Answers
Dec 07, 2011 - 08:04 PM
Yeah, it's tripping me too and I'm a little behind you in the lessons. Doesn't she still "break it down" at the beginning of each lesson? I'm just finishing lesson 4 so I guess I'll find out. I have to think it and rethink it in German structure while I'm typing but it's getting much easier. Good luck!
Dec 08, 2011 - 10:24 AM
Yes she still breaks down each lesson "in English" and i guess thats the confusing part for me because the two structures are different. I just finished lesson 11 and it is getting easier. Good luck.
Jan 11, 2012 - 07:48 PM
I can understand the logic behind how they do it, though. After all, we're native English speakers learning German. As such, we think in English. We don't think in German and may never reach that point! So when we're conversing we are always going to have to be making internal translations. A key part of that is grammar. Yes, it would certainly help us translate from English to German if the sentence was given to us with German grammar. But the truth of the matter is that such an approach wouldn't help us at all when it comes to to the real world. If anything, it would make our live much more difficult when we try to truly speak German.
At least this way we're being trained in how to convert English grammar over to German so that we can properly translate the sentence. If they did it the other way, we could do the exercises more readily but we'd be really flailing when we had to construct an original sentence outside of the lessons.
At least this way we're being trained in how to convert English grammar over to German so that we can properly translate the sentence. If they did it the other way, we could do the exercises more readily but we'd be really flailing when we had to construct an original sentence outside of the lessons.
Jan 18, 2012 - 06:55 AM
Wait until you have long sentences. The second verb almost always goes at the very end. It's quite amazing how long you'll read and then have the a verb dropped on you seemingly (for English speakers) out of the blue. They also break up verbs dropping a part at the very end. Think of it like a huge joke the Germans played on the rest of the world.... but it is very confusing.