Ad
related to: Outline of German languageGerman Courses Produced By 150 Language Experts - Feel Accomplished & Confident. You're Just A Click Away From Fun German Conversations - Start Learning Today.
- German For Beginners...
Start Speaking German From The
Comfort Of Your Own Home.
- Try Free Online
Start Your Free Trial Today! No
Credit Card Required.
- Learn german free
Start Speaking With Your Own Babbel
tutor.
- Learn Italian With Ease
150 Experts Help You. Feel
Confident.
- Easily Learn German
Discover skills you never knew you
had.
- German Beginner Lessons
Start learning German from the
comfort of your own home.
- German For Beginners...
Search results
- German is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Germanic group of the Germanic languages. The Germanic languages are traditionally subdivided into three branches: North Germanic, East Germanic, and West Germanic.
en.wikipedia.org › wiki › German_language
People also ask
What language does Germany speak?
How did German become a language?
What languages are related to German?
Is German a second language?
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to German language: One of the major languages of the world, German is the first language of almost 100 million people worldwide and the most widely spoken native language in the European Union.
- Overview
- High German (Hochdeutsch)
- Low German (Plattdeutsch, or Niederdeutsch)
- Other major dialects
German language, official language of both Germany and Austria and one of the official languages of Switzerland. German belongs to the West Germanic group of the Indo-European language family, along with English, Frisian, and Dutch (Netherlandic, Flemish).
The recorded history of Germanic languages begins with their speakers’ first contact with the Romans, in the 1st century bce. At that time and for several centuries thereafter, there was only a single “Germanic” language, with little more than minor dialect differences. Only after about the 6th century ce can one speak of a “German” (i.e., High German) language.
Britannica Quiz
Languages & Alphabets
German is an inflected language with four cases for nouns, pronouns, and adjectives (nominative, accusative, genitive, dative), three genders (masculine, feminine, neuter), and strong and weak verbs. Altogether, German is the native language of more than 90 million speakers and thus ranks among the languages with the most native speakers worldwide. German is widely studied as a foreign language and is one of the main cultural languages of the Western world.
As a written language, German is quite uniform; it differs in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland no more than written English does in the United States and the British Commonwealth. As a spoken language, however, German exists in many dialects, most of which belong to either the High German or Low German dialectal groups. The main difference between High and Low German is in the sound system, especially in the consonants. High German, the language of the southern highlands of Germany, is the official written language.
Old High German, a group of dialects for which there was no standard literary language, was spoken until about 1100 in the highlands of southern Germany. During Middle High German times (after 1100), a standard language based on the Upper German dialects (Alemannic and Bavarian) in the southernmost part of the German speech area began to arise. Middle High German was the language of an extensive literature that includes the early 13th-century epic Nibelungenlied.
Modern standard High German is descended from the Middle High German dialects and is spoken in the central and southern highlands of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is used as the language of administration, higher education, literature, and the mass media in the Low German speech area as well. Standard High German is based on, but not identical with, the Middle German dialect used by Martin Luther in his 16th-century translation of the Bible. Within the modern High German speech area, Middle and Upper German dialect groups are differentiated, the latter group including Austro-Bavarian, Alemannic (Swiss German), and High Franconian.
Special offer for students! Check out our special academic rate and excel this spring semester!
Learn More
Low German, with no single modern literary standard, is the spoken language of the lowlands of northern Germany. It developed from Old Saxon and the Middle Low German speech of the citizens of the Hanseatic League. The language supplied the Scandinavian languages with many loanwords, but, with the decline of the league, Low German declined as well.
Although the numerous Low German dialects are still spoken in the homes of northern Germany and a small amount of literature is written in them, no standard Low German literary or administrative language exists.
Alemannic dialects, which developed in the southwestern part of the Germanic speech area, differ considerably in sound system and grammar from standard High German. These dialects are spoken in Switzerland, western Austria, Swabia, and Liechtenstein and in the Alsace region of France. Yiddish, the language of the Ashkenazic Jews (Jews whose ancesto...
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Tenses. In the German language there are six tenses: present (Präsens), present perfect (Perfekt), simple past or preterite (Präteritum), past perfect (Plusquamperfekt), future (Futur I), and future perfect (Futur II).
- Verbs. Here you can find information about modal verbs, reflexive verbs, separable and inseparable verbs, the passive voice, the imperative, and the subjunctive.
- Verb Conjugator. Conjugate any German verb in any tense with Lingolia’s verb conjugator. Simply enter the infinitive of the verb and let us do the hard work for you!
- Nouns and Articles. In German, nouns can be masculine, feminine, or neuter (for example der Löffel, die Gabel, das Messer – the spoon, the fork, the knife).
- Understanding the Importance of Learning German. Before we dive into the steps of learning German, it’s essential to understand why learning this language can be a huge advantage.
- Mastering the German Alphabet. The first practical step in learning German is to master the alphabet. The German alphabet consists of 26 letters, just like the English alphabet, with four additional special characters: ä, ö, ü, and ß.
- Expanding Your Vocabulary. As you start learning German, expanding your vocabulary is a huge advantage. Start with easy and important words that are commonly used in daily life.
- Grasping the Grammar. German grammar is known for its complexity, but don’t let that deter you. Start with the basics, such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives.
German ( Standard High German: Deutsch, pronounced [dɔʏ̯t͡ʃ] ⓘ) [10] is a West Germanic language in the Indo-European language family, mainly spoken in Western and Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol.
- 95 million (2014), L2 speakers: 80–85 million (2014)
Immerse yourself in the German language! From day 1, we teach you the skills you need for everyday life and work in Germany, and you can practise what you’ve learned in a range of situations. Our focus is on practical skills rather than theoretical knowledge! relevant and authentic.
Oct 22, 2020 · With over 100 million speakers, German is currently the most spoken language in the EU. But where does German — with its complex grammar and endless vocabulary — actually come from, and how did it evolve into the language it is today?
Ad
related to: Outline of German languagego.babbel.com has been visited by 100K+ users in the past month
German Courses Produced By 150 Language Experts - Feel Accomplished & Confident. You're Just A Click Away From Fun German Conversations - Start Learning Today.
