German might be known best for its compound words: words that are basically mash-ups of several words put together to create a new meaning. It’s actually not that unique: most languages put words together to create new meaning, though it’s … Continue reading
A foreign language might sound strange to your ear, but some phrases, when you get right down to it, are really totally bizarre. Idiomatic expressions, when translated literally, can have the strangest imagery associated with them. We asked our e-Tutors … Continue reading
Are you a merry prankster, or a gullible guy who usually falls for the prank? No matter which side of the joke you’re on, we hope it’s not too late to remind you that it’s April Fools’ Day, so be … Continue reading
Shiver me timbers! It’s International Talk Like A Pirate Day. We all have our favorite pirate expressions (don’t we? no, just me?), but have you ever wondered how pirates speak in other languages? To make this day truly international, we … Continue reading
We’re here to remind you (hopefully before it’s too late) that it’s April Fools’ Day today, and so when someone tells you that ex-The Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr is joining Guns ‘N’ Roses for a reunion tour (as someone told … Continue reading
April Fool’s day in Brazil is known as o dia das mentiras, literally, the day of lies or dia dos bobos, day of fools. It is a day for brincadeiras, pranks. Brincadeira comes from the verb brincar, to play, so the … Continue reading
We were already "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" fans, but watching the gang speak such dramatic Swedish has endeared them even more to the Living Language hearts. Maybe we need to do a Complete Swedish course to give Danny Devito's character Frank a hand? Continue reading
A good punchline is one of the hardest things to understand when studying a foreign language. But like everything, practice makes perfect! So let's get started by learning some jokes in different languages. Continue reading
Learning a new language is always a challenge. Do you know what’s even more challenging? Learning the humor for that language! It’s still sometimes tough for me to understand a joke. The reason is not necessary grammar or vocabulary but … Continue reading
Japan is the home of many things: beautiful art, delicious cuisine, popular music and the craziest game shows. Where else can you see a woman strap raw meat to her forehead and stick her head in a glass box with … Continue reading