Language Trainers Blogs

May 2018:

May 21 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

It is 2018 and, yes, we still very much live in class-ridden societies. While some are considerably more visible than than others, the divide usually involves economic means and traditions at home. However, communities have a way of segregating along the lines of language, too, even among speakers of the same one. Here pronunciation, grammar, and word choice can reveal or mask a speaker’s origins where others can draw conclusions and, unfortunately, affect someone’s perception. In this regard, as much as language can prove to serve as an influence, it can also very much turn into... (Read More).

May 11 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

People say that Latin is a dead language, yet somehow it appears everywhere. We use it daily, without even thinking, and it’s at the root of many words, phrases and sentence structures. Not only is it handy for solving crosswords, spelling, understanding languages other than just English and even when working out answers for quizzes or standardised tests. Quid sum ego de' Latin is the answer. As we grow up, teachers and professors tell us that Latin is crucial, but when you consider taking it, you’re told that it’s worthless since it’s dead. As much of a conundrum as this... (Read More).

May 09 2018 (Language Trainers USA)

Knowing how to order food, or how to act in general, when eating out in a foreign country is one of the first things any expat likes to know. Going to a restaurant in Barcelona, the U.S., or Beijing can all offer drastically different experiences, and you should never travel under the assumption that having a meal out abroad will be the same as back home! France, and Paris in particular, has developed something of a reputation when it comes to restaurant culture. The French take great pride in their cuisine and the cultural differences might make eating out in France seem like a really... (Read More).

April 2018:

April 23 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

Ask anyone who has studied abroad about their experience and they are sure to spout a wealth of funny stories and fond memories of friends made, cities explored and adventures had. Students lucky enough to pursue their studies abroad benefit from the fresh perspective of a new environment, a level of immersion critical for mastering a new language and the incredibly enriching possibility of combining travel and study. Many go on to consider it as one of the most stimulating and defining times of their lives. Photo via Flickr But of course, leaving the routine comfort of home to move abroad... (Read More).

April 10 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

There’s just so much to see and do in Japan: the majestic Mount Fuji, dark against the rising sun, the beautiful colours of the cherry blossoms during the peak of the spring season, the delicate flavours of fish and rice, rolled in nori and dipped in soy sauce. From its cuisine to its culture, its geography to its people, Japan has a little something to offer any adventurous traveller, whatever it is they may be looking for. But as with any trip abroad, there are a lot of things to bear in mind too before you get those tickets! Here is our handy checklist of things to know before you get... (Read More).

April 09 2018 (Language Trainers USA)

Whenever you’re not surrounded by communities and situations that force you to pick up new language skills, it can be a little challenging to assimilate your thoughts and communications into another language voluntarily. Not only is it often tempting to just revert back to your own native language out of convenience, but actually finding opportunities to learn and practice in the first place can be difficult. It goes without saying that, often, it’s necessary to get a bit creative with the ways in which one practices language when it’s not possible to do so in an organic way... (Read More).

April 04 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Manchmal haben wir bestimmte Vorurteile, wenn es um ausländische Filme geht. Wir behaupten, dass Sie nicht gut genug sind und qualitativ es nicht wert sind anzuschauen. Wir machen uns Sorgen, dass wenn wir den Untertitel lesen müssen, es auf Dauer zu anstrengend ist. Wenn man jedoch in anderen Ländern aufwächst, z.B. Mexiko, verbringt man sehr viel Zeit mit Filme schauen. Die Filme sind entweder mit Übersetzung oder es sind mexikanische Filme. Dies macht jedoch keinen Unterschied für manche, da beide Arten nicht sehr ansprechend sind, wenn es nicht direkt aus Hollywood kommt. Je älter... (Read More).

March 2018:

March 27 2018 (Language Trainers USA)

We hear it all the time, that “we’re being too hard on ourselves”. At least, that’s what I hear on the regular when I complain to my friends that my language skills aren’t improving nearly as fast as I’d like them to. Is it possible to be too hard on yourself with language' If so, does this have a positive or negative effect on learning' Obviously, being too hard on yourself and putting too much pressure on your learning is rarely beneficial. You’ll start to experience anxiety, frustration, impatience, and potentially worse physical or emotional ailments, and you may even stop... (Read More).

March 20 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

Human behaviour is notoriously hard to predict, being influenced by a variety of internal and external factors, making it also tricky to describe and define. What drives us to behave the way we do, and what constitutes ‘correct’ or ‘incorrect’ behaviour' Each society tends towards certain ‘norms’, a shifting set of codes generally given tacit agreement by the community. Breaking these norms could see you branded a criminal, or crazy. Transgressors must receive punishment or treatment, in some cases, literally cast out of society to prevent the spread of... (Read More).

