Travel is much more rewarding if it involves something more than getting sloppy drunk on a beach. Even small experiences, like learning to make Mexican mole, dance samba, or string together a few words to tell a joke in a marginalized language, can make a vacation into an enriching, memorable experience.
The most annoying and useless phrases Brazilians say, collected over many long stays in Brazil and translated with affection (and some exasperation).
The Most Annoying & Useless Shit Brazilians Say Read More »
Više vs. još in Serbian, Bosnian and Croatian: the key difference between them, with clear examples of when to use each one.
Više vs. Još in Serbian/ Bosnian/ Croatian: The Differences and When to Use Each One Read More »
My reading in Spanish, Italian, and French harnessing a Kindle to build vocabulary. Plus using the built-in flashcards, exporting to Anki, and learning more.
Reading in Foreign Languages: The Kindle as an All-Powerful Language-Learning Tool Read More »
A guide to audio learning options for Italian, quick reviews, and suggestions for how to build an effective, time-efficient learning plan
How to Best Learn Italian While Commuting, Doing Housework, or Exercising Read More »
Brazilian vs. European Portuguese: the key differences in pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar if you speak one and want to understand the other.
Brazilian vs. European Portuguese: Key Differences to Learn in Grammar and Vocabulary Read More »
Plan a trip to Brazil just to dance: where and when to go for samba, forró and more, finding dance schools and lessons, and what to pack.
Go to Brazil Just for the Dancing — How, What, & Where: Complete Planning Tips Read More »
Learn to speak languages without pesky bullshit like comprehension or communication.
Get Fluent in Any Language in Just 20 Minutes! Read More »
What are the cheesiest things that Catalans say in the pursuit of love/banging?
Flirting in Catalan: Pickup Lines that Are Ridiculously Cliché, Stupid, and Fun Read More »
All about the science behind “speaking better” after a bit of alcohol and what this really means for language learners
Science Shows Why Drinking Helps with Language Learning—Up to a Limit Read More »
Women recount their experiences with one of Brazil’s more sensual dances
Dançar Gostoso! Europeans Tell of their Sexiest Forró Dances Read More »
Key phrases that can make you sound like an American
11 Ways to Fake Fluent American English Read More »
How does Portuguese handle forró body parts, forró quivering and wiggling, and a female perspective on the dance experience? A look at the lyrics of Nosso Xote.
A Secret Brazilian Body Part — And More Wisdom from “Nosso Xote” Read More »
The lyrics for Magnifico’s tune “Ubiću Te” can tell us some things about Serbian grammar.
A guide to fascinating Italian podcasts that also help with learning and maintaining the language
The Best (Most Intriguing, Fun, Informative…) Italian Podcasts that I Listen to Read More »
How to find gifts for someone learning a language that will actually go to good use
How forró suffers from gender norms, and why the dance is poorer because of it
Is it random luck that so many of the world’s great songs are in Portuguese, or does the language itself have something to do with it?
Why Portuguese is the Best Language for Music Read More »
An investigation of the many Catalan cultural traditions involving poop
Catalonia: Behold the Most Shit-Obsessed Culture on the Planet Read More »
Learn some informal Brazilian Portuguese with the lyrics to one of the greatest samba rock songs ever
A few quick tips that can completely change your language learning adventures
Sound just like a perfect French speaker with a few filler words and cultural tidbits.
Just enough Bosnian slang to greet people, toast, gripe about life and, why not, propose marriage: a quick, fun guide to everyday informal Bosnian.
Learn Just Enough Bosnian Slang to Toast, Gripe, and Propose Marriage Read More »
Learn the basic, funny, and very useful expressions for a bit of partying, complaining, and joking in Neapolitan
Neapolitan in 20 Minutes: Learn Just Enough for Any Conversation in Southern Italy Read More »
The language learning methods that actually work best according to science—and how to harness them
What Scientists Know About Learning Languages that You Probably Don’t Read More »
My review of “Fluent Forever” and the key takeaways for those who want to learn languages efficiently
My “Fluent Forever” Results: Review and Key Takeaways for Language Learning Read More »
Spanish grammar and vocabulary are hard. Our playful Spanish-learning app, in development, teaches through flirty phrases and sexy situations.
Spanish Grammar and Vocabulary Are So Hard!!! Read More »
How samba is danced in São Paulo: the local style and moves of Brazil’s business capital, as shown to us by paulistanos during carnaval.
How is samba danced in Brazil’s business capital, São Paulo? Read More »
A complete catalog of traditional Catalan dances from a century back that are done while drunk or drinking
How to drink while dancing: Traditional Catalan wisdom for prancing drunks Read More »
Why the best travel adventures happen with elderly locals: their dances, drinks and stories beat anything you’ll find with the backpacker crowd.
