Learn German Easily: Learning Guide PDF

MIT LUCAS KERN ACHIEVE GERMAN NACH PROFICIENCY ***** YOUR DER SCHULE...

MIT LUCAS KERN ACHIEVE GERMAN NACH PROFICIENCY ***** YOUR DER SCHULE ULTIMATE GUIDE Experience the Joy of Learning German with this Exclusive Learning Guide & Audio Story Developing all four language skills in one go: Reading, Listening, Understanding Grammar, and Speaking Learn German Easily Created by Lucas Kern LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THIS IS MORE THAN A GUIDE - THIS IS A PROMISE! I'm about to make a prediction that might seem incredible to you at first, but give it a try and you'll be amazed. Here's my promise to you: Even if the first step (Unit 1) leaves you feeling like you've landed on a different planet where not a single word makes sense, I assure you by the time you reach the end of this guide, a transformation will have taken place. You'll not only understand every word in the audio files, but you'll also find yourself speaking German, responding to questions with an ease as if you've done it all your life. How is this possible, you ask? Well, you're about to uncover that magic. The trick is to stay the course. Read everything carefully (don't skip a sentence of this guide) and practice regularly. Work through it, one unit at a time. Embrace the process, the ups and downs, the 'Aha!' moments, and the challenges. And when you've journeyed to the end, I want to hear about your adventure. Shoot me an email with your experiences, your triumphs, and how you've grown. Remember, every big journey begins with a small step. So, shall we begin? Can't wait to hear from you soon, Lucas  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN TABLE OF CONTENTS My Promise to You Goal of My Teaching Method and Special Learning Techniques The First Unit: Just Listen, Don't Get Frustrated Different Approaches for Newbies, Veterans, and In-Betweeners Reading with Colors: A Rainbow of German Learning Peculiarities in the German Language When 'DER' Decides to Crash the Party Mixing Up the Word Order: Like Moving Pieces on a Chessboard The Magic Word: Fitting an Elephant into a Mini-Cooper The 'DANN' Secret The Invisible 'YOUR': The German Way of Doing Things The German Verb Split: It's Not You, It's 'Zu' The German Verb Olympics: High Jumps and Splits Bridging the Gap Between Reading and Listening The Main Story - Here We Go POV Technique (POV = Point of View) POV Story Text - Here We Go Introduction to the Question and Answer Technique Why Q&A is Even More Effective Than Actual Conversation Time to Talk: Boosting Your Speaking Skills Three Q&A Text Versions for Assistance Full Package Version Half-and-Half Version Bare Bones Version The Next Steps in Your Language Learning Adventure Checklist for Success Have you downloaded all 3 MP3 files? (Main story, POV version, QAP) Have you read my updated '7 Rule Challenge'? Remember, these 7 rules are your roadmap to success in learning German!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN GOAL OF MY TEACHING METHOD AND SPECIAL LEARNING TECHNIQUES - READY, SET, GO! If you've completed my updated 7 Rule Challenge >>> https://learn-german-easily.com/7-rule-challenge... (which I highly recommend), then you're already well-armed with the theoretical tools for your German language adventure. But why stand still? Let's start turning theory into practice! In this guide, I'll be your personal coach. I'll show you how a single story can boost your German language skills beyond your wildest expectations. That includes reading, listening, understanding grammar, and speaking. Your skills will speed up, just like a car on the German autobahn. Together, we'll navigate the exciting twists and turns of the German language. You'll learn what to pay attention to and what to ignore (for now). This way, you won't feel overwhelmed by German grammar. Just remember, follow the instructions closely. If you do, you'll be surprised by how much progress you'll make! My teaching method and special learning techniques aim to: - Help you recognize and absorb unique aspects of the German language. - Develop an intuition for correct grammar. - Learn to think in German (this is crucial if you want to speak it fluently) Are you ready to elevate your German skills? Let's get started!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN LET'S PRETEND: YOU'RE A MEMBER ON A MISSION TO MASTER GERMAN! In order to best demonstrate my method and learning techniques, I've decided to simulate the 'Learn German Easily Premium' experience within this PDF. This allows you to learn with this story just as a Premium member would. Imagine this: You've just become part of the Learn German Easily family, excited and ready to enhance your German skills with the audio story 'Nach der Schule'. Here's your first step: After logging in, you'll be directed to the Premium Member Area. Premium Member Area LEARN GERMAN EASILY LEARN GERMAN EASILY LEARN GERMAN EASILY - GERMAN BASE CAMP - - GERMAN SONG CLUB - - MINI STORY CLUB - GERMAN BASICS FOR NEWBIES AND REFRESHERS GERMAN SONGS ADDED REGULARLY Here's a sneak peek Fresh stories are added regularly To access the Mini Stories, click on the 'Mini Story Club' image. At present, I've already established four learning clubs and the HUB (for asking questions). Moreover, I've a wealth of additional learning material in the works, which will soon be made available to our members.