Homework+Hacks

toc =Dictionaries= There are a number of excellent online dictionaries for translating between German and English, including the ones listed below.
 * **pons.eu/dict/search?l=deen#dictionary** - A great dictionary with a very unique and incredibly helpful feature: entries sorted by definition. Try looking up the word "know" for example and it'll help you understand the difference between "wissen" and "kennen" with tons of examples.
 * **[|dict.leo.org]** - Very reliable for quality translations. Leo also has [|forums] where really weird/controversial words are discussed.
 * **[|dict.cc]** - Can some times have very strange translations, but it definitely contains A LOT of words. If there's a word you just can't find on Leo, I would definitely check here.
 * **WordReference.com/EnDe/** - I use WordReference a lot for Spanish and it turns out they have a German-English dictionary too! Some top features include entries sorted by definition (like pons.eu) and a great forum where people ask questions about using words in specific contexts and translating unique phrases.
 * **[|dict.tu-chemnitz.de (a.k.a. Beolingus)]** - Also quite a decent dictionary, of similar quality to Leo, but it also gives you synonyms, many example sentences and some other options.

But what about when we don't have access to the internet? Well, for that, you can download the [|free, cross-platform elcombri translator]. Unfortunately, it does not come with a definition library, but you can [|download one from the dict.cc website].

=Free German Spell-Checking=

__**For OpenOffice**__
Unfortunately, I don't think there are any free language packs for Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007 (please correct me if I'm wrong!). However, the free office suite OpenOffice looks like it has a German dictionary available to download for free! So definitely check that out for your German assignments at home.

__**For Google Docs**__
Google Docs has free spell-checking built in for //many// languages. Once in a document, you can change the language to German by clicking on **Tools** >> **Language (for spelling)** >> **Deutsch**.

=Typing Umlauts= I find the easiest way of typing in German is to simply change your keyboard layout to German. The way to do that will be different, depending on the exact operating system you have, so I suggest googling "change keyboard layout //" for instructions. If you don't want to learn how to type with a completely new layout though, these other tricks may help...

**__With a Windows PC__**
Hold down the **Alt** key and type the following numbers from the numerican keypad (right-hand of keyboard, with **Num Lock** on). ä - Alt 132 ::: Ä - Alt 142 ::: ö - Alt 148 ü - Alt 129 ::: Ö - Alt 153 ::: Ü - Alt 154 ß - Alt 225 Or, for umlauts in Microsoft Word, press: Ctrl + Shift + : and then the Letter (Ex: o for "ö“, or Shift + o for "Ö“) OR, for more convenient typing in German outside of Word, try "[|Typing German Mode]" - be sure to read the Readme file for instructions!

**__With a Mac__**
To get any umlaut, press **Option**, the letter **u**, and then the letter you want to put an umlaut over. To get an "ß", press **Option-s**. Alternatively, press down the **MAC** key while typing these numbers: Ä - 128 ::: ä - 138 ::: Ö - 133 Ü - 134 ::: ö - 154 ::: ü - 159 ß - 167

=Flashcard Applications= While some may prefer the portability and tactile sensation of flashcards, it's definitely a pain in the butt to actually //make// them. These applications try to make that process more painless and then give you the ability to share lists with others. Pretty nifty.
 * **[|jMemorize]** - A cross-platform, java application that makes building flashcards a breeze. My favorite feature however, is that it actually keeps track of which cards you keep getting wrong and automatically tests you more frequently on the stuff you still need to work on.
 * **[|Quizlet]** - This web-based application is not only easy to use (with tons of intuitive keyboard shortcuts), but it also grants you instant access to flashcard sets that other people have made - so if someone else has, for example, made up sets of the 50 Most Common Regular German Verbs in [|four] [|digestible] [|groups] [|of 12], you wouldn't have to make those sets over again. They also have some more creative ways to memorize vocab, my favorite being a game called Space Race.