Ich habe in Deutschland sieben Jahre gewohnen. <<< This is how I get the kids' attention on the day of "the lesson". I have to repeat it. I write it on the board and translate it for them >>> I lived in Germany for seven years. Then I tell them from when to when, why, etc. I go through the numbers, letters, days of the week, alphabet and show them several words that are so similar to English words. Ich liebe dich is always a hit. That means I love you. We discuss the fact that English is a Germanic language. Most of the students really love hearing me speak German and want to know if I was fluent. At the time I left and for a couple of years after I was in the states, I was. But, I lost it. I think it would come back if I ever immersed myself in the language again. I have learned a little Spanish over these past several years and sometimes I mix German and Spanish up. I once heard that you mix up your 2nd and 3rd+ languages.
A cool German website I found had these quotes and images.
"German and English are very similar languages: Both German and English have the same roots. Their common ancestry shows in many similar words in both languages. And of course you know more German than you thought: German immigrants brought many German words with them, which are still used in modern English."
