Is your aim to speak a foreign language like a local? To do this you need plenty of practice, preferably while having fun and without fear of making mistakes. Enter, the dog! There's no better ice-breaker than walking a dog. That’s why pet sitting abroad makes sense as a great, low-cost way to exercise your […]MORE
Recently, I’ve spent more and more of my language learning time on my phone. It’s convenient. I almost always have it with me and there are loads of apps that are available. Even with just five minutes to spare, I can squeeze language learning into my day. And because I’m doing so much language learning […]MORE
It started with the goal: explain English grammar with no exceptions. I’m a native English speaker and an English teacher in Japan. When I started teaching, I went along with what was printed in the textbooks. Grammar textbooks for ESL and EFL learners typically present a grammar point, then some examples that support this point. […]MORE
I have to admit, I have a soft spot in my heart for cute little pups. I've mentioned before that Lauren and I have one of our own: an adorable little Dachshund mix that we rescued. We named her Schatzi – a German nickname that means “little treasure” – but she’s a polyglot pup through […]MORE
Most people take an approach to learning new words in another language that, frankly, I find weird. It doesn’t work well for me, anyway. I should say I’ve learned 10+ languages to a conversational level. Not to boast, but to show I know what I’m talking about. And this weird way of learning new words? […]MORE
Learning how to speak Spanish? It can be tricky to find high quality online Spanish lessons that don’t cost a fortune. You want to learn Spanish, and you’re willing to put in the time, but where can you go to learn? With this question in mind, I’ve put together a list of online Spanish classes and lessons that won’t cost you a single cent. While some...MORE
Would you like to know about Spanish numbers, and how to count from 1-100 in Spanish? In this article I share everything you need to know about Spanish numbers. I cover what the Spanish numbers are, shortcuts for how to learn them, and some bonus stuff. Spanish Numbers from 1-10 Let's start with the basics. Here are the Spanish numbers from 1-10: ...MORE
What are the most spoken languages in the world? This question isn't as simple as it may seem. There are a few complications that make it hard to give a precise answer: First of all, what do you mean by spoken? Do you want to rank languages by their number of native speakers, or by how many people speak them_ at all_, natively or non-natively? These t...MORE
Want to learn Korean? Good call! Korean is hot property. Interest in the language has soared over the past few years. “Gangnam Style” by Korean pop icon Psy was the first YouTube video to reach one billion views (and the first to hit two billion views). K-Dramas - Korean television dramas - are a rising trend that’s set to take the world b...MORE
The rolled r comes up in so many languages. I've heard it in various forms in Czech, Thai, Hungarian, Tagalog and of course in Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. And yet it seems to be something that evades native English speakers. The laziest of them will just give up entirely and use the bullshit excuse of "you can't teach an old dog new tricks". [Desp...MORE
This is a very detailed and frank review of the latest version of Rosetta Stone: version 4 TOTALe Rosetta Stone is one of the biggest brands in language learning in the English speaking world (not to be confused with the Rosetta Stone that helped us decipher Egyptian hieroglyphics, which it is named after). The problem is that it is out of the budget o...MORE
Napoleon Hill wrote in his bestselling book Think and Grow Rich, "There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge." Do you say to yourself, "I am too old/young/fat/skinny/rich/poor/educated/uneducated/white/black/gay/straight/hairy/hairless/sheep/goat to be learning a new language [or insert any formidable-sounding thing]." Realize this...MORE
