Wondering how to say hello and goodbye in German? In this post you'll find the most useful ways of greeting people and saying farewell in the language. Just like in English, there are variations according to the level of formality and depending on the time of day. Some of the words are used throughout the German-speaking lands but others are associated with particular regions. … [Read more...]
German false friend words alert! (Your ultimate list)
As German learners, we love the hundreds of words that look similar or even identical and mean the same in both German and English. They may be words with a common Germanic root ("cognates" such as the man and der Mann), modern borrowings from one language to the other (the Rucksack, die Party…) or words taken from another language (often French, Greek or Latin like the/der … [Read more...]
How to choose an online language tutor
One-to-one sessions with an online tutor play a large role in my language learning. I’ve clocked up over seven hundred live sessions on Skype or Zoom in a range of languages. In this post you’ll discover the questions that I ask when I’ve pulled up a teacher’s profile and am looking for a good teacher fit. Italki.com is the platform on which I’ve found my … [Read more...]
Must-know German opinion phrases for agreeing and disagreeing
As a beginner in German, it’s a great feeling just to have the most basic exchanges: to say a little about yourself and your surroundings, ask some practical questions. But as you start to improve, you’ll soon want to have more meaningful conversations. You’ll want to share your interests, enthusiasms, likes and dislikes. And to find out about what matters to your conversation … [Read more...]
Best Russian YouTubers for upper-intermediate learners in 2026
Who are the best Russian YouTubers you'll most enjoy watching in 2026 as an upper-intermediate to advanced Russian learner keen to get that essential native-level listening practice? No one viewer can survey everything, but it’s great to share some of the channels that I watch the most and why I like them. I've been meaning to blog about Russian YouTube for quite a while. … [Read more...]