How to overcome the language hurdle.
Depending on who you ask, German can be one of the easiest or hardest languages to learn. I didn't find it easy as I am generally bad at learning languages so I'm not the right person to ask. I already prided myself on being bilingual so when I decided to learn German, I was sceptical that I was going to be able to learn anything, talk more of speaking it.
A little bit of back story, I was born and raised in northern Nigeria and wasn't able to pick up the local language that everyone spoke, which is Hausa, so I just always thought I had this innate inability to learn new languages. So when I came to Germany and had a year to present a language certificate as well as certifications for my career, I found myself doing something I thought I was incapable of doing and somehow with a lot of blood and tears, in 1 year, I was able to pass my B2 and C1-Beruf language exams and in another 6 months had landed a job in my field. This was a major feat for me but it was only part of the hurdle, as everyone who has learnt the German language in a classroom knows, it's a different ball game to speak and understand the natives, this took a few more years to achieve and it took constant mixing with and steady exposure to the language and people. I truly believe to learn a language, there is no other way, and still, after a few years of living and working here, I have a lot to improve on. I have gotten lazy and comfortable over the years and haven't taken improving my language skill as seriously as I should have but I always tell anyone willing to listen, if I can learn a new language, anyone can.
Some of the things that helped to improve my language skills apart from my classes, were youtube, language learning apps like Duolingo and Babel as well as a lot of German podcasts, especially my favourite one called Easy German, they are also on YouTube as well. Attending a German language course is also very important, German unlike English is not a language that can be learnt fluently without understanding Grammar. So I would always advise you to take classes as well as actively doing your own studies. These days, I still find myself actively learning the language by listening to my favourite German podcasts and sometimes a few exercises on some German learning apps. I know language learning especially if the aim is fluency, is a journey and consistency is key
I would like to hear what your language journey has been, did you attend a language course or did you pick it up organically? How long did it take you to speak and can you call yourself fluent? Let's talk.
Until next time, Tschuss!