5 comments about Webster's New World German Dictionary: German/English English/German.

1. I have found this book a very satisfactory purchase. I recently suscribed to a German edition of a periodical, as it was no longer available in English. Having only a very limited and rudimentary understanding of German (two semesters in college, long ago), I have found this book very useful indeed. I recommend it.



2. As with any book by Webster, this is an excellent acquisition for any student of the German language. Any person that is is involved in the proccess of attempting to master another language knows that, in order to achieve such a goal, having a good dictionary is primordial. Look no further, kameraden! I guarantee you this is the one.



3. I have this dictionary in four languages, and it's absolutely my favorite in each! Apart from the excellent physical characteristics (size, paper quality, and font), what really makes this dictionary exceptional are the examples and suggestions.
   
   Here's one, selected at random. I pick up my Italian dictionary and it falls open to the Italian word "moglie." First comes the English "wife," then the Italian expression for "to get married," and last but not least, the Italian proverb which translates "never interfere between husband and wife." Nice. I next thumb to the English-Italian, and look up "wife." First there's "moglie," then the Italian translation for "the wife," and finally there's the Italian for, "it's just an old wive's tale." I love it.
   
   Are there judgment calls? Sure, thousands of 'em. What else? I've long held that translation of literature is itself an art-form, and I'm starting to think the same for dictionary-writing!
   
   For my money, Webster's New World is head and shoulders. Try it, and you'll agree.



4. when i bought this dictionary i already knew German and i had 3 other German dictionaries. I wanted to buy a dictionary that would make all the other 3 obsolete.
   It worked. Websters German dictionary is the best German dictionary i have seen so far. It is a very nice dictionary,very user-friendly,comprehensive.It provides many example sentences and phrases on word usage. Its size is suitable to study it while walking, on the bus etc..I already have Websters New World Italian and Spanish Dictionary. And i am very content with all.



5. Good thick German-English Dictionary. Bought it for my wife to go to Germany with on a school trip. She appreciated it.

5 comments about Essential German Grammar.

1. This book has helped me understand a lot of the intricacies of the German language. Based on that I would say it is a very worthy purchase for one to have. But, it is not a book written for those who are not fluent on grammatical technical terms. I found myself a little lost at times, when the author would very non-challantly explain that something was just a matter of the "subjunctive predicative to the second power of the reversed megablaster future tense"...I know, I'm just joking, but I'm sure some of the readers understand what I mean.
   Having said that, I still say it is a good book for students of German such as myself. You'll just have to dust off your grammar lingo, that's all!



2. This is a great review if you have had German and need a refresher course or a quick review before the next class. The price is right, and the size is handy to carry with you. It is easy to understand.



3. The verb section of the book does not even mention the Subjunctive Mood. Can you believe that?!?!?!?



4. This was a very useful reference tool while learning German. Shipment and delivery was prompt.



5. I have used several German language resources to try to get a handle on this imposing language.
   
   I found this book to be less helpful than Harrap's German Pocket Grammar, which I much prefer. Part of my preference is that more material is covered in more depth in Harrap's. One example: prepositions are covered in 3 pages in Essential German Grammar and while Harrap's devotes 21 pages even though Essential describes prepositions as "much more complex in their use than [...] English prepositions.
   
   Harrap's also is a nice small size which is easier to carry.

5 comments about Hammer's German Grammar and Usage.

1. As other reviewers have already emphasized, this is an excellent English language resource for German grammar. An incredible amount of detail is given, and attention is paid both to general rules and specific exceptions, even down to the most obscure and archaic. Both difficult and simple grammatical terms are explained through examples in English, which makes this book an excellent tool for coming to a deep understanding of the German language.
   
   As mentioned by others, this is no book for beginners. Only high-intermediate and advanced students should look into using this grammar, as it assumes a rather high level of proficiency on the student's part. However, for more advanced students, the explanations and detailed examples are priceless, shedding light on even the most complicated German passages.
   
   A word of caution to teachers: please do not merely have your students read and memorize sections of this textbook. Hammer's Grammar is very complex and includes a large amount of exceptions, a number of which are no longer in common use. Classmates I've had have expressed frustration over having to memorize exception after exception to a rule that seems rare in itself. This book is best used as a reference for advanced learners, and ought not to be the setting in which general grammatical rules are taught. Rather than reading and memorizing, it would be better for students to study this book topic by topic, complete with class discussion, re-mastering the principles before moving on to the many exceptions.
   
   There are also a number of slightly odd English sentences in this book that might confuse the reader. Beware, and proceed at a slow, steady pace.