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN NOW YOU ARE INSIDE THE MINI STORY CLUB Look for the 'Nach der Schule' story in the sidebar and open its menu. LEARN GERMAN EASILY - MINI STORY CLUB - Here's a sneak peek Fresh stories are added regularly  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THE FIRST UNIT: JUST LISTEN, DON'T GET FRUSTRATED Since I can't guess your level of German, I've selected a random story. But hey, don't sweat it! The level of the story isn't a big deal. Why, you ask? Because whether you're a newbie or a veteran in German, every story I offer can help you improve. It's all about how you use it, not the story itself. But let's save that magic formula for later! Your first task is to listen to the audio and try to identify any words you know. Don't worry if you can't catch a single word - that's completely okay! We're here to learn. But remember, you're not actually logged in (this is just a PDF). You'll need to play the MP3 file: 'Nach-der-Schule-main.mp3', which you downloaded, from your own device. If you were a member, you'd simply hit the play button, sit back, and let the German language envelop you.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN AND? NEWBIE, VETERAN, OR IN BETWEEN? Did you catch every word the first time around? If so, congratulations! But if that's not the case, hang tight. If you follow my recommended approach, you'll soon understand this story as if it were recorded in your very own mother tongue! I promise, it'll be like magic – but with less rabbits and more German words! Do you remember what I mentioned earlier about different approaches for beginners and more experienced learners? Yes? Excellent, your memory is top-notch! If not, trust me, I know exactly how you feel. Just last week, I spent an hour searching for my smartphone... while using it as a flashlight. But hey, we learned in Rule No 4 (7 Rule Challenge) how to compensate for these little memory lapses, right? So, here comes the first difference between a beginner and a pro. If you're an absolute beginner, listening once might be enough to frustrate you – mission accomplished. That gives me the chance to lift your spirits with my goofy jokes and play the hero. So, no more audio repetitions for you right now! Wait for the next unit.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN STRATEGY FOR PROS AND IN-BETWEENERS As a pro, you've probably understood most of the audio story, but perhaps not all. If you're at a level where you already understand about 90% of it, remember Rule No. 3 that I taught you. When you hear German that you understand 90% of, your brain can fill in the remaining 10% from the context, and you'll improve just by listening. Each time you repeat the audio, your German will get better. If you understand less than 90%, you're at a crossroads. You can either proceed to the next exercise or keep listening to the audio until you can recite it flawlessly to your pet. And don't worry if your pet looks unimpressed - they're just jealous of your linguistic skills. Onward to the next exercise, where the real magic happens!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN READING WITH COLORS - A RAINBOW OF GERMAN LEARNING This reading exercise is a bit of a multitasker – it lets you learn several things all at once, a true time-saving wizard! You'll notice that the words are color-coded. Sure, I do it partly because I'm a big fan of rainbows, but there's also a solid reason behind this splash of color: it creates a unique learning effect. It's like a visual cheat sheet, showing you at a glance which German phrases match up with the English translations. This is also where my Rule No. 1 from the '7 Rule Challenge' shines: 'Always study phrases, not just individual words!' You'd be surprised how a bit of color can make this rule pop out. Now, take a good look at first words. Your next task is to decipher the meaning of the color-coded phrases using the translation as your secret codebook. Remember, we're not looking for word-for-word comprehension here. After all, we're learning a language, not memorizing the dictionary!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN WHEN 'DER' DECIDES TO CRASH THE PARTY These two sentences are probably easy for you to grasp due to the straightforward translation, right? You can translate the words 1:1, they have the same word order, and they even look similar. But hold your horses, what's up with the title? Why is there a 'der' in the title? And why 'der' of all things? At this point, you might start questioning my credibility: "Wait a minute, didn't my teacher tell me that 'Schule' is a feminine noun, so it should be 'die Schule'? Is Lucas pulling my leg? Has he been teaching German for so long that he's forgotten the basics? He calls himself a native German speaker? I'm having doubts!" Sounds like a proper cliffhanger, doesn't it? Stay tuned for the explanation!