On the road: Why I party with elderly locals Read More »
A great video of samba de gafieira, Brazil’s flashy answer to tango, danced at a party rather than on stage, plus one of our favorite performances.
A Great Video of Samba de Gafieira Read More »
Are you pretentious, angry, well-known, a coward, or a worrywort? All this and more should be expressed in Catalan with words for “shit”.
You Can’t Speak Proper Catalan without These 53 Expressions Involving Excrement Read More »
These are the best books—out of the many I have tried—for learning Turkish on my own
My Favorite Books for Learning Turkish Read More »
The key phrases in Mexican Spanish for expressing love, lust, and other slang related to your sexual and romantic escapades.
Important Phrases for Boinking Your Lover(s) in Mexican Spanish Read More »
I’ve tried out all of the best learning books for Serbian, Croatian, and Bosnian—here’s what to use and to avoid.
The Best Books for Learning Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian Read More »
Fake fluent-ish Sicilian in 20 minutes: introduce yourself, order wine (and spleen sandwiches), make a Sicilian toast, and own up to your mistakes.
Minchia ch’è beddu! 20 Minutes to Feigning Fluent-ish Sicilian Read More »
Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian slang for love and sex: sweet nothings, exclamations of pleasure, and phrases for asking about and giving consent.
Effortless, fluent, minimally communicative Serbian with our minimalist language learning method
Fluent Serbian in 20 Minutes — Fake Your Way Through Any Rakija-Soaked Conversation Read More »
Russian gestures are weird and tell you a lot about the language; don’t attempt to speak it without them!
The Outstanding Russian Gestures that Should Be Adopted by Everyone Read More »
Counting to one in Serbian is harder than you’d think: jedan in every case, its surprising plural forms, and other uses like ‘some’ and ‘only’.
Can You Count to One in Serbian? It’s Fucking Harder Than You’d Fucking Think! Read More »
Forró has both some inherent advantages and disadvantages, according to top world teachers
Forró vs. Other Dances Read More »
How can you take a dance style that is unknown in your area and create a thriving community with parties, workshops, and classes?
A guide to forró and its place on the world stage, for newbies and experts alike
What is forró, and how is it taking over the world? Read More »
A minimalist language method for gringões for sounding fluent and aware in Brazil with just a few phrases and gestures
You Can Sound Faux-Fluent in Brazilian Portuguese with Just These 14 Words and Phrases Read More »
A very nerdy way to hack your term searches as a language learner and get the best definitions and contextual images and texts for a single word
How can you turn a noun into a possessive adjective? A guide to the Serbian / Bosnian / Croatian equivalent to English’s apostrophe-S.
All about the clichéd French equivalents of “Do you come here often?”
What Are the Tackiest French Pickup Lines? Read More »
The ways that world languages discuss the hangover are pure poetry. Do you have howling cats, rats, or hammers in your brain?
How Do the World’s Languages Evoke the Misery of a Hangover? Read More »
The Brazilian finger snap (estalo): how to do it, what it means, and why this gesture for ‘hurry up’ or ‘fast’ is never taught in Portuguese class.
Brazilians Even Have Their Own Finger Snap: Here’s How to Do it and Why Read More »
Verlan explained: the French slang that flips words backward, where it came from in the Paris suburbs, and Verlan words for sex, drugs and complaining.
Verlan: French Slang for Sex, Drugs, and, of Course, Complaining Read More »
You can’t speak French without knowing about the sounds that boom, toot, and bop from French stuff.
French Noises: How Do Inanimate Objects Communicate in French? Read More »
Galician seems to have a unique obsession with jokey, sex-obsessed pickup lines, somehow involving especially farm stuff.
“Marry Me, Darling, for I Have Cows!” — Picking Up Girls in a Disappearing Tongue Read More »
Things in Catalan make their own unique sounds for bops, bangs, farts, and plops.
How Do Catalans Speak to Inanimate Objects? Read More »
You can’t speak Portuguese without moving your hands. Brazilians have a grand repertoire of unique gestures; here are the top 25.
The 25 Most Important Gestures in Brazilian Portuguese Read More »
Catalan is one of the best languages to raise a glass and toast in—here’s what you should say while out drinking in Barcelona and other Catalan lands.
The Germans have an efficient way of leaving the party without making a fuss.
Saying Goodbye in German: Leaving the Party Efficiently Read More »
Trains often have outlets but can your device plug in? Check out our recommendations for universal travel adapters.
Hang any bag anywhere with a carabiner/travel hook.
Using e-tickets? Carry a backup phone battery in a wallet to ensure you can access them.
Using train WiFi? We strongly recommend a good, travel-ready VPN.
