My Journey with German!

„Wer fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, weiß nichts von seiner eigenen.“

(“He who knows no foreign languages knows nothing of his own.”)

– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Language and expression are the keys to our world – this is a point I stand by. For as long as I can remember, I have been on a journey learning languages.

Hello to all the readers! As you may have noticed, the writer for this blog is not the usual one. My name is Ishita Sakpal. I am a B2 German student at Value Words, pleased to have the opportunity to share a few words here.

For all those familiar with me, know of my ambitious life goal: to be able to speak ten languages. To many this might seem unrealistic; however, for me it is the inevitable conclusion of my interests, passions, and this journey I unknowingly set out on. Being of a Marathi background, I grew up bilingual in Marathi and English (having spent many formative years abroad). Throughout my school years, I was exposed to studying Hindi, Spanish and French to a considerable degree. Unexpectedly I had already found myself halfway to my goal by the time I graduated high school.

Currently I am a bachelor student studying English language and literature. I am a writer at heart and hence exists my profound love and connection to studying the art of language: how do words impact the way we communicate? What nuances create differences in our messages to one another? I find it fascinating. I wondered how I could share this with others and initially considered a job in translation. This led me to finding Value Words and beginning a new adventure in German.

German is unlike any other language I have learnt so far. It reminds me of English, but the grammar often throws me for a loop. Vocabulary is perhaps the most strenuous to remember, due to the words being so different from those I learnt in other languages, especially past the A1 level. Practice and dedication are the only methods to overcome these hurdles. During my early sessions, I remember being introduced to the basics (the alphabet, pronouns and more) and going home to spend time reciting those to myself. This habit of revision has continued into my B2 course. German is, personally, the hardest language I have studied and as a result the most satisfying. It is exciting to solve the grammar exercises that challenge me and I’m delighted every time I improve in the delivery of my presentations. Learning a new language improves communication in your own and forces clarity to your thought process.

To anyone who also wishes to learn German, I would recommend a few of my own tricks of the trade. Listening to the textbook audios without focusing on the exercise, and instead as though it were simply a conversation, is the best method to train your ear. Writing down all the vocab words and putting them somewhere you will repeatedly spot them is a great way to revise. Your teacher will always be an invaluable support, as she is for me, so don’t hesitate to ask for help. Finally, try your best to translate small things in non-study situations and ask yourself: how would I say this in German?

The most important, and the most difficult, part of language study is inculcating the resolve to learning it. I will always encourage everyone to take their chance on this adventure because at the end of the line, when you are able to communicate with someone in a language that is not your own but you have made it yours with effort, there is truly no better reward.