VON B2 AUF C2 | DAS HAT MIR GEHOLFEN

When you learn a new language, you come to a point where you don't make any progress. The learning plateau looks like this and can be really frustrating. How I overcame this problem and got from B2 to C2 level in 6 months, I explain to you in this video. Before we start, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that I have created a free PDF for you, in which I have listed all the resources I used to learn German. It's about apps, websites, books, abogs, learning systems and much more. You can find the link in the video description. In case you don't know me, here are some information you might need. German is not my native language. In fact, I come from the Republic of Moldova and grew up with Romanian. My family then emigrated to Italy and Italian became my second language. At the age of 19, I moved to Germany and started learning German. I also tried to learn German in Italy, but that didn't work out. So I moved to Germany with an A1 level and here, when I came to Germany, everything changed. Up to B2 level, I made progress relatively quickly and I was also really motivated. But then no progress. Something had to change urgently. So I looked for a few strategies that worked very well for me and helped me to reach the C2 level. There are four main strategies that were very helpful to me and I would like to share them with you today. Number one. Consider German as your new native language. Yes, you heard that right. I imagined that German is my native language. That may sound absurd, but it worked. I told my brain that I master the German language at the native level. I didn't want to feel uncomfortable in dealing with the German language anymore. I didn't want to have to think about whether the verb or preposition fits when speaking. So I decided that German should become my native language. Point number two. Integrate yourself into the German culture and imitate Germans. The second point is closely related to the first one. It was important to me to become part of the German society. So I did a lot for it. For example, I chose German hobbies and tried to think and act like a German. And now I can say that I am pretty German. I am a member of an association, love the coffee and cake culture, plan my appointments weeks in advance. I have German friends, German acquaintances, German colleagues, and so on. This integration helped me to develop a feeling for the German language and culture. I also consciously invited my fellow countrymen for a while to completely immerse myself in the German language and concentrate on German. But that doesn't mean that I ignored my roots, but just that I wanted to bathe in the German language for a while. Point number three. Practice writing and translating. Writing was a big part of my learning process. I started writing a diary in German and translated many texts during my studies. Translating was an important way to understand German idioms and expressions. This means understanding that a text can be grammatically correct, but at the same time not necessarily sound German. My texts were corrected by German native speakers, and very strictly. Every single detail was marked as a mistake by my lecturers and friends. This was sometimes frustrating, of course, but also very helpful. Do it if you have the chance. Pay someone who can correct your texts if you don't have any German friends or acquaintances. That makes a big difference. Point number four. Don't stop learning. Even after my C2 exam, I knew that learning would go on. I passed the exam, but my German was anything but perfect. I never stopped learning. And in general, in every language, it is a constant, lifelong learning process. You always have to learn, always deal with the language. This applies to foreign languages as well as native languages. I like to compare it to physical fitness. If you are sporty and healthy, you can't stop exercising and eating healthy just because you are very sporty at a certain moment. You always have to stick to the plan, keep eating healthy, exercise, sleep enough, and so on. This also applies to language learning. You can learn languages, but you can also learn them unfairly, at least partially. And so it is our task to learn constantly. Now let's get to the practical tips that I use in everyday life and that could also help you. Number one. Constant input. I surrounded myself with German as often as possible, be it through messages, conversations, books, or podcasts. My goal was to feed my brain with the language all the time, so that German becomes a natural part of my life and thoughts. I didn't have any learning units. No, I surrounded myself with the language. Constantly. All day long. If you have ten minutes, listen to a podcast in German, watch a video in German, speak with Germans or German with yourself. No matter what you do, do it in German. Number two. Set all devices to German. From cell phone to computer and tablet, all my devices are set to German. I think this is a simple but effective method to have daily contact with the language and to familiarize yourself with commonly used terms. In the beginning, of course, the switch is necessary to get used to, but after the first three days, this feeling of, oh, that's your native language, is completely gone. Next point. News and podcasts in German. News is a great way to integrate German into everyday life. And if you like podcasts, watch this video of mine. I have recommended my favorite podcasts there. Point number four, I think. Write lists in German. Shopping lists, to-do lists and bucket lists. I've been writing all of this in German for years. This trains the brain to become more familiar with German and to feel more comfortable. It is part of the process that leads to thinking in German. Point number five. Google in German. No matter if I'm looking for recipes or want to detect a symptom, which you shouldn't do, I do it in German. This helps me to use German in everyday contexts. And to expand my vocabulary. Point number six. Create a German environment. I have always looked for contact with native speakers. When I was at university, I spent time with native speakers, although I found speaking incredibly difficult. I forced myself to spend time with native speakers. And that not only led to me being able to practice speaking, but also gave me some great friends. Let's get to the last point. Films, series and books, only in German. One of the big decisions I made was to exclude all other languages from my consumption and only read in German and watch movies. Whether books, movies or series, I only consumed everything in German and still do so. This decision has accelerated my learning process extremely, because I have constantly learned new expressions and vocabulary. German was and is my number one priority. Of course, this has led to the fact that I have neglected other languages a bit, such as English, and that I speak it much worse now. But I gladly accepted that. But that doesn't mean that it will happen to you too. Maybe my brain just can't concentrate on several things at the same time. What I really want to emphasize today is that our attitude is the most important thing. The most important point that helped me the most was my inner attitude. I told myself that I can speak German like a native speaker. That was a decisive thought that gave me strength. This positive attitude and trust in myself made a big difference. Have you made experiences with the learning plateau? How did you overcome this situation? Feel free to write your experiences in the comments. I hope you learned something new. That's it for today. See you next time.