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN READING WITH COLORS - A RAINBOW OF GERMAN LEARNING See how the title isn't translated word-for-word? Why is that? Because it wouldn't work in the other language, like using a fork to eat soup. Not exactly practical. In English, we say "after school," implying the time period after school ends. However, in German, it's "nach der Schule," communicating the same idea. Here's the catch: in German, 'nach' calls for the dative case, causing 'die Schule' in the nominative case to switch to 'der Schule' in the dative. "Whhhat???" - I guess your surprise-o-meter just hit the red zone! These language-specific grammar gems don't always translate directly and are as unique as the secret code in a spy movie. BUT NO NEED FOR PANIC! With my method and learning techniques, you'll effortlessly master these nuances. You don't even need to memorize hundreds of grammar rules or exceptions regarding the four German cases (nominative, accusative, dative, and genitive). My learning material is designed to help you develop a natural feel for the language.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN MIXING UP THE WORD ORDER: LIKE MOVING PIECES ON A CHESSBOARD While in a traditional class, you'd be memorizing these rules right now, my stories aim to help you intuitively express things correctly, tuning your ear for what sounds just right in German. Now, let's dive into the next two sentences. Try to comprehend the German first before peeking at the translations. Did you understand the rough meaning? - Great! You might have found yourself translating individual words in your head and realized that, in German, we often juggle with the word order. Did you? The color-coding immediately reveals an interesting feature of German - we often mix up the word order, like moving pieces on a chessboard. So, this unit not only helps you identify when something in German doesn't follow a 1:1 translation, but it also alerts you when we put phrases in different places within a sentence. In essence, you're about to develop a keen eye for recognizing the unique structure of German sentences. Trust me, that's a superpower you want in your language learning toolkit!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THE MAGIC WORD: FITTING AN ELEPHANT INTO A MINI-COOPER Now, let's gently ease into the next set of sentences. Take your time, read them multiple times! You might find that you already grasp some words or phrases, and if not, that's perfectly fine - take a peek at the translation. Wow, did you spot the magic in the first word? Who knew we Germans could pack a four-word English phrase into one solitary German word? It's like fitting an elephant into a mini-cooper - seems impossible until you see it!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THE 'DANN' SECRET As you've probably noticed, this guide aims to highlight peculiarities in the German language, not to annoy you or to frustrate you - NO! It's important that you're aware of these features so you can spot these differences in my stories. Being conscious of these peculiarities means you don't need to memorize grammar rules. Through constant repetition (reading, listening, and speaking), these structures will naturally imprint themselves in your memory. This is particularly advantageous for those learning independently without a teacher. Now observe: When we use "dann" in a sentence, the verb (in this case, "fragt") and the subject (in this case, "er") swap places – do you see that? Even advanced learners often get this wrong if they've crammed grammar rules instead of developing a natural feel for sentence structure. You're better off – already growing your German superpowers! Keep at it and you'll master this word dance in no time! The color coding already revealed the 'dann' secret - subject and verb flip. You'll remember it the next time 'dann' pops up!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN INVISIBLE 'YOUR': THE GERMAN WAY OF DOING THINGS But wait, there's more! There's another peculiarity in this sentence, a very 'German' thing, you might say. While it sounds perfectly normal in English to use 'your' (the unhighlighted 'your'), it would sound downright odd to squeeze in 'deinen' in German phrases 'mit geschlossenen Augen'. Think of it as a jigsaw puzzle - sometimes a piece that fits perfectly in an English sentence just doesn't have a place in its German counterpart. It's like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. But don't fret, as with any puzzle, the more you play, the better you get. With practice, you'll soon be fitting German phrases together like a puzzle champion! So, you see, I don't always use color-coding just for the fun of it. It's actually my secret weapon to point out quirks in the language. These might include the order of words or phrases, or certain expressions that we Germans would say a bit differently.