March 19 2018 (Language Trainers USA)

You’re a traveler. You live to take in new cultures and experience new surroundings. That’s great. So do we! After all, it’s one thing to spend 15 months reading everything you can consume on the history and customs of a place, but until you travel there and experience it first-hand, you can’t quite put it all together in your head. As varied as your travels may be, transitioning from trekking through the Himalayas to lounging poolside in Costa Rica, there are some things you should always be prepared to ask for. As a sort of survival guide to learning your survival language, here... (Read More).

March 14 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Während eine geführte Tour oder ein privater Reiseführer an einigen Orten und für alle Arten von Reisenden nicht nur notwendig sondern sogar effektiv sein kann, kann dies manchmal den Unterschied zwischen einer unglaublich Reise und einer normalen Reise bedeuten. Denk einen Moment darüber nach, warum Führungen oder Reiseführer nicht oft in Betracht gezogen werden. Ist es der Preis, der dich normalerweise so oft wie möglich davon abhält, Touren und Führer zu benutzen' Obwohl es von Land, Firma oder Person abhängt, sind einige Touren nicht annähernd so teuer, wie du vielleicht... (Read More).

March 12 2018 (Language Trainers USA)

Language makes up a very fascinating part of our lives. Most of us use it in some form or another, and the intriguing aspects of how we use those languages in our daily lives are endless. Language has come a long way from the days of our early ancestors, so let’s take a look at some interesting facts about languages both past and present! Photo via Flickr 1. Sanskrit, Sumerian, Hebrew, and Basque are among the oldest languages in the world. It’s a little tricky to answer the question “What is the oldest language in the world'”, and that’s because it doesn’t tend to take into... (Read More).

March 07 2018 (Language Trainers USA)

While a guided tour or private travel guide might not be necessary (or even as effective) in some places and for all types of travelers, sometimes it can mean the difference between an incredibly unbelievable trip, and a run-of-the-mill one. Think for a moment about why guided tours or travel guides are not something you look into often. Is it the price that normally frightens you away from using tours and guides as often as possible' Though it depends on the country, company, or individual, some tours are not nearly as expensive as you might think. Do you have a fear of not being able to see... (Read More).

March 06 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Jeder, der ein Fan von Wein ist, möchte sicher sein, ein oder zwei Weinkellereien während eines Urlaubs in Frankreich zu besuchen. Ob Sie in Paris, bei den schöne Hügeln von Bordeaux oder im Loiretal wohnen – oder einfach nur irgendwo anders in diesem üppigen Land – Sie können sich sicher sein, dass es in der Nähe fantastische und erschwingliche Weine gibt. Es ist ziemlich einfach, eine hervorragende Flasche Wein für 10€ oder weniger zu finden. Sie werden sicherlich ein paar Ihrer Favoriten kaufen wollen und diese auf Ihrer Rückreise nach Hause mitnehmen, oder... (Read More).

March 05 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

There are few things Spaniards take as seriously as their coffee. It forms a part of most locals’ daily lives, and you’d be hard-pressed to find a Spaniard willing to turn down a dose of the tasty brew. For travellers, ordering coffee in Spain can seem like a daunting experience. Forget about your lattes, flat whites and cappuccinos, because outside your massive coffee chains you won’t find them. This doesn’t mean that coffee in Spain isn’t varied (it is) and delicious (it most definitely is), the ordering process just takes some getting used to. Read on for a quick and easy guide... (Read More).

February 2018:

February 26 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Geschäftsreisen nach Übersee sind erstaunlich, weil sie dir die Möglichkeit bieten, sowohl die Arbeits- als auch die Freizeitkultur des von dir besuchten Ortes zu erleben. Taipeh ist ein besonders lebendiger Hotspot mit vielen boomenden Industrien, explosiver Esskultur und großartigen Orten zum Sehen. Keine Reise sollte nur aus Arbeit bestehen. Also sei dir auf deiner nächsten Reise nach Taipeh sicher, unsere fünf Sightseeing-Picks für eine abgerundete Reise durchzulesen! Taipeh 101 Bis 2010 war dieses Gebäude das höchste Gebäude der Welt. Heute ist es eines der kultigsten... (Read More).

