Kelsey Lechner

First things first: To sound fluent in Japanese, you’ll need to master Japanese sentence structure. Now, a language like Japanese might seem really difficult at first (especially to English speakers!), but don’t worry – it’s a very logical language!
And I should know – I’ve been learning Japanese since I was an early teenager, lived in Japan for several years for study and work, and have passed N1 Japanese. I remember what it was like to start studying the language, and also tutor beginners r...

The inverted Spanish question mark (¿) is undoubtedly one of the most unique aspects of the Spanish language. In fact, Spanish is the only major language that uses the upside-down question mark!
So why is it used? I wondered just this when I began learning Spanish, but now I have grown to love it! Let me tell you why.
Here’s me in Spain, ready to ask questions!
Expand your horizons and learn a new language with our 90-Day Personalized Language Course. Backed by research, our coaching will get...

Nothing will make you sound more like a Brit than using British slang or British accent words!
As an American living in London, I’ve come across a lot of British slang words. Some British slang I knew growing up (thanks, Harry Potter), but I was surprised about how much I had to learn since I’ve been here.
Just like British dialects of the English language, British slang can vary region by region and even by subgroup, such as class. Of course, I can’t cover everything, and some of these phras...

Japan is famous for being punctual, so knowing how to tell the time in Japanese is extremely important!
Luckily, if you know your numbers, it’s pretty straightforward!
I’ve spent years learning and teaching Japanese, both in and outside of Japan. So I’ll tell you the most important things you’ll need to know, whether you’re an absolute beginner or trying to take your Japanese to the next level.
When starting with Japanese time, there are a few essential terms you’ll need to become familiar wi...

Let’s talk about terms of endearment.
No, not the 1983 movie starring Jack Nicholson that you probably haven’t seen (me neither). I’m talking about the affectionate words that people use with their friends and loved ones. You know, like “sweetheart”, “baby”, or “honey”, “mate”, “dude”, or “buddy”.
English has many terms of endearment. Other languages are full of them too.
In this article I’ll list some of the more common and interesting terms of endearment from different languages and dialect...

Looking for cute nicknames for your girlfriend, boyfriend, or kids? Here’s your master list of cute nicknames from around the world.
Pumpkin, peanut, bubby, baby, babe, bae, honey, darling, sugar, sweetie, honeybunch… English is packed full of fun, creative, and cute nicknames to call your loved ones.
From food to animals, to just plain gibberish words – lots of us love giving a cute nickname to our significant other, family, friends, and children.
And it's not just English. In every language...

Did you know you can understand about 50% of all Korean by learning the 100 most common Korean words?
That’s right! The 100 basic Korean words are so common they make up around half of spoken and written Korean. It’s just a matter of learning the right words first!
That’s why you need this list of 100 common Korean words by word-frequency method, which I’ll tell you more about later in this post.
Table of contents
10 Must-Know Basic Korean Words
10 Core Korean Pronouns
42 Basic Korean Nouns
K...

I’ve always felt like saying “beautiful” in another language expresses the feeling even better.
A lot of words in English mean “beautiful”. You can tell someone they’re cute, pretty, elegant, handsome… So many synonyms for the same word, and new ones popping up and fading out all the time (like “looking fly” or “on fleek” as examples).
Yet, I don’t know about you, but I get a bit bored using the same words all the time. That’s part of the appeal of learning so many languages. You can learn ho...

You may have heard of Japan’s so-called “penis” festivals (yes, plural) – the most famous being the Kanamara Matsuri, visitable easily from Tokyo. But what are these actually about?
Attending festivals (祭り, matsuri) is a great way to use your Japanese language skills and participate in the culture. I visited two during my years living in Japan: the Kanamara Matsuri in Greater Tokyo and Honen Matsuri in Greater Nagoya. In this article, I’m going to tell you all about these two festivals, what ...

Halloween is just around the corner, and it’s time to brush up on your spooky vocabulary with some special Halloween words!
Whether you’re a language learner, a parent teaching kids, or just someone looking to get into the Halloween spirit, mastering these words will make your celebrations all the more bewitching.
This article is for English learners of all levels, English teachers, and fanatics of other languages!
In this article, we’ll check out over 100 Halloween words and phrases, startin...

If you want to spice up your Korean, learning some Korean proverbs will do the trick!
In every culture, proverbs play a significant role in conveying age-old wisdom, encapsulating life lessons, and reflecting the collective experiences of the people. Korean proverbs, or 속담 (sokdam), are no exception; they offer us a window into Korean thought, ethics, and traditions.
Korean proverbs often reflect the communal values, resilience, respect towards elders and nature, and the philosophical outlook...

How do you say “no” in Spanish? It’s actually very easy! This is because it’s about the same as English: no!
But that’s not all you need to know about no if you want to advance your Spanish abilities. I’ve been learning Spanish for years, and I’ll tell you how to use no as well as more creative phrases to use.
How to Use No in Spanish
The easiest way to say “no” in Spanish is just by saying no. But that’s not all no can do! No is a very useful word in Spanish because it’s a common word that f...

Whether you’re visiting Spain as a tourist, studying in Colombia, or in Mexico on business, you’ll likely come across a situation to wish someone good luck in Spanish.
I mean, ever found yourself crossing fingers, knocking on wood, or even wearing a particular color for good luck? You’re not alone. Around the world, people have their unique ways of wishing luck upon others, and Spanish-speaking cultures are rich in such traditions.
With 21 countries counting Spanish as an official language, e...

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When you think of the world’s most beautiful languages, beautiful English words might not be the first to spring to mind. After all, it doesn’t quite have the musical lilt of a Romance language. And having studied several languages, English also doesn’t always have words for certain unique, philosophically-rich cultural words, like Japanese 金継ぎ (kintsugi, or repairing something in gold).
But don’t be fooled! The English language is brimming with lovely vocabulary to capture the full ran...

What are French accent marks, and why do they matter? The words café and résumé are originally French, and in English we often write those words without the accents. In French, however, the accent marks are not optional.
Getting your accents right is the difference between being a pêcheur (fisherman) and a pécheur (sinner). Which one would you rather have on your résumé?
So let’s look at the different types of French accent marks and how they’re used. We’ll cover all the different types of ac...