heute bin ich mit einem mulmigen Gefühl im Bauch zum Englischtraining gegangen.

Thema: freies Sprechen. Meine größte Angst! Sobald ich den Mund aufmache, um Englisch zu sprechen, fühle ich mich wie ein hilfloses Kaninchen im Scheinwerferlicht. Stottern, Versprecher, Blackout – mein Standardprogramm.

Christine lächelt uns an (Franz ist ja auch dabei) und sagt: “Heute sprechen wir über unsere Lieblingsbücher. Stellt euch vor, ihr müsst euer Buch in 60 Sekunden einem Fremden vorstellen.“ 

Panik steigt in mir auf. Mein Lieblingsbuch? “Harry Potter”? Zu viele Wörter, zu komplizierte Grammatik. Ich versinke im Meer der Verzweiflung.

Doch dann passiert etwas Unglaubliches. Franz fängt an zu sprechen. Und siehe da, er redet einigermassen flüssig, ziemlich selbstbewusst und mitreißend. Er beschreibt die Abenteuer von Harry mit Witz und Charme, und ich bin fasziniert.

Als ich an der Reihe bin, atme ich tief ein und schließe die Augen. Ich denke an Franz und seine Leichtigkeit. “Mein Lieblingsbuch ist ‘Die kleine Raupe Nimmersatt'”, beginne ich zaghaft. “Es ist eine Geschichte über Mut, Veränderung und die Schönheit der Natur.“

Die Worte fließen wie von selbst. Ich erzähle von der Raupe, die sich durchkämpft, von den bunten Blättern, die sie frisst, und von ihrem wunderschönen Schmetterlingstraum. Mit jedem Wort wächst mein Selbstvertrauen. Ich schaue in die zwei Gesichter auf dem Bildschirm und erkenne: Sie verstehen mich!

Am Ende meines kleinen Vortrags ernte ich Applaus. Christine lächelt anerkennend. “Greta, das war toll! Du hast deine Angst überwunden und deine Geschichte mit viel Freude erzählt.“

Ich bin überglücklich. Zum ersten Mal habe ich das Gefühl, Englisch wirklich zu sprechen. Es ist nicht perfekt, aber es ist mein Englisch. Und es funktioniert!

Fazit: Übung macht den Meister. Auch wenn es am Anfang schwerfällt, mit der Zeit und der richtigen Unterstützung wird es immer einfacher, Englisch freizusprechen.

Also, liebe Angst, adios! Ich habe keine Zeit für dich. Ich habe Englisch zu lernen!

Bis zum nächsten Mal,

Deine glückliche und freie Greta

Imagine you’re at a charity event, feeling generous and ready to SPEND …

Wait. Is that the right word?

Did you accidentally plan a shopping spree instead of helping a good cause?

Don’t worry, this happens to many language learners!

The German word ‘spenden’ means ‘to donate‘, while ‘spend’ in English means ‘to buy things.’

These tricky words can fool even the best learners. 

But no worries, I’m here to help …

Think of it like this:

• To donate: You’re feeling generous and want to help others. Think charity galas, fundraising bake sales, and supporting things you care about.

• To spend: You’re treating yourself! Buying a new gadget, hitting the shops, or having a fancy dinner. Opening your purse or wallet, but not for a good cause. 

So next time you see ‘spenden‘ or other tricky words, remember: a little humour and understanding can save you from funny (or embarrassing) mix-ups.

Now go out there, language champions, and donate (or spend, depending on what you want to do) with confidence!

Then let me tell you about my experience with German.

In my first year, I realised: this language has its tricks.

Three grammatical genders (male, female and neuter), four cases (nominative, accusative, dative and genitive), five different plural endings, and then the prepositions … (Did you know that every time you use “mit,” “aus,” “von,” “zu,” “nach,” “bei” and “seit,” the noun that follows it has to be in the dative case? Believe me, it’s true!)

But I knew, with the right strategy, I was going to master the subtleties of this beautiful language!

Now here are three tips to help you navigate the English language jungle:

1️⃣ Master the Tenses: English is all about timing! Understanding five of the most important tenses (English has 12) will give you a solid foundation. Practice makes perfect.

2️⃣ Word Order Wisdom: English loves its word order, and it can be quite different from German. Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) is the usual order. But watch out for variations, especially in questions and emphatic statements. 

3️⃣ Contractions Connection: English natives love their contractions (I’ve, can’t, don’t). Embrace them, and your speech will sound more natural. It’s like a secret handshake for English speakers.

Remember, each language has its quirks, but conquering them is part of the fun. 

Now I want to hear from you: What are your biggest challenges in learning English? 

So, you ask your English-speaking colleague to wink when you meet her for the first time.

She’s a bit confused, but says nothing. 

When you meet, she winks—and now you’re confused. 

You expected her to wave.

Ah, now you understand. The German word ‘winken‘ isn’t ‘to wink‘ in English. It’s ‘to wave.’ ‘To wink‘ is ‘zwinkern.’ 

You won’t make that mistake ever again, will you?

Although this little mix-up may seem harmless, such misunderstandings could have unpleasant consequences in certain situations. 

So, it’s time for some tips to improve our intercultural communication skills:

👉 Tip 1: Invest time in learning the language of your counterpart or at least its most basic phrases and expressions. Google Translate or DeepL may be helpful tools, but they can’t replace the real understanding of language nuances and cultural contexts.

👉 Tip 2: Use interactive language learning programs or apps that focus on commonly used phrases. They often provide information about common linguistic pitfalls and how to avoid them!

👉 Tip 3: Be open to making mistakes! After all, they are the best teachers. Learn from your mistakes, laugh about them—and keep going.

Don’t worry! Each of us has experienced an embarrassing slip-up in a professional—or even personal—context at some point. And believe me, it’s completely normal!

Remember: Our goal is to communicate and connect with others—and that takes practice and patience.

Now it’s your turn. Do you have a funny story about a misunderstanding due to a language barrier to share?

Drum roll, please… 

The answer is “Baltic Sea.” 

Surprised? Well then, it’s time to keep reading.

Sometimes, the greatest lessons are hidden in the smallest details of our everyday lives. We travel the world, getting to know new cultures. Yet we often forget that knowledge can be right at our doorstep. 

So put your atlases aside and let’s embark on this wonderful journey of discovery together. 

I have 3 cool facts about the Ostsee—um, I mean the Baltic Sea.

1. The name “Baltic Sea” is believed to be derived from the Latin word “balteus” meaning  “belt.” A fitting name for a sea that served as an important trade route!
2. It is almost unique on our planet with its brackish-water ecosystem. The mixing of fresh and saltwater provides a habitat for an incredible variety of flora and fauna (but let’s not go into the details… that’s a whole different story).
3. It’s the youngest sea on the planet and an inland sea—largely isolated from large seas, but connected to the North Sea by a side arm.

Oh, knowledge is fun, isn’t it? And even better … sharing that knowledge.

So let’s look at the world around us with fresh eyes and appreciation. Sometimes, all it takes is a change of perspective—or in this case, a translation—to discover true treasures.

Now you have 3 brand-new facts about the Baltic Sea in your pocket—ready to drop them in your next dinner party conversation.

And who knows? Maybe you’ll win the next Trivial Pursuit night with them!

Have you been to the Baltic Sea before? What are your most memorable experiences?