We are approaching the last couple of days of our B 1.1 class, but there is no slowing down yet! In the last few classes we have been learning about adjective declination in the comparative form. Therefore, the adjective ending depends on whether the sentence is comparative or superlative, the gender of the noun, the sentence case (nominative, accusative, etc.), and whether a definite, indefinite, or no article is present. This is one of the many reasons why German can be more complicated for people to learn. By practicing this concept with speaking exercises in class, I’ve gotten better with adjective declination, but it’s still a slow process of going through all of the conditions. I’m very thankful that I’m learning this at DeutschAkademie and not on my own!

My declination charts from class.

Cheers,

Sara

Since I’ve gotten to know Berlin better, I’ve come across streets in different neighbourhoods that many people go to for some unique shopping and restaurants. There are three streets in particular that I like. First is Goltzstraβe in Schöneberg (U7 Eisenacher Straβe). This quiet street has quaint cafes, vintage furniture, local clothing, and home accessories stores. Second is Oranienstraβe in Kreuzberg (U1 Görlitzer Bahnhof). This street is covered in graffiti and has a lot of bars, restaurants and stores. I came across a vintage home accessories store with a great selection of items for all areas of an apartment near the corner of Oranienstraβe and Oranienplatz. I would also recommend Bar 39 on this street. Lastly, I like Bergmannstraβe in Kreuzberg (U6 Mehringdamm). I went here today with a friend for lunch. It’s a busy street with many restaurants, cafes, more unique home stores (can you tell I like to decorate?) and there is a large second-hand clothing store in the area called Colours. Although each of these streets are different, they all have character and are a pleasure to walk through!

Our view at lunch from the restaurant on Bergmannstraβe.

Do you know of any unique streets for food, drinks or shopping?

Cheers,

Sara

Guten Tag from the Berliner Stadtbibliothek (in Mitte)!

I’ve been having internet problems for the past few days so I decided to go to the library to write my blog post. The library is in a great location beside the Spree River and across from Nikolaiviertel, which is where the original settlements in Berlin were located and date back to the late 1100’s. This is my first time in a library in Berlin, and thanks to my internet dilemma, I might start coming here more often to get some work done and perhaps study German!

Working at the Berliner Stadtbibliothek.

I’ve been studying German at DeutschAkademie for four months now, but I knew that I would be living in Germany long before I moved here. I was very intimidated by learning a new language from the very beginning, but I wanted to get a head start if I could. My husband was already using a website called Duolingo to practice his German, so I gave that a try while still living in Canada and I really liked it! It uses a combination of words and pictures to teach you words and phrases through translation, speaking, spelling or listening. I was able to progress quickly and comfortably. By the time I started A 1.1, I was very thankful that I had already started to study German, because it gave me that extra advantage in the first month.

After arriving at DeutschAkademie, I learned that they had created their own app and they have many free, online German studying tools that I have used myself. It is a great way to extend your German learning outside of the classroom and to keep up with the increasingly challenging German concepts. DeutschAkademie also has many language learning books. Some have an audio guide component and exercises for those who prefer pen and paper, and some can be purchased as an E-Book.

Other apps that I heavily rely on are Google Translate and German Verb Conjugator. Both are very helpful in and out of class! I have spent countless times in stores Google-translating specific cleaning products or what yogurt to buy. Thankfully, I’ve reduced the amount of time I spend doing that now! German can be a daunting language to learn, but there are plenty of additional computer programs, phone apps and books to help you get through it.

One of the many options to help you learn German outside of class – German grammar exercises on the DeutschAkademie website.

Good luck!

Sara

When I think about my first impressions of Berlin and how this city is different from home, many things come to mind. Berlin is very bike-friendly, there is a relaxed atmosphere because of the many places to lounge, eat, and drink outdoors when the weather cooperates, and everything is very old and a little rough around the edges. Also, with each new neighbourhood that I explore, there are always a few unique things that add to their character.

I’ve stumbled upon a building that is completely abandoned and covered in graffiti – even the windows are gone – and is surrounded by other occupied apartments. I’ve seen a building with large flower sculptures attached to it that are as tall as the building itself. My favourite though, is a building with a mural called Astronaut/Cosmonaut (2007) by Victor Ash in Berlin-Kreuzberg (just east of Kottbusser Tor on the U1). I haven’t forgotten about these places from the first time I saw them. They are all unique and memorable, and make Berlin an exciting city to explore.

The astronaut mural taken from the corner of Mariannenstraße and Skalitzer Straße (Kreuzberg).

What gives Berlin that rough-around-the-edge feel is the graffiti. It’s EVERYWHERE! But it’s not always the typical graffiti that you would normally think of. Large drawings and often times, overlapping graffiti images and words make city buildings that are grey and stark more vibrant! I really enjoy seeing all of the colour mixed in with the plain buildings in Berlin. This is something that I haven’t quite seen anywhere else!

Graffiti near Kottbusser Tor. If you look closely there is a small, orange stick figure painted over and contrasting the look of the old graffiti – a hidden surprise when walking through the neighbourhood.

What murals, graffiti, or art have you spotted on buildings?

Cheers,

Sara

Hi!

My name is Sara and I’m 25 years old. I moved to Berlin from Canada four months ago and I’m absolutely loving this city! Why am I living in Berlin? I’m joining my husband who is here attending school. I could not wait to start my adventures in a new country! Although I moved here with no expectations (and very little knowledge of German), I knew that I needed to learn the language to really enjoy my time here and find work. This is where DeutschAkademie comes in. I discovered this school while I was still living back home and registered just before I moved. Four months in and now starting B 1.1, I’m not disappointed! In four months my German has improved dramatically (having a conversation is still hard!) and I’m much more confident when I go out now. When I’m not at DeutschAkademie, you’ll find me exploring the city or going for runs at Tempelhofer Freiheit (more on that later). I’m looking forward to sharing my experiences at DeutschAkademie and some of the sights I’ve seen around Berlin with you!

Cheers,

Sara

That’s me, hanging out at Cafe am Neuen See in Tiergarten, one of the many, many Biergärten here!