Should you use präteritum or perfekt?

December 21, 2021Posted inGerman
When learners study the past tense in German, they are taught "there are two past tenses, but you only need to know one." Is that accurate? Do Germans only use one and avoid the other? The truth between choosing präteritum…

Begin vs start: what’s the difference?

December 7, 2021Posted inEnglish
The two words "begin" and "start" are very close, but many learners are shocked when they hear that one of their uses were awkward. Natives do hear a difference, and it is very subtle. Begin is usually about processes When…

How to say “when” in German

November 30, 2021Posted inGerman
It's funny to me that English is such an expressive language with so many words, but we have so many words that have several very distinct meanings but we use one word. It's not that we think they are the…

Perhaps vs probably: what’s the difference?

November 23, 2021Posted inEnglish
There are two words in English that are used in very similar circumstances: perhaps or probably. There are many other pairs that I talk about on my blog. Like those other pairs, they deserve special attention. There are some other…

Contemporary vs modern: what is the difference?

November 9, 2021Posted inEnglish
A lot of English learners have a hard time with the two similar words contemporary and modern. Whether you choose the word contemporary or modern in your sentence will depend on the tense of your story. This is an oversimplification,…

Grow vs raise: what is the difference?

November 2, 2021Posted inEnglish
This pair is really close, but it can be confusing for learners. The dictionary describes these two words very similarly. However, they have a big difference in nuance. How do we know whether to use grow or raise? Grow is…

An vs année: what is the difference?

October 26, 2021Posted inFrench
A lot of French learners have a hard time knowing with the pair an or année. They both translate as "year," but they are used in different context. Maybe you have an idea of how they differ, but you want…

Refugee vs fugitive: what is the difference

October 19, 2021Posted inEnglish
These days, you might see the words refugee and asylum seeker. You might also see some news stories with the word fugitive. They all have the similar roots. Refugee or fugitive both have the root for "flee" or "escape" in…

Melt vs thaw: what is the difference?

October 12, 2021Posted inEnglish
These two words are very close and might be easily confused. They are both are increasing temperatures. We use ice in our drinks, or we remove food from the freezer to eat. In both cases, you will melt or thaw…