I have a confession: I’m a perfectionist. I grew up in classrooms where my teachers told me what was right and what was wrong.

My French, and German teachers always pointed out my mistakes. They wanted me to be perfect—but this made me afraid to speak.

I worried so much about making mistakes that I wasn’t able to speak French and German outside the classroom. I didn’t want to sound “wrong” or “stupid.”

But here’s what I’ve learned: perfection doesn’t exist. Waiting to be perfect will only hold you back. The real magic happens when you step out of your comfort zone and speak.

Yes, you might make mistakes. But each mistake is a stepping stone.

Every time you speak, you’re getting stronger and more confident.

So don’t wait! Use your English today—imperfectly, bravely—and proudly. And surprise yourself with how much you’ll grow.

PS You don’t have many opportunities to practise your English? Come along to one of my free Speed Networking sessions—and see how easy it is.

Heute war wieder Online-Stunde mit Christine, und ich sag dir, ich war “in der Nähe” eines Nervenzusammenbruchs! Oh, Moment… anscheinend bin ich auch “in der Nähe” eines massiven Sprachfehlers. 🤦‍♀️

Da sitz ich, strahlend vor Selbstvertrauen (ha!), und plappere fröhlich drauf los:

• ❌ “The supermarket is in the near”
• ❌ “My car is parked in the near”
• ❌ “Success is in the near”

Ich dachte, ich hätte den Englisch-Jackpot geknackt, weißt du? Tja, Pustekuchen!

Christine guckt mich an, als hätte ich gerade verkündet, dass ich ab sofort nur noch in Reimform spreche. Und dann erklärt sie mir geduldig, dass “in der Nähe” im Englischen VÖLLIG anders funktioniert.

Hier die Rettungsringe für sprachliche Ertrinkende wie mich:

• nearby → “The supermarket is nearby” (Der Supermarkt ist in der Nähe)
• near → “My car is parked near the house” (Mein Auto parkt nahe am Haus)
• close by → “There’s a good restaurant close by” (Es gibt ein gutes Restaurant in der Nähe)
• in the vicinity → “Are there any hotels in the vicinity?” (Gibt es Hotels in der Umgebung?)

Und das Schlimmste? Ich hab “in the near” immer wieder gesagt. Ich hab wahrscheinlich geklungen wie eine kaputte Schallplatte. 

Also merke, Greta: ‘In the near‘ ist near-gends richtig – aber ‘nearby‘ bringt dich in die Nähe der Perfektion.

So, jetzt werde ich “nearby“, “near” und “close by” in jeder möglichen Kombination üben, bis mein Gehirn schmilzt oder ich es endlich kapiere – was auch immer zuerst passiert.

“In the vicinity” spare ich mir für nächstes Jahr auf… oder bis ich gelernt habe, es auszusprechen, ohne mir die Zunge zu verknoten.

Bis zum nächsten linguistischen Abenteuer,

Deine (jetzt hoffentlich ortskundige) Greta

P.S.: Momentan läuft ein Notfallprogramm in meinem Kopf: Alle ‘in the near‘ werden gerade durch ‘near‘ und ‘nearby‘ ersetzt. Systemupdate könnte einige Zeit dauern… 🔄”

Not sure how to address someone in English?

Let me be your title detective. These little words before names tell interesting stories.

Think of “Mr” (Mister) as the classic black suit of titles—simple, traditional—and works for any man.

“Mrs” (Missus) is like a wedding ring in word form—she’s telling you she’s married.

Then there’s “Miss” (sounds like kisses with an M!)—picture a single woman who’s happy to let you know she’s unmarried.

But wait, what about “Ms” (pronounced “Mizz” —think of buzzing bees)? She’s the modern superhero of titles! Like a business suit that works for any occasion, “Ms” doesn’t care about marriage status. Perfect for any woman when you’re not sure about (or don’t want to mention) her marital status.

And meet the newest member of the family: “Mx” (pronounced “mix” or “mux”)—the title that breaks all the rules and welcomes everyone.

This modern title welcomes everyone, regardless of gender.

Ready to practice? Mizz Jones is meeting Mister Smith, while Mx. Brown talks to Mrs. Wilson!

Remember: When in doubt, just ask! People usually love telling you how they prefer to be addressed.

PS Listen to George’s AI voice read my text:

Meet the trickiest players in the English language game—silent letters.

These sneaky little characters love to play hide and seek in our words. They’re there on paper, but shhh… they don’t make a sound.

Take our friend ‘B‘ for example.

In words like “climb,” he’s just hanging out quietly next to ‘M‘, enjoying the view. And in “debt“? Well, ‘B’ is taking a nap between ‘E’ and ‘T’. Don’t even try to wake him up.

Then there’s ‘C’, another master of disguise.

She sneaks into “muscle” but lets ‘S’ do all the talking. In “scissors,” she plays it cool, letting ‘S’ make all the noise while she stays silent as a mouse.

Think of these letters like shy friends at a party —they’re there in the room, but they don’t join the conversation.

Once you know their hiding spots, you’ll never be fooled again!

PS Listen to George’s AI voice read my text:

Here’s what often happens in business emails:

Your German brain wants to write “until Friday.” Your English colleagues expect to see “by Friday.”

And this tiny difference can cause big misunderstandings.

The solution is simpler than you think: Use ‘by‘ when talking about deadlines and completion points. Think of ‘by‘ as your deadline’s best friend.

Remember: “The report must be finished BY Friday.”

‘Until‘, however, tells us how long something continues. “I’ll work until Friday” means I’m working through the week and stopping on Friday.

Just remember: Deadlines love ‘BY‘ – “by Monday,” “by next week,” “by 5 pm.”

“Now you’re ready to write that perfect business email! 💪

PS Listen to George’s AI voice read my text: