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Showing posts from May, 2016

11 Untranslatable Words

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Our language conveys meaning, our opinions, our feelings. It allows us to connect with other people. Usually a language develops and evolves with time according to cultural traditions and usage norms. Therefore it goes hand in hand with the culture and with the people who speak that particular language. It grows and transform itself to respond to its speakers' needs of expression. There are certain situations, feelings or even just words in a particular language that express just that thing you've always been wanting to say but never found the right expression for. So I am hereby utterly delighted to give you a list of my favourite untranslatable words in different languages (with commens, not witty, not ironic.. AT ALL.) Graphic by Stephan Hogel, Sprachenatelier Berlin Gezelligheid, Dutch. The comfort and coziness of being at home, with family, friends and loved ones. Graphic by Stephan Hogel, remixed from original Minimalism outside by 55Laney69 under the lic

5 Things you can do in Berlin during summer

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Berlin, what a nice place to be during summer. The weather is (usually) very nice, there's always something to do and finally your friends are not in hibernation mode anymore and want to go out of their caves. The sunlight shines over the green grass in the parks, which start to be so crowded as if they were a football stadium. But what can you do to enjoy this season even more? Here are some tips for those of you who want get the best out of the summer time!  1. Ride your bike. With the warmer temperatures and the sun shining over your head, riding a bike is very enjoyable during summer. But don't rush! Try to take some time to enjoy the landscape while riding, take different routes and, if you have the time, make short stops to relax and enjoy the glorious summer vibes. 2. Drink your coffee outside. Yes, we all know that the cafés in Berlin are pretty good looking, but why seat inside? I mean, in winter you will have to anyway, so go out and enjoy the bree

Frankfurter Allee 40 - History of the Sprachenatelier building

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Sprachenatelier has been situated in the beautiful building on Frankfurter Allee for 13 years now, but the building has been around for over 100. Designed by architect Hans Liepe, the building was built between 1906-1907 by Oscar Garbe . In 1907, more buildings of a similar style popped up along Frankfurter Allee, which was a main transport link and a prestigious shopping street. It is, in fact, one of the oldest streets in Berlin. The building is a plastered build covering five floors, with balconies situated on the front side. There are two exits which lead to the two stair towers at the back. The most obvious thing about the building is the roof (which was sadly damaged in the recent fire: see the last blog post for details). The roof is what is known as a “hipped“ roof meaning that all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. At the back there is a square courtyard between this building and another five-story building behind it. Right