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Should You Pause German During the Christmas Break? My Honest Answer
December brings a different rhythm. I notice every year in many of my learners that this week is generally the last one for the year and work either slows down gradually or is suuuper busy as many loose ends need to be tied up before the Christmas break. Also, many are busy thinking about their travel plans and mental space generally feels very limited this week. And the question you may be asking yourself is:
Should I just pause my German over the holidays?

Birte Harring
Dec 16, 20253 min read
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How to Keep Learning German When You Are Mentally Done With the Year
November always arrives with a noticeable shift. I hear it in many of my learners' voices in our lessons. The daylight fades earlier, the days are getting darker, the air cools.
Our bodies and minds are looking to slow down, but to make things tougher, I notice each year that in many learners' jobs things are getting particularly busy in the last weeks of the year.
And your German learning is stuck somewhere in between those two opposites.
What should you do?

Birte Harring
Nov 20, 20253 min read
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Do you see lots of apples on this image? Look again!
Do you see lots of apples on this image? Look again!
Some people might see loads of apples đđđ in this image.... I see (or rather: hear) podcasts! đ
How?...

Birte Harring
Oct 20, 20252 min read
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Finding Balance in German: Lessons from the September Equinox
I love September because it is a month of balance. The autumn equinox arrives and for a brief moment, day and night are perfectly equal. After that, the evenings slowly grow longer, the mornings a little darker and we feel the shift into autumn and winter.
Itâs a good reminder that balance is not something fixed but something we constantly adjust.
The same is true when learning German...

Birte Harring
Sep 23, 20252 min read
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Sunflowers and German: Always Turning Towards the Light
I recently visited a sunflower field near me, and it was beautiful: rows of tall yellow blooms all facing the sun (but can you spot a 'funny looking sunflower' among them all, too? :-) And as I stood there, I realised how much we can actually learn from sunflowers about our journey with German.
Sunflowers are always turning towards the light. They donât waste energy twisting back to the shade. They move forward, day after day, following what nourishes them...

Birte Harring
Aug 21, 20252 min read
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From Caterpillar to Butterfly: Your German Learning Transformation This Summer
My last few weeks have been FULL of butterflies - I have spotted them on walks and have tried to identify the species. They have kept us company during our lunch breaks in the garden, too - do you like the one I took this image of? It's a gate keeper (German "Torwächter" or "Braunes Ochsenauge").
If youâve ever watched a butterfly transform, you know it doesnât happen overnight.
Seeing all the butterflies made me think about the different stages they go through throughout

Birte Harring
Jul 18, 20253 min read
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Halfway Through the Year: Are You Where You Wanted to Be With Your German?
Can you believe weâre already halfway through 2025?
June the perfect time to check in with yourself, not in a dramatic, New Yearâs resolution kind of way, but just a gentle pause to reflect:
Am I where I wanted to be with my German by now?
I always think June is the best month to pause, rest, breathe and reset.
Hereâs a simple mid-year check-in:...

Birte Harring
Jun 25, 20253 min read
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Is German Really That Hard? Or Are We Just Approaching It the Wrong Way?
Is German Really That Hard? Or Are We Just Approaching It the Wrong Way?
âGerman is hard.â
I hear this all the time.
And I get it.
When you're faced with words like Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung or trying to figure out why the word for âgirlâ (Mädchen) is neuter, itâs easy to throw your hands up.
But let me tell you:
German isn't impossible. It might not even be as hard as you think. What makes it feel difficult is often not the language itself, but how we approach learn

Birte Harring
May 21, 20253 min read
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Learn â Practise â Apply: The 3-Part Cycle Most Learners Don't Complete
Learn â Practice â Apply:
The 3-Part Cycle Most Learners Don't Complete
Most new learners who get in touch with me know that they are stuck - but what they don't realise is that they are stuck somewhere in this 3-part cycle.
Let me introduce you to the Better German method:
Learn â Practise â Apply
Each stage supports the others. And if one is missing? Thatâs when learners hit a wall.

Birte Harring
Apr 23, 20253 min read
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The Easy Choice Today Makes German Harder Tomorrow
"I can get by using English."
"I am not ready to speak German yet. I'll wait."
"German grammar is hard."
Sound familiar?
You're not alone...

Birte Harring
Mar 27, 20252 min read
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Making Time for German Isnât About More Time, Itâs About Making Time Work for You
The most common complaint I hear from my German learners?
âI donât have time.â
But what if the real issue isnât that you donât have enough..

Birte Harring
Feb 25, 20254 min read
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January: Embracing âAller Anfang ist schwerâ with a Little Help from the Hive!
I've got good news: starting doesnât have to be that hard. And weâre here to make it easier for you. Yeay!

Birte Harring
Jan 21, 20253 min read
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Stay Consistent This Christmas: Make Language Learning Your New Christmas Break Tradition
But hereâs a thought: what if, instead of letting your German learning take a holiday, you made it part of your Christmas break traditions?Â

Birte Harring
Dec 16, 20243 min read
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How Small Steps Lead to Big Gains in German
Learning a language like German can seem daunting at times. Thereâs so much to remember, from grammar rules and vocabulary lists to...

Birte Harring
Oct 25, 20244 min read
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The Challenges of Learning German and the Power of Community
Learning German can feel like climbing a mountain. With complex grammar, long compound words, and tricky pronunciation, itâs no wonder...
Birte Harring
Sep 14, 20243 min read
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Why You Should Give German Podcasts a Go
Here's why you should consider listening to German podcasts a part of your language learning journey.

Birte Harring
Mar 11, 20243 min read
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Improve your German at Home: Your Guide to Seamless Learning
The key to success is to make these little habits part of your routine, and youâll never look back!

Birte Harring
Jan 23, 20243 min read
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20 lessons Iâve learnt from 20 years in the UK
So, hereâs my round-up of 20 lessons learnt from 20 years in the UK.

Birte Harring
Dec 1, 20232 min read
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The Multilingual Advantage: Why Learning German Opens Doors in the Business World
In this blog, we will explore the many advantages of adding German to your language repertoire and how it can benefit your career and busine

Birte Harring
Oct 30, 20233 min read
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Accelerate Your German Learning with Better German's SCARF Model Approach
Better German's incorporation of the SCARF model offers a holistic german language learning approach.

Birte Harring
Sep 6, 20233 min read
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