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN READING WITH COLORS - A RAINBOW OF GERMAN LEARNING Now that you've gotten the hang of my color-coding system and you know which nuances to look out for, take your time to examine the next sentences. First, try reading the German sentence. Do you understand it? If not, check the translation. Pay attention to peculiarities, like the word order. Once you've done that, proceed with the other sentences.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THE GERMAN VERB SPLIT: IT'S NOT YOU, IT'S 'ZU' Did you spot the lone word "zu" in the third sentence, and notice how it's also highlighted in red? This is another detail the color-coding brings to light. The word "zu" is red because it belongs to the words "Ich mache" and correlates to the translation "I close." The verb in its entirety is actually "zumachen" and not just "machen" (which means "to do" or "to make"). In German, we have what's known as separable verbs. A prime example is "zumachen." In German, the verb "zumachen" often splits apart when used in a sentence. It's like a mini magic trick we perform with our verbs - yet another entertaining aspect of the German language adventure! By the way, I'm working on a new feature - the 'German Grammar Club' (coming soon). This club will explore the nuances of German grammar in more depth, using examples from my stories, and offering practical exercises for practice. This will be a bonus feature for members. Also, as a member, if you ever have any questions or come across something unclear, you're always welcome to ask in the HUB.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THE GERMAN VERB OLYMPICS: HIGH JUMPS AND SPLITS Alright, to give your newfound knowledge a little test, I've combined two peculiarities in the following sentence - can you spot what I did there? When we use "dann" in a sentence, the subject (in this case, "mein Sohn") and the verb (in this case, "wegrennen") swap places. Also, because "wegrennen" is another one of those cheeky separable verbs, it decides to do a little split! Double whammy, isn't it? I understand that anything new can initially appear complicated – like a labyrinth where each turn leads to another riddle. But don't worry! You've just been introduced to these peculiarities. As you bump into these German quirks more frequently, they'll start to make sense. Like pieces of a puzzle, they'll click into place and soon, you'll find it completely natural and logical. Just remember, even the most convoluted labyrinth has a way out – and I'm here to guide you through it! Keep reading, keep practicing, and soon you'll be navigating the German language like a pro. It's all part of the grand adventure of language learning!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN READING AND LISTENING In case you're thinking, wait a minute, is the story over already? Isn't there a punch line? Then you're right. Of course, this story has a twist, but that's saved for another unit. For now, let's focus on a listening exercise. If you've understood the story so far, with the aid of translation, you're on the right track. Our next goal is audio association – linking meanings of words and phrases in your brain with sounds. Depending on your familiarity with the text, you might need to read it a few more times without the audio. And if you are still unsure of some meanings? Refer to the translation. Once you've got a solid grasp of the story and can comprehend it without peeking at the translation, it's time for the next exercise. Use your MP3 player to play the audio file: 'Nach-der-Schule-main.mp3' and simultaneously read the text (provided on the next pages). If you were a member, you'd simply hit the 'Play' button.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN RACE TO MASTERY: ROUND AND ROUND WE GO ON THE GERMAN LEARNING TRACK Making a solid connection between words and their meanings varies from person to person. Some may need 5 repetitions, others 20. Just remember my Rule No. 4 from the '7 Rule Challenge' and the 'Forgetting Curve'. Alright, let's dive in! Play the audio file 'Nach-der-Schule-main.mp3' and read the text at the same time. Give it a few runs. Every lap around this track, you'll understand more. And hey, why not make a game of it? One round......focus on pronunciation like a secret agent listening for code words. Next...... pay attention to the word order as if it's a thrilling horse race and you're betting on the winner. On another round...... stomp your foot vigorously to the rhythm of the language until the neighbors respond with broomstick taps. Well, on second thought, maybe skip that last bit.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN MAIN STORY - HERE WE GO Nach der Schule After School Mein Sohn ist 10 Jahre alt. My son is 10 years old. Sein Name ist Paul. His name is Paul. Er geht von Montag bis Freitag jeden Tag in die Schule. He goes to school every day from Monday to Friday. Er macht jeden Tag seine Hausaufgaben. He does his homework every day. Meistens lernt er viel für die Schule. Most of the time he learns a lot for school. Aber manchmal ist er faul. But sometimes he is lazy. Es ist 13:00 Uhr und Paul kommt nach Hause. It's 1:00 pm and Paul is coming home. Er schmeißt seine Schultasche in die Ecke. He throws his schoolbag into the corner....  