2. Hello, I'm an American student of German. I have taken two college courses before picking up this book. I am a big fan of German music. I enjoy German bands that play schlager, Rock, Euro härte, Euro Techno, and even more traditional music.
   
   I have not finished this book yet. Although, from my initial look. I see a very complete set of rule of German grammar for the English speaker.
   
   This book is very dense. I would suggest, for most that have just started learning German, to consider a good overview of German before looking at this book, and consider reading it latter as a review or reference.
   
   This book is a necessary addition for any English student's library seriously studying German.



3. This is hands-down the single book I would want to have if stranded on a desert island. Words cannot describe the awesomeness that is this book. Mr. Durrell's masterpiece demands superlatives. As far as printed material goes, this is all you need to go from intermediate to fluent in German. (Of course you still need to practice speaking, listening, and writing to become fluent). I am a U.S. citizen now living in Germany, and this book vastly improved my German. I can't say enough about it. Get it! Keep a copy next to your bed and review a chapter before you sleep. What makes it so good? It's comprehensive without being watered down. It's dense and succinct without lacking necessary examples. It's accurate - I have impressed native speakers with my command of German word usage learned from this book. Simply wonderful!



4. An excellent reference for beginning, intermediate, and advanced German speakers. Explanations are clear and thorough. I should have purchased this book years ago!



5. This book is absolutely amazing! I have taken German for about three years in college and two in graduate school. All of those "exceptions" to the rule are explained in detail with plenty of examples. I recommend this book to anyone wanting to master the language, teach, or to the intermediate to advanced student.

5 comments about German Demystified: A Self Teaching Guide.

1. the product was shipped quickly and in the condition promised!! would do business again anytime! thanks!



2. I purchased this book while studying German on a website. It is very helpful, because it walks the reader from writing basic sentences to writing more advanced sentences. The book has a section for verbal practice, but does not offer an audio CD to guide the reader through this process. The lack of an audio CD is the only criticism that I have for this book. I have written and chatted with several German people since buying this book. They are quite amazed with the results of my writing skills. I accredit this improvement solely to this book, because I have not used any other writing guides for the German language. In my opinion, if you want to learn the basic German sentence structure, then I recommend that you purchase this book.



3. Whether you are taking a class in German or are studying on your own, you will appreciate this workbook. The material is introduced logically and the explanations of grammar and usage are the clearest I've come across. I'm using the text for review since I had German years ago in middle school, high school, and college and am currently taking classes in an adult night school. I've also been traveling to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, so I want to be as confident as I can with the German language.
   
   There are plenty of exercises that allow you to test what you have learned and there is an answer key in the back. There are quizzes throughout the book that are relevant and interesting. The text size is also very good, it isn't too small, nor is it too large to take with you if you are traveling. In addition, there is a companion text, German Conversation Demystified, which is also by Ed Swick.
   
   Ed Swick know what he is doing and I have no doubt you will benefit by working diligently through this clearly laid-out and written text.



4. The book was just about perfect for me. I'd studied German in school decades ago and forgotten 90% of it. The material is presented in such a way that the language "came back" to me without a great deal of effort if I worked at it an hour or two daily. The written exercises and quizzes are frequent and important to do; they come in a variety of forms, though never asking to translate English to German or vice versa, which I felt contributed more to an "immersion" experience in the language.
   
   I had few complaints, besides the fact that the book's title is misleading - in my opinion, it's IMPOSSIBLE to demystify this language so full of rules and exceptions to rules. The dictionary at the back often lacked words I was looking for, and the index was typically not helpful. Wanting to review something I'd remembered poorly, the index seldom helped me relocate it. However, don't be put off by the slap-happy cover design (which looks like it's meant to compete with "German for Dummies"). The tone of the book is friendly but not playful; it wastes no time getting down to business.



5. Wow, I was wowed after five minutes with this book! Before, all i knew in german was Guten Tuag and nein (my mom when I was a kid used to slap me on the forhead and say nien) now i have this complete new start into my third language. This book is great and perfect for everybody wanting to learn a new language.

5 comments about Rick Steves' German Phrase Book and Dictionary.

1. I really liked the pronunciation guides and the phrases, but i had difficulty finding the specific words that I wanted. For example, I couldn't look at a restaurant menu and then look in this book and figure out what my food options were. Probably works better for a touristy trip, than my permanent move.



2. The book was well organized and good hints and tips. But I barely used it in Frankfurt and the areas I visited...lots of English spoken there.



3. I bought Rick Steves' German Phrase Book before making a business trip to Leipzig last month. I had three years of high school German almost 40 years ago, but was told that "everyone in Germany speaks fluent English." I feel strongly that Americans should get over their arrogance about speaking English only, so I brushed up on essential phrases hoping that I would have a chance to practice my very rusty German. Did I ever!
   
