Laura Bennett - German With Laura

January 12, 2026January 12, 2026 by Laura Bennett

Why You’re Stuck Learning German—And Which Apps & Courses Actually Work (2026)

Built from hundreds of our own students’ responses.

You’re busy. You want German that works in the real world, not just another streak. We collected hundreds of candid notes from our own students about the tools they actually used; what helped, what didn’t, and why progress sometimes stalled. Below is a synthesis of those responses, plus my own (Laura’s) take so you can best leverage the tools to your advantage.

Let’s dive into the top learning tools used by my students, what they love and don’t love so you can learn German effectively and efficiently.

January 13, 2026January 10, 2026 by Laura Bennett

The Duolingo Trap: You’re Not Learning German, You’re Learning Duolingo

Close Duolingo right now. Don’t look at your lessons, your word bank, or your exercises. On a blank piece of paper, write three sentences in German about what you do on a typical day. Use correct articles, correct verb conjugations, correct word order.

Can’t do it?

You’ve fallen into the Duolingo Trap.

October 12, 2023 by Laura Bennett

How to Setup Your Own German Practice drills

German, with its detailed grammar rules and unique structure, can certainly be a challenge.

While platforms like Duolingo, Babbel, and Rosetta Stone provide a solid foundation, true mastery comes from focused practice.

That’s why in this article, I’m going to guide you through specialized drills designed to elevate your skills from casual dabbling to genuine fluency.

Topics that we will cover include: noun gender; both singular and plural nouns; verbs; adjectives and their declensions; direct objects and the accusative case; indirect objects and the dative case; and setting up your own drills.

Let’s get started!

July 13, 2023June 17, 2023 by Laura Bennett

German Noun ‘Haus’: Gender, Plural, & Case [Explained]

The gender of ‘Haus’ in German is neuter: das Haus (the house). Its plural is ‘die Häuser’ (the houses).

‘Haus’ is a common German noun that you’ll use to communicate in everyday spoken & written German. But using ‘Haus’ requires understanding The German Case System.