60 German Umlauts: What Those Two Dots Actually Do

In this episode, you’ll learn how “haben” (engl. "to have") works in real sentences! And you will learn how to add objects to a sentence (what are you having) - and what change is happening with the article "der".This is a very basic episode to make slightly longer sentences in German. If you want to stop guessing and start forming correct sentences, this is one of the first building blocks.🎯 Find out your REAL German levelNot what certificate you have — where you actually stand today.Take the free Better German Placement Test and get a personal response from me with your real level and your best next step.👉 bettergerman.info/test🔑 What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeWhy “haben” is not always used the way English “have” is,How to say “I have…” correctly in German,How to build a basic sentence step by step,How small word changes affect meaning,Why one word in the sentence sometimes changes form (your first step into sentence structure).✨ Join The Better German Podcast Community      Find all podcast resources at one place!📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter        Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi_blumel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61580057243680YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-GermanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergermanPinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!

Many learners believe that self-paced courses are the problem. They assume they need discipline, pressure, or a classroom environment to finally succeed with German.But the real issue is something else entirely.In this episode, I talk about a conversation from one of my recent workshops with a learner who believed he couldn’t succeed in a self-paced course. His experience is actually very common: people force themselves through classes for months or even years — and still never reach the point where they can actually speak German.So what’s really going on?We look at why many traditional courses struggle to produce real results, why motivation disappears when learning stops making sense, and why learning at your own speed is not the problem — it’s often the solution.Free Live German WorkshopHow to Actually Learn German https://bettergerman.info/workshopGet Talking German CourseGerman for Beginners & Restarters https://bettergerman.info/courseKey Topics in This Episode• Why many learners believe self-paced courses don’t work• What really happens when people force themselves through classes• The difference between motivation and discipline in language learning• Why people naturally learn at different speeds• Why group classes often cannot adapt to individual learning speed• How learning can become easier when the process actually makes sense• What it really means to “learn to communicate” in GermanMentioned in This EpisodeHow to Actually Learn German – Free Live Workshop https://bettergerman.info/workshopGet Talking GermanMy step-by-step course for Beginners & Restarters who want to start speaking German in a natural and practical way. https://bettergerman.info/course✨ Join The Better German Podcast Community      Find all podcast resources at one place!📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter        Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi_blumel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61580057243680YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-GermanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergermanPinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!

Many learners see ä, ö, and ü and immediately feel confused. What are those two dots? Are they new letters? Are they just decoration?In this episode, we look at German umlauts in a very practical way. You'll hear how they sound, how they relate to the normal vowels a, o, and u , and why they often appear when words change form — for example, when a noun becomes plural.Most importantly, you'll practice the sounds out loud with real examples so you can start getting used to hearing and saying them.If you want to follow along more easily, download the free cheat sheet with all the example words mentioned in the episode.👩🏻‍💻Free Workshop https://bettergerman.info/workshop🗣️Get Talking German Course https://bettergerman.info/course⬇️Download the Umlaut Cheat Sheet https://bettergerman.info/umlaut Key Topics in This EpisodeWhat the German umlaut actually meansWhy German has the letters ä, ö , and üThe connection between sound changes and word changesExamples with a → ä, o → ö, and u → üCommon singular and plural pairs ( Mann → Männer, Buch → Bücher , etc.)How to practice umlaut sounds effectively Mentioned in This EpisodeEpisode 18 — The German AlphabetGet Talking German CourseYou May Also LikeBetter German Podcast → https://podcast.bettergerman.infoFree Live German Workshop → https://bettergerman.info/workshop✨ Join The Better German Podcast Community      Find all podcast resources at one place!📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter        Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi_blumel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61580057243680YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-GermanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergermanPinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!

