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I want to start learning German. Are there any online resources that you recommend?

I hope that you can recommend a book or two to start studying from. So are there any good texts? Are there any good websites to start with? I think that at the beginning I need the basic vocabulary and basic grammar. From where can I learn those things?

In particular, do you recommend Pimsleur's course? What about Rosetta Stone's course?

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    Rosetta stone is a giant waste of money and you're mainly paying their marketing budget... if you REALLY want to learn then you want to sit down and study. Not play.
    – Emanuel
    Commented Aug 1, 2014 at 18:27
  • @Emanuel, What about Assimil? Do you recommend it?
    – FNH
    Commented Aug 1, 2014 at 21:37
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    I actually would... I have had a few students who had been using mainly Asimil and they had accomplished comparatively a lot in little time.
    – Emanuel
    Commented Aug 2, 2014 at 18:01

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My recommendation is based on exact same method I use for learning French and Spanish and I am convinced it works with German, too:

  1. Start with Duolingo: I can really recommend duolingo. It makes learning languages (also others) a game and encourages you to study a little every day. Also, I find it is more fun than most other systems/apps.

  2. Once you are on a certain level, start using an app like Yabla. This is one step closer towards real language, because now you learn from videos and check your vocubulary by typing the subtitles.

  3. Listen to a lot of German music and watch as many German movies with EN and then DE subtitles as you can.

  4. Language tandem with native speakers at least once a week. Many Germans want to learn foreign languages and there is a bunch of Germans in pretty much every single region in the world, so you should be able to find some near you :-)

  5. Spend >= 3 months in DE, AT or German-speaking CH. It is best to get a job there. Germany has many jobs and somewhat actively seeks foreigners these days. Germany was the second-strongest immigration country out of all OECD countries in 2013, right behind the USA.

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The best way to learn german is to travel to Germany, Austria or to Switzerland. But you have to bear in mind that there are strong regional dialects that have their very own logic and characteristics. But travelling is nevertheless the best way to really learn any language.

If you do not have the possibility to go there you could learn by CD (for example: http://www.amazon.de/German-For-Dummies-Audio-Set/dp/0470222565/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1406923036&sr=8-6&keywords=learning+german) or book with CD (http://www.amazon.de/Langenscheidt-Deutsch-Tagen-German-Days/dp/3468280505/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1406923036&sr=8-7&keywords=learning+german).

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  • Who said that that is the best way? You can learn a language remotely or not learn it on location. It depends on yourself, nothing else.
    – Emanuel
    Commented Aug 2, 2014 at 17:59

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