Do you ever wish you could learn German by reading your favourite books? Believe it or not, reading is one of the most valuable (and often overlooked) deeds in the world of languages and you can do it easily .
It’s easy to get enticed by the opportunity to practice speaking German or to spend hours struggling through German TV shows or films. But neither of these activities is likely to have as big an impact on your German fluency as reading is.
Do you ever wish you could learn German by reading your favourite books? Believe it or not, reading is one of the most valuable (and often overlooked) activities in language learning.
It’s easy to get enticed by the opportunity to practice speaking German or to spend hours struggling through German radio, some German novels , maybe also some movies that comes without translation , But neither of these activities is likely to have as big an impact on your German fluency
“More speaking or writing does not result in more language development and progress , but more reading does” – Kate Macgreogor
If you’re learning German and forget to invest valuable reading time, you’re making a huge mistake. But, I’m not talking about reading textbooks here, rather real language material that exposes you to everyday written language that makes real development and progress
You may be reluctant at first since you know you won’t understand specific grammar and vocabulary. But, you shouldn’t let this hinder you
Reading short, captivating stories or interesting articles about topics you enjoy will strengthen your language skills instantly and develop you on the grammar or vocabulary aspect
In this article, I’ll share some tips with you on how to start understanding German very deeply and distinguish the difference between Grammar sections , understanding the idioms as well which seems different than in english as for every folk an specific expression comes from the medieval eras
1. “German Short Stories for Beginners”
I’m such a believer in the power of story and reading as a learning tool that I decided to write a series of short story books myself! this book is suitable for level a1 -b1
Each of the stories in the book is designed to be fun and engaging vocabulary. I’ve also included regular comprehension , grammar , and compound parts
The language is conversational and natural, and manageable chapters,mixed with new grammar rules
I took this story concept even further with the creation of my German Uncovered course. Instead of learning through textbooks and grammar rules, you go from beginner to intermediate in German by immersing yourself in an intriguing story.
I've developed this more natural approach to language learning through years of language study and experimentation. And now I've put all my knowledge together in German Uncovered so you can learn though story too
2. “Emil und die Detektive”
This is a classic book for beginner and intermediate German language learners.
Published in 1929, it’s a well-known German children’s book about a young boy who leaves his small town to travel to Berlin.
The story contains realistic characters and descriptions of the world of crime, and some interesting events
3. “Die unendliche Geschichte”
Known in English as “The Never Ending Story”, this book by Michael Ende tells a fantasy tale that many of us are already familiar with.
Reading books with stories you recognize can present a great Chance to develop your language
If you’re into fantasy literature, this book offers a perfect chance to go deep into this rich language that has very rich heritage
and by the way this novel has 2 parts if you want to make more progress , so get the second part it has many that will make you smile !
4. “Momo”
This is another fascinating story written by the author Michael Ende. He was one of the most popular German writers of the 20th century and well-known for his juvenile fiction that makes you feel smiling while reading it , because German is High language and has strong outputs
Although originally written for teenagers, this novel is just as exciting for adults.
This strange story of time-thieves and the child who brought stolen time back to the people in current time , and you can read controversial events , and contrast between past in the future with very interesting way to tell a story !
5. “Die Verwandlung”
it means “Metamorphosis” this book is a literary classic from Franz Kafka.
He uses simple grammar and short sentences, which makes this book perfect for German beginners.
The plot is somewhat unusual too – telling the story of a salesman who wakes up one day to find he has been transformed into an insect so the fiction is interesting too , you will never feel boring and yawning while you are reading
6. “Homo Faber”
Swiss author, Max Frisch wrote this modern German classic.
Its interesting story and relatively basic grammar and vocabulary make this novel great for beginner learners.
The story follows the life of an engineer who values rational and practical thinking. However, an exciting chain of events forces him to reconsider his view on life.
Beginniner and intermediate language students will find this story compelling and without too many grammatical challenges along the way.