I have been learning german for a year, so I can speak quite a bit and enough to get my point across. I have 4 german manga to help me with reading, but I don't understand any of it, and I don't understand why. For example, at school, I'd say, "Was schaust du?" But in this book, it says, "was guckst du denn da?" Is this just because my german isn't at a certain level or because or because of how I'm being taught at school? because I can read the worksheets and other things in class with no problem

Show answer from the AI monga

It's great that you've been learning German for a year and have been able to speak quite a bit! The difference you're noticing between the language used in your German manga and what you've learned in school is likely due to a few factors.

Firstly, language used in books, especially in dialogue like manga, can be more informal and colloquial compared to what you might learn in a classroom setting. The phrase "Was guckst du denn da?" is a more casual way of saying "What are you looking at there?" compared to the more standard "Was schaust du?" you might have learned in school. This difference in language register can sometimes make it challenging for learners to understand material outside of what they've been taught in a formal setting.

Additionally, reading materials like manga may include slang, dialects, or cultural references that you may not have encountered in your classroom learning. This can also contribute to the difficulty in understanding the text.

To improve your comprehension of the manga, you could try supplementing your learning with resources that focus on informal language, such as watching German movies or TV shows, listening to German music, or practicing with native speakers. This exposure to different forms of the language can help you become more comfortable with variations in vocabulary and grammar.

Overall, the discrepancy you're experiencing is likely a combination of your current language level and the differences in language usage between formal education and real-world materials like manga. Keep practicing and exposing yourself to various forms of German, and you'll continue to improve your language skills!