   I discovered that many, perhaps most, older people in the former DDR do not speak English at all, but were overwhelmingly patient and encouraging of my efforts to communicate in their language. Whenever I knew that I would be dealing with a specific activity, such as buying a train ticket,I got out my phrase book and reviewed the language I would need to complete the transaction. Rick Steves' books are easy and practical to use, and I found that this one prodded my memory of German vocabulary and syntax to the point that I was chatting away quite comfortably by the end of the week!
   
   I was so pleased with my German phrase book that I ordered the Spanish version for my daughter and her beau, who are planning a trip to Puerto Rico during Spring Break!



4. this little book will be a great help to me in traveling in Germany--although I do have a rather spare knowledge of the language, the idiom often escapes me--hence this will be a genuine positive, too, thanks to its small size.



5. This is a great beginners book to visiting Germany. The information is well-organized and helpful.

5 comments about German Grammar Drills (Drills Series).

1. "German Grammar Drills" fills a need for students of the language who find the newer teaching approaches short on grammatical elements. The book very systematically presents areas of grammar, beginning with simple ones like noun genders and plurals, and thoroughly reviews the basics. Following the review there are a variety of comprehensive practice drills in workbook format. All answers appear in the back.
   
   Areas covered include noun cases, prepositions, adjectives, contractions, verb tenses, imperatives, reflexive pronouns, modal auxiliaries and double infinitives, conjunctions, relative pronouns, prefixes, comparatives and superlatives, passive voice, subjunctive mood and infinitive clauses.
   
   The book advertises itself as "perfect for beginning and intermediate learners." But a note of caution for beginners: the practice sentences, even in early lessons, contain words and grammatical constructs, including verbs in tenses other than the present, that the new student may not yet have encountered. A self-motivated student with a dictionary can readily overcome this one problem.
   
   I recommend this book most highly for any student really determined to master more than just the tourist's basic stock phrases that many books, especially those for the adult learner, seem to overemphasize. Mastery of this book equals mastery of the German language.



2. This is the perfect guide as I attempt to refresh my German comprehension in preparation for a trip to Berlin (my last study of the language was more than 10 years ago). The book is extremely well-organized and methodical, and the explanations are clear and useful. The bulk of the book is devoted to exercises, which I find nicely designed to illustrate the concepts. The answers are all at the end.
   
   A bonus to me is that the layout and font are very easy on the eyes, and the book does not feel cluttered with gimmicky charts, diagrams, or illustrations (as far as I can see, there are none).
   
   The only downside, mentioned by another reviewer, is that the book is not truly a beginners book. Someone with no prior experience in the language will likely find this book a little overwhelming. Not only does it assume familiarity with vocabulary (which is easy enough to look up), but it assumes some exposure to typical German word order, the conjugation of verbs, and the change in articles and adjective endings according to case.
   
   If you know the basics however, I highly recommend this volume!



3. When I registered for my immersion class in Germany, I had to take a test, so they'll know which class/which level you're in. The test was like the drills in this book. Next time I take another immersion class, I will definitely practice with this.
   
   It's not only drills, it also explains grammar rules in very simple, easy to understand terms.
   
   Helpful!



4. this was bought for my son for college class. it was what he was expecting..so the book was good for the intentions.



5. I once thought I knew how to put German sentences together, but my 8 trips to German-speaking Europe have shown me the error of my ways. I have other German educational materials, but the printed grammar drills are good for me. I think you will find them equally valuable.

5 comments about Dirty German: Everyday Slang from "What's Up?" to "F*%# Off!" (Dirty Everyday Slang).

1. For anyone who is going to Germany, taking German or just wants to impress the pants off their friends, this book is a must! It's full of essential day-to-day phrases, with hysterical anecdotes to boot. I highly recommend this one.



2. This book offers phrases ranging from basic terms you might use in a restaurant or pub with friends to terms you might not want to say in public. It has a really amazing range of insults and slang terms, and would be rather useful for those who already have a good grasp of German language and culture. I'd highly recommend it to an intermediate student going to Germany for the first time, because it even runs down "types" of Germans (punkers, grandma and grandpas, etc.) and foods, and gives handy tips such as a "DVD Abend" being either getting together to watch movies OR a hook up. Of course, new students of the language will still appreciate the humor--even my family members who know almost no German at all love this book!