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN MAIN STORY - ONWARD WE GO!... Wir sitzen beide am Esstisch. We are both sitting at the dining table. Dann fragt er: „Papa, kannst du deinen Namen auch mit geschlossenen Augen schreiben?“ Then he asks: "Dad, can you also write your name with your eyes closed?" Ich sage: „Ja, kann ich.“ I say, "Yes, I can." Dann sagt er: „Das möchte ich sehen.“ Then he says, "I want to see that." Ich mache meine Augen zu und schreibe meinen Namen. I close my eyes and write my name. Dann rennt mein Sohn weg. Then my son runs away. Ich frage mich, was das bedeuten soll. I wonder what that’s supposed to mean.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN POV TECHNIQUE (POV = POINT OF VIEW) No matter how many laps you've completed on this track, you should be proud! You've already learned so much from this mini racetrack of a story. But don't start your victory lap just yet, there's more racing to come! Next, let's talk about the POV Technique. This technique helps you see how German changes when we tell the story from a different perspective. It's like trying on different glasses to see the world in a new way. In advanced lessons, I'll also change the tense of the story, which is like moving the story to a different time. With the POV Technique, you can learn German grammar easily without having to think about grammar rules all the time. Before you know it, you'll be using grammar correctly without even trying. And the best part? This technique gives you even more practice, and practice is key when learning a language (Remember Rule No 4). First, give the German version a go. You'll recognize most of the words like old friends. Peek at the translation to make sense of any newcomers. When you've gotten acquainted with this version, do like last time: Play the audio file and read along. This time: 'Nach-der-Schule-POV.mp3' After a few rounds, try just listening to the audio without reading. It's like taking off the training wheels. How much can you understand without the text as your safety net?  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN POV VERSION - HERE WE GO Ich bin 10 Jahre alt. I’m 10 years old. Mein Name ist Paul. My name is Paul. Ich gehe von Montag bis Freitag jeden Tag in die Schule. I go to school every day from Monday to Friday. Ich mache jeden Tag meine Hausaufgaben. I do my homework every day. Meistens lerne ich viel für die Schule. Most of the time I learn a lot for school. Aber manchmal bin ich faul. But sometimes I’m lazy. Es ist 13:00 Uhr und ich komme nach Hause. It's 1 pm and I’m coming home. Ich schmeiße meine Schultasche in die Ecke. I throw my schoolbag into the corner....  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN POV VERSION - ONWARD WE GO!... Mein Vater und ich sitzen am Esstisch. My dad and I are sitting at the dining table. Dann frage ich meinen Vater: „Papa, kannst du deinen Namen auch mit geschlossenen Augen schreiben?“ Then I ask my father: "Dad, can you also write your name with your eyes closed?" Er sagt: „Ja, kann ich.“ He says, "Yes, I can." Und dann sage ich: „Das möchte ich sehen.“ Then I say, "I want to see that." Er macht seine Augen zu und schreibt seinen Namen. He closes his eyes and writes his name. Dann renne ich weg. Then I run away. Er ist auf meinen Trick hereingefallen. He fell for my trick. Er hat gerade meine Klassenarbeit unterschrieben. He has just signed my class work.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN INTRODUCING THE QUESTION AND ANSWER TECHNIQUE Here's a tip: keep revisiting the main story and the POV version until you can understand about 80% of the audio without needing the text. Once you reach that point, it's time to bring in the Question and Answer Technique. As I've mentioned, my stories come with a range of difficulty levels, but they are suitable for everyone - whether you're just starting out with German or you've already made some headway. The main distinction lies in the pace of progress. Beginners may require a few extra repetitions of the main story and the POV version to get comfortable with the words and sentence structures, while more advanced learners will naturally move along at a quicker pace. Remember Rule No. 6 from the 7 Rule Challenge? The key lies in developing all four language skills - reading, listening, understanding grammar, and speaking - simultaneously to save time. Now, let's add in speaking, but not in the typical way of just repeating what you hear. My method calls for active brain involvement, forming language patterns that you can then apply unconsciously in different situations. So, how does one learn to speak? We're getting to that now. First off, to speak a language fluently, it's essential to think in that language. Let's make it clear... To speak German fluently, you must train your brain to think in German! How do you manage this?  