DescriptionWhy do so many people study German for years and still feel stuck? In this episode, Susi looks at one surprising problem with how many German courses are structured. You’ll hear why the starting point matters much more than most learners realize—and how approaching German differently can change the entire learning experience.Free Live German Workshop:https://bettergerman.info/workshopGet Talking German Course:https://bettergerman.info/courseKey Topics in This EpisodeWhy many German courses begin in a way that makes learning harderWhat language learning actually looks like in real lifeWhy the starting point of a course mattersA common pattern in traditional German learningA different way to approach learning GermanMentioned in This EpisodeGet Talking German courseFree Live German WorkshopEmail support for episode 58 PDF: [email protected] Talking German (Course)Learn German in a way that helps you start speaking step by step.https://bettergerman.info/courseYou May Also LikeBetter German Podcasthttps://podcast.bettergerman.infoFree Live German Workshophttps://bettergerman.info/workshop✨ Join The Better German Podcast Community      Find all podcast resources at one place!📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter        Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi_blumel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61580057243680YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-GermanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergermanPinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!

🎙️Better German Podcast – Episode 58 German Adjectives Made Simple with Practical Examples In this episode, you learn how German adjectives change when they come before nouns — in a clear, beginner-friendly way. You’ll practice adjectives like big, beautiful, old, and small and see how they behave with the articles - “the” (der / die / das) and “a” (ein / eine), you’ll practice clear, practical examples so you can finally understand the pattern instead of memorizing tables. If adjective endings have ever felt confusing, this episode shows you that they’re actually very logical — and learnable.Want to go further with your German?Workshop: Discover the three biggest mistakes that keep people stuck with German—and what to do instead—in the free live workshop. It is also the first step to do if you are interested in taking a course, as you will see how we teach. https://bettergerman.info/workshopCourse: Get Talking German uses a completely different approach to help you understand and use German faster.https://bettergerman.info/coursePodcast Community: Get all podcast resources in one place inside the Better German Podcast Community and ask your questions there.https://bettergerman.info/community⬇️ Free PDF (Episode 58) (as soon as it it available) https://bettergerman.info/adjectives2.🎧 Full Show Notes & Linkshttps://bettergerman.info/58✨ Key Topics in This EpisodeWhat adjectives are in German (groß, klein, schön, alt, nett)Why adjectives change when they come before a nounAdjectives after verbs vs before nouns ( The ball is big vs The big ball)Adjectives with definite articles: der / die / dasThe meaning of “the” vs “a” in GermanAdjectives with “a” (ein / eine) How adjective endings change (-er / -e / -es) Clear spoken examples you can repeat and practiceHow to practice without stressing about mistakes🔗 Mentioned Links & ResourcesFree Adjectives PDF (Episode 58): https://bettergerman.info/adjectives2 Episode 1 – Start Here (Beginner Foundation) Better German YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-German/Learn More about the Approach?🚀 Want More Support?Inside the Get Talking: German for Beginners & Restarters program, you practice German step by step with clear sentence structures, pronunciation drills, and real-life topics — so you don't just learn rules, you actually start speaking.🎧 You May Also LikeEpisode 1 – How German Sentences WorkEpisode 5 – Beginner episode on articles (der / die / das)Pronunciation and sentence-building practice episodes✨ Join The Better German Podcast Community      Find all podcast resources at one place!📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter        Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi_blumel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61580057243680YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-GermanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergermanPinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!

🎙️ Better German Podcast – Episode 57Practice German Restaurant Phrases + Real DialoguesIn this episode, you actively practice German restaurant vocabulary from Episode 53 with real sentences, pronunciation, and two short dialogues. You’ll hear useful phrases for ordering food, asking for the bill, understanding menus in Austria, and talking about typical dishes like Schnitzel or Kaiserschmarrn.If you want practical German you can actually use in cafés, restaurants, or while travelling, this episode helps you train listening and speaking at the same time.⬇️ Free PDF (Episodes 53 + 57)https://bettergerman.info/restaurant🎧 Full Show Notes & Linkshttps://bettergerman.info/57Want to go further with your German?Workshop: Discover the three biggest mistakes that keep people stuck with German—and what to do instead—in the free live workshop. It is also the first step to do if you are interested in taking a course, as you will see how we teach. https://bettergerman.info/workshopCourse: Get Talking German uses a completely different approach to help you understand and use German faster.https://bettergerman.info/coursePodcast Community: Get all podcast resources in one place inside the Better German Podcast Community and ask your questions there.https://bettergerman.info/community✨ Key Topics in This EpisodePracticing restaurant vocabulary in real sentencesAustrian café and “Kaffeehaus” cultureVorspeise, Hauptspeise, Nachspeise explainedWhat a “Menü” means in Austria (fixed-price meal)Useful ordering phrases: Ich hätte gerne, Ich möchte, zahlen bitteBreakfast buffet questions you can use in hotelsTipping culture in AustriaTypical dishes: Schnitzel, Kaiserschmarrn, FrittatensuppeTwo slow German restaurant dialogues for listening practice🔗 Mentioned Links & ResourcesFree Restaurant PDF (Episodes 53 + 57): https://bettergerman.info/restaurantEpisode 53 (Restaurant Vocabulary Basics)Better German YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-German/🚀 Want More Support?Inside the Get Talking: German for Beginners & Restarters program, you practice German step by step with clear sentence structures, pronunciation drills, and real-life topics — so you don’t just learn rules, you actually start speaking.🎧 You May Also LikeEpisode 53 – Restaurant Vocabulary BasicsBeginner-friendly pronunciation and sentence structure episodesReal-life German dialogues from earlier podcast episode::✨ Join The Better German Podcast Community      Find all podcast resources at one place!📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter        Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi_blumel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61580057243680YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-GermanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergermanPinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!