3. I bought this as a joke gift for a friend and of course read through it first. I expected it to be full of slang terms and phrases I couldn't use most places. Sure, those are in there, but there's a lot of useful slang too. Think of all the words and phrases we use with our friends that someone learning formal English wouldn't know. That's the idea, only in German. If you like to hang with the locals, this book can help you fit in.



4. The title doesn't do the book justice. There are 9 chapters in this book; many of which help you navigate everyday situations in German. Don't think of it as a book full of useless insults that will get you booted out of the Hofbräu, but rather as a primer on how to fit in among your new German(speaking) friends. I wish I had something as cool as this when I first studied in Germany. Tips on food, what to sing at soccer matches (more importantly, what not to say) are just the tip of the iceberg on this tome. How many Fettknäpfchen do you need to walk into before you regret not having bought this book? An Sophie's Mom...Sei nicht so zickig!



5. Wie Pech und Schwefel. That's what this book and I will be like before my next trip to Germany! I don't plan on telling anyone to F*%# Off, but much of the book covers lighter topics like sports, parties and general friendliness. It is a great addition to anyone wanting to understand more of both the language and culture of Germany than you will get in a university course where many of these subjects are taboo or deemed unimportant. I've owned a few books of this type in several languages and this is the best of the bunch! Danke!

5 comments about Rick Steves' French, Italian and German Phrase Book.

1. Any book that tells you how to say "May i give you a back massage" and "I dont have any diseases" in three different languages is definatly worth buying it. Also it has the basics and maybe the more useful phrases like "where is the bathroom" "check please" and the like.



2. Just got this book actually and has never spoken a lick of french. I bought it because I plan on doing an over nighter in Paris and figured it would be great to know at least a few basic words....but guess what I don't think I am getting it...LOL Otherwise it is a great reference guide. Small enough to carry around and not that bulky.



3. This is easy to use, and has proven to be very helpful time and again. It is also very light and compact. It will easily fit into a small handbag or backpack. You will want to keep to keep it handy.



4. I love this phrasebook. It is very small, but it has everything you need to know in it. The only negative thing is that I wish that it also included Spanish phrases, but if all you need are German, Italian, and French then it's perfect.



5. My daughter asked for a french, italian, or german dictionary. I found this and she loves looking up phrases. She said I never thought I'd get all three in one.

5 comments about German Made Simple: Learn to speak and understand German quickly and easily.

1. These Made Simple language series really are the best for self-studying, I have done their Spanish, German, French and Italian ones.
   Expect 6-9 months to complete this book.
   
   After having completed books like Colloquial, I still felt that I did not really know much; not how to carry a conversation, just make simple one-liners. My knowledge of grammar was a real mess as my training of it was based on memorizing grammar-summary-boxes rather than effective hands-on training.
   
   There are only two books on Beginner's German I recommend, this Made Simple-book and German Demystified: A Self Teaching Guide.
   
   If you want to learn at a slower pace and not so intensively then Demystified is a better choice, this Made Simple-book is more intense, which makes it more difficult for some people.
   They are equally good in my opinion and I enjoyed working with both: Demystified feels more laid-back and not so stressful, but Made Simple has more reading passages and a larger variety of exercises.
   
   I am telling you, don't waste alot of money on expensive packages like Colloquial when you have inexpensive material like Made Simple ( and Demystified ) available, you just can't compare the two: Made Simple is in a different league than Colloquial, it is my definition of quality.
   This book is more demanding to use than Colloquial and TY, meaning you have to think more - as the exercises are more challenging.
   
   Anyhow, this is an updated version of the older book [...] and there has been a few changes:
   
   1. the phonetics system has changed to a simpler system based on (American) english, for example the word 'lieben' is pronounced 'lee-ben' according to the book
   2. more excercises; reading, comprehension, grammar, translations etc.
   3. more detailed cover of the grammar itself
   4. larger print; the book itself is standard textbook-size and not pocket anymore
   
   The first two chapters give a thorough coverage of pronunciation, with excercises.
   
   The dialogues in the book build around two people: an American businessman who wants to learn German, and his German German teacher, the "story" takes place in New York.
   
   As you might expect you get to learn a few business-related words like: 'office, monetary system, commercial, business-partner' etc.
   But the majority of words are everyday-words about: food, drink, travel, weather, culture etc.
   It also includes more modern words like: 'cartoon, subtitle...'
   
   I like that they have kept the Revision chapters in this update, there's one every 5 chapter or so, they make revision much more convenient - instead of revising each chapter it is enough to just revise the Revision chapters.
   
   Another thing I really liked is that the chapters are kept quite short, you can go though one in 15-20 minutes - excercises included.
   This gives you alot of flexibility in terms of time, as you can easily do 15 minutes before work, during lunch-break, or after dinner.
   A simple thing like having shorter chapters reduces the stress of learning a language.
   