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN WHY Q&A IS EVEN MORE EFFECTIVE THAN ACTUAL CONVERSATION You achive this with the Question and Answer Technique. It's even more effective than actual conversation, because while a speaking partner might not correct every little mistake you make, my technique lets you hear the correct answer right after yours. After a few tries, you'll start answering correctly, and these right answers will stick in your memory. This technique is designed to demand active brain participation, but it's not too difficult. Mostly, questions are just the sentences shuffled around, sometimes with a few extra words. Have a look at the first sentence and question: Mein Sohn ist zehn Jahre alt. My son is ten years old. Ist meine Nichte zehn Jahre alt? Is my niece ten years old? In the question, I've used the same words and by rearranging them, I formed a question. However, instead of "mein Sohn" I used "meine Nichte" in the question. This introduces an additional vocabulary word to the mix of familiar words. And if you look closely, you'll notice that the word "mein" has changed to "meine" because my niece is female. If you always pay very close attention, you'll recognize these changes and understand why they occur.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN TAKE A LOOK AT THE ANSWER Mein Sohn ist zehn Jahre alt. Sentence from the story My son is ten years old. Ist meine Nichte zehn Jahre alt? Question Is my niece ten years old? Nein, meine Nichte ist nicht zehn Jahre alt. Answer Mein Sohn ist zehn Jahre alt. No, my niece isn’t ten years old. My son is ten years old. In order to respond to the questions, you typically just need to shuffle the words around and include straightforward terms like "ja" (yes), "nein" (no), or "nicht" (not). These words will quickly become second nature to you. In many cases, you can also simply repeat the sentence from the story in response, as indicated by the arrows.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT SENTENCE Sein Name ist Paul. Er geht von Montag bis Freitag jeden Tag in die Schule. His name is Paul. He goes to school every day from Monday to Friday. Arbeitet mein Sohn in einer Fabrik? Is my son working in a factory? Nein, mein Sohn arbeitet nicht in einer Fabrik. Mein Sohn geht noch zur Schule. Übrigens, Kinderarbeit ist in Deutschland verboten. No, my son doesn’t work in a factory. My son still goes to school. By the way, child labor is prohibited in Germany. As you can see, I sometimes weave in several new words to spice things up and to vary the difficulty level. Let's face it, even though "ja" and "nein" are straightforward, hearing them on repeat could be about as thrilling as watching paint dry, right? And did you notice how the first response sentence can be whipped up with ease? The other two responses are like extra toppings - optional and mostly for advanced learners who might be itching for a bit more challenge. After all, we wouldn't want them dozing off in the fast lane, would we?  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT SENTENCE Er macht jeden Tag seine Hausaufgaben. He does his homework every day. Spielt er jeden Tag mit seinem Computer? Does he play with his computer every day? Nun, das auch. 😅 Aber er macht auch jeden Tag seine Hausaufgaben. Well, that too. But he also does his homework every day. Whether it feels easy or not at this point depends on your current level. But rest assured, it's like a hill climb - every repetition takes you higher, and the view gets clearer. Remember when I advised you at the beginning to just let some grammar things slide? If you've got my Rule 2 from the 7 Rule Challenge in your back pocket, now's the time to whip it out and put it to use. In this case, just let it wash over you that "seine" has morphed into "seinem". Don't get into a wrestling match with it. Trying to understand certain things at this early stage is like trying to sprint before you can crawl - it'll only slow you down, or worse, leave you feeling frustrated if you don't get it right away. Think of it like a magic trick. The magician never reveals the secret at the beginning, does he? So, sit back and enjoy the show for now and trust the process!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT SENTENCE Meistens lernt er viel für die Schule. Aber manchmal ist er (auch) faul. Most of the time he learns a lot for school. But sometimes he is lazy. Lernt er immer viel für die Schule? Does he always learn a lot for school? Nein, nicht immer. Er lernt meistens, aber nicht immer. Manchmal ist er faul. No, not always. He learns most of the time, but not always. Sometimes he is lazy. Why have I put (auch) in brackets here? Well, because it's not really necessary in this context. I didn't emphasize it in the audio and although "auch" often means "also," "too," or "as well," here it's used as what we call a filler word, which we Germans love to use. You'll encounter these filler words quite frequently. They're like the little spice we add to our sentences to make them taste just right. So keep an eye out for them - they're the subtle seasonings in the soup of German language!