A few self-directed exercises build real intuition for German's most distinctive features, even before a structured course exists.
For every new noun, write it with its article attached (der Tisch, die Lampe, das Buch) rather than the bare noun — quizzing yourself this way from the start prevents having to retrofit gender later.
Take a long German compound word and split it into its component parts, translating each piece separately before combining them — this builds the exact skill needed to parse unfamiliar long words independently.
Practice writing simple sentences that start with something other than the subject (a time expression, for example) and consciously placing the verb second — repetition here builds verb-second word order as a habit rather than a rule you have to consciously check each time.
Flashcards that always include the noun's article (der Tisch, die Lampe, das Buch) rather than the bare noun, quizzing gender and word together from the start.
Practice deliberately splitting them into their component parts and translating each piece separately before combining them into the full meaning.
Write simple sentences that start with something other than the subject and consciously place the verb second — repetition builds this as an automatic habit.
That's the plan, mirroring the vocabulary, listening, and matching practice modes already in Tarc's existing courses.
See also: German Study Tips · German Grammar · Learn German