Just Listen 'N Learn German

Rating:
Summary: I definetly recommend it
Review: A great way for a person to hear the correct way to speak german. Helps with pronunciation. It is a great starting point to move on to other books, but sometimes moves to fast.

Rating:
Summary: Great Basic Introduction to German
Review: Another reviewer here gave the course 3 stars because it is not suitable for use while driving. That is true, but unless you simply have to learn in your car, I would gladly recommend this course to you. It is an interesting, exciting introduction to basic German, and I found myself learning faster than I thought I would. The dialogs, all recorded "live" (not in a studio) in Germany, present German to you the way it is really spoken, and the way you will hear it when you go there. This does mean that they are spoken faster than normal for a beginning course, but if you follow along in the book once or twice you'll be find, and the narrator always repeats the most important words and phrases slowly at the end of each unit. There are also listening comprehension and speaking practice components to every unit. Only the most essential grammar is introduced, which means there's no stress about gender of nouns, accusative and dative case, etc..--the most important thing is to get you speaking and communicating your ideas. But basic grammar explanations are provided at the end of each unit if you are curious. The book is filled with very useful and interesting cultural information and pictures to prepare you for what you will see and experience in a German-speaking country. By the end of the course you will be able to get along in all kinds of stores, restaurants, and hotels, to ask for information about trains and buses, to give and receive directions, and to talk about basic things like your native land, family, job, vacation plans, and hobbies.

This is not an intensive or extensive course, but it is fun and easy to use, well-organized, and it will give you a good grasp of all the basic German you need as a tourist or short-term visitor. It would also work well alongside a more grammar-based course in terms of giving you listening and speaking practice.

I have also used this method to learn basic Russian and basic Arabic, and was very pleased.

Rating:
Summary: Can't listen 'N learn while driving ...
Review: I bought these CDs hoping to listen and learn while driving. Unfortunately, the CDs require that you listen, read the book, and follow along, so it's not possible to just listen and learn; you need to refer to the book while listening. The sound level of the dialogues is much lower than the voice of the person leading the lessons, so you have to adjust the volume every time he talks. This is distracting and annoying. A disppointment, on the whole.

Rating:
Summary: Can't listen 'N learn while driving ...
Review: I bought these CDs hoping to listen and learn while driving. Unfortunately, the CDs require that you listen, read the book, and follow along, so it's not possible to just listen and learn; you need to refer to the book while listening. The sound level of the dialogues is much lower than the voice of the person leading the lessons, so you have to adjust the volume every time he talks. This is distracting and annoying. A disppointment, on the whole.