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT SENTENCE Es ist 13:00 Uhr und Paul kommt nach Hause. Wir sitzen beide am Esstisch. It's 1 pm and Paul is coming home. We are both sitting at the dining table. Wo sitzen wir beide? Where are we both sitting? am Esstisch Wir sitzen beide am Esstisch. at the dining table We are both sitting at the dining table. As you can see here, we Germans don't just shuffle around sentences to form questions. Oh no, we also love to grill with those delightful question words, the W- words - "wer" (who), "was" (what), "wann" (when), "wo" (where), "warum" (why), and "wie" (how). They're like our special interrogation tools!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN TAKE A LOOK AT THE LAST QUESTION Dann fragt er: „Papa, kannst du deinen Namen auch mit geschlossenen Augen schreiben?“ Ich sage: „Ja, kann ich.“ Then he asks, "Dad, can you also write your name with your eyes closed?" I say, "Yes, I can." Will er, dass ich meinen Namen schreibe? Does he want me to write my name? Ja genau. Er will, dass ich meinen Namen schreibe. Yes exactly. He wants me to write my name. Dann sagt er: „Das möchte ich sehen.“ Then he says, "I want to see that." Ich mache meine Augen zu und schreibe meinen Namen. I close my eyes and write my name. Dann rennt mein Sohn weg. Then my son runs away. Mein Sohn ist schlau. My son is smart. Ich glaube, ich habe gerade seine Klassenarbeit unterschrieben. I think I have just signed his class work.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN TIME TO TALK: BOOSTING YOUR SPEAKING SKILLS As you might have noticed, I didn't create a question for every sentence of the story. Especially towards the end, it can be challenging for beginners to maintain focus for a prolonged period. However, remember, this is just one example of a story. Let's move to the last part where you practice speaking. You've read through the questions and answers, and hopefully understood them through the translation. Now, it's time to grab your MP3 player again and get ready with the: 'Nach-der-Schule-QAP.mp3' audio file. Your ULTIMATE GOAL is to answer the questions out loud before you hear my recorded answer but without having the text in front of you. When you reach this point, congratulations - you've mastered the entire story lesson set! Until you reach that goal, feel free to use any of the following three text versions for assistance: - The full package: story, questions, answers, and translation - Half-and-half: story, questions, hinted answers, no translation - Bare bones: story, questions, but no answers or translation  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THE FULL PACKAGE (1/4) STORY, QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, AND TRANSLATION Mein Sohn ist zehn Jahre alt. My son is ten years old. Ist meine Nichte zehn Jahre alt? Is my niece ten years old? Nein, meine Nichte ist nicht zehn Jahre alt. Mein Sohn ist zehn Jahre alt. No, my niece isn’t ten years old. My son is ten years old. Sein Name ist Paul. Er geht von Montag bis Freitag jeden Tag in die Schule. His name is Paul. He goes to school every day from Monday to Friday. Arbeitet mein Sohn in einer Fabrik? Is my son working in a factory? Nein, mein Sohn arbeitet nicht in einer Fabrik. Mein Sohn geht noch zur Schule. Übrigens, Kinderarbeit ist in Deutschland verboten. No, my son doesn’t work in a factory. My son still goes to school. By the way, child labor is prohibited in Germany.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THE FULL PACKAGE (2/4) STORY, QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, AND TRANSLATION Er macht jeden Tag seine Hausaufgaben. He does his homework every day. Spielt er jeden Tag mit seinem Computer? Does he play with his computer every day? Nun, das auch. 😅 Aber er macht auch jeden Tag seine Hausaufgaben. Well, that too. But he also does his homework every day. Meistens lernt er viel für die Schule. Aber manchmal ist er (auch) faul. Most of the time he learns a lot for school. But sometimes he is lazy. Lernt er immer viel für die Schule? Does he always learn a lot for school? Nein, nicht immer. Er lernt meistens, aber nicht immer. Manchmal ist er faul. No, not always. He learns most of the time, but not always. Sometimes he is lazy.  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THE FULL PACKAGE (3/4) STORY, QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, AND TRANSLATION Es ist 13:00 Uhr und Paul kommt nach Hause. Wir sitzen beide am Esstisch. It's 1 pm and Paul is coming home. We are both sitting at the dining table. Wo sitzen wir beide? Where are we both sitting? am Esstisch Wir sitzen beide am Esstisch. at the dining table We are both sitting at the dining table. Dann fragt er: „Papa, kannst du deinen Namen auch mit geschlossenen Augen schreiben?“ Ich sage: „Ja, kann ich.“ Then he asks, "Dad, can you also write your name with your eyes closed?" I say, "Yes, I can." Will er, dass ich meinen Namen schreibe? Does he want me to write my name?  