Language learning made easy

Are you motivated to learn a new language? So the learning fun does not fall by the wayside, here are three tips for more learning success and faster progress.

1. Online learning: use new media!
There are countless apps, YouTube videos, and reputable platforms that are often available for free or on a budget. The challenges of grammar and vocabulary take a back seat to make it easier for beginners to get started with the language and to combine it with fun. The advantage of online learning is obvious: you design your own learning program depending on your language level, regardless of time and place.

2. Surround yourself with the language regularly!
You can immerse yourself in a language without travelling abroad. Just try to integrate the language into your everyday life.
For example, watch movies in their original version with or without subtitles, listen to a foreign-language podcast on the way to work, or read before bed. Take advantage of the variety of offers such as websites, books, online newspapers, radio stations, etc. In this way, you can familiarize yourself with reading and listening to everyday language. A real insider tip!

3. Don't be afraid of making mistakes: learn to speak!
Do you find speaking more difficult than understanding? Try to talk to native speakers. Today, this can be done quite simply virtually by means of language tandems. This will improve your accent and teach you important idioms. The most important thing is not to be afraid of making mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes and you can learn from them. Ask your interlocutor to draw your attention to errors in pronunciation.

The most effective method is, of course, a longer stay abroad, for example as part of your studies, an internship, a job or during a holiday. It helps to travel as little as possible with other Germans or even to travel alone.

Take a look here: Marc Green and Marianna Pascal give more tips and insights on fast language learning in their TED talks.

"Every new language is like an open window that opens up a new view of the world and broadens the view of life."  (Frank Harris)

Whether you’re a student, an employee of THI or a language enthusiast, here you will find useful links for self-study if you want to keep your language skills up to date, expand them or even learn a new foreign language. You can either use them to learn a language on your own, or use them in addition to lessons at the university, at a language school, at an adult education center, or to prepare for a language trip or stay abroad.

If you come across interesting links that you would like to share, we would welcome receiving your suggestions at sprachenzentrum@thi.de.

Online language tandems offer the opportunity to meet other users or teachers in virtual meetings or via apps.
The offers are mostly subject to a fee.

• Italki: Like Preply, a 1:1 exchange with certified teachers. Additional community feature for interacting with other language learners.
• Hello Talk: ‘Talk to the world.’ Free app for chatting with native speakers from around the world. Additional chat option with individual members or joint learning in group chats.
• Preply: Foreign language learning for advanced learners with online teachers. Filter function for selecting language and teacher, booking lessons via calendar function, virtual meetings with teachers, structured learning with lesson plans.
• Tandem: Free app for learning a language in conversation with native speakers in tandem. In this case, both tandem users are interested in language acquisition.
• Superprof: Actually designed as a tutoring platform for students, but you can also meet certified teachers and native speakers virtually for many languages.
• e-Tandem: You can practise your pronunciation with a tandem partner.

The International Office (IO) is the first point of contact for questions about a stay abroad during your studies. As a student, you can take advantage of the opportunities that THI offers you for a study visit or an internship abroad.

Summer/Winter Schools: if a semester stay takes too long for you as a student, please visit the IO website to find out about short-term programmes at THI partner universities and selected third-party universities.

For other language travel enthusiasts, we refer you to professional and specialized travel providers. A selection can be found in the listing whose source is the study "Sprachreiseanbieter 2019" by the German Institute for Service Quality.

