As camp as a mushroom
Camping, campaign, champagne, and champignons all derive from the same etymological place, but it doesn’t stop there...
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Andrew Wenger
Sep 163 min
How to order your language file
How to order your language-learning folder. A few basic tips on getting yourself more organised and becoming more effective
Andrew Wenger
Aug 223 min
Le h apsiré ou le h muet?
The French h: The letter that cannot decide whether to act like a vowel or a consonant. The difference between the h apsiré and the h muet
Andrew Wenger
Jul 254 min
A few German idioms
Peppering your speech with idiomatic phrases is "next level". Here are some quirky phrases that are good to recognise, maybe even use
Andrew Wenger
Jul 186 min
The present continuous and the present simple
Do you know the difference between "What are you doing?" and "What do you do?" This is a guide: present simple vs present continuous tense
Andrew Wenger
Jul 173 min
On learning Polish
Learning Polish is not easy, but is extremely rewarding when you get it right. And it's informative for teacher to be on the receiving end
Andrew Wenger
Feb 33 min
Language proficiency: how good can you get?
If you're learning a language, you might want to know how to measure your progress, and what you are aspiring to. What is "proficiency"?
Andrew Wenger
Jan 138 min
Word origins: the animal kingdom
Learn the etymology behind some animal words. Some are surprising, at least one can be debunked and a couple stump even the experts
Andrew Wenger
Dec 26, 20235 min
Where does the English language come from?
English is a Germanic language, right? Yes, but... it's more complicated than that. Read a brief summary of the origins of English
Andrew Wenger
Dec 16, 20231 min
Festive word explanations (English language)
Singing carols, eating turkey and mince pies, decorating the tree with tinsel... Where do these words come from? Find out here
Andrew Wenger
Dec 15, 20231 min
Weihnachten in Freiburg
Freiburg: the coolest and the warmest city in Germany. Fun and relaxed in the summer, magical in the Christmas Markets season. Join me...
Andrew Wenger
Jun 27, 20222 min
Abbreviations, acronyms and initialisms
FYI, RSVP is not an acronym, it's an initialism. LOL, however, appears to be making the change. Are you confident to tell which is which?
Andrew Wenger
Jun 5, 20223 min
Comparing two aspects of German and English grammar
English is a hybrid of Germanic and Latinate languages. This applies not only to the vocab but also the grammar. 2 good examples here...
Andrew Wenger
May 31, 20223 min
Question tags
Question tags are tricky in English, aren't they? Some great news: They are dead easy in other languages ¿no? Read on for reassurance
Andrew Wenger
Apr 28, 20222 min
Le Covid ou la Covid?
It was decreed: Covid is a feminine word, but there are plenty who disagree, ignore the ruling. Gender fluidity in French? Yay, boo or huh?
Andrew Wenger
Apr 16, 20225 min
8 Facts about the Spanish Language
Learning about the language is great, but is just the warm-up for the real thing. Contact us for more info about our brand-new Spanish class
Andrew Wenger
Apr 11, 20224 min
Free Ukraine - learn Ukrainian
Ukrainian is not a dialect of Russian, but its own language, since 858CE. It was once voted the second most beautiful language in the world
Andrew Wenger
Apr 1, 20221 min
Learn Wookiee
My colleagues and I at SameSky Languages are pleased to announce that we are adding a new language to the list that we offer. As well as...
Andrew Wenger
Mar 26, 20226 min
Falsos amigos
Getting your words wrong is all part of learning a foreign language. Learn the Spanish words for embarrassed and pregnant, amongst others...
Andrew Wenger
Mar 2, 20222 min
Don’t say “the” Ukraine
Have you ever wondered why some people use the definite article with Ukraine, and whether they are correct to do so? Read on...
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