German All-in-One for Dummies

Synopsis

Learn to speak German? Easy.

German All-in-One For Dummies conveniently combines titles from the German Dummies library into one handy guide that covers all of the bases of the German language. For those looking to master fluency in this popular language, this book and CD combo are an efficient and logical choice.

German All-in-One For Dummies brings together content from German For Dummies, 2nd Edition, German For Dummies Audio Set, German Phrases For Dummies, Intermediate German For Dummies, and German Essentials For Dummies. ??Plus, it includes a new CD that allows for even more opportunities to practice speaking the language, as well as additional content on grammar and usage to empower you to use and speak German like a native.

• Offers instruction and practice exercises for both speaking and writing German
• Helps you prepare to demonstrate proficiency in conversational German

If you want to improve your German, whether it's for work, travel, or enjoyment, German All-in-One For Dummies has you covered.

Summary

Chapter 1: Getting Started with German

* Essential German Phrases: Introduces basic phrases like "Hello," "Goodbye," and "Thank you."
* Example: "Hallo! Mein Name ist [your name]. Wie heißen Sie?" (Hello! My name is [your name]. What is your name?)

Chapter 2: Nouns, Articles, and Genders

* Nouns and Articles: Explains the concept of articles ("der," "die," and "das") and their usage with nouns.
* Gender: Introduces the three genders in German (masculine, feminine, and neuter) and rules for determining gender.
* Example: "Der Mann" (the man), "die Frau" (the woman), "das Kind" (the child)

Chapter 3: Verbs and Tenses

* Present Tense: Explains the formation and usage of the present tense for regular and irregular verbs.
* Example: "Ich spreche" (I speak), "du isst" (you eat), "wir kaufen" (we buy)
* Past Tense: Introduces the simple past tense and perfect tense.
* Example: "Ich sprach" (I spoke), "Ich habe gegessen" (I have eaten)

Chapter 4: Adjectives, Adverbs, and Prepositions

* Adjectives: Covers the declension of adjectives (matching them to the noun's gender, number, and case).
* Example: "Der große Mann" (the tall man), "die schöne Frau" (the beautiful woman)
* Adverbs: Explains the types and usage of adverbs.
* Example: "Schnell" (fast), "gut" (well), "hier" (here)
* Prepositions: Introduces common prepositions and their usage in sentences.
* Example: "Ich bin in Berlin" (I am in Berlin), "Ich gehe zum Park" (I am going to the park)

Chapter 5: Sentence Structure and Word Order

* Sentence Structure: Explains the basic sentence structure in German (subject-verb-object).
* Word Order: Covers the principles governing word order, such as verb placement in different sentence types.
* Example: "Die Katze frisst die Maus" (The cat is eating the mouse)

Chapter 6: Pronouns, Possessive Adjectives, and Reflexive Verbs

* Pronouns: Introduces personal pronouns and their usage.
* Example: "Ich" (I), "du" (you), "er" (he)
* Possessive Adjectives: Explains how to express possession using possessive adjectives.
* Example: "Mein Buch" (my book), "dein Haus" (your house)
* Reflexive Verbs: Covers verbs that require a reflexive pronoun.
* Example: "Ich wasche mich" (I wash myself), "du rasierst dich" (you shave yourself)

Chapter 7: The Accusative and Dative Cases

* Accusative Case: Introduces the accusative case, used to indicate the direct object of a verb.
* Example: "Ich sehe den Mann" (I see the man)
* Dative Case: Explains the dative case, used to indicate the indirect object of a verb or the recipient of an action.
* Example: "Ich gebe dem Mann das Buch" (I give the man the book)