Tipps, Tricks & Tidbits
Kleine Tipps. Klare Aha-Momente. Weniger Sprach-Stolperfallen.
Hier finden Sie kleine, feine Impulse, die im Arbeitsalltag sofort für Klarheit sorgen.
Perfekt für alle, die sich ab und zu fragen: „Wie war das noch mal auf Englisch?“ – oder „Heißt das wirklich so?“
Mein Tipp: Kurz reinschauen, querlesen, merken – oder am besten direkt laut aussprechen.
Lust auf noch mehr Aha-Momente?
Meine Sparks of English landen direkt in Ihrem Postfach – kurz, klar und für genau die Momente, in denen Sie auf Englisch sicher und präsent bleiben wollen.
Remind vs remember
Remind (erinnern an/jemanden erinnern) = when someone or something helps you remember.
“Can you remind me to buy milk?” (Kannst du mich daran erinnern, Milch zu kaufen?)
Remember (sich erinnern) = when you recall something yourself.
“I remember my very first English lesson.” (Ich erinnere mich an meinen ersten Englischunterricht.)
💡 Think of it this way:
Remind = needs two people or things
Remember = only needs one
German word: Keks 🍪
British English: biscuit
American English: cookie
German word: Billion 💵
English = trillion (a thousand billion)
German word: Milliarde 💷
English = billion (a thousand million)
The ‘b’ is silent in the following words 😶
dumb, debt, crumb, comb, bomb, climb, thumb, subtle, plumber, lamb and numb
Try saying the words out loud without saying the ‘b’!
-ate vs. not -ate ✍️
Tip: When in doubt, leave -ate out.
registrieren = to register (not to registrate!)
kommentieren = to comment (not to commentate!)
organisieren = to organise (not to organisate)
German word: prägnant ✂️
Watch out:
prägnant = concise
He gave a concise talk.
pregnant = schwanger
She had no idea that she was pregnant.
interesting vs. interested 🤗
Watch out:
interesting = interessant
She’s an interesting person.
interested in = interessiert an
She’s interested in him.
German word: Blase 💆
Be careful…
A ‘Hautblase’ is a ‘blister’.
A ‘Harnblase’ is a bladder.
Avoid double negatives ❗
Example:
I don’t need any help.I don’t need no help.
Sensible vs. sensitive 😮
Sensible (vernünftig) – Shows practicality and thoughtfulness)
Sensitive (empfindlich) – Represents emotional awareness and feeling
Examples:
“She made a sensible decision after thinking it through.”
“He was sensitive about the comment she made.”
Since and for 📅
For (Used for a period of time)
Since (Used for a point in time)
Examples:
“I’ve worked here for 5 years.” vs “I’ve worked here since 2018.“
Adjective order ☝️
Use the order: opinion, size, age, shape, colour, material, purpose.
Example:
A beautiful big old round red wooden table.
Fun vs. funny 🤭
Fun = Enjoyable (It’s something you experience!)
Funny = Hilarious (It makes you laugh!)
Examples:
That film was fun!”
“That joke was funny!”
Borrow versus lend 🤏
“Borrow” means to take something from someone.
“Lend” means to give something to someone.
Examples:
Can I borrow some money? (You’re asking if you can take money from someone.)
Can you lend me some money? (You’re asking someone to give you money.)
Cheaper than… 🧐
Never use “more” and the comparative form together.
Example:
This product is cheaper than that one.This product is more cheaper than that one.
Information 🧠
“Information” is uncountable, so it does not take an “s.”
Example:
We need more information about the project.We need more informations about the project.
Plant “Explained”🌱
The word plant has multiple meanings:
- A plant can be your leafy green buddy. “My basil plant loves sunlight.”
- It’s also a factory: “The car plant just opened in Berlin.”
- As a verb, to plant means to hide something: “He planted his phone under the couch.”
- And in spy films, a plant is an undercover agent.
Safety vs. Security 🦺
Safety = Protects you from accidents or harm (things that happen by chance).
Examples:
- Wearing a helmet (so you don’t get hurt).
- Looking both ways before crossing the street.
Security = Protects you from danger or bad people (things done on purpose).
Examples:
Locking your door (so no one can steal).
Using a password (so no one can hack your phone).
Silent Letters 🤫
Be aware of silent letters in English.
For example:
- “know”
- “debt”
- “psychology”
We don’t pronounce the letters in bold!
Responding to Thanks 🙏🏻
When someone says “thank you,” respond with “you’re welcome,” “anytime,” “happy to help,” “thank you for the opportunity” or “my pleasure.” These are all polite and appropriate ways to acknowledge gratitude.
Bring vs. Take 🛒
“Bring” means to move something towards the speaker or the location where the speaker is.
