If you’re talking to Brits, go with “holiday.” Americans? They’ll expect “vacation.” Global audience? Both work, but watch out – “holiday” can mean those public days off too.

Most German speakers get stuck on this one. They freeze up, worried about picking the wrong word.

But honestly? You’re making it harder than it needs to be.

Want my tip?

Just say “time off.“

It’s clean, clear and works everywhere.

Everyday Examples

• “I need some time off to rest.”
• “Can I take time off next week for my family?”
• “She’s taking time off because of illness.”

What about you? Which version do you usually go for?

Welcome to this week’s Sparks Plus — your quick, practical boost for clearer, more confident English.
Five short sections, all easy to read and use right away.

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1️⃣ Quick Win

Don’t add an “s” to information.

❌ I need more informations.
✔ I need more information.

Why?
In English, information is uncountable. It doesn’t have a plural form.
You can say:
✔ a piece of information
✔ some information

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2️⃣ Real-World English in Action

Denglish rescue:
A client said: I have birthday today.

In English, we say:
✔ It’s my birthday today.
✔ Today is my birthday.

We don’t “have” a birthday in English. We “have” a party or celebration, but the day itself is your birthday.

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3️⃣ Christine’s Pick

Inspiration Resource: TED Talks — short talks from experts on almost every topic you can imagine. Many have subtitles in English (and other languages) so you can listen and read at the same time.

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4️⃣ Reader Question

Q: Is it life music or live music?

A: It’s live music — pronounced like laiv (rhymes with jive and hive).
✔ There’s live music at the café tonight.

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5️⃣ Spotlight

Want to speak English more clearly, confidently and without overthinking?
My 1:1 coaching helps you say what you mean in English — naturally, clearly and with the confidence to lead conversations.
Find out more about my coaching here.

I love catching those tiny translation mistakes that make you sound… well, German.

Here’s what I often hear:

• “I will inform you until Friday”
• “I became a call yesterday”
• “I am holding a presentation next week”

What you actually want to say:

• “I’ll let you know by Friday”
• “I received/got a call yesterday”
• “I’m giving/delivering a presentation next week”

The funny thing?

Native speakers understand you perfectly. But these small tweaks make ALL the difference in how professional we sound.

My tip?

Pick one phrase that you use often and consciously switch it for a week. Just one. Once that feels natural, move to the next. Small changes, big impact on how confident you sound.

“I have my own office.” Not “I have an own office.“

I often hear this mistake in my coaching sessions. And I understand why it happens. German speakers want to translate directly from their language.

They think about “ein eigenes Büro.” So they write “an own office.“

But English doesn’t work that way. We use possessive adjectives:

My own
Your own
His own
Her own
Their own
Our own

It’s simple once you know it.

So remember… always pair “own” with a possessive adjective. Never use “an” or “a” before “own.” Keep it personal.

Because when you master these small details, something bigger happens. Your English flows naturally and your confidence grows.