources and also took German language classes. In fact Lisa was quite taken aback by my motivation and she worried that I had some kind of compulsive disorder that she'd failed to pick up on during our time in Scotland!

On arrival in Freiburg, I realised that in order to properly integrate and enjoy living out here, I was going to have to learn German.

Immediately I devoted considerable energy to learning the German basics as quickly as possible. I used language learning software, CDs, a multitude of books, online resources and also took German language classes. In fact Lisa was quite taken aback by my motivation and she worried that I had some kind of compulsive disorder that she'd failed to pick up on during our time in Scotland!

Unfortunately, I soon noticed that the language I learnt from text books was very different to the colourful language that I heard being used socially. It frustrated me that despite all the time and energy I'd invested to improve my German, I battled to understand what seemed to be the most entertaining conversations. I also felt cramped in my ability to express my personality and bring humour into conversation. It didn't take much to realise that it was the idiomatic language, the colloquial expressions and equally important, the German slang that I was missing.

Fortunately for me, I had Lisa who not only did me the favour of speaking with me in German from my first week here, but she also explained many of the useful German expressions, that my private studies hadn't exposed me to.

This obvious difference between textbook German and the language used by a large percentage of the Germans I was meeting is what inspired the creation of the Pukka German podcast. My vision with Pukka German is to help learners of German to bridge this divide, which normally is only achieved with a patient native speaker at your side.

A German podcast seemed the perfect solution because it allows subscribers to hear new vocabulary in context and spoken by a native speaker. Podcasts are also great for regular delivery of content, which is super for language learning.

Visit Pukka German.

Subscribe

Subscribe to Pukka German.
Subscribe to Pukka German via iTunes.

Summary

german.about.com is packed full of information for beginner to intermediate German learners as well as teachers of those levels. In fact, there is so much content there that listing it here would take too much time! Instead, this article will highlight some of the things you can find on the site, and leave the rest for you to find on the site.

Of special note are the start learning section, practice materials, teacher resources, audio lab, grammar section, travel section, vocabulary section, culture section, thesaurus, games/exercises and verb conjugator.

There is a lot more there, and it's all accessible for free. :)

From Website

Our German Language Lab offers audio for beginners or more advanced learners of German. Using the audio categories listed below, you can learn how to pronounce German correctly. By listening carefully to the sound in our German Language Lab, you'll have a model to imitate. Some language learners find it easier than others to get just the right sounds of German, but with a little effort you can do it! If you want to sound like a German, remember the German saying: Übung macht den Meister. (Practice makes perfect.)

Use the German Word of the Day (Wort des Tages) to expand your German vocabulary. Below you'll find two versions, one for beginners and another for intermediate or advanced learners.

Visit german.about.com