Numbers and letters

One of the few things I can say consistently and comprehensibly in German are my numbers and letters. I attribute this entirely to my sister Alisha. When I was in fourth or fifth grade and she was in high school she decided to run an after-school German class at my elementary school. I honestly don't remember how many classes we had or how often it was. I do remember recruiting a few of my friends to take it with me, so there were maybe five or six of us total.

Alisha and a friend of hers taught us some very basic German, including the alphabet and some numbers. Those are really the only things I remember specifically from that class (with the exception of "Du bist ein Dumbkopf," which we all thought was the most hilarious insult EVER and used it regularly on the playground). But numbers and letters are the things I can reliably say and understand even without having thought much about it since taking German in high school. It's quite useful because people have a hell of a time spelling my first name on their own so I find myself spelling it fairly often. The numbers certainly come in handy at the market where there usually isn't a cash register display I can use to cheat. I might not understand the first time they ask if I want all my vegetables in the same bag, but I definitely understand how much I need to pay. (Except 85, for some reason 85 has been screwing me up recently.)

I've noticed that my listening comprehension is already getting better. At the market on Saturday I was actually able to understand a (very basic) conversation going on in line behind me. (I also heard someone speaking English which was a first at that market.) That really is one of the worst parts of not understanding German, my ability to eavesdrop is severely compromised unless someone is spelling out a word. I have yet to find a good use for "Du bist ein Dumbkopf" but I'm sure I'll have the chance eventually.