Every aspiring polyglot should learn to read the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). It’s a powerful tool when learning any language. I taught myself to read the IPA alphabet, but it was tough at first. Wikipedia has tons of comprehensive information, but can be confusing to a beginner. So this article is my attempt to create […]
MOREHow to Make French Grammar Simple with French Songs
How many young children have you seen walking around with a dictionary or a grammar book to look up words or sentence structures in their native language? How many people have told you they learned their native language with flashcards or vocabulary lists? Here’s my guess: zero. If you’re anything like me, you learned your […]
MOREHow to Say “Happy Birthday” in 25 Different Languages
Happy Birthday to you! The gifts, the cake, the celebration… Birthdays are a joyful occasion, to be sure! Traditions for celebrations around the world always vary, but birthdays are one of the things that all people have in common, even if they speak different languages. So take this as an opportunity for more speaking practice! […]
MOREFood in German: Everything You Need to Know about Eating in Germany
German food is one of the best ways to get to know German culture. German dishes reveal a lot about the country’s history, the different regions, and what’s important to the German people. What’s more, German food is super tasty. Who can complain about getting to know a culture and its people whilst eating Spätzle […]
MORESpanish Irregular Verbs: The Ultimate Guide
Verbs are the biggest and most complicated topic in Spanish grammar. If you want to master them (especially if you want to master Spanish irregular verbs), you’ve got a lot to learn – but don’t let that put you off. This article will look specifically at irregular verbs in Spanish. If you don’t know what […]
MOREHow to Learn English Fast: The Language Hacker’s Method
If you want to get fluent in English, you’re in luck. It’s the second most spoken language in the world. So you won’t have to look very hard to find lots of English resources and lots of chances to practise both spoken and written English. What if you want to learn English fast? Then there […]
MORE85 Cute Nicknames from Around the World (with Translations)
Lauren and I recently became “parents” to a rescue puppy who we called Schatzi, which is a cute nickname in German meaning “little treasure”. Here’s me with our little bundle of love: So to celebrate, I thought I’d put together a post about other cute nicknames from around the world. Pumpkin, peanut, bubby, baby, babe, […]
MOREHow to Practise Speaking a New Language… Without the Anxiety Rush!
I felt lost. I’d finished school, where I’d fallen in love with languages. And I wanted to keep learning. But I had no teacher to tell me how to learn. I tried a few different things, but nothing seemed to be working. So I turned to my trusty friend, Google. “How to learn a language”, […]
MOREHow to Learn Swahili: An In-Depth Guide
Are you familiar with some Swahili words or phrases like Jambo and Hakuna Matata? Now, learn how Kenyans ACTUALLY speak! While living in Kenya for the past year and a half, I’ve been studying the Swahili language (known as “Kiswahili” to its speakers) and have found it to be an excellent language for me to […]
MORETeen Learns Chinese: My 3 Month Language Mission
A few years ago, when I was in the sixth grade, I was met with an interesting elective choice at my middle school. Every other day, I could forfeit a study hall, and attend a Chinese enrichment class instead. The teachers were directly from the Chinese mainland, and they taught the language at a local […]
MOREPen Pals 101: How to Find and Keep a Pen Pal to Practise Your Language Skills
Have you ever thought about being a pen pal? Finding a pen pal is a great way to connect with people from other parts of the world, to learn a foreign language, and to open yourself up to a new culture. Of course, these days we have Skype and email, which make connecting with others […]
MOREThe French Alphabet: Why it’s Easier than You Think
In 1066, William (or Guillaume in French), the Duke of Normandy, invaded England and took possession of the crown of England. As a result of the Norman invasion, the French language began its own invasion of the English language (called Anglo-Saxon or Old English). That’s one of the reasons why English and French have so […]
MOREJapanese Video Games: 10 Awesome Games to Make Learning Japanese Easy
Think learning Japanese has to be boring? What if you could learn Japanese by playing Japanese video games? It’s totally possible to level up your Japanese from video games! Learning Japanese from games will engage your mind in a whole new way. In a moment I’ll show you some of the best Japanese video games […]
MORE25 Essential French Phrases for Travelers and Tourists
So you’re travelling to France, or another French-speaking country (or province). Is it true that English is all you need? Regular readers of this site will know my answer: of course not! Even if you’ll only be spending a short time in the country, learning a few basic French phrases can be very rewarding and […]
MOREMake the World Your Home: 7 Ways Language Learning Gives You a Global Mindset
What would we do without language? Such a scenario is almost too absurd to even imagine. Language is intertwined with almost every aspect of our daily lives. No matter where we live, language is the means by which we formulate and express our sentiments, wishes, thoughts, ideas and questions to the world and those around […]
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