   If you are contemplating whether it's worth it spend a bit more to get this updated book rather the old editions, I definitely think it is worth it - I have both myself but this is the one I actually used - it is so much more fun to use.
   
   So it is definitely an improvement and is alot more user-friendly than the old one, so it should appeal to more people.
   I think the only thing to improve upon with this edition is to include some audio Cd's.
   
   The only thing I can complain about is that there are a few editing errors, for example in chapter 6 page 33, the examples of the accusative expressions of 'was' are put above the actual heading for it. Not a critical mistake, but a mistake nonetheless.
   
   For the quality you are getting this is a ridiculously inexpensive book.



2. I have been using the text book German Made Simple for a few years with teaching German to mature students. I have found the book to be an excellent tool because it is an easy text to study and it is very helpful for English speaking students to learn grammar. As any teacher of the German language would know, Germa grammar is a very difficult part of the German language. I have found over many years of teaching that I have to teach students English grammar before I can start teaching German grammar. The text book is well laid out in practical exercises as well as interesting text to make students want to learn. I can thoroughly recommend this text book to tutors of German.



3. I really enjoyed reading this book and I think it offers a great introduction to the language. It covers all the basics and many fine points of grammar for this language and offers frequent passages in German to practice translating and understanding. These passages reflect the chapter lessons quite well and the later ones are interesting. Grammar is made comprehensible. I didn't always find it easy to find a grammar passage that I remembered and needed to review although overall the major points are well indexed.



4. I bought this four months ago and loved it the moment I opened it with the cute font and the way each chapter takes an interaction and gives the meaning on the right side column, vocabulary at the end and then grammar discussions and extensive exercises.
   It also smoothly progresses using a single theme of an American businessman learning German and interacting with his teacher and traveling to Germany and so on with progressive increase in grammatical structures.
   Can't pass a day without even reading something from this book. Even take it with me if I travel for even a few days. Have to open this at least once a day!
   
   Only con was the inadequate index of German terms at the end of the book. There is no single place to look up the German words unless you knew which chapter it occurred in first so if you came across a word in some dialog or exercise in chapter 33 and if it is not listed in the vocabulary right there you are on your own if it is missing from the index at the end of the book also; have to search previous chapters tediously. This is the only problem I faced. But overcome by the good things of this book if you kept a dictionary such the Collins.



5. German Made Simple was an incredibly well written and thought out guide to German. The entire course built upon itself and routinely brushed the reader up on concepts learned in earlier chapters. My only complaint is that it did not come with an audio companion, so it is quite easy to develop an American accent (or whichever accent corresponds with your mother tongue). That aside, the constant repetition of vocabulary and key stylistic markers made for an enjoyable and easy approach to learning a very tough Romance Language.

5 comments about German: How to Speak and Write It (Beginners' Guides).

1. I purchased this recently as i just got a whim to learn the german language...basically as a "hobby". My family roots come from there and i just wanted to get familiar with this language. I know that they say it is one of the hardest to learn but i have plenty of time and in no hurry. It explains it well and how to say it with nice exercises at the end of each lesson. I am not all the way thru but i would suggest this book as a good starting foundation for teaching yourself. The only knock i would have against this book is that it doesnt come with an accompanying CD ;) highly recommend.



2. As a German tutor and native speaker, I really appreciate the way this book is set up and systematically builds one lesson on the next. In the exercises, it reviews information learned in the last few chapters.
   In my opinion, the only little draw back (and the reason that I did not give 5 stars) is that it would need some updating as far as some of the pictures and words are concerned. It is quite uncommon in modern German to use terms like "der Knabe" or "das Fräulein Lessing".
   Other than that, I am completely happy with this purchase and would definitely recommend it to any beginning learner.



3. I just reviewed the "look inside" place of German: How to speak and Write It. The front cover is updated, yet the material inside is the same as when it was first published. I would recommend this book as a supplement to the Rosettastone German course and to a regular college course in German. Even though the pictures are out of date, it still is a good refresher course in German. One example of this book being out of date is no referrences to the computer or modern cell phone.



4. I found it a little hard to grasp the different sounds,
   it has a lot of good grammer lessons.Instant Immersion
   was a better buy for me.



5. 
   I thought it was completely not good, and think that for me, personally, this method of learning is unhelpful and counterproductive. As an ESL teacher, I would not teach english in this way. It is a confused, unorganized barrage of unnecessary (for beginner speakers) vocabulary from the beginning. The core vocabulary that should be taught at the start is not included until later, and even then isn't well organized.