February 26 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

Photo via Porapak Apichodilok from Pexels When it comes to travel, there’s the smart way and, for the lack of a better word, the not-so-smart way, or risky way, rather. Of course, there are many different ways to define this and quite a variety of different circumstances that arise. Sometimes the concept of safety while travelling can be simply nuanced as “being at the wrong place at the wrong time,” but other times it can come down to specific, targeted characteristics (race, sex, sexual orientation, or religion, for example). So when it comes to travel and being a smart... (Read More).

February 26 2018 (Language Trainers USA)

Whether you’re monolingual, bilingual, or multilingual, your native language (or the combination of the languages that you know) is valuable to someone somewhere in the world, so why not make money off of something that you do everyday: speaking. While it’s not always easy to find a second job for extra income, to find work as a freelancer who wants to travel the world, or to tap into new professional challenges, it’s definitely worth the effort. Not only do you learn new skills, but you meet new people, grow in new ways professionally, and may even earn additional income to travel or... (Read More).

February 23 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

It may be obvious but a few words of the native language is always handy before travelling to another country. Gone are the days, or at least they should be, of hoping someone will speak English and if not, a bit of speaking loudly, slowly and clearly will get the message across. There aren’t any excuses anymore; language training is available online, you can download a translator app to your phone and modern languages are taught in every school. When abroad asking for a sweet treat to go with the morning coffee has to be preferable to pointing and probably getting the day-old doughnut... (Read More).

February 21 2018 (Language Trainers USA)

You’re a native speaker of your first language. Maybe you have toiled for several years to learn your second language, and perhaps you’re finally starting to break ground and make real progress. It hasn’t always been easy, but the feeling that you get when you can communicate effectively (and especially correctly!) in a second language is exhilarating. However, you have to know more. Photo via Pexels Maybe now is the time when you should consider learning a third language. But, you want to be careful not to lose any of the progress you’ve made with your first second language. How can... (Read More).

February 20 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Der Valentinstag wird oft als westlicher Feiertag angepriesen, aber im Laufe der Jahre wurde er in Nationen auf der ganzen Welt gefeiert. Mit dem Valentinstag gleich um die Ecke, beginnen Geschäfte in den USA bereits mit Pralinen, herzumfassenden Teddybären und Grußkarten überlaufen. Aber nicht jeder feiert den gleichen Weg und Kultur kann viel damit zu tun haben, wie Einheimische den Urlaub genießen. Lies weiter, um 5 faszinierende Valentinstagstraditionen aus der ganzen Welt zu entdecken.   Frankreich Da Frankreich oft als das romantischste Land der Welt angepriesen wird, dachte... (Read More).

February 13 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Marokko, eines der faszinierendsten Länder Nordafrikas, grenzt an Spanien und Algerien. Da Marokko nur eine kurze Bootsfahrt von Europa entfernt ist, ist es an ausländische Besucher gewöhnt und daher toleranter gegenüber der westlichen Kultur als andere Länder in der Region. Wenn Sie jedoch auf einer Geschäftsreise nach Marokko reisen, gibt es immer noch viele Bräuche und Regeln der Etikette, an die man sich halten muss. Als soziale Rituale sind Mahlzeiten besonders wichtig. Wenn Sie sich zu einem Business-Lunch verabreden, können Sie sicher sein, dass Ihre marokkanischen Kollegen Sie... (Read More).

February 12 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

Every year on January 1st people all around the globe set resolutions for the coming year. While most of these tend to be related to going to the gym or finding ways to eat more kale, a fair amount of people choose learning a new language as their New Year’s resolution. There are lots of great reasons to make studying a foreign language a part of your 2018 goals, but how many people out there are actually doing the same, and sticking to those resolutions' Let’s find out! Photo via Flickr The 1 in 5 According to recent surveys, around 1 in 5 Britons have included learning a new language... (Read More).

February 12 2018 (Language Trainers USA)

It’s no secret that the world is chock full of interesting, beautiful, and inspiring places to visit. Often, the most difficult question to answer is not whether to travel, but where. If you find yourself fortunate enough to face this kind of problem, evaluating your travel priorities is always a good place to start. Perhaps you want to dine in the finest restaurants, view the seven wonders, or just go somewhere completely different from everything you know. Or, perhaps your priority is to reinvigorate (or invigorate for the first time) your language learning passion. After all, few... (Read More).

