archives: Languages

I wanted the international assignment so I could learn to speak Spanish like a native. Never mind that Spanish fluency was a requirement for the job,   More »

My decision to leave Los Angeles for Paris came from a desire to try on a different personality in a place where no one would be able to pick out, lik  More »

Portuguese is a logical next step after learning Spanish. It is different enough from Spanish that you will learn new LA skills, but so similar that   More »

Hindi will lead you beyond tourist traps into a real place with real people, whose lives and histories are diverse, complicated, and riveting.   More »

Try these phrases on your Nigerian friends to gain quicker access into their world.  More »

Nearly half of the world's languages are predicted to disappear by 2050 - what can you do to help prevent this?  More »

Sites that'll make language geeks swoon.  More »

What language fits you best?   More »

What does English sound like to those who don't speak it? Listen and find out.   More »

Echar la hueva: the opposite of "echarle ganas." Instead of giving it your all, you give it an egg, the ultimate Mexican symbol of laziness. What am  More »

The more I looked into it, the more I grew certain that this language would be a snap. It has no verb conjugation, no noun declinations, no adjectival  More »

8. Kiwis say "Bob's your uncle" to mean "there you go."   More »

Brits and Americans share a sarcastic disdain for each other's pronunciation of ‘tomato’ and have long argued about the difference between ‘bisc  More »

Why, I wonder, are foreigners so often insulted when other foreigners speak to them in English? I've never understood the purpose of having a tedious  More »

The lower cost of living, the tranquil atmosphere, and the abundance of good beer, better food, great beaches and great people have made "working" in   More »

You can’t come to Mexico without a bare bones understanding of its slang.  More »

Ana saeed Bush halas means ‘I’m glad Bush is gone'.  More »

A willingness to try, a lack of self-consciousness, some good body language and these key words will get you far!  More »

Think of these expressions as ways to get inside of a particular worldview, and to show the locals that you've got an awareness of their cultural valu  More »

É o jeitinho brasileiro.   More »

The Irish Polyglot strikes again. Benny Lewis is on a mission to help people become multilingual.   More »

We have met and now we are family. Let’s go drinking together, play and sing karaoke. By the way, I’m starving; you got any money?  More »

If you're going to the Middle East, learn these Arabic phrases before you bargain with the best!   More »

Speaking a local language is much more than studying grammar and vocab.   More »

Language is culture. Culture is language.  More »

If you lose a gamble on a fart while in Japan, we've got you covered.  More »

Teaching ESL? Meet your students here.  More »

The single most important skill any language learner can have is the ability to induce and intuit meaning.  More »

Having clearly defined goals and the motivation to charge at them makes all the difference in learning a language.  More »

Can you say "DELICIOUS"?  More »

Real Products that could never enjoy success in the U.S. market.  More »

Zapotec, Quechua, Nahuatl, and more.   More »

The land, the people, the special accent and expressions: Chile might just be the best kept secret for learning Spanish.   More »

The labyrinth streets of San’a give you a glimpse back into the Persian Gulf before oil and the trappings of modernity.   More »

Learning a new language is difficult. Make it easier by sharing the experience with someone else.  More »

The following Culture Crash Course will help you ease right into Japan.  More »