Part 2 of this mini-series looks at the most common obstacles that quietly stop learners from making progress — and what you can do instead.We talk about misunderstood words, skipping steps, unrealistic expectations, and why practice really matters. A bonus tip at the end shows you how to keep German interesting so you don’t quit.Want to go further with your German?Workshop: Discover the three biggest mistakes that keep people stuck with German—and what to do instead—in the free live workshop. It is also the first step to do if you are interested in taking a course, as you will see how we teach. https://bettergerman.info/workshopCourse: Get Talking German uses a completely different approach to help you understand and use German faster.https://bettergerman.info/coursePodcast Community: Get all podcast resources in one place inside the Better German Podcast Community and ask your questions there.https://bettergerman.info/community🔑 In this episode, you’ll learn:• Why misunderstood words can block learning• How skipping steps creates frustration• Why “total immersion” is mostly a myth• Why a native speaker isn’t automatically a good teacher• How to set realistic expectations• Why practice is not optional• How to keep German interesting🔗 Mentioned in this episode:• Study Technology by L. Ron Hubbard https://www.appliedscholastics.org/• How long does it take to learn German? — Ep 29 https://bettergerman.info/29• How much practice do we need? — Ep 28 https://bettergerman.info/28• Get Talking — German course https://bettergerman.info/course🎓 Start learning German with me: 👉 https://bettergerman.info/course✨ Join The Better German Podcast Community      Find all podcast resources at one place!📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter        Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi_blumel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61580057243680YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-GermanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergermanPinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!

Many people start learning German motivated — and then hit a point where they think: “I can’t do this. It’s too hard.”In this episode, Susi explains why that happens and what you can do to prevent it, so you can keep going and make real progress.This is Part 1 of a two-part series and covers tips 1–5.🔑 In this episode, you’ll learn:• Why your personal “why” is essential• Why everything you learn needs a clear purpose• Why learning only for tests causes frustration• How a realistic schedule keeps you from giving up• Why beginners must first build a core vocabularyWant to go further with your German?Workshop: Discover the three biggest mistakes that keep people stuck with German—and what to do instead—in the free live workshop. It is also the first step to do if you are interested in taking a course, as you will see how we teach. https://bettergerman.info/workshopCourse: Get Talking German uses a completely different approach to help you understand and use German faster.https://bettergerman.info/coursePodcast Community: Get all podcast resources in one place inside the Better German Podcast Community and ask your questions there.https://bettergerman.info/community🔗 Mentioned in this episode:• Good habits for learning German — Episode 54 https://bettergerman.info/54• How much practice do we need? — Episode 28 https://bettergerman.info/28• How long does it take to learn German? — Episode 29 https://bettergerman.info/29• Study Technology by L. Ron Hubbard - https://www.appliedscholastics.org/• Next episode: Tips 6–10 + bonus (Part 2 – episode 56, upcoming)🎓 Start learning German with me:👉 Get Talking – German course https://bettergerman.info/course✨ Join The Better German Podcast Community      Find all podcast resources at one place!📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter        Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi_blumel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61580057243680YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-GermanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergermanPinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!

