Wannabe Disney Princess

18 • Grade 12 • (Core) French (B1), Challenge & Change in Society, Philosophy, Canadian & International Law • Beginner self studying German

[studyingprincess]

Fun update: I got logged out of the Canva account I used to make this and can’t get back in. I’m 18, not 17. Just leaving that as a note here.

[studyingprincess]

I think my problem with learning German is that I don’t have the confidence to think that I’m capable of it.

When I started learning French again I went into it fully thinking I could learn French to a conversational level within 2 or 3 years. I did that. I can have a conversation in French. Sure I can’t talk about incredibly detailed things but I can manage a conversation.

With German however, I’ve never had that confidence. I’ve been trying to learn German since I was 15 (I’m 18 now) and I have consistently thought I could not do it. I have thought it was too difficult and essentially impossible.

I don’t know how I had the confidence to think I could become conversational in French within 2 years but I desperately need that confidence in German.

[studyingprincess]

I can hardly speak any German. Like at all. I am honestly not even confident to say I know the basics. (I know logically I do but I can’t comprehend that).

Yet somehow I consistently manage to completely forget how to say things in French during my French class and think of the German translation instead.

The most inconvenient time this has happened was right before my French oral exam last semester. I was trying to think of some sort of starting ground for a conversation about the topic I was given. Not a single thought was in French.

I don’t know why. Because if I actually tried to say these things in German I wouldn’t be able to. But apparently I can when I don’t want to.

[studyingprincess]

Learning a new language is your YouTube subscriptions list looking like it belongs to a toddler from a foreign country.

[studyingprincess]

When I thought French articles were difficult and then took one look at how they work in German…

(Please save me. Why did I do this to myself?)

[studyingprincess]

Where exactly does one start when learning a new language? I’ve made 3 attempts since I was around 15 to learn German and given up every time. I honestly have no clue what to start with or where to go for resources. Every time I’ve tried to look for resources it’s for people who already know a lot more than I do. It feels like there’s no real resources for beginners.

The only other language I know aside from English is French and I don’t remember beginning to learn French. I was 9 years old when I started French in school and before that had been exposed to it my entire life through signs and packages since I live in Canada.

German however, I never had exposure to until I was around 14. I really want to learn it but I honestly have no clue where to start.

[studyingprincess]

There is no feeling more humbling than watching a kids show in a new language or listening to a kids song in a new language and realizing you’re dumber than a 3 year old..