Heute war besonders anstrengend, da wir eine lange Diskussion über die ‘Future Tense‘ im Englischen hatten. Mein Kopf raucht. Ob ich mir das alles merken kann? Christine sagt, ich soll mir darüber nicht den Kopf zerbrechen. Es braucht Übung. Ihr Lieblingsspruch: ‘Practice means progress‘.

Ich habe immer geglaubt, dass wir die ‘will-future’ verwenden, wenn wir über die Zukunft sprechen. Franz dachte das auch. Aber das ist nicht wahr.

Also schreibe ich mir das Wichtigste hier auf, in der Hoffnung, dass ich mir alles besser merken kann.

• ‘Will future’ für eher spontane Pläne und Entscheidungen, die im Eifer des Gefechts getroffen werden:
  • ‘I will flip a coin to decide which restaurant to try.’
  • ‘I forgot to tell my colleague. I’ll see her after lunch.’
  • ‘There’s no bread left. I’ll buy some after work.’
• ‘Going to future’ für vorüberlegte Pläne und Entschlüsse:
  • ‘I’m going to go to the butcher’s later. What do we need?’
  • ‘I’m going to call my colleague this afternoon. I missed his birthday.’
  • ‘We’re going to take a week off work in August.’
• Das ‘present continuous’ für bereits mit anderen bestätigte Verpflichtungen:
  • ‘I’m having dinner with Maria tonight. We’re going to try that new Italian place.’
  • ‘I’m presenting my project at the meeting tomorrow afternoon. I’m a bit nervous, you know.’
  • ‘We’re attending a conference in Paris next week. Our travel arrangements have been finalised.’

Wow! Das ist ganz schön viel. Oder?

Jetzt schreibe ich schnell Zettel und klebe sie auf meinen Küchenschrank:

• ‘Will’ ist für spontane Entscheidungen, die im Moment getroffen werden.
• ‘Am/is/are going to’ ist für bereits getroffene Pläne.
• Das ‘present continuous’ ist für bestätigte Vereinbarungen mit anderen.

Jetzt kann nichts schiefgehen. (So hoffe ich!)

Deine Greta (die neue Expertin für ‘Future Tenses’?)

Have you ever come across the German word “Schockverliebt” and found yourself completely puzzled?

You’re not alone!

This intriguing term can be quite the head-scratcher. But don’t worry, we’re here to figure it out together.

“Schockverliebt” is a fascinating blend of two words: “Schock” (shock) and “verliebt” (in love). It describes that sudden, overwhelming feeling of falling in love at first sight—almost as if you’ve been struck by lightning. Know the feeling?

Think of it as love at first sight, but with an extra jolt of surprise and intensity. It’s that magical moment when you see someone or something and are instantly and unexpectedly captivated—basically, it blew your socks off*.

So, next time you hear “Schockverliebt,” you’ll know it’s all about that electrifying, heart-stopping moment of instant infatuation.

Have any more puzzling words? Let’s keep exploring and solving them together

*Note: The phrase “it blew your socks off” is an idiom and might be best understood by fluent English speakers. Use with caution when communicating with non-native speakers.

PS Want to listen to me talk about “Schockverliebt“?

Ever feel like you’ll never master a language? Even after years in Germany, I still get confused by “dessen,” “deren,” and “derer”! (Did I look it up again? Nope!)

Language learning is a crazy journey—full of bumps, wrong turns and funny mix-ups. I might mix up “der, die und das” like they’re my latest square dance moves. And you might struggle with tricky English tenses. Or those words that pretend to be helpful but really want to embarrass you. Yes, I’m talking about those sneaky false friends.

But I’m here to help with your English, not German (sorry!)

You know I share tips and tricks on social media and host free speed networking events. (Yes, free, and no catch. Okay, maybe I ask for a Google review.)

Some people say, “Why give away free advice online, Christine? Clients pay you for that!” Think of it like free samples in your local supermarket. You try the cheese, then maybe you buy the whole block, right? My free tips are a taste of what I can offer to help your English.

And I love sharing my passion for English. I’m always learning too. If just one person learns something new from my posts, I’m thrilled.

Got a question about confusing grammar? Drop it in the comments below. Or send me a smoke signal. Or a carrier pigeon. Whatever works for you.

Have you ever thought about how tricky it can be to translate a seemingly simple phrase like “a nice cup of tea“? ☕️ 

Believe it or not, translation isn’t always a straightforward swap of words.

Why? It’s all about culture.

To a Brit, “tea” means a cosy break, a moment of pure relaxation. In other cultures, it might simply be a hot drink.

Translation is more than words; it’s about capturing meaning. 

A skilled translator delves into the cultural context to find the perfect match in another language.

Think of it like detective work. Translators are like cultural detectives, finding the hidden meanings to make sure your message works in any culture.

Looking for an excellent translator?

I can connect you with a network of talented translators specialising in various languages.

A shoutout to LinkedIn for making me smarter (even if it’s unintentional).

Last week, I came across an interesting new word: “fika” (pronounced “fee-kuh”) from a company called KWH Karl und Wagner Haustechnik (quite a mouthful!). 

In Sweden, this magical word means “to have coffee” or “take a coffee break”—often with a tasty treat on the side.

Now, this “fika” thing sounds suspiciously similar to our good old English tradition of “Elevenses.” You know, that delightful moment around eleven o’clock when we all down tools and head for the kettle or coffee machine?

I decided to revive my own Elevenses habit a while back. Every day, around eleven-ish, I head downstairs for a mug of coffee.

It’s a simple routine: hot coffee, a sprinkle of sugar, a dash of cream (“You’ve got to treat yourself sometimes,” or as they say in German, “Man gönnt sich sonst nichts.”) And sometimes, just to live a little dangerously, I might even grab a chocolate biscuit (or a “choccy bickie” as we Brits call it) and dunk in my coffee. Because, you know, #treatyourself!

So, my question to you is this: Do you have a special break time in your day? If so, what do you call it, and what kind of treats do you indulge in?

Describing someone as “an old funny lady” just sounds weird, right? Native speakers instinctively know there’s a better way to say it.

Here’s why…

It’s because English has a hidden rule for the order of adjectives.

Try using this specific order when describing something:

1. Determiner: a, an, the, this, those, my, your, our, their…)
2. Quantity: one, eight, few, many…
   _____________________________
3. Opinion: pretty, ugly, boring, delicious, perfect, valuable… .
4. Size: tiny, medium-sized, giant, large… 
5. Age: old, new, decades-old, brand-new, ancient… 
6. Shape: round, square, triangular, heart-shaped, circular… 
7. Colour: green, blue, pink, colourful… 
8. Origin: French, German, Chinese… 
9. Material: silver, wood, plastic, cardboard…
10. Purpose (or qualifier): wedding, travel, shopping, cleaning, sports…

Remembering the acronym: OSASCOMP (Old Susi’s Apple Strudel Competition Offered Many Prizes) might be able to help you.

Let’s see how it works:

• Would you like three adorable grey kittens?
• We watched a thrilling old Japanese film. 
• They have three nice teenage boys.
• He’s an attractive young German actor.
• She wore a dazzling emerald green silk dress.

Now it’s your turn. Can you describe something using the secret order?