Mastering German Vocabulary: A Thematic Approach (Mastering Vocabulary),   ISBN:9780812091083

Customer Rating: 

I've started studying German six months ago, starting from scratch--I'm taking Rosetta Stone, Pimsleur, Berlitz and I went to an immersion class in Germany for a few weeks, I've been watching movies in German... etc and now this book--I read the words into my computer with their meanings and then play it back and my mind retains the info. It's great the way the words are arranged into themes, it makes it easier for me to recall when my mind can group them like that (e.g. school supplies: ruler, books, pencils, etc.)

Last night, I was watching a movie in German and this time, without subtitles in German, and I could understand what they were saying. It's pretty exciting and I know this book (I'm about half way reading and recording it to my computer) is helping me learn/understand/remember many of the words normally used in every day conversations.

It's a helpful book, and for the price, it's excellent!

Customer Rating: 

I hadn't studied German in years, though I still had a pretty good handle on grammar etc. This book made an easy way to get back into idiomatic usage, expand my vocabulary with very practical words, and review grammatical points ("Oh, yeah, separable verbs!") enough to get by while traveling and read local magazines. Yes, I'd like it better if it listed plurals for the nouns, but the little dictionary that lives in my pocket while in German-speaking countries can take care of that.

Customer Rating: 

The easiest way to learn new vocabulary is in context, and this book does the job superbly. Also, writers of the book made the right call in not spelling out each irregular plural; these are generally used in the contextual explanation.

And best of all, the vocabulary is that found in everyday life, around the office, at home, etc. The most commonly used words are often do not appear so much in literature and in language courses.

Customer Rating: 

I took German, for four year in junior high& highschool. I love this book. I make cards from the vocabulary words and put them on a snap ring to review in line at the supermarket etc. This is a great reference for the person who had had german in the past and wants to review it. It's fairly comprehensive and more useful than a dictionary to review vocabulary.

Customer Rating: 

This book is a MUST HAVE! Perfect for study and practice. Arranges common nouns thematically, which helps for tourists. This book saved my life in German II.

-Dr. Kenneth