Example:
- “Can you bring the documents to me?” (You want the documents brought to your location.)
“Take” means to move something away from the speaker or the location where the speaker is.
Example:
“Can you take the documents to the office?” (You want the documents moved to the office, which is away from you.)
Do vs. Make ⚒️
General Rule:
Do: Use “do” for tasks or actions (to do the dishes, shopping, business etc.)
Make: Use “make” for creating, producing or constructing something (to make a cake, a decision, a plan, a noise etc.)
Example:
You did a good job on the presentation.You made a good job on the presentation.
Remember: There are always exceptions to the rule. The best way to learn is through practice and exposure to the language.
Explain vs. Explain To 💬
Incorrect: I will explain you the process.
Correct: I will explain the process to you.
Tip: After “explain,” always use the structure: explain something to someone.
Past Simple vs. Present Perfect ⏳
Past Simple is used when you talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past.
Example: “I finished the report yesterday.“
(Here, “yesterday” gives us a clear point in the past, so we use the past simple.)
Present Perfect is used when the time is not specified or when there is a connection to the present (the result is relevant now).
Example: “I have finished the report.“
(Here, the time is not mentioned, and the result is important now.)
Tip:
- Use Past Simple for actions that happened at a specific time (like “yesterday,” “last year,” “in 2023,” etc.).
- Use Present Perfect when the exact time isn’t mentioned, or when the action has an effect or relevance to now.
Hardly vs. Hard 💪
Hard means with effort or diligently. It’s used when you want to express that someone is putting in a lot of work or effort to do something.
Example: “He worked hard to meet the deadline.“
(This means he put in a lot of effort to meet the deadline.)
Hardly means almost not or barely. It is used to show that something is done to a very small degree or almost not at all.
Example: “She hardly slept before the big presentation.“
(This means she barely slept or she almost didn’t sleep at all before the presentation.)
hard = hard
hardly = kaum
Actual vs. Current ⏰
Actual refers to something real or true, without exaggeration or change. It is used when you want to emphasise that something is exactly as it is, not imagined or estimated.
Example: The actual sales figures are impressive.
(This means the real or true sales figures, not any predicted or estimated ones.)
Actual = tatsächlich or wirklich
Current refers to something that is happening now or existing at the present time.
Example: The current sales figures are impressive.
(This means the sales figures right now, as of today or this period.)
Current = aktuell
Articles with Job Titles 👩💻
In English, we generally use “a” or “an” before job titles when talking about someone’s profession in a general sense.
- Correct: She is a project manager.
- Incorrect:
She is project manager.
(The article “a” is missing, which makes the sentence sound incomplete.)
Tip:
The article “a” is used with consonant sounds, and “an” is used with vowel sounds (like an engineer).
1st Conditional 🌟
The first conditional is used to talk about real and possible situations in the future.
Here’s the correct structure:
If + present simple, + will + base verb
Example: If I see her, I will tell her.
Notice that “will” is not used in the “if” clause, but in the 2nd part of the sentence.
This is incorrect:If I will see her, I will tell her.
Tip:
In the first conditional, always use the present simple after “if,” and save “will” for the main part of the sentence.
Much vs. Many 🚰🍏
Many is used with countable nouns (things you can count, like employees, books or cars).
Example: How many employees work in your company? (You can count the number of employees.)
Much is used with uncountable nouns (things you can’t count individually, like water, money or information).
Example: How much water is in the bottle? (You can’t count water in separate units.)
It’s a simple rule, but it makes a big difference!
See You! 👀
In English, we don’t say “We see us next week.” The correct way to express this would be:
“We’ll see each other next week” or “We’ll see you next week” (if you’re referring to someone else).
In German, it’s common to say “Wir sehen uns nächste Woche,” but in English, we use “each other” or the subject’s name instead of “us” in this type of sentence.
So, the correct version would be:
- “We’ll see each other next week.”
- “I’ll see you next week.“
“Used to” vs. “To be used to”🔄🧘
➡️ “Used to” = Something you did in the past but don’t do anymore.
Example: I used to watch cartoons every Saturday morning. (Not anymore.)
➡️ “To be used to” = Something you’re accustomed to doing now.
Example: I’m used to drinking coffee every morning. (It’s a habit.)
It’s a subtle difference, but it makes a big impact! 🤓
Crisps vs. Chips 🥔
Crisps in British English are the thin, crunchy potato snacks you eat from a bag.
Example: I’m munching on some crisps.
Chips in American English mean the same thing—those crunchy potato snacks in a bag.
Example: I’m eating potato chips.
It’s easy to get confused, but now you know the difference.
Chips vs. Fries 🍟
In British English:
Chips are the thick, fried potato pieces you eat with fish (think of fish and chips).
