Growing up bilingual, I was aware from a young age of “false friends.” Not the kind who borrow money and never pay you back, but words that look or…
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Tag Archives: German
Was Able to Get the Most of My Student Exchange in Germany!
I had seen many advertisements for Rosetta Stone and when I decided that…
Taking Your Language Practice Where You Can Find It
Most people would agree that the key to learning a language is practice. Practicing in stores and restaurants, with friends at lunch, with roommates, and with your teacher, or…
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Cleaning Our Apartment – In German or in English
My flatmates (Mitbewohner) have a well-developed system for cleaning our apartment. Our four names are listed on a big chalkboard in the hall, with our weekly assignments marked: K for…
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Learning for Love
I studied in Norway for five months. I had an amazing experience and met a German girl,…
Biking in Berlin
Ich habe ein Fahrrad gekauft. I told my German-speaking roommates that I’d just bought a bike. Learning some basics of…
The Dinner Party to End All Dinner Parties
I have a little corporate apartment in Berlin, in an unfashionable neighborhood called Moabit, right across from the main train station, Berlin Hauptbahnhof. My business partner, Mark, also spends…
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A Meeting With Swiss Billionaires in Zurich
It was a rare time—my business partner, Mark, and I were in Berlin, and we had scored a meeting with the Zurich-based investment company that had funded two of…
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Be Willing to Say “Huh?”
Nodding my head and saying, “Ja bitte,”—yes, please—is my default. It seems to me that smiling, nodding, saying “Ja, ja,” and then, if the conversation continues, adding “Genau,” (literally…
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Have Fun with Your New Language!
One thing I’ve noticed while trying to use German during my time in Berlin is that I’m having a lot of fun. While it’s true that I’m often frustrated—by…
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