As the temperatures start to cool as we head from summer to autumn (in the northern hemisphere at least), my mind turns to soups and stews as we prepare for cold weather. But do they have traditional autumn foods in other … Continue reading
The fall colors are in full strength in many parts of the northern hemisphere. Let’s learn some of the season’s most important colors - red, orange, and yellow - in several of our languages. Language Phrase [Transliteration] French rouge, orange, … Continue reading
Are you headed to Paris for the holidays? Or the south of France for an escape from everything? No matter where you’re headed in France or when you get there, if Est-ce que vouz parlez anglais? (Do you speak English?) fails, keep the … Continue reading
Learning new vocabulary is an important part of expanding your language skills. Let’s learn how to say “candy” in some of our many Living Languages. Language Phrase [Transliteration] French bonbon(s) German Süßigkeit(en) Italian caramella(s) Brazilian Portuguese doce(s) Spanish caramelo(s) Arabic حلويات … Continue reading
Are you planning your trip to Japan? You might be worrying about accidentally offending someone by saying or doing the wrong thing. It is probably fair to say that Japanese society in general places a premium on etiquette, but don’t … Continue reading
Japanese people have a sweet tooth and, lucky for us, there are all kinds of places where treats can be found. In this post, we’ll take a quick look at some of these spots and discover what kinds of delights … Continue reading
There are two pairs of Japanese katakana characters that are probably the most confusing for Japanese language students. The first pair is シ (shi) and ツ (tsu). The second pair is ソ (so) and ン (n). In each case, the … Continue reading
From the beautiful scenery to the fresh cuisine to the traditions that live alongside bright, new technologies, Japan has long been a destination for travelers of every age. This month, we take a look at Japanese culture through a roundup … Continue reading
Anyone who has seen manga (漫画) and anime (アニメ) knows that these forms of storytelling do not leave a lot to the imagination. But there are layers of symbolism at work that can escape notice unless you know what to … Continue reading
Are you headed to Kyoto to see the fall colors around the temples and shrines? Or Tokyo for a little autumn neon? No matter where you’re headed in Japan or when you get there, if えいごをはなしますか。Eego o hanashimasu ka. (Do you speak … Continue reading