Mandarin

Top 7 Reasons Why You Should Learn Mandarin Chinese

Chinese has a reputation for being a very difficult language to learn. The U.S. State Department ranks both Mandarin and Cantonese as Category IV “super-hard languages”, the most challenging for English-speaking diplomats to master. The combination of written characters and spoken tones presents a double-whammy for those of us

French

7 French Websites You Must Know About if You Go to France

As a French learner, the odds are high that you'll want to spend time in France someday. Whether it's at the beginning of your French learning journey or in the middle of it, taking a trip to France to practice your French is a great idea. If you really want

Mandarin

How to Wish Someone Happy Birthday and Celebrate in Mandarin

Western birthday traditions like singing “Happy Birthday” and blowing out candles on a cake haven’t been around for very long. In fact, up until the latter half of the 19th century, most people didn’t celebrate birthdays. Some cultures marked birthdays for rulers or prominent members of the upper

Spanish

How to Master Spanish Commands

In this article, you’ll learn how to use Spanish imperative verbs to tell people what to do. This can be great for giving commands in the classroom when teachers want students to stand, sit, or raise their hands. It can also be used to keep people safe and tell

German

15 German Tongue Twisters to Perfect Your Pronunciation

There’s nothing quite like tongue twisters to give you a different perspective on a language, especially a language that seems as intimidating as German. There’s something playful and distracting about tongue twisters that gets the brain working in a way that is completely unique. The words suddenly don’

Mandarin

85+ Essential Workout Phrases in Mandarin

The benefits of exercise are no secret: experts at the Mayo Clinic and elsewhere say that regular physical activity can improve your mood, reduce your risk of diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure, and even help you sleep better. Even if you dislike getting hot, sore, and sweaty, there

French

4 Secrets to Understanding Verlan as a French Language Learner

As a French language learner, there's nothing more frustrating than thinking you finally speak at a passable level only to encounter words and a way of speaking that you've never heard. For most French learners, verlan poses a particularly annoying difficulty. No matter how fluent you are, the odds are

Japanese

Top 6 Apps to Learn Japanese Writing with Flashcards

Trying to master Japanese kanji characters, vocabulary, and pronunciation might seem like a never-ending quest. With 2,100 characters to learn to be considered fluent, it’s no wonder! Don’t worry, though; there are plenty of apps to learn Japanese out there to help. Especially combined with a Japanese

Spanish

Easter Traditions in the Spanish-Speaking World

With spring in full bloom, people all over the world are getting ready to celebrate Easter, and the Spanish-speaking world is no exception. Easter is a Christian holiday, and most Spanish-speaking countries are Christian majority countries. The holiday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his crucifixion around the year

Mandarin

Chinese Grammar: What’s the Difference Between De Particles 的, 地, and 得?

Homophones can be one of the trickiest things for language learners to master, whether you’re studying Chinese, English, or any other language. When those homophones are some of the most common words in that language and function as crucial grammatical components, it becomes even more important to use them

Spanish

Abbreviations and Texting Trends in Spanish

Language is ever evolving. It’s a living, breathing entity in constant change. It can feel overwhelming to try to keep up with trends and new terms in our own languages, let alone the ones we’re learning. Luckily, there are ways to study these new words on our own

Mandarin

The Ultimate Guide to Chinese Dialects and China's Other Spoken Languages

Many Mandarin learners have encountered difficulties when trying to explain what exactly they are learning. Is it a language? A dialect? And what's the difference between Mandarin and Chinese, anyway? If you're a bit lost, you're not alone! The simple explanation is that there are many different languages and dialects

Spanish

A Guide to Spanish Punctuation, Capitalization, and Accents

Are you a grammar whiz in your native language? The same may not be said about your second language. In this article, you'll master Spanish punctuation, capitalization, and accents. It’s easy to think that Spanish punctuation will be the same as it is in English. There are, however, a

German

How to Make Small Talk in German - A Guide to Conversing in German

Small talk is difficult in English because there are so many considerations before you try to engage in a conversation. And that’s when you know the language well. Trying to engage in small talk in a language you are learning with people who aren’t inclined to small talk

Mandarin

Agreeing in Chinese: 8 Ways to Say Yes in Mandarin

You might be surprised to learn that in Chinese, there is no single word that translates directly to the English word "Yes". Instead, Chinese has multiple ways of confirming, approving, and agreeing that vary with context. Speakers of many Romance and other languages can answer a wide variety

Spanish

How to Tell Time In Spanish

Telling time in Spanish can be tricky! By the end of this article, you’ll have enough knowledge about numbers, time telling terms, and time of day vocabulary to tell time in Spanish like a pro. Think back to when you learned how to tell time in school. Watching the

Mandarin

3 Classical Chinese Poems You Must Know for Learning Mandarin

Many Chinese people cherish classical Chinese poetry, despite the fact that some of the most famous works were composed over a thousand years ago. Chinese Poetry Congress is a prime-time game show that has been running in China since 2016. Contestants from all walks of life - from professors to

Spanish

How To Use Ser and Estar (To Be) In Spanish

Grammar rules are never easy for beginning Spanish language learners. Are you struggling with the difference between the Spanish verbs ser and estar? If Spanish grammar has been plaguing you, read on to master them! Master This Fundamental of Spanish Grammar and Start Sounding Like a Native It is possible

Mandarin

150 Basic Mandarin Phrases to Learn for Travel in China

International travel can feel daunting, especially if you do not speak the language of your chosen destination. In addition to the challenges of navigating an unfamiliar place, you will face a language barrier when facing even the most basic tasks like checking in to a hotel or ordering a meal

Spanish

100+ Must Know Spanish Food Vocabulary for Restaurants

Traveling to Spain or Latin America? Here are 100+ must know Spanish food vocabulary for ordering at restaurants, bars, and more. Learn these words today.

Mandarin

The Ultimate Guide to Zhuyin (Bopomofo) And How to Learn It

One of the biggest challenges of learning Chinese is that it does not have a phonetic alphabet. Unlike languages like English where each letter represents a sound, the Chinese writing system is not broken up into separate consonants and vowels. Instead, each character represents a word or concept, and therefore

Korean

Korean Hanja - How I Learned Hanja and How You Can Too

Learning Hanja can be useful in memorizing and understanding Korean. This blog contains everything you need to know about Hanja to start learning.

Mandarin

101+ Medical Phrases Chinese Learners Should Know in an Emergency

A medical emergency is the last thing anyone wants to experience when traveling. Navigating the health system in one's own country is daunting enough, even without the language challenges that can come into play while you're abroad. The best case scenario is to prepare for an emergency before you leave:

German

A Guide to German Holiday Traditions for Christmas and New Years

Celebrating the holidays in a different country is a very eye-opening experience, especially for people from North America and Europe who are experiencing the holidays on another continent. There are so many traditions that feel familiar but have a twist that makes it feel new.

Mandarin

7 Time Management Tips to Stay Organized while Learning Mandarin

One of the most common excuses for not learning a language is, "I'm too busy! I don't have enough time to study a new language." In many cases, the would-be student knows exactly what he should do to practice: make and review flashcards, watch videos in the target