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THE FULL PACKAGE (4/4) STORY, QUESTIONS, ANSWERS, AND TRANSLATION Ja genau. Er will, dass ich meinen Namen schreibe. Yes exactly. He wants me to write my name. Dann sagt er: „Das möchte ich sehen.“ Then he says, "I want to see that." Ich mache meine Augen zu und schreibe meinen Namen. I close my eyes and write my name. Dann rennt mein Sohn weg. Then my son runs away. Mein Sohn ist schlau. My son is smart. Ich glaube, ich habe gerade seine Klassenarbeit unterschrieben. I think I have just signed his class work. Phew! You've made it to the end of the full-package version. Now, it's time to put on your explorer hat for the next challenge on the following pages. While listening to the audio, try to outpace my recorded voice by blurting out the correct answers during the pauses. And don't worry, the hinted answers in the next version will be like your secret map, guiding you along the way!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN HALF-AND-HALF (1/2) STORY, QUESTIONS, HINTED ANSWERS, NO TRANSLATION Mein Sohn ist zehn Jahre alt. Ist meine Nichte zehn Jahre alt? Nein, meine N... Mein S... Sein Name ist Paul. Er geht von Montag bis Freitag jeden Tag in die Schule. Arbeitet mein Sohn in einer Fabrik? Nein, mein Sohn a... Mein Sohn g... Übrigens, Kinderarbeit ist in Deutschland verboten. Er macht jeden Tag seine Hausaufgaben. Spielt er jeden Tag mit seinem Computer? Nun, d... 😅 Aber er m... Meistens lernt er viel für die Schule. Aber manchmal ist er (auch) faul. Lernt er immer viel für die Schule?  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN HALF-AND-HALF (2/2) STORY, QUESTIONS, HINTED ANSWERS, NO TRANSLATION Nein, n... Er lernt m... Manchmal i... Es ist 13:00 Uhr und Paul kommt nach Hause. Wir sitzen beide am Esstisch. Wo sitzen wir beide? am E... Wir s... Dann fragt er: „Papa, kannst du deinen Namen auch mit geschlossenen Augen schreiben?“ Ich sage: „Ja, kann ich.“ Will er, dass ich meinen Namen schreibe? Ja g... Er will, dass i... Dann sagt er: „Das möchte ich sehen.“ Ich mache meine Augen zu und schreibe meinen Namen. Dann rennt mein Sohn weg. Mein Sohn ist schlau. Ich glaube, ich habe gerade seine Klassenarbeit unterschrieben. Next stop: Bare Bones version. Get set, it's challenge time!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN BARE BONES (1/2) STORY, QUESTIONS, BUT NO ANSWERS OR TRANSLATION Mein Sohn ist zehn Jahre alt. Ist meine Nichte zehn Jahre alt? Deine Antwort (your answer)... Sein Name ist Paul. Er geht von Montag bis Freitag jeden Tag in die Schule. Arbeitet mein Sohn in einer Fabrik? Deine Antwort (your answer)... Er macht jeden Tag seine Hausaufgaben. Spielt er jeden Tag mit seinem Computer? Deine Antwort (your answer)... Meistens lernt er viel für die Schule. Aber manchmal ist er (auch) faul. Lernt er immer viel für die Schule? Deine Antwort (your answer)...  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN BARE BONES (2/2) STORY, QUESTIONS, BUT NO ANSWERS OR TRANSLATION Es ist 13:00 Uhr und Paul kommt nach Hause. Wir sitzen beide am Esstisch. Wo sitzen wir beide? Deine Antwort (your answer)... Dann fragt er: „Papa, kannst du deinen Namen auch mit geschlossenen Augen schreiben?“ Ich sage: „Ja, kann ich.“ Will er, dass ich meinen Namen schreibe? Deine Antwort (your answer)... Dann sagt er: „Das möchte ich sehen.“ Ich mache meine Augen zu und schreibe meinen Namen. Dann rennt mein Sohn weg. Mein Sohn ist schlau. Ich glaube, ich habe gerade seine Klassenarbeit unterschrieben. Phew! You've made it to the end of the full-package version. Good job!  LEARN GERMAN EASILY MIT LUCAS KERN THE NEXT STEPS IN YOUR LANGUAGE LEARNING ADVENTURE Bravo! You've successfully navigated through all the exercises. Have you managed to answer all the questions using only the audio, without peeking at the text? If so, you've experienced the potency of my teaching methods and techniques firsthand. Pause for a moment and reflect on all that you've learned from just one single story. Imagine how much more you could grasp with an entire array of stories, each with varying degrees of complexity. Becoming a member unlocks a vast treasure trove of resources meticulously designed to turbocharge your language learning journey. Take our 'German Song Club', for instance - here, you'll enjoy popular German music while benefiting from both standard and literal translations of lyrics. This dual approach ensures you grasp the overarching meaning while understanding the individual words and their placement within a sentence. And there's more on the horizon! I'm relentlessly working on creating an even broader spectrum of learning materials and clubs. This means your reservoir of resources will continue to grow over time, providing fresh challenges and new ways to learn. It's time to turbocharge your German language learning journey with a 'Learn German Easily Premium' subscription. Why not give it a whirl? With no long-term contracts, you're free to cancel your subscription at any time. Set your German language skills soaring to new heights! https://learn- german-easily.com/lessons Happy learning, Lucas