Example: I’ll have some fish and chips, please.
In American English:
Fries are the thin, fried potato pieces that you get at fast food places.
Example: I’ll have a burger with fries.
Brackets vs. Parentheses {}()
In British English, these () are called brackets.
Example: The meeting (which was delayed) will start soon.
In American English, they’re called parentheses.
Example: The meeting (which was delayed) will start soon.
Now, if you add [] or {}, things get trickier:
- [] are called square brackets in both British and American English.
- {} are called braces in American English, and curly brackets in British English.
It’s a small difference, but important if you want to sound clear!
Fewer vs. Less 🍪⏱️
Use fewer with countable things:
Example: “Fewer people attended the meeting than expected.”
Use less with uncountable things:
Example: “There’s less coffee in my cup than in yours.”
Supermarket signs saying “10 items or less” are technically wrong, but hey, who’s counting?
Advice vs. Advise: Two Letters, Big Difference 💡
Advice (noun): The helpful tips you give your friend.
Example: “Thanks for your advice—I’ll wear the blue dress!”
Advise (verb): What you do when you give advice.
Example: “I advise you to wear the blue dress; it matches your eyes!”
Mixing them up is a common mistake, but now you know the difference.
It’s Definitely Not “Definately” 🫨
English spelling can be tricky, but “definitely” is one word that needs to be spelt right! It’s NOT “definately“ or “defanitely“.
Here’s a tip: Think of the word “finite” (which means limited). Add “de” at the beginning and “ly” at the end—definitely.
Easy, right? Keep practising!
ROI: Return on WHAT Now? 💸
In business, ROI means Return on Investment, not Return on Invest.
If you use the wrong term, your English might sound unclear, like a stock market that’s hard to predict. So, when you’re using business terms, make sure to get them right or you might sound like a beginner.
By vs. Until 📅
By: Focus on the deadline.
Example: Finish the report by Friday. (Do it before Friday.)
Until: Includes all the time up to the deadline.
Example: You have until Friday to finish the report. (You can work on it up to Friday.)
Mixing them up isn’t a disaster, but it might confuse your colleagues or boss! 😊
Chef vs. Boss 🧑🍳
In German, “Chef” means your boss at work. But in English, “chef” is only used for a professional cook.
For your boss, say “boss” or “manager” in English.
Examples:
- German: Mein Chef ist nett.
- English: My boss is nice.
- English: The chef at this restaurant is amazing!
Easter’s No N! 🐰
Remember, “Easter” doesn’t have an “N” at the end. It’s not “Eastern“!
Also, the Friday before Easter is called “Good Friday”, not “Holy Friday” like in some languages.
Example:
- Correct: Easter is in spring.
- Incorrect:
Eastern is in spring.
Keep it simple—no “N”!
i.e. vs. e.g. 🔎
i.e. means ‘that is’ or ‘in other words.’ Use it to explain or clarify.
Example: I love big cities, i.e., places like Berlin or London.
e.g. means ‘for example.’ Use it to give examples.
Example: I love big cities, e.g., Berlin or London.
Remember: i.e. = explanation, e.g. = examples.
Ready vs. Finished 🏁
“Ready” means you are prepared to start something.
Example: I’m ready to leave now.
“Finished” means you have completed something.
Example: I’ve finished my project.
So, you’re ready before you begin and finished when you’re done!
Garage: Same Word, Different Sounds! 🚗
In British English, people say “gar-ij” (like “carriage“).
In American English, it’s pronounced “guh-rahzh” (with a softer ending).
Both are correct—just pick the one that fits where you are. 🚗
Downtown vs. City Centre 🏙️
In British English, people say “city centre” or “town centre” to talk about the main part of a city or town where shops, restaurants and offices are.
In American English, people say “downtown” for the same thing.
Examples:
- British: Let’s go to the city centre for dinner.
- American: Let’s go downtown for dinner.
Both mean the same place!
The City Isn’t the Whole of London 💂
In British business language, “The City” doesn’t mean all of London. It refers to a small area called the Square Mile, where many banks and stock exchanges are located.
If someone invites you to “a meeting in The City,” expect a formal business atmosphere—and leave your trainers and jeans at home!
Near vs. Nearby 📍
“In der Nähe” does not mean “in the near” in English. Instead, we say “nearby,” “close by” or “near.”
For example:
Die Bushaltestelle ist in der Nähe. = The bus stop is nearby/close by.
Das Restaurant ist in der Nähe der Schule. = The restaurant is near the school.
“Administrate”? It’s “Administer” ➡️
“Administrate” is not used as a verb in modern English. Instead, use “manage” or “administer.”
For example:
Say: I manage the team.
Don’t say: I administrate the team.
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