Michael Cristiano | FluentU German

GermanPod101 Review: Useful Learning Program with Conquerable Drawbacks

“Learn the Basics of German in 30 Minutes.” “100 Phrases Every German Beginner Should Know.” “Fix Your German Speaking in 2 Hours.” If you have searched for German videos on YouTube, chances are you have seen these titles. Such videos …

Learn German YouTube-style: 30 Must-watch Channels for German Learning Videos

Hey, German learner! Diligently searching the internet for educational German resources? That’s great. Now, I want you to give in to the dark side—the one that’s begging you to procrastinate by fooling around on the internet. This list of awesome …

Amusing Gemüse: How to Say 30+ Vegetables in German

Do you have Tomaten auf dem Augen (tomatoes on your eyes) when it comes to your German food vocabulary? In other words, are you wearing the proverbial “rose-tinted glasses” (or in this case, Tomaten) when it comes to your …

Get MOOCing! The Top 8 Resources to Learn German Free Online

What’s the best way to learn German free online? Why, you have to get MOOCing, of course! “MOOCing?” you ask. “Is that some sort of slang German expression to mean get moving?” No, dear reader, I mean that …

Doing Your Reps: 14 German Grammar Exercises to Build German Language Muscle

Quick question: is it leg, arm or chest day? That was a trick question. We’re not weightlifting today. Instead, we’re strengthening our German grammar skills! In fact, a German regimen without grammar exercises is like reading about weight-lifting and then …

German Dative Pronouns: The Quick and Easy-to-follow Guide

Let me give it to you straight: learning German is no picnic. For English speakers—nay, speakers of many languages—German grammar can be a confusing mixture of three grammatical genders, separable prefix verbs and complex word-building. Not to mention, there …

Let’s Learn Over 60 Animals in German and Stop Horsing Around!

Learning German is the cat’s meow, isn’t it? You really opened a can of worms the day you decided to start learning German! And at times, you’ve probably felt like you’re on some sort of wild goose chase with all …

How to Actively Learn the German Passive Voice and Wield Objectivity with Confidence

Do you ever feel like you are simply an awe-struck onlooker in your German language-learning journey? Maybe you have studied so much grammar online that you stand back and admire your hard work from afar. Maybe all the verb forms …

Top 16 TV Shows for German Learners (and Where to Stream Them)

What do you need after working a long day at the office, picking the kids up and cooking dinner? If you’re like me, maybe you jump in front of that Fernseher (television) for some hard-earned Patschen-kino (slipper cinema).…

Learn German with the Top 7 Video Instructors on YouTube

Can German learning videos really stand up to classroom learning? Well, think about what makes a German course so great. You get structured learning from a knowledgable instructor and tons of opportunities to practice. Now think about what makes …

Deutsch Online! Where to Find the Best Advanced German Lessons on the Web

“Entschuldigung, wie ist der Weg?“ “Excuse me, what’s the way?” While this may be a common phrase to ask for directions while traveling in Germany, it’s also a question that you may find yourself asking as an …

Learn German Online: The FluentU Method for Real German Language Skills

What would make German learning easier for you? I know—a more dense and boring textbook, right?! …Nein. How about instant access to authentic, entertaining German content—with the tools to understand and learn from it? That’s more like it. Learn …

Get Hours of German Listening Practice (with Exercises!): 7 Top Tools to Improve German Listening Comprehension

The right German listening practice can help you avoid every German learner’s nightmare. You know the one. You’ve arrived in Berlin, buying a Fahrkarte (train ticket) to your hotel. You reach the ticket counter and the employee says something to …

German Learning for Tech Lovers: How to Learn German with Alexa Devices

What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen Alexa do? Did you know she can play a fake conversation to scare off burglars when you’re not home? Or give you a wine recommendation based on what you’re eating? Yeah, that stuff is …

9 Fabulous German Movies on Netflix to Improve Your Deutsch in 2022

You can’t talk about film without talking about Germany. I’ve co-produced a film in Germany, and was tremendously impressed by the sheer size of the industry and the skill of the professionals working in it. It’s probably the largest, most …

25 Common German Phrases and Idioms That’ll Make You Sound Like a Native

When you teach yourself German, your experience is unique from everyone else’s. Sometimes, you stray from the basics and learn strange (and fascinating) things. I learned how to say “the ghost” and “the ice cave” in German before I …

25 Common German Idioms to Sound Like a Native

Ever find yourself totally baffled in the middle of a German conversation? Struggling to make sense of seemingly irrelevant comments? Like, things are going great until your friend says something bizarre about a dancing bear, or dumpling broth. What gives?…

How to Learn German Fast (But Right): 10 Steps for Smarter Studying

If you want to learn German, you might as well learn German fast. Why take your time when you could be sampling the currywurst in Berlin or rocking out to some killer German jams? Of course… learning German quickly …

Author Archive | Michael Cristiano