Complete German: The Basics

by Living Language

Book Overview

This English-German/German-English learner's dictionary includes more than 15,000 of the most frequently used German words, phrases, and idiomatic expressions. You'll find more than simple definitions... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1400024110
• ISBN13: 9781400024117
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Living Language
• Length: 396 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Good teach-yourself German course

I'm enjoying this conversational German text. It builds on words taught in lists, recycling them into coversations at the end of each unit. It seems relatively fast moving to me, but I am a first time German learner and it keeps me intersted. Commendably it uses words and phrases in rich, multi-layered social situations which make the language more memorable. I would recommend this course.

Very pleased

I received the CDs and book very promptly, faster than the estimated time. Everyrhing was in good shape as represented. I am very pleased.

Great set.

This course is great for someone who is best at learning a language by hearing it, and having a little book to refer to when hearing the conversation that's being spoken. One thing I have to note -- like another reviewer -- the booklet doesn't cover every single thing that is said in the audio, it only translates what's said in the main conversation in the beginning of each lesson and the new words that are introduced. It's not a major problem, not something that should have you looking elsewhere for another course, but it would be nice. Oh yeah, at the end of the booklet is little but helpful grammer guide. This course won't make you fluent in german -- as if any course does btw -- but it will give you a good foundation to begin your road to fluency. How do you get fluent? Simple, by speaking german with german speakers and constantly hearing german through any means necessary, be it TV, radio, people...That way you get practice so that you reach the point where you can begin to speak without thinking about how your gonna say something, and also so that you get quicker at understanding what someone says. Also, it won't make your grammer perfect. That matter should be left to other resources like books that teach grammer, or excellent german speakers who can help. In all, despite its shortcomings, i give it a 5/5 because its effective. The shortcomings that i've mentioned in this review are not a problem because I don't see how it would help you anymore than the text thats already given in the booklet.

very satisfactory

We really appreciate the speed in which our order arrived. A very satisfactory transaction. Would recommend this seller.

Great Intro Course

I used this course before visiting Germany after I graduated from High School. Prior to my trip I studied French in high school (the boring grammar, drills, verb conjugations, teacher saying, " Ecoute tout le monde, repite... "). At first I worried that I had picked up a phrase book that would not be helpful in forming sentances. I was also wary of the idea that only German was spoken on the cassette tapes. The German-only tapes turned out to be more helpful than a burden. It turns out that the proper way to study the course is to review the book prior to and then along with the audio a few times. Then you must use only the audio. When you hear and repeat the audio try thinking of the meaning of the sentance in terms of imagages and feelings instead the English translation. The results that I experienced were that my listening comprehension in German was better than that of the French that I studied for 3 years in high school. I was able to form sentances more intuitively than by trying remember verb congugations. Latter in college I studied German and I was well ahead of my classmates. In Germany I was able communicate even though I could not have a full conversation. This course will not get you to fluency but if you learn that way I learn (intuitvlely with little emphasis on rules)then it is a great beginning. There is very little in the way of grammar, but hey, do you really diagram your sentances in the middle of speaking English? The only drawback is that there are numerous helpful drills in the text that are not included with the audio.