• ESL Sprachreisen: Um den unterschiedlichen Ansprüchen der Studenten gerecht zu werden, bietet ESL unterschiedliche Unterkunftsarten an wie Gastfamilie, Wohnheim, Privatwohnung und Wohngemeinschaft. Persönliche Erfahrungsberichte sind auf der Website veröffentlicht.
• Dialog Sprachreisen: Angebote für Erwachsene und Schüler sowie Business-Sprachkurse für Firmenkunden, Führungskräfte und Selbständige. Gratis Sprachniveau-Test. Sprachreisen als  Bildungsurlaub.
• Lisa Sprachreisen: Sprachreisen für Erwachsene und Kinder, auch exotische Ziele und viel Sprachreisen ans Meer.
• Travelworks: TravelWorks als Marke der Travelplus Group GmbH ist zertifizierter Reiseveranstalter und schickt seit mehr als 25 Jahren Teilnehmer aus Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz auf Reisen.
• GLS Sprachenzentrum: GLS organisiert seit 1983 Sprachreisen, Auslandspraktika und High School Aufenthalte für Erwachsene und Schüler. Gap Year, Auslandspraktikum oder auch Sprachkurse für Firmen sind im Angebot.
• LAL Sprachreisen: Mit 38 Jahren Erfahrung, 7 eigenen Sprachschulen und weltweit über 70 Partnerschulen in der ganzen Welt gehört LAL zu den wichtigsten Anbietern und Vermittlern von Sprachreisen in Deutschland.
• Linguland Sprachreisen: Feriensprachkurs für Schüler, Business English für Berufstätige oder ausgedehnte Auslandsaufenthalte für Weltentdecker. Sprachreisen in acht Sprachen und rund 30 Ländern, mit einem Gesamtangebot von rund 200 Sprachschulen.
• IST Sprachreisen: 35 Jahre Erfahrung als Organisator von Sprachreisen und High School Schüleraustauschen, sowie als Anbieter für  Auslandspraktika und Au Pair Vermittlungen für Kinder, Jugendliche als auch Erwachsene. Zusätzliches Angebot von Online-Sprachkursen.
• Sprachcaffe Reisen: Auswahl an Sprachreisen, Bildungsurlaub, Online Sprachkursen, langfristigen Auslandsaufenthalten und Jugendreisen. Zusätzliches Angebot von Online-Sprachkursen.
• EF Sprachreisen: Sprachreisen, High School Jahr und Privatschulen & Internate im Ausland. 52 Reiseziele in 23 Ländern. Programme nach Alter für Schüler und Studenten, junge Erwachsene, Berufstätige, Unternehmen und öffentlicher Dienst.

Tech giants such as Google, Microsoft and Facebook now all use machine learning for their translations. This makes translators much more precise and nuanced than previous generations.

The system as a web version or app recognizes the language quickly and automatically, converts the words into the desired language. Microsoft has now integrated its translator into its office packages and translates Word documents completely, as well as entire PowerPoint pages.  Zoom allows simultaneous translation of session participants during virtual meetings. For more extensive translations, paid subscription packages are  offered.

Privacy Notice: providers such as DeepL guarantee that all texts are deleted immediately after completion of the translation and that the connection to their servers is always encrypted. Thus, texts should be used exclusively for this translation and not for other purposes, nor should they be able to be viewed by third parties.

We recommend that you do not use any confidential texts or personal data for the entries.

• DeepL Translator: A relatively new programme, but one that has worked its way to the top of the online translation market in recent years.
• Google Translate: Like most Google products, its online translation programme is omnipresent and therefore very well known.
• Microsoft Translator: In addition to text translations, MS also offers cross-device translated conversations for chats between two users or interactions with larger groups.
• Bing: Bing is the alternative developed by Windows.
• Reverso: The free version allows you to enter texts up to 2000 characters long.
• Speak & Translate: According to Google Play, this Android app is a ‘micro interpreter’. One of its features is that it listens to conversations in a foreign language and then reproduces them fluently in your own language. A total of 100 languages are available.
• Yandex.Translate: This app from Google's Russian competitor is more of a translator than a dictionary. You can also speak the words you are looking for and have the app read them aloud. In addition, you can have text translated on photos stored on your smartphone or tablet.
• For business translation services such as specialist translations, flyers or marketing texts, we refer you to external translation agencies. Contact details for providers can be obtained from the Language Center.

Note: the offers are usually subject to a fee.

On the platform LanguageCourse.net you will find a search function for local language schools in Germany and worldwide.

Selection of language schools in Germany (across languages):

• inlingua (national and international): More than 300 language schools in 34 countries, free placement tests, e-learning offers, language exams and certificates as well as language trips.
• Berlitz: Wide range of face-to-face languages through local language schools (on-site learning) as well as online courses for children and adults. Additional offers for placement tests, language exams and certificates as well as language trips.
• Volkshochschule (VHS): In addition to this supra-regional course finder, there are websites of local adult education centres (“Volkshochschulen”) for intensive courses, online courses or taster courses.
• Sprachschule Aktiv Ingolstadt: Learn German and foreign languages through intensive courses, private lessons, online or evening courses.
• EURO Ingolstadt: The Language and Learning Academy offers numerous courses and language exams, both on-site and digitally.
• Virtuelle Hochschule Bayern (vhb): As a network institution of 32 universities in Bavaria, the vhb offers free language courses in e-learning format that can be used across university boundaries (OPEN vhb).