February 06 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Ob du ein Neuling beim Reisen bist oder ein erfahrener Nomade, die meisten Leute würden zustimmen, dass das Akzeptieren von kulturellen Unterschieden ein großer Teil jedes Reiseabenteuers ist. Sie können schwierig, peinlich, urkomisch oder geradezu frustrierend sein und manchmal können sie ein bisschen von allem beinhalten. Unabhängig von den damit verbundenen Emotionen werden die kulturellen Werte einer anderen Gesellschaft – im Wesentlichen die vorherrschenden gesellschaftlichen Gedanken, Gefühle, Gewohnheiten, Rituale usw. eines Volkes und einer Sprache – unerlässlich,... (Read More).

February 06 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

Maybe you took a few Spanish courses at university or lived in China for a year. These experiences have given you a basic level of language comprehension, but any progress you make keeps getting lost in the busyness of life. Does this sound like you' If so, then firstly, congratulations on successfully learning a language in the first place – sometimes, just starting (and getting past the beginner phase) is the hardest part. But, with any skill set, it’s necessary to practise and exercise those brain muscles. Otherwise, you’ll never get to experience real progress, no matter how high... (Read More).

February 01 2018 (Language Trainers UK)

Slogans, sayings, epigrams and clichés don’t add up to a hill of beans in this old world. Think about it for a minute though. ‘Make America Great Again!’ sounded a lot better than whatever the Democrat 2016 slogan was, and no doubt convinced quite a few voters in the Rust Belt. Who among us hasn’t bought a certain chocolate bar because they want to ‘Work, Rest and Play’'  Why do slogans work so well' Why does something when said out of context sound silly, but can help get you elected to the most powerful position in the world' Is the internet finally reducing the power of the... (Read More).

January 2018:

January 30 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Ganz gleich, ob du dich für eine Woche, einen Monat oder für die nächsten zwei Jahre für eine Weltreise entschieden hast, die Erfahrung wird zweifellos ein lebensveränderndes Ereignis sein. Du hast dein One-Way-Ticket gebucht, mit dem Packen begonnen und angefangen, dich zu verabschieden. Du bist fast bereit. Bevor du gehst, um die Welt zu sehen, vergiss nicht, dass all dein Gepäck auf deinem Rücken untergebracht ist, was nur mit einem Reißverschluss gesichert ist. Diese wichtigen Gegenstände können daher schnell geklaut werden. Hier sind 5 Dinge, die du tun solltest, bevor du dein... (Read More).

January 22 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Wenn Sie in Japan erfolgreich sein wollen, dann ist eines der wichtigsten Dinge, die Sie meistern müssen, das Geschäftsessen. Es gibt viele Bräuche und Regeln, die mit dem Ausgehen mit potenziellen Geschäftspartnern verbunden sind. Es ist daher ratsam, mit Insiderwissen bewaffnet zu kommen, um weniger in peinliche Situationen zu kommen. Hier haben wir 5 Tipps, wie das Gschäftsessen erfolgreich verlaufen kann: Grüße und Einführungen sind wichtig Erste Eindrücke in Japan sind wichtig, und Sie müssen die Kunst des Verbeugens beherrschen, um sich gut zu präsentieren. Ihre Gastgeber... (Read More).

January 15 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Du hast dich entschieden, den Sprung zu machen und 2018 eine neue Sprache zu lernen' Das kann sowohl eine aufregende, als auch eine erschreckende Aussicht sein, und du kannst dir Sorgen darüber machen, wie genau du dieses Ziel erreichen wirst. Gib deine Sprachlernlösung nicht auf, bevor das neue Jahr wirklich begonnen hat. Lese stattdessen weiter, um einige solide Tipps zu erhalten, wie du diese Spracherwerbsziele 2018 erreichen kannst! Erinnere dich warum Du musst dich selbst motivieren, wenn du diese neue Sprache erfolgreich lernen willst, also finde praktische Möglichkeiten, dich... (Read More).

January 08 2018 (Language Trainers Germany)

Die Sprache einer Nation ist der grundlegendste Schutz ihrer kulturellen Identität. Wenn ein Land in ein anderes Land eindringt, ist es normalerweise einer der ersten Schritte, die eroberte Sprache durch die eigene Sprache des Landes zu ersetzen, um die Rebellion in ihrer grundlegendsten Form zu ersticken.  Estland konnte in seiner langen Geschichte, in der es von den Nachbarländern besetzt war, durch seine Liebe zum Singen ein starkes kulturelles Erbe bewahren. Das bekanntestes Liederfestival (Laulupidu auf Estnisch), das von der UNESCO zum Meisterwerk des mündlichen und immateriellen... (Read More).