Originally a pagan celebration during Roman times (‘les Calendes de mars’), Mardi Gras (lit. Fat Tuesday) is a Christian holiday preceding the mercredi des Cendres (Ash Wednesday). This year, Mardi Gras falls on February 28th. It announces the beginning of … Continue reading
Zhonghe Festival, also known as the Blue Dragon Festival, has been an official festival since the Tang and Song Dynasties, and is celebrated on the first day of the second month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It celebrates the waking … Continue reading
What language is most widely spoken in the world? That depends on how you define “language” and who you count. The infographic below is from Rick Noack’s 2015 Washington Post article “The Future of Language” based on data from a 15-year-long study conducted … Continue reading
Learning a new phrase every day is a great way to build your vocabulary step by step. It’s a been a slew of festivals this month, from Chinese New Year earlier in the month to Mardi Gras next week. What better … Continue reading
When people think about Carnaval, Carnival in Brazil, they often think about the big desfiles, parades in Rio de Janeiro. Carnival in Rio is, in fact, one of the greatest festivais, festivals in the world, attracting hundreds of thousands of … Continue reading
It is commonly known that Chinese is one of the most difficult languages in the world to learn. This is true, to some degree, but this is mostly due to its writing system. The Chinese writing system is comprised of … Continue reading
They are cheesier than brie, but for some reason they still persist worldwide: the pick-up line. We decided that, for Valentine’s Day, it might be fun to learn what pick-up lines get used (often unsuccessfully) in other languages. French Pardon, vous … Continue reading
If you want to speak a language, it is hugely helpful to know the culture of the people who speak it. That’s why we include culture notes in all of our courses: to teach the cultural awareness you need to … Continue reading
The 15th day of the first Chinese lunar month is the Lantern Festival (元宵节 yuánxiāo jié) in China. Traditionally it symbolizes the final day of the Chinese New Year celebrations. In 2017, the Lantern Festival is on February 11th. During … Continue reading
Valentine’s Day is just a week away, and what is more romantic than expressing your love in a foreign language? Here’s how to say “I Love You” in 23 languages. (Click on the image below to see the full-sized version.) How … Continue reading