Imagine you’re having a conversation in a foreign language and simply can’t understand what somebody just said to you. What do you do then? At least I often find myself blurting out something slightly rude like “What?” or “Huh?” instead of a nicer, more sensible reaction. In very informal speech, such as with close friends, it may be alright to use expressions like “Huh?” or “What?” in English, German or Spanish when you couldn’t hear or understand somebody, but in…
Short forms (also known as contractions) are used frequently in informal and spoken English. The following are some very common examples: I’m (= I am) you’re (= you are) he’s (= he is / he has) she’s (= she is / she has) I’ll (= I will) I’ve (= I have) I’d (= I would / I had) don’t (= do not) doesn’t (= does not) didn’t (= did not) isn’t (= is not) hasn’t (= has not) can’t (=…
What do you think of when you hear the words “English tea party”? Victorian ladies, priceless heirloom porcelain, a stately home and rigid etiquette? Maybe this was the case in the 19th century, but this originally aristocratic custom has come a long way since then. These days, hotels and tea rooms serve afternoon tea, and hosting a tea party for friends is a little bit of accessible luxury and enjoyment. For those who would like to host their own tea…
I have always felt like it’s harder to speak a foreign language on the phone than face to face. It’s especially difficult to understand native English speakers on the phone, because sometimes they speak very fast and with a heavy accent. On the phone, you can’t even use gestures and expressions to aid communication, but have to put every message into words as clearly and fluently and possible. For this post, I asked our English experts for English phone conversation…
We Finns like to grill. Charcoal grills start popping up on our back yards the minute the first rays of spring sun touch the grass, and from Midsummer on, the smell of freshly roasted grill delicacies fills up the neighborhoods almost on a daily basis. But what kind of grilling habits do people have in other countries? We discovered some interesting barbecue and picnic traditions from different parts of the world. Perhaps some of these are already familiar to you!…
Do conversations in a foreign language feel intimidating because you feel like you don’t know how to say what you want? Are you afraid of the awkward silence and the drops of sweat dripping down your forehead as you struggle in search for words and some way to express what you want to convey? We know how you feel. Actually, anyone who has ever tried talking to someone in a foreign language knows how you feel. When this happens, the most important…