Learning German usually doesn’t fail because German is hard — it fails because the habits don’t work. In this episode, Susi talks about realistic learning habits that actually help you make progress in German, whether you’re restarting, learning on the side, or finally want to do it properly this time. No gimmicks, no unrealistic promises — just what actually works.🎬 Free PDF: Learn German with Movies & TV📘 German Articles Guide (Der · Die · Das) with the mentioned list of nounsWant to go further with your German?Workshop: Discover the three biggest mistakes that keep people stuck with German—and what to do instead—in the free live workshop. It is also the first step to do if you are interested in taking a course, as you will see how we teach. https://bettergerman.info/workshopCourse: Get Talking German uses a completely different approach to help you understand and use German faster.https://bettergerman.info/coursePodcast Community: Get all podcast resources in one place inside the Better German Podcast Community and ask your questions there.https://bettergerman.info/community🔎 Key Topics• Why motivation alone doesn’t work• How much weekly time actually makes a difference• What to focus on first (and what to ignore early on)• Vocabulary, practice, and media — how they work together• Subtitles: when they help and when they don’t• When structure and courses actually matter🔗 Mentioned Links & Resources• Nicos Weg – Full Movie with multiple subtitles• Learn German with Movies & TV – Free PDF (curated list of YouTube, Netflix, Prime, Disney):• German Articles Guide (Der · Die · Das) with the mentioned list of nouns• Article: Should You Take a German Course or Learn Alone?📚 German Dictionaries (mentioned in the episode)• Collins German-English Dictionary • LANGENSCHEIDT Dictionary🎓 Mentioned CourseGet Talking: German for Beginners & RestartersSpeak German from the first lesson — no grammar terms, no memorizing rules, only practical language you can actually use.https://bettergerman.info/course👉 You May Also Like• Episode 14: Learn German with Movies (complete guide): https://bettergerman.info/14• Episode 7: The 7 Best Tips to Learn German: https://bettergerman.info/7• Episode 4: How to Learn German: https://bettergerman.info/4📩 Questions, feedback, or topic requests:[email protected]⭐ If you enjoyed this episode, leave a review or share it with someone learning German.✨ Join The Better German Podcast Community      Find all podcast resources at one place!📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter        Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi_blumel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61580057243680YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-GermanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergermanPinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!

PDF for the episode: https://bettergerman.info/restaurantIn this episode, Susi explains how to talk about restaurants in German in a simple, practical way . You'll learn how restaurant language actually works in real life, which phrases people really use, and what's typical in Austria and Germany. The focus is on useful words, natural sentences, and confidence , not textbook rules. Want to go further with your German?Workshop: Discover the three biggest mistakes that keep people stuck with German—and what to do instead—in the free live workshop. It is also the first step to do if you are interested in taking a course, as you will see how we teach. https://bettergerman.info/workshopCourse: Get Talking German uses a completely different approach to help you understand and use German faster.https://bettergerman.info/coursePodcast Community: Get all podcast resources in one place inside the Better German Podcast Community and ask your questions there.https://bettergerman.info/communityKey Topics 🔎 Restaurant German• What restaurant vocabulary you really need• Typical Austrian and German food you'll see on menus• Polite and natural phrases for ordering and paying• Small cultural details that make restaurants easier to navigateMentioned Episodes(all episodes can be found at bettergerman.info/# of the episode)Ep 57: Restaurant Practice & Conversation (coming soon)You May Also Like:Episode 30: “To Be” in GermanEp 8: How Much Grammar Do We Need?✨ Join The Better German Podcast Community      Find all podcast resources at one place!📰  Sign Up for Our Newsletter        Get Tips & Updates Straight To Your Inbox!🌍 Explore Our Podcast Episodes      New to the podcast? Head over to our podcast homepage to find other episodes you’ll love.💬 Come See Our Approach For Yourself      We believe in real understanding, not just memorizing grammar rules—come see how we do in this YouTube Video.📲 Stay Connected and Follow Us On:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susi_blumel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/61580057243680YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Better-GermanTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@susibettergermanPinterest: https://de.pinterest.com/susibettergerman/⭐ Enjoyed this episode?      If you liked what you heard, give us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or share it with a fellow learner!