The Polyglot Gathering is an annual, four-day get-together for language learning enthusiasts. It takes place at the beginning of the summer. We all came home from the sixth Gathering in Bratislava in May 2019 and began looking forward to the 2020 event in Teresin, near Warsaw Poland. Alas, history had different ideas! For the next two years, the event was forced to switch … [Read more...]
Five fun Christmas foreign language practice ideas
We had ten days of "deep and crisp and even"-ish snow here in London, but, as I write this on Christmas Eve, I'm afraid we're back to the seasonal norm: rain and dank grey skies. But not to worry! It's still festive enough here at Howtogetfluent Towers. 🎄 🎄 🎄 I do love a bit of Christmas kitsch, not least the … [Read more...]
A fun little vocab and writing skills project
Grrr. It’s mid November and it's getting dark by half past four in the afternoon here in London now. By 8pm last night, when I headed out for an evening walk, it was dank and misty. It really felt like autumn. My mood, though, lifted up as I came across something quirky: a Royal Mail pillar box adorned with a knitted hat or “topper”. I’d heard before that there’s … [Read more...]
Goethe-Institut German A1 exam explained
If you want the Goethe-Institut German A1 exam clearly explained, you’re in the right place. In this post we’ll unpick the format of this important beginner German language exam. We’ll get clear on just what the A1 test German exam itself involves. The focus is on the exam for adults (sub-titled Start Deutsch 1). We won't look at the beginners’ exam aimed at children and young … [Read more...]
Best German series on Netflix for keen learners (2022)
What are the best German series on Netflix for keen learners in 2022? In this post you’ll discover ten strong contenders: what they’re about and why they’re useful and fun. Plus, at the end, two useful tips to help you find the shows and get the most out of watching them. Unsure of the value of learning German by watching TV? Well, many learners seriously underestimate the … [Read more...]
Enhancing the rhythm of your language learning year
We all love quick wins in our language learning but true success comes when we stay engaged over the long term. For that, habit trumps goals and motivation. But here’s an idea that may count as a habit but can also add some real motivational swing into the mix too: building participation in events into the rhythm of your year. Of course, a twice-weekly conversation or once … [Read more...]
Olly Richard’s new Uncovered (Intermediate): review
(Updated 8 December 2022) Uncovered (Intermediate) are the new courses for Spanish, German, French, Italian or Japanese from Olly Richards at StoryLearning. I’ve been exploring the courses from the inside and here’s my review: first in overview, then in depth. Listen up if you are at lower intermediate and looking for the materials - and a method - to help you take your … [Read more...]
How to use German infinitives
In this post we’ll get to grips with German infinitives. What do we actually mean when we talk about the infinitive of a German verb? When do you use the infinitive in German and can you use it on its own as a bare infinitive or do you have to use the zu infinitiv (Infinitiv mit zu)? How similar are German and English here? Eh? Read on! All will be revealed, with lots of … [Read more...]
What to expect from a foreign language tutor (and what not to expect)
What to expect from a foreign language tutor? Well, if you think a tutor can learn the language for you, you’ll be disappointed. That certainly doesn't mean that it's not worth hiring a foreign language tutor, though. Get your expectations right and you'll find, as I have over the years, that a good language tutor can be hugely helpful at key stages on your road to fluency. … [Read more...]
German relative pronouns and relative clauses made clear
German relative pronouns cause some students a headache simply because they haven’t taken time to understand how the relative clause sentence pattern works and what it's for. Don’t make that mistake! In this post, you’ll find a clear explanation with the jargon busted and lots of clear examples. All the way through, we'll highlight what's similar to English